The Complete Shores at RiverTown Guide. (2026)

Executive Summary

Shores at RiverTown is a gated, waterfront new-construction enclave built by Toll Brothers inside the larger RiverTown master-planned community in St. Johns County, on the banks of the St. Johns River. Opened in 2023, it is the luxury, river-access tier of RiverTown, offering Toll Brothers single-family homes and waterfront townhomes with the standout feature of private boat slips available for select homesites, a rare amenity in Northeast Florida new construction.

Homes come in Craftsman, Carolina, and Coastal designs that play off the river views. Single-family homes run from about 1,607 to over 3,300 square feet, and low-maintenance waterfront townhomes from about 2,041 to 2,394 square feet, all with smart-home technology, open floor plans, and many with first-floor primary suites. As of 2026, single-family pricing starts in the mid-$400,000s and townhomes in the mid-$600,000s, with fully optioned and waterfront homes ranging from the high $500,000s to over $1 million.

Residents get a private, gated setting with an onsite nature preserve and a waterside path, plus a golf-cart-accessible boardwalk to RiverTown’s full resort amenities, the RiverHouse (fitness, yoga, two pools, water slides) and the RiverClub (waterfront dining, oasis pool, kayak launch, game room, playground, fishing pier, and a riverfront boardwalk). The community is zoned for top-rated St. Johns County schools and sits in a CDD community. This guide covers the homes, the boat slips, the amenities, the costs, and the honest trade-offs of buying new, including why you bring your own agent to the builder.

Quick Facts

Community Overview & History

The luxury enclave within RiverTown

RiverTown is one of Northeast Florida’s premier master-planned communities, a large riverfront development in St. Johns County built primarily by Mattamy Homes along the St. Johns River. Shores at RiverTown is a distinct, gated enclave within RiverTown, built by Toll Brothers, the nation’s leading luxury homebuilder, and opened in 2023. It represents the high end of RiverTown: luxury finishes, customization, a private gated setting, and direct river access.

The pairing matters. Buying in Shores means getting Toll Brothers’ luxury home product and a gated, river-access address, while also tapping into RiverTown’s deep, established amenity base and its location, schools, and lifestyle. For buyers who want the RiverTown lifestyle with a step up in home quality and the possibility of a private boat slip, Shores is the answer.

On the St. Johns River

What sets Shores apart, even within RiverTown, is its riverfront positioning. The enclave sits along the St. Johns River with an onsite nature preserve and a waterside nature path, and select homesites come with the option to purchase a private boat slip, putting boating, fishing, and kayaking on the river right at your doorstep. A golf-cart-accessible boardwalk connects Shores to the rest of RiverTown’s amenities. River access at this level is uncommon in new construction in the metro, and it is the core of the Shores pitch.

The Homes & Collections

Shores at RiverTown is built entirely by Toll Brothers, offering two main product types across several design collections. The decision starts with single-family versus townhome, and whether river access and a boat slip matter to you.

Luxury single-family homes

The single-family homes range from about 1,607 to over 3,300 square feet in Craftsman, Carolina, and Coastal designs that complement the river setting. Plans feature open layouts, many with first-floor primary suites, spacious offices, generous lofts, two-car garages, and indoor/outdoor living spaces. As of 2026, single-family pricing starts in the mid-$400,000s, with larger plans, premium lots, and waterfront positions pushing well into the $700,000s, $800,000s, and beyond.

Waterfront townhomes

The low-maintenance waterfront townhomes run from about 2,041 to 2,394 square feet, with open-concept plans offering first- or second-floor primary bedroom options, two-story great rooms, and flex rooms. Pricing starts in the mid-$600,000s. The townhomes suit buyers who want the river-access lifestyle and luxury finishes without the maintenance of a larger single-family home, a strong fit for downsizers, professionals, and second-home buyers.

The boat slips

The signature feature is the availability of private boat slips for select homesites. This is a genuine differentiator, few new communities in Northeast Florida offer the option to own a boat slip with direct St. Johns River access. Boat slips are limited and tied to specific homesites, so if river access matters to you, it shapes which homesite and home you target, and is exactly the kind of thing to plan for early with the right representation.

The Market & Pricing

Shores at RiverTown is the luxury end of an already desirable St. Johns County market. As of 2026, single-family homes start in the mid-$400,000s and townhomes in the mid-$600,000s, with prices ranging from the high $500,000s to well over $1 million depending on the plan, lot, waterfront position, boat slip, and Toll Brothers customization. It sits above the broader RiverTown price range (which starts in the mid-$200,000s for entry townhomes) because of the gated setting, the luxury product, and the river access.

Several factors shape the real cost. Lot premiums for waterfront and preserve homesites are significant. The boat slip is a separate cost tied to select homesites. Toll Brothers’ design-studio upgrades can move the price meaningfully, since the appeal of a Toll home is the customization. Builder incentives are active and can include closing-cost contributions and rate buydowns, so it pays to push for them. And the community carries HOA dues plus the RiverTown CDD assessment, which factor into the monthly cost.

For context, Momentum tracks the wider Jacksonville metro at a 97.98 percent sold-to-list ratio and 64 days on market for our agents, against a RealMLS market average closer to 96.73 percent and 72 days, year to date. In a luxury new-construction enclave like Shores, the lot, the waterfront position, the boat slip, the upgrade choices, and your representation matter far more than resale comps, which is where an agent who knows the community pays off.

Who Lives Here

Shores at RiverTown attracts buyers who want the RiverTown lifestyle and the top St. Johns schools, with a step up in home quality and a gated, river-access setting. The mix skews toward established families and move-up buyers wanting a luxury Toll Brothers home in a top school zone, boating and waterfront enthusiasts drawn by the private boat slips and St. Johns River access, and downsizers and professionals choosing the low-maintenance waterfront townhomes.

Because it is the luxury, gated tier of a larger community, residents tend to be financially established buyers who value both the privacy of the enclave and the deep amenity base of the broader RiverTown. Many are relocating within the metro to get into the St. Johns school district at a higher home tier, or moving from out of state drawn by the waterfront lifestyle. The river access and the Toll Brothers product give Shores a distinct, upscale identity within RiverTown.

Schools

Shores at RiverTown is served by the top-rated St. Johns County School District, which is a major draw. Like the surrounding RiverTown community, it is generally zoned for Hickory Creek Elementary, Switzerland Point Middle School, and Bartram Trail High School, all strong, sought-after campuses, and there is also a K-8 school located within RiverTown itself, a significant convenience for families.

Because northwest St. Johns is growing quickly and the district periodically adjusts boundaries, attendance zones can shift as the area builds out, and builders’ published school references are estimates. Buyers should confirm the exact current zoned schools for a specific Shores address directly with St. Johns County Public Schools before relying on any assignment. The in-community K-8 option is a notable plus for families weighing RiverTown and Shores.

Amenities & Lifestyle

Shores at RiverTown offers a rare combination: its own private, gated, riverfront setting plus access to one of the metro’s deepest master-planned amenity bases.

Shores’ own setting

Within the gates, Shores offers an onsite nature preserve, a waterside nature path, charming streetscapes, and the St. Johns River frontage with private boat slips available for select homesites. A golf-cart-accessible boardwalk links Shores to the rest of RiverTown’s amenities, so residents get both the privacy of the enclave and the full community experience.

RiverTown’s resort amenities

Through RiverTown, Shores residents have access to a genuinely robust amenity package. The RiverHouse features a fitness center, indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, a yoga studio, two pools, and water slides. The RiverClub offers waterfront dining, an oasis pool, a kayak launch, a game room, a playground, and a boardwalk that stretches along the river with fishing and panoramic views. RiverTown also has sports fields, a dog park, miles of trails, and additional pools and parks throughout.

The river lifestyle

The St. Johns River is the defining amenity. Between the private boat slips, the kayak launch, the fishing pier, the waterfront dining, and the riverside boardwalk, Shores and RiverTown offer a genuine river lifestyle that is hard to find in new construction. For boaters and water lovers, this is the main reason to choose Shores over a non-waterfront new community.

HOA & CDD

The cost structure here reflects both the RiverTown master plan and the gated Shores enclave, and buyers should map it carefully.

There is a CDD. RiverTown is a Community Development District community, with the CDD assessment appearing on the annual county tax bill to fund the infrastructure and the extensive amenities. This is a real recurring cost on top of HOA dues, and it is normal for a community with RiverTown’s amenity depth.

There are HOA dues. HOA fees are charged separately and vary by neighborhood within RiverTown. As a gated enclave with its own setting, Shores has its own HOA arrangement layered with the broader RiverTown association, so confirm the specific dues for Shores.

Factor the boat slip and upgrades. Beyond the recurring fees, the optional boat slip is a separate purchase tied to select homesites, and Toll Brothers’ design-studio upgrades can add substantially to the price. These are one-time costs, but they meaningfully change the all-in number.

Model the true all-in monthly. Between the mortgage, the CDD assessment, the HOA dues, and the way new-build property taxes often reset upward after the first year, the all-in monthly cost can run well above the base price. A good agent will help you build the real number, including the boat slip and upgrade decisions, before you commit.

Commute Analysis

Shores at RiverTown sits in northwest St. Johns County along the river, with access to the CR-210 and I-95 corridors.

RiverTown sits along the St. Johns River in the western part of St. Johns County, with access via CR-210 and Longleaf Pine Parkway toward I-95. The Durbin Pavilion retail district is about 15 to 20 minutes away, the St. Johns Town Center and Southside job centers about 25 to 35 minutes north, and St. Augustine about 30 to 35 minutes south. For buyers who work on the Southside, in St. Johns County, or remotely, and who prioritize the schools and the river lifestyle, the location works well. The trade-offs are the distance to the beaches (a longer drive than coastal communities) and the commuter traffic on CR-210 at peak hours. For a riverfront luxury home in a top school zone, the location is compelling.

Shopping & Dining

Shores residents are close to strong shopping and dining, and have waterfront dining right inside RiverTown at the RiverClub. The Durbin Pavilion (Durbin Park), about 15 to 20 minutes away, is a major regional destination with big-box retail, a wide range of restaurants, and a movie theater, and the growing CR-210 and Longleaf corridors add grocery stores, restaurants, and everyday services close by.

Farther out, the St. Johns Town Center and St. Augustine Premium Outlets (about 25 to 35 minutes) offer premier shopping, and historic downtown St. Augustine adds its own dining and charm about 30 to 35 minutes south. Combined with RiverTown’s own waterfront dining and the brand-new retail growing along the corridor, Shores has a strong and convenient shopping and dining picture.

Pros and Cons

Shores at RiverTown vs. Comparable Communities

Most buyers weighing Shores are comparing it with RiverTown itself and the other St. Johns master plans. Here is the honest shorthand.

Hidden Things Buyers Should Know

A few things that consistently come up once buyers get serious about a waterfront luxury enclave like Shores.

The boat slip is the real differentiator

Private boat slips with St. Johns River access are genuinely rare in metro new construction. They are limited and tied to specific homesites, so if a boat slip matters to you, it should drive your homesite selection from the start, not be an afterthought. Plan for it early with your agent.

You are buying into two fee structures

As a gated enclave inside a CDD master plan, Shores carries the RiverTown CDD assessment plus its own HOA layered with the broader RiverTown association. Confirm the full picture, CDD, Shores HOA, and any RiverTown master dues, so the true monthly is clear.

Toll upgrades are where the price moves

The appeal of a Toll Brothers home is the customization, and the design studio is where the base price can climb fast. Go in knowing which upgrades add lasting value (and resale appeal) versus which are easy to skip, so you spend where it counts.

You get the best of both: private and connected

Shores gives you a gated, private, riverfront address plus full access to RiverTown’s deep amenity base via the boardwalk. That combination, privacy plus a robust master-planned lifestyle, is a real advantage worth weighing against a standalone community.

Momentum Expert Insight

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Reading

If you are researching Shores at RiverTown, you are likely also weighing these other St. Johns County and new-construction communities. We have written guides on each.