St Augustine Fl America’s Oldest City East Coast Vacation
St. Augustine, FL easily qualifies for inclusion in “East Coast Vacations” and after living in Fl, on the East Coast, for a little over four years, we finally visited this city. Here’s just a couple of things we learned:
First, it is Florida’s second most visited tourist destination! and Secondly: Why is it not nationally recognized in historical teachings as much as the more well known areas such as Plymouth (Mass) or Jamestown and areas around Williamsburg, The answer to that is that in the early days, it was NOT an “American” city or area but very much part of Spain! In fact, nearly all of the North American continent was CLAIMED in the name of Spain!
Here’s A Quick Video Tour!
What makes St Augustine such a popular destination and attraction? First, we’d say the historical things to see and do. This starts with the landing site of the first Americans, then can move up through the Spanish area and the famous fort a the site, then on to more modern history centered around Henry Flagler. To truly appreciate a visit to St. Augustine, one ideally would spend a little time in the history books, beginning with “history of St. Augustine” and “Spanish Occupation and Settlement of Fl”, then on to learn about Henry Flagler.
Of course… if you are a golfing buff, there?s always this to do in Fl, but it’s not why you come to St Augustine. If you are that, you?d probably want to make it south a few exits on I95 to PGA Blvd and sink your teeth into this area.
So to go into a little detail, obviously the first thing you do is pick your date or dates. We’d suggest you allow at least 3 days for the area, but you can get an excellent taste in one day. Three will not be enough time if you are a shopper and want to visit the many outstanding art galleries and shops, not to mention the fine boutiques, or even drive about 8 miles to one of the beaches. One of the best times is in April. The crowds are not oppressive nor is the heat.
Having chosen your time, obviously book your lodging. You have available all the major name hotels, both right in town and on I-95 which is about 5 miles from the historic city center, but you also have some charming bed and breakfasts.. For a little historical flavor of earlier car travel, jump off I-95 and come into St Augustine on US 1… the “grand daddy” of the current I-95.
Now you can book your lodging on line and you can do the next step as well: Booking what you are going to see.
There are two major operating “tour trolley” companies: One “green” the other “red”. While we chose the “green”, the “red” seemed to have as much presence and as many units as the green. Both offer package deals: The basic is your “unlimited on and off” travel around down, narrated tours for a base fee, and sorry seniors…. no special senior discounts. But speaking of seniors, unless you are wheelchair bound, it’s easy to get on and off. The package can consist of your tram plus pre set destinations, and these packages offer roughly a 5-10% discount over what you’d pay for individual admissions at the various places having an admission fee. BUT.. what if you can’t really tell what you’d want from an Internet search with a pre-purchase arrangement (by the way, which also offers you some discount). The answer is if you are willing to fore-go that small online purchase discount, when you get to a tour/tram center (by the way, the only way to go if you are driving in for the day as this includes parking.. which otherwise you pay for for a day at over $7.50 at the municipal parking garage)., you can build your own “package” and we found the tram/welcome center people to be exceptionally helpful.
Some readers will be very interested in a couple of the museums but maybe not the Ripley Believe if or Not “Attraction”. (We passed on this, having been through one in Niagara Falls and one a Myrtle Beach). On the other hand, we really wanted to visit the Winery (no charge) but if you have small children, you might pass on this.
Let’s say a word about the winery: First, it as you might expect.. Fla’s oldest. But unique in that it makes it’s wines (white and red, dry to sweet) from a special, unique to Fl, variety of grape. You won’t find this anywhere else. The winery tour includes a tasting and our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun to listen to. After you “taste” you can buy wine to take with you or have shipped back home. For us, it was a day highlite.
For an adult only couple, I think our choices might make a nice model for anyone. Arrive not later than 9 and choose your tour package. Have breakfast before you start. Make your first visit the Fl History Museum. Allow at least an hour to walk through. At the same site you’ll find the St Augustine jail. We passed on this. Next, we wanted to hit the fort, and it’s all outside so we wanted to do this before the day got really hot. This is a National Park Service facility, so if you have purchased a Golden Passport from a previous NPS location, take it with you as it will get you in “free”. Be there when a very knowledgeable tour guide is explaining the history of this, and previous forts. It will put Fl history perspective right “in your face” and will be entertaining.
Now is time for a nice lunch break and there’s literally hundreds of choices in wonderful, historic St Augustine, FL
From there, back on the tram and to the winery. We found that the winery actually has a nice lounge where you could also get a lunch, but we were very happy with what we chose and it had a greater selection than the winery would have given us.
Depending on when you arrive at the St Augustine winery, allow a least an hour and this assumes you arrive when a tour and orientation is starting. Yes, you can taste as much wine as you want and there is no charge or fee.
After that, we wanted to see on of the Flagler Hotels, particularly as we have been to his home and museum in West Palm Beach. We did that, but we expected more to see the hotel and that history instead of the collections of the buyer who purchased it.. yet, if you are in to famous collections, this is billed as a collection second only in scope to the Smithsonian. For the HOTEL point, you need to see the main hotel which now houses Flagler College, and has tours only twice a day.
While in this neighborhood, plan to visit the Chocolate factory. In our case, this wrapped up this part of the day and most trams stop service around 4:30.. but your day can have one fun finale. When you check in, reserve a “Sunset Tour” on the tour boat which leaves from the Municipal Marina. This is a very clean, nice tour and these tours have been operated through four generations of one family. You can purchase light snacks on board, but there’s again restaurants within walking distance. You may need to relocate your car from the tram site to a closer location. We did, parking on street at 5:15 and having supper.. and then showing for the harbor cruise at 6:30. Tours last about 1:15 minutes.
So.. without kids, with only seeing 4 major attractions where we got off and “went in”, and spending less than $50 a person (not including food), it was a great day. Obviously if you travel to this city from distance, you’d probably want to take in more. Notice we did not mention any shopping, or the beach. As we started, 3 days would be great (at least in good weather). If you are planning an East Coast vacation in this area, plan another day or so in Daytona Beach, just 45 minutes drive south… and while there, the main attraction is the Speedway. Now you are close to where I-4 intersects with I-95 and you are within an hour of Orlando. But Orlando is technically not on the East Coast, so not really in keeping with the theme of this web site.. and it could have an entire one of it’s own.
We really would suggest that St Augustine deserves the claim of “Fla’s Second Largest Vacation and Tourist Destination” and is worth at least a 3 day “sampler” vacation on a very reasonable budget.