St Augustine

St Augustine

Two hours drive north of Orlando is the historical city of St Augustine. St Augustine is America’s oldest city and has two main areas of interest, the 43 miles of beaches and the buzz and charm of the old town. Both are great places to visit. St Augustine has a completely different culture and feel to Orlando and makes you feel like you have stepped back in time for a while. It is well worth the drive to visit this delightful historic district, full of cobblestone streets, street cafes, antique stores and places of interest.

First claimed by Don Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513, and named La Florida (Land of Flowers) this is a truly delightful pearl in Florida’s oyster. Steeped in history, picturesque, unique. We went in the height of the season, yet it was not crowded, there was plenty of opportunity to stroll around. Relax, take your time, be happy!

There are several ways of getting around the city, all an experience in themselves, and great value for money. There are at least 2 small train/buses that take you in and out the small streets, giving you a great chance to see each place of interest and then decide where you want to visit. You can hop on and off at any stage. You can buy simple tickets for the journey or tickets that combine with entry to some of the city’s attractions. If you feel like a more traditional method of transport, you can hire a horse and carriage to drive you around. Makes you feel really colonial!

Our first visit was to the Old Town Jail, a jail built in the style of a house so that it didn’t spoil the surrounding area. Experience for yourself sitting in one of the prison cells, walk through the personal quarters of the sheriff and his family, spend some time in the stocks, view the grisly gallows where the bad guys met a sticky end.

We then got on the Old Town train which took us through the twisting and turning roads of the city centre, past cafes and bars, restaurants and, most importantly, shops. If shopping is your thing, you have come to the right place! The trip on the train was accompanied by an interesting and knowledgeable commentary from the driver who gave you all the information you could possibly want about what to see and do. Fantastic value.

For the historical buffs amongst you there is the Castillo de San Marcos, built in 1672 (and finished in 1695). This is alongside the picturesque Matanzas Bay, near the marina with it’s multi-million dollar boats (or is that ships! ). Visit too Fort Matanzas built in 1740 where you get a fantastic view across the river. Also of interest is the Flagler College, the Casa Monica hotel, the Lightner Museum.

You may struggle to visit everything the city has to offer in just one day - a return visit is a must, certainly for us.

If you’ve had enough of history, you can visit one of the 43 miles of beaches. Bright golden sand stretching for as far as the eye can see. A myriad of water sports (fishing, diving, surfing, parasailing) for those with the inclination and energy.

A short drive away is the St Augustine lighthouse. At the bottom is a delightful museum and if you have the energy, you can walk up approximately 300 steps for a fantastic panoramic view of St Augustine. You can buy a certificate to confirm that you were up the challenge of climbing to the top.

Getting there is simple, drive by numbers. Go along the I-4 for approximately 50 miles from central Orlando, then exit on to the I-95 North to Jacksonville and drive for approximately 37 miles and follow the signs for St Augustine. Couldn’t be easier.

We can’t recommend St Augustine highly enough. We were so surprised at the variety of things to do and how much we enjoyed our day. We will definitely be visiting again!