Saint Augustine is a small city positioned in Northeast Florida simply south of Jacksonville and about 1.5 hrs. south of the Florida/Georgia Stateline. It’s believed to be the oldest metropolis in the USA. It was first found and claimed for Spain by Ponce de Leon in 1513 who named it La Florida , however issues didn’t work out for Ponce de Leon as he deliberate. It was later rediscovered and renamed St. Augustine, by Juan Mendez Aviles in 1565.
It took me about 5 hours to drive from South Florida to Saint Augustine through I-95, stopping twice. As soon as for a loo break and the following to get fuel. The lodge the place I used to be staying was simply off the 95, straightforward to seek out. I stayed on the Sensible Keep Inn, a two story lodge with an satisfactory quantity of rooms and parking. It has a fitness center, a pool, scorching tub, and laundry room, and serves up superb breakfast decisions that features scrambled eggs, sausages, slice bread, bagel, make your individual waffles, orange juice, milk, espresso, tea, fruits and cereal. Possibly not the best, however higher than a granola bar and a bottle of water that we have been supplied at one other lodge.
The lodge is near the Saint Augustine Shops and though it’s not within the downtown space it was not a really lengthy drive. Even Although it wasn’t my first alternative, I didn’t thoughts it in any respect. I used to be truly extra happy with the selection once I went into city and noticed that parking at these lodges appeared a bit tight. That’s undoubtedly one thing to bear in mind when in search of someplace to remain.
There are different lodges within the space just like the Consolation Inn which is true subsequent door, High quality Inn, Purple Roof Inn, Vacation Inn and extra. You can too discover fuel stations and many locations to eat close by.
What to Count on
The Downtown space is the place most sights are. I got here into city on a Friday afternoon, went to check-in on the lodge after which visited the Saint Augustine Shops. After visiting the Shops I needed to go to an attraction, however once I checked the sights, most of them have been already closed. By the way in which, most sights in Saint Augustine closes between at 5:00 and 5:30 PM. I noticed one, the Pirate and Treasure Museum, that was open till 7:00 PM and determined I’d go.
After driving into the Downtown space the Pirate and Treasure Museum was not on my thoughts. I made a decision I used to be going to go to the Castillo de San Marcos nationwide Monument as a substitute as a result of there was one thing so fascinating about the entire surroundings, with the blue waters of the Matanzas River within the backdrop. The Pirate and Treasure Museum was actually throughout the road however that was for an additional day.
I wanted to try to discover someplace to park and I observed that the left lane was beginning to again up as some folks have been making an attempt to get into a close-by parking zone whereas others have been in a line ready to go over the Bridge of Lions which takes you to A1A. I got here out of the road and went into the precise lane in hopes I might discover someplace to park. I ended up on a avenue that took me proper into what I assumed was the parking zone of a lodge, however as I drove in I observed the parking areas all marked reserved. Later I noticed I used to be behind Flagler Faculty.
I parked for a bit and acquired out and took just a few photos as a result of it had a stunning architectural design. After pulling out of the faculty, simply throughout the road was a $10 parking zone. I instantly pulled in and paid the attendant, it was a superb factor too as a result of it was beginning to replenish. There are quite a few parking round, however it’s a must to drive round to seek out low-cost parking. The parking closest to the principle avenue, Avenida Menendez, are costlier. You could possibly get some free parking at a number of the sights along with your ticket buy, like Ripley’s Consider it or Not supplied a 3 hours parking cross with the acquisition of the doorway ticket. I used to be in a position to tour the attraction and afterwards depart the automotive there for a bit and got here again in time to take off.
After parking, I walked a bit methods, not too far via the again streets and on to the principle however earlier than getting there I couldn’t assist however go searching to see what was happening these again streets. I quickly understand that St. George avenue is the place the whole lot was taking place. It’s lined with retailers, eateries, and leisure. I used to be in a position to cease at Tedi’s Olde Tyme Ice Cream and buy a pistachio cup. After leaving Tedi’s simply on the aspect on the nook of Cuna and St. George there was a person who had snakes on show, $10 to carry or pose with a certainly one of them for a single particular person and $15 for a bunch. That wasn’t going to be me, I’m not an enormous fan of snakes, so I form of hurried cross there and went on to my vacation spot.
Once I got here to the Castillo de San Marcos I used to be not in a position to go on the within as a result of it was closed by that point, however I used to be nonetheless in a position to tour the skin. I used to be in a position to stroll round it and observe the cannons that have been lined off in a single space and skim articles about its historical past. Although it was not open on the time, it was nonetheless an exquisite place to loosen up as a result of the solar was nonetheless up and the breeze that was blowing in from the Matanzas River felt so good. You may sit on any of the seats onsite or on the great and plush garden. The one factor is that the garden will not be dealing with the water so it might not have the identical impact as sitting on the waterfront.
Issues To DO
There are lots of issues to do in Saint Augustine, regardless of me considering there could not have been rather a lot to do there. I cannot go into a lot particulars about them right here as a result of I’ve an article that listing issues to do in St. Augustine, you possibly can click on right here to seek out it, however I’ll go forward and listing a number of the locations to go to/issues to do;
- Lightner Museum
- Ripley’s Consider it or Not
- Potter’s Wax Museum
- Castillo de San Marcos Nationwide Monument
- Alligator Farm
- The Torture Museum
- St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
- Fountain of Youth
- The Previous Jail
- Saint Augustine shops for some procuring
- Do your individual self strolling tour and admire the structure of some locations like Flagler Faculty and the church buildings
- Go to The Plaza de La Constitucion park
Getting Round
Getting round city in St. Augustine isn’t onerous as a result of most locations are shut by and straightforward to get to with your individual automotive or by Uber. In case you occur to get a lodge in or close to downtown, it’s a simple stroll as a result of the whole lot is true there, aside from the seashores and alligator farm. Then there’s additionally the trolley excursions.
There are two sorts of trollies in St. Augustine, there’s the Previous City Trolley Excursions and Purple Practice Excursions. The Previous City Trolley affords shuttles that picks you up out of your lodge and takes you to the trolley depot, from there you should buy your trolley tickets (in addition to attraction tickets at a reduction) and get on to a trolley. You may select to journey the trolley all day round city or hop on and off as you would like. The Previous City Trolley excursions sells in the future in addition to two day tickets.
The Purple Practice Excursions is part of Ripley’s Consider it or Not and likewise affords guided excursions round city permitting you to hop on and off all day. It is possible for you to to get the prepare from the Ripley’s location. The Purple Practice Excursions affords an all day hop on or off expertise in addition to the Purple Practice Categorical expertise which is a one hour guided tour that takes you to sure websites.
There’s an upside and a draw back to taking the trollies. The upside is that you just don’t have to fret about driving your individual automotive to every location and having to fret about parking or taking a Uber, and the drivers are very educated in regards to the historical past of town. The draw back in my view is, relying on how far aside the stops are you possibly can spend lots of time on the trolley attending to the following attraction. For instance, I spent nearly 2 hours on the trolley making an attempt to get to my final attraction due to site visitors and likewise as a result of it was the final cease, cease quantity 22, solely to seek out out that the park was solely a few 5 minute stroll from the trolley depot.
Locations To Eat
Alongside the waterfront you could find eating places akin to Meehans’s Iris Pub and Seafood, River & Fort Restaurant and Roof High Lounge in addition to Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille, simply to call just a few. Sadly, I didn’t get an opportunity to dine at any of these on the waterfront, however there are lots of locations round that you could find to eat. Alongside the again streets you could find small eating places tucked away, just like the Raintree or Drake’s Bistro on San Marco Ave, and St. George Tavern on St. George Avenue. Then there’s all the time quick meals eating places like Bojangles, which by the way in which had some tasty hen wings, Zaxby’s, Burger King, and extra, if you wish to get it rapidly and go.
What I like probably the most about Saint Augustine is that despite the fact that it’s a small metropolis, it holds an enormous historical past and It’s nice for solo vacationers and much more so for households. I’d undoubtedly go to once more and I’ve discovered that the very best time to go to is throughout Christmas when the entire metropolis is embellished with lights.