Skip to Content

Best Of Saint Augustine: Rare Gems on Florida’s Historic Coast

Best Of Saint Augustine: Rare Gems on Florida’s Historic Coast

Did you know that the oldest city in the United States in is Florida? It’s true! Saint Augustine was founded in 1565 and has been incredible ever since. Called Florida’s Historic Coast, the St Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the Beaches region is ideal for nearly any sort of vacation. Whether it’s Florida adventures you seek or relaxing in a quaint cafe, you should visit St Augustine; it’s THE destination for you.

Saint Augustine is a history lover’s dream. Art and architecture fans will be in heaven. Kayakers, green travelers and beach goers will never want to leave. Take a look at our MANY articles all about planning a visit to St Augustine and North Florida to find your next trip!

Floridas Historic Coast Landing Page

BEST OF HISTORIC SAINT AUGUSTINE

The downtown area of Saint Augustine is built all around the Ancient City. Perfect for a family visit or romantic trip, St Augustine’s history makes for an interesting destination for anyone. Enter through the city gates, the only ones in the USA, and then you step back in time. You’ll also find an historic lighthouse and even a zoo that was opened in 1893, all here in St Augustine!

We have recommendations for food, ghost walks, guided tours and more. And did you know that there are two really interesting and beautiful National Park sites in Saint Augustine? Both are pretty cool and fun to explore with kids.

And you can’t miss our scavenger hunt for downtown Saint Augustine. Use it to guide you through the historic streets, looking for unique sights and hidden gems.

St Augustine, FL is both full of history and the best beaches in Florida. From wildlife viewing to things to do at night, this is the guide to everything you need to know about Saint Augustine, the oldest city in the USA. #Florida #vacation #travel
One of the coolest historic sites to visit with kids, the Castillo de San Marcos is the perfect blend of fun, history, beauty and kid-friendly awesomeness.
Scavenger hunt for downtown historic Saint Augustine, Florida. Sights and hidden gems to look for.

Things To Do and See on Anastasia Island, St Augustine

Just across the Bridge of Lions you come to Anastasia Island. When you visit St Augustine, you’ll end up here on Anastasia Island for one activity or another. Known for its charming beach neighborhoods, it’s also where WE live! We almost never have to leave the island, whether for activities or amazing food.

Butler Beach and Crescent Beach are dream destinations for a Florida vacation. Located between Daytona and Saint Augustine, the beaches are perfect and surrounded by history and natural beauty. #Florida
Fort Matanzas National Monument is an ideal day trip from St Augustine. See how to visit and what to day at this overlooked but MUST-SEE sight. #Florida #StAugustine #nationalpark
One of the oldest zoos in the USA, the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm is ideal for learning about Florida wildlife and seeing CRAZY groups of gators. Perfect stop with kids! #Florida
If you're in St Augustine, FL you need to visit the Saint Augustine Lighthouse! It's one of the tallest in the USA and is the prettiest lighthouse in Florida. Information on touring the lighthouse, maritime museum and more. #Florida #lighthouse #vacation

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT IN SAINT AUGUSTINE

Half of the fun of visiting Saint Augustine is eating your way around town. And then of course you need to have a great place to stay at night. We’ve dug deep through our many trips, and now living locally, to pick out our favorite spots around the city. From affordable and luxury hotels to vacation rentals and even camping, we’ve got recommendations for where to stay in St Augustine.

When it comes to dining, you have to see where we love for quick eats and treats, favorite seafood, and nice meals with a view. The best restaurants in Saint Augustine aren’t just downtown, so take our advice and go explore! Visit St Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach, and go up to Vilano for fresh takes on Florida food favorites.

Reviews and recommendations of hotels in St Augustine, from Best Westerns to historic hotels. Also camping and vacation rental recommendations near the beach. #Florida #StAugustine #hotels
These are the best restaurants in St Augustine, from Florida seafood to the unique Minorcan cuisine. Best things to eat from beach food to distilleries. #Florida #seafood #restaurants

ECOTOURISM ON FLORIDA’S HISTORIC COAST

There is more to the Saint Augustine area than its beautiful historic sights and great food. The North Florida coast is also home to incredible natural and wildlife preserves. Our family loves kayaking, interpretive centers, guided tours… Basically anything that gets us outdoors and learning. And we love when we can also participate in conservation activities. We have some very unique, fun suggestions for both Florida Ecotours and just getting outdoors to the beach and beyond!

One of our favorite day trips from Saint Augustine is down to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge for the best ecotour opportunity in Florida: bioluminescent kayaking! Glow in the dark kayaking and SUP surrounded by wildlife!!

Ecotourism in Florida is one of the best ways to experience the beautiful natural unique to the state. From kayaking to education centers, there are many ecotours in North Florida.
Outdoor activities in Saint Augustine, Florida include exploring the historic downtown and exploring the waterways via kayak. These are the best ways to enjoy the outdoors with kids.
Bioluminescent Kayaking: Florida's Best Kept (odd) Thrilling Magical Secret. Where to go and everything you need to know to experience the wonder of glow in the dark night kayaking.

ST AUGUSTINE PODCAST EPISODES

Of course we’ve recorded some podcast episodes about Saint Augustine! To help plan and have a great visit to St Augustine we’ve broken down the area by things to do around the downtown core in the Ancient City and then what you’ll find out the beaches. From the Mantanzas Inlet up to Mickler’s Landing north of Ponte Vedra, the dish about everything we love around Saint Augustine.

Everything awesome to do in the downtown Ancient City core of Saint Augustine, Florida. From ghost tours to food you MUST EAT!
Best of Downtown: must do eats and sights
Beyond historic St Augustine there are tons of beaches and cool sights to see all around the area. Whether you're into alligators or want to visit an obscure National Park site, we've got the scoop on it all. And we've got some great restaurant picks too!
Best of St Augustine, Vilano and Ponte Vedra Beaches

Since we live here in Saint Augustine now, if you ever have any questions about the area, about events or new restaurants you hear about, let us know and we’ll get the scoop for you. We’re happy to do the footwork to help you have an awesome visit to Florida’s Historic Coast!

St Augustine has countless things to do, from tours to beaches. The oldest city in the USA, Saint Augustine has a beautiful downtown and amazing food and hotels.
St Augustine, FL is both full of history and the best beaches in Florida. From wildlife viewing to things to do at night, this is the guide to everything you need to know about Saint Augustine, the oldest city in the USA. #Florida #vacation #travel