Sink Into Florida's Historic Coast
Look no further than Northeast Florida’s Historic Coast for family fun and culinary adventure in America’s oldest city, St. Augustine. After all, the St. Augustine and the Ponte Vedra Beach area has been welcoming visitors for hundreds of years. There’s something for everyone, including 42 miles of Atlantic beaches, historical charm and renowned golf courses.
SEE AND DO
Talk about a view from the top. The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum offers breathtaking views from the top, which you can experience day or night on moonlight tours. It features a Maritime Archaeology & Education Center along with a conservation lab, research library, and X-ray room, all of which provide a more interactive experience of local history.
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park gets you up close, but not too personal, with alligators, crocodiles, snakes and birds. The park features its Oasis on the Nile feeding shows, with two-level crocodile viewing and exhibits of Egyptian artifacts. There’s also the Hoffman’s TwoToed Sloth Exhibit featuring Teddy and Grizzly. Feed your new sloth pals a piece of fruit or vegetables while you discover more about sloth conservation.
Ready for some oddities? Then don’t miss the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium. A collection of the bizarre and mysterious, the Odditorium’s newest addition is the Jungle Room, where guests can play hands-on games or create their own jungle apparel while dancing to jungle sounds and tones. Ripley’s also has Red Train tours, ghost train tours and mini golf.
Get behind the scenes—or, actually, behind the seas—with the Behind the Seas Park Pass at Marineland Dolphin Adventure, which is now part of Dolphin Discovery. Behind the Seas allows guests to go “below the decks” through the history of Marineland and see hundreds of exotic species.
Each year, from late November to the end of January, St. Augustine shows off its beauty during Nights of Lights, when millions of lights adorn the city’s buildings, street lamps and parks. The lights are strewn over the Bridge of Lions, illuminating St. Augustine’s Spanish Colonial architecture, sidewalks, rooftops, hotels and public spaces, throughout the city's Historic District. Nights of Lights continues to remain at the top of the list of Best Holiday Lights with many national publications like USA Today, Travel + Leisure and many more.
DINE AND PLAY
Recently Named No. 1 Foodie Town in the South by Southern Living magazine, St. Augustine visitors are making food adventures a growing part of their stay. Restaurants include influences from Spain, France, Italy and Greece, reflecting the area’s history. Add spice to your life with the locally grown datil pepper, found in many local restaurants’ prepared dishes. It’s hot stuff!
The St. Augustine Distillery uses Floridagrown ingredients to make small-batch whiskey, rum, vodka and other drinks; while City Gate Spirits produces some fun spirits like Apple Pie Moonshine, Peanut Butter Whiskey and Sweet Tea Vodka. Tours and free samples are available. Newer wine rooms around town include the Carrera Wine Cellar (featuring themed wine classes), Casa de Vino 57, and the St. George Inn wine bar, Bin 39. Craft beer tap rooms in town include Dog Rose Brewing Co., Ancient City Brewing, Old Coast Ales, and Bog Brewing Company.
For drinks with a view, Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House provides a scenic view. Nearby, Prohibition Kitchen on St. George Street features flapper dresses, speakeasies, moonshine and swing.