St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States and is located to the north of Florida.
We always recommend visiting this city, this is why I needed to write this post. Many friends and family when they visit us in Orlando, they already come with the idea of going to St. Augustine. It can easily be a day trip from Central Florida, if you do not mind driving about 2hrs one way and 2hrs back.
If you ask me about my favorite Florida spots, St. Augustine definitely falls in my top 3. I can’t say which one is number 1 because they are different experiences (Florida Keys, St. Augustine and Disney World).
I believe in 1 day you can see the Old downtown of St. Augustine. Easy to walk from one side to the other. More days if you want to visit the museums, castle, the lighthouse and visit the beach. If staying over night, you might want to go on a ghost tour … remember that this city is the oldest and has many stories. Very popular attraction.
My favorite activity is simply walking by St. George Street. It is a pedestrian street, it has many restaurants and bars, shops of all kinds, the oldest wooden school, museums and more. It is impossible not to enter the stores and discover much more. I usually start walking from the old city gate until I reach the Plaza de la Constitución (in front of the cathedral). And yes, that is the official name of the square, here you will see many things in Spanish.
After that, I usually go to the Lightner Museum. Not so much for the museum (I confess that I have never entered) but the architecture of the place is beautiful. Don’t forget to take a walk inside.
Right across from the Lightner Museum, you’ll find Flagler College. Another beautiful place, they even offer tours inside the college.
Do you want more history? Don’t forget to walk down the oldest street in America: Aviles Street. This is the artistic street of the city.
The Castillo de San Marco is another attraction. I have visited it twice (2003 and 2010) and the truth is that I would not return again (unless someone with me wants to go in). I mean, it’s interesting, the view is beautiful from there , however, from the outside you can walk and enjoy the view as well. Inside, if you have visited other forts (in the Caribbean there are many) it is something like this … But this is one of the most visited points of the city.
When sunset comes, a walk (if you go with your partner it is a very romantic place) from the Bridge of Lions bordering the bay is always a very good option until you reach the castle.
St. Augustine is a dog-friendly city … at least the entire St. George Street area you will find other dogs and various water points for them.
If you are looking for a beach, about 10-15min by car away from the old city, you can get to the beach. There you will find good and fun restaurants, a pier and more to enjoy on your vacation.
Here’s a video for AccesoTotal29 about this amazing city (click CC for subtitles):
