Romantic Tips for St. Augustine Visitors

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We would like to welcome you to beautiful St. Augustine, Florida. Like you, we enjoy traveling to other cities. Of course, our first thoughts are "where are the really scenic places to visit and what are the nicest restaurants?" These are questions only a local resident can answer. Our mission is to do just that.

Overview of our St. Augustine geography

St. Augustine sits on Matanzas Bay. Beyond the bay and Anastasia Island is the Atlantic Ocean. The sun rises over the ocean and the bay. St. Augustine, Vilano, and Crescent Beaches all face the east, so you get beautiful sunrises.

Five Romantic Strolls

1. Our top pick is walking on Vilano Beach. Here's the secret of Vilano Beach: Locals don't tell the visitors about Vilano because it's our “private little jewel” and we like to keep it to ourselves. St. Augustine Beach is beautiful, no doubt, but it's usually packed with visitors during the beach-bathing months. That said, both beaches are great early in the morning (and uncluttered). They are both spectacular on a stormy evening. Vilano Beach is generally quiet throughout the day. If you drive to the old Vilano Pier (you'll see the pier off to your right as you cross the Vilano Bridge toward Vilano Beach) you'll be at a great place for sipping coffee while you enjoy a spectacular view of downtown St. Augustine (particularly gorgeous for sunsets). You'll also see fishing boats and fishermen. Very relaxing indeed! This Vilano website link is a commercial site and does not represent all the amenities of Vilano, but the pictures will give you some flavor. You can also search Vilano Beach Florida in YouTube for great videos and a Google Images search will net you lots of great pictures.

2. Another excellent stroll is along our beautiful bayfront. We have a seawall along the bayfront with benches. You'll see shrimp boats coming and going and see our community of water residents and their sailboats. This is a very good morning and evening stroll. If you walk north along the sea wall you'll see our fort, the Castillo de San Marcos, about two blocks up the sidewalk. If you walk south along the sea wall from the Bridge of Lions you'll pass our City Yacht Pier and National Guard complex. Just past the Guard complex is a military cemetery dating back to the Indian, Civil, and World Wars. I use to take my children to that cemetery and they always loved to run around and enjoy the afternoon sun!

3. The area we call the Mission Park is also great for a quiet walk. This is the site of the Great Cross, erected in 1965, just north of downtown about six blocks from the Castillo at the Mission Nombre di Dios. I have very fond memories of taking my two sons to the Mission Park when they were young. One time a duck chased my son Daniel, giving the little guy quite a scare. Most days were uneventful though and they loved to feed popcorn to the pigeons and seagulls. There's a very old cemetery there which dates back to the early 1800s, a lovely old chapel, and a small bay we refer to as "Holy Bay" which houses several houseboat residents. I will always love the Mission Park.

4. South St. George Street is a charming stroll down a beautiful residential area of our downtown. St. George Street's north end is our more commercial "Historic St. George Street" which is also good for morning strolls and window shopping. St. George Street runs into our Downtown Plaza. On the southside, you'll come to a quaint little park a couple of streets down. The street ends up on Maria Sanchez Lake. If you stand at the south end of the lake (it's more like a big pond), there is an excellent photo op of the lake, trees, and the spires of Flagler College. At the end of St. George, go one block east (turn left) to Charlotte Street and proceed north toward the Plaza. You'll enjoy this walk and get a feel for some beautiful homes in the area.

5. One of our most beautiful areas is Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, located south of St. Augustine past Marineland (a fifteen- or twenty-minute drive from downtown St. Augustine on A1A South). I love this park for its beautiful flowers and trees, walking paths, and tranquility. Bring your camera and don't rush. Walk, relax, and enjoy a true gem.

There are many more spots around St. Augustine but these represent areas that I direct friends to when they visit.

Scenic Lodging

I always recommend that friends stay at the family-owned Marion Motor Lodge on the bayfront. It is within walking distance to good dining, attractions, shopping, Historic St. George Street, and the Castillo de San Marcos. Of course, we have good motels, hotels, and rental condominiums on Vilano and St. Augustine Beach.

Attractions of Interest

My "short list" is very simple, the Castillo de San Marcos (the Fort), The St. Augustine Alligator Farm, and Marineland of Florida. These are excellent (and educational) attractions that the entire family will enjoy. If you have time, you may want to visit Potter's Wax Museum. Another fine pick is the Lightner Museum, across from Flagler College, and Flagler College itself. Both structures date back to the Henry Flagler era and are beautiful.

A Last Word

We hope this will be of help to you when you visit our city. If you have specific questions, don't hesitate to email us at jmelfi01@yahoo.com.

Thank you for visiting our nation's Oldest City!

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