How St. Augustine, FL Stole Our Hearts in Just 72 Hours
St. Augustine, the county seat of St. John’s County, is the oldest city in America that has been continually occupied since its founding in 1565. The city’s picturesque setting on the gulf coast of Florida makes it one of the most desired tourist destinations in the United States.
Over six million people visit the small city of 15,072 (2020) annually for good reason. Scenic streets, quaint locally-owned shops, sandy beaches that rival any beach on the east coast, and touches of the Old World come together for an experience that is every bit as unique and inviting as the city’s charm itself.
There is a plethora of things to do in in this beautiful city that has earned a reputation of being a perfect getaway for families, couples, photographers, beach loves, and history enthusiasts. As a result, after visiting the city for the first time, you will likely want to plan a return trip or two to ensure you experience all there is to offer.
For even more information about this beautiful must-see historic city visit the city’s official website at citystaug.com. There is no way to cover all this city has to offer in this post.
Our Experience of St. Augustine
December 27, 2018
Autumn and I arrived in St. Augustine on December 27, 2018 for our first visit to the oldest city in America. December 27 holds a very special place in our hearts as it is the date of the first time we met for coffee at Coffee Crossings located near the Indiana University Southeast Campus. So, today is a celebration of the first anniversary of our forevermore.
Autumn fell in love with the beauty of the city on first sight and I was instantly consumed by its charm. I had visited the city years ago, but it was the first opportunity I would have to actually experience the city and all it has to offer. After researching all there is to do in the city we could hardly wait to get started on our agenda. But where to start?
First things first – we needed to unload our luggage and park our car in the St. Augustine Historic Downtown Parking Facility. Nearly all of our visit would be on foot or by trolley, save any trip we would make to the beach. We booked a room at the St. George Inn and were not disappointed. Our second floor corner room included a balcony with rocking chairs that overlooked St. George Street next to the historic City Gate built in 1808 by the residents of St. Augustine using coquina blocks. The City Gate marks the beginning of St. George Street leading visitors though the heart of the historic district of the city.
Here, one of St. George Inn’s multiple buildings (the one we stayed in) can be seen on the right just through the City Gate. Our room was in front of the second palm tree in the row. The Castillo de San Marcos (the fort) and Mantanzas waterway (the bay) is located a couple hundred yards to the left of this photo across Florida State Road A1A.
Our room overlooked the the bay and the the fort from one side and the retail plaza on St. George Street from the other side. The retail plaza has a brick courtyard and fountain with plenty of tables for guests and visitors to enjoy their food and beverages. Just outside our main door was a deck with a table and chairs that overlooked the retail plaza as well.
Our room was pleasant, spacious, and very comfortable. My words do not do justice to the Inn or the room, so here is a picture looking off the deck at the retail plaza to give you a better idea of the paradise we were immersed in. This picture was taken at sunset just after a brief afternoon shower that drove everyone inside for cover.
Once we unpacked we decided to stretch our legs after the day’s 12-hour haul from home in New Albany, Indiana. We meandered down the bay front along Florida State Road A1A as the sun began to set over the historic district of the city. Our route took us from the City Gate to the Bridge of Lions. The Bridge of Lions, to reiterate, was built in the mid-1920s as a way for automobiles to travel from St. Augustine on the mainland to Anastasia Island. The bridge is a drawbridge, which allows commercial and recreational boats to pass through a center channel when the moveable span is in the up position.
In 1982, the Bridge of Lions was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2010, it was renovated by the city of St. Augustine and still serves as a major thoroughfare from downtown St. Augustine to Anastasia Island. Below is a look at the bridge at sunset as viewed from Anastasia Island looking westward across the bay toward St. Augustine. The way the lights reflect on the bay waters is both mesmerizing and romantic. How can you not fall in love with this city!
Straight ahead of the Bridge of Lions we found the central park, Plaza de la Constitucion, fully ablaze with lights on its trees and gazebo. To the right (north) stood the Cathedral Basilica. Just west of central park is Lightner Museum, the former Hotel Alcazar.
By the time we meandered back across the Bridge of Lions to the historic city the twinkling of more than 3 million white lights replaced the sitting sun that had fully retired for the evening. The whole historic district celebrates the Christmas season with lights hanging from practically every business and palm tree. Even boats on the bay join in on the fun!
As an aside, the only downside to this remarkable sensory overload is the traffic. As you might imagine, people from all over the world come to visit this city annually, and this is one of the events that really pack them in! Driving around the historic district in nearly impossible. Best to stay in a hotel close by, or park somewhere nearby if you can get there early enough in the day, and enjoy the sights on foot, a trolley ride, or by horse and carriage.
We walked another block west to Cordova Street and veered north back toward St. George Inn. On the way we happened upon a small bookstore. If you know us, you know that it does not matter where we are, Autumn and I will never pass up a quaint local bookstore. There is something about the smell of printed copies and the feel of their pages that we both find a little addictive. It was a chilly night out this night, so dropping in to this warm and inviting little nook provided just the right atmosphere for a relaxing conclusion to our stroll around the city on our first day.
Autumn would be the first to admit not everyone is a morning person like me. I love nothing more than to rise early and experience the day with an early-morning jog.
Here, Autumn is appreciating a cup of inspiration from St. Augustine Coffee Shop and a breakfast sandwich on the balcony of our room at St. George Inn. The balcony is itself surrounded in tropical flora and kindly invites the gentle and soothing sound of an oversized water fountain located on the brick courtyard below. This tranquil setting provided the perfect wake-up ambiance where we sat silently and surveyed the city joining us in being born-again in harmony with the total of God’s creation. We were, for a moment in time, spellbound within our own little utopia.
Once sufficiently motivated from our breakfast meditations, we grabbed our water bottles and headed across the street to visit the Castillo de San Marcos. The fort is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Unfortunately, we were unable to tour the inside of the fort as a national government shutdown currently underway included all national parks.
Still, we trekked around the entire exterior of the fort and found ourselves appreciating it for the amazing structure that it truly is as well as for its centuries-old history. I can only imagine the stories the fort’s walls could tell if they could talk.
The view of the Mantanzas waterway from the fort is breathtaking. Visitors to the fort can sit on the grass or on benches provided by the city to watch sailboats and kayakers drift by, each on their own anonymous mission. One’s imagination can so transiently partake in wild imagines of yesteryear in this setting!
Moving on, we walked along the bay front toward the Bridge of Lions once again. I wanted to snap a photo of Autumn next to one of the two lions that guard the east entry of the drawbridge on either side of Florida State Road A1A. The marina is located on the south side of the drawbridge so there are always watercrafts of various types and sizes to catch a curious eye. The walkway runs the full length of the distance between the fort and the Bridge of Lions and provides ample seating for those who wish to relax and take in the view. It is not unusual to catch dolphins frolicking in the bay.
The two marble lions guarding the drawbridge on the west end were begun in 1925 and completed in 1927. The lions were donated by former St. Augustine Mayor and medical doctor, Andrew Anderson. These lions are named Fiel and Firme, which translates to Faithful and Firm. The two granite lions guarding the drawbridge on the east end (Anastasia Island) were donated by local St. Augustine residents Wolfgang and Miki Schau. These lions are named Pax and Peli, which translates to Peace and Happiness. Autumn, standing next to one of the granite lions, did not fully realize my humor when I shared the picture with her and asserted, “It appears you and the lion were having a ball.” Oh well, I was proud of my attempt at witticism.
Feeling the need to confess my obviously failed attempt at humor, we promptly headed across the street to visit the Cathedral Basilica. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of St. Augustine. Its congregation, established in 1565, is the oldest Christian congregation in the contiguous United States. Autumn and I attended Mass here during our visit. The architecture is a combination of Spanish mission and Neoclassical styles.
Luckily, the doors were open and visitors were allowed inside to tour this unique house of God. After the self-guided tour, Autumn and I purchased a few keepsakes and souvenirs from the Basilica’s gift shop and continued our way north on St. George Street to check out the many shops and eateries along the way.
As we moseyed up the street we admittingly enjoyed observing others on St. George Street as they tried to cope with the sensory overload the city naturally provides. There is an almost continuous cacophony of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile stimuli everywhere you turn. It is quite glorious, actually!
Anatol is a local artist we met who was previously employed by Disney Studios. His shop, Anatol Studio, is one of my favorite shops on historic St. George Street. He would soon create several works for me including oval woodworks of my family with burnt/etched engravings created from pictures I provided (see below). His work is truly exceptional. Anatol is an immigrant from Poland and is one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. He has very interesting stories to share from his homeland and returns there annually to visit his family and friends.
Anatol’s shop is only a few yards from our room so we decided to drop back in for a short rest before deciding on a venue for dinner. There are so many dining possibilities in this city that it is difficult to choose just one! However, after a cold beverage and a brief respite, we decided to give Hurricane Patty’s Waterfront Restaurant a try.
Autumn and I were pretty much done for after the feast we had just consumed. We returned back to the St. George Inn retail plaza and rested in the cool, relaxing tropical breeze. In the plaza was a Christmas tree decked out to the hilt. I managed to click a quick picture of Autumn next to it. I’m not sure why, but it is one of my favorite pictures of the trip. Maybe it is because it reminds me what a gift she is in my life and how much more beautiful the world appears when in her presence. (I warned you – this is one romantic city!)
December 29, 2018
Of course, a trip to St. Augustine Beach is a must when you are in St. Augustine. The weather was overcast, but we decided to satisfy our itch and rejoin our ancestors from the sea.
St. Augustine beach gently slopes into the ocean. You can work your way out 40-50 yards and still be only waist deep in the water. Although it was a gloomy day, it was plenty warm by Indiana standards (around 75 degrees).
Autumn experienced the ocean once as a young child, but she was not old enough to recall it in detail as an adult. So, this picture is of her first stepping onto St. Augustine Beach and experiencing the wonder of the sea for the first time. She did NOT want to leave. Honestly, neither did I. And to see her spirit awaken at the sight of God’s great creation was worth more than all the gold in world. From the sea came life – and a newfound source of peace for Autumn.
After leaving the beach we stopped by Magnolia Avenue, famous for the picturesque arching live oak canopy and Spanish moss trees that stretch the length of this portion of the avenue. This view sets near the entrance of the Fountain of Youth. Many wedding engagement photos, prom photos, etc., are taken here for obvious reasons. Autumn was a little nervous standing in the middle of the street, but vehicles are few and drivers are typically understanding when they see someone taking a photo. I am sure the locals in this area sit on their porch and enjoy their favorite beverage while admiring this view. I know we sure would!
The rest of the day and evening was spent shopping, eating, and being a couple shameless tourists. Afterward, we decided to take advantage of our deck one more time while we chugged a cold beer and watched the many visitors below us as they made their way down St. George Street, many for the first time.
December 30, 2018
No visit to St. Augustine is complete without a stop at what we now claim as our favorite breakfast eatery, Georgie’s Diner. The 1950’s-style deco and their thick-sliced bacon each make it worth your while to stop by.
Obviously, Autumn can attest for that. Some of the local favorites here are the Greek gyro, cheese omelet, eggs benedict, French toast, biscuits and gravy, and blueberry pancakes. The coffee is delicious and, on a hot summer day, their milkshakes are a perfect choice (with a cheeseburger and fries of course!). Today’s breakfast at Georgie’s Diner was the perfect way to start our last day on our vacation in St. Augustine.
After breakfast we headed back to the beach for one last time before leaving. Autumn swam in the ocean while I strolled down to the St. Augustine Beach Peer. This gave us both an hour or so to ourselves to get in a little exercise to help work off the big breakfast we had just indulged in. Afterwards we lazed around in the sun for a couple hours to obtain the obligatory “been to Florida” sun-drenched look that all vacationers seem to long for.
On our way back to St. Augustine we stopped by the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The grounds are beautifully kept and the gift shop offers a wide variety of memorabilia for visitors. We did not enter the lighthouse on this trip as we had booked a scenic tour on the bay and needed to get back to our room for a quick rinse off before heading directly to the marina for our early afternoon tour. We will look forward to that on a future visit. From the pictures available in the gift shop you can tell the view from the top is amazing.
We relaxed on the top of the Scenic Cruise of St. Augustine tour boat as it prepared to depart on the one hour and fifteen minute tour. To feel the tropical breeze in our faces and the gentle rocking of the boat caused both of us to feel stress free and totally relaxed. This company has been providing visitors to St. Augustine a exceptional perspective of the city and its historic sites since the 1900’s.
One of our favorite stops of the afternoon came just a bit later when we departed the cruise boat. Located on St. George Street is the St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine. The Shrine is an institution of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and is devoted to the first colony of Greek individuals who came to America in 1768. It includes many works of art that depict the life of early Greeks in America as the Greek Orthodox Church in America became established.
With a past that spans so many centuries, St. Augustine has also had its share of turmoil, including war, sickness, and death. Lot’s of death. So it’s not surprising that the nation’s oldest city is known as one of the most haunted places in the United States. Given our final day was quickly coming to a end and we had not yet been on a ghost tour, off we went.
There are numerous ghost tours, most unscripted, that take you around the city and tell you about its history and, of course, all the ghost stories that accompany the history. Our tour was via a trolley ride around the city with stops along the way where tour guides led their customers off the trolley for a quick ghostly history lesson.
This picture was taken at one of those stops, the Old City jail. In full character, this actor was retelling the history of some of the horrible things that happened at the jail over the decades, including public hangings. We got to tour the jail, in the dark of course, including the cells where inmates were kept. We also toured other ghostly hot spots in the city, including graveyards and other historic buildings. It was a lot more fun that we thought it would be, but still had a bit of a cheesy/touristy feel to it.
The Last Word
We had a busy few days in St. Augustine for sure. On this, our last day, our Fitbits signaled we had walked over 30,000 steps. That converts to a little over 15 miles! Considering how much time we spent in or on the water, this statistic still blows my mind. But every step was certainly worth it. This city has so much to offer. There is no way to see it all in four short days.
As we crawled slowly back to our room we are already talking about all the things we would have to do on our next visit to this iconic and historic city. We drifted off to sleep with smiles on our faces as we dreamed of opening our own small business on St. George Street so that we would never have to leave this bit of heaven on earth again.
Sweet, sweet dreams they were . . . and still are.
Wanderlust Rating: 5 Star
Wanderlust Rating Scale:
1 Star – Recommend you coddiwomple in a different direction
2 Star – Worth a looksee for a gadabout
3 Star – A true trouvaille
4 Star – An exceptional sojourn
5 Star – A “Two Wanderlust Souls” Favorite Recommendation
