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St. Augustine Journals

A Month in St. Augustine

A May 2004 trip to St. Augustine by lharri

View from Island House Photo - Island House, St. Augustine, Florida More Photos
Quote: An ancient city in a new world, St. Augustine has all the characteristics of a great vacation spot... but does not come with bustling crowds.

A Month in St. Augustine

Overview

Art Photo - St. Augustine, Florida
Quote:
St. Augustine has history, beaches, shopping, museums, and a great climate. It is a beautiful city with historical forts and bridges and architecture such as the Bridge of Lions mixed with very modern aspects, such as the World Golf Village. It is close to some very hot tourist spots such as Daytona and yet far enough away from it all to be an oasis.

Quick Tips:

Visit St. Augustine when you can relax and take it all in. Take your time and see it all. See the Alligator Farm and the Lightner Museum. Go shopping on St. George Street and at the outlet malls. This is a city full of contrast and it takes time to truly appreciate it.

Best Way To Get Around:

Island House

Hotel

View from Island House Photo - Island House, St. Augustine, Florida
Quote:
This is a small condo complex. The units are privately owned. Some are flats and some are townhouse style. They are complete with linens, dishes, cable televisions, storage areas, and washers and dryers. High speed internet is offered free at the library which is a short drive away. The complex is on the ocean with great views. It also offers amenities such as a pool, shuffleboard, tennis and clubhouse.It is minutes from the historic treasure of the town of St. Augustine and minutes from route 95 and great shopping center outlets. It is a short drive to Daytona Beach as well. Some units can be rented by the day, week or month.You will find all the comforts of home a...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on May 18, 2006

Island House
Crescent Beach
St. Augustine, Florida
(904)471-9750

Santa Maria Restaurant

Restaurant

Bridge of Lions Photo - Santa Maria Restaurant, St. Augustine, Florida
Quote:

The dining here is fun and tasty. It is on the Bay in St. Augustine with a great view of the Bridge of Lions. You can watch the boats come and go through the drawbridge, feed the fish from the slots in the windowsills with the bread delivered to your table for the express purpose, and occasionally spy a couple of dolphins as we did.

The seafood is delicious, the waiters and waitresses are friendly, and the atmosphere is great. It is a popular place and in the prime season can be a long wait. Also, there is no allocated parking and you may need to park quite a ways away and walk along the street. Go early or on a weeknight to really enjoy the experience.

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 20, 2006

Santa Maria Restaurant
135 Avenida Menendez
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
(904) 829-6578

Marineland

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Attraction

Dolphin Shows Photo - Marineland, St. Augustine, Florida
Quote:
Marineland is like a less commercialized version of SeaWorld. It was conceived and built in the 1930s.The project was born from the unique partnership of W. Douglas Burden, great-great-grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt; Burden’s cousin, Cornelius Vanderbilt (CV) Whitney; Sherman Pratt, descendant of a founding Standard Oil partner; and Count Ilia Tolstoy, grandson of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy.The current programs offered rival that of Discovery Cove in Orlando at about a quarter the price. From simple sideline interaction with the dolphins to more intimate interaction swimming with the dolphins. There are special needs accommodations, I believe. Currently, Marineland is und...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on May 18, 2006

Marineland
9600 Oceanshore Blvd.
St. Augustine, Florida 32080
(904) 460-1275

A Well Guarded City

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Story/Tip

Artillery Photo - St. Augustine, Florida
Quote:
St. Augustine is the first city in the New World. There is much history to explore. The history of war and defense of the founders is a major part of St. Augusinte. The two forts available for touring are very different in their design but have a history that is interlocked. Matanzas is a Spanish outpost fort that was built in 1740-1742 to guard the Matanzas Inlet and to warn St. Augustine of British or other enemies approaching from the south. The Castillo was constructed in 1692.Changes in occupation of the fort came about only through military agreements or political treaty from Spanish to British to American Confederacy and then the USA. Amazingly, the Castillo was never taken by force. Like Matan...Read More

Getting into the Local Color

Story/Tip

Quote:
While staying in St. Augustine I decided I wanted to know more about the city and it's inhabitants. As I often do, when traveling, I went to the local Barnes and Noble and looked in the local section for local authors or true stories of the area. What I found was a little book called "Bloody Sunset in St. Augustine" by Nancy Powell and Jim Mast. Powerfully written this true crime unsolved murder mystery, took me to places in the town I would never have gone otherwise. It created a connection for me with the city that I still feel today. I visited the home of the victim, a woman approaching middle aged who was a transplant to St. Augustine and became very active in community affairs. Athalia Lindsley, ...Read More

About the Writer

lharri

lharri
Townsend, Massachusetts

St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum

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Flagler College

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Old Town Trolley

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Lightner Museum

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St. George Street

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