St. Augustine in August

We visited St. Augustine in August of 2007. I'm a history buff, so visiting the Oldest City in the Nation was a must. We tried to take in many historic sites in the two days we were there, but didn't have enough time for everything. I loved the Lighthouse, Castillo de San Marco and Alligator Farm.

Quick Tips:

Check out the very expansive visitors center the first day for ideas and have a loose schedule. It rains a lot in the area and, being a beach community, many attractions are outdoors. Have a few back ups ready for when it's raining and you can't climb the lighthouse or walk St. George Street comfortably. There are tons of museums, such as Ripley's or The Spanish Quarter Living History Museum for when it's raining.

Best Way To Get Around:

This is a great city for walking. Get a hotel in or around the historic district (there are lots of budget hotels or high-end bed and breakfasts) or park in the visitors center lot and walk. Otherwise you're mainly going to have to parallel park in the historic district, which was crowded even on weekdays. Larger attractions outside the historic district, such as the Lighthouse, Castillo de San Marco, Alligator Farm and the Beach, have their own parking lots - though you might have to feed a meter.

A basic hotel, but in a great location. This hotel featured wireless internet, a pool and free breakfast bar. The rooms were comfortable and clean, with good service and basic amenities such as cable TV, coffee makers, hairdryers toiletry products, etc. provided. They offer both smoking and non-smoking rooms and don't allow pets.

The best aspect of this hotel is it's location. It's right on a main road and is within walking distance of many restaurants and, if you're in good shape, within walking distance of the historic district. Otherwise, a large parking deck on the outside of the historic district is just 5 minutes drive away and you can walk from there.

The staff was also very helpful. While checking in we were waiting behind another guest who was being a bit difficult but the employee at the desk never lost their patience. And, after checking out we locked our keys in our car and had to wait two hours for a locksmith. The hotel let us stay in our room the entire time, even though by rights they could have made us leave. Great customer service.

Whenever we travel on the coast we always try to visit lighthouses. The lighthouse in St. Augustine didn't disappoint. The price is comparable to other lighthouses and the experience is worth it. After climbing the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse, we were met with a spectacular view of the area. There was also a nice museum, with a history of the lighthouse and the surrounding area, including an emphasis on war time activities.

We visited the beach twice during our trip to St. Augustine. Since the city's tourist attractions are almost all closed by 6pm, there's little else to do otherwise.

It seemed that there were evening concerts near the pier on the weekends, which filled up that parking area, but at other times there was plenty of parking at multiple free lots along the beach. The beach wasn't too crowded, but it wasn't deserted either, which was nice and peaceful. As far as safety went, I never saw any lifeguards, so make sure to watch out for your kids.

We walked along the St. John's Pier (50¢ each) for a better view of the beach and ocean. The beach was a nice way to relax and end the day.

For $15 you can take a cruise of the Mantanza Bay & River, which runs along the coast of St. Augustine.

The cruise lasts just over an hour and is chock-full of sites and activities. You'll see lots dolphins and all sorts of ocean birds as well as sites around St. Augustine such as the Lighthouse, Bridge of Lions, Menendez Landing Site, Castillo de San Marcos, and more. The cruise offers unique views of each of the sites that you won't see from land, and the boat slows at each site to allow for photographs.

The boat itself is a double-decker, with an inclosed lower level and an open top level. As the captain describes the sites, you can sit in comfort and even purchase snacks or cameras from the concession stand.

The Castillo de San Marco is an historic fort right on the edge of Historic Downtown St. Augustine. At only $6 for adults and kids getting in free, the fort is a great value and a wonderful way to lean the history of St. Augustine.

The fort was founded by the Spanish in the 1670s and marks multiple historic periods for the city, having been taken by the British, the Spanish again, and then Americans. The fort has been kept in great shape, still maintaining much the original coquina stone that it was constructed with. Many rooms in the fort contain original artifacts and historic information. Climbing to the top of the open second level, cannons are on display and a view of the city is available.

Maps are provided, giving detailed information about each area of the fort and visitors can meet re-enactors throughout the fort who are knowledgeable about aspects of life from the time of British occupation. We watched one re-enactor make a leather pouch that would have been used by soldiers to carry ammunition, and another man dressed as a soldier posed for photos with other tourists.

We visited the fort on a rainy day and, though we went had to go in and out side often to see the different areas, there were plenty of rooms to stay dry in while waiting out the rain, as well as a great deal of history to keep us occupied for well over an hour.

St. George Street is the center of the historic district in St. Augustine. Filled with shops and historic buildings, it runs parallel to the Mantanza river. This outdoor pedestrian only area is filled with the basic tourist shops that are in every city with t-shirts, faux historic artifacts and candy shops. If you're looking for generic souvenirs, this is the place to go.

If you're looking for history you'll find a little, but not much. At one end is a historic Huguenot cemetery, which is gated and open only during certain hours, as well as the Oldest Schoolhouse and the original Gates of St. Augustine. On the other end of the street is a historic church and The Spanish Quarter Living History Museum.

Though St. George Street is basically a tourist suvenier hot spot, it's in the middle of the historic district and surround by attractions. It would only take a few moments to walk the few blocks so, if you're there you might as well check it out, but the street itself is no reason to visit St. Augustine. If you miss it, you didn't miss much.