No trip to St. Augustine is complete without a visit to the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The original lighthouse was the first ever in Florida, built in 1824. It was replaced in 1874 by a taller lighthouse that was located a short distance away, to avoid erosion problems. The tower is 165 feet tall, and sturdy, having survived three earthquakes in the late 1800’s. The original Fresnel lens is still used today.
The lighthouse property includes a museum, gift shop and several buildings that were occupied by the lightkeepers in the days when it was lit manually. The light was electrified in 1933, and automated in 1955.
Admission to the lighthouse and grounds is $14.95 for adults, $12.95 for seniors and kids under 12. The lighthouse is located at 100 Red Cox Drive, and is just north of the Anastasia State Park.
Courtesy History.com
Florida’s first tourists came ashore at St. Augustine in 1513. Juan Ponce de Leon and his Spanish fleet were in search of gold and the legendary “Fountain of Youth”. He named the land “La Floridad”.
The actual settlement of “San Augustin” didn’t occur until 1565. Despite wars, fires, and hurricanes, St. Augustine has been around ever since, making it the oldest permanent settlement in the New World.
History beckons at every turn in the “Old City”. A weekend tour leads you back through four centuries of Spanish, English and U.S. history. St. George Street is for pedestrians only, and the shops and buildings are restored and maintained for historic preservation.
George Street by Fred Mays
On foot or by bike is the recommended way of getting around. The streets are narrow, and finding a parking space is, in itself, a historic event. You can also get around town via several tourist trams that run through the historic district. Better yet, after a night out for dinner, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride along the Avenida Menendez before heading back to your room.
Lightner Museum by Fred Mays
A stop at the Lightner Museum is a pleasant couple of hours in air conditioned comfort. The museum collection traces the history of the city and it’s residents.
The museum is directly across the street from Flagler College, named after its founder, Henry Flagler. Henry is worth a whole article or book on his own (read Last Train To Paradise). In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s he built a railroad down the east coast of Florida. It opened up previously inaccessible locations that became places like Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach and Miami. He is most noted for the railroad line that connected mainland Florida with Key West. That line was wiped out in the Great Hurricane of 1935.
St. Augustine B&B by Fred Mays
The charm of the “old City” of St. Augustine is best experienced with a stay at one of the many Bed and Breakfast Inns that can be found in the historic district. Other than Key West, St. Augustine probably houses the widest selection of B & B’s in Florida.
St. Augustine is perhaps Florida’s only coastal city where the beach is not the main attraction. St. Johns County has more than 40 miles of coastline, and the beaches of Ponte Vedra and Anastasia Islands are relatively uncrowded, even on weekends.
Anastasia State Park campground by Fred Mays
Anastasia State Park is a special destination. I have never seen a cleaner campground. They even rake the camping spot after each visitor. Much praise for the volunteer campground hosts. The restrooms are clean and well maintained. The hot showers work. Some of the campsites are a pretty tight fit for RV’s. I camped on the Queen Conch loop and it was mainly occupied by tent campers like me.
The beach at Anastasia is only accessed at the south end of the state park. If you want isolation, just walk north a short distance to find your sand dune solitude. The beach parking lot is huge and rarely full, and the park almost never has to close the gates due to overcrowding.
Just about every weekend there are special events scheduled in St. Augustine, most of them focused around historic dates or special holidays.