St Augustine

[GatorFan]

Has anyone been to St Augustine? Would a day trip be worth while? Any suggestions?
Thanks

[chuckinca]

We did a day trip there last year. Would do it again.

Has a tee shirt, antique, arts & crafts, restaurant type shopping area about 6 blocks long. The old fort is very interesting and takes about two hours to do - it is a National Park and 62 & over can buy a pass for $10 good in all NP's for life for holder and party. Also has the Golf Hall of Fame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Augustine,_Florida

[Ohiogirl]

Be sure to add a tour of Flagler College to your list of interesting things to do. It used to be The Flagler Hotel from the early days of developing Florida tourism.

For history buffs, St. Augustine is a must-see.

[Ooper]

We have made 3 day trips over the last couple years. Nice little trip. Leave 8 AM or so and come back home around supper time. Be sure to take one of the narated tourist trollies for a tour of the city... well worth it. Everything in previous posts included, plus the lighthouse, and if you are a golfer, the Golf Hall of Fame is there. You can spend a whole day just there. Have a great time.

[zcaveman]

I would say to take a day trip and see what you can - the trolley ride is a nice intro to the city. Then decide if you want to take a 3 day trip to see it all at once or multiple day trips to see it in bits and pieces.

We are opting for a 3 day trip to do it all after 2 day trips. From looking at the internet, the hotels/motels are not that expensive.

[KayakerNC]

I would say to take a day trip and see what you can - the trolley ride is a nice intro to the city..

:agree: The trolley tour is a great intro. I would also recommend the harbor tour, tickets available where you get the trolley tickets.
http://www.scenic-cruise.com/

[Fourpar]

Anyone have a recommendation on where to stay in the historic district? A favorite Inn, or?
We are planning a 3 day, 2 night "getaway" to St Augustine in a few weeks and have not been there for a lot of years. (Not planning on golf...this time.)
Thanks,

[harbor53]

My buddy was involved with the restoration of the town.

The fort is real.

The town uses the original foundations of Spanish buildings; however, the "restored" buildings have nothing in common with what the Spanish built.

The "restoration" was based on the French Quarter in NOLA.

It's fun - but, don't assume you are having a historical experience.

BTW - my graduate degree is in Latin American history so my opinion is based on scholarship - not, rumor. Still, enjoy.

Gary

[Coconuts]

Alligator farm, lighthouse and the Columbia restaurant

[Ohiogirl]

We need to go back. It's been a couple of years at least. We took a St. Augustine's historical tour, on and off, I think, but very nice. Need to take the actual Flagler College tour also. Probably worth 3 or 4 trips, at least.

[Flip Flop Forever]

St. Augustine is a wonderful destination; one day doesn't do it justice. We drank from the Fountain of Youth at the Park, but I'm afraid that the mirror tells me it didn't work.:) Enjoy.

[Freeda]

We love St. Augustine; all of the things mentioned in the replies above are wonderful. Being able to see the oldest city in North America by just a two-hour car trip away from TV is one of the many great things about our location in Florida. On the trolley tour you'll see the oldest school, oldest house, oldest hospital, etc etc; fascinating. A favorite restaurant of ours there is Scarlett O'Hara's (with decor just as you would imagine). Ripley's Believe it or Not there is the castle building that you see on Ripley's tv shows. There is also a nice beach there.

If you have more than a day to spend, a nice trip is to drive first to Daytona Beach for an outing, then take the road along the ocean up to St. Augustine; wonderful scenery and beautiful estates along the way.

Be sure to go back at the holidays and stay through the evening or overnight, as the holiday decorations are beautiful.

[Army Guy]

Anyone have a recommendation on where to stay in the historic district? A favorite Inn, or?
We are planning a 3 day, 2 night "getaway" to St Augustine in a few weeks and have not been there for a lot of years. (Not planning on golf...this time.)
Thanks,

Me and Mrs AG, highly recommend the Hilton. It is right in the Historic area and fits very well, not your usual "cookie cutter" Hilton. It is also the smallest Hilton in the whole chain, only I think 23-25 rooms. It is pricey but very worth it.

Army Guy

[alemorkam]

A great place to stay when going to St. Augustine is the Marriott Renasaince hotel at the World Golf Village. It has a Villages Resident rate of around 85.00 per night. I would say it is a 5 star and is only 15 miles from downtown St. Augustine. Go on the internet and take a look. Stayed there many times and HIGHLY recommend it.