Leap of Faith: Our Retirement Adventure

The Complete Guide to St. Augustine, Florida

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We started visiting St. Augustine with our kids back in 2005. We’ve been coming back ever since to the “Ancient City”, and it never disappoints! Our middle child even got engaged here. 😁 I’m here now for spring break, and I still love this city as much as ever.

4th of July Proposal in front of the Castillo de San Marcos

This city has it all— history, shopping, great food, live music, AND beaches! No matter what you look for in a vacation, St. Augustine has it!

Here’s everything you need to know:

Best things to do:

1. The Old Town Trolley – This is a MUST! As many times as we’ve been here, we still LOVE the trolley. They take you on a narrated tour around the city. The stories are great, and no two drivers are exactly the same. The whole tour takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes, but you can hop on and hop off as you please between 9 am and 5 pm. I highly recommend starting early and taking the whole tour first. That will allow you to decide which places you most want to see. Trolleys run every 15 minutes at each of the 22 stops. The rides are not only entertaining, but also a great way to get around. There is free parking at stop #1, The Old Jail. Online prices are a little discounted- A one day ticket is $37.88 for adults and $67.88 for 2 days. Kids are $17.09 for one day. You can also get discounted tickets at many of the hotels. There are endless options for package bundles available too for other sight seeing with your trolley ticket. Just be careful not to buy more than you can actually use. The trolley itself and exploring has always been more than enough for us.

2. Take a stroll down St. George Street– Hop off the trolley after the full tour at either end of St. George Street. You can grab food, sweet treats, shop, and/ or just take in the atmosphere. It’s a pedestrian only street with very old buildings, unique shops, and is full of people, music, and fun. It starts with the old city gates on one side, or you can start on the opposite side with the Basilica trolley stop.

3. El Castillo de San Marcos or “The Fort”

The fort is owned by the National Park Service, so if you have a National Park Pass, it’s free. Otherwise, it’s $15 for adults (16+). Guests under are 16 FREE making it affordable for families! Your pass is good for 7 days after purchase, so you can come back as much as you’d like. The grounds are free to explore and BEAUTIFUL at night since it’s right on the water. Going inside the fort is definitely worth it. It gets VERY hot in the summer, so be sure to bring water and wear sunscreen. There is parking lot with pay-by-plate metered parking for $2.50 an hour. It’s easiest to take the trolley and hop off here. Sometimes the parking lot fills up.

4. The Lighthouse- A visit brings you history and a physical challenge! Getting to the top is tiring! It has 219 steps and is 165 feet tall. An adult (13+) ticket is $17.95. This includes the climb to the top of the lighthouse as well as the museum and the grounds. Children have to be at least 44” to climb the tower and are $12.95. If they are under 44”, they are free for the museum with a parent. They also offer night time tours and other special events. All tickets can be bought online or at the gate. Look for $2 off coupons in the coupon books you’ll see in businesses all around town.

To get to the lighthouse, you have to cross the Bridge of Lions. It is not in the historic district.

5. The Beach! There are 2 beaches- Vilano and St. Augustine Beach. Vilano Beach is closer to the downtown area. It’s a more quiet beach. St. Augustine is a busier beach lined with putt-putt golf, ice cream shops, and restaurants. We didn’t spend much time here this trip, so not a lot of pictures, but always a great way to spend a day as laying on the beach is FREE and relaxing!!😃

6. Flagler College– you get a great view (and history) of this from the trolley, but I recommend hopping off and walking around the grounds. They’re beautiful! You can also go into the lobby and see the breathtaking rotunda for free without a tour. The tour is nice if you have the time, but it’s gotten pricey. When we took the tour it was $7.00 a person, and I really enjoyed it. When I checked this time it was $22!😝 I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it at $22….It’s given by Flagler students and lasts about an hour.

7. Fountain of Youth and Magnolia Avenue–

The Fountain of Youth is a 15-acre Archaeological Park. It marks the first Spanish settlement in the U.S. Adults (13+) are $22.95 to get in (again – grab your $2.00 off coupon). Kids 5-12 are $9.95. The park has an archaeological museum with active digs, reconstructed Timucuan and Spanish buildings, and the legendary spring that you can drink out of, but beware—-it tastes terrible! 🤪 There are exhibits on early colonial history, Native American life, a cannon demonstration with real cannon fire, and a planetarium. My favorite part is that there are MANY peacocks free-roaming the grounds. They make a loud squawk noise. Many have gotten loose and roam outside of the park too. We’ve actually seen them at the local WalGreens. Driving into the fountain of youth is also something to see. It’s the famous Magnolia Avenue. They are actually oak trees draped in Spanish moss. Along the avenue is a shell and concrete fence that was made to protect the property as anyone who climbs it will get all cut up by the shells. It’s claimed to be one of the most beautiful streets in all of the US. Across from the park is a cute little coffee shop called the Fountain of Juice. 😁 If you don’t want to spend the money to go in the park, I still recommend driving down Magnolia Avenue, going inside the parking lot to visit the peacocks, and grabbing coffee or juice at the Fountain of Juice. You can do all of this from the trolley!

Magnolia Ave.
Peacock
Fountain of Juice
Shell fence

8. Ghosts and Gravestones Tour– There are many “ghost” tours in St. Augustine. The Ghosts and Gravestones Tour is run by The Old Town Trolley. The tour is really fun. It’s not really about ghosts, but it’s more stories and legends of St. Augustine, and is made to be family-friendly. The tour is about an hour and half, and you ride around hearing stories in a trolley. You get to stop and go into the Old Jail and Potters Wax Museum. The Old Jail is very dark and can feel spooky. The tours change prices slightly as they fill up. You can save a little by taking one of the earliest or latest tours each day (the 6:30 or 9:30). The tours are approximately $34.95 for adults.

Inside the trolley
Old Jail at night

9. The Alligator Farm– Across from the Bridge of Lions is a very cool “zoo”. You can get there from the trolley if you take the “Beach Bus” transfer. It’s also not a very far drive from the historic district, and parking is free. This is a must if you’re traveling with young kids. Adult tickets are $36.99 and kids are $21.99, BUT… the Alligator Farm is part of the AZA reciprocal zoos. Your hometown zoo membership can save you A LOT. We have a Toledo, Ohio Zoo Membership, and it allowed us to get in for 1/2 price with our membership card. The alligator farm is open 365 days a year 9-5. There are shows, exhibits, zip-lining (extra charge), alligator feeding, and more, and there are other animals besides alligators. We spent a few hours here when we went and really enjoyed it.

Where to Stay

Best Budget Hotel– We started staying at this hotel MANY years ago when it was still a Howard Johnson. It was sold and renovated as “Villa 1565”. It now needs renovation again, BUT this hotel has 3 big perks: the trolley has an official stop here, there is a cute pool and seating area, and IT’S SUPER CHEAP! We just paid $230 including tax for 3 nights (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) over spring break. The weekends are more pricey. It definitely needs an update, but the location and price make it hard to pass up. We’ve actually stayed here 6 times over many years. The oldest tree named “The Old Senator” is at the center of the property. This hotel also has free parking, 24 hour free coffee, and a very nice free breakfast.

Old Senator and seating area- picture from Priceline

Best Mid-Price hotel– The Hampton Inn Downtown Historic District. We stayed here MANY times when it was the Holiday Inn. It got a renovation when it became a Hampton Inn. It has a nice outdoor pool and a hot tub. It’s just a couple of blocks from the Villa 1565, so you can walk a just a couple of blocks to catch the trolley. It has free parking and a workout facility. It does not have free breakfast, but does have a restaurant.

Best Luxury Hotel– the Casa Monica

We have never stayed here, but we have gone in many times, and it’s BEAUTIFUL and full of history. We have also learned all about its story and its past on the tours. The location is amazing. It has a pool, a spa, and a restaurant. It is VERY pricey ranging from $250-$500 a night. You can sometimes catch a deal on Priceline if you are there on a weekday that’s not peak season. To add to the cost, parking is $42 a night. If you are looking for luxury and an amazing location, this would be my choice!

Where stage coaches used to enter

Where to eat

Pizza Time– on St. George Street, they have delicious pizza. They are pricey- about $8-$10 a slice, but the slices are very large – actually more like 2 normal slices. They only take cash, but they have an ATM on site. The lines can be long at times and seating can be limited. I love their white pizza- mushroom garlic with white sauce and ricotta. DELICIOUS!! Their garlic knots are VERY good too and make it a meal for under $5 for 3 knots. Their pop is expensive- $6.00, but it is free refills.

Best deal- Auggie’s Draft Room

In every coupon book, you’ll find a coupon for buy-one, get-one free burgers and fries at Auggie’s. The burgers are very good, and it’s right on St. George Street. You order like a fast food restaurant, take a number, and then they bring your food to your table. Great location and great savings!

Most fun- Milltop Tavern

Eat up in a tree? Yes, please!! With live music right on St. George Street, great views, and a fun atmosphere, this is a great place to eat and spend time! They have live music every day. Food is a little on the pricey side, but worth it for the entertainment.

Best outside of historic district- Mango Mangos

This restaurant is cute and casual with a beachy, tropical vibe. The food is presented well and is very tasty. Prices are reasonable for the area and the amount of food that you get.

Screenshot

If you’ve never visited St. Augustine, I HIGHLY recommend it!! No matter is you are a history buff, a shopper, a beach bum, or a foodie, there’s something for you in the Ancient City!😃

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● About Me

I’m Kim and along with my husband, Jim, and our two dogs, Bear and Zelda, we are going to be traveling across the country in retirement.

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