When planning your big trip to Florida, you’re probably thinking of the more likely suspects, such as Miami or Orlando – who doesn’t like Mickey Mouse? But if you’ve written Florida off as devoid of history and culture, you’d be mistaken. St Augustine is one of America’s oldest cities, and retains a cultural charm that is distinct from the rest of the state.
The city is north of Orlando, near the northern state border, so it could easily be combined with a Disney trip. It’s a bit of a drive from Miami, but, if you wanted to explore all of Florida’s coastline, it could be done. But focusing in St. Augustine, what’s there to see and do?
St. Augustine competes with a couple of other places to be called the “oldest European settlement in America.” While we don’t need to split hairs here, there are plenty of historical sights to see:
Beyond the stuff that in a European sense is actually “old”, there is also some more modern historical sights to see, perhaps a little more quirky than you were expecting:
St. Augustine also has a popular wax museum, and there is even a winery in town!
You certainly won’t go hungry in St. Augustine – every direction from your hotel room you’ll find plenty to eat and drink. A few recommendations:
If you’re in the area, St. Augustine is certainly a must see. It’s also well worth the drive from Orlando, if you happen to be there.
Been to St. Augustine? What was your favourite attraction?
Photo by John Tuggle, bunnygoth
Posted : Thursday, August 25th, 2011 at 11:00
Andy Hayes is a travel journalist currently based in Seattle, Washington. When not soaking up the Pacific Northwest lifestyle or enjoying life on the road, he is spending time hanging out on his own travel lifestyle magazine, Sharing Travel Experiences.