Historic Saint Augustine, Know Earlier than You Go –

It took me about 5 hours to drive from South Florida to Saint Augustine through I-95, stopping twice. As soon as for a loo break and the following to get fuel. The lodge the place I used to be staying was simply off the 95, straightforward to seek out. I stayed on the Good Keep Inn, a two story lodge with an enough quantity of rooms and parking. It has a health club, a pool, sizzling tub, and laundry room, and serves up excellent breakfast decisions that features scrambled eggs, sausages, slice bread, bagel, make your personal waffles, orange juice, milk, espresso, tea, fruits and cereal. Perhaps not the best, however higher than a granola bar and a bottle of water that we had been provided at one other lodge.

The lodge is near the Saint Augustine Retailers and though it’s not within the downtown space it was not a really lengthy drive. Even Although it wasn’t my first alternative, I didn’t thoughts it in any respect. I used to be truly extra happy with the selection  after I went into city and noticed that parking at these inns appeared a bit tight. That’s undoubtedly one thing to bear in mind when in search of someplace to remain.

There are different inns within the space just like the Consolation Inn which is correct subsequent door, High quality Inn, Purple Roof Inn, Vacation Inn and extra. You may also discover fuel stations and many locations to eat close by.

What to Count on

The Downtown space is the place most sights are. I got here into city on a Friday afternoon, went to check-in on the lodge after which visited the Saint Augustine Retailers. After visiting the Retailers I needed to go to an attraction, however after I checked the sights, most of them had been already closed. By the way in which, most sights in Saint Augustine closes between at 5:00 and 5:30 PM. I noticed one, the Pirate and Treasure Museum, that was open till 7:00 PM and determined I might go. 

After driving into the Downtown space the Pirate and Treasure Museum was not on my thoughts. I made a decision I used to be going to go to the Castillo de San Marcos nationwide Monument as a substitute as a result of there was one thing so charming about the entire surroundings, with the blue waters of the Matanzas River within the backdrop. The Pirate and Treasure Museum was actually throughout the road however that was for one more day.

I wanted to try to discover someplace to park and I observed that the left lane was beginning to again up as some individuals had been attempting to get into a close-by parking zone whereas others had been in a line ready to go over the Bridge of Lions which takes you to A1A. I got here out of the road and went into the suitable lane in hopes I might discover someplace to park. I ended up on a road that took me proper into what I believed was the parking zone of a lodge, however as I drove in I observed the parking areas all marked reserved. Later I noticed I used to be behind Flagler School.

I parked for a bit and obtained out and took a number of photos as a result of it had a stunning architectural design. After pulling out of the school, simply throughout the road was a $10 parking zone. I instantly pulled in and paid the attendant, it was a great factor too as a result of it was beginning to replenish. There are quite a few parking round, however it’s a must to drive round to seek out low-cost parking. The parking closest to the principle road, Avenida Menendez, are dearer. You could possibly get some free parking at among the sights along with your ticket buy, like Ripley’s Imagine it or Not provided a 3 hours parking go with the acquisition of the doorway ticket. I used to be in a position to tour the attraction and afterwards go away the automotive there for a bit and got here again in time to take off.

After parking, I walked a bit of methods, not too far via the again streets and on to the principle however earlier than getting there I couldn’t assist however go searching to see what was happening these again streets. I quickly notice that St. George road is the place every thing was occurring. It’s lined with retailers, eateries, and leisure. I used to be in a position to cease at Tedi’s Olde Tyme Ice Cream and buy a pistachio cup. After leaving Tedi’s simply on the aspect on the nook of Cuna and St. George there was a person who had snakes on show, $10 to carry or pose with a one in all them for a single particular person and $15 for a bunch. That wasn’t going to be me, I’m not a giant fan of snakes, so I sort of hurried go there and went on to my vacation spot.

After I got here to the Castillo de San Marcos I used to be not in a position to go on the within as a result of it was closed by that point, however I used to be nonetheless in a position to tour the surface. I used to be in a position to stroll round it and observe the cannons that had been lined off in a single space and browse articles about its historical past. Despite the fact that it was not open on the time, it was nonetheless a ravishing place to chill out as a result of the solar was nonetheless up and the breeze that was blowing in from the Matanzas River felt so good. You may sit on any of the seats onsite or on the good and luxurious garden. The one factor is that the garden isn’t going through the water so it could not have the identical impact as sitting on the waterfront.

Issues To DO

There are lots of issues to do in Saint Augustine, regardless of me pondering there might not have been rather a lot to do there. I can’t go into a lot particulars about them right here as a result of I’ve an article that record issues to do in St. Augustine, you possibly can click on right here to seek out it, however I’ll go forward and record among the locations to go to/issues to do;

• Lightner Museum
• Ripley’s Imagine it or Not
• Potter’s Wax Museum
• Castillo de San Marcos Nationwide Monument
• Alligator Farm
• The Torture Museum
• St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
• Fountain of Youth
• The Previous Jail
• Saint Augustine shops for some procuring
• Do your personal self strolling tour and admire the structure of some locations like Flagler School and the church buildings
• Go to The Plaza de La Constitucion park

Getting Round

Getting round city in St. Augustine isn’t laborious as a result of most locations are shut by and simple to get to with your personal automotive or by Uber. If you happen to occur to get a lodge in or close to downtown, it’s a simple stroll as a result of every thing is correct there, apart from the seashores and alligator farm. Then there may be additionally the trolley excursions.

There are two sorts of trollies in St. Augustine, there may be the Previous City Trolley Excursions and Purple Practice Excursions. The Previous City Trolley affords shuttles that picks you up out of your lodge and takes you to the trolley depot, from there you should buy your trolley tickets (in addition to attraction tickets at a reduction) and get on to a trolley. You may select to journey the trolley all day round city or hop on and off as you want. The Previous City Trolley excursions sells in the future in addition to two day tickets.

The Purple Practice Excursions is part of Ripley’s Imagine it or Not and likewise affords guided excursions round city permitting you to hop on and off all day. It is possible for you to to get the prepare from the Ripley’s location. The Purple Practice Excursions affords an all day hop on or off expertise in addition to the Purple Practice Specific expertise which is a one hour guided tour that takes you to sure websites.

There may be an upside and a draw back to taking the trollies. The upside is that you just don’t have to fret about driving your personal automotive to every location and having to fret about parking or taking a Uber, and the drivers are very educated concerning the historical past of the town. The draw back in my view is, relying on how far aside the stops are you possibly can spend a number of time on the trolley attending to the following attraction. For instance, I spent virtually 2 hours on the trolley attempting to get to my final attraction due to visitors and likewise as a result of it was the final cease, cease quantity 22, solely to seek out out that the park was solely a couple of 5 minute stroll from the trolley depot.

Locations To Eat

Alongside the waterfront you could find eating places reminiscent of Meehans’s Iris Pub and Seafood, River & Fort Restaurant and Roof High Lounge in addition to Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille, simply to call a number of. Sadly, I didn’t get an opportunity to dine at any of these on the waterfront, however there are a number of locations round that you could find to eat. Alongside the again streets you could find small eating places tucked away, just like the Raintree or Drake’s Bistro on San Marco Ave, and St. George Tavern on St. George Avenue. Then there may be at all times quick meals eating places like Bojangles, which by the way in which had some tasty hen wings, Zaxby’s, Burger King, and extra, if you wish to get it shortly and go.

What I like essentially the most about Saint Augustine is that despite the fact that it’s a small metropolis, it holds a giant historical past and It’s nice for solo vacationers and much more so for households. I might undoubtedly go to once more and I’ve discovered that the very best time to go to is throughout Christmas when the entire metropolis is embellished with lights.