13 Favorite Things to Eat, Drink, and Do in St. Augustine, Florida

I grew up about 30 minutes outside of St Augustine, and still to this day it is undoubtably one of my favorite places in Florida to spend time.

The oldest city in the continental United States has a lot to offer for those who live in the area and for those who are stopping by for vacation.

Here I’ve collected a list of my favorite 13 things in St. Augustine, Florida.

 

1.  Go to the beach

When in Florida, take advantage of the beautiful weather all year around.  The beach in St. Augustine is one of my favorites, because who doesn’t love the beach.

If you want something more secluded, you can go to Anastasia State Park. If you go North you can drive onto Vilano Beach, and then to the south you can go to St. Augustine beach and go hang out by the pier! (And yes that was my family’s Christmas picture from a few years back!)

 

2. Visit the Fort!

Castillo de San Marcos, located in the heart of the old city, is a great site to visit.  You can go inside, explore all of the old rooms, watch some videos on history and then go upstairs and enjoy the view.  If you go during the right times of the day, you can even catch a reenactment of them firing the cannon.

3. Visit the San Sebastian Winery

You might have seen this wine for sale before, but did you know that it comes from a lovely little winery in St. Augustine?  My mom’s a wine lover and spends plenty of time at the San Sebastian Winery, and I completely understand why.  Enjoy a complimentary tour of the Winery and complimentary samples (for those of age) that come along with the tour.

Then, head upstairs to the Cellar Upstairs — a wine and Jazz bar.  Enjoy a glass of wine, some appetizers, relaxing music and the warm Florida breeze.  It’s a beautiful way to just unwind after a busy week.

4. Take a stroll down St. George Street

This long cobblestone pedestrian only street is made up of interesting shops, restaurants and even a few museums.  It’s always fun to go explore this street, maybe do a little shopping, and try out the restaurants and bars along the road.

5. Try some bread from the Spanish Bakery & Cafe

Located on the northern end of St. George St, there’s a little Spanish bakery hidden amongst the shops.  They make fresh bread daily, and it’s definitely something you don’t want to miss.  In the past, it closed when they sold out of bread for the day (which was usually by 11am), but now under new ownership they continue to bake and sell bread all day!  Every time I’m in the area, I make sure to stop in and buy a loaf.

6. Climb the Lighthouse

The Lighthouse. St Augustine 450 – Photo by Stacey Sather

The first lighthouse built in Florida in 1824 is a beautiful landmark with a spooky history.  You can take a trip to this lighthouse, explore the museum, and then climb your way to the top of the active lighthouse for a stunning view!  This lighthouse is also believed to be the home to a few spirits.  It has been explored by many paranormal groups, and Syfy’s GhostHunters caught some really interesting evidence.  You can check this out by watching the episode they shot at the lighthouse here.

7. Go on a ghost tour

Speaking of spooky, St. Augustine is believed to be one of the most haunted cities in America.  Wether you’re a believer or not, ghost tours are still fun because of some of the more dark stories that haunt the city.  You can find every kind of ghost tour here, from ones where your tour guides are all dressed up and completely in character, to haunted pub crawls, and even to the kinds where you have a paranormal investigator as your guide and you are able to use some top notch ghost hunting equipment.

8. Have dinner at the A1A Ale Works

One of my favorite places to eat, not only because of the delicious beer cheese soup, but because of the great view from the balcony.  They also brew their own beer and root beer at the ale house – and I’d suggest to try it all if you don’t have to drive home!

9. Just walk around

St Augustine is a great place to just walk around and explore.  No matter where you go, you’re bound to find something interesting.  Walk along the water and enjoy the views, or maybe go explore an old cemetery.  You can also take the time to explore the beautiful campus of Flagler College.

If you’re in town during the holidays, you’re there for my favorite time of the year.  They put up thousands of lights all across the city and it’s an absolutely stunning view.  They have carolers in the square and trolley tours that will make sure you don’t miss any lights.

10. Check out the Alligator Farm (Zip Line Over Alligators?)

A picture of the Zipline at the Alligator Farm (from the Alligator Farm’s Website)

The Alligator farm is basically is a zoo with a lot of alligators.  If you’re from Florida, this might not interest you too much, but if you have kids it’s great to visit at least once.  If you’re from out of state, this place might amaze you!  I had friends who visit the Alligator farm every time they visit Florida because alligators are so foreign to them.  They even now have zip lines that even go over the exhibits.

11. Enjoy a meal at the Conch House

The conch house is a nice little restaurant located on the water right next to a marina.  It’s a lovely place to sit outside on a sunny day and have drinks with friends.  The view is beautiful, and the food is pretty tasty too! If you’re feeling adventurous, give the gator tail a try!

12. Visit the World Golf Village

Take a trip to the World Golf Village and play a round of golf, check out the World Golf Hall of Fame, or even go see a movie on their huge IMAX screen. The Golf Village is set up around a pretty little lake, and it’s a nice place to visit.

13.  Go Shopping

Right next to interstate I-95 you can find St. Augustine’s Outlet malls where you can find all kinds of steals and deals.  There is a large outdoor outlet mall, and a more upscale indoor outlet mall on opposite sides of the interstate.  Just be warned — on shopping holidays (such as Black Friday or tax free weekend) the parking is miserable.

Learn more about St. Augustine, Florida with these books:

Walking St. Augustine: An Illustrated Guide and Pocket History to America’s Oldest City

Hidden History of St. Augustine 99 Epic Things to Do – St. Augustine, Florida

What’s your favorite thing to do in the Ancient city?

This post was written by Lauren Youngerman, a student at the University of South Florida studying international business with a focus on Spanish and marketing.

She is a member of her school’s sailing team, and also works as a sailing coach at a nearby club.

Lauren is an adventure seeker who has had the opportunity to live abroad in both Brazil and Nicaragua, as well as to being a part of the U.S. Army.

Currently completing a social media internship for VentureTime Travel, Lauren seeks a career in marketing after graduation. Learn more about Lauren’s work experience via her LinkedIn profile. 

Planning to visit Florida? Check out these other posts:

• Eating Local at the Southport Raw Bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• 6 “Can’t Miss” Beaches in Florida
• 10 Fun Facts About Tampa, Florida
• 14 Fun Facts about St. Augustine, Florida
• 10 Family-friendly Activities for the Ft. Myers, Florida Area

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