A scenic three and a half-hour drive from St. Pete, give or take, will land you right in the heart of America’s oldest city.
Established in 1565, the town remains the longest continuously occupied area first settled by Europeans.
With plenty of attractions to choose from, a day trip will afford the opportunity to scratch the surface of everything this quaint location has to offer.
Hotels closest to the downtown area are pricey throughout the year, but chain establishments on the edge of town are reasonably priced, normally under $100 a night.
This is still a walkable distance to the remains of the Castillo de San Marcos, the country’s oldest fort.
From there, it’s only a few more blocks to the downtown village that’s filled with shops and restaurants. The friendly vendors peddle everything from fine art and handcrafted leather goods, to cheap tchotchke souvenirs. The scent of food hangs heavily in the air –a strange, yet tempting mixture of fried bread, seafood and pizza.
In fact, the restaurants with the best reviews in St. Augustine are the Brooklyn-style pizzerias sprinkled throughout the shopping district.
If pizza isn’t your preferred meal, St. Augustine offers a variety of good eats.
At the Floridian, find eclectic cuisines of light southern staples with regionally-inspired items and numerous vegetarian options.
Pulled pork with candied bourbon apples atop a cornmeal waffle? Yes, please.
The city’s bustling downtown offers many modes of transportation.
The clatter of horse hooves keeps time as carriages breeze past at regular intervals. Bike rickshaw drivers hustling for their next ride are eager to ask pedestrians to let them do the work of getting around. Three-car trolleys with grainy tour guide audio peruse the side streets slowly, peppering the air with peculiar historical tidbits.
For those entertained by strange trivia, visit the Ripley’s Believe-it-or-Not! outpost. For the religious, a shrine and Cathedral Basilica are located in the main tourist spots.
For the wishful — or possibly superstitious — a Fountain of Youth resides in an archaeological park that encompasses the original grounds of the settlement.
With waterfront property views, a stroll through the park is worth it, even if it doesn’t keep you young forever.
With nearly 500 years of history, the town holds a vast presence of haunted areas, making ghost tours a popular attraction.
Getting in touch with history older than the Constitution is possible without taking a trip to Europe or New England.
Overall, for less than $150, a day trip to St. Augustine is an economical vacation from the endless construction of St. Pete.
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