With more than three million sparkling white lights beckoning from nearly every building in St. Augustine’s Historic District from the end of November to the end of January each year, it’s no wonder that tourists flock to the Florida city to attend its annual Nights of Lights event. Even without this added bling, however, America’s oldest city still shines brightly, attracting visitors year-round to enjoy its Spanish-style architecture, incredible food, Gilded Age history, and unique opportunity to sip from the storied Fountain of Youth.
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine’s history can be seen everywhere—from its brick-lined streets to the imposing fortress that has protected this often-fought-over territory for more than 350 years. The Castillo de San Marcos, completed in 1695, still stands today along Matanzas Bay and features 14-foot-thick coquina block walls so strong that they withstood cannon fire, assuring that the fort never fell in battle. Today, the Castillo is open for self-guided tours that include access to the drawbridge on the sally port, sentry box, bastions, courtyard, guard rooms, and more.
The Castillo sits on the edge of St. Augustine’s Historic District, a 144-square-block area that features numerous historic buildings, including the St. George Inn. From the balcony of this historic hotel, guests can enjoy views of the Castillo de San Marcos, the City Gate, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, or Matanzas Inlet. Visitors also enjoy wandering the streets to find boutique shops, intriguing restaurants, and tantalizing tidbits of history. For example, Treasury Street, which is just wide enough for two people, was designed to allow men to carry treasure chests from the bay, but not big enough for a horse-drawn carriage to enter so that pirates couldn’t escape with the plunder.
Gilded Age history can be seen everywhere in the area, especially at Flagler College, housed in the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, which opened in 1888. Owned by Standard Oil Company co-owner Henry Flagler, who also developed the railroad along Florida’s coastline, the hotel was built in 18 months as a place for his high-society friends to stay when they visited St. Augustine. The cost to stay was $4,000 for the season—$100,000 in today’s money—even if visitors only chose to stay for one day. Far ahead of its time, the hotel had running water, steam heating, and electricity installed by Thomas Edison himself, and was sold out every year of Flagler’s life.
Now home to roughly 2,400 students, the campus, filled with Spanish Colonial Revival-style buildings, has been called one of the 12 Most Beautiful College Campuses Around the World by Veranda magazine, due in part to the fact that the rotunda and student dining hall are true works of art. The three-story-tall rotunda features a painted mural depicting eight females representing the four elements and the four stages of European exploration by artist George W. Maynard. It also includes solid gold lionhead sconces and a floor of handlaid African mosaic tile. The student dining hall is surrounded by 79 Louis Comfort Tiffany stained-glass windows and elaborate hand-drawn murals.
The Lightner Museum (formerly the Alcazar Hotel) just across the street was also built by Flagler as a place for “new money” to stay. Completed in 1888, the Spanish Renaissance Revival building featured a casino, a world-class indoor pool, and numerous baths. It was later bought by Chicago publisher Otto Lightner, who kept much of the building in its original state while also displaying his “collections.” Visitors to the museum can now see fine and decorative art, natural history specimens, Gilded Age furniture, Tiffany lamps, cut glass, and Victorian musical instruments, as well as dine in what was once the swimming pool.
The Old Town Trolley Tour makes it easy to see these and many other impressive sights. You can hop on and off at 22 stops in and around the Historic District. These include Potter’s Wax Museum, America’s first and oldest wax museum; Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum; the Old Jail; and the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.
Surrounded by peacocks, visitors can wander the 15-acre park, learning about Juan Ponce de León and his search for new lands and magical waters, as well as the tragedy of the Timucua civilization, the area’s original inhabitants. Visitors can enjoy live blacksmith demonstrations, cannon firings, and shows at the Navigator’s Planetarium and the Discovery Globe. And of course, there’s the spring house and the chance to sip from the Fountain of Youth…who wouldn’t want to live forever?
Speaking of life-affirming drinks, the trolley also stops at the St. Augustine Distillery, the eighth licensed distillery in Florida and the first to produce bourbon since Prohibition. Visitors can take a self-guided tour that includes four samplings, or sign up for the Spirit of Florida Bourbon Experience with a certified bourbon steward who not only shares the history of bourbon and the distillery but also provides a premium bourbon tasting and behind-the-scenes tour. Named the 2024 Distillery of the Year, the St. Augustine Distillery is also known for its rum, gin and vodka.
Dining is also a pleasure in the ancient city, and there are restaurants to please any type of foodie. The Raintree Restaurant, for example, serves a most incredible brunch. The Columbia Restaurant, a Florida tradition since 1905, is known for its signature salad tossed tableside—something that absolutely should not be missed.
Other delicious options include the Cordova Coastal Chop House at Casa Monica Resort, where the Moroccan-themed setting is as impressive as the food; the Ice Plant, a hip farm-to-table restaurant in a factory-style setting; Meehan’s Irish Pub in the Historic District; and Pesca Vilano, a rooftop bar and kitchen with incredible views. For a truly unique experience and great photo op, get the pretzel at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse, where you can sit alongside a Pete Dye-designed course and check out photos of all the winners of The Players Championship.
The Capybara Café is a completely different type of coffeehouse and a must-stop if you want to learn more about one of Florida’s most unique animals. Run by Noah’s Ark Sanctuary, a dedicated animal rescue and rehabilitation nonprofit, the café introduces guests to Mocha, Latte, and a number of other capybaras who are more than happy to interact with visitors for a lettuce reward. In addition to feeding the capybaras, visitors can learn about the local wildlife and support the sanctuary’s ongoing work and conservation initiatives.
A ride along the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway provides some beautiful views of Florida’s natural world, including the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) that protects 77,000 acres of conservation lands and waters from Ponte Vedra Beach to Palm Coast. A nursery for the ocean, these waters are the birthplace of the endangered North Atlantic right whale. An impressive on-site museum provides information about the area, as well as guided explorations and nature programs on Saturdays, and numerous public presentations.
For more information about St. Augustine, visit www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com.
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