Legend has it that Juan Ponce de Leon was seeking “The Fountain of Youth” when he sailed northwest from Puerto Rico in 1513. He sighted land on April 2, 1513 and named it “La Florida.” In 1565 naval commander Pedro Menendez Aviles landed in a natural harbor that he named “San August’n.” St. Augustine is a walking city. Except for a five minute drive across the Lion Bridge to St. Augustine Beach and the Lighthouse and Alligator Farm, everything else can be done by foot. Even these two sites can be accessed using the St. Augustine Sightseeing Train.
The walking map to the historic section and beyond is very thorough and easy to read.
Flying into Jacksonville, Florida for a Super Bowl preview story left me a few days to spare. I realized St. Augustine was less than an hour away and down went the top in my Hertz Sebring convertible. In America’s oldest continuously occupied city the only commuters were rare bird and the only high-rise was a lighthouse. Giant hotel chains bored me so I opted for an once-in-a-lifetime experience and visited or stayed in the Seven Inns of Elegance to view all St. Augustine had to offer.
The seven member inns, all within the Historic District, formed a marketing alliance in 1998. I will feature three inns for reasons that are obvious. Casa de la Paz (circa 1915) was just voted most romantic inn in the country by Bed & Breakfast.com. They were chosen from among 27,000 B&B’s worldwide. Overlooking the bay front the “House of Peace” has 7 rooms with furnishings from early 1900 Florida. The courtyard comes complete with a waterfall and the sounds of the Atlantic Ocean (www.casadelapaz.com). Casablanca (circa 1914) is one of 10 inns in all of Florida to be part of Conde Nast 2005 recommended list. Overlooking the bay the 20 room Mediterranean revival inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Its sister inn is the Secret Garden Inn where each of the three suites has a private entrance and it is only 30 feet behind its parent inn (www.casablancainn.com).
The St. Francis Inn is the oldest (1791) continuously operated lodging establishment in America’s oldest city. Constructed of native coquina shells with a private courtyard and pool the 17 rooms include suites, a private cottage and a beach house with two duplexes available for rent. The house is only 10 minutes over the Lion Bridge and steps from the ocean (www.stfrancisinn.com).
Other members of the Inns of Elegance include the Bay front Marin (1788) a Victorian waterfront inn with 15 rooms. Sister to the next door Bay front Westcott (1880’s) whose 18 rooms have fireplaces or double Jacuzzi baths (www.bayfrontmarinhouse.com and http://www.westcotthouse.com). Casa de Solana (1821) is the sister inn to the St. Francis and offers free parking (a rarity in the narrow streets of the historic district) and use of their pool. The 10 rooms, half of which are in an adjacent building and very modern inside, are enclosed in a walled courtyard (www.casadesolana.com).
The Inn on Charlotte (1918) has seven rooms all with Jacuzzi tubs. This is a sister property to the Casablanca Inn (www.innincharlotte.com).
After very filling full breakfasts at each inn it is time to walk the walk. The St. Augustine Sightseeing Train is an open air red trolley established in 1953 that offers free van service to and from hotels, motels and inns. For $18 (child-$5) you can get on/get off every stop for three consecutive days.
They will take you beyond the historic district and even over the bridge to the beach, Lighthouse & Alligator Farm (www.redtrains.com). Feeding Time Alligator Farm
Within the historic district you must visit the Lightner Museum which is the former Alcazar Hotel (1888) and contains paintings, sculpture, art, Tiffany stained glass, furniture and the former largest indoor pool in America. Otto Lightner purchased the building in 1946 and donated it to the city to house his extensive collections (www.lightnermuseum.org).
Across the street is Flagler College, the former Hotel Ponce de Leon (1888). The students dine in a room containing Tiffany windows valued at over $30 million (www.flagler.edu) .Staying within the boundaries of the historic district one finds the Oldest House Museum (early 1600’s). Known as the Gonzalez- Alvarez House it is the oldest surviving Spanish Colonial building known to have survived. There is also the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in the USA (1700”s). If you want to discover over 400 years of history within 9 historic houses spend an hour at Old St. Augustine Village. All the buildings were built from 1790 to1910. The docents do a fabulous job of bringing everything to life (www.old-staug-village.com).
Moving outside the historic center but still on foot there is the Butterfield Garage Art Gallery which as the name implies was a former garage and is now a multi-media art gallery (www.butterfieldgarage.com). Another gallery I visited was the Sanmar Gallery with its eclectic mix of oil, mosaic, stone and iron (www.sanmargallery.com). After my gallery hopping it was time to taste wine at San Sebastian Winery. After the tour and tasting and if the weather cooperates (it was 75 degrees) go upstairs to the Wine & Jazz Bar and a large outdoor deck overlooking the city (www.sansebastianwinery.com). In the mood for lunch or dinner I recommend: Raintree Restaurant, Cortesses Bistro and DelFuego’s Grill. Still outside the district is Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum. Don’t pass it by because you think it is hokey. Built on the site of the former Castle Warden an 1887 Moorish Revival Mansion it was fun and educational. They had to drag me out of there to make my next visit- GO! GO! (www.staugustine-ripleys.com). The end of my walking tour brought me to Castillo de San Marcos a fort built in 1695 from coquina (composted seashells) that guarded the harbor (www.nps.gov/casa.com).
In the car to the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. Florida’s first (1824) and still working lighthouse it was 219 steps to the top for a view of St. Augustine and the Atlantic Ocean (www.staugustinelighthouse.com). Across the street is the not to be missed St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. Opened in 1893 there are all 23 known species of crocodilians, plus exotic birds, monkeys and giant tortoises. There are shows every hour and while we were there National Geographic TV was filming a segment with a giant alligator. Thanks to Erin Marvin for the following: “Did you know Alligators can run up to 30 mph over short distances and can climb chain-link fences? “Don’t run, just trip the person you’re with and walk away. “Croc-o-dile tears are tears that are not real. From the ancient belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating their victims” (www.alligatorfarm.com”.
The World Golf Hall of Fame and World Golf Village is about a half-hour from St. Augustine but still within their city boundaries. If golf is your game this is the place. Imax Theatre, pro shop, golf courses, condos and memorabilia from every well known golfer in the world. While I was there the Arnold Palmer traveling exhibit was on display (www.wgv.com). Thirty Minutes south of St. Augustine is Marineland of Florida which I did not have time to visit (www.marineland.net).
For more general information- http://www.flausa.com and http://www.oldcity.com . Come prepared to walk and talk and take lots of pictures. The weather is great; the inns are warm and friendly just like the people.
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