Suggestions on things to do in St. Augustine, FL?

[lugoismad]

Headed to St. Augustine the end of July with the family. We were going to go to Canada, but my wife has OCD and has been freaking out about the border crossing for some reason. (Even though we've crossed before without issue). I think she was worried about taking the boat over the border.

So, decided to move the vacation to Florida instead. I rented a house on a canal off the Matanzas river. Plan on fishing the river inlet, and the canal in the evenings. Doing some surf fishing while the kids are at the beach.

Also planning on doing a party boat charter during the week - https://www.sealovefishing.com/home.html

We rented the house for 9 days, so it should be a nice long relaxing vacation.

I told the wife if we have a rainy day we'll drive down to the Kennedy Space Center so the kids can check that out.

Anyone been there before? Any suggestions on what to do?

I'm not taking my boat, I don't really trust it enough to get it near salt water.

Thanks!

 

[Scott F]

Are you a golfer? The World Golf Hall of Fame is in St. Augustine. Right in the same complex is the Murray Brothers Caddy Shack restaurant which, being a Bill Murray fan, I thought was pretty neat. Also in St Augustine is the Castillo de San Marcos the oldest masonary fort in the US. There is Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Park close to the fort. The city of St Augustine has a beautiful downtown your family will enjoy it. There is also the St Augustine alligator farm park.

 

[lovedr79]

i have only been to the beach. neat community.

 

[lugoismad]

Are you a golfer? The World Golf Hall of Fame is in St. Augustine. Right in the same complex is the Murray Brothers Caddy Shack restaurant which, being a Bill Murray fan, I thought was pretty neat. Also in St Augustine is the Castillo de San Marcos the oldest masonary fort in the US. There is Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Park close to the fort. The city of St Augustine has a beautiful downtown your family will enjoy it. There is also the St Augustine alligator farm park.

Not a golfer. I've tried, just couldn't get into knocking a little ball around a field in the heat.

We'll definitely be checking out the fort.

I looked at the alligator park online, it looks fairly expensive for being pretty small and not having much more in the way of alligators than the Cincinnati Zoo near our house.

 

[lovedr79]

golf is fun. what other sport do you get to drink beer while playing, get essentially a go cart to play with, and get 18 easter egg hunts?

 

[gnappi]

Well for sure the town of St. Aug is easily a day worth of walking. shopping, pic taking, also go see the fort.

Then there's the "Fountain of youth" within walking distance of town (or a tram in the heat) everyone should see that.

At night St. Aug has their famous ghost tours.

Spending 9 days you could slip into Orlando (too many attractions to list) for a day or two for the kids. Then there's a day worth of antique hunting in Mt. Dora (the town) and Renningers the ginormous open air and indoor flea market.

Last the cape (Canaveral) and maybe even Daytona beach... all are easily (to me) within reach of St. Aug.

I have spent a lot of time in central Florida as I lived in Orlando and now live near Lauderdale but I still get to drive up that way fairly often.

 

[KMixson]

Take a tour on the red train. It stops at a lot of the attractions in the area.

 

[NightKrawler]

Having been many times I would second the old downtown in the early mornings, really nice walking and just cool old place with lots of history......then I'd head over to the Conch House Marina especially on the late week or weekends for lunch and some killer on the dock music live from some really talented musicians. I like that place and have stayed in the Marina or in one of their 1940's hotel rooms at the pool, both are nice and relaxing to me and the missus. The dock is huge, over the water dining, a little bar and a nice foody joint all right on the dock. Anyway, the whole place is nice to us, and I'd recommend it to anybody! Arguably, the oldest city in America!