St. Augustine

History

St. Augustine was said to be discovered by Don Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer, in 1513. He claimed the land as Spain’s own and gave the name La Florida (Land of Flowers). The government of Spain sent six epeditions to Florida from 1513 to 1653, but all of them were in vain.

In 1564, the French conquerors built a fort and colony on St. Johns River. As a consequence, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles was made governor of Florida by King Phillip II of Spain. The King gave orders to colonize the land and protect it from pirates and other foreign invaders. Don Pedro Menendez arrived in Florida on August 28, 1565. He arrived in a village of the Timucuan Indians and named the place St. Augustine, in honor of St. Augustine of Hippo, whose feast day coincided with their arrival. Thereafter, the Spaniards subdued the French fort in St. Johns River and claimed Florida for Spain. Menendez developed the town and dedicated his whole life protecting the area from the French and the pirates. After his death in September 17, 1574, his nephew, Don Pedro Menendez Marquez, succeeded him and was named Governor of Florida until 1589. Even after the nephew’s death, Spain still supported and funded the area for Spain’s future economic gains.

As British colonies had been made in Georgia and Carolina, and the northern invasions had been made more often, the Spaniards fortified St. Augustine. The Castillo de San Marcos, which served as the fort, was completed in 1695.

In 1763, Spain gave up Florida to England to get back the Cuban capital. For the next 23 years, Florida was under the British rule. During the American Revolution, Florida sided with the British. Florida was back to Spanish hands in 1783, but the US troops seized Florida from Spain on July 10, 1821.

Florida became the 27th state to be incorporated in the Union in 1845. Castillo de San Marcos was then given a new nameโ€”Fort Marion.

The town of St. Augustine flourished during the early years of the American Civil War. Along with the rest of the Confederacy, Florida withdrew, but the Union troops still had their interest in the city. After the war, tourism began as a new economic activity.

In the 1880s, Henry M. Flager, with the aid of John Rockefeller, established the town as a famous winter spot. There had been a development of golf courses, hotels, a hospital, a city hall and many churches. This year up to the 1900s was considered a prosperous epoch.

From 1959 up to the present, restoration and preservation of colonial structures and artifacts to their earliest forms had been made with great efforts. St. Augustine is now famous as an epicenter of Spanish civilization and a consequential tourist destination.

Getting There

*By car
St. Augustine is accessible via I-95, US-1, US-90, SR-16, SR-207 or FL-A1A.

*By air
Tourists on private and/or corporate airplanes have the privilege of landing on St. Augustine/St. Johns County Airport. The closest commercial airport is Jacksonville International Airport.

*By bus
Tourists can take the Greyhound bus, but to purchase ticket, one must purchase them online or head to Jacksonville terminal.

*By train
The closest city with an Amtrak station is Jacksonville. The area is serviced by the Silver Star and Silver Meteor, with Miami-New York City roadways. Palatka is served by the two Amtrak lines, but to travel onwards, Ride Solution or taxi service are the solutions to St. Augustine. Palatka doesn’t service tourists’ luggage, so tourists need to debark in Jacksonville if they have a lot of things in tow.

Weather

The climate of St. Augustine is humid. Average low temperature is 45ยฐF, usually on January, and average high temperature is 91ยฐF, usually on July. The area has an average of 116 rainy days annually. Thunderstorms usually occur on summer afternoons. Average rainfall is approximately 50 inches per year, with June to September as wettest months.

What to Wear

During summer months, it is advisable to wear light-colored and cool clothing, especially those made from cotton. Women can wear skirts and cool sundresses. Flip flops are definitely something to bring. If you plan to stay outdoors for longer hours, bring along a hat, a pair of shades for eye protection, and apply a generous amount of sunblock with a high SPF, applying every 2 to 3 hours.

When on business meetings, wear appropriate clothing made of light-colored and cool materials. For night outs, it is advisable to wear appropriate outfits.

During the rainy and cold seasons, be sure to have a jacket or sweatshirt.

Fishing

Anglers should put St. Agustine in their fishing spots list. Fishing charters can rent anglers some boats for a deep sea fishing adventure. Or, anglers can hang out and fish where Matanzas Inlet connects to the Atlantic Ocean. Fishing licenses need to be secured though. Listed below are some of the fishes which anglers may want to catch.

amberjack
cobia
dolphin
barracuda
grouper
king mackerel
snapper
yellowfin
blackfin
wahoo
pampano
marlin
sailfish
redfish

BEST MONTHS TO FISH

amberjack – June to November (good), December to January (fair)
cobia – December to January
dolphin – June
barracuda – July to November
grouper – April, September to November
king mackerel – July to October
snapper – January to May, September to December
yellowfin – January to June, September to December (fair)
blackfin – October to March (good), April to May, September (fair)
wahoo – January to March
pampano – February, October to November (good), March to April, September (fair)
marlin – May and June (good), April, July, October to November (fair)
sailfish – June to September (good), April to May, October to November (fair)
redfish – May to June, September to October

WHAT TO BRING AND WEAR WHEN FISHING
The following are the most appropriate outfit when going for a fish:

โ€ข hat
โ€ข sunglasses
โ€ข light long sleeves, cool light-colored cotton outfits
โ€ข jacket or other rain gear
โ€ข boat shoes
โ€ข sun screen with high SPF

The following should also be in your A-list:

โ€ข camera
โ€ข cooler
โ€ข water or your preferred beverages
โ€ข food
โ€ข medicine kit
โ€ข fishing apparatus

Attractions and Activities

Believe it or not. The collection of the world’s weirdest and most amazing things are found in St. Augustine, Florida. Aside from that one-of-a-kind museum, the city has a lot of other museums for those wanting to be entertained and to be educated at the same time. A chocolate factory for chocolate lovers and a winery for wine lovers are among the attractions that tourists may want to see for themselves.

*The Savory Faire
23 Orange St.,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 540-3476
http://www.StAugustineCityWalks.com

*History, Mystery, Mayhem, & MURDER!
23 Orange St. Saint Augustine, FL 32084
904-540-3476
http://www.staugustinecitywalks.com/

*Flagler College
74 King St
P. O. Box 1027
Saint Augustine, FL 32085
(904) 829-6481
Fax: (904) 829-0094
www.flagler.edu/

*Castillo de San Marcos
1 S Castillo Dr Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 829-6506
Fax: (904) 823-9388
www.nps.gov/casa/

*St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
12 S Castillo Drive
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(877) 467-5863
http://www.thepiratemuseum.com/
cindy@thepiratemuseum.com

*San Sebastian Winery
157 King St.,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 826-1594
Fax: (904) 826-1595
http://www.sansebastianwinery.com/

*Mission of Nombre de Dios
27 Ocean Ave
San Marco Ave entrance
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
904 824 2809

Home


shrine@missionandshrine.org

*World Golf Hall of Fame
1 World Golf Place
Saint Augustine, FL 32092
(904) 940-4000
info@wgv.com
www.worldgolfhalloffame.org/

*Whetstone Chocolate Factory
139 King Street
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
904-217-0275
http://www.whetstonechocolates.com
kingst@whetstonechocolates.com

*Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
19 San Marco Ave.
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
904-824-1606
staugmail@ripleys.com
www.staugustine.ripleys.com/

Where to Stay

St. Augustine has a lot of accomodations for guests who go there on trips, be it for business or pleasure. From motels to inns, St. Augustine has it all. Listed are some of these accomodations.

*Crescent Silver Sands Motel
8448 A1A South,
Saint Augustine, FL 32080
(904) 471-1406
http://www.crescentsilversands.com/

*Anastasia Inn
218 Anastasia Blvd.,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 825-2879
www.anastasiainn.com/

*Courtyard St. Augustine I-95
2075 SR 16,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 826-4068
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/jaxcs-courtyard-st-augustine-i-95/

*The Cozy Inn
202 San Marco Avenue,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 824-2449
www.thecozyinnbandb.com/

*La Quinta Inn & Suites St. Augustine
250 Belz Outlet Boulevard,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 209-2580
http://www.lq.com/lq/index.jsp

*St. George Inn
4 St George St 101,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(888) 827-5740
http://www.stgeorge-inn.com/

*Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Saint Augustine North
2300 State Road 16,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(877) 859-5095
http://www.hiexpress.com/hotels/us/en/reservation

*Fairfield Inn & Suites St. Augustine
305 Prime Outlet Blvd,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 810-9892
http://www.marriott.com/default.mi

*Hampton Inn & Suites St. Augustine Vilano Beach
95 Vilano Rd,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-9797
http://hamptoninn1.hilton.com/en_US/hp/index.do

*Wingate by Wyndham St Augustine
2465 State Road 16,
Saint Augustine, FL 32092
(904) 824-9229
http://www.wingatehotels.com/Wingate/control/home

Where to Eat

From Italian cuisine to something contemporary, St. Augustine restaurants offer your heart’s desire. There are restaurants that cater to families with children, while some are ideal for talking about business deals over dinner. Lovers can enjoy romantic dinners, and those who love watching outdoor scenes can enjoy restaurants offering the great view. Here are some of the restaurants which locals and tourists may want to try.

*The Hyppo
15 Hypolita Street,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 217-7853
www.thehyppo.com/

*Collage Restaurant
60 Hypolita St,
Saint Augustine, FL 32086
(904) 829-0055
www.collagestaug.com

*Cellar 6%0
6 Aviles Street,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-9055
www.cellar6.net

*The Floridian
39 Cordova Street,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 829-0655
www.thefloridianstaug.com/

*Casa Benedetto’s Italian Caffe
6357 A1A South,
Saint Augustine, FL 32080
(904) 471-5999

*The Present Moment Cafe
224 W King St,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 827-4499
www.thepresentmomentcafe.com/

*Bistro de Leon
12 Cathedral Place,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 810-2100
www.bistrodeleon.com/

*Mango Mango’s Caribbean Grill & Bar
700 A1A Beach Blvd.,
Saint Augustine, FL 32080
(904) 461-1077

*Stir It Up
18 A St,
Saint Augustine, FL 32080-6902
(904) 461-4552
www.stiritupstaug.com/

*La Herencia Cafe
4 Aviles Street,
Saint Augustine, FL 32084-4405
(904) 829-9487
www.laherenciacafe.com/

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