Any recommendations on places to stay and things to do in St. Augustine?
Our jello-made plans are to leave Raleigh NC after Thanksgiving. We need to be in Ft. Ogden, FL for the boondocking rally by 1st week of Feb, so looking for things to do in FL Dec & Jan. Thinking of spending some time in St. Augustine on the way down.
-- Edited by cherylbrv on Saturday 25th of October 2014 08:13:35 PM
Hdrider said
08:54 PM Oct 25, 2014
St. Augustine is certainly worth a stop. We enjoyed our stay touring the city. We stayed at Indian Forest while there. If you opt for that campground stay in the lower level.
The Schweitzers on the road said
10:53 PM Oct 25, 2014
Anastasia State Park is a very nice place to stay. Not to many sites for rigs of your size though. The reservation system states the length of the sites if I recall correctly. Use satellite view on maps to check which sites are the easiest to back into. Most of them are at a 90 degree angle from the road but some at the end of the loops are very easy to back in. Well laid out campground with lots of greenery between sites. Short walk to a nice beach. Sea turtles are regular here. WiFi only at the concession building near the beach, but that may have changed since 2012 when we stayed there. We toured the Castillo and the lovely old town. Just google "things to do in St. Augustine" and check what is reviewed on tripadvisor. Stay away from the Alligator farm, it's a tourist trap. You will see plenty of gators once you come to the Everglades. Enjoy your stay. Bernd
-- Edited by The Schweitzers on the road on Saturday 25th of October 2014 11:15:29 PM
Diana and Jim said
03:31 AM Oct 26, 2014
Another place you may want to tour is the Kennedy Space Center. We haven't been there since they opened up the display with the Saturn V rocket on its side, but I heard it is fabulous.
Also, driving on the beach (without your DRV, of course) at Daytona Beach is always fun. We did it with our F-350 turbo diesel a few weeks ago. I would recommend staying in the traffic lanes, though. I tried to park off to the side (like the F-150's were doing) and started to sink...so I pulled back into the traffic lanes. We drove for miles without issue.
Another place we thoroughly enjoyed was Fantasy of Flight at the Polk City exit off of I-4. We took the back lot tour, which was amazing. The owner restores old airplanes, right down to the rivets. They also have Waldo Wright's Barnstorming Service there. You can take a flight in a D29 Flying Cloud, which is a open cocpit biplane in which the front cocpit is big enough for both of you. Diana still raves about our trip with them. She got to look like Amelia Earhart with her leather helmet, goggles and white scarf, flying in the wind. Nothing like leaning your arm over the side at 2500 feet, short of actually jumping out! Neither of us felt any danger, as Waldo keeps it level.
Jim (and Diana)
-- Edited by Diana and Jim on Sunday 26th of October 2014 01:06:06 PM
Lucky Mike said
07:45 AM Oct 26, 2014
St. Augustine is it's own little pristine playground!!!
This is my choice for winter quarters when I'm in Fla. lots of relaxing , very enjoyable....good food!!....and minimal crowding...
I like to hang at the Fleamarket there.....
cherylbrv said
08:45 AM Oct 26, 2014
Mike - when are you going to be back that way?
Everyone else - great ideas! I'll definitely look into it. Hopefully, since it's north FL, it's probably either mid or off season there in Dec & Jan so hopefully the rates will be a little lower and the campgrounds somewhat emptier. Jim - Fantasy of Flight sounds like fun! Have to check that out as well!
The Schweitzers on the road said
10:48 AM Oct 26, 2014
x2 on the Kennedy Space Center and Fantasy of Flight. We did both and would do it again in a heartbeat.
Regarding Anastasia SP. You are close to the max length of 40' allowed there. We have a 34' trailer and 51' combined length and this was the toughest back in I ever had to do from the narrow loop road through. However, when strolling through the park we discovered half a dozen sites where a way bigger rig would have fit in with enough room to maneuver.
If you go there pick your site wisely, try campsitephotos.com if the reservation system doesn't show a picture of the site already.
Bernd
bjoyce said
10:59 AM Oct 26, 2014
St. Augustine is just a bit north of where most snowbirds stay, most stay from Daytona Beach south due to weather. The Cape is south of Daytona, so it is a longer day trip. The wildlife drive north of the Cape is very worthwhile, it is a good place to see Reddish Egrets and some gators.
We have dear friends in Jacksonville and get to St. Augustine from there. But we do not stay the winter in Jacksonville, since it is mostly in the 50s.
PNV said
08:29 AM Oct 27, 2014
North Beach Campground is our favorite in St Augustine. It is located across the North Bridge ( just North of the Fort )with the river on one side and the Ocean on the other end. The only problem is getting a spot during the season. If you can get availability then it is IMHO the best campground in the area. My first choice would be in the North East end, the spots are larger and the also have a lot of pull sites in that section. North Beach also has a restaurant on the ocean side and one on the rive side. The one on the river side is really good and reasonable, the ocean side one is a little pricey.
There are so many things to see in the town that I don't know where to start. The only thing that I would NOT recommend is the winery, its a waste of time.
Any recommendations on places to stay and things to do in St. Augustine?
Our jello-made plans are to leave Raleigh NC after Thanksgiving. We need to be in Ft. Ogden, FL for the boondocking rally by 1st week of Feb, so looking for things to do in FL Dec & Jan. Thinking of spending some time in St. Augustine on the way down.
-- Edited by cherylbrv on Saturday 25th of October 2014 08:13:35 PM
Anastasia State Park is a very nice place to stay. Not to many sites for rigs of your size though. The reservation system states the length of the sites if I recall correctly. Use satellite view on maps to check which sites are the easiest to back into. Most of them are at a 90 degree angle from the road but some at the end of the loops are very easy to back in. Well laid out campground with lots of greenery between sites. Short walk to a nice beach. Sea turtles are regular here. WiFi only at the concession building near the beach, but that may have changed since 2012 when we stayed there.
We toured the Castillo and the lovely old town. Just google "things to do in St. Augustine" and check what is reviewed on tripadvisor. Stay away from the Alligator farm, it's a tourist trap. You will see plenty of gators once you come to the Everglades.
Enjoy your stay.
Bernd
-- Edited by The Schweitzers on the road on Saturday 25th of October 2014 11:15:29 PM
Another place you may want to tour is the Kennedy Space Center. We haven't been there since they opened up the display with the Saturn V rocket on its side, but I heard it is fabulous.
Also, driving on the beach (without your DRV, of course) at Daytona Beach is always fun. We did it with our F-350 turbo diesel a few weeks ago. I would recommend staying in the traffic lanes, though. I tried to park off to the side (like the F-150's were doing) and started to sink...so I pulled back into the traffic lanes. We drove for miles without issue.
Another place we thoroughly enjoyed was Fantasy of Flight at the Polk City exit off of I-4. We took the back lot tour, which was amazing. The owner restores old airplanes, right down to the rivets. They also have Waldo Wright's Barnstorming Service there. You can take a flight in a D29 Flying Cloud, which is a open cocpit biplane in which the front cocpit is big enough for both of you. Diana still raves about our trip with them. She got to look like Amelia Earhart with her leather helmet, goggles and white scarf, flying in the wind. Nothing like leaning your arm over the side at 2500 feet, short of actually jumping out! Neither of us felt any danger, as Waldo keeps it level.
Jim (and Diana)
-- Edited by Diana and Jim on Sunday 26th of October 2014 01:06:06 PM
This is my choice for winter quarters when I'm in Fla. lots of relaxing , very enjoyable....good food!!....and minimal crowding...
I like to hang at the Fleamarket there.....
Everyone else - great ideas! I'll definitely look into it. Hopefully, since it's north FL, it's probably either mid or off season there in Dec & Jan so hopefully the rates will be a little lower and the campgrounds somewhat emptier. Jim - Fantasy of Flight sounds like fun! Have to check that out as well!
Regarding Anastasia SP. You are close to the max length of 40' allowed there. We have a 34' trailer and 51' combined length and this was the toughest back in I ever had to do from the narrow loop road through. However, when strolling through the park we discovered half a dozen sites where a way bigger rig would have fit in with enough room to maneuver.
If you go there pick your site wisely, try campsitephotos.com if the reservation system doesn't show a picture of the site already.
Bernd
We have dear friends in Jacksonville and get to St. Augustine from there. But we do not stay the winter in Jacksonville, since it is mostly in the 50s.
North Beach Campground is our favorite in St Augustine. It is located across the North Bridge ( just North of the Fort )with the river on one side and the Ocean on the other end. The only problem is getting a spot during the season. If you can get availability then it is IMHO the best campground in the area. My first choice would be in the North East end, the spots are larger and the also have a lot of pull sites in that section. North Beach also has a restaurant on the ocean side and one on the rive side. The one on the river side is really good and reasonable, the ocean side one is a little pricey.
There are so many things to see in the town that I don't know where to start. The only thing that I would NOT recommend is the winery, its a waste of time.
I am sure you will have a great time