Family-Friendly St. Augustine
We've just wrapped up our third time in St. Augustine, Florida and I wouldn't be hyperbolizing when I say we are in love with that city. Seriously. Traveling with small children isn't an easy task and finding things to do with those children can be tricky and frustrating. Thankfully, St. Augustine is SUCH a family-friendly city with kind, welcoming people and plenty to do for families. Here are some of our favorite activities:
St. Augustine Beach:
Being near water while on vacation is always a plus! It provides very inexpensive entertainment with so many options of how to spend time. This particular beach is special- there is large fishing pier, a wide white sandy beach, a playground, splash pad, and restaurants and ice cream within walking distance. There are events at the beach including a farmer's market, pop up shops, and surfing competitions. There is plenty of room to park and plenty of room to play.
This year, the big three enjoyed endless hours of burying themselves in the sand, letting waves knock them over, collecting sea shells, and running through the splash pad. Preston enjoyed putting sand in his mouth.
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
This is a gem. The gorgeously striped lighthouse actually sits off of the water, which is interesting and allows for attractions to be spread out. You'll find that is in St. Augustine- so much to see, but it's not all right on top of each other. The lighthouse itself is from 1824 although older towers once stood there all the way back into the 1500s. You can go there just to see the lighthouse or pay a fee (any littles that aren't tall enough to go IN the lighthouse are free) to go into the museum part that is reminiscent of a small scale Green Field Village (for those Michiganders reading this) AND you can climb the 219 stairs to the top. We always drive by this are and sometimes go and walk around the boat docs in front of it and the spanish moss surrounding it, but this year, we actually explored it.
Nolan was the only one tall enough to climb the tower. We never thought he'd be interested, but he was! As he and I climbed the metal round staircase, he was going to give up several times out of fear. Going to get a pep talk from Josh was just what he needed to push through and I don't know that I've ever seen someone so proud as we stepped out onto the balcony of the top. This kid was on cloud 9 and up high enough to see cloud 9.
There's an elementary school right behind the museum. We always think about how special it would be to have that history and beauty right literally in the backyard of your school.
Project SWING playground/other playgrounds
St. Augustine has MANY places for kids to play! Within less than a mile distance to the condo complex we always stay in is a large, gorgeous playground with basketball and tennis courts as well as the playground and splash pad at the public beach. In St. Augustine's historic district, there are several other places to enjoy some slides and swings. The one I want to highlight is called Project SWING and it's a beautiful wooden play structure. Our boys, each and every one of them, had so much fun there and I especially loved that there was only one way in and out. Wooden play structures make me nervous because it's hard to see your kids as they meander through so I loved that one of us could stay by the entrance/exit just to make sure no one fled ;)
St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Again with the history of this place... this alligator farm was founded all the way back in 1893. It started as a small exhibition of Florida reptiles and now is the only facility in the world to house ALL species of crocodilian. This park is awesome! There is so much to see and has so much more than just alligators- the birdlife here is incredible too. I took Nolan and Judah there when we went in 2016 and they couldn't believe how close they got to get to the animals.
St. Augustine's Historic District
This. This incredible, charming, gorgeous, unique area is what sold this city for us as a place to come back to more than once. In downtown is where you'll find the majority of the city's restaurants and shops, and hotels. A few awesome eats include Pizza Time/Gelato Time (voted 2nd best pizza in the United States) and the Maple Street Biscuit Company.
There's also a sprinkling of historical attractions- The Castillo de San Marcos, Fountain of Youth, Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Lightner Museum, etc, etc, etc.
Many of the buildings here are from the 1700s and there's a pedestrian only street with cobblestone that is just unlike what you see in other places.
Not to mention, there's a beautiful park right in the heart of it all and the downtown is located on the Matanzasa Bay with the Bridge of Lions welcoming you. I just can't say enough how cool this historical area is.
My family loves to go here to explore and walk around in the mornings before it gets too busy and before it's really warm enough to enjoy the beach or the pool. None of the shops really open until 10-10:30. When Nolan and Judah were little, and waking at the crack of dawn, we would get there around 8:30 to get ANY parking spot we wanted and feel like we had the streets and sidewalks all to ourselves. As we've added children in our lives, it takes us a bit more time to get ready so we'd arrive closer to 10 and really be able to shop, eat, and enjoy. It has an awesome nightlife, I hear, but we have yet to partake ;)
Flagler College
When first visiting St. Augustine, Flagler College and the Historic District were two things we did not expect from a beach vacation. This college is right in the middle of the historic district and using the word 'gorgeous' or 'stunning' doesn't even do it justice. I mean this college is located within the oldest city in our country. It also gets to be a college located on a Matanzasa Bay and within a few minutes drive to the Atlantic Ocean. Like-yes please. One of their main buildings started as a hotel built in 1888. The Spanish architecture here is truly amazing. This space needed its own category even though it's within the historic downtown. Walk your family around through the courtyards and buy lots of Flagler gear like we have. The houses that are near the college are breathtaking and the streets surrounding the college or bathed in Spanish moss. I would not enjoy having any of my boys be so far away from me if they went to college here, but how in the world could I blame them?!
I hope I've been able to give you just a taste into how unique the cities of St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach really are.
I sit here torn between wanting everyone to visit to see how incredible it is, but also wanting none of you to ever go so it stays quaint and charming ;)
Traveling here with your family gives you such a mix of relaxation and outside play that a family would expect with an ocean vacation spot while also mixing in amazing history, and some awesome sites to visit. It really has a little bit of everything!
St. Augustine Beach:
Being near water while on vacation is always a plus! It provides very inexpensive entertainment with so many options of how to spend time. This particular beach is special- there is large fishing pier, a wide white sandy beach, a playground, splash pad, and restaurants and ice cream within walking distance. There are events at the beach including a farmer's market, pop up shops, and surfing competitions. There is plenty of room to park and plenty of room to play.
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| First trip: April 2014, Nolan and Judah |
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| Second Trip: April 2016, Carter |
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| Third Trip: April 2019, Josh, Nolan, Carter, Preston, Judah |
This is a gem. The gorgeously striped lighthouse actually sits off of the water, which is interesting and allows for attractions to be spread out. You'll find that is in St. Augustine- so much to see, but it's not all right on top of each other. The lighthouse itself is from 1824 although older towers once stood there all the way back into the 1500s. You can go there just to see the lighthouse or pay a fee (any littles that aren't tall enough to go IN the lighthouse are free) to go into the museum part that is reminiscent of a small scale Green Field Village (for those Michiganders reading this) AND you can climb the 219 stairs to the top. We always drive by this are and sometimes go and walk around the boat docs in front of it and the spanish moss surrounding it, but this year, we actually explored it.
 |
| April 2019: St. Augustine Lighthouse |
Nolan was the only one tall enough to climb the tower. We never thought he'd be interested, but he was! As he and I climbed the metal round staircase, he was going to give up several times out of fear. Going to get a pep talk from Josh was just what he needed to push through and I don't know that I've ever seen someone so proud as we stepped out onto the balcony of the top. This kid was on cloud 9 and up high enough to see cloud 9.
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| April 2019: 219 steps to the top! |
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| April 2019: Nolan climbed all the way |
There's an elementary school right behind the museum. We always think about how special it would be to have that history and beauty right literally in the backyard of your school.
Project SWING playground/other playgrounds
St. Augustine has MANY places for kids to play! Within less than a mile distance to the condo complex we always stay in is a large, gorgeous playground with basketball and tennis courts as well as the playground and splash pad at the public beach. In St. Augustine's historic district, there are several other places to enjoy some slides and swings. The one I want to highlight is called Project SWING and it's a beautiful wooden play structure. Our boys, each and every one of them, had so much fun there and I especially loved that there was only one way in and out. Wooden play structures make me nervous because it's hard to see your kids as they meander through so I loved that one of us could stay by the entrance/exit just to make sure no one fled ;)
 |
| April 2019: Nolan loving the playground life |
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| April 2019: Preston's first swing! He loved it! |
St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Again with the history of this place... this alligator farm was founded all the way back in 1893. It started as a small exhibition of Florida reptiles and now is the only facility in the world to house ALL species of crocodilian. This park is awesome! There is so much to see and has so much more than just alligators- the birdlife here is incredible too. I took Nolan and Judah there when we went in 2016 and they couldn't believe how close they got to get to the animals.
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| April 2016 |
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| April 2016: Judah pointing at a bird in a tree nearby |
This. This incredible, charming, gorgeous, unique area is what sold this city for us as a place to come back to more than once. In downtown is where you'll find the majority of the city's restaurants and shops, and hotels. A few awesome eats include Pizza Time/Gelato Time (voted 2nd best pizza in the United States) and the Maple Street Biscuit Company.
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| April 2019: Gelato Time (connected to Pizza Time) the BEST cannoli this Italian girl has ever had. |
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| April 2019: Pizza Time- St. Augustine LOVES New York Style pizza |
There's also a sprinkling of historical attractions- The Castillo de San Marcos, Fountain of Youth, Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, Lightner Museum, etc, etc, etc.
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| April 2016 |
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| April 2014: Part of pedestrian street |
Not to mention, there's a beautiful park right in the heart of it all and the downtown is located on the Matanzasa Bay with the Bridge of Lions welcoming you. I just can't say enough how cool this historical area is.
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| April 2016: At the park downtown, Nolan, Judah, Carter |
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| April 2019: At the park downtown, Carter, Nolan, Preston, and Judah |
Flagler College
When first visiting St. Augustine, Flagler College and the Historic District were two things we did not expect from a beach vacation. This college is right in the middle of the historic district and using the word 'gorgeous' or 'stunning' doesn't even do it justice. I mean this college is located within the oldest city in our country. It also gets to be a college located on a Matanzasa Bay and within a few minutes drive to the Atlantic Ocean. Like-yes please. One of their main buildings started as a hotel built in 1888. The Spanish architecture here is truly amazing. This space needed its own category even though it's within the historic downtown. Walk your family around through the courtyards and buy lots of Flagler gear like we have. The houses that are near the college are breathtaking and the streets surrounding the college or bathed in Spanish moss. I would not enjoy having any of my boys be so far away from me if they went to college here, but how in the world could I blame them?!
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| April 2014: Flagler College, Judah and Nolan |
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| April 2016: Flagler College, Nolan, Carter, and Judah |
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| April 2019: Flagler College, Judah, Carter, Preston, Nolan |
I hope I've been able to give you just a taste into how unique the cities of St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach really are.
I sit here torn between wanting everyone to visit to see how incredible it is, but also wanting none of you to ever go so it stays quaint and charming ;)
Traveling here with your family gives you such a mix of relaxation and outside play that a family would expect with an ocean vacation spot while also mixing in amazing history, and some awesome sites to visit. It really has a little bit of everything!
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