My family and I rang in the new year with a trip to St. Augustine, FL. Located just south of Jacksonville, this historic city harbors Spanish culture from the conquistadors to gorgeous marine activities and sea life, and a few forts that are national park monuments as well. There are central locations with crowds and places 15-30 minutes outside the city that can be nice escapes to peace and quiet in the winter months. My party arrived in St. Augustine on Saturday, December 27th, and stayed until Wednesday, January 1st. We learned that during this time, St. Augustine also had their fantastic light display called Night of Lights. There are various ways to view it, like a boat, a carriage ride, or even just on foot! If you’re interested in planning a trip to St. Augustine in November or December, enjoy getting some ideas from my trip’s itinerary.
Downtown St. Augustine
Downtown is huge but very walkable for the average person — just make sure to wear good shoes! My party’s hotel was Hampton Inn St. Augustine Downtown Historic District. It is a 15-minute walk north from Castillo de San Marco along San Marco Ave.
We explored the night we arrived and found many restaurants along San Marco Ave. We settled on a small Italian-pizza, corner restaurant called Borrillo’s. The menu includes delicious pizzas for everyone’s taste buds as well as calzones, strombolis, salads, and general appetizers to enjoy.
The next day, we set out to explore Downtown. Even walking down San Marco Ave, we stopped by various shops and boutiques to look around. Eventually, we made it to Castillo de San Marco National Monument (CSMNM). I’ve been to the monument before, but I still had fun getting pictures of the fort and Matanzas River.
If you are familiar with North American history, you can recall that the Spanish occupied Florida, well before the first British colonies arrived in New England. Like many forts, the location allowed indirect protection to defend the Spanish Caribbean and New Spain (Mexico). The original wooden fort was destroyed after a shock attack from pirates, and the new, strengthened fort was erected. What made it stronger? Coquina! This special material is made of seashells. A long time ago, a tiny clam (picture the thin wing-shaped clams) lined the shallow shores of Florida. They still do to this day. As the crushed, empty shells endured years and decades of weathering, the seashell minerals mixed with soil and plants. Rainwater would filter through the mixture and combine with carbon dioxide to become carbonic acid (the chemical that makes carbonated drinks fizzy). This new chemical would continue to filter through the seashell-soil mixture and force calcium to dissolve from the shells. This created calcium carbonate or a natural glue, like the way stalactites are made in cave systems. The final product resembled a natural cement now called coquina.
After visiting the fort, I recommend getting a drink at the rooftop bar at River & Fort Restaurant. On a nice day, it is a great way to take in the historic fort and the Matanzas River. Some other favorite food spots include St. Augustine Seafood Company and Maple Street Biscuit Company. For drinks, I enjoyed The Backyard at Meechan’s. It is an outdoor bar area along Hypolita St that garners heavy foot and car traffic, so it makes people watching fun too. Lastly, for a sweet treat, I recommend Mayday Ice Cream, which also serves boozy ice cream for adults. Or if you’re looking for a unique treat on the go, The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops is a must!
Matanzas Inlet
After spending a day walking around, my party and I decided to relax on the beach the next day. My mom had seen on Facebook that people were posting pictures of huge amounts of seashells on Matanzas Inlet, so we decided to start our day there. My first assumption when learning about new places is that they are often named after people; so, who was Matanzas? Well, it’s not a person. Matanzas means slaughter in Spanish. The name was given after the Huguenot Frenchmen were slaughtered on the northern shores in 1565.
To get to Matanzas Inlet, you’ll have to drive from Downtown, but just follow San Marco Ave/A1A Scenic and Historical Coastal Byway south through Anastasia Island. It’s about a 15-minute drive. You’ll know you’re close because, to our surprise and delight, we saw the sign for Fort Matanzas on our right. I did not know there was a fort here, so it truly was a great find for me. Unfortunately, the ferry’s dock was broken, so we could not visit the fort directly, but we were able to view it from afar.
The main inlet to St. Augustine is the St. Augustine Inlet. However, another way to get to St. Augustine by water was through the southern-located Matanzas Inlet. About half a mile inland is where the Spanish erected Torre de Matanzas or Matanzas Tower, also made from coquina. The only time this fort fired on an enemy was in 1742 when the British attempted to approach the inlet. Cannon fire from the fort drove off the scouting boats. After that, the fort switched ownership a few times after the 1763 Treaty of Paris and the 1783 Treaty of Paris. By then, the Spanish Empire was falling apart and doing very little to maintain the fort. When the US gained control of Florida by 1821, the fort was in such disrepair that soldiers could not even live in the quarters, and this landmark was left for ruin. That was until 1916, when the Department of War began a restoration project and transferred oversight to the National Park Service a few decades later.
Not much farther down the road is parking for the Matanzas Inlet beach. It wasn’t long before we were out when dark clouds rolled in and threatened rain. Luckily, it was lunchtime anyway, and we were already on the road when the threat of rain was made true. We headed further south past Marineland and past Washington Oak State Park. It was then that we saw a nice-looking BBQ restaurant on our right called Captain’s BBQ. Coming from North Carolina, I don’t know if I could concede my bias, but the BBQ at Captain’s was solid. Very juicy cuts and delicious flavors of BBQ sauce. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a change of pace from seafood!
After lunch, we noticed there was a nice park and water docks surrounding Captain’s BBQ. We decided to walk off the calories we lovingly enjoyed. The first thing that sticks out is a huge hut that has been fenced in. However, once you find the front of the hut, you see there is a ramp that invites you into a raised walkway. This is the Mala Compra Plantation Historic Site. It is a 19th-century archeological site that was preserved with grants from many agencies within Florida to provide a resource for the public to learn about the history of this barrier island plantation. Mala Compra means Bad Bargain, and I don’t think the owners would believe this property would go beyond that call to live up to its name.
The ruins of Mala Compra as a plantation are believed to be 165 years old. But even before General Joseph and Ana Maria Hernandez, the property had a long history of conflict with the local Seminoles. While most Seminoles shared the same beliefs, many lived in smaller tribes throughout Florida rather than larger united tribes. This made treaties and diplomacy between the Seminole people and the settlers from Britain, Spain, along with the now, but newer Americans, hard to keep up and maintain. In 1800, Josiah Dupont owned the property. He had a black militia headquartered at Mala Compra to ward off attacks from the native people. Unfortunately for Josiah, the Seminoles were still able to take 10 horses, 4 slaves, and all the household goods.
Later, when murders against the settlers occurred in 1835, it was the start of the infamous Florida War or Second Seminole War. Plantations on the coast were left empty, and most residents fled to St. Augustine. Mala Compra was used as a spot for soldiers to quarter and house slaves who were recaptured from the Seminoles. However, with the successful move northward, Mala Compra was destroyed. To add an interesting historical perspective, General Hernandez claimed $99,000 in losses from the war. That would be 3.5 million dollars today!
After exploring the water and trails, we moved across the street, following Mala Compra Rd to Mala Compra Park and Beach Access. It is a 5-minute drive down the side road, so I don’t suggest walking. The beach was nice, and given the weather for the day, there was nobody except us walking down the beach. It was very peaceful.
Amelia Island
My mom found a horseback ride that goes along the beach on Amelia Island at Peters Point Beachfront Park called Amelia Island’s Horseback Riding Tours. Before our tour at 2 o’clock, we decided to get to Peters Point about 2 hours early to check out the beach. I was glad we did! The beach itself is huge, especially with low tide. There was so much area to walk around and search for seashells. The best part of exploring was finding gopher tortoises in the sand dunes.
Gopher tortoises are considered vulnerable, and local law has protected these creatures and their burrows. I was able to see one exit its burrow and make its way to a prickly pear cactus. It was fun to watch the turtle eat the cactus. But even when you are driving through the parking lot, burrow holes are also located there. Let this be a friendly reminder to drive cautiously (as you should already be doing in a parking lot). As we were waiting for the guide to finish up getting the horses saddled, there was a gopher tortoise right by the meeting spot. We were watching him from a safe distance. Once he noticed us watching him, he ran, at turtle speed, to his burrow. He was fun to watch!
Once it came close to our time to ride, we made our way to the parking lot. We easily spotted Amelia Island Horseback Riding with their bright pink truck. Our tour guide introduced herself and quickly had us and another couple go through the introduction talk and onto our horses. My horse’s name was Cutter, and he was a gorgeous palomino.
The ride itself was peaceful. The beach at this time of year was not crowded. While the sand muted the horse’s hooves, the waves crashing in the near distance gave a relaxing background of white noise. One could look out into the horizon of the beautiful blue water and smile at the view. While other rides I’ve taken have changing scenery, I never found myself getting “bored” with the view of the ocean. What I appreciated was how much ground we covered. I’ve always loved walking on the beach, but when the reality hits me that I must walk back the length of the beach I walked, my feet cry. It was great to travel a huge portion of the beach by horse to see a lot more than I would on foot!
After the horseback ride, we wanted to see what was available for a late lunch. We headed north on S Fletcher Ave towards Fernandina Beach. There we found the Salt Life Food Shack. The upstairs has a fantastic view of the beach and the infinite ocean. We all enjoyed delicious drinks and mouth-watering food. I appreciated that the menu had a seafood boil that included crab legs, shrimp, corn, and potatoes!
Anastasia Island
Anastasia Island is located just southeast of Downtown St. Augustine across the Bridge of Lions. Notable attractions on Anastasia Island include the same-named state park, Crescent Beach, Fort Matanzas, and the famous St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. In the summer and fall months, I highly recommend Anastasia State Park. The biggest attraction here is the famous lighthouse. You can take the stairs to the top or explore the grounds for ghosts! You can bring your own SUPs and kayaks or rent a kayak on-site. I’ve rented a kayak before, and the price is very reasonable. Explore the nearby inlet for fish, cranes, and other animals! The park itself also requires an entrance fee.
Since this trip was during the winter months, we decided to check out the alligator farm, which comes with an entrance fee. We were not ready for what was to come. Founded in 1893, the zoological park has a long history of giving reptiles and animals homes that have modernized over the 132 years! Immediately after entrance, you are greeted with enclosures for smaller alligator species as well as an albino alligator. It makes quite an impression! From here, there’s so much to explore. There is a whole area with crocodile enclosures and huge lagoon enclosures with alligators. In case you don’t know, crocodiles have a narrower V-shaped snout, while alligators have a wider U-shaped snout. While walking around the front area of the park, you’ll notice other animals as well. In addition to alligators and crocodiles, the premise also has enclosures for turtles, sloths, hornbills, lemurs, and even a Komodo dragon! There truly are creatures to enjoy for the whole group.
Across from the Komodo dragon/Pacific Island Reptile exhibit is the huge enclosure for Maximo. This saltwater crocodile was born in Australia and grew to a whopping 15 feet and 3 inches long. The massive creature weighs 1,250 pounds! But Maximo isn’t the only large crocodile to live at the alligator farm. Gomek was also a crocodile who lived at the St. Augustine Zoological Park. Born in New Guinea, Gomek was able to live his life at a ginormous 18 feet in length and an impressive 2,000 pounds at the St. Augustine Park. After Gomek’s death, the park “tastefully” preserved the crocodile alongside other rare reptile artifacts in the Gomek Forever exhibit. Some of those artifacts include skulls of Sarcosuchus and Deinosuchus. Ancient crocodiles that lived millions of years ago.
There is so much to explore at the park, and it gives you and your group plenty to do throughout most of the day. On the boardwalk, there are even daily feedings to get a glimpse of how these creatures act. If you’re looking for an educational and entertaining thing to do near St. Augustine, you can’t go wrong with the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park!
Night of Lights
Party Boat Tour
Night of Lights (NOL) is St. Augustine’s way of showing holiday spirit. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the lights scattered around downtown, but especially along the waterfront. My family and I decided to do a boat tour one night and a horse-drawn carriage ride the next. The lights are on display throughout December and early January. If you are a Christmas lights enthusiast, it is something to check out!
Our first look at the Night of Lights was from the water on the Old Town Party Boat. This tour is a bring-your-own-beverages (BYOB) party experience where guests must be 18+ years old. Expect loud music and a party! This boat tour is $45 for an hour and a half on the water, which includes the time of travel. You’ll meet at the docks at Vilano Beach across the Francis and Mary Usina Bridge northeast of St. Augustine. Vilano Beach is nice, so if you can arrive about 1-2 hours early, you can walk around to explore the docks and beaches. You can even see the lighthouse from this spot. We had a picnic before our boat arrived at 8:15 p.m. on the main boardwalk, with a cute dolphin arch welcoming us onto the boardwalk.
Once everyone was checked in, there was our group of 4, two other groups of 4, and 3-4 pairs of couples – we set out to St. Augustine. The boat itself was a little tight in space. There are two spots up front that can fit 4 people on each side. We managed to grab that space. Because it was a front corner, we got a nice range of views too. The middle part of the boat was a highchair, round table seating. This was not ideal as the view was towards the inside of the boat, so your view had people’s heads included. If you can get one of the spots up front, it will make the views much better.
It took about 30 minutes to make it across the river. Our first up-close view was the Castillo de San Marco National Monument at night. The flood lights gave an eerie and spooky vibe as huge shadows of passersby walked in front of those lights. The tour itself was going back and forth along the waterfront. Both sides got multiple chances to view and take pictures of the beautiful lights. Some passes were closer to the waterfront, while some were further away. The only minor negative was that people on land were standing on the edge of the waterfront, so your pictures might pick up silhouettes of small individuals. This was more noticeable with the pictures closer to the waterfront.
I think if you’re looking for an easy night to share with a group, this is a great way to enjoy the downtown lights with them. Like I mentioned, it is BYOB, so with a group, you could easily share a pack of drinks for the ride. The party atmosphere is also entertaining and a unique one, too. I think the main advantage of taking this tour is that you can enjoy NOL from afar. No need to park downtown. No need to push or steer clear of crowds. You are on a boat, enjoying some beverages with others, and you get a chance to see the whole waterfront rather than 2 or 3 buildings in front of you if you were standing on or across the street. If you want an easy-going night out, this is the option for you!
Carriage Tour
I would miss a great opportunity if I didn’t do a carriage ride. There is a TON of options available. Even some that you can grab impromptu, just walking around downtown. One that we found for a good deal was a wine and carriage ride through The Tasting Tours. It started at $60 a person for about an hour carriage ride. The carriage shares the road with the normal traffic, so you’re looking at an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the traffic. For an additional $50, you can add a bottle of house wine that includes two souvenir stem glasses. Additional souvenir glasses are $12 each.
This was a great tour! I really enjoyed the carriage ride and the elegance of drinking a glass of wine while riding through downtown St. Augustine. We met near the intersection of Cordova St and Carrera St (near Grace United Methodist Church). From there, the carriage ride headed south on Sevilla St to pick up King St eastward. This is where the magic of the lights really starts to take shape. Every shining little bulb is beautifully displayed everywhere you look. Plaza de la Constitución is spectacular with its lights strung all along the live oak trees, center-pieced with a huge Christmas tree! It absolutely is gorgeous and mesmerizing to stare at. The trip then goes north, where King St hits the waterfront and turns west at the end, just before the national monument. Once through the back streets, you end the tour back where you started. It’s a great time, which again allows you the comfort of relaxing and enjoying the lights all around you.
Conclusion
Even over the New Year’s celebrations, there is still plenty to do and enjoy in St. Augustine. Florida allows for warmer cool weather, so jackets or pullovers are useful, but you won’t need anything too heavy. Seashell hunting and general beach relaxation are very desirable because it is the winter months, there are way fewer crowds to deal with (if any at all). Whether you stay downtown or venture outside of the city, you’ll find many things to make memories with the ones you love.
Scenic Byhorse 