Playing Tourist in St. Augustine

Before we headed out for our “tourist day” in St. Augustine, we took a look at Lonely Planet's top picks and then TripAdvisor.

They agreed on several sights to see although I was a bit perplexed that TA's #1 pick was the St. Augustine Distillery. We loaded our free MapsWithMe for the city and headed out mid-morning to play tourist. Tickets and boarding for the Red Train are just in front of the marina and since we were playing tourist, we rode the foolish-looking red train to get a feel for the town's sights. David assured me that disguises were unnecessary as no one would recognize or ever see us again.

There was no way we'd see everything in one day, but the tour included 20+ stops around town and would familiarize us with the city. The tour was interesting as the goofy red train wended its way through narrow streets and alleys and past all the tourist hotspots. The ongoing commentary was informational and we were provided with a good overview of places we might like to visit … and the ones we planned to avoid. Lightner Museum and Castillo de San Marcos … yes! Fountain of Youth and Wax Museum ... probably no. Although, you never know what will appeal to us on a given day.

Like many tourist destinations, we've noted that most everything in St. Augustine has a price tag. Some attractions are expensive, some moderate, but not many appeared to be free. Even the self-guided walking tour is a $4.95 download. Being on a budget, this made it imperative to select wisely those attractions we wanted to visit and encouraged me to check further for free things to do in the St. Augustine area. I'm sure there are several, I just need to find them.

The 1-1/2 hour tour seemed to last much longer because the train seats were hard and uncomfortable... despite my ample natural bum padding. After one trip around, we got off at the distillery because it was one of the few places that offered a free tour as well as tastings of their award-winning spirits … and we were hot and thirsty and it was #1 on TA's to-do list. The tour was interesting. The tastings were refreshing (vodka, gin and rum drinks). As good as they might be, however (and we're certainly not connoisseurs), the purchase of their “hand-made” spirits was way beyond of our budget (e.g. rum = $45/bottle). Another day we'd visit the San Sebastian Winery.

It seems St. Augustine is a city of “firsts” and “oldests”. There's the oldest wooden schoolhouse in America and the oldest street (Aviles Street) in America. St. Augustine is considered the “first port” in America. Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. The area is steeped in history and its Spanish roots are evident in everything from the architecture to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine taking its place across from the city plaza. At the end of the plaza stands the old slave market, now home to craftsmen.

Nearby, Ponce de Leon's statue stands proudly in its own little square across from the Bridge of Lions.

We wandered along historic Aviles Street relishing the feel of the brick-paving blocks beneath our feet and the care taken to preserve the historic feel of the city. This part of the city is called Old Town. We found an inviting little sidewalk cafe for lunch. Sitting at at an umbrella table, we relaxed and ate and took it all in. Restaurants, cafes, galleries, boutiques and antique shops abound and provide lots of eye candy for the casual, unhurried tourist. This city is absolutely charming.

We walked up the the Spanish Quarter and admired the old city gate, preserved and still standing opposite the fort. Its coquina pillars built in 1808 were a first line of defense for the Spanish against invaders.

Within the old Spanish Quarter, there are museums and shops ad infinitum. St. George Street is a pedestrian mall, crowded beyond belief on the weekends and a pleasant place to stroll on a weekday. We stopped for an iced coffee and enjoyed some people watching.

As we walked back towards the marina, we could hear the pleasant clip-clop of hooves as horse-drawn carriages shuttled tourists along the city's street towards the scenic waterfront.

We ended the day with a rousing 18 holes of mini-golf which we haven't played since the kids were in grade school. I'm obviously out of practice and lost by four strokes. David crowed and I sulked until he bought me a pint of beer (works every time!).

There are old cemeteries to explore, forts, alleys, narrow cobble-stoned streets, cathedrals and ivy-covered gates leading to secret gardens. We're just getting started and I know we won't have the chance to see it all, but we plan to give it a go.

Lions, Lighthouses and Lager

Nine of Cups was sitting comfortably on her mooring and it was time for the crew to take a good walk, stretch their passage-cramped legs and see some of the sights. The Bridge of Lions seemed a good place to start.

From its earliest days, the Bridge of Lions has been hailed as "The Most Beautiful Bridge in Dixie" and has long been a symbol of St. Augustine. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the double-leaf bascule bridge spans the Matanzas River/Intracoastal Waterway and connects the city of St. Augustine with Anastasia Island. Originally completed in 1927, it recently underwent a 4-year restoration. (2006-2010) and it is, indeed, a beauty.

The bridge gets its name from a pair of impressive marble Medici lions that guard the entrance to the bridge from the city. Copies of the originals found in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, Italy, these lions were faithfully sculpted at the Romanelli Studios in Florence and were a gift to the city from Dr. Andrew Anderson (1839-1924).

We walked over the bridge, stopping to take in the views and click a few photos. It was near the half hour and we wondered if it would open while we were there, but there was no waterway traffic and we ambled across without interruption. As we continued on to Anastasia Island, we noticed yet another pair of lions. In July 2015 to commemorate St. Augustine's 450th birthday, a local couple donated another pair of lions which sit at the eastern end of the bridge in Davis Shores Park.

We sauntered along Anastasia Boulevard (aka Rte A1A South), on the lookout for a road that led to the historic black and white, conical-striped St. Augustine Lighthouse which we'd seen from the seaside of the inlet on our approach.

We could also view the lighthouse from the deck of Nine of Cups while on the mooring, rising above the buildings on Anastasia Island during the day and flashing at us every 30 seconds throughout the night. We were interested in a close-up view.

Anastasia Island is a long, skinny barrier island (14 mi long x 1 mi wide) and the “boulevard” is lined with restaurants, shops and all things touristy. We asked directions several times since we had no view of the lighthouse and there were no signs. We figured we couldn't go too far wrong since the island was only a mile wide, but we didn't want to have to walk its length to reach our goal. We hung a left onto shady Busam Street which connected to Lighthouse Avenue … a clue. Lighthouse Park was in view, and the stately, well-kept lighthouse peeked out above the trees.

An active lighthouse, the current St. Augustine Light Station was built in 1874 and now is privately owned by the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum, a not-for-profit maritime museum and private aid-to-navigation. At 165' (50m), it can be seen for 17 nm out to sea.

We weren't actually interested in climbing to the top nor paying the admission fee, but took the opportunity to check out the Visitor's Center displays and view the lighthouse keeper's house … pretty nice digs!

Old clapboard houses in the Lighthouse Park neighborhood were lovely with thick, verdant foliage and flowering bougainvillea and hibiscus adorning the yards. Gardenias and magnolias were in bloom, too, and the tree-lined walk was as pleasant to the nose as it was to the eyes.

Back on A1A, we were hot and sweaty as we trudged back along the road and across the bridge. J. P Henley's waited for us on the other side, promising cold beer and a great place to cool down after a most enjoyable 3-mile walk.

Oh yeah … Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits!

Checking out the 'hood - St. Augustine

According to the St. Augustine city website, “Historians credit Juan Ponce de Leon, the first governor of the Island of Puerto Rico, with the discovery of Florida in 1513. [Although the native Timucua knew it was here long before that!] While on an exploratory trip in search of the fabled Bimini he sighted the eastern coast of Florida on Easter Sunday … and claimed Florida for the Spanish Crown, naming it Florida after Pascua Florida”, Spain's "Feast of the Flowers" Easter celebration.

Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States. About 42 years before the English colonized Jamestown and 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, the Spanish established St. Augustine … and here we are! All that's left of the original buildings is the fort, Castillo de San Marcos, completed in the late 17th century. Dubbed as the Ancient City, it's hard not to fall in love with St. Augustine as soon as you sail past the historic fort and pass through the beautiful Bridge of Lions.

As usual, the first day or two, we didn't wander too far from Cups as we recuperated from our passage, tidied up, caught up and began repairs. We managed a bus trip to the local Winn Dixie supermarket, found the West Marine and bought some boat supplies. There's lots to do here and I'm compiling the “play list” as David works up the “to-do list” … with negotiations to follow. The plan is to stay about a week, then weather depending, we'll head north to the Chesapeake.

We've visited St. Augustine before … 2001 … but lots has changed since then. Instead of anchoring, we now have a mooring in the Matanzas River, just inside the Bridge of Lions. We have access to all the amenities offered by the St. Augustine Municipal City Marina including a convenient dinghy dock, beautiful showers (with hot and cold water), laundry, propane exchange, ice (!!), free pump-out at the mooring, free wifi and even a pleasant cruiser's lounge. Best of all, we're right downtown in the heart of this beautiful little city. We're talking cruiser's heaven!

One of our first important discoveries was J.P. Henley's across the street from the marina. It's a small, friendly, neighborhood pub that offers 70 (cold) beers on tap, moderately priced meals, a happy hour and a chance to watch a little baseball … all part of the passage recuperation process. Needless to say, we've visited several times though we've barely made a dent in the extensive beer offerings.

There's a Cruiser's Net on the VHF every morning at 0800 which provides lots of info about happenings in the St. Augustine area. Since we're right in the downtown, most everything is accessible on foot or via the bright yellow buses of the Sunshine Bus Company.

It's sometimes hard to believe we're back in the USA. For the past nine years, whenever we've been aboard Cups, we've been in a foreign country or at sea. We see something in the grocery store and have the urge to scoff it up because it might not be there the next time we shop. When we ask if a shop accepts credit cards, they look at us as if we're from a different planet. Not thinking, I commented the other day that it was odd to see so many American flags on the moored boats. DUH! We're in America.

Stay tuned. We've got lots of exploring to do in the Ancient City and, of course, we plan to take you along with us.