St. Augustine, Florida is America's oldest city. It is also one of the nation's most charming cities, for a variety of reasons.
Its cobblestone streets. The history that peeks out from every turn and corner.
The quaint inns and bed and breakfasts that rest under ancient oak trees.
The ghosts, too, make things interesting in St. Augustine, Florida!
The Oldest City
Known as the "Ancient City," St. Augustine was founded forty-two years before the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts - making it the oldest permanent European settlement on the North American continent.
St. Augustine is in North Florida, located between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, on the Atlantic Ocean. While Orlando is a bit of a jaunt, it's not too terribly far away either.
What's the Weather Like?
North Florida has mostly mild temperatures in Fall and Spring. Winters can get a bit on the nippy side, with temperatures at the freezing mark can certainly happen. But usually the days are sunny and on the cool side in Winter.
Summers are something else -- hot and very humid. So arrange your vacation, if you can, in such a manner that you can avoid the hottest and most humid times (July and August). However, October, November, March and April are wonderful times for a visit.
Things to do in St. Augustine, Florida
There are a lot of things you can do here in St. Augustine, like visiting the Fountain of Youth, the Alligator Farm Zoological Park or Potter's Wax Museum. There is Ripley's Believe it or Not where you can spend an hour or two.
If you like the beach, you'll love St. Augustine's beautiful, wide, sandy beaches, just made for basking in the sun or playing in the waves.
There is a very special event in October of every year called the St.Augustine Art Walk. October is considered the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the people participating in this walk raise money to help research and fight breast cancer. The event has become known for its art raffle. Around 10 paintings are raffled each year, with the proceeds going to various breast cancer foundations. After the walk many other raffles and fund-raisers takes place.
The Ghostly Side of Life
Then there are the St. Augustine ghost tours. These tours take a look into the city's sometimes spooky past, as it is said that there are restless spirits which haunt certain locations in town.
Another interesting aspect of ghost walks is that your guide dresses up in a period costume, to get in the "spirit" of things, so to speak. The walks are held in the evenings, when the weather is cooler and the atmosphere more eerie. Who knows what you'll see around the next corner?
More Information
If all this sounds intriguing, you can find more facts at the St. Augustine Florida vacation guide.
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