st. augustine getaway

Seeing the Old City in a New Way
By:Erin Thursby
From: EU Jacksonville
Date: July 2008

Most Jacksonvillians get to know St. Augustine from countless weekend excursions and occasional days of hooky. After a while, you feel like you’ve seen everything you’re going to see and done everything in the tourist handbook. But if you plan ahead and go out of your way to break your St. Augustine routine, you’ll find there’s more to this old town.

Actively seek out what you’ve missed.

Take a look at one of the colorful maps they have everywhere in the historic district of St. Augustine. Grab a pen and start circling anything you haven’t done, and then decide if it’s worth doing. There just may be a pleasantly cheesy tour you haven’t taken (a scenic cruise from the Bridge of Lions or the famed Old City Helicopter Tour), an activity you haven’t tried (parasailing) or a museum you haven’t visited (Zorayda Castle).

Avoid the usual main thoroughfares.

Stay off of St. Georges and King Street and aim for those side streets that time seems to have forgotten. You’ll find strange little shops, ancient moss covered courtyards and historic points of interest. I actually found an historic fish pond (yep, even the fish ponds are historic here) during my meanderings. You can find this little gem in the courtyard of the St. Francis Inn. East of King Street things are a little less commercialized than in the historic shopping district. Pick a street you haven’t been down before and start walking. I’d recommend Aviles Street and Charlotte Street.

You’ll also find all sorts of homes and historic points that you might have missed. Grab a Walking Tour guide for North of the Plaza when you stop by The Oldest House and begin exploring!

Choose a different mode of transportation.

Your point of view can really change when you rent a bike, pedicab or scooter. You also might explore areas that you haven’t been to before because it’s much less tiring than walking. Ask at any of the tourist info booths about where to rent, it should be easy to find in the historic district. If you’re headed towards St. Augustine’s Beach, Shoreline Rentals, located on A1A South near the beach, rents bikes at a daily rate of about $20. They also rent surf boards and beach equipment. You can find them on the web at shorelinewebsite.com or you can call them at (904) 471-5430.

Find an alternate historical angle.

St. Augustine fairly bristles with history, most of it revolving around the Spanish occupation. For a new look at St. Augustine History, pick a different theme (Greek or Minorcan) and search out historical sites that relate to it. Maybe you’d be interested in the history of the Catholic Church in the city—if so there’s plenty of sites to visit, from monasteries to churches and homes. There’s a different chapter in history you may want to look at, namely St. Augustine’s black history. Although there are many streets named after Martin Luther King, the one in St. Augustine is special because the man himself walked down it before being arrested. Unfortunately, the Fort Mose Historical museum, an important of Old St. Augustine Black history, is closed for repairs.

Go Eco!

Like the rest of Florida, St. Augustine has an abundance of nature tours to choose from. St. Augustine Eco Tours offers informative and beautiful boat and kayak excursions. For reservations call (904) 377-7245. 

Eating and Drinking in St. Augustine

Let’s start off by saying, if you haven’t been to the Gypsy Cab Company, it should be first on your list, as it is a bastion of St. Augustine cuisine. That being said, here are a just a few food and drink hotspots you might have missed on your last go-around to Old Town.

Bistro de Leon

Just a few months in, this French bistro is the new kid on the block. 

Café 11

(501 A1A Beach Boulevard, St. Augustine 904-460-9311) This hipster hangout has delicious casual foods, draft beer, a selection of house wines, coffee drinks (including espresso drinks) and they serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night. They are also one of the best live music venues in St. Augustine, so arrange to eat here when there’s a great show.

Claude’s Chocolates

(15 Hypolita Street, St. Augustine 904-808-8395) Forget about those commercial fudge and chocolate shops you’ll find on St. George Street. Instead, why don’t you really indulge, with some grown-up gourmet chocolates from Claude’s. It’s just a short jaunt off of St. George.

Fusion Point

(237 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine 904-823-1444) For sushi and a fusion blend of Far Eastern dishes, head to Fusion Point, the best established sushi joint in St. Augustine. Chef Tai specializes in interesting new blends of flavors and textures that have made his restaurant well respected in the area.

Habana Village Cafe

(1 King Street, #103 St. Augustine 904-827-1700) Serving up a taste of Cuban cuisine. You might enjoy their Latin jazz Friday and Saturday nights along with their sangeria.

O’steen’s

(205 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine 904-829-6974) Best known for their fried shrimp, this very busy eatery serves simple down-home seafood fare.

Present Moment Café

(224 West King Street, St. Augustine 904-827-4499) This raw foods restaurant features organic, vegetarian cuisine. They specialize in preparing live, unprocessed cuisine. Their organic vegetables and produce are locally grown and they have some truly delicious dishes such as a Kale Avocado Salad or Portabello Croquettes.

Tini Martini

(24 Avenida Menendez 904-829-0928) Inside seating and an outdoor veranda make this fine wine and cocktail bar a super location to drink, take in the scenery and listen to jazz live Thursday-Saturday night. Enjoy specialty martinis, 36 wines by the glass, and 28 distinctive beers.

The Tasting Room

(25 Cuna St. St Augustine. 904-810-2400) Many of the ingredients that are part of the tapas selections at the Tasting Room are exclusively made in Spain, like the Manchego cheese and the Serrano ham. If you’re into adventurous cuisine, you just might experience flavors at the Tasting Room that you’ve never had before.