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| | florida | northeast florida | st. augustine | |||
St. Augustine - Anastasia Island |
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St. Augustine Lighthouse – This lighthouse, the oldest in Florida, is a classic symbol of St. Augustine. In the 16th century, the Spanish constructed a watchtower on this site; the present black-and-white striped lighthouse was built in 1874. Climb to the top of the lighthouse (200+ steps) for incredible views over all St. Augustine, its bays and out to sea. In the original keeper's house is a museum with exhibits about life in the lighthouse and shipwrecks, plus nature trails and small garden on the grounds. |
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| To climb the lighthouse tower, kids must be 44" or taller. The lighthouse offers free admission to children who do not meet the height requirement and provide a coloring book and a free pass to come back when they are tall enough. | |||
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St. Augustine Amphitheatre – The amphitheatre has concerts and free events throughout the year. Year round, on Saturday mornings there's a farmer's market, complete with food and music. In summer, on occasional Friday nights, there are family movies. During winter, there's a winter theme park with ice skating and snow. |
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Alligator Farm – The Alligator Farm is fun for the whole family. See 23 species of crocodile, rare albino alligators and over 100 different kinds of reptiles, birds, and mammals, plus zip lines over the zoo. Several pens offer animal food vending machines so kids can feed the animals. The Alligator Farm hosts a variety of shows throughout the day; kids will enjoy the hourly shows, and it's a chance to rest on benches under a shaded pavilion. |
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Anastasia State Park – Go camping, biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, boating, fishing, surfing, and swimming. Families can picnic or take nature trails, learning about the wildlife along the way. Anastasia State Park has full-facility campgrounds with an on-site store, restaurant and park playground. | ||
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St. Augustine Beach – This is a very popular white soft sand beach. Rolling for miles, the waters here are generally mild. This is a good place for picnics, swimming, and sand castles. Surfing is popular at this beach and the waters here are kind to boogie boarders or beginning surfers. |
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| Tip: Rent boards and gear at the local surf shops. Remember to bring along sunscreen, towels, water, snacks, flip-flops. You can drive onto the beach to park (fee), or take the train/trolley shuttle. | |||
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St. Augustine Beach Pier (St. Johns County Ocean Pier) – The St. Augustine Beach Pier has fishing, a splash-spray park, picnic tables, outdoor showers and restrooms. Wednesday mornings the pier hosts a very active farmer’s market. During the summer, on Wednesday evenings, there's free live music. After leaving the pier, drive down Beach Blvd. to find more shops and restaurants. |
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Fiesta Falls Miniature Golf – Take the kids to play miniature golf amongst castles, ships, and waterfalls. Enjoy an ice cream cone before leaving. Located on Open daily, including evenings when weather permits. | ||
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Fort Matanzas National Monument – Watch a movie about the history of the fort before taking a ferry ride across the inlet (look out over the walkway to see hundreds of fish congregating near the docks). Re-enactors welcome you to the fort, sharing a brief history, then explore on your own. This is a beautiful park where kids can experience Florida nature and history at its best. |
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Shopping – |
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Tom’s Souvenirs - Stop into this old-Florida style souvenir shop with shells, puffer fish, alligator heads, and the like. It's a fun, cheap place to visit on the way to the beach. |
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