10/8/2016 0 Comments A Trip to the Ancient CityA few weeks ago I took a weekend trip to St. Augustine, FL. This city is one of my most favorite places on the planet. At this point, I have done just about everything there is to do there. I have climbed to the top of the lighthouse, I have taken a carriage ride. I have taken every single ghost tour imaginable. I have ridden the Red Train so many times we can recite the driver’s script right along with him/her! When I go now, it is truly for a getaway – a chance to relax, enjoy the atmosphere, drink some fine wine and enjoy some of my favorite restaurants. Here are some of my favorite things in St. Augustine: The St. George Inn Located just inside the City Gates on St. George Street, this little gem of a hotel is in the perfect place! My favorite room, room #25, is located in the front corner and features a wrap-around balcony with spectacular views of the City Gates, the Castillo de San Marcos, the Matanzas Inlet, the lighthouse, and the Bridge of Lions. The wooden rocking chairs on each balcony make great vantage points for people watching, and because all balcony rooms are on the second floor, the breezes off the bay make it very pleasant, even on the warmest Florida day. The trolley stop for both tour trolleys is steps from the front door – talk about convenient! One of the owners are always on site, and nobody knows the city better than they do! Whether you want to go to the beach, go parasailing, or go to an elegant restaurant, they know just where to send you! They also offer a delicious (and complimentary) European-style Continental Breakfast with seating in the gorgeous courtyard next to the sparkling fountain. Red Train Tours There are two tour trolleys in St. Augustine, but Red Train Tours is my favorite. The drivers are knowledgeable and entertaining, and because the trains are a little smaller than the other trolley company, they are the only ones that go down Aviles Street, the oldest platted street in the United States. You can purchase 1-day or 3-day tickets, which give you unlimited on and off privileges at 22 stops around the city. They also offer a shuttle service to take you to the Lighthouse and the Alligator Farm over on Anastasia Island. The Red Trains are tradition – I try to ride them completely around at least once during each visit. Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille Or, Harry’s, as I call it! This is my favorite restaurant in the city. It features New Orleans style cuisine in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. When we go, I always order the Shrimp Etouffee, a Harry’s Hurricane (or several), and for dessert we share an amazing Banana’s Foster. The real draw, however, is the building the restaurant is housed in. I am a history buff – specifically, old houses and buildings. The building that houses Harry’s was built sometime in the mid-1700’s and was originally the home of Catalina dePorras. When The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763, Florida became a British colony after almost 200 years of Spanish rule, forcing the entire population of St Augustine to leave for Cuba. In 1784, Florida was returned to the Spanish and the former residents of St. Augustine were free to return to their beloved city, Catalina among them. Catalina was able to re-acquire her childhood home and died there of old age in 1795. It is said that her spirit still remains in her beloved home, and she will make her presence known to the visitors to the women’s restroom on the 2nd floor, which used to be her bedroom. I don’t blame her. I wouldn’t like to have strangers doing their business in my bedroom either. San Sebastian Winery The San Sebastian Winery is a marvelous place! They make several award-winning Florida wines there, and their wine and jazz bar, The Cellar Upstairs, is a great place to enjoy a glass of wine and listen to some amazing local jazz. Located on the roof of the winery, it offers spectacular 360 degree views of the city and the salt marsh. The Lightner Museum The Lightner Museum is located in what used to be the historic Hotel Alcazar, which also is the home to the city offices and other small businesses. The museum itself, however, is spectacular. The first floor houses artifacts from the Victorian age and features a music room with player pianos, music boxes and nickelodeons. Several times a day these mechanized musical instruments are demonstrated by museum docents and it is glorious! There are too many things to see to list them here, but my favorite things were the paintings, the sculptures and the collection of Tiffany stained glass. You must see it to truly appreciate it. On top of all this, the building itself is a sight to behold. Many of the galleries are situated around the three story ballroom, in the Turkish Baths and in the spa. The Ponce de Leon Hotel (Flagler College) The Ponce was Henry Flagler’s masterpiece, a hotel for the richest of the rich. It was only open for the winter season, January for April, and regardless of whether you stayed one night or the whole season, you paid for the whole season! Presidents, celebrities, sports figures and captains of industry all stayed there. Now, it houses Flagler College, a private liberal arts school. The students conduct guided tours of the building and grounds, including the dining room with its Tiffany windows, the main rotunda with its carved wood and magnificent murals, and the public meeting rooms. It is very inexpensive and worth the time. There is so much more to do here – it truly is a magical place. If you have the opportunity to visit, I strongly encourage you to go! If you have been there, what were some of your favorite things? **UPDATE** As you may know, St. Augustine has recently endured the rage of Hurricane Matthew. I went down to visit the city again this weekend, and I'm happy to say that the city is getting back on it's feet. Some businesses are still cleaning up but, for the most part, the city is open for business. I will be posting a blog post about that soon.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
March 2017
Categories |