Founded by the Spanish in 1565, St. Augustine sits on the northeast coast of Florida and is hailed as America’s oldest city. At the fort of Castillo de San Marcos, you can explore the only surviving remnant of the original Spanish settlement and watch live re-enactments of historical events. The city was transformed by American industrialist Henry Flagler in the late 1800s, drawing in tourists with three grand hotels, and other extravagant Spanish Renaissance Revival buildings. The Ponce de Leon hotel now serves as Flagler College, while the former Alcazar hotel houses the Lightner Museum, exhibiting priceless antiques and art from the 19th century.
If you stroll through St. Augustine's Old City Gate, you’ll find yourself on St. George Street, a pedestrian-only zone home to restaurants, galleries, shops and more. For unrivalled sunset views, walk up the 219 steps of the St. Augustine Lighthouse which also functions as a maritime museum. You can also get amazing views of the city from the water by taking a sightseeing boat cruise with onboard commentary by the captain.
St. Augustine is a great place to try out Floridian specialities like conch fritters, shrimp and grits and key lime pie. Local food tours are a nice way to explore the culinary scene, with stops at some of the best restaurants and wine tasting included. The city is also positively packed with dessert stores such as the flavour-filled Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops and the more traditional Kilwin’s along St. George Street.