Road Trips NORTH RE GION ➍ A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway Cruise along 72 miles of Atlantic coastline and experience everything from historic monuments to bustling beaches to the World Golf Hall of Fame. The daytime vistas don’t disappoint, and for equally stunning views after dark, visit between November and January, when St. Augustine’s historic district hosts Nights of Lights, a seasonal display of millions of white holiday lights. Devote at least one full day to St. Augustine, founded in 1565 and recognized as the oldest successful European settlement in the United States. Explore Fort Matanzas National Monument, built by Spanish settlers to defend St. Augustine from British attack. Then awaken your inner child as you sip the water at Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, a living Matanzas River in St. Johns County museum that recreates the Native American village, Spanish mission and working blacksmiths from the 1500s. St. Augustine is also an ideal destination for kids. Visit Marineland Dolphin Adventure, a family-friendly amusement park, to feed, touch, swim with and even paint with bottlenose dolphins. Kids can also plunder some fun at the Pirate and Treasure Museum, which tells the story of real-life pirates from 300 years ago. Watch their jaws drop at all the oddities inside Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum. The city also makes for a great romantic getaway. Snuggle up in a horse-drawn carriage as you ride along cobblestone streets, climb to the top of St. Augustine Lighthouse at dusk for the monthly Sunset Moonrise Tour or stand extra close during a moonlit ghost tour. Even if you don’t splurge on a room at the Casa Monica Resort, browse its art collection or spring for a meal at the elegant Costa Brava restaurant. After your time in St. Augustine, enjoy the Atlantic view as you head about 35 miles south to the retro-beachy town of Flagler Beach. Walk the grounds of what was once a sugar plantation at Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, enjoy water sports in Gamble Rogers State Park and check out the exhibits at the Flagler Beach Historical Museum. On the fi rst Friday of each month, stick around for late museum hours, plus music, food and fun in nearby Veterans Park. ð MAIN STREETS St. George Street on Foot More than 450 years of history peaks along St. Augustine’s St. George Street. Walk block after block of trading companies, gift shops, clothing stores, bookstores and souvenir stores. Dine at renowned restaurants, bakeries and saloons, but mostly, embrace the traces of the city’s history everywhere from Florida’s oldest church, the Cathedral Basilica, to the Spanish-influenced architecture of centuries-old homes. PHOTOS: DARON DEAN OFFICIAL FLORIDA VACATION GUIDE 4 19
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