St. Augustine: A Reasonable Day Trip from Disney World
I drove from Disney World to St. Augustine yesterday–not in spite of the fact that it’s a five hour round-trip drive but because it is a five hour round-trip drive. You see, my 2020 Corvette rental car is really comfortable…and it has air conditioning. Oh–and there are zero screaming children there, too. After almost two weeks in Walt Disney World, five quiet hours by myself in my comfy, cool car sounded lovely. And it was–minus the rush hour Orlando traffic (in both directions) and the crazy Florida weather (sunny and pouring–huh?)
I had planned to go for a day and a night but it just didn’t work out that way. Yet I still wanted to go if only for a day trip–not just to enjoy five hours of air conditioned comfort in my rental Chevy. I went to check the place out for future reference. Could I have spent more time there? Definitely. Which is why I’ll consider visiting as part of a longer southern road trip. With my husband. Maybe next summer…?
St. Augustine is somewhere I’ve wanted to go for years now–after seeing a friend’s vacation photos–and I have to say that I wasn’t disappointed. It was super touristy–but again, I’m a tourist–and had everything I’m looking for in a tourist destination: many restaurants, lots of bars, a little history and an adequate amount of….
…and you know how important public restrooms are to me! It was almost Disney-esque in this (and several other) respect(s).
So what did I do on my whirlwind tour? I strolled the pedestrian streets–lined with shops. I did venture in to a few shops, if only for the AC. The prices were reasonable–but I wasn’t actually in the market for anything, so browsing was all that I did. But even the tacky shops were cute…
I walked down to Flagler college which is way more beautiful than any other college I’ve ever seen. I felt kind of creepy wandering the campus with my camera given the fact that students were also milling about–but whatever. They go to a school with amazing architecture. I’m sure they are used to it by now.
After taking seventeen dozen photos of Flagler College I was pretty hungry, so I checked out ‘the oldest restaurant in Florida’, the Columbia.
While my meal was only average, I think it was a case of poor ordering–all of the other food I saw come out looked fantastic (I had the half of a cuban sandwich and cup of soup–to be fair, the gazpacho was quite good.) But the restaurant could not have been more beautiful if it tried–sadly I got very few interior photos, as it’s awkward enough dining alone in a mostly-empty tourist town. Pointing your camera at the waiter just makes it worse. But here’s one I clicked very quickly…
I do have to say that I am beginning to be proud of my ability to walk into the nicest restaurant in any town and proudly ask for a table for one. Yes, I’ve been doing it for years, but now I don’t even think twice about it.
But I digress.
At this point you should be thinking ‘gee–she really should head back to Orlando now, to avoid rush hour traffic.’ And you’d be right. But of course that’s not what I did. Instead I walked over to the fort–because I’ve never seen a Spanish fort, or a fort surrounded by palm trees (not surprisingly, there aren’t any palm trees near the Citadel in Halifax or outside of the tower of London!)
At this point I really should have gone home…but of course I was lured by something I’d read about–and then seen on the skyline from the fort. And it was….a lighthouse! You know how I feel about lighthouses, right? Or didn’t I post enough lighthouse photos from our last road trip? Well, here’s one more…
The not-cool thing about this lighthouse was that it wasn’t on the water (strange, right?) and that it was kept in this little protected lighthouse ‘reserve’ that prevented you from even taking a photo of it without paying the $10 ‘lighthouse museum’ entrance fee. Clearly I paid it–as you can see the photo I took above. But the admission also came with the extra added ‘bonus’ of being able to climb the steps to the top of the lighthouse–all 219 steps.
I did not actually enter or climb any of the lighthouses on our Atlantic Canada tour. No–that would be silly. Why climb a lighthouse when it is 62 degrees out? I’d much rather wait for a nice 92 degree day with 100% humidity and heat lightening–wouldn’t you? Yeah–it was an insane idea, but I did it anyway. Here I am, at the top…
Just over 24 hours later, my legs still hurt. In fact, they hurt more and more with each passing minute. Though walking around the Magic Kingdom today likely didn’t help.
I am very, very glad I made the trip to St. Augustine. It’s yet another lovely touristy town–worthy of at least a two night stay. I regret not doing any of the guided tours, but to be honest, the place was so dead (on a random Thursday in September) that I feared I’d be the only one on the tour. Plus the trolley tour looked suspiciously like a Walt Disney World tram–and that’s exactly what I was trying to avoid! But I’ll definitely take my husband here at some point–after all, it’s only a three hour drive from Savannah, which is on our must-do road trip list.
And really, what’s three hours?
Sounds like a great day! Should defintly be on the list of “interesting extras” for parents in your book. Are you still considering Key West? When you start planning the southern road trip, I have lots of suggesstions (consdiering I live here and have family stretched between here and Georgia and parents used to have vacation homes in the Ga moutains and in Beaufort SC (between Charleston and Savannah)…. and ….. oh my- Calloway Gardens, Silver Springs, , Helen, Ga., then all the NC stuff…….. well til later… Glad you took a break from the now almost too sweet Disney …
It was a good day. But no, it won’t make the book. The book became too huge–I’m currently in the process of trimming it down. Greatly. And no, no Keys this time. I’m leaving tomorrow–long story why (to be posted on my other blog asap…though ‘ap’ may be longer than I’d like!) We’re so torn on the southern road trip. We’d really like to do it, but given the fact that we can only travel (together) in the summer…well…it kind of seems like a bad idea. I’m looking into a Savannah trip in April…but we shall see….
I saw on one of the twitter feeds on this site that you are already looking for spring break ideas. When is hubby’s spring break? Down here many school systems have stopped ‘linking’ it to Easter. I would think it would be a good time for a “slight” southern trip. What about driving down to Virgina? There are some wineries there and just over the border in NC. You could also tour historic Williamsburg and/or Winston-Salem. You should be able to get some good deals if you book in advance. Alternatively, You could check out the Virgina/NC moutains (provided we don’t get an unusually long winter). Or there is Myrtle Beach SC- but lots of high school and college kids “do” spring break there; or the outer banks of NC (LOTS of lovely, historic lighthouses!!!!! and amazing seafood) . Savanah and Charleston (and Beaufort SC) are possibilities, but more expensive. And the moutains, oute banks, beaches of all kinds could be possibilites for sequal books. I’ll think some more, too- you know I love dreaming like this. By the way I’m off facebook, for now, anyway.
I wondered where you went! Did you not like the new changes? Or just felt like you needed a break? I took ‘off’ from Facebook for five months last year–it was great. But now I’m right back to not being able to live without it!
We were considering Williamsburg or Savannah-and yes, my husband’s spring break is still linked to Easter. He has off the Thursday, Friday, and Monday–so five days. If he adds two to the other side–Tuesday and Wednesday–we could have five full days somewhere. But of course it is the most expensive, crowded time of the year to go ANYWHERE! Grumble! We’d really like to do something truly relaxing–like an all-inclusive somewhere–but that’s going to be price dependent. We’re very (very) seriously considering doing almost everything you just named as part of a southern road trip next summer. Our ‘during work’ trips need to be more relaxing–for my poor exhausted husband!
I have been wanting to go to St. Augustine for years. It sounds so beautiful, and the history would appeal to me. I had no idea it was so close to Disney World!
I’ve also wanted to go for years and couldn’t pass up the chance being ‘so close’. Though I don’t know that I’d describe it that way–Disney is a good 2.5 hour drive from St. Augustine, so it depends upon what your definition of ‘close’ really is (thus my use of the word ‘reasonable’!) After our road trip this summer, two and a half hours is nothing! Plus I had unlimited mileage on my rental car. I think I may be a rental car convert–I loved the freedom it gave me!
Hi- No I’m off because of “family” issues right now (too long to explain hubby’s ‘crazyness’). You might want to seriously check out the Grove Park Inn near Ashville. Supposed to be really nice, and I bet you could get a special package. It probably won’t be crowded at that time, as most around here head to the beaches then.
Just did some rough checking- Philly to Asheville is about a 9 hour drive. Philly to Winston-Salem, about 7 hours. I really think you would enjoy either. It’s just under 7 hours to Roanoke on the Outerbanks. None of these are big spring break destinations (at least for ‘locals’). Myrtle Beach and Charelston seem to have the lock on that. Asheville has Biltmore house and winery, an artists’ colony, the Blue Ridge Parkway (Rodadenron {sp??}and azeleas would be in bloom I think). Winston-Salem has the restored Moravian settlement called Old Salem and some nearby wineries and some other stuff. The Outerbanks have LOTs of lighthouses, the old fort, the Elizabethian Garden, museums, and seafood. Then, of course, there is Charlotte- NASCAR hall of fame, the Richard Petty driving experience, lots of excellent museums, nearby Reid’s Gold Mine, 2 large lakes, Carowinds theme park, Daniel Stowe Botantical Gardens, and lots more. So do think about coming south…
Yeah…see, I definitely want to do ALL of those things. So that trip shall have to wait until July. And yes, I know it will be hot then. That’s just going to have to be ok–because I think we’re eventually going to ‘run out of north’!
Oh–and the Grove Park Inn looks AMAZING! I wonder if we can fly into Ashville…?
Ashville has a small, but good airport. If no direct flight, fly to Charlotte, then either fly to Ashville or rent a car and drive (only about 2 hours) and not bad either- interstate most of the way and lovley moutains for a good part. There are lots of pottery shops, antique shops, BBQ resturants -for hubby- and other good things, too.
Oh- and for your summer trip- don’t forget all the outdoor dramas NC has- Horn in the West (Boone- near Ashville- story of Daniel Boone and settlement of western NC), The Lost Colony (Roanoke – outerbanks- story of 1st attempt by English to settle in US), Unto These Hills (in Cherokee NC- story of Cherokee Indians), From This Day Forward (story of the Waldensens- a French religious group- in Valdese) and several others. Theres lots to do and see here. But those dramas are all summer events- none open until June or July.
PS- there is also a famous playhouse in the NC moutains- Flatrock. Near the homes of Thomas Wolfe and Carl Sandburg- could justify a trip on literary reasons….. and 2012 will be their 60th anniversary. There schedule is here- http://www.hvillescoop.com/The-Daily-Scoop/Annual-2011/Flat-Rock-Playhouse-Announces-2012-Schedule/
(and Charlotte has lots of good theatre venus too.)
Ok…so things you described that I want to do…Williamsburg, Virginia and NC wineries, and the Ashville area. Oh–and Roanoke. I may need to map out a road trip. Also, the outdoor drama thing sounds awesome. It’s DEFINITELY going to be a road trip. Now…can I work Savannah into that same trip, or should we do that for spring break? It seems like the only viable option for Easter (as flying to Ashville will take almost as long as driving and cost a crap-ton!) Will come up with a possible route and send it to you for review!
PS…I just looked at a map. Savannah is RIGHT THERE (and somehow only 13 hours from here?) Ashville is a bit ‘out of the way’, but that just makes for a nice loop trip. I’m thinking if I add in a few Civil War stops for my husband and a beach somewhere, we might have the makings of a VERY nice summer road trip! Yay!
Okay- here’s a possible route-
Williamsburg/Jamestown (5 hours)- 2 nights, Manteo (on Roanoke island- 5 hours) 2-4 nights
Hatteras Island (1 hour)- 1-2 nights, Wilmington, (see battleship NC) 1 night, Charleston- (Ft. Sumpter, etc.) 2-3 nights, Savanah, 2 nights, Calloway Gardens in Pine Mt. Ga, 1 night, Blue Ridge Ga 1-2 nights, Ashville NC 3-4 nights, Charlotte and /or Winston-Salem 2-3 nights, Manasus/Bull Run or other Civil War site- or VA wineries, 2 nights then home. Haven’t done all the math on drive times, but it might work! Probably needs some tweaking.
hi i was in Miami for Christmas and saw St. Augustine on the website as place to visit. We did not go because it would have been too much driving for us, we are going to be in Orlando next so will try it especially the lighthouse.
Yeah, it’s DEFINITELY too far from Miami!