St. Augustine 2022 - Two Weeks in a city filled with history

 This is a bit late, but travel and poor internet got in the way.  Here's an update on our 2 weeks in St. Augustine.  It was a great two weeks with plenty of time exploring the city, seeing cousins and beach time.

The Great Winter Escape Continues…

Monday found us at the St. Augustine Beach KOA Holiday, our home for a 2-week stay.  We pulled in just before noon and checked in and had the propane tank filled.  The furnace runs on propane and the weather has been cool enough on several nights to use the furnace.  Set-up at our site was quick and then we did a bit of exploring.  Went to the Nut House at US Hwy 1 & I-95 and picked up some Honey Bells, Sweet Florida Navel Oranges and a qt. of Orange Blossom honey.  After naps, we had a great dinner at Salt Life Food Shack located at 321 A1A Beach Blvd.  Inside seating was at a premium as the temperature had dropped into the low 50’s.  We found two seats at the bar and enjoyed a great meal of shrimp and shrimp tacos with live music as our dinner entertainment.  When in Florida it seems that we eat either BBQ or seafood when not cooking for ourselves at the RV.  Dinner was followed by a trip to Home Depot for some Flex tape to make a temporary repair on the RV.  While there, I found some almost ready to bloom hyacinths among their tulips and daffodils, which had just come in that day.  Nothing like having some spring in hand while there is winter back home.  Back to the RV to do some work on the blog.

Tuesday, we made our first trip to the Atlantic Ocean beach for this trip.  We then made a couple of trips to UPS to send grapefruit and oranges to family.  Found a source for Florida honey and got it ordered and shipped to Lawrence.  Late afternoon was saved for a road trip for meeting up with cousin David & Sandy Parker for dinner at River Grill @ Tomoka in Ormond Beach.  We left early afternoon and took US Hwy A1A south to Ormond Beach.  US Hwy A1A runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean.  Along the way there is the opportunity to see one of three things: 1) extremely expensive houses that front the Atlantic and/or the Intercoastal Waterway, 2) wild vegetation that blocks the view of the Atlantic or 3) the Atlantic Ocean.  On this evening the sky was filled with clouds and wind whipped the ocean meaning there were lots of wind-swept waves.  We stopped twice on our way south and walked the beach to take photos.  As we hit Flagler Beach, we passed the Beverly Beach Camptown RV park – and decided to contact them for our 2023 Great Winter Escape.  This was based on my cousin’s recommendation.  After the 2-hour drive south with stops and passing through several small beach towns, we made our way through Ormond Beach to US Hwy 1 and north a couple of miles to the River Grill @ Tomoka.  We got there at sunset and took several photos of the Tomoka River at sunset. Amazing is hardly able to describe the Tomoka River sunset.  Then it was time for conversation with family and another amazing dinner of shrimp, fish and scallops with hush puppies and tomato & cucumber salad.  We stayed until the restaurant closed – and were the last to leave.  Family is a good thing.

BTW – was glad that I used flex tape to cover the loss of flashing as it rained overnight. 

Wednesday began with calls to Beverly Beach Camptown RV park in Flagler Beach and finding out that someone had just cancelled a month and that we could schedule 3 consecutive weeks in February 2023.  Did I mention that this RV camp is on the west side of US Hwy A1A and the Atlantic Ocean is just across A1A.  We will have nothing but a short walk to the Atlantic Ocean on our next Winter Escape.  We then made a road trip to New Smyrna Beach to stop at antique malls and quilt shops.  However – when we came to the Daytona exit what did we find?  Bucee’s.  If you haven’t been, you should.  We made the requisite stop and spent some time walking around amazed at what was inside.  Heard the comment that what is there today would be completely different in a matter of weeks.  Then it was on to New Smyrna where we did some walking through antique malls and a quilt store.  At the quilt store – Nancy signed up for a Saturday sewing group – as there was one spot left, with someone calling in and cancelling.  Ate a quick lunch at Dustin’s BBQ in Edgewater, standard BBQ, but nothing to write home about.  Went to a quilt store in St. Augustine to pick up supplies Nancy needs for Saturday.  Spent the rest of the day at the RV except for Nancy’s quick run to CVS. 

Thursday was a road-trip day.  We made a trip down A1A looking again at Beverly Beach Camptown and then to Gamble Rogers State Park to check it out for my brother.  We then went down to Titusville via way of Mims (my dad’s hometown) to see when a greenhouse was open (Friday & Saturday only).  While in Titusville it was a stop at an antique mall and to eat at my dad’s favorite seafood restaurant – Dixie Crossroads.  Having now tried multiple seafood restaurants, this is no longer #1 on my list.

Friday, we stayed in St. Augustine with a short trip to the Outlet Mall.  From there it was a short trip back through Old Town across the Bridge of Lions.  Once on Anastasia Island we stopped at Gas Full-Service Restaurant for sandwiches and salad.

Saturday, Nancy went to Edgewater for a quilting party. I stayed at the KOA and did laundry.  Afternoon, I rode my bicycle east to the ocean and spent some time there.

Sunday, was church at First United Methodist Church of St. Augustine.  It was a good service with an office administrator that was also a jazz musician playing an intro to the sermon. There was an amazing praise band with great guitar and vocals.  The sermon was preached by an interim (not sure as to the story behind this, but apparently there is one).  That afternoon we made a trip to New Smyrna Beach’s Blackbeard’s Inn Restaurant for a great meal and conversation with my cousin & spouse and two of her grandchildren.  It was truly a blessed Sunday.

Monday, we were on the road early to get to the Max Brewer bridge for a SpaceX rocket launch.  While waiting for the 9:44 a.m. launch we were able to see a manatee, dolphins and a stingray in the waters of the Halifax River.  Then we walked to the top of the bridge for the launch and for a daytime launch it did not disappoint.  We then went back to Mims to walk through the Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Cultural Complex – located a block south of my grandmother’s home.  It was closed.  Went on to Daytona and was given the suggestion of Hull's Seafood Restaurant & Market in Ormond Beach.  It was a great choice.

Tuesday, we made a trip early to National Park Service’s - Castillo de San Marcos a fort that was used to protect the city of St. Augustine in the early centuries of this country’s “oldest” city.  The history and the information available from the Park Service was not only informative, but provides context.  The afternoon was spent on an amazing Old Town Trolley tour.  We left the KOA at 12:45 and were dropped off back at the KOA at 4:15 p.m.  In between, we had 3 different tour guides that provided historical perspective on the many buildings of historic significance in Old Town St. Augustine.  Doing the entire tour without getting on & off was a good choice as it gives us the options for Wednesday’s return visit.  The 2-day pass was an option that will now give us great choices as we return.  The Old Town Trolley with its beach trolley pickups makes it a value with just the cost of parking a vehicle in downtown St. Augustine.

Wednesday, we started early with the Old Town Trolley – and went to St. George Street and walked the shops.  Lunch was at a small café on St. George St. of a Greek salad and a prosciutto and cheese crepe.  After a couple of hours walking the various shops made it back to the Trolley stop and then back to the KOA.  That evening it was dinner with another cousin & his spouse at a great St. Augustine restaurant – the Salty Cowboy.  The restaurant looks out on the intercoastal waterway and sunset was an amazing addition to our dinner.  Dinner was a great variety of seafood with conversation & hospitality, celebrating early our spouse’s birthdays that are both on February 25th.

Thursday, we made a trip to Jacksonville.  Made some stops at quilt stores and then it was off to Mayport.  If you are in the Jacksonville area and haven’t been to Safe Harbor seafood restaurant and their market across the street, you need to go.  The Mayport shrimp, local scallops and fresh fish are 2nd to none.  The food at the restaurant was so good, that we bought additional and put it in the freezer for next week when the Arkansas family meets us in Orlando for a week.  After a great lunch on the St. John’s River, it was time to walk a bit.  Made our way to the U.S. National Park Service site – Ft. Caroline, which is a sister site to the Castillo de San Marco in St. Augustine and Fort Matanzas National Monument south of St. Augustine Beach on A1A.  These three sites are inter-connected as the French & Spaniards fought over Florida in the 1500’s.  It’s not a pretty history either.  Fort Caroline was much less of a site than what we saw at Castillo de San Marco, but it was still good to see it and have the context.  

Friday’s day-trip was to have been to Live Oak’s Graffiti Bridge for a photo shoot for our 2022 Christmas postcards.  Because of some health issues on the part of the photographer’s family – that didn’t happen.  Did find a couple of great farmer’s markets and bought some more Florida oranges and some Datil pepper sauce.

Saturday, we met cousins and went to Daytona for the AQS Quilt Show – which was a great way to spend the morning.  We then went to lunch at Our Deck Down Under – a Port Orange Seafood Restaurant that had been recommended.  It was good but not great.  Maybe I have been eating seafood in Florida long enough now to become a bit picky.  

Sunday, we returned to St. Augustine’s First United Methodist and enjoyed the opportunity to worship in one of the historic local churches.  However – COVID had done this church no favors.  They have some amazing music and an interim pastor that put a tremendous amount of effort into the service that makes it meaningful.  However do to the age of the church and the sparse group of “older” adults attending with a “few” of earlier generations, this church has some tremendous hurdles to get through in order to be a relevant messenger for the future.  Lunch was at the St. Augustine Fish Camp - reservations recommended.  Great view of the water with boats coming and going.  Food was amazing - once again the seafood was top notch. Did not disappoint.

Monday, we traveled back to Orlando/Kissimmee KOA for a meet up with our Arkansas kids and grandkids.  Those adventures for another day.