Florida's Historic Coast Shines with New Hotels, Attractions, Flavors and Happenings
Florida's Historic Coast Shines with New Hotels, Attractions, Flavors and Happenings
St. Augustine, Fla. (Dec., 2019)– Florida's Historic Coast includes St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, and Ponte Vedra Beach, home to the PGA TOUR and THE PLAYERS® Championship. This northeast Florida destination with its 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches has been a favorite Florida destination for more than 450 years. And there are always new adventures to be had.
What's New with Attractions & Tours
St. Augustine may be known for its history, but each district of this lively seaside city has a personality all its own. The St. Johns Cultural Council has just released a new guide to help visitors get to know each of St. Augustine's unique neighborhoods, and how to best explore them. The digital guide is available with a downloadable itinerary of not-to-be-missed stops and experiences.
The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau just announced the release of the 2020 Florida's Historic Coast Travel Planner. Filled with even more great vacation ideas, suggested itineraries and local business listings, the publication guarantees visitors the best resources for planning an incredible vacation getaways to the oldest city in the U.S. and surrounding areas. The publication is now available online at https://joom.ag/DXKe, or order a print copy (English only).
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park has two new residents: Teddy and Grizzly, a pair of Hoffman's two-toed sloths recently acquired from Busch Gardens. Guests visiting Sloth Landing can make a reservation well in advance to feed the creatures, while they learn about the conservation of this species and other animals.
Lightner Museum, located in the former Hotel Alcazar, offers unique limited exhibits as part of the museum's admission. The current exhibition is the American Brilliant Cut Glass Gallery, a display of the finest museum collections of American brilliant cut and engraved glass in the country.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is always one of the area's top attractions and recently celebrated its 145th anniversary. Coming up in 2020, the Museum will honor its history by adding a new WWII exhibit to the grounds.
What's New with Lodging.
Discover a new St. Augustine lodging experience at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham- St. Augustine Historic Area. This modern boutique style hotel is the newest hotel property to open in the Nation's Oldest City, offering both business and leisure travelers a prime location with convenient amenities like free WiFi, complimentary breakfast, a meeting room, and outdoor pool.
What's New with Food and Beverage
Whether it's food you love or food you'd love to try, Florida's Historic Coast is a destination full of flavor. New this year is a website detailing culinary experiences that focus on the heritage, agriculture, and bounty of fresh local seafood.
St. Augustine has quickly become a foodie favorite destination. Recently named the #1 Foodie Town in the South by Southern Living Magazine, there are dozens of great eateries throughout the historic city and on the beaches. One of the newest places to enjoy local eats is the Village Garden Food Truck Park.
There are more and more dining experiences that are making news and raising the bar for culinary adventurers. The latest to take the St. Augustine is the Urban Asado and The Chef's Collaborative. The Urban Asado is a custom Argentine Asado (grill) manufacturer located on the waterfront of the San Sebastian River on St. Augustine. The Asado hosts a monthly Sunday Asado which is open to the public and serves as a pop-up restaurant location for local chefs looking to create a fu show for their master skills. The Asado provides chefs with a rustic setting that can accommodate 40-50 people for a sit-down full-service dinner and up to 150 people for fun waterfront stand up grilling/dining events.
The area along the San Sebastian River, which was once fish houses and boatyards is undergoing a renaissance. The opening of the St. Augustine Distillery is 2013 was the catalyst that has revived this area into one of the hippest neighborhoods in St. Augustine. In addition to the Urban Asado, another great restaurant set to open in February 2020, St. Augustine Fish Camp – a sister restaurant to Southern Table Hospitality's Palm Valley Fish Camp and Valley Smoke BBQ in Ponte Vedra Beach.
The newest addition to the distillery scene is City Gate Spirits, located on St. George Street. Among its locally produced liquors is its Apple Pie Moonshine, making this establishment the first to offer legally distilled moonshine in northeast Florida.
There are several craft beer tap rooms where locals and visitors alike can enjoy local IPAs and Ales. Dog Rose Brewing Co., Ancient City Brewing, Old Coast Ales, and Bog Brewing, among others have made a splash. A selection of wine rooms is available to choose from in St. Augustine. The Carrera Wine Cellar, where there is no limit to the themed wine classes offered, Casa de Vino 57, where guests can sip on delicious Florida wines in a historic secret garden while enjoying a charcuterie platter, and the new Bin 39 Wine Bar at the St. George Inn, pouring wines from Sonoma and Napa valleys.
What's New with Art and Music
Recently ranked as the #2 in the US and #3 worldwide amphitheatre according to Pollstar Magazine, The St. Augustine Amphitheatre provides an impressive stage for world-renowned artists. The Amp recently opened the Front Porch concert space to add even more performances to the schedule. And the “Amp's” new Backyard Stage events - which take place in a small staged area behind the venue – are free or low cost and feature up-and-coming bands with food trucks and local artists displaying their wares. The newest music venue, The Colonial Oak Music Park, offers free concerts in downtown St. Augustine and cocktail stations serving locally produced ales, wines and spirits.
Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida's Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. For information call 1.800.653.2489 or go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com. Check us out on Twitter @FlHistoricCoast on Instagram @FloridasHistoricCoast and @ViajaSanAgustin on Facebook.com/OfficialStAugustine and Facebook.com/ViajaSanAgustin. #StAugustine #PonteVedra #FloridasHistoricCoast #ViajaSanAgustin
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