The Beach and Beyond on Florida’s Historic Coast

Why Summer is the perfect time to explore Florida’s Historic Coast

With 42 miles of pristine coastline, of course you’ll visit St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach for the sandy beaches. But you’d be missing out on so many other great ways to discover new things to do and immerse yourself in memorable experiences.

But first, the beach. Swimming, surfing and just soaking up the sun on a beach chair sounds like the perfect way to spend time with the family. Here are some of our favorite beaches where you can kayak, fish, search for shark’s teeth and even camp out under the stars.

You’re surrounded by water so what better way to take advantage of the nature and beauty all around you. Why not go for an early morning boat tour? Get Up and Go Kayaking St. Augustine offers clear kayak tours along the Matanzas River where you can get an up close view of historic sites such as Castillo de San Marcos, the Mission Cross and the iconic Bridge of Lions—not to mention a possible dolphin sighting. If you’d rather leave the sailing to someone else, Sea Serpent Tours provides Airboat Tour Adventures that are historic and ecological tours of the Matanzas, Tolomato and St. Johns Rivers as well as surrounding tidal creeks. This is an experience the whole family will remember for a long time.

Back on land, be sure to indulge in one of St. Augustine’s other famous experiences. Ice Cream!

There are so many great wonderful shops and styles to choose from you’ll have trouble deciding which to choose, so we suggest you pace yourself and try them all while you’re here.

Tedi’s Old Tyme Ice Cream if you fancy waffle cones and Café de Hidalgo if you’re a gelato fan. Both are on St. George Street and you can’t go wrong with either one. Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops on Charlotte is a local favorite. Mayday Ice Cream is a can’t miss at the beach. And on Aviles Street, follow the crowd to Peace Pie for their artisan ice cream sandwich. Pig out and peace out!

At night, more adventures await. There’s no mystery why fans of the paranormal world love After Dark Investigations. You get to use all of the paranormal equipment such as K2 Meter/EMF Detectors, Ovilus, EVP Voice Recorders and lots more. Small groups make the experience even more intimate and fantastic.

But if the supernatural is not your thing, try a nighttime kayak tour with GeoTrippin Adventure Company. Their bioluminescence kayak adventure is simply a magical way to experience the phenomenon of light generated by billions of lake creatures. If you fancy a romantic sunset on water, The Schooner Freedom has you covered with its elegant 76-foot tall ship navigating the scenic Matanzas Bay. While Sabrage St. Augustine offers sunset tours of the ancient city on its 63-foot Custom Cooper Catamaran.

Finally, after a day of extraordinary experiences, top it off with a craft garden-to-glass cocktail like a smoked blackberry margarita or a lavender bee’s knee’s at Castillo Craft Bar & Kitchen, located in the Renaissance St. Augustine Historic Downtown Hotel. Or enjoy a refreshing sea breeze from the rooftop deck of 1912 Ocean Bar & Rooftop in Ponte Vedra Beach. There may be no better place to relax, unwind and really savor summer on Florida’s Historic Coast.