The serene beaches of St. Augustine | Ponte Vedra have been calling to travelers since the days of Ponce de León and his legendary search for the mythical fountain of youth. And they are still worth exploring more than 500 years later. Critical beachgoers agree, putting Ponte Vedra Beach on CNN’s list of 22 Can’t-Miss U.S. Beaches and naming St. Augustine Beach a Top 10 Beach in the U.S. by TripAdvisor users. But don’t take their word for it – you simply have to experience them for yourself!
Start with the uncrowded Ponte Vedra Beach, where elegant resorts and world-class golf courses line peach-and-cinnamon coquina sands. It’s a great place to find ancient sharks’ teeth, and Mickler’s Landing is a popular access point for visitors.
Next up, surf’s up at Vilano Beach. Once a hot spot for Henry Flagler’s millionaire friends in the late 1800s, it has a near-shore break that makes it popular with surfers today.
Family-friendly Anastasia State Park is one of Florida’s most popular beach parks, with white-quartz sands perfect for sinking in your toes as you catch up on the latest beach read. Ample parking, permanent restroom facilities, and food and beverage stands make for a fun and easy day at the beach.
St. Augustine Beach has everything you need for an ideal beach vacation – sunny accommodations, seaside restaurants and a beachfront park with fishing pier, pavilion, splash park and sand volleyball courts ready to serve up some fun.
Butler Beach was once one of Florida’s few designated African-American beaches, but the end of segregation opened it to everyone. Today, the area is a mixture of private homes and low-rise condos, but numerous public access points make it easily accessible to visitors. Butler Park offers showers and restrooms.
Crescent Beach offers miles of broad, white sand along a crescent-shaped shoreline and has an irresistible appeal for anyone seeking the picture-perfect beach vacation. And if you’ve packed an appetite, there are many beachfront restaurants with stunning ocean views and eclectic menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Whether it’s family fun in the sun, a romantic stroll by the sea, or a day of reflection and relaxation to the soothing sounds of the surf, this is the place for the best of the beach. Plus, a mandatory height restriction of 35 feet for buildings ensures our pristine beaches are never darkened by shadows cast by massive, high-rise buildings. And that goes for all 42 miles of Florida’s Historic Coast®, where our history is not the same old story. All just two hours from Orlando.
Learn more about our beaches and plan your trip at FloridasHistoricCoast.com.
Grayline also offer St Augustine City Tours from Orlando -maybe let someone else do the driving so you can enjoy the sights!