30 Hours in St. Augustine
As a favor to a hotel that gave me a full refund when they didn’t have to back in March, I decided to spend 30 hours in St. Augustine. Oldest city in the country, the most Savannah-esque city south of Georgia (this only makes sense if you’ve visited both places), and has a ton of Spanish influence in its historic architecture and downtown layout.
Beach, food, museums, here are my experiences.
Lightner Museum
The place has variety, beauty, plenty to see, and maybe some ghosts as well. Either way, this is a must-visit for anyone that loves history, antiques, or even unique exhibits and collections. The museum used to be a popular hotel that became a victim of the Great Depression, and became a site to display a giant collection of paintings, pictures, art, collectables, antiques, silvers, and whatever else Otto C. Lightner discovered and purchased during the wild age of mass collecting during and after the Great Depression era when everyone was getting rid of everything to try to financially stay above water.
There’s also a chance the place is haunted. So….keep that in mind.
The top floor changes its gallery every so often, the exhibit during my visit was this fascinating collection of paintings from the Netherlands---most of the artists being Dutch but others from other countries that studied in the prestigious art schools within Dutch territory. The artwork showcased here was beautiful, realistic, and usually focused on the environments that’s typical of the country.
Fascinating side-note is how a visitor was talking to one of the workers about his grandfather’s riches-to-rags story and how his grandfather was very wealthy until the Great Depression took away everything. It fascinated me because we still have people alive today who can vividly go into extended and passed-down details about events from an entire century ago, from a time that feels like its closer to the fall of the Roman Empire. Truth is however, Great Depression and World War 2 are still relatively newer periods of history in the entire grand scheme of things. A century ago, motions were set for one country to essentially control all of Europe and it would require two superpowers to grumpily team up to eliminate the hostilities that was choking entire continents while nearly eradicating entire populations of innocent people.
Point is, it is so important to have museums like this to remind you the fragilities, the beauty, and the seemingly cyclic ways of human history. Most of this collection happened because the rich 1% in the late 1800s and early 1900s were trying to be as lavish as possible, not being aware of the financial and global terrors that would follow. It is important to be as detailed and focused on events of the past so we don’t end up repeating the ills and mistakes of the past.
Anywho the museum is awesome, full of awesome artifacts and artwork, and demands your attention. There’s also a fossilized dinosaur egg in here.
Pirate and Treasure Museum
The history of St. Augustine can be tied to the history of piracy, as the Golden Age of Piracy occurred during the early years of Spanish rule, especially as the Spanish had been collecting gold all across the Atlantic Ocean. I definitely wish they had permission from Disney to blast some of that excellent Hans Zimmer Pirates music because it would fit quite well with the compact but very informative museum dedicated to all things pirates.
Some of the items here are centuries old and its quite interesting how much information was extracted from all these findings to better inform the people of today the wildness, brutality, and insanity of the Pirate Era. This museum does a good job to be impressed without actually glorifying what are essentially terrorists of the ocean.
Lots of video, audio, artifacts, and information scattered throughout the museum, and even though it may seem like its more geared towards interested pre-teens, they definitely got a couple frights and loud sounds to ward off the easily-frightened. This place definitely earns its price tag.
Anastasia State Park
Area is so secluded it almost feels uncharted. And I mean this in the most positive, mesmerizing way.
This seemingly untouched beach is miles upon miles of sand dunes, crashing waves, clean beautiful ocean water, shells, natural rock formations, and pristine nature that allows you to escape the worst society has to offer as you seek your peace within the thousands of acres of beauty. For just a few dollars you have access to an area that has several kinds of terrain, many watersporting options, bird watching, sunbathing, exploration, and scenic strolling that spans miles upon miles. It is a sight to see.
Salt marsh walks, beach walks, nature hikes, all connected by roadways and within striking distance of bathrooms and even a quick-service eatery, this place is a must-visit whenever you’re in Downtown St. Augustine.
Pizza Time
Cash-only, rigid rules, no frills, nothing expansive beyond good pizzas, beers, and sodas. But after accepting all that, prepare for some of the best pizza in all of Florida. Yes, it will never compare to pizza of the northeast, but it doesn’t matter because its still wildly good. Order your slice, wait patiently while they warm it up, and enjoy the massive slices at your leisure.
The crust puts up a good fight against the quality level and amount of ingredients carefully constructed on top. The pepperoni slice was good but their white pizza with scattered ricotta was absolutely phenomenal. I wanted to return for more slices for…research purposes…however there was another restaurant that was conquering my soul.
Harry’s Seafood Bar and Grille
I know you should be usually avoiding the tourist trap areas for dining, but Harry’s is an example that amazingly bucks the trend by providing massive portions, quality seafood, and just an overall fun vibe that can only be interrupted by the elongated wait times trying to be seated against everyone else. I went by myself, so the mission was easier, too bad I didn’t have anyone else to share these portions with however.
I make a rule that whenever I cannot decide on the many delicious options, I make the server decide. My first visit (yes there were two visits, don’t judge) the waitress chose the cheese-and-sausage crusted flounder with mashed potatoes. It doesn’t sound like much, but this dish packs a delicious punch. Pair it with their hot sauce and you’ll be singing Cajun music on your way back to the hotel.
Their key lime pie is also very worthy, as is their spectacular fish dip featuring a mix of multiple fishes and shrimp, and their fried grouper is also a quality delight. This place has my highest recommendation, and the only reason why I didn’t order drinks here was because----
The Tini Martini Bar
Hiding inside the Casablanca Inn is a very small bar delivering epic martinis and cocktails. In the morning (because yes, these madmen open at 8 a.m.) and early afternoon they also offer food, but you’re coming here for the sharable drinks and incredible vibes. The two times (please stop judging me) I visited, every drink was a hit, every drink was big, and the service was practically perfect.
The clientele isn’t always the best (I overheard someone starting his sentence with “I don’t understand these socialists…”) but that comes with the territory of being in a historic city suffering the worst of the polarized nature of U.S. politics, as a white supremacist cult is battling an uneven and frustrated core of Americans who just want to live without such hate. Yes, Savannah also suffers immensely from this.
With the martinis, they not only give you a large martini glass with the substance of happiness, but they’ll also give you the entire damn shaker so you can continue refilling your glass. Honestly for $15 it is such a steal, especially when you compare it to what restaurants usually charge for cocktails and beers. A must-visit, especially if you have friends with you.
Special Quick Shoutout To:
Historic Downtown: Hundreds of different places to visit and see, the variety is staggering, and its always well-maintained. Art exhibits, gift shops, restaurants, historic sites, and so many other potential enjoyable spots. It will take multiple days to truly absorb it all, so choose your spots wisely.
Shipwreck Museum: Forgot to take photos, this isn’t as big as the other museums and venues in the area, but there’s still plenty to see and learn, and there’s even some Titanic artifacts that cannot be seen anywhere else in the entire world. Not spoiling what they are, but its impressive.
Whetstone Chocolate: Excellent chocolates and truffles, and I didn’t get to visit the factory but I’ve been told that’s also very good.
Hot Stuff: This spice shop also has a section dedicated to many things key lime, whether it be pies, candles, candies, or best of all------------the frozen key lime pie dipped in chocolate. This is one of the greatest desserts in the history of desserts. Thank me after you find this place and eat one.
