I have
visited St. Augustine, Florida many times with my friends for a nice day trip,
but last year I went for the first time overnight. One thing that makes staying
in St. Augustine is that there are very few chain hotels. There are many inns
and bed and breakfast accommodations. This was the first time I had ever stayed
in one and I was very nervous about it. I finally chose the Cedar House Inn. It
is a B&B run by a wonderful lady named Cindy. Because I was so nervous
about staying at my first B&B, I made several calls to ask many questions.
Not once did Cindy make me feel like I was an inconvenience to her and she was
happy to answer all my questions. Once we arrived, she gave us a warm welcome
and let us know what her inn had to offer us while staying with her. The best
part about this inn is the breakfast Cindy makes each morning. You will not get
your normal eggs, bacon, and toast here. She does breakfast reimagined and it
is the best food I have ever had for breakfast. Cindy and her breakfast are why
we will be going back to the Cedar House Inn.
The Inn
is located just steps away from the Lightner Museum. This is a unique museum
with many wonderful items from the American Gilded Age. We were there for the
demonstration of the many different items in the music room. This was the
highlight of the museum for us. Also, the Lightner used to be the Alcazar Hotel
built by Henry Flagler and the area that was the pool in now a restaurant. We
didn’t get a chance to eat there this time, but it is on the list for our
future trip.
The Cedar
House Inn is just a few blocks away from St. George Street where all the shops
and restaurants are. If you walk all the way to the end of St. George Street,
you will see the Castillo de San Marco also known and the St. Augustine Fort.
This is now a National Parks landmark. If you have never been to the Castillo,
it is a great experience. It shows how the soldiers lived at the time that the
fort was built and the difference of the years from Spanish reign to British
Reign. Make sure you don’t miss the cannon demonstration they do each day.
We ate at
some great places while visiting St. Augustine. After visiting the Castillo, we
had lunch at Al's Pizza. This is one of the closest places to the Castillo to
have lunch. We didn't get the pizza but what we did get was excellent. The
meatball appetizer was wonderful. They were handmade meatballs like the ones my
friend makes for me. The pasta was great and the sauce was wonderful. I will go
back for sure. We also went to Casa Maya for dinner and the food was like
nothing I have ever tried. It is traditional Mexican and really worth a visit
if you like traditional Mexican or like to try new things. They have an outside
patio out back and the atmosphere was like you were in a Mexican back porch.
Ask to sit out there you will love it.
If you
are looking for a good snack, I have two places to recommend. The first is
French Fry Heaven and they serve just that. French Fries! They have many
different flavors so there is something for everyone. The portions are a good
size for a snack between meals. The second place is The Hyppo. The Hyppo is a
gourmet popsicle place. They have many amazing flavors. The first day, I tried
the cucumber jalapeno. I was not too sure about it at first since I am not a
fan of spicy food but the cool of the cucumber and the kick of the jalapeno was
delicious and I am happy I tried it. The second day, I tried the grapefruit. It
was just what I was looking for. It was very tart and refreshing. On a hot day
in St. Augustine, The Hyppo is just the place to visit. They have two
locations: one on St. George Street and one just off. Make sure to cool off
with a cool popsicle.
One of the
many things that is popular to do when staying in St. Augustine is a ghost
tour. I am not big on made up stories so through some research, I found a tour
called the History Mystery Murder and Mayhem tour. This was a wonderful tour
that walks you through the Historic area and tells you the true stories of St.
Augustine and some are really crazy. I recently took a class at Rollins College
and we learned about the early days of the city and many of the stories from
the tour were part of the things I learned in class, so these stories are
legit.
One of
the traditions I had with my friends when we would go on day trips was to go to
the San Sebastian Winery. This is a great place to learn about wine making in
Florida and what makes Florida wine different from the many other wines you may
have tried in the past. The tour is free and there is a free tasting at the end
of the tour. They also have a lovely roof top bar that I always enjoy visiting.
Even if you are not into drinking wine, you will enjoy the tour. My boyfriend
isn’t a drinker and he enjoyed our time at the winery.
These are
just a few of the many wonderful things we did on our stay to St. Augustine and
there are many things we didn’t get to see while there. This is a place that I
would gladly go back to visit and when I do you know where I will be staying.
That’s right I will be staying at the Cedar House Inn but I will not tell you
what room I like — that way I know it will be available when I want it.
