I have business in the St. Aug/Jacksonville area next week. I am looking for suggestions on where to stay as well as dining recommendations. I am interested in an area with shops, galleries, restaurants, sights, etc. all within walking distance from the hotel. What say you saavy travellers?

The Casa Monica in St. Augustine is ideally suited to your plans. It is an excellent hotel with a very good on site restaurant. I also love La Parisienne and the Gypsy Cab Company in St. Augustine.

St Augustine gets my vote too. Lots more charm than Jax. Gypsy Cab Co was a favorite of my dad's & we like O'Steen's for fried seafood. Nothing fancy but good anyway.

Definitely SA. My favorite restaurant there is the A1A Ale House.

I have to add my vote for St. Augustine. It's walkable and has a number of intersting things to see and do. There's even a small winery there that I toured some years ago. Great muscadine wine!I also enjoy going to the Lightner Museum.

Another vote for St. Augustine. Very walkable and it's a fun time just wandering the old streets. The Castillo de San Marcos near the water is a nice visit as well. St. Augustine is one of my all time favorite cities - enjoy! (if you visit)

So far the voting is unanimous...St. Aug in a landslide. I checked out the Casa Monica on their website and it looks quite nice. I also checked it out on Trip Advisor where several posts were not too kind about the hotel. Any other suggestions on hotels in a comparable location? I am not excluding the Casa Monica...just looking at other options. Thanks to all who have responded.