Greetings!

Planning a family trip to Florida in early March, which will include a short time (first time! )in St. Augustine. We have only one free day to do some exploring (beaching and visiting friends the other days). Can you help us plan a smooth day?

Girls, including one 16-year old, want to spend most of the day shopping in Old Town, with a light lunch at an interesting place. Would either Le Parisienne or Hypolita's fit the bill?

The group will meet up at the end of the day for dinner. I'm thinking somewhere near the Castillo de San Marcos would be central, and perhaps we can all take a look around together before it closes. Does anyone know what time it closes? Do they offer tours? Or can you just explore on your own?

For dinner that night, I'm thinking somewhere neat downtown. Around $50 per person would be ideal (not including beverage; so appx $15-$25 entrees). We like all kinds of foods, so no restrictions there. But somewhere with a good chef and higher quality ingredients is prefered. It's the last night of vacation! But we would be in our "touring" clothes, so not super fancy.

Now, the guys, including a 14-year old boy, want to do something more adventurous during the day before we meet for dinner. I think my son has his heart set on Ripley's - but then what? Golf Hall of Fame? Fountain on Youth Archaeological Park? Alligator Farm? (Eeeewwww... )

And my final question... The night before we want to all go somewhere fun for dinner. Where would you suggest? Same price range as above is okay, or something a bit more moderate. Very casual is fine for that night. Maybe something with a view? Either great steaks or great local seafood appeals.

So Fodorites, what do you think? Scarlett, Ms Foodie, are you out there? Any solutions evident?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Down the road from StA is a Nat'l Park. They offer a free ferry to Fort Matanzas on Rattlesnake Island which is enjoyable. That plus a twilight ghost tour are what we like.
For eating in the tourist section, I recommend the Columbia where we think there actually was a ghost - no kidding. Try the guava cheesecake there. For seafood, we like Fiddler's Green at the beach.

The A1A AleHouse is really great. It's at the foot of the bridge and has a big wrap-around porch upstairs. The food is really spectacular, terrific imaginative seafood. I don' t know if they're open for lunch, I had dinner there. I think someone's name is before A1A but I can't recall.

You know about the restaurants on the water where you can feed the pelicans from little chutes at your table? I know it's a touristy thing to do but I always enjoyed it, sort of a way to get close to nature but not too close And I'll bet those kids will like it too. You'll see them out in the marina.

Tandoori Girl knows the restaurants better than I.. but I have heard good things about that restaurant .. I want to go there too
When shopping, in and out of the little back streets is fun, you can find interesting little shops, I love those with soaps and candles and gadgets for the house.
I like lunch in the Alcazar, Le Parisienne is nice too, but can be very crowded and slow.
At the Fort is a place where you can sit on a wall and the fort is right behind you, that is a great place to meet up with everyone.
The wonderful hotel in town, the Casa Monica, has a great outdoor cafe/bakery that is good also for a stop and a bite..
http://www.casamonica.com/
Ripleys was verry interesting to a young man we know- and my Yankee
Also- that alligator farm is not as cheesy as those I have heard of farther South in Fl. I would do that..
Have fun, the weather should be great in March! Actually, it is pretty great now

Scarlett is being modest. She's become quite the little Jacksonville cracker and always a foodie. I wish I could go to Alcazar and Le Parisienne, Scarlett, lucky girl I've not tried either.

Here's a link for information on teh Castillo de San Marcos. www.nps.gov/casa/ We were there on a Saturday and we wandered around on our own as well as taking in the ranger-led activities.

We wanted to try Salt Water Cowboys but weren't able to when we were there. Here's the link: www.saltwatercowboys.com


As far as beaches, we had a great time at Anastasia State Park & Recreation area.

Thanks all! Sounds good!

I'll tell you how Salt Water Cowboys is Thursday! The Yankee and I are going tomorrow night

We recently enjoyed dinner at Gypsy Cab in St. Augustine, as well as a lunch on Christmas Eve at a cajun-style place overlooking the Bridge of Lions, whose name escapes me at the moment!

The Old Town is really not that big, and there are several things you can do within easy walking distance. Of course, shopping on George Street and the side streets is a must. There is a trolley tour of town that allows on/off privileges. You can also take a carriage ride tour of the Old Town. Flagler College, in the old Ponce de Leon Hotel, offers hour-long tours of its impressive building for about $4. There's a lighthouse that you can climb -- your 14-year-old might enjoy that as well as the Fort of course.

For something really cool that not many people see, head through the breezeways of the Lightner Museum (the Alcazar Hotel, back in the day) and toward the right out back to the antique mall. It's actually housed in the hotel's former indoor swimming pool! Very impressive.

Dreamer, I hope you have a lovely time. I have always enjoyed spending time on the weekends strolling around the shops in the historic area, so many little shops with great little finds, cool art work, etc., as well as: I liked the A1A Alehouse, Gypsy Cab Co., Columbia for some good Black Bean Soup, but for atmosphere and seafood, I love the Conch House -
http://www.conch-house.com/restrnt2.html
- to sit out on the tiki huts over the water is so much fun...The Lightner Museum is nice, the Flagler College and the gorgeous homes around it are nice, and my son loves the Fort and Ripley's - he is 14 yrs. old.... Have fun!!!!!! Wishing you good weather too.

The Conch House! I forgot that one, I too am anxious to go there, I have heard great things about it !
Dreamer, you might have to stay longer than one day

WE ate at Salt Water Cowboys - which was just OK foodwise, but great location wise. But I loved the Conch House. We didn't eat there but went for Happy Hour. That was fun!

Scarlett,
I think I am! My girlfriend has just about convinced me that I must stay on a few days after the kids head home! I'm just a little nervous about them switching planes alone en route.

Thanks, Steph, I think you hit the nail on the head for the guy group including 14 year old son! They are leaning toward Ripleys, Fort, and Gators.

Now, the Fort is or is not part of Castillo de San Marcos?

I think restaurants that keep coming up are A1A, Alcazar, Gypsy Cab, O'Steens and 95 Cordova. Have to decide on two for the large group nights. Yikes!

Another vote for Salt Water Cowboys. Good food, really fun atmosphere.

I was at Salt Water Cowboy many years ago. It has your typical fried, broiled, BBQ'd meals, nothing to write home about, definitely great food value. The building is "cracker" style, the vernacular of early FL pioneers (unpainted cypress with big porch and crawl space for the pooch to hang out under the porch to bark at strangers). Be sure to try the cooter, which is soft-shelled turtle. There are scant few restaurants to try this delicacy, which tastes, of course, like chicken. They also have fried gator, which is becoming increasingly common in restaurants because after years of "protection" the gator is no longer either threatened or endangered but is now a bonafide nuisance! Gator can be tough if not cooked right.

We have a meal at Saltwater Cowboys every time we visit St Augustine. Good food with a casual fun atmosphere. A lot of history in St Augustine & the surrounding area, such as Fort Matanzas. The town is an attractive fun place, well maintained, with lots of neat little shops to poke around in.

Castillo de San Marcos is the famous St. Augustine fort.

Ft. Matanzas should be a fun trip for kids. It's a few miles south of St.A., but I think it's still free and includes a boat ride over to the fort, which is on a small island in the middle of the river. I've been there as a teenager and as an adult and I enjoyed it both times.

2nd (3rd, 4th??? didn't read the whole thing) O'Steens. We can't go to St Augustines without going there once - even with the long wait to get in (just think, if the wait is that long and is mostly locals, it MUST be good!).

We also HAD to do the Ripleys, Fountain of Yth etc when we were kids -brings back fond memories, but as an adult not so much fun!

The Fort (IMO) is cooler on the OUTSIDE than on the inside - there really isn't much to see. But that is just my humble opinion.

The ghost tours are supposed to be wonderful, but I never got to go - but EVERYONE that has gone has loved them!

Le Parisienne is a great place to eat, but if I remember it will be at the top end of your budget. I also think of it as more of a 'date' place than a big group place. It's pretty intimate.
With St. Augustine being the oldest city, you must find time for a trolly tour or something of that nature. History is the main attraction.