TRAVEL
St. Augustine, how do I love thee? Let me
count the ways on a romantic weekend
getaway.
An easy 3-hour jaunt from Tampa Bay, I
have grown to love the unique charm and
history of St. Augustine more with each
visit. St. Augustine is all about the history
– it recently celebrated 500 years. That’s
why it’s worth the splurge to stay at one
of more than two dozen historic bed and
breakfast inns located in the Historic
District.
The esteemed St. Francis Inn Bed and
Breakfast is considered the “Nation’s
Oldest Inn” built in 1791 as a Spanish
residence. With its tropical courtyard,
guests are invited to sip a sangria and
nosh on social hour appetizers and
nightly desserts made fresh daily. Rooms
and suites are charming and romantic.
62 StPeteLifeMag.com January/February 2020
where we could kick back and listen to the
soothing clip-clop of the carriages on the
street below.
Modern but equally romantic is the
Casa de Suenos on Cordova Street,
which is close to just about everything.
The Mediterranean-style Casa presents
a bright, airy dining room, perfect for
socializing with interesting guests from
around the world.
The best part about staying in the Historic
District is it allows you to park your car
and forget it. St. Augustine is a walker’s
delight. For a good introduction, start
your visit with an Old Town Trolley Tour.
Then head out and enjoy!
Stroll the brick-lined streets and pop into
the many shops and boutiques and art
galleries. In St. Augustine’s early days, St.
George Street was the main street, and
today the thoroughfare is still considered
the heart of the city. However, no trip to
the Nation’s Oldest City would be complete
without time spent traversing some of the
roads less traveled. St. George is just one of
many enchanting streets that make up the
city’s historic downtown district.
Romantic St. Augustine
BY MARCIA BIGGS
PHOTOS/COURTESY FLORIDAHISTORICCOAST.COM
/StPeteLifeMag.com
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