We visited St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city at the end of June. We drove from Orlando to St. Augustine, which was about a two hour drive.
Since there's so much to see in St. Augustine we decided to stay in the middle of the city. We were a little surprised when our hotel looked like this. This ended up being the back of it, but it was smack dab in the middle of a city street. It was the oldest and smallest Hilton in the United States, but our room and stay was great!
The first day, after scoping everything out we decided to buy trolley passes to see the attractions. We rode the trolley around part of the loop to hear some of the history and take in a few stops.
Hotel Ponce de Leon: This hotel was the first hotel in the United States to have running water and electricity (installed by Thomas Edison) in every room. Now, Flagler College uses this building.
Basilica de St. Augustine: This Cathedral is the oldest congregation of any denomination in the United States.
Across the street from our hotel was Matanzas Bayfront. We spent a lot of time walking, sitting on benches, and eating popsicles here. They also had horse drawn carriage rides every night here.
Due to the heat, the best investment we made during this trip was the trolley ticket. Your ticket was valid for three days, and we used it every day. Here's a view of the "prettiest street in America" through the trolley window.
St. Augustine History Museum: This museum was filled with 400 years of Florida history.
The Old Jail: The same company who built Alcatraz built this jail in 1891. Henry Flagler paid for this building, so he could control its look and location.
Learning about the public hangings was very interesting. We were told the story of a hanging gone wrong, and also saw the only photograph which was ever taken.
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| Women's cells- Bucky was nothing, if not authentic- making us get inside |
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| Men's cells |
Castillo de San Marcos: This fort was built in 1672, and was used to protect treasures carried by Spanish ships from pirate attacks. It's the oldest masonry fort in the United States, and has never been taken by force.
Honestly, after visiting the forts in Puerto Rico, this one wasn't as impressive as those. But, it was interesting to see the similarities between them.
Mission Nombre de Dios: On the grounds there is an old Catholic Cemetery, and a walking path. There's also a statue of Father Lopez, who accompanied Menendez when he landed in St. Augustine. The first Catholic Mass in the United States was celebrated here.
The Shrine to Our Lady of La Leche: This shrine is in the middle of the mission grounds. It was really beautiful.
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| The former teacher had to stop at the oldest school house |
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| The front of the Hilton |
Fountain of Youth: This property used to be the home of the Timucuan Indians, and several Spanish forts have been found on the land. There were different exhibits to view: a cannon firing, burial ground, and the fountain Ponce de Leon was searching for: the fountain of youth.
Jake drank from the fountain, and recently said he isn't feeling any younger...
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| Random peacocks roam the grounds |
