Travel Tips for a Perfect Getaway to St. Augustine FL – Episode 8

• Planning a spontaneous and budget-friendly trip to St. Augustine
• Driving tips and road trip fun: your cautionary and humorous stories
• Top attractions: Flagler College, the Castillo de San Marcos, ghost tours, and more
• Iconic food experiences: Peruvian ceviche, Columbia’s Spanish cuisine, and chocolates from Whetstone
• Navigating transportation: rental cars, trolleys, and parking tips
• Kid-friendly and family activity options, including the Pirate Museum and Fountain of Youth

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Rosa and Rachel are back with more adventures!

So, if you’ve been searching for the perfect quick escape from the Northeast, a getaway to St. Augustine, FL might just be exactly what the doctor ordered. This charming, walkable city on Florida’s Historic Coast is packed with history, great food, lively bars, and enough activities to keep any group of friends entertained for a long weekend.

We visited over President’s Day weekend and left completely smitten. We both want to go back soon. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.

Why St. Augustine Should Be on Your Girls Trip Radar

St. Augustine has a vibe that’s hard to find elsewhere in Florida. Forget the glam of Miami or the theme park chaos of Orlando. St. Augustine is perfection. This city is laid-back, historic, and endlessly charming.

Think cobblestone streets, Spanish moss draped over oak trees, colorful colonial architecture, and enough ghost stories to keep things interesting after dark. If you love cities like Charleston or Savannah, St. Augustine absolutely belongs on your bucket list (and we definitely need to add it our girlfriends’ trips episode from a few weeks ago).

The best time to visit for a getaway to St. Augustine, FL is between November and March, when the weather is mild (think low-to-mid 60s), crowds are manageable, and hurricane season is behind you.

For example, February is especially smart if you can combine it with a federal holiday like President’s Day to stretch your PTO.

Getting There: A PSA About Driving from Jacksonville

There’s no direct airport in St. Augustine, so most visitors fly into Jacksonville (about an hour away) or Orlando (a bit further). We flew from Newark into Jacksonville on a direct United flight, which made things super convenient. One note: rental car GPS connectivity can be spotty in the Jacksonville airport parking garage, so give it a minute to kick in before you panic and start guessing your route.

Also, uh, we kinda sorta maybe screwed up.

We cannot stress this enough.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE pay close attention to speed limits as soon as you leave the airport. The roads may look like highways, but they’re not always posted at highway speeds. Learn from our experience. Just… drive the speed limit. You don’t want to almost get a ticket within fifteen seconds of leaving the airport.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the Bayfront Inn, and we’re happy to report this is a full, out-of-pocket recommendation. No comps involved whatsoever. The rooms were spacious and clean, the staff was genuinely lovely, and the location is unbeatable for walkability to the old town. A complimentary breakfast and on-site parking sealed the deal.

Accommodation in St. Augustine can get pricey, but staying close to the historic district is worth every penny. After all, parking near the cobblestone streets is notoriously difficult, so having a home base within walking distance of restaurants and attractions makes a huge difference.

Check out Bayfront Inn when you’re in town. We think you’ll love it.

Top Things to Do on Your Getaway to St. Augustine, FL

Flagler College is an absolute must. This stunning former Gilded Age hotel is now a liberal arts college, and you genuinely need the guided tour to appreciate it fully, especially the dining hall adorned with Tiffany stained glass windows. Book your tour in advance; it sells out, particularly on holiday weekends.

The Ghost Tour is one of the most fun things you can do after dinner. St. Augustine is considered one of the most haunted cities in America, and the nighttime walking tour hits that sweet spot of spooky-but-not-terrifying. Your guide weaves in real local history alongside the ghost stories, and the misty cobblestone atmosphere does half the work for them.

The Old Town Trolley is ideal if you want to get oriented without logging miles on your feet. The hop-on, hop-off format covers around 20 stops and runs rain or shine. They even hand out free ponchos. It’s a great option if you’re visiting without a car.

Whetstone Chocolates sounds like a casual stop, but it turned into one of our favorite experiences of the whole trip, entirely because of our tour guide Valerie. She is a legend. Her motto: “Life’s too short to be eating nasty chocolate.” We went in with low expectations and left questioning every grocery store chocolate purchase we’ve ever made. The behind-the-scenes factory tour is fascinating, and the chocolate tasting is genuinely delicious.

The St. Augustine Distillery is another highlight because it includes a free self-guided tour through rooms of locally produced spirits, ending in a tasting. Their gin-based Moscow Mule-style cocktail was a standout. Pair it with a visit to the nearby winery for a complimentary wine tasting, and you’ve got yourself a pretty perfect afternoon.

The Castillo de San Marcos is arguably the city’s most iconic landmark and the oldest masonry fort in the United States, run by the National Park Service. Walk the walls on a clear day for stunning views of the bay, and if you have a National Park pass, entrance is covered. It’s also family-friendly, with a big green lawn for kids to run around.

The Fountain of Youth surprised us both. Like truly surprised us. We thought it would be super tiny. Instead it’s a full, sprawling complex with a planetarium, peacocks roaming the grounds, and beautiful photo opportunities. Plan to spend at least two hours here, and don’t miss the Spanish moss-draped street just outside the entrance. It’s one of the most photogenic spots in all of St. Augustine.

The Pirate Museum is more interactive than you’d expect, with a scavenger hunt that admittedly had two grown women competing like their lives depended on it. It’s a great pick for families, but honestly? Adults have just as much fun.

Where to Eat and Drink

The food scene in St. Augustine is genuinely excellent. Here are the spots that stood out most on our trip:

Llama Restaurant — a Peruvian gem just a short drive from the historic district. The ceviche is some of the best we’ve ever had. The fish arrives raw and is “cooked” tableside in tigre sauce (lime and citrus marinade) — silky, buttery, and absolutely worth the short drive.

Columbia Restaurant — a St. Augustine staple serving Spanish cuisine in a beautifully tiled dining room that feels more like Seville than Florida. Get the chopped salad (made tableside), share the paella, split the dessert (the portions are enormous), and order the sangria. Reservations are non-negotiable here. No doubt about it. On Valentine’s Day weekend, walk-ins were facing two-hour waits.

Catch 27 — an excellent seafood spot for your last night in town. They accommodated us when we arrived early, seating us outside under heating lamps right at golden hour. The food was fantastic, and the sunset made it feel extra special.

Fish Camp — a casual Florida chain near the winery and distillery with great fried shrimp and clam chowder. We liked it so much we went twice.

And don’t leave St. Augustine without finding the award-winning clam chowder spot near St. Augustine Beach (we’ll link it in the show notes — the name escaped us in the moment, but trust us, it’s worth the short drive).

Final Thoughts

A getaway to St. Augustine, FL is one of those trips that works for almost everyone. Like, literally, everyone. Solo travelers, couples, families, and especially girlfriend groups. The food is great, the history is rich, the bars are fun, and the whole city has an effortlessly cool energy that never feels try-hard. It’s a place where you can wear jeans and a t-shirt and feel perfectly at home, yet still feel like you’ve genuinely traveled somewhere special.

Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, a ghost story enthusiast, or just someone who needs a long weekend away from real life, St. Augustine delivers. We’re already planning our return trip, and next time, we’re getting on that party boat.

Have questions about planning your own St. Augustine trip? Drop them in the comments or DM us at @BonVoyageBesties. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, a five-star review goes a long way — we appreciate every single one!

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