St. Augustine Travel Information

As the oldest continually-occupied settlement of European origin in the United States, St. Augustine is rich with history and culture.  From its Historic Spanish Colonial District to its pristine beaches, St. Augustine is a great place to take in some sunshine, play a round of golf, visit restored Spanish forts or relax in a quaint cafe.  The Spanish-styled architecture makes the city very charming, and the warm, mild weather makes it easy to explore the historical landmarks. 

St. Augustine Info:

• Land Area: 10.7 miles
• Elevation:  5 feet above sea level
• Number of parks: 4 Number of radio stations: 2 AM, 3 FM
• Number of television stations: 1 Number of newspapers: 1 (St. Augustine Record)
• Transportation:  St. Augustine Airport (non-commercial), Jacksonville International (48 miles), Daytona Beach International (54 miles)

St. Augustine Weather and Climate:

• Average daily temperature:  88 high/57 low
• Average annual rainfall:  49 inches

Distances to other Metropolitan Areas from St. Augustine (in miles):

• Atlanta, GA — 381
• Boston, MA — 1,200
• Chicago, IL —  1,100
• Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX — 1,091
• Houston, TX — 909
• Las Vegas, NV — 2,430
• Los Angeles, CA — 2,580
• Memphis, TN — 744
• Miami, FL —  304
• Nashville, TN — 629
• New Orleans, LA — 585
• New York, NY — 984
• Orlando, FL —  105
• Philadelphia, PA — 896
• Phoenix, AZ — 2,087
• Rapid City, SD — 1,803
• Salt Lake City, UT — 1,857
• San Antonio, TX — 1,105
• San Diego, CA — 2,157
• San Jose, CA — 2,301
• Washington, DC — 673

St. Augustine Safety Phone # and Major Hospitals:

• Police/Fire/Ambulance: 911
• Flagler Hospital (904-819-4300)

St. Augustine Top Tourism Draws and Seasons:

• Seasons:  Year Round
• Beach Bash
• Crawfish Festival
• Bike Week
• St. Augustine's Birthday
• San Sebastian Art/Jazz
• Cathedral Festival
• Christmas Parade
• Earth and Spirit Festival
• First Friday Art Walks
• Grande Illumination
• Greek Festival
• Nights of Lights
• Lincolnville Festival
• Relay for Life
• Seafood Festival
• Summer Sizzler
• The Red Train
• Alligator Farm
• Old Jail 19th Century Jailhouse
• Colonial Folk Arts Festival
• St. Augustine Amateur golf tournament
• Ghostly Experience
• Whetstone Chocolate Factory
• Limelight Theater
• Scenic Cruise
• San Sebastian Winery
• Great Chowder Debate
• Museum of Weapons
• Lightner Museum
• Fountain of Youth and Potter's Wax Museum
• Spanish Quarter Village
• Ximenez-Fatio House

St. Augustine Major Shopping Areas:

• Belz Factory Outlet World
• Antique Market
• Ponce de Leon Mall
• The Outlet Center
• Cobblestone Village

St. Augustine Major Dining Areas:

• While the entire town is filled with dining, the most popular are Outback Crab Shack, Salt Water Cowboys, Columbia Restaurant, A1A Ale Works, Creekside Diner, Fiddlers Green Restaurant, La Parisienne Restaurant, Cap's on the Water, Barnacle Bill's Downtown, 95 Cordova and The Reef.

St. Augustine Famous Landmarks & Historic Places:

• Oldest Wooden School House in the USA
• Cathedral Basilica
• Ximenez-Fatio House
• Florida Heritage Museum
• Pena-Peck House
• Spanish Military Hospital Museum
• Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
• Fort Matanzas National Monument
• Casa Monica
• Mission of Nombre De Dios

St. Augustine Famous Natives and Residents:

• Henry Flagler, partner in founding Standard Oil and St. Augustine developer
• Don Oja-Dunaway, folk singer
• Richard A. Twine, black history photographer

Notable Moments in St. Augustine History:

• 1513: Don Juan Ponce de Leon first sighted the area and claimed it for Spain.
• 1565: Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles came with 600 soldiers and settled here, naming the village St. Augustine, after the feast day on which they came ashore. 
• 1586: Attacked and burned by Sir Frances Drake
• 1668:  Plundered by pirates, killing most of the inhabitants.
• 1763: Spain ceded Florida to England
• 1783: Spain regained control of Florida under the Treaty of Paris
• 1821: Spain sold Florida to the United States
• 1845: Florida admitted to the Union as the twenty-seventh state
• 1861: Florida became part of the Confederacy
• 1862: St. Augustine surrendered to Union forces
• 1885: Henry Flagler helped develop the town as a resort area for travelers
• 1886: Flagler's railroad company linked St. Augustine with the populous cities on the East Coast.
• 1887: Fires wiped out most of the historic buildings between the north city gates and the plaza.
• 1965: State of Florida and St. Augustine began cooperating on a project to restore sections of the historical city

Interesting Facts about St. Augustine:

• Oldest continually occupied European settlement in the continental United States.
• Established forty-two years before Jamestown and fifty-five years before Plymouth Rock.
• The only urban area in the United States that has the architectural style and street patterns that replicate its Spanish origins.
• The Fountain of Youth is located in St. Augustine

St. Augustine Population and Demographics:

• Population —  11,592
• White — 79.3%
• Native American — 1.1%
• Black — 15.1%
• Asian — 0.9%
• Population 18 and under — 19%
• 65 and over — 14.5%
• Median age —  42 years
• Average household size — 2.11
• Median family income -- $41,892

St. Augustine Colleges and Universities:

• Flagler College
• University of St. Augustine

St. Augustine Economy & Business — Notable Employers and Industries:

• Bank of St. Augustine
• Rulon Company
• Medical Development International
• Tarantin
• Capri Industries
• City of St. Augustine
• Dispatch Depot
• Hampton Inn
• Holiday Inn
• K.P. Meiring Construction
• RE/MAX