St. Augustine, Fla., Sept. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Visitors can expect the best when they eat, stay, and play in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches. And new businesses are providing even more first-class experiences on Florida’s Historic Coast.
Eat and Drink
The culinary scene continues to grow with new flavors and bespoke locations. San Sebastian Winery has welcomed a new restaurant to its rooftop – La Cocina at the Cellar Upstairs, which features a menu of gourmet delights like Ceviche, escargot, and New Zealand Lamb Rack. La Cocina International features live rooftop entertainment daily Thursday through Sunday.
On Anastasia Island’s Isla Blends recently opened, offering protein-enriched shakes, waffles, coffees, and greens. Paladar Cuban Eatery introduced Cuban cuisine and baked goods to the Crescent Beach area, while the new Black Molly Grill recently opened, and serves steaks, seafood, and more in its new location on State Road 312. On Vilano Beach Beachside Caffe by YAMO is now open at Magic Beach Motel as is the Vilano Coffee Shop at Holiday Inn Express, serving local favorites like Kookaburra coffee, Tillamook ice cream, and baked goods from Crème de La Cocoa.
Historic St. Augustine enjoys a recent addition to the sweet side of things, Whips Waffle Company is redefining dessert with its artisanal waffles and creative toppings. The French Pantry in Jacksonville is teaming up with Little Miss Ha, an award-winning Vietnamese restaurant formerly of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina to open two restaurants with different cultural ties in one location, 36 Granada St., St. Augustine this fall.
The Jacksonville Jaguars recently announced Ancient City Brewing as a Craft Beer Partner for the 2024 NFL season. Greg Tuttle and his team at Ancient City Brewing (ACB) have been handcrafting a beloved selection of beers since 2015. But they’ve created a new brew just for the Jags Brewhouse – 1st & Gold Golden Ale at Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium in a custom-designed 19.2 oz tall can.
St. Augustine Distillery has been a trendsetter in the Florida Spirits world since opening in 2013. The Distillery has recently added several guided tours and experiences where guests can learn about the history of bourbon, how food influences premium spirits, a Bourbon Steward Certification program, and the opportunity to fill their own bottle of St. Augustine Distillery Bourbon.
Explore north of St. Augustine, where an explosion of new restaurants is creating a microcosm of dining experiences. From sweet classics to savory delights, each of Whip’s Waffles is a delicious journey of flavors. Mayday Ice Cream is scooping at its new location in Nocatee. At Ponte Vedra Beach Vincenzo’s Cucina and The Boathouse recently opened offering upscale seafood, sushi, and more in a casual atmosphere.
West of St. Augustine along the St. Johns River, the Outback Crab Shack has re-opened and serves a Taste of Florida: fresh seafood, including local shrimp, grouper, snapper, mahi-mahi, and the famous Outback boil. This popular riverfront dining on-the-deck restaurant with an old Florida feel has returned to Six Mile Creek on the St. Johns after a total rebuild.
New Experiences
Pickleball players have a new place to “dink” in St. Augustine at Old Coast Pickleball, with two inside courts at the Shipyard Marina. The best way to explore St. Augustine’s Historic area and exceptional architecture is with a tour guide. New this year, St. Augustine Free Walking Tours offers a 90-minute guided tour of all the major sites is led by local guides and starts each morning at the Visitor Information Center, and even more new tour experiences are available on St. Augustine Experiences’ Historic Walking Tours.
The new St. Augustine Shipwreck Museum opened on Charlotte Street, showcasing the area’s rich maritime history. New this summer, Deep Creek Paddles is offering exciting kayaking adventures in Deep Creek in Hastings, Florida. Perfect for both beginners and experienced paddlers to explore with master naturalists and professional guides.
Fury® Water Adventures recently added St. Augustine as their newest port with their 65-foot sailing catamaran Atlantic Fury which has expansive 360-degree views for their daily Dolphin Watch & Historical Harbor Tour that blends history with wildlife twice daily.
St. Augustine’s newest Gallery, The Art Collective opens this Fall in the city’s Historic District. Resident Artists at Art Collective range the full gamut of creative works from traditional oil paintings, pastels, modern art, paper quilling, pit-fired pottery, and exquisite jewelry makers.
University of Florida professors are researching and building an exhibit based on another classic staple that took off from St. Augustine: chocolate. Opening in December 2024, this exhibit will be housed in the Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum and tells the story of how chocolate first arrived in St. Augustine in 1641. Funded by the Forrest E. Mars Jr. History Grant, the exhibit will document and showcase St. Augustine’s pivotal role in introducing chocolate to North America.
Gearing up for adventures will be easier with Bass Pro Shops, which will open an enormous Outlet this fall in World Golf Village. On A1A, the new Inlet Beach & General Store at Matanzas Inlet has beach supplies, eco-bike rentals, kayak tours, and more. Preserving Florida’s Historic Coast’s pristine beaches has been a top priority for St. Johns County. It is in the final stages of a sweeping beach renourishment project and has launched a helpful Beach App.
Groups, weddings, and corporate events will have plenty to do at Ponte Vedra’s sports and social hub, The Yards, which offers golf, tennis, and pickleball, and the high-end restaurant, Argyle. Heighten any event with Fire and Ash’s new Mobile Cigar Lounge, with premium cigars, rich Cuban coffee, and a custom lounge.
Fort Matanzas National Monument, located just 14 miles south of St. Augustine, will celebrate one hundred years of preservation through a series of living history programs presented on select dates this fall. Visitors can take the free ferry to Rattlesnake Island where costumed storytellers share the history of Fort Matanzas on October 5, 15, 20 & November 3.
This Fall, the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is celebrating 150 years of providing a welcoming beacon of light for the historic port of St. Augustine and its beautiful coastline. In mid-October, a celebration will kick off a year-long series of activities, community events, and commemorative celebrations.
Stay
Distinctive Beach Rentals offers visitors luxury beach rentals in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and Crescent Beach. It just expanded its offerings with an array of new premiere vacation homes and condo rentals. Guests at the Hampton Inn & Suites St. Augustine-Vilano Beach can now save a trip and rent beach gear through a convenient on-site service. Spark by Hilton in St. Augustine’s Historic District opened in early Spring, offering a practical, budget-friendly space with on-site parking and free breakfast.
St. George Inn is one of the more popular pet-friendly lodgings in the Historic District. Their wine bar, Bin 39 has just added pet-friendly amenities where pet parents can order charcuterie pet tastes, doggie ice cream, enhanced waters, souvenir water bowls, and more.
Planning has just gotten easier.
The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau continues to make it easier for travelers to plan and book their getaways to Florida’s Historic Coast. The new Must Do Experiences video series presents great insider tips from locals on the best places to explore, eat and, stay; and the new AI-powered Know it All Assistant is the perfect aid for travelers to plan out their itineraries, and more.
With so many new experiences, it’s time to schedule a vacation to Florida’s Historic Coast. Use the trip planner to craft the ideal excursion and take advantage of some Unforgettable Stays & Deals available on Florida’s Historic Coast this fall.
Getting to St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches has never been easier. Breeze Airways continues to expand service into Jacksonville International Airport, recently adding non-stop service to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. JetBlue is expanding seasonal routes to Florida from Portland, Maine beginning Oct. 28 and year-round flights from Manchester, New Hampshire beginning Jan. 23, 2025. In May 2025, Air Canada will begin offering weekend non-stop service between Toronto and Jacksonville.
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Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida's Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, the rural beauty of Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. Visitor Information Centers are located at 10 Castillo Drive, St. Augustine; 200 Solana Rd. Suite B, Ponte Vedra Beach: and at the St. Johns County Beach Pier Park, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. For advance travel information, call 1.800.653.2489 or visit the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com. Check us out on social media Instagram @FloridasHistoricCoast: @ViajaStAugustine, Facebook.com/officialStAugustine; and X (Twitter) @FlHistoricCoast.
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Barbara Golden St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau 9042094425 Bgolden@floridashistoriccoast.com
