Long Weekend in Jacksonville and St. Augustine

This time of year, the oppressive heat and humidity have faded in north Florida, leaving comfortable temperatures for exploring outdoors and on foot. St. Augustine and Jacksonville can both be experienced in a long weekend that leaves plenty of time for relaxing, beach walking, and old town exploration.

In Jacksonville, a few must-dos include horseback riding on Amelia Island, a charming activity that includes opportunities to see wildlife like sea turtles and dolphins as you ride.

There are also plenty of opportunities for fishing charters, and most trips last four or eight hours. The Jacksonville Zoo will impress visitors of all ages, as will the Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary, both offering opportunities to see wildlife up close.

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the sugar-sand beaches stretching for miles near both towns, so pick the closest one to your hotel and plunk down for the afternoon.

In St. Augustine, the old town is the obvious draw. Walking through the Spanish colonial architecture, it’s easy to picture the city’s origins as the first U.S. settlement by Europeans. Don’t miss the famous Fountain of Youth or the Castillo de San Marcos, oldest masonry fort in the continental United States and a National Monument.