city . The former Ponce de Leon Hotel is now Flagler College , while the Lightner Museum was originally the Alcazar Hotel and the Casa Monica is now a luxury spa hotel . Also in St Augustine are Ponce de Leon ’ s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park , the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in the US and the 150-year-old St Augustine Lighthouse .
NORTHEAST FLORIDA ATTRACTIONS
Take your pick from 100 miles of beaches in Northeast Florida . You can find some of the best in Jacksonville , St Augustine , Ponte Vedra , the Palm Coast and on Amelia Island . St Augustine is the nation ’ s oldest continuously settled city , having been founded in 1565 , 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in what is now Massachusetts . Among its historic buildings is the imposing Castillo de San Marcos fortress , built between 1672 and 1695 to guard Matanzas Bay . Three hotels built in 1888 by railway pioneer Henry Flagler still grace the
Daniel Daly , Amelia Island Historic Tours
One experience definitely worth savouring is the St Augustine Distillery , created by local families and housed in a restored century-old ice plant . Free tours and tastings are offered daily at the distillery , which hand-crafts award-winning bourbon , rum , gin and vodka . In Jacksonville , the 250-year-old Treaty Oak is said to have been the site where European settlers and local indigenous people signed a charter for peaceful co-existence . The city has numerous restaurants and is home to The PGA Tour Superstore and Topgolf , as well as the TIAA Bank Field where the NFL ’ s Jacksonville Jaguars are based .
Amelia Island has been under eight different flags over the past 450 years : French , Spanish , British , Patriots , Green Cross of Florida , Mexican Rebel , Confederate and the US . Originally the site of Fernandina , Old Town was the last Spanish city platted – planned out – in the Western Hemisphere and the Bosque Bello Cemetery founded by the Spanish in 1798 is close by . Downtown Fernandina Beach has quaint houses , shops , restaurants and Florida ’ s oldest bar at the Palace Saloon . It was also the birthplace of the shrimping industry and visitors can take fishing and boat trips from its marina .
I explore the area on foot from my base at the Hampton Inn & Suites by the historic harbour and take a fascinating minibus tour of genteel Amelia Island with Daniel Daly from Amelia Island Historic Tours , a local character and a mine of information about the area ’ s history . One thing ’ s for sure – I will make another return trip to this beguiling part of Florida as soon as I can .
Augustine Distillery
22 19 DestinationGolf . travel
Historic marker , Fernandina Beach , Amelia Island