Florida's Birding & Photo Fest official guide 2016 | Page 24

R E S T & R E L A X AT I O N Host Hotels Holiday Isle Oceanfront Resort 860 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine, FL 32080 Phone: [phone] Website: www.holidayisleoceanfront.com Offer: $115/night Southside (no view), $135/night Northside (partial ocean view) Drive Time: 30 minutes, 17 miles Comfort Inn & Suites 2367 State Road 16, St. Augustine, FL 32084 Phone: [phone] Email: [email protected] Website: www.comfortinnstaug.com Offer: $109.99/night Group: Bird Fest 2016 *Must be booked two weeks in advance Drive Time: 30 minutes, 16 miles Howard Johnson Inn Historic District 137 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL 32084 Phone: [phone] Group: Florida’s Birding and Photo Fest *Includes complimentary breakfast. This hotel is a stop on both the Red Train and Old Town Trolley Tours Drive Time: 19 minutes, 10 miles Beacher’s Lodge Oceanfront Suites 6970 A1A South, St. Augustine, FL 32080 Phone: [phone] Website: www.beacherslodge.com Offer: “Pay for 3, Stay for 4” nights special during the Birding & Photo Fest! Nightly rates range from $90-$245, and if you stay for 4 nights, your last night will be complimentary. Drive Time: 39 minutes, 21 miles St. Augustine Ocean & Racquet Resort 880 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine, FL 32080 Phone: [phone] Website: www.oceanandracquet.com Offer: $99/night Drive Time: 30 minutes, 17 miles Create a customized search to suit your needs by visiting additional lodging listings at www.floridashistoriccoast.com/listings/hotels Migrate over to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park Spoonies and Herons and Egrets, oh my! Photographers visiting the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park are astounded by the vast number of photographic opportunities provided by the hundreds of nesting wading birds. As a member of the Great Florida Birding Trail, this accredited zoo has been selected for its excellent bird watching and bird education opportunities. In the mid 1970’s the Alligator Farm expanded its Native Swamp exhibit and inadvertently developed an outstanding natural bird rookery. A winding boardwalk allows for the rare opportunity to view wild nesting birds at extremely close distances, at times literally within arm’s reach. Since the swamp was expanded, it has grown to become one of the most accessible natural bird rookeries in Florida. The two-acre exhibit is home not only to American alligators, American crocodiles and native turtles, but many different species of wading birds. Twelve species frequent the swamp, with eight of those nesting an