It’s Only Natural
Outdoor enthusiasts will find much to love on Florida’s Historic Coast.
Whether it’s bird-watching at key stops along the Great Florida Birding
Trail, bicycling, beachcomber adventures, or fishing on shore and
offshore, there are plenty of eco-excursions to choose from.
The waters that surround Florida’s Historic Coast are part of the
60,000-acre Guana, Tolomato, Matanzas National Estuarine Research
Reserve—referred to by locals as the “GTMNERR.” This estuary stretches
from Ponte Vedra Beach down the coast to Marineland and contains
extensive salt marshes, oyster beds and maritime hammocks—a
fascinating place to explore.
Guided kayak tours provide an opportunity to get an up-close look at
dolphins and other marine wildlife. Salt marshes, accessible by boat or
kayak give way to foot trails that bisect the region’s beautiful maritime
hammocks and the St. Johns River Basin.
Giant sea turtles nest on St. Augustine’s beaches during the warm
summer nights, and in the winter months, the Northern Right Whale
can be spotted from shore.
With eight stops on the Great Florida Birding Trail, the area is a bird
watcher’s paradise—especially the St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Zoological Park where thousands of coastal birds make their homes
from March to June under the protection of the big gators. In April,
hundreds of birders and photographers from around the globe come
to participate in the Annual Florida’s Birding & Photo Fest with worldclass teachers, seminars and workshops.
Florida’s Historic Coast is also a cyclist’s paradise. Inviting weather yearround, breathtaking coastal vistas, and the quaint historic downtown
of St. Augustine are found on the AIA Scenic Byway – a route with
designated bike lanes between Ponte Vedra Beach to the north and
Marineland to the south. The area anchors the St. Johns River-to-Sea
Loop traveling through a five-county upper east-central region.
SJVCB_151200_Accommodations.indd 67
12/4/15 12:15:18 PM