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 .