8 Tips for Your Vacation in St. Augustine

Truth be told, the innkeepers of the St. Augustine Historic Inns have many more tips for your vacation in St. Augustine than there are on this list. They are privy to deals and discounts at local attractions and restaurants, the best places to eat, ongoing events, and other great information. Let them be your source for the inside scoop in St. Augustine.

Additionally, don't hesitate to reach out if you are looking for a pet friendly bed and breakfast, child friendly bed and breakfast, or a bed and breakfast for your wedding celebration

Exploring the great outdoors in and around St. is a hugely popular activity for visitors and locals alike. However, it's imperative you have a basic knowledge of potentially dangerous animals and weather as well as protected wildlife. This way you'll be prepared in the event of an emergency. Although these dangers are unlikely to be an issue during your vacation, you can never be too safe. Check out the links below for educational articles on everything from rip tides to sea turtle nesting season.

· Alligators
· Beach Safety
· Hurricane Preparedness
· Manatees
· Rip Currents
· Sea Turtle Nesting

Each of the 25 St. Augustine Historic Inns are located within the Historic District which is one of the greatest luxuries of lodging with us - parking is a nonissue. However, sometimes walking isn't the best option. Parking nearby your destination may be your best bet if you have a long distance to travel, it's been a long hot summer day, or even if you're just plain tired. In these cases, don't stress because parking and transportation in St. Augustine are a bayfront breeze with the following tips and tools:

· Download the ParkStAug App which allows you to pay for parking in city-owned spaces from your smartphone. This way, you won't have to leave your dinner reservation and run to your car to "feed the meter" – it also stops you from lugging around a pocket full of coins.
· On Sundays and national holidays, meters and pay stations owned by the city and marked by the city crest are free.
· Monday through Saturday, meters and pay stations owned by the city and marked by the city crest are free before 10 am and after 5 pm.
· Note: Parking is never free in a privately-owned lot

One great tip for a vacation in St. Augustine is to explore the different things to do that are in the same region, on the same day. This will exponentially cut down on travel time. For example, since the St. Augustine Premier Outlets and World Golf Village are nearby one another, it's best to explore them in the same day as to not waste time traveling back and forth. This way of thinking can also be applied to exploring places on Anastasia Island on the same day.

St. Augustine's small-town feel can often mislead visitors into thinking that shops, restaurants, and bars close early during the weeknights. On the contrary, many boutiques, restaurants, as well as coffee and dessert shops stay open until 10 pm. So, you'll have plenty of options if you're looking to spend the late evening someplace other than a bar.

St. Augustine is immersed in history, heritage, and culture. But you may not get a chance to fully appreciate the melting pot of customs here unless you spend your vacation like a local. What we mean is, stick to the local businesses! There's no need to waste your time at big chain establishments when the locals have already tried-and-tested local eateries, boutiques, and things to do.

A hot tip for your vacation in St. Augustine? We have a long, fun list of free things to do that cover everything from history lessons to getting outside to enjoying live music to browsing art galleries. Check it out for yourself here.

On average, there are 223 sunny days per year in St. Augustine which means there are 142 days with some rain showers and clouds. In addition to that, many establishments make up for the warm sunny temperatures that are outdoors by having very cool temperatures indoors. Depending on what temperature you are comfortable with, you may find yourself chilly indoors and just right being outdoors or vice versa. So, a great tip for your vacation would be to pack an array of clothing including an umbrella and light jacket or sweater – even during the summer months.