OT-St.Augustine

[margiemc]

Has anyone ever stopped in St.Augustine on the way to or from WDW? My mother was asking me about picking up some religious medals for her from there. Where would be the best place to go? We are driving to WDW, so transportation is not a problem. Thanks!!

[spiceycat]

I don't know what you are talking about. Sorry!!!

[suzannews]

We love St Augustine, we've vacationed on the beach there twice and drove into town. Its about 2 hours from Disney. I don't know where you would buy religious medals.

Closer to Disney, the Mary Queen of the Universe Shrine church right off of I4 has a very nice and large gift shop where I've bought things in the past and then had them blessed by the priest.

[hobogary]

We stop for a day quite often, not sure about the medals, but the fountain of youth and old fort are nice. Do you need motel recomendations? info on touring?

[margiemc]

hobogary,

Some touring ideas would be great, thanks! I started looking around on the websites for St.Augustine, but didn't quite find what I wanted. So, I turned to my friends on the DIS Boards. They always have the answers:thumbsup2

[HopperFan]

You can stay on the 95 and drive the 10 minutes or so to town, stay in town with a wide choice of walking and driving distance to historic area, or you can stay out on the beach which is 4 miles from town. Haved stayed at Comfort Inn on 95 by golf center which is nice, Country Inn and Suites in town which was fine but we drove the mile to historic area, and out on the beach is a Hampton Inn, Days Inn and I think Holiday Inn that looked good (we stayed in condo). The old fort in town is nice as is just walking all over the historic area. Lots of tours, St. Augustine Village, Flagler College, Lightner Museum, Fountain of Youth and more commercial like the Wax Museum, Ripleys and Old Jail. You can get a carriage/horse tour which would be nice taking you all over the area, there is also a trolley tour. Medals may be found in shops but I would also check the Mission of Nombre http://www.missionandshrine.org/. On the main road by historica area and has massive cross out on marshland. St. Augustine is a great side trip - but be careful, we made it a couple day side trip and now vacation there and DD wants to go to college there !

ps My wish places are to stay right in the middle of it are Casa Monica http://www.casamonica.com/ or the new Hilton http://www.hiltonhistoricstaugustine.com.

[spiceycat]

I was wrong my brother lives in St Augustine

his reply

" yes, there are many shops that sell replicas of historic Spanish and English religious artifacts. Some shops have on line catalogs."

but he gave no websites or references.

I would say here the castle (fort) too.

http://www.nps.gov/casa/

[spiceycat]

here is another site
http://www.staugustine.com/visit/

[Bella the Ball 360]

You have to go to the St. Augustine Lighthouse. It is one of the most haunted places in America. Just talking to the people who work in the gift shop will give you chills BUT I would say bring a camera and take lots of pictures. We did and let me tell you I have two that are very scary. One shows the outline of a man with a moustache and beard wearing kind of a fisherman's yellow hat. My son was the ONLY one in the room and there was nothing on the wall to reflect. The other is from the bottom of the circular stairway you can clearly see a little girl with curley hair leaning over the railing from the top looking down.

I have no idea how to post them or I would show them to you. I am going to send them to TAPS or should I say my son is.

[spiceycat]

I want to see those too

are they on your computer already? if so you can just upload to

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/

but you must sign up for yahoo first - it is free.

[hobogary]

Looks like everyone else has given you the list. We have stayed out by 95, in old town and south on St Augustine beach. All had nice places.

[Bella the Ball 360]

I want to see those too

are they on your computer already? if so you can just upload to

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/

but you must sign up for yahoo first - it is free.

I will try and get my son to do it for me. I do not know how to do any of the camera stuff. I am stricktly a Word and Internet person(who can buy stuff). :rotfl:

[HopperFan]

Or you can use photobucket for free. If I could figure that out, am sure you can. Would love to see it !! Forgot about being down in that basment and all, I bet there are a few spirits :goodvibes We loved that side trip. I am mortified of heights, but snuck out for a few pictures. Here is lighthouse and view to ocean ~
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f306/bmozmumy/StAugustine046.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f306/bmozmumy/StAugustine055.jpg

[Amity 3]

You have to go to the St. Augustine Lighthouse. It is one of the most haunted places in America. Just talking to the people who work in the gift shop will give you chills BUT I would say bring a camera and take lots of pictures. We did and let me tell you I have two that are very scary. One shows the outline of a man with a moustache and beard wearing kind of a fisherman's yellow hat. My son was the ONLY one in the room and there was nothing on the wall to reflect. The other is from the bottom of the circular stairway you can clearly see a little girl with curley hair leaning over the railing from the top looking down.

I have no idea how to post them or I would show them to you. I am going to send them to TAPS or should I say my son is.

go to http://photobucket.com/ and open an account.

you need to post these, please. :)

[Bella the Ball 360]

Or you can use photobucket for free. If I could figure that out, am sure you can. Would love to see it !! Forgot about being down in that basment and all, I bet there are a few spirits :goodvibes We loved that side trip. I am mortified of heights, but snuck out for a few pictures. Here is lighthouse and view to ocean ~
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f306/bmozmumy/StAugustine046.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f306/bmozmumy/StAugustine055.jpg

Did you talk to the clerks in the store? They told me of lots of manifestations one that had just happened the day before with the little spirits. I guess it is supposed to be a boy and a girl (did not know this when I took the photo). The clerk told us the day before she was trying to get ready to open up and she kept hearing a tap tap and then she would tap tap and they they would tap tap back with a different set of sounds. The spirit did not want to stop until the clerk said,"Okay cut it out I have work to do".
She told us that one of the men who works in the store will not stay after closing because one night he was there with another employee and someone(thing) took and SLAMMED the door in the room that they were in but the two employees were the only "people" in the place!

They said they get lots of visits and that the spirits are quite active. These women looked pretty sane too!

[HopperFan]

Very cool :thumbsup2 The day we went it was very busy and we really didn't get to talk to anyone. I am going to go through all my pictures....could I have been so lucky :goodvibes

Of course, now I have to go back !!

[Bella the Ball 360]

go to http://photobucket.com/ and open an account.

you need to post these, please. :)

I PROMISE to get my son to do it tonigt(probably have to pay him!). I do not even know how to get into the photos on the computer! TRUST me! I hate being computer illiterate and at the mercy of an 18 year old!

:mad:

Anyone who had teenagers can tell you it is not a pretty sight when a parent has to beg a child to show them something on the computer. I find that the kids really lord it over the parents at least my darling little child does!:rotfl: BUT I will make the sacrifice so you guys can see the photos.

[lovethattink]

St. Augustine is a great place to visit, even if only for a pit stop.

There are so many stories about St. Augustine since it has been a viable town for centuries. We had a tour guide tell us that the term "dead ringer" and "grave yard shift" came from St. Augustine. I'd tell the story he told us, but it's very gross. Has to do with the plague.

[HopperFan]

I PROMISE to get my son to do it tonigt(probably have to pay him!). I do not even know how to get into the photos on the computer! TRUST me! I hate being computer illiterate and at the mercy of an 18 year old!

:mad:

Anyone who had teenagers can tell you it is not a pretty sight when a parent has to beg a child to show them something on the computer. I find that the kids really lord it over the parents at least my darling little child does!:rotfl: BUT I will make the sacrifice so you guys can see the photos.

THANK YOU ! Beg him for us :goodvibes I really want to see the photos. I looked and don't have any visitors. Now I found one at the fort in one of the bottom rooms, with a guy I am wondering if he was really there.........don't remember him.........but he probably worked there, just alittle pale.........
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f306/bmozmumy/StAugustine010.jpg

[Mari annie]

Beautiful place!

We stop on our way to MCO for 3 days, there's a coupon book that we use
travelcoupons.com(red book) they don't mail them out but do have them on their site.
Rates are cheapest M-Thursday's. We always stay in the Historic District, this will be our 5th year. We do this in Feb/April and the Fall.

What religious medals are you talking about? There isn't any store that I can think of that carries them.:confused3
There is a Mission of De Hombres? Maybe you can call there? We took the trolly tour near there, but haven't been inside.

There's so much to do if you want any information let me know, send me a message.;)

We have done all the tourist spots and last April they introduced a ghost tour at Ripley's Museum, great! My teen/older teen had a great time, you go on a trolly tour, of alot of the haunting places there which includes a narrative tour of the hauntings/stories of St Augustine and you are given those heat sensors gadgets (forget the name sorry), and a instant camera incl. in the tour, very interesting, on the end of the tour, you are brought back to Ripley's Museum, after hours, certain areas of the Museum, you can use your heat senors, and supposedly that is where ghosts are. Before it was Ripley's it was a private home and a hotel and supposedly murder(s) and deaths took place there.......
In Feb we are doing the haunted Lighthouse tour.:rolleyes1
Our kids are 14 and almost 18 I wouldn't recommend this for young kids.

Happy trails in St Augustine!:dance3:

[NeedaVacation03]

It is so exciting reading all this. We just rented a condo 2 weeks ago to stay in St. Augustine for a week after our Disney vacation. I have wanted to go for the history and I knew the kids would love the beach, but it is great to know that there is so much to do there. The ghost stories are really cool. My younger daughters will hate it but my oldest will think it is neat.
Keep the tips coming!!!

[DisneyTabby]

My family has gone to St. Augustine for years. I would recommend going to tha Alligator Farm and the Fort in the historic district. These are great for kids. I f you are looking for places to eat there's a place called Harry's and for shrimp lovers definitely go to Osteens{ they were on the food network's Best Of } We usually stay at the Marion motor lodge because it's walking distance to everything in town and you're right across from the bay and some mornings you can see dolphins in the bay from your room if you stay on the second floor and they have the best prices compared to everything in the same area. We totally love going here before we head to Orlando!

[Mari annie]

My family has gone to St. Augustine for years. I would recommend going to tha Alligator Farm and the Fort in the historic district. These are great for kids. I f you are looking for places to eat there's a place called Harry's and for shrimp lovers definitely go to Osteens{ they were on the food network's Best Of } We usually stay at the Marion motor lodge because it's walking distance to everything in town and you're right across from the bay and some mornings you can see dolphins in the bay from your room if you stay on the second floor and they have the best prices compared to everything in the same area. We totally love going here before we head to Orlando!

Disney Tabby! That's where we stay!OMG!!!!
You guys watch the food network as well-Osteens' is really great! We usually look in that little antique shop while we wait for our table!
Don't you like the Spanish Bakery? How about that pocketbook place?!
27 more days! Can't come quick enough!!!
We started going 5 years ago, and what a place, gorgeous, quiet, and I wouldn't stay in other hotel, the 3 beds in the room is so great, don't you think?!! The guy who checks us in (he looks like Santa) is so nice and always gives us the rate in the coupon book vs the person that owns the place, so we check in after hours----it's race week* they always told us and that place on tuesday-thursday is literally empty! But the weekends=that's when we head to MCO!!!! We found a great find and can't wait to get there!
What a small world! :thumbsup2
Have you been to the resteraunt on the pier? We go sometimes for drink, during the week it's less crowded!
Have fun, I know you will!!!!
Check out their library in the downtown area (park near the carousel)they have computers you can use to keep in touch with people and also to keep in touch with Disboards!!LOL!

email me if you have any other finds/shops/etc you'd like to share!
pixiedust: pixiedust: pixiedust:
May all your trips be wonderful ones!!!!

talk about flying vs driving, no comparison!!!LOL!:flower3:

[HopperFan]

Last trip we ate at a great seafood spot ON the beach, south of St. Augustine A1A. Two story, we sat upstairs and watched the ocean. Excellent food and very very reasonable. Something like Beachside Grille.....beach parking lot next to it.

Our biggest food find - The Crabcake King - he sells them at the St. Augustine Farmer's Market by the pier (ocean pier), I believe it is Wed am. Something like 5 for $11. We baked them (from frozen), they are so big it was all we had with salad and bread. Wish we had gone back to bring a ton home. Look here, has a photo of them http://www.staugbchcivicassoc.com/arthur.html

Oh, and there is a Disney Outlet Store at the outlet mall on 95 the ones on the eastern side of the highway.

Check out the boat tours, I think there is even a Pirate/Ghost tour in the evening.

[DisneyTabby]

Hi Mari annie!
Just a few more notes to keep in mind. There's a coffee shop near St.George street called Rockin Bean-great coffee. Also,the restaurant on the pier is called Santa Maria. The last time we ate there it wasn't so good but it's been awhile.Also in town where all the shops are try the Florida Cracker for lunch-awesome!! Also across from the church there's a little walk through mall and towards the back there's a little sandwich place-great sandwiches.
My mother was born and raised here and my grandfather had a shrimp boat so I was raised on St.Augustine.Also check out the Lightner museum-can't be missed. The guy at the Marion is named Hank,if I'm thinking of the right guy,and his mother is the owner of the place. We just walk everywhere in town and drive to the other places. The lighthouse is great! Oldcity.com has info on attractions and such. There's a mini golf course by the Lions bridge that my kids enjoy.

[Mari annie]

Thank you!

We did the Lightner and Flagler last year.
Very nice!
The place for breakfast, is that on St George St near the old ? Hospital, I can't think of the name.
That's cheap/good.
There's also the St Augustine Art Society near there as well, great place to go check out some artist's work!

We are going to try that Greek Resteraunt across from the park (common) near downtown. Have you gone to the Buttery? My dh likes their coffee.

There's so much to do for such a quaint place.
We like having lunch at the Mexican Resteraunt on the Corner, up stairs* on the outside patio ( I am not good with names but they have a great lunch menu/reasonable, don't go there at night, too expensive.
Our favorite Spanish Resteraunt is The Columbian, but that one doesn't compare to the one in Downtown Celebration! The Columbian in St Augustine is very touristy, (better gift shop though)LOL! but they hurry up and rush you (try to get more tourists in) of course service is so so. Celebration is much better, it's just that we have waited months for the 1905 Salad, so we put up with the other stuff!!lol!
I wouldn't stay any where else but the Historic Distict. Only one complaint, during the week everything closes up so early-can't understand why though?!
It's all tourists...weekends is so packed.
The Cracker Resteraunt I really would like to try.
If you have any more tips keep them coming, we love all kinds of foods, and we'll try it!
Did they ever open that Chocolate Factory up?
I can't say enough about such a beautiful place!
We have been all over and the islands, this place is something very special!
Do you know anything about a gentlemen that used to carve designs out of real money in that little alley way in the market in the Historic District? He moved/left he had some great stuff, he hasn't been there in a couple years, if you have any info on him, or his name/contact, let me know.
We took the kids to the Alligator Zoo last year.
It has special memories for me because years ago, I went there with my family when I was about 5 to the Fountain of Youth, and back then they had a Grist Mill Resteraunt there, and I found some people that remembered that, it's no longer on that property, and for years I told my dh and he thought I was halucinating or something, and over the bridge on Anastia Island there's like a plaza there, and we went in to look at souvenirs, and there was an older gentlemen and we got to talking to him and he said he came from MI in the early 6o's and there was a Grist Mill on the Fountain of Youth Property, and I was happy to find someone who new what I was talking about.
Since my dad passed away last March, I have been rethinking about the family trips to FL as child and that really made my day to know I was dreaming-funny how our minds work, we think back about childhood things, we went to visit St Augustine alot way back then, my relatives lived in Sanford, FL *they were in the Navy, I truly believe because of my family trips with my family from MA-FL this helped to start all the car trips with my own dh and dd and ds over the years. Nice memories.
Thank you again! :wizard:

PSPS Since you have family that is from that area, I am also trying to find out what area had the Indian Burial ground, I have pictures of that, lots of moss trees, etc and there was someplace that had aquariums of fish tanks, like a museum, the older gent on Anastasia Island seemed to think it was some place that closed a long time ago..........

[DisneyTabby]

The Indian buriel ground was in the Fountain of Youth. Also the aquarium pictures are from Marineland I think that is still open. It was bought buy two brothers a couple years back after it had closed. The greek restaurant had a great breakfast if they still serve it. The restaurant that is upstairs is that near the Marion? If so it has a bar below that makes their own beers. Also you can't forget Ripley's near the fort. For anyone looking for some quiet days before or after Orlando St.Augustine is great.

[spiceycat]

here is
http://www.marineland.net/

there is a seafood restuarant close to my brother - that is outstanding - he lives along A1A - in between the ocean and outlet(? - probably using the wrong term).