It has been a while since we had the RV out on the open road, so we decided to take a short trip up to St Augustine during the Thanksgiving holiday. Carrigan and her dog Cousteau rode up with us, and Travis joined us later in the trip. We were a little nervous about how the coach would perform, but surprise, it ran flawlessly. So, if you were looking forward to one of those posts where we comically battle some pesky mechanical malfunction you will thankfully disappointed! Instead, we offer some perfectly pedestrian highlights from our visit to the “oldest city in the United States.”
St Augustine beach is one of the few beaches in Florida where you can drive on the beach, and it is also dog friendly. This was Cousteau’s third visit to a beach. On his first visit he wanted nothing to do with the water. On his second visit he was more adventurous and managed to take on quite a bit of salt water biting at the waves. This would soon become a problem as the poor dog experienced a bout of explosive diarrhea. We were concerned this might temper his enthusiasm, but on this trip, he enjoyed running, digging, and chasing the waves. He did not seem interested in consuming the water! Progress.
Carrigan has a close friend, and fellow Fighting Texas Aggie, that works as a conservator at the St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. We stopped in to visit and explore the museum. The lighthouse is 165 feet tall, and you can reach the top via 219 steps. The view from the top is outstanding! Christmas season is a great time to visit the museum as everything is festively decorated and themed Christmas trees can be found throughout the grounds and exhibits.
When Travis caught up with us on the second day and we explored the Lightner Museum and the Flagler College campus in downtown St Augustine. This area of town is beautiful, defined by the Spanish Renaissance Revival architecture popularized by railroad magnate Henry Flagler.
The Lightner Museum occupies the former Alcazar Hotel and contains one of the most eclectic collections we’ve seen under one roof. Tiffany glass, Victorian era musical instruments, shells, geological specimens, stained glass, paintings, electric toasters, taxidermy, and even a mummy. It is a great museum to wander around and enjoy the whimsy. We also enjoyed lunch served in a little café that sets in what used to be the hotel’s swimming pool. At the time it was built, it was the world’s largest indoor swimming pool.
We also enjoyed walking around the historic downtown area, visiting the local distilleries, and taking the holiday lights tram tour. St Augustine is a wonderful place. If you haven’t been there, you should definitely plan to visit!
Below the Line
Something exciting is coming soon...
Comments