ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA

ST. AUGUSTINE - The oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United States of America, St. Augustine is about 150 miles northeast of Tampa and a perfect weekend getaway. Its history dates back to 1565 when the Spanish settled at what is now a charming coastal town filled with cozy cafes, artisan stores, one-of-a-kind boutiques, and delicious bites. For all those history buffs out there (I can’t say I am one of them), St. Augustine was settled even prior to the Pilgrims arriving in Massachusetts and the English colonists to Jamestown, Virginia. Perhaps you all knew about St. Augustine, but it was a little gem I had the opportunity to recently discover and explore on a surprise weekend trip.

Let me go back a little to share how my trip to St. Augustine even came about:

You know when you read a book or watch a film where a best friend since childhood surprises the main character? Well, I have one of those best friends (and MANY other amazing friends that I am so blessed to have in my life). Her name is Larissa and she surprised me for my 37th birthday here in Tampa, FL. I like to think I have experienced a lot in my life by age 37, but I have to admit that moving to Florida has been a really unique transition for me:

• I moved across the country to a state I knew very little about and had little to no connections.

• I left friends and family that are irreplaceable. Sure—I can form a new community. But, that comes with time and it’s harder than it looks (at least, for me it has been).

• I was unemployed (remember how it took over 60 days for me to finally get my FL RN license? Well, fast forward a few months and my employment status will have changed, but during this trip I was still unlicensed and unemployed).

• I learned (quickly) how to be prepared for a major hurricane (twice).

• And I got eaten alive by “noseeum” bugs (I don’t think I will ever live that story down).

All that being said, it’s been a fun adventure for our family and I am grateful for this season in our lives.

Fast forward to November and Brad is keeping something up his sleeve. He’s quite horrible with keeping surprises, so I am truly impressed. While his parents were in town visiting us (it was so special), my parents and I were connecting about a time they could come visit. When I asked Brad about their coming in November, he implied that our house would be “a bit full.” I let it go and just planned for my family to visit around New Year’s instead.

Then, while Brad’s parents were visiting, I get a call from Larissa finally divulging hers and Brad’s little plan—for her to surprise me for my birthday!!! They, originally, planned to have her just show up at the door and see my complete shock; but, after she found out Brad’s parents would be in town at the same time and be able to help watch the girls, she thought it would be good to tell me so we can plan a weekend getaway. I was still so surprised when she told me she was coming to visit me for a whole weekend! Once it sunk in, we started researching nearby places we could visit. Thankfully, some of my friends that once lived in Florida (thank you, Franci and Julie) told me about St. Augustine. I trust their recommendations, so my research began.

First, Brad reserved us a nice Marriott hotel (of course) and then we planned our one-night getaway. We started our drive early Friday morning so we could get to St. Augustine in time to walk around and find a nice lunch. Larissa knows I love fish, so she had this great idea to find place we could get good fish. We found a small local restaurant called Florida Cracker Cafe. I got my fish (blackened grouper) and we shared some cheesy grits and fried green tomatoes (how could we not while in Florida??).

We walked around after lunch, and we quickly discovered how charming and full of character St. Augustine is. Of course, people visit for the historical side of the town, but it also happened to be the weekend of their big Christmas tree lighting (seriously, the event was to be on Saturday evening, but we were leaving that same morning). Locals and foreigners flock to St. Augustine to experience a truly spectacular Christmas experience. Before we headed back to the hotel, we stopped by a secondhand shop called Fifi's Fine Resale Apparel. In addition to having well-loved, well-cared for clothing and items, Fifi's was also owned by the quintessential female boss. She owns her own business and is loved by many. We were so happy to see this local business thriving.

That evening, we were pretty tired and ready to be inside relaxing, especially because it was quite cold (Larissa happened to come the weekend we were having a cold front). We mustered up the strength to go out and grab some comfort food to bring home and ended up at Murf’s Homestyle Togo. It’s a small little shop for pick-up only, but it is truly comfort style. And the owners were the sweetest. We got their fried brussel sprouts and hash brown casserole. Let me tell you, every bite was delicious. Our bellies and hearts were full and happy.

The next morning (after a peaceful sleep without children, even though we love them to the moon and back), we ventured out hoping to find another great local spot (by the way, Larissa is an expert at researching good spots in a matter of minutes. I think it’s a superpower). Larissa found Maple Street Biscuit Company. I am sure it would have been delicious given the long line; however, we got to the counter after waiting in the cold for over half an hour or so only to find out they had already ran out of their mushroom gravy biscuits and didn’t plan on making more. It was a bummer, but we walked around and got some earl grey tea at a quaint cafe called The Kookaburra. The Kookaburra is an Austrailian-inspired cafe that sells sweet and savory individual pies as well as other cafe goods and drinks. It was tempting to try the pies (they looked delicious), but we saved our stomachs for a full meal. Thus, our trip in St. Augustine ended, but our celebratory weekend did not.

After we left St. Augustine and began heading home, we were pretty hungry. So, we drove toward Ocala (after stopping for delicious oranges on the side of the road that cost about $5 for eight or so pounds) and found a local cafe where Larissa finally got her biscuits and gravy (with jalapenos, I believe). Then, we were on our way and enjoyed a scenic drive home.

The next morning, we woke up early (not so bright, but early) to swim with the manatees in Chyrstal River. Our tour began at 6:00 am. The owner said that, even though they tend to lose money on these earlier tours, they are so worth it for guests because these tours are around the time that manatees are waking up giving us more opportunity to encounter them. Plus, it is quieter and less crowded. So, we did it. We got up early and drove to swim with the manatees.

A little about swimming with the manatees: many locals and animal lovers approve of swimming with the manatees, which is why programs like ours (we booked with Explorida and loved them) continue to provide them. However, I tend to enjoy animals from afar. Even if we are not hurting them, I prefer not to bother them in their habitats. That being said, I knew this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we found the most ethical organization to guide us. Now, let me say, although this was something I was content not doing, it was quite spectacular. After donning our wetsuits and boarding our boat, we took a ride to the area we would be swimming (more like gliding) in. Trust me when I say I had to put my brave pants on because, if you know me well, you know water, the cold, swimming with sea creatures, and me do not usually go together. Well, that day, I did it. And it was beautiful. The first manatees we came across were a mother and its calf. They loved rolling underneath us. Apparently, they gravitate toward the nervous ones because manatees are empathetic animals and like to comfort those that are scared. I was definitely nervous, but I am glad Larissa encouraged me to come out of my shell for this one. It is definitely a memory we will never forget. Also, we stayed in that frigid water for 40 minutes (longer than the shortest tour the guides have experienced with other guests, which was 15 minutes). I would say that's a success in and of itself.

We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon relaxing and eating leftovers before heading to the airport for Larissa’s flight (we are very close to TPA, making it very convenient for travel and visitors).

The weekend was just perfect and a great reminder of the beautiful people in my life. Love you, Larissa! Love you, friends and family!!! You have no idea how much I miss you.

Hugs,

Ashley

Photo credits:

Photo of Bridge of Lions by https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos/st-augustine-florida

Photo of Manatee by "https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos/manatee">Manatee Stock photos by Vecteezy

The last photo was taken by Larissa. Funnily enough, neither of us took many photos. Maybe we are so used to just taking them of our families. Who knows? We also decided not to purchase our manatee photos, so they have watermarks on them. That being said, the memories will forever live in our hearts and minds.