Experiencing the Magic of St. Augustine Beaches

St. Augustine, FL, renowned for its history and picturesque coastal landscapes, is home to some of the most stunning beaches in the region. These shores offer a serene escape with their soft, white sands and Atlantic blue waters, making them a perfect backdrop for both relaxation and adventure. This blog provides an overview of our beaches and shares some local insights for each one. Whether you're looking to soak up the sun, explore the natural beauty, or enjoy water sports, St. Augustine's beaches provide an idyllic setting that appeals to residents and visitors alike. Matanzas Inlet Beach At the most southern tip of Anastasia Island you’ll find Matanzas Inlet. It is one of the most beautiful beaches St. Augustine has to offer and plays an integral role in St. Augustine's rich history. It’s also a hub of several recreational pursuits like hiking, swimming, fishing (on the beach or off of the Matanzas Inlet bridge), bird watching, kayaking, and more! The entire park encompasses 300 acres with 4 ecosystems: the beach on the Atlantic Ocean with white sand, dunes, and dune meadows; the coastal scrub environment; the maritime forest; and the Matanzas River estuary. Matanzas Inlet has 2 main areas and 3 parking lots. At the park's northern end is the entrance to the Fort Matanzas Monument. The Fort Matanzas Monument includes access to the fort via ferry, a visitor's center, and parking area. The other main area is the park’s southern end where you can access the beach on either side of A1A Blvd near the Matanzas Inlet bridge. On the east side is a parking lot with a boardwalk to the Atlantic Ocean beach and on the west side is another parking area with access to the beach along the Matanzas River estuary. The park service frequently offers guided walks that meet in the southwest parking lot. Vehicles are not permitted at Matanzas Inlet beach and there are no buildings or homes on the beach either, adding to the beauty and serenity of the area. Keep an eye out for incredible oceanic wildlife, such as dolphins, manatees and sea turtles, that are often seen swimming along the inlet channel. Matanzas Inlet is a premier destination for boaters anchoring along the western Matanzas River estuary. Going to Matanzas Inlet by boat offers the best views of the fort and gorgeous landscape. You can rent boats just a few miles North of Matanzas Inlet at Devil’s Elbow Fishing Resort. Matanzas Inlet is one of my personal favorite boat day destinations in St. Augustine. Local Tip: The water at Matanzas Inlet is the clearest compared to other local beaches, especially on calmer days. The west side of Matanzas Inlet has a huge sandbar that you can walk out to at low tide. You can also walk or ride a bike around from the east side to the inlet on the west side by going under the Matanzas Inlet bridge on the beach, so you can enjoy both areas without having to walk across A1A Blvd. Make sure to pack food and drinks for your beach day. There are no stores nearby and the closest restaurant (Commander’s Seafood) is about 3 miles away. Crescent Beach Crescent Beach is a beautiful stretch of the NE Florida coast located just north of Matanzas Inlet and a personal favorite. Its sweeping coastline carving out a huge “C” where it meets the Atlantic Ocean creates a crescent shape giving the area its name. At the center of Crescent Beach is Crescent Beach Park with picnic gazebos, dune crossovers, restrooms, showers and convenient parking. Vehicle beach access is allowed at the Crescent Beach Park ramp on Cubbedge Road. Visitors can enjoy relaxing on the beach or participating in a variety of water sports like surfing, swimming, and boogie boarding. The hard-packed sand lends itself to an array of activities, including beach bike rides, walks, frisbee, and bocci ball. Crescent Beach is slightly off the proverbial beaten path. One of its key features is that it has the nostalgic ambiance of “old Florida.” Crescent Beach has little commercial development. It is mostly made up of private homes and condominium complexes, but you will still find delicious seafood available at nearby eateries. Wooden boardwalks provide safe access to the beach across the protected sand dunes. The Crescent Beach area is the narrowest part of Anastasia Island, so you’ll enjoy views of the Intracoastal Waterway as you drive along A1A Blvd and even while using some of the dune crossovers to the beach. Local Tip: The best time to go to Crescent Beach is when the tide is going out or at low tide. If you have a boat, there are a couple public boat ramps to the Intracoastal in the Crescent Beach area offering convenient access to Matanzas Inlet from the water. On days when the Atlantic Ocean is calm, take your boat out into the ocean via Matanzas Inlet and cruise along Crescent Beach to truly marvel at its beauty. Butler Beach Located on Anastasia Island, two miles south of St. Augustine Beach, the Frank B. Butler County Park aka Butler Beach offers a quiet beach with full facilities for visitors. The park is dedicated to preserving the sensitive dune system that is home to the endangered Anastasia Island Beach Mouse and the Florida Gopher Tortoise. You will commonly see gopher tortoises, rabbits and other dune meadow inhabitants in the dunes at Butler Beach. Butler Beach played a significant role in the struggle for civil rights in the 1960s. Its history comes from a vision of having a place where African Americans in the area could enjoy the beach and Intracoastal Waterway like everyone else. Butler Beach became the first and only beach for African Americans between Daytona Beach and Fernandina Beach. You can easily reach Butler Beach via two main points: Matanzas Avenue and Mary Street. Both allow vehicles to drive onto the beach, but Mary Street is the only one with a parking area and dune crossover. It also has a pavilion and picnic tables, making it an ideal spot for gatherings. Interested in horseback riding on the beach? You can do that at Butler Beach too! You’ll just need a permit or go with a local stable. Butler Beach is the widest on Anastasia Island, so you can enjoy it no matter the tide and have plenty of space from other beachgoers. It is also a mostly residential area with no hotels or condominium complexes on the beach, keeping crowds at a minimum. The park's expansive shoreline and beautiful location on scenic A1A make it a popular beach destination for visitors and locals alike. Local Tip: After spending the day at the beach, go to Frank B. Butler Park West (across A1A Blvd) to catch the sunset. The view is incredible! St. Augustine Beach & the Ocean Pier Park Drive four miles from St. Augustine’s Historic Downtown and you’ll stumble upon the 17th best beach in the U.S. according to Tripadvisor’s 2023 Traveler’s Choice Awards - St. Augustine Beach. There are a million things to do here, but some of the most popular include sipping on cool tropical drinks from a seaside restaurant, fishing, sunbathing, skimboarding, surfing, and kiteboarding. There are some great surf breaks in St. Augustine Beach, especially near the pier. The St. Johns County Ocean & Fishing Pier is the main hub for St. Augustine Beach. It offers free parking, a splash park & playground, picnic tables, restroom facilities, outdoor showers, lighted beach volleyball courts, a covered pavilion and direct beach access. You can walk out onto the pier for a fee to see the beautiful coastline or go fishing off of the pier. The pier hosts a local farmer’s market every Wednesday as well as weekly evening live music concerts during the summer season. Vehicles are not permitted on the beach between the pier and A Street, which is the most northern vehicle access point to the beach on Anastasia Island. All other beach access points on Anastasia Island north of A Street are walk-on only. In addition to A Street and the pier, there are public sandy paths through the dunes to the beach located at the east end of each street in the St. Augustine Beach area with free parking nearby. Another great access point to St. Augustine Beach is at Ocean Hammock Park, which is located just north of the Publix Shopping Center. Local Tip: St. Augustine Beach is one of the busiest in town due its location. It is also a narrower beach, so it is best to go at low tide. St. Augustine Beach is the one to go to if you want convenient access to the beach and a lot of restaurants/bars within walking distance. Anastasia State Park Beach Take a walk on a four-mile stretch of pristine white sand at Anastasia State Park Beach. It ranks #6 as one of the best state parks in the United States and is known for an assortment of exciting recreational activities. Camping, windsurfing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, swimming, paddle boarding and sailing are available at Anastasia State Park. Sixteen hundred acres of land and four miles of dazzling oceanfront views continue to invite travelers from near and afar. Visitors can slow down and take in the bright and blissful views of the beach, float along the waves, or sink into the depths of a good book on the soft and sandy shore. Vehicles are not allowed on Anastasia State Park Beach, so it is walk-on only. Toward the inland, you'll find an estuarine tidal marsh, a place brimming with vibrant plants and wildlife. A magnificent view of osprey, warblers, spoonbills, eagles, and other native wildlife is on the Ancient Dunes Nature Trail. Visitors can gain a higher appreciation for the environment and its conservation. The 138 campsites give visitors the chance to spend a night near a campfire, take full advantage of the facilities, book a wedding, or enjoy an event. There are two stores within Anastasia State Park. The first store is Anastasia Watersports, which offers rentals on sailboats, kayaks, and other watercraft. The second store is Island Joe's and it sells camping supplies, snacks, and other items designed to make a trip to Anastasia State Park an effortless experience. Anastasia State Park is the only beach in St. Augustine where dogs are not allowed. You also have to pay a fee to enter Anastasia State Park. Local Tip: Rent a bike and cruise around the State Park on a beautiful sunny day. Or better yet, rent an e-bike and ride it onto Anastasia State Park Beach heading North to the inlet. You’ll enjoy incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean, dune meadows and the St. Augustine Lighthouse! Vilano Beach In Northern St. Augustine, where the Tolomato River meets the Atlantic Ocean, you can find Vilano Beach. The Vilano Beach area is charmingly Art Deco, with its tiled fountains and retro pier. The beach has a steep drop-off, heavier surf, and a strong current due to its location near the inlet, which makes it ideal for surfing (especially when the tide is coming in). The main access area to the beach is located right on the Atlantic, at 2725 Anahma Drive. The beach area continues around the southern end of Vilano Beach to Porpoise Point, a favorite place for fishing, sunbathing, swimming and launching jet skis. Visitors can enjoy both sunrises and sunsets from this area as well as views of the St. Augustine Lighthouse on Anastasia Island and the Historic Downtown skyline. The Vilano Beach Pier is located nearby on the river side of the island. The pier is one of the many excellent places to fish in St. Augustine and serves as a venue for Vilano Beach events, including fishing tournaments and festivals. There is a floating dock with a ramp from the pier where small boats may tie up for an hour or two. Some smaller tourist cruise boats depart from this pier as well, including the St. Augustine Water Shuttle offering a unique and scenic transportation route between Vilano Beach and Historic Downtown. There are a number of excellent restaurants in the Vilano Beach area, as well as a large grocery store and shops where beachgoers can stop in for some last-minute items. Local Tip: Vilano Beach is a hot spot for shark tooth hunting and whale watching. Northern Right Whales are typically seen during their annual migration between December and March.  Vilano Beach also has the most consistent surf break in all of St. Augustine! Guana State Park Beach The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTMNERR) protects 73,000 acres of Florida's Northeast coast, stretching from Ponte Vedra Beach to Palm Coast. The Reserve is divided geographically into a Northern Component in St. Johns County and a Southern Component, which is primarily in Flagler County. The Northern Component is associated with the Tolomato and Guana River estuaries featuring over 10 miles of trails through a variety of preserved habitats and scenic boardwalks along A1A that provide 3 separate beach access points. The pristine and beautiful landscape offers great recreational opportunities such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking, beachcombing and more. Guana State Park Beach is the most Northern beach in St. Augustine. The parking lot for the beach is located at 1798 Ponte Vedra Blvd. Many of the guided trails hosted by the Research Reserve begin at this location. Local Tip: Guana State Park Beach is one of the least crowded beaches in St. Augustine, so it is worth the drive! Given its secluded location, you’ll need to pack food and drinks for your beach day. The closest restaurants are about 15 minutes away. If you go to this beach, you should take a hike through the state park trails too. The trails will take you to the Intracoastal Waterway where you can hop in the water at low tide. The views over the Intracoastal are stunning, especially at dusk! Feeling the sand beneath your feet yet? Why not explore your options and view properties in St. Augustine so you can make your beach life dreams a reality? Contact me today to get started.

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Oyster Season in St. Augustine, FL

Located in northeast Florida along the Atlantic Ocean coastline, St. Augustine, Florida, is known for its exquisite local seafood. Flounder, cobia, snapper, grouper, shrimp…it’s all just a short boat ride away. Among the treasures of our coastal waters are the Salt Run Oysters, harvested right here in St. Augustine. These local delicacies are known for their medium size and a taste that perfectly balances saltiness with a sweet finish. As the oyster season in St. Augustine is in full swing from November to March, there's still ample time to indulge in the unique taste and experience that our local oysters have to offer.  Where to Find the Best Local Oysters in St. Augustine St. Augustine boasts a variety of spots where seafood lovers can enjoy fresh, Salt Run oysters. Here are some of the best places to add to your culinary itinerary from a local’s perspective: FA Cafe: A cozy spot located in St. Augustine Beach that’s known for its laid-back atmosphere and delicious seafood offerings. FA Cafe hosts weekly oyster happy hour specials during oyster season, so it is a great place to enjoy oysters without breaking the bank. St. Augustine Fish Camp: Offers a scenic water view to complement their wide array of oyster dishes, featuring local oysters and imported oysters from places like Virginia and Prince Edward Island. St. Augustine Fish Camp is located in the Lincolnville area of the historic downtown district. It’s one of the few downtown restaurants that has ample on-site parking and complimentary valet.  The Commanders Shellfish Camp: Located in Crescent Beach, Commaners is another laid back local seafood restaurant serving delicious Salt Run oysters and seafood. Conch House: Offering a unique waterfront dining experience, the Conch House Restaurant specializes in Caribbean style cooking. Sit down under a palm tree on the outside deck or dine in one of the Jamaican style grass huts over the water. Conch House overlooks the beautiful Salt Run waterway where the majority of our local oysters are harvested giving them their namesake.  St. Augustine Fish House & Oyster Company: A newer addition to the local food scene, offering fresh oysters and a variety of other local seafood options. Go on a Wednesday and enjoy $0.75 oysters! Hosting an Oyster Roast at Home Oyster roasts are a popular activity among St. Augustine locals and one of my favorite traditions here in St. Augustine during the colder months, usually next to an outdoor fire while football is on. Accompanied by music, libations and a beautiful setting, an oyster roast is a delightful way to gather friends and family for a memorable feast. Here's a beginner’s guide to hosting an oyster roast: Supplies Needed: Cooler with ice for storing oysters before the roast Oyster knives Cut-resistant gloves for handling A large pot for steaming (I use a turkey fryer set) Grilling equipment (if grilled oysters are preferred) Large table to dump the oysters on Saltine crackers, butter, favorite hot sauces, lemons Trash can for oyster shells (Oyster shells provide the best surface on which to grow juvenile oysters, so you should recycle your oysters by tossing them back into the Intracoastal; Just make sure that there’s no trash, like paper towels and cups, mixed in with the shells to avoid polluting our waterways) Where to Buy Local Oysters: Kyle's Seafood Market: 904-824-4580 │3874 N Ponce De Leon Blvd., St. Augustine, FL 32084   Price’s Oysters:  (904) 824-3773 │1774 Wildwood Dr., St. Augustine, FL 32086 Get Shuckin' Seafood (delivers oysters to your doorstep): (904) 372-3187 │ https://getshuckin.com/ Price’s Oysters is my personal favorite supplier for local Salt Run oysters. They also tend to have the cleanest oysters, but I still recommend spraying the oysters off before your roast. Oysters are harvested from the marsh, so some mud is inevitable.  Oysters are usually sold in “bushels.” One bushel typically has 100 oysters, which feeds approximately 4 to 6 people. Some suppliers will sell oysters in half bushels. So, take into account the number of people at your oyster roast to make sure you have enough to go around. Prices vary depending on the season and availability, so it's best to check with these suppliers directly for the most current information.  Pro Tip: Do not overcook your oysters! The Salt Run oyster will still be tasty, but will shrink in size and be slightly tougher if steamed for too long. Typically, it is best to steam the oysters for 5 to 8 minutes. You might have to steam them for longer, depending on the size of the oysters. You will have a better idea of the length of time once you have steamed your first batch. It also depends on people’s preferences (some might prefer a well-done oyster while others like them only slightly steamed - personally, I prefer the latter). You can always throw the oysters back into the pot to cook more after opening a few and feel they need to be steamed longer, so always err on the side of less time.  Conclusion Celebrating the oyster season in St. Augustine is a tradition that brings together the best of our local seafood culture. Whether you're enjoying freshly shucked oysters at one of our esteemed local restaurants or hosting your own oyster roast at home, the experience is a testament to the rich culinary and cultural tapestry of our beloved city. So, before the season ends in March, make sure to indulge in this local delicacy and discover why St. Augustine's Salt Run oysters are celebrated far and wide. P.S. To truly embrace the local flavor, pairing your oysters with Datil Pepper Sauce is a must. The Datil Pepper Sauce, original to St. Augustine, offers a unique blend of heat and sweetness that complements the oysters' natural flavors beautifully. This combination not only enhances the dining experience, but also pays homage to St. Augustine's culinary heritage. My favorite local datil pepper hot sauce is Dat’l Hook Ya!

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How Virtual Reality Is Transforming the Real Estate Industry

In recent years, the real estate industry has undergone significant transformations, particularly in terms of technology. Innovations such as digital documentation, virtual tours, and video chat have revolutionized the way real estate agents connect with clients, regardless of their location. These options are particularly advantageous for buyers who are not local to the area or require flexibility in their schedules. Among these technological advancements, Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a game-changer, especially for home showings. Let’s delve into the transformative impact of VR in the real estate industry, offering insights into its benefits, challenges, and future prospects. The Rise of Virtual Reality in Real Estate: Virtual Reality technology has been around for a while, but its application in real estate is relatively new. Over the past few years, especially post-2020, there has been a significant uptick in the adoption of VR for real estate showings. This surge can be attributed to the need for remote viewing capabilities during the global COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted physical property visits. How VR Transforms Showings: Immersive Experience: VR provides potential buyers with a 360-degree view of the property, offering an immersive experience that closely mimics an in-person visit. This is particularly beneficial for out-of-town buyers or those unable to visit the property physically. Customization & Visualization: VR technology allows buyers to visualize changes in the property, like furniture rearrangement, wall colors, or decor modifications, without any physical effort or cost. Time & Cost Efficiency: With VR, real estate agents can show multiple properties to clients in a single session, saving time and travel expenses.  Enhanced Marketing: Real estate listings with VR tours attract more views and engagement, offering a competitive edge in the market. Properties with VR tours are perceived as more innovative and attractive to tech-savvy buyers. Challenges & Considerations: Technology Access & Adaptation: Not all clients may have access to or be comfortable with VR technology, which can limit its reach. Quality & Realism: The quality of VR experiences varies. High-quality, realistic VR tours require professional production, which can be costly. Physical Limitations: VR cannot fully replicate the tactile experience of a property, such as textures and spatial awareness. The Future of VR in Real Estate: The future of VR in real estate looks promising. As technology advances, we can expect more realistic and accessible VR experiences. The integration of augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) with VR could further enhance the home viewing experience, making it more interactive and informative. Conclusion: Virtual Reality is not just a futuristic concept, but a present-day tool that is revolutionizing the real estate industry. It offers an innovative way to view homes, saves time, and adds value to property listings. As we move forward, VR is poised to become an integral part of the real estate viewing and marketing process, offering an unparalleled experience to buyers and a competitive edge to sellers.

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