Legend has it that Spanish explorer Ponce de León came to St. Augustine looking for the fountain of youth, which he never found. That hasn’t discouraged today’s visitors who still come searching for their own version of the fountain of youth, whatever that might be.
Located about 40 miles south of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Florida is known as the oldest city in the United States, dating back to 1565. Though relatively small with 15,000 residents, St. Augustine has plenty to offer in the way of beaches, history, and outdoor activities. Anastasia State Park is a good place to camp while exploring the many attractions throughout the area.
St. Augustine beach. Photo by Heather Paul, Flickr
As state parks go, this is a decent one with plenty of amenities including 139 sites with 30/50 amp electric, water, restrooms, and Wi-Fi. The beach is just a short walk or bike ride away, and concessioners rent bicycles, paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes.
St Johns Golf & Country Club
As the Sunshine State is well-known for its variety of quality golf courses, visitors will thoroughly enjoy St. Johns Golf and Country Club located halfway between Jacksonville and St. Augustine.
Opened in 2001, this 18-hole Clyde Johnston-designed course is the community’s centerpiece that welcomes all visitors. The par 72 track stretches to 7,236 yards and features tree-lined fairways and large, fast greens.
In addition to the course, St. Johns Golf & Country Club also offers extensive practice facilities including a 10,000 sq. foot putting green, chipping green, and a double-sided driving range.
Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine
After a round of golf, be sure to check out the Grille Room, which overlooks the 9th and 18th greens. The Grille Room is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
One of the top attractions in the area is the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum. An active lighthouse and educational museum offering spectacular views and local history, the current lighthouse was built in 1874 and is situated at the north end of Anastasia Island.
Check out the legendary Fountain of Youth while you’re in downtown St. Augustine. Back in 1901, an enterprising woman bought an estate in St. Augustine and began to charge people to drink from the fountain located on the property.
She claimed that it was Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth, and patrons immediately began flocking to the site. Whether or not you believe in the legend, take a sip of the water and see what happens!
Rick Stedman is an avid golfer, RVer, and writer who lives in Olympia, Washington. Rick writes a golf column, “The RV Golfer,” which is published every month in rvlife.com. He can be reached at rstedman@gmail.com.
St. Augustine is the oldest European community in North America. The oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America is Oraibi on the Hopi Nation in Arizona and predates St. Augustine by some 500 years.
What a wonderful advertisement! Too bad there are no sewer hookups at any of the Florida State Parks
. I prefer North Beach Campground on A1A just north of St. Augustine. Extra large campsites in the dunes across the street is the beach. 10 minutes to the fort.
Vastly overrated, rude, and over priced.
Don’t bother
Yeah, well, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.
There is sewer at Topsail, Grayton and Henderson Beach in the FL panhandle.