The holidays are magical in St. Augustine during their famous City Lights. Thrilled to be able to stay at a state park, Anastasia is very special with ocean access and gorgeous beaches. Plus, trails for exploring and waterways perfect for non-motorized watercraft. Though we did stay here years ago with a rented rv, having our pontoon made it even more special.
Unlike most trips, we didn't plan to grill out at all. Rather, we looked forward to supporting local restaurants for each dinner and boat during high sun each day despite the chilly temperatures. Oddbirds, a local eatery with unique offerings and creative cocktails, was close to our campsite and was an interesting first choice. Overall, it hit the spot but it lacked the customer service and attention to detail we crave when hoping for a truly terrific experience. Regardless, its convenience was nice as it took us three hours to get to our campground.
The next morning, we all slept in as our slide in camper was so cozy and warm. We dressed warmly and grabbed our extra blankets as we prepared to lunch our boat. The ramp was also close and very easy to navigate. With views of the St. Augustine lighthouse, it made us all excited for what was in store as the sun shone brightly. Once in the water, the Matzanas River made for #48 and it took us right into the historic downtown, how cool it was to see from the water!
As we roamed, no fishing as it was so cold, we found ourselves on river #49, the San Sebastián River. With several marine related businesses, apartments, mobile eateries and restaurants, it was impressive to see the energy of the town.
Knowing the sunshine was a must to make our trip enjoyable, we headed in after our dog, Seger, got to run for a bit. As an added bonus, two dear friends of mine were also in town scoping out rehearsal dinner venues for her son's wedding in December of 2023. Once cleaned up, we set off for the historic downtown to explore.
*** Please note, make reservations months in advance for camping and many weeks in advance for restaurants during this busy time of year in St. Augustine.
Many thousands of visitors walked the streets and rode the trollies, it was epic to see! Thankfully we had reservations for the famous, Colombia Restaurant later that evening, so when we parked it was sightseeing and sipping in store. Our friends met us at Tradewinds, great music and sing alongs! After a few other short stops, we made it to our dinner and it was delicious! With full tummies and the Christmas cheers all around us, we left for our campsite and enjoyed a nice fire before bed.
Our final full day started with a visit from our friends for coffee and conversation before they ventured back to the Treasure Coast. Once loaded, we were off and driving to a different boat ramp as we prepared for two more rivers to explore. We left from Aunt Kate's Place, nice ramp with a terrific restaurant on-site. Grabbed some chicken tenders and off we went.
Snuggled under blankets, we conquered rivers 50 and 51, the sun kissed our faces and dad even did a bit of fishing. Though we didn't get a chance to let Seger run wild and free, we did get to take him on a nice walk before driving back to Anastasia State Park to recharge before that nights' exploration.
Meehan's Irish Pub was busy and without reservations as a possibility, we were lucky to score some barstools outside and enjoyed their famous Mac and cheese. We strolled about and took in all the sights. It was leisurely and fun to walk across the Bridge of Lions and see the city's vast charm and glow.
Here's our podcast for even more insights and reviews: https://anchor.fm/glampingandriverroaming/episodes/St--Augustine-for-the-2022-Holidays-and-Rivers-48-51-e1true
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