Wow, friend! What a whirlwind of a week it has been. Last Friday, we packed up the camper and headed for the first half of our two-part trip: St. Augustine. For this leg of the trip, Tomasz’s parents and little sister joined us in the camper. That’s right: six people in less than 300 square feet. Believe it or not, we all not only managed, but had a great time together!
For those interested, we stayed at Stagecoach RV in St. Augustine. It was a clean resort with a close enough drive to Old Town. It was also convenient to a gas station, Starbucks and Publix! Oh- and the St. Augustine Outlets (which we somehow never made it to…)!
St. Augustine is a beautifully historic place, with so many different options to explore- not to mention some great food…the way to my heart! On Friday evening, after lounging around (we were all exhausted from the early drive!), we headed downtown to eat at Columbia Restaurant. Mom had eaten there before, and was looking forward to returning- and I think we were all better for it! Tomasz, Isla and I split Coca de Langosta for tapas (and I apologize if I am wording any of this wrong…I sounded ridiculous while I was ordering. This girl took five years of French, and wouldn’t survive a day in a Spanish-speaking area!) and I think that was my favorite!
With Paella Marinara for dinner, I was full of delicious food! Buuuuut because this mommy isn’t above bribes, and Isla was so well-behaved at dinner even though she had an incredibly long day, we stopped for milkshakes at Cousteau’s Waffle and Milkshake Bar on our way back to the car! And oh. my. goodness. If you’re ever in the area, you must stop for a milkshake. I had a Stevesie, and it did not disappoint!!
The next day had the lighthouse, some meandering around downtown, and touring Castillo de San Marcos in store for us…but not before a family breakfast. Isla takes meals seriously (she totally comes by it honestly!) and sat all by her lonesome at the picnic table demanding bacon and eggs until she had some in front of her!
Climbing the lighthouse was a bucket list thing for me. Last March, I attempted to climb the Pensacola Lighthouse with Tomasz but chickened out halfway up because of the combination of a skinny, spiral staircase and no railing. Before even going to the lighthouse in St. Augustine, I made sure to confirm that I would, in fact, be able to hold onto a railing- and there was one! Score! So we took turns- Tomasz and I stayed with Isla and Marysia until Mom and Dad made their trip up, and vice versa. When it came to our turn, we took a deep breath, and climbed! And climbed…and climbed. With somewhere in the neighborhood of 219 steps, I was happy to have brought my boat shoes along- even if it meant wearing them with my summery dress! The views from the top were breathtaking! And even though we were able to get a few selfies, Tomasz and I decided that climbing a lighthouse can be crossed off of our bucket list, and we don’t need to attempt that again.
After our trip to the lighthouse, we were all in need of a serious meal (can you tell what our vacations revolve around?). We walked into the first place we saw- which normally we wouldn’t do…but thankfully, this was a win! We ate at Casa Maya, and I think it was my favorite restaurant of the trip! There was not a thing that anyone ordered that wasn’t just delicious. From cantaloupe or pineapple water, to oysters on the half shell, to fish tacos, Casa Maya had our whole family raving! Bonus- the atmosphere was amazing! The table on the back patio was perfect for our boisterous family- and my messy toddler!
Another snack that I enjoyed that day in St. Augustine was a popsicle from The Hyppo – their guava cheesecake flavor was super delish! I wish we would’ve stopped by there again! Some of their flavors include Watermelon Hibiscus, Champagne Mango, and Cucumber Lemon Mint. You can even order a box to be shipped to you!
Tomasz and I then took Isla and Marysia to Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States (thank you, Wikipedia!), while Mom and Dad took a trolley tour. Sitting on the top of the fort with the Atlantic breeze was the perfect way to cool off- until thunder rolled in and we were shooed away. We then let Isla play in the grass with Aunt Marysia until we headed back to the camper to conclude our day!
For our last day in St. Augustine, we decided to visit the legendary Fountain of Youth. I think we all agreed…we were glad to have gone, but it was not large and in charge. There are a few activities in the park that are interesting for older kiddos and history buffs. Some things to note: the entrance fee is $15 per person, and it is about a ten minute walk from parking downtown (which, in the heat of July, seems much longer). Also, if you are going to take a drink from the fountain, sip…don’t gulp. You’ve been warned.
Altogether, we had a lovely trip to St. Augustine! It was an adventurous weekend with little downtime, but it was sooo worth the fun!
Don’t miss hearing about the rest of our trip! You’ll love seeing the comparison pictures of Isla from last 4th of July to now!
Look closely to see Mom & Dad at the top of the lighthouse!
Any guesses for who else always has her sunglasses on her head?
Playing “Peekyboo” with Aunt Marysia!
[…] you! I’m so glad you’re back to hear about the second half of our week-long vacation! St. Augustine was a blast, and Lady Lake was no […]