Spanish Ships
Spanish explorer Don Juan Ponce de Leon first spotted this coastal landscape in 1513. He claimed it on behalf of the King of Spain and promptly named it the Land of Flowers (La Florida). The Spanish launched six more expeditions to settle their discovery, but all attempts failed. It wasn't until 1565, under the order of King Phillip II, that Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles finally was able to plant the Spanish flag in the ground.

A Great Escape
Our stay in St. Augustine began at the Ocean Grove Camp Resort, just 6 miles south of St. Augustine's historic downtown district and a stone's throw from the Atlantic Ocean. A full-service RV resort located off the Intercostals Waterway, Ocean Grove offers shaded, pull-through sites and waterfront sites as well as grassy, paved, and patio locations. Some sites were also available for ownership. During our visit there were 198 sites in the park, 40 of which were privately owned. Sales start below $100,000. Ocean Grove was loaded with features, including two swimming pools, pavilions, a private boat ramp, a fishing pier, a general store, and a bike and kayak rental facility.

A few miles north along route A1A, St. Augustine's Lighthouse and Museum is a welcome venue for travelers or even ghost hunters. It was completed in 1874 to replace a wooden watchtower constructed in the late sixteenth century. Lighthouse keepers lived there until it was automated in 1955, and there are plenty of stories about strange occurrences, some say from the ghosts of its former inhabitants. The tower was open to visitors daily and the view was breathtaking at 165 feet up. There was no elevator, and the climb could be a challenge for some.

Gators And More
Just across the street, the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park entertains millions of visitors a year. Established in 1893, it offeres an up-close view of Florida's most famous reptile. In addition to the huge collection of alligators, crocodiles, and snakes, the farm boasts a rookery that is home to wild and absolutely unconfined herons, ibis, and egrets. Since ground predators don't survive at the Alligator Farm, the birds didn’t feel threatened and have made the farm their home.

From there, plan a trip to the Castillo de San Marcos, which is St. Augustine's most historically significant structure and was built by the Spanish between 1672-1695. The fort was never conquered despite numerous attacks, thanks to the unusual properties of its coquina walls. Instead of crumbling when hit by cannon fire, the walls actually absorbed the cannon fodder. Under cover of darkness, solders inside the fort carved out the enemy cannon balls, melted them down, and fired them back the next day.