St. Augustine

This is the second time we have come to this wonderful city.  This time it was a trip without the kids.  So, we did some different tours and visited some different places then we would have if we had the kids with us.

The town itself is rather touristy, as is much of Florida.  There is a large centrally located parking garage, it charges, but it is the cheapest deal in town unless you are lucky enough to stay at one of the many bed and breakfasts.  The husband and I enjoyed just walking around and people watching.  You will see some rather unusual things in this old city.  We really had a laugh on our way to dinner when we spotted a horse and carriage at the bank drive up atm.

We went on one of the many nightly ghost tours that are offered.  We went on "A ghostly encounter" http://staugustineghosttours.net/ and got to tour the Spanish Hospital, two graveyards, and a cottage.  The tour was pretty good, the story teller was insightful and was actually one featured on the Ghost Adventure's episode about the area.  It was relatively tame, so I would say it would be OK for a grade school kid, unless you have an easily scared kid (if they can watch Nightmare Before Christmas they will be fine).

The next day, we set out for something a little different.  We headed to Ripley's Believe it or Not!  This place is not cheap, so check the website for ticket prices and deals.  http://www.ripleys.com/staugustine/  They offer lots of add ons to the admission price, but we opted against them.  It took us roughly 45 minutes to an hour to tour the entire museum.  We did see a lot of neat stuff, but I think a one time tour is enough for me.

After all is said and done, St. Augustine is one of my favorite towns to visit.  So if you ever get a chance, be sure to stop in and admire this ancient city, oh and don't forget to grab a yummy cinnamon bun.

A Trip to North Florida!- Fort Matanzas

 The husband and I got a weekend alone, so we decided to take a road trip to St. Augustine to indulge our love of history.  If you have never been to St. Augustine, go.  It is well worth it.  It is the first still standing city in the US.  Originally founded by the Spanish, it exchanged hands several times over the course of history and there are many wonderful tales of love, battle, disease, and a good ghost story or two.

The first stop we made was to Fort Matanzas National Monument located in Flagler County. We took to trip via A1A and got to see the beautiful natural beaches that make Flagler County a wonderful place to visit.  The fort is located off the beaten path,  so bring a lunch, otherwise it is quite a ride into the next town.  The fort itself is located on an inhabited island.  The only access to the fort is via boat.  If you have your own, great, if not, there is a free ferry over to the island.

When we arrived, we made our way to the gift shop to get our free tickets on the ferry.  We had to wait a bit, so we enjoyed ourselves on the nature trail that takes you through the woods and eventually leads you to the beach.  If you have a strong fear of spiders, I would avoid this trail.  There were A LOT of spiders and their webs.  The final view of the dunes was wonderful though!

 Soon, it was our turn for the ferry.  The park ranger and ferry captain were extremely friendly and knowledgeable.  They talked about the fort and the battle that prompted the construction of the fort oh so long ago.  The fort was important to the Spanish, since it guarded a major trade route into St. Augustine.

 The fort itself is rather small.  It is only meant to hold a rather small company of men for short periods of time.  The monument contains lots of props that would have been found in the fort during it's occupation and even includes several of the original cannons.

 We were informed by the park ranger that they do set off the cannon during events and holidays.  We unfortunately were not there during one of the firings.  Although, during a previous trip to St. Augustine's Castillo San Marco, we were able to witness a firing of the cannon.  I assure you, it is an experience that everyone should have once.

I decided to climb up to the top of the fort to take some pictures and admire the view.  The hole is very small, so be careful!  One tourist that was rather bulky in the arms and shoulders due to weightlifting did have trouble going through the hole.

But, as scary as the climb was, the view was totally worth it!!

We loved Fort Matanzas!  It is a wonderful National Treasure.  It is off the beaten path, and not visited much by other tourists.  There is not much for the younger set of children to do here, but school age children with an interest in history would enjoy it.  Because of the age of the structure, it is not handicap accessible.  The ferry and the trail are, but not the fort itself.  You can learn more about the fort and events at this website; http://www.nps.gov/foma/index.htm.

Hontoon Island State Park-Great Park for a Picnic & a Hike!

Hontoon Island State Park is located just outside of Deland, Florida at 2309 River Ridge Road, Deland, Florida 32720.  Located in a residential area, it can be rather difficult to find, but is well worth it.
Entrance to the park is free, as well as the ferry back and forth to the island. There is a small playground located on the island that the little ones will love, along with a small one room exhibit on the history of the park.  There as several picnic tables around the dock and the playground for picnics and a small store that sells limited food items at a reasonable price.  The park is clean, and there are two restrooms, although they are located in the front of the island. 

The campground is further inland, and the park does provide transportation for gear (if requested) via van, truck or golf cart.  The campground includes primitive camping and several cabins for rent (please see their website to book a space or cabin).

There is a good hiking trail, but it does have a tendency to flood or become muddy during the rainy season.  Mosquitoes can also be a problem during certain times of the year, so bring bug spray!  The trail is not stroller accessible, so this park is for age 5+. 

My family and I thoroughly enjoy this park, and will continue to come back.

A little Critter that we met on the hiking trail.

National Park Day 2010-St. Augustine, FL

Today was National Park Day!  One of my favorites, it is a free day at any National Park.  We look through the list and decided to go to St. Augustine since the husband had never been.  The Castillo San Marco is not expensive on a regular day, but we figured that today would be a good day to visit.  They had cannon firings planned, along with reenactments that we thought would be fun for the kids.

The Castillo is rather large and many parts (such as the gun deck) are not handicap and stroller accessible.  There are lots of little rooms to explore and peek into.  There is a map room which tells the story of the different flags that have flown over the Castillo through out history.  The fort was never taken by force, but it has withstood many battles.  There are several cannon ball impressions left in the rock wall from battles past.    This the oldest fort standing in the US, so it is rather unique in construction and layout.

The Fort is located on a bit of grassy hill.  It is a perfect spot to throw down a blanket for a nice picnic and watch the boats in the bay.  In the past there has been a historic ship in the harbor, although I was unable to see one on this trip.

We spent about an hour or two wandering through the fort, watching the reenactments and got to watch and hear a real cannon fire. We later took a leisurely stroll through the historic downtown and treated ourselves to some ice cream.

The four of us absolutely loved it and hope we can come back again for another wonderful trip.  For more information please visit their website at; http://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm.

Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts

I was not impressed at all. This was an extremely small festival and not very well put together. I was disappointed with the parking situation and the fact that you had to pay $5 to park, then walk across the street dodging cars. Yes, they did have officers directing traffic, but the cars did not pay any attention to them, and I saw a Seminole Deputy almost get ran over twice.


The art was arranged in a maze, and vendors were thrown in next to art. When I come to an Art Show, I don't want to be harressed to purchase a subscribition to the NY Times or the evaulate my cable needs.

The kids things were thrown into the back like an afterthought, and it was very difficult to find, and it turned out to be a few bouncy houses and nothing else.

The car show was crap. I have seen much larger shows in a Taco Bell parking lot on a Friday night.

On the plus side, I did see several good new local artists, and several that I have seen and enjoy seeing at other festivals each year.

Next year, I will be headed to Halifax to see what Volusia County has to offer. Also, for any art lovers, the Deland Festival is coming again next week.

Volusia County Fair

I got a chance to check out the Volusia County Fair.  We had a lot of fun, as fairs go.  Thursday night was free admission and $1 rides, so the place was packed.  Check out the website for more information and the various prices through out the week.  Little tip... The funnel cake is cheaper at the gates then it is at the midway, you will save $1.  Have a great week and great adventures!

Halloween Weekend

Unfortunately, we were unable to go out this weekend due to a sick child, but I heard there were several great haunted houses and activities! 

This weekend, the Volusia County Fair is back and the Lake Mary Heathrow Festival of the Arts.  We will be attending the Art Festival this weekend since it is only available for one weekend.  I hope to see you out and about.