St Augustine

Destination information

Four and a half centuries on, it's a fascinating mix of the ancient and the modern with its rich international heritage vying for holidaymakers' attention including 43 miles of pristine beaches, water sports galore and an eclectic range of attractions for all the family.

Culture vultures won't want to miss the living museum of the Colonial Spanish Quarter, where working tradesmen recreate the lives of the city's 18th-century inhabitants. No journey would be complete without a visit to the city's most imposing landmark, the Castillo de San Marcos and a meander through the Gonzalez-Alvarez House, occupied since the 1600s.

If you like your explorations quirky, there's plenty to choose from. Enjoy the cobbled streets of St Augustine's old town by hopping into a custom-built hearse for a ghost tour of the city's haunted pubs or aim higher and take a helicopter tour for a bird's-eye view of the breathtaking coastline.

For slicker and quicker thrills, the Smile High Parasail is the excursion for you; sit back and relax in a harness 1400ft into the Florida sky and savour the view as you paraglide above the Atlantic Ocean.

Keen fishermen can ride the ocean waves on an exhilarating Bacchus Charter and help bring home the evening's seafood catch. Or slow the pace and get shipshape aboard a leisurely Latigo Yacht voyage. Spend an afternoon at the redeveloped Municipal Marina and you can take your pick from kayaking, power boating, wakeboarding, surfing or water-skiing.

To bring home your own little piece of St Augustine, head downtown to the Bohemian gallery district to snap up a canvas or a hand-painted T-shirt.

And best of all, St Augustine is just a 2-hour car journey from Orlando making it a great place to spend a week or tag on the end of your Orlando holiday.