Now that the weather is getting nice, Floridians will start to come out of their air conditioned hibernation and start enjoying the outdoors.
Today I am going to tell you about my top 5 free things to do in St. Augustine FL and guess what? Most are free.
- Paddle board. There are many places you can drop in a paddle board, any boat ramp will suffice. You can hit the Salt Run, the Matanzas River, The Tolomato River or Ponte Vedra Lake. Paddle boarding is not only great exercise but you can usually spot some dolphins are manatees, and that never gets old.
- GTM Reserve trails – Being from up north I always loved when the weather would cool down in September. I would be itching to go for a hike. Well we don’t have the hiking in Florida that we did in the Catskills of NY but we do have some nice trails and that brings me to my second favorite thing to do and that is the GTM Reserve. This is located on the Tolomato River, aka the Intracoastal. There are trails you can bike or walk, it’s dog friendly too. This is a great area to drop a kayak or paddle board as well. There is a small fee of $3.00 to enter.
- I love to go biking but sometimes I don’t want to fight the busy streets so I enjoy the Rail Trail. The trail begins just west of St. Augustine in Elkton and parking is free, but there are several access points. This scenic trail will take you through agricultural landscapes through St. Johns and Putnam counties. With a stop mid way in Palatka, you can grab a bite to eat before heading back. The trail from Elkton would be about 35 miles Round Trip.
- Washington Oak Park which is really located in the northern part of the Palm Coast but not at all far from St. Augustine. It is a beautiful park with gorgeous gardens, trails, a gazebo and picnic area. Early March is another good time to visit. There are azaleas throughout the park that are blooming at that time and there is a rose garden that blooms most of the spring. The fee is around $4.00 to park but it’s well worth a visit.
- Last but certainly not least, the beach. During the hot summer months people love the beach but it can be just too warm to sit out and the water is a bit too warm as well. When the weather starts to cool, I can sit for hours on the beach but the most fun is searching for sharks teeth. I love the beach at the GTM Reserve because it feels natural, there are no homes there. If you do head up that way, there is a $3.00 fee to park but it support the GTM which is a good thing.
I hope you get a chance to visit some of these great places in St. Augustine and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need more information.
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