The old matrimonial custom of having "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" to ensure the luck of your wedding ceremony can also be applied to your honeymoon. And whether it's your first or your second chance at romance, the
St. Augustine area is the perfect place to build on old traditions, and create new ones, in your life together.
Something OldStroll hand-in-hand through the historic district and step back in time at
Colonial Spanish Quarter, the
Oldest House and the
Oldest Wooden School House in the U.S.A. If you get hungry, grab a homemade pastry at the tiny
Spanish Bakery. Admire Henry Flagler's legacy at the elegant
Lightner Museum, where Tiffany windows and other works of art inspire awe, and take a Legacy Tour of grand
Flagler College, keeping an eye out for Henry's ghost. Speaking of ghosts, cuddle up to one another during a spooky, guided ghost tour, available by land (try
GhoSt Augustine Haunted Pub & Hearse Tours) or by sea (try
Ghost Tours of St. Augustine).
Something NewShop for souvenirs along
St. George Street and the historic district (splurge on sweets from
Claude's Chocolates, handmade at the shop on Hypolita Street); then amble over to the galleries lining
King Street, west of the Plaza. Afterwards, stop into
San Sebastian Winery to sample wines and listen to live jazz music in
The Cellar Upstairs (live music on weekends only). Golf lovers can hit the fairways at
World Golf Village and play the new(ish)
King & Bear or Slammer & Squire courses.
Something BorrowedRent a private coach and take a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride though the historic district and along the bayfront, past the fabled
Bridge of Lions. Snuggle closer as the setting sun dips below beautiful St. Augustine Bay.
Something BlueSpend a day celebrating the sparkling blue waters surrounding St. Augustine. Splash in the Atlantic waves off
St. Augustine Beach; take in the view of Matanzas Bay from the top of the
St. Augustine Lighthouse; join a narrated dolphin-watch cruise in area waterways with
St. Augustine Scenic Cruise.Spas:Small Indulgences European Day Spa and Salon (St. Augustine): Book an intimate couple's massage and choose from a side-by-side Swedish, aromatherapy, hot stone, deep tissue or reflexology treatment.
The Spa at Sawgrass (Ponte Vedra Beach): He can indulge in a gentlemen's manicure and "The Rough" signature aroma salt glow body scrub; she in a re-mineralizing body wrap and "Zen Facial."
Spa at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club (Ponte Vedra Beach): The upgraded spa re-opened in fall 2006 with pampering services such as tropical coconut scrubs, couple's massages and Lomi Lomi massages.
Restaurants:Raintree Restaurant: Awarded too many accolades to count, this restaurant is a St. Augustine tradition, serving outstanding contemporary cuisine (at surprisingly affordable prices) in a historic 1879 Victorian home. Don't miss the made-to-order crepes for dessert.
Columbia Restaurant: Sure, it's in the middle of tourist-laden St. George Street, but you'll still feel like you're honeymooning in Spain amidst the colorful, gurgling fountains and the aroma of steaming-hot Spanish delicacies.
Romance Packages:Casa Monica Hotel: "Love St. Augustine Style" includes luxury accommodations, a gourmet breakfast at 95 Cordova and a romantic carriage ride around the bayfront during which you can toast your love with a bottle of chilled champagne. (Planning a wedding? The Casa Monica does an "Arabian Nights Fantasy Wedding" complete with belly dancers.)
The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach (Ponte Vedra Beach): "Stir the Fire" sets you up in an opulent oceanfront room complete with a Roman garden tub (where there's room for two) and fireplace, not to mention his-and-hers bathrobes. Sip the champagne and feed each other sweets from the box of fine chocolates placed in your room.
For more information on getting away to the St. Augustine area, visit the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau's web site at
www.getaway4florida.com.