
Florida’s Historic Coast: 6 Best Beaches
More than 500 years ago, Ponce de Leon spotted beautiful, inviting beaches that drew him to shore and led to…
Convenient white sand beaches with ties to civil rights history.
As part of a comprehensive FEMA Dune Enhancement Project, St. Johns County will initiate temporary closures of two vehicle beach access ramps to Butler Beach Reach. The affected area encompasses the shoreline from Ocean Hammock Park through Bryn Mawr Ocean Resort, as well as a 1,500-foot section southbound from Mary Street. To ensure public safety and accommodate the presence of heavy equipment on the beach, the Ocean Trace Road vehicle beach access ramp will be closed starting from Thursday, July 6. Similarly, the A Street vehicle beach access ramp will close from Monday, July 10. However, all vehicle traffic in the vicinity will still have access to the beach through the Dondanville Road vehicle beach access ramp, which will remain open for entry and exit.
For updates on this project, visit www.sjcfl.us/CoastalProjects or contact the Coastal Management team at 904-209-0260, or coastalprojects@sjcfl.us.
Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1, and St. Johns County officials are asking residents, visitors, and businesses to help protect natural habitat by observing all nesting season laws and regulations. The beaches of St. Johns County are home to several species of endangered or threatened sea turtles.
From May 1 to Oct. 31, St. Johns County staff will close vehicular beach access gates at 7:30 p.m. and reopen them at 8 a.m. to allow nesting sea turtles to have a safe beach throughout the night. Have a positive impact with these tips.
Butler Beach on Anastasia Island is located only eight miles south of St. Augustine’s historic district and offers wide stretches of white sand beaches perfect for swimming and sunbathing.
Visitors may access Butler Beach via the Frank B. Butler County Park. The Mary Street Beach ramp takes drivers to the beach ($10 per car for beach access). To the right before the pay station, unpaved Gloria Avenue has free beach parking.
Butler Beach offers plenty of amenities, making it a great option for a day of family fun. The park staffs the beach seasonally with lifeguards, and other amenities include free parking, restrooms, showers, barbecue grills, and picnic pavilions. Dogs are welcome on Butler Beach but must be leashed at all times.
In the early 1900’s, a young black man named Frank B. Butler moved to St. Augustine. Upon arriving, he settled in the predominantly African-American area known as Lincolnville – now one of the city’s historic districts. At that time, Florida’s beaches were for the use of “whites only.” In 1927, Butler became so annoyed by this injustice that he began purchasing oceanfront property on Anastasia Island.
Butler was eventually able to acquire a tract stretching across the island from the Atlantic to the Matanzas River. He named it Butler Beach and opened it to African-Americans. It became the only stretch of beach between Daytona Beach and American Beach, north of Jacksonville, where African-Americans were allowed to enjoy the sand and the sea.
Local Tip: For a great view of the Intercoastal Waterway, head to the west-side of the park.
Florida’s Historic Coast: 6 Best Beaches
More than 500 years ago, Ponce de Leon spotted beautiful, inviting beaches that drew him to shore and led to…
History
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches
Hotels & Places to Stay | St. Augustine & Ponte Vedra, FL
Search St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach hotels, bed & breakfasts, resorts and vacation rentals, and find the perfect place…
Family Fun
Planning a family vacation in Florida? Try St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach!
County Administration Building 500 San Sebastian View St. Augustine, FL 32084
Art in Public Spaces: Threading the Margins500 San Sebastian View
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Crisp-Ellert Art Museum 48 Sevilla Street St. Augustine, FL 32084 (904) 826-8530
Elisa Harkins, Teach Me A Song at Crisp-Ellert Art Museum48 Sevilla Street
St. Augustine, FL 32084
The Music Man at Limelight Theatre11 Old Mission Ave.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
'Ghost with the Most' Cocktail Tour24 Cathedral Place Suite 505
St. Augustine, FL 32084
P.A.St.A. October Feature Artist, Photography by Megan Holder214 Charlotte St.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Wednesday Pier Farmers Market350 A1A Beach Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32080
Yoga on the Lawn at Ximenez-Fatio House Museum20 Aviles St.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Blue October performs at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall1050 A1A N
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Alice Cooper performs at The AMP1340 A1A S.
St. Augustine, FL 32080
DESCENT ≈ An Atlas of Relation at Lightner Museum75 King St.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Walking History Tour for History Buffs presented by Spyglass Travel10 W. Castillo Dr.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Lynyrd Skynyrd performs for TWO nights at The AMP1340 A1A S.
St. Augustine, FL 32080