St. Augustine Vilano, St. Augustine, & environs The entire Florida East Coast...in detail !

View from atop the St. Augustine Lighthouse St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States and Canada, making it one of the most historic areas in America. Many cultures have shaped this area's past including Native Americans and Spanish conquistadores like Ponce De Leon. He was searching for the Fountain of Youth...he never found it. During his travels, he did manage to do a thing or two worth mentioning, like giving Florida it's name. He happened to celebrate the Spanish Festival of Flowers, "La Florida", in Florida, and named it accordingly. St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, who named it after Augustine, who's feast day fell on the day land was spotted (August 28). It is the oldest permanent European settlement in the U.S. and Canada, settled some 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. Before the Europeans, the now extinct Timucuan Indians settled the area first. Castillo de San Marco The city has been controlled by various nations: Spain, England, France, even the Confederate States of America. Florida became a state in 1845. In the 1880's Henry Flagler began to convert parts of St. Augustine into a resort community, starting with the palatial Hotel Ponce De Leon, now Flagler College, and Casa Monica, which is now the County courthouse. The Castillo de San Marco, once a Spanish castle, is now the defining landmark of the city. Entertainment and recreation in St. Augustine.... Spanish-Colonial architecture is brought into modern times at the Oldest House in America: The Gomez-Alvarez House and the Ximenez-Fatio House, both are National Historical Landmarks. Take a sightseeing tour of historic St. Augustine by street train, running since 1953. The new St. Augustine Speedway showcases many types of fast paced auto racing. Alligators and other forms of reptilian life are shown in natural habitats at the Alligator Farm. The Museum of Weapons And Early American History contains many interesting artifacts dealing with weaponry and historical items, such as President John Tyler's piano.   Every year, there are numerous community happenings in St. Augustine like festivals, cook-offs, and cultural events. The Lighthouse Festival and 5 K run, St. Johns County Fair, the Weekend Cathedral Festival all feature live entertainment, food, and music. The Hastings Cabbage and Tater Festival displays the area's agricultural history along, while the annual Great Chowder Debate is a cook-off for some of the town's best varieties of chowder. The First Friday walk lets visitors enter many of the antique shops and art galleries which stay open later, some serving food and drink. There are also many professional performance groups in the St. Augustine area. The Atlantic Shakespeare Company showcase their talents by performing Broadway shows at local theaters. The seasonal holidays are an extremely special time for Saint Augustine, and its neighboring cities. The Saturday before Thanksgiving brings the Night of Lights where nearly 1 million white lights illuminate the historic and downtown districts till January. The Christmas Parade celebrates the holiday season with floats and local marching bands and the Regatta of Lights is an annual parade along the Bayfront with light-adorned boats looking to take home the "Best of Show." For more information about this lovely area, visit the web site of the St. Johns County Visitor & Convention Bureau