Field Trips To St. Augustine

America's oldest permanently settled European city. Settlers came here decades before the colonists arrived at Jamestown and the pilgrims landed at Plymouth. The area has distinct multi-cultural influences and retains all of its old-world charm.

Visitors can tour the city by train, trolley or horse-drawn carriage and view numerous historic homes and sites. "The Oldest House" is one of the nation's most studied and documented dwellings. Old St Augustine Village is a collection of ten buildings on the general site of the original 1565 settlement. The strategically placed Castillo De San Marcos, "The Fort", with its 16-foot thick walls, has stood guard over the Caribbean exit to the Atlantic for centuries.

When Henry Flagler arrived with his railroad he recognised the potential for tourism in the area and began to build hotels in order to exploit the developing industry. He would be amazed at the present abundance of shops, artisan crafts, antiques and museums awaiting discovery.

St Augustine Beach is a popular attraction and offers a variety of water sports. St Augustine Alligator Farm is listed on the Register of Historic Places, established in 1893; it is Florida's oldest continuously operating attraction.