On the south side of the St. Augustine inlet lies Anastasia State Park, and 4 miles of pristine beach.
Our hotel is on Vilano Beach, which wraps around the north side of the St. Augustine inlet.
For the third day of our trip, we decided to see what's on the south side of the inlet.
There is no bridge across this inlet, so we have to drive around the bay by making a 15-20 minute detour through downtown St. Augustine.
The traffic in St. Augustine is a bit of a shock after a few days on the beach, but you are rewarded for your troubles with great views of the boats laid out across the harbor.
Our destination is Anastasia State Park, which includes all the lands on the south side of the St. Augustine inlet.
The first thing we encounter once inside the park is this trail along the river. Just look for the kayak rental place, this trail is behind the nearby bathrooms.
It's a quiet little trail with nice water views that we guess doesn't get much use.
It has side trails that lead up in to the canopy that covers the dunes. Check out these woods, we saw lots of birds flying about in the cover of the shade.
The main attraction is the four miles of beach that runs from the St. Augustine pier north to the inlet.
It's a very wide hard packed beach, with plenty of room for everyone.
To get an idea of the width of this beach, look for the little person in the photo below.
We spent the better part of a beautiful day casually walking the 4 miles up to the inlet and back.
Wow, it's hard to communicate in words or photos how wonderful a long walk on this wide open beach is on a cool clear Florida winter day.
You'll just have to go, and experience it yourself.
If you decide to stick around there is a large camping area tucked away in the woods off the beach.
You can rent bikes or kayaks, and fish in the surf or off the pier.
They had playgrounds for the kids, and a good concession stand right off the beach.
This is simply a fantastic beach, which we're sure you'll find pleasing.
But be sure to set aside a few hours for the final stop on our exploration of St. Augustine's natural wonders.
On the next page we'll conclude our tour, and take you to a nature experience you'll remember for a lifetime. Be sure to bring your camera!
