Once we arrived in St. Augustine, our nation's oldest city, our first stop was their museum.
Although it was perfect for those a bit younger, we had fun with the exhibits.
Next, the trip included a boat and trolley tour.
The original town square was a Spanish settlement with some cool history.
They have gorgeous city streets like this one at Magnolia Avenue.
And a picturesque lighthouse to guide ships to port. There is an ocean current that leads straight to Europe from here. That current is so strong that it cuts about two weeks off a sailor's time when using it.
After all that sitting, we needed to stretch our legs and walk around a bit. For some reason my little one loves these statues.
There were ice cream shops everywhere! The temptation was just too much.
While waiting for our "ghost tour", we strolled a bit around the fort.
The next morning, we took a guided tour of Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the United States. It's made of crushed seashells, or coquina, and was like a sponge that absorbed attacks. It protected the town from pirate and British invasions.
That ocean current mentioned earlier proved a risk for many sea-goers, as pirates often patrolled those waters knowing that merchants would want to travel the shortest path possible.
There are some fun boat activities here that bring this history to life, including birthday parties for kids or a rum party for adults. I would have loved to bring my son here when he was 7!
And oh, I can't forget the old jail house in town. I found my daughter lined up with the "chain gang".
But the sheriff caught up with her!
