THE BEST BEACHES IN ST. AUGUSTINE

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The Public beach at Vilano has showers and allows for driving on the beach but also has public parking on the street. There are restrooms here which can come in handy. And you can bike here if you choose!

Porpoise Point is the best kept secret around here. You have to have four wheel drive or ride a bike, but it's the absolute best for sunset watching. It's the very tip of the Vilano Island facing the inlet. And there's usually dolphins dancing for ya. Our favorite is to bring some champagne and let the kids and dog run around in tidal pools. 

The Reef Restaurant is just a short 10 minute drive north but there's a parking lot you can usually find parking in and it's usually way less touristy than the public beach. 

You'll pay to get in here, but they have rentals and a snack stand and plenty of parking and it's been beautifully preserved. There are usually a gazillion birds. (And you can even harvest oysters in season! Ask the park ranger where specifically).

St. Augustine Beach can be very fun. It gets crowded so get there early or be ready to hunt for some parking but there are tons of restaurants and ice cream shops and bars all around that you can walk to. And a pier you can walk out on. This is the surfing spot!

We love Matanzas Inlet for so many reasons. There's both the inlet side (facing the intercostal) and the ocean side. Both are gorgeous but if you have a dog that doesn't love waves or little kids that like to explore and hunt for crabs, the inlet side is your best bet. You can bring chairs and a cooler and watch the sunset here too! At low tide there's tons of wildlife all around - dolphins and turtles and sea slugs and crabs and snails and fish.