Page 80 - 2024-2025 Travel Guide to Florida

NORTHEAST FLORIDA
ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY
Buckler’s BBQ Festival, Clay County Flagler Film Festival, Palm Coast
St. Augustine Film Festival
JANUARY–MAY
Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival
FEBRUARY
Amelia Island Book Festival DONNA Breast Cancer Marathon,
Jacksonville
Flight To Freedom, St. Augustine
Northeast Florida Scottish Highland Games
and Festival, Green Cove Springs
St. Augustine Spanish Food and Wine Festival World of Nations Celebration, Jacksonville
MARCH
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Gate River Run National 15K Championships,
Jacksonville
Strawberry Fest, Green Cove Springs THE PLAYERS Championship,
Ponte Vedra Beach
APRIL
Springing the Blues Festival, Jacksonville
APRIL–MAY
Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, Fernandina Beach
MAY
Jacksonville Jazz Festival
Palm Coast Songwriters Festival, Palm Coast
MAY–SEPTEMBER
Music by the Sea Concert Series, St. Augustine
SEPTEMBER
St. Augustine Founding Celebrations
OCTOBER
Creekside Music & Arts Festival, Palm Coast
Duuuval’s Bold City Bash, Florida-Georgia football game, Jacksonville
Spooktacular, Jacksonville Zoo
NOVEMBER
Jacksonville Light Boat Parade
Kids Free November, Jacksonville Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic,
Flagler Beach
NOVEMBER–JANUARY
Nights of Lights, St. Augustine
DECEMBER
Dickens on Centre, Amelia Island TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jacksonville
ATTRACTIONS
With more than 450 years of history, St. Augustine is the oldest continually occupied European settlement in the U.S. The city takes its history seriously and has 36 buildings of colonial origin still standing in the historic district. To get the real skinny on the city’s history without wearing out your feet, step aboard the Old Town Trolleys, selling all- day tickets so you can hop on and hop off as you please.
While in St. Augustine, embrace your early explorer on a visit to Castillo de San Marcos, a national park that began construc- tion in 1672. The structure is considered the oldest masonry fort in the country.
Over at Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, you can drink water from its “fountain”—but you may come away with great memories more than ageless qualities. It’s located on the actual site of the first settlement in St. Augustine and was founded 42 years before Jamestown and 55 years before
Plymouth Rock. Check out the cosmos in the planetarium, visit the Timucuan Village or marvel at the sound of the Spanish cannon.
St. Augustine has plenty of tours to guide you around town, from art walks to nighttime ghost tours and culinary-focused themes.
A visit to St. Augustine isn’t complete without stopping by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum with hands-on activities for all ages.
In Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will take you on a world tour of animals without ever leaving Florida. For a different view of Jacksonville, use the St. Johns River Taxi in the downtown area. The taxi service also offers tours.
A popular attraction in Fernandina Beach is Fort Clinch State Park, where history and nature meet. Explore one of the best- preserved 19th-century forts in the country, then hike or bike on the park’s trails, featuring maritime hammocks, massive live oak trees and wildlife.
FERNANDINA BEACH • BRAND USA/AMELIA ISLAND CVB
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2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA