Located on a peninsula between historic downtown St. Augustine, FL and the Atlantic Ocean, Anastasia State Park is one of my favorite state parks so far, not just for its many assets, but for the close proximity to many other area attractions. And by “attractions”, I do not mean anything associated with a talking mouse or the Florida film/tv industry. 
The historical significance of this small seaside town is huge. Known as “Old City”, it was founded in 1565, making it the first continually-occupied European city in the U.S., after many wars and attempts by Spanish, French, and British militia to gain control of the area from the Native Americans and each other. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon discovered the famed Fountain of Youth here in 1513, and the Spanish and British proceeded to share control of the area for many years, with the 16th-19th century consisting of constant warfare. Construction of Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest remaining fort in the country, was begun by the Spanish in 1672 and has never been taken by force. The cannons are still active, and reenactments/demonstrations are scheduled regularly, so be sure to catch one while you are there – but be warned, it is loud!
In 1845, Florida was eventually established as an American state, with the city of St. Augustine surviving the revolutionary and civil wars, as did many of the old structures and buildings here, such as the City Gates, the lighthouse, a jail, schoolhouse, churches, houses, and cobblestone streets. More modern attractions in St. Augustine include a wax museum, pirate museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, San Sebastian Winery, the Bridge of Lions, the incredible Lightner Museum, quaint gift shops and pubs, adorable bed-and-breakfasts, ghost tours, water sports, as well as city tours by trolley, pedi-cab, horse carriage, or helicopter. What a fun, amazing small town full of such rich (and turbulent) history!
After enjoying the sights and history of St. Augustine for most of the day, on I went to this awesome state park located just across the Bridge of Lions, a beautiful drawbridge across the Matanzas River, and just minutes from the historic center of town. Anastasia State Park offers 1,600 acres of relative seclusion within walking/short driving distance from the ocean and Salt Run tidal marsh. As you can imagine, this park is an excellent spot for surfing, swimming, canoeing/kayaking, sail boarding, fishing, and has rentals available via Anastasia Watersports or you can bring your own gear. The park also provides 4 1/2 miles of a wide beach to walk, ride bicycles, soak up the sun, bird watch, or catch the sunrise, with several boardwalks and scenic overviews. Hiking, picnicking, and geo-caching are also popular activities here. A conveniently-located beachside store called Island Joe’s Beach Shop and Grill is stocked with beach/camping supplies and has free wi-fi, food, a picnic area, and restrooms. Also of interest, the quarry where much of the coquina rock used to build the fort is located near the entrance of the park, and although Nature has since “greened up” the area a bit, you can still envision the effort involved (mostly slave labor) in excavating and hauling so many enormous rocks several miles and across the river to the fort location.
The park’s 124 camp sites are all full-facility, quite private, well-spaced, and within close walking distance of modern bathrooms/showers/laundry and earshot of the ocean waves. The campground books up easily on weekends and holidays, so plan accordingly. Herons, egrets, wood storks, tortoises, and raccoons are commonly seen here, and the beaches and ocean are often visited by endangered nesting sea turtles and migrating right whales. All-in-all, this is an excellent park and a perfect place to unwind while taking in some of the best of Florida’s natural scenery and colorful history. Happy to spend a couple nights here under the stars, I definitely plan to visit this fun and fascinating area again soon.
