Traveling in Saint Augustine
St. Augustine is the oldest European-established settlement in the United States. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon landed nearby and claimed the land now known as Florida in the name of Spain in 1513. They had originally named the land La Florida, which means "Land of Flowers". The city was founded by Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565. Sir Francis Drake and John Davis burnt the city to the ground in 1586 and 1665 respectively, but St. Augustine soon became strong enough to fend off such attacks. Florida was purchased by the United States from Spain in 1819; it seceded during the Civil War, during which St. Augustine was occupied by Union forces.
St. Augustine has a humid subtropical climate, with mild weather during winters and hot weather during summers. It is common for daily thunderstorms to erupt during a typical summer afternoon, due to the heating of the land and water, combined with extremely high humidity. Sometimes in the winter it can freeze, but rarely. Most rains come from June to September.
St. Augustine is located on a peninsula between two rivers, the San Sebastian and the Matanzas. Tourism forms the backbone of its economy, though a few industries also make a significant contribution to the city’s yearly revenue.
Neighborhoods & Around
While most of the "tourist" sights and activities are in the central part of the historic district, St. Augustine includes a number of other vital neighborhoods. Crescent Beach, to the south, is a small community that stretches along a beautiful portion of the Florida coast. There is little economic development here, but people like to take part in boogie boarding, water boarding and other sea sports. Butler Beach figured prominently in black American history - it was named for a black businessman - and also has a park where many endangered species live. Other neighborhoods include City Center, College Park, Hilden and Moultrie Junction.