As we sailed throughout the Matanzas Bay on the Intracoastal Waterway of St. Augustine, Florida, I watched the ship’s mate hoist the American flag.   This old schooner is a Tall Ship with a 72 foot topsail and built as a replica of blockade runners which once cruised the famous waters in the 19th century.  Built in Norfolk, Virginia by naval architect, Merritt Walters’, Schooner Freedom ,  is taking guests on two hour cruises either sunset or mid-day to watch for dolphins and manatees while sipping champagne.  On my cruise today, the clouds are gathering and promising a rain shower to come.  The view of the city is overshadowed by the rain clouds – but I’m always good for a cruise no matter what the weather brings!

This isn’t your typical luxury cruise.  You sit topside on comfortable seating and enjoy feeling the wind blowing on your face as the sails pick up wind speed.  The captain gently tacks the schooner on course.  The Bay is an area of calm water and the Schooner Freedom glides across the water as delicately as a butterfly landing on a blade of grass.

While cruising on the Schooner Freedom isn’t the only adventure you’ll find in St. Augustine, I recommend checking out a package vacation which includes staying at one of the Inns of Elegance.  Vacation packages starting May 4th through November 19, 2008 include a two hour cruise on Freedom, and a two night stay Sunday – Thursday in your choice of inn.  A complimentary bottle of Champagne at the Inn begins your adventure.  This promotion requires an advanced reservation.  The Inns of Elegance is a celebrated collection of romantic Bed & Breakfast Inns in Historic St. Augustine featuring:

• Gourmet Breakfast
• Outstanding Accommodations with Picturesque Settings
• V.I.P. Personalized & Attentive Service
• Award-Winning Historical Properties  (circa 1791 – 1918)

St. Augustine has a spiritual quality about it whether you are cruising by the cityscape or touring the city on foot.  The old city is picturesque, subtle and vibrant, with an under current of life and romance.  The oldest city in America, layers of architecture and sculpture can be seen everywhere you turn.  Old flowering gardens reminiscent of Victorian times adorn many homes – one thinks of the “secret garden” children’s story when walking alongside the old stone walls.  Divinely created arched pathways and doorways open into a world long gone, but not forgotten.  The oldest home is here in St. Augustine.  This home has been occupied by French, Spanish, and British alike.  Here in the gardens you’ll find the offspring of the original plants and trees the inhabitants brought with them.

St. Augustine has become home to many talented artisans.  One of those is chocolatier, Claude Franques.  His chocolate shop speaks of richness, decadence, and talent beyond what the taste buds can savor.  Thankfully, once you visit his shop, you can purchase goodies to take back home or have shipped out to you as you desire.  Claude’s Chocolates don’t have to stay in St. Augustine when you go back home.

Just think that over 400 hundred years ago French and Spanish soldiers took refuge in this Voldest city of America, and the American way of life began right here along the historic St. Augustine Bayfront.   A first on the list of places you’ll want to visit is the Castillo de San Marcos .  A monument not only of stone and mortar but of human determination and endurance, the Castillo de San Marcos symbolizes the clash between cultures which ultimately resulted in our uniquely unified nation.  Still resonant with the struggles of an earlier time, these original walls provide tangible evidence of America’s grim but remarkable history.  Made of coquina shells, this fort has withstood 300 years of battle with canon fire and made conquering the city almost impossible.

The Lightner museum  offers another area of beauty you’ll enjoying visiting.  “Relics of America's Gilded Age are elegantly exhibited on the museum's three floors. Costumes, furnishings, mechanical musical instruments and other artifacts give you a glimpse into 19th century daily life. The Lightner collection includes beautiful examples of cut glass, Victorian art glass and the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.  Enjoy wandering through the museum's setting — the former Hotel Alcazar, built in 1887 in the Spanish Renaissance style. Railroad magnate Henry M. Flagler commissioned architects Carrere and Hastings to design the Alcazar and the Ponce de Leon Hotel (across the street)”. 

Take one of the sightseeing trains which will traverse around the city, occasionally stopping and giving you valuable historical insight into the surrounding buildings.  When you look upon some of the old homes and architectural wonders within St. Augustine, you’ll begin to acquire an understanding of how each country influenced us into our own unique nation.  Spanish, French, and British styles are evident as you see the archways, doors, windows, gardens, as well as the furnishings of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Beyond the historical entertainment sites are the typical wax museum, Ripley’s museum, the not so typical alligator farm, many unique boutiques, shops, and fine dining of international cuisine.  Finding yourself in St. Augustine sipping champagne on the deck of Freedom may be your most enlightening experience yet!  Happy Traveling! 

(Some photos are courtesy of St. Augustine Chamber of Commerce, while others are that of the author)