Taking off Travel blog

By Mike Hill

St. Augustine is the ideal destination for tourists who love to learn about early American history as well as enjoy beautiful beaches on this choice strip of northeast Florida coast. From its quaint restaurants to its historical sites, St. Augustine has something interesting for the entire family, and is an ideal vacation destination.

St. Augustine History and Points of Interest

Founded in 1565 by the Spaniard Pedro Menendez de Aviles, St. Augustine is the oldest European-established city and port in the continental United States. Through the centuries, it was also controlled by the French and English, who left a rich historical legacy. Modern-day St. Augustine still reflects its heritage in many well-preserved Spanish colonial buildings from the 19th century.

For history lovers, a visit to St. Augustine must begin with a trip to the Castillo de San Marcos. The original construction of this fort began in 1672 by the Spanish, and one refurbished section of the city wall remains. The fort also gives visitors the chance to see arms and armaments from the 16th century, such as cannons. The fort is available for tours every day of the year except Christmas, and has a minimal entrance fee.

Numerous other historical attractions are to be found in St. Augustine, from the Fountain of Youth to Fort Mose and the famous Lighthouse. There are many historical attractions for children as well, such as the Black Raven Pirate Ship and the Old Jail. This region of Florida is a history buff’s dream, and all of the sites are located in or around the city, so that the whole family can enjoy sightseeing, shopping, and fine dining during their trip.

Beaches and Accommodations

St. Augustine has many beaches renowned for their beauty and family-friendly convenience. Crescent Beach on Anastasia Island is in a wildlife refuge, utterly unspoiled and pristine. South Ponte Vedra is known for golf, while North (Usina) Beach is more remote. Vilano Beach is a wonderful destination for the whole family, boasting a fishing pier, watercraft rentals, and parks. And St. Augustine Beach on Anastasia Island offers a pavilion, a fishing pier, and more.

St. Augustine’s beaches attract many visitors year-round, and so it is easy to rent a vacation rentals home in St Augustine Beach. Beachfront, ocean view, and beach neighborhood locations are all available, with condos and houses of all sizes. Whatever your travel itinerary, budget, or sightseeing plans, you can find the ideal beach rental for your perfect St. Augustine vacation!

(Photo: AnneDalles)

It’s summer vacation time for millions of people – and one of those people is me!  I’ll soon be on my travels. Now, I wouldn’t want you to have to do without your daily fix of PRF goodness, so I’ve lined up some great guest posts for the time that I’m away.  Here are just a few of the awesome posts that are coming your way:

• Improving the Ergonomics of Your Seat
• Best Cars for Road Trips
• Unmissable Historical Sites
• A polemic on travel insurance (more interesting than it sounds)
• and much more.

I’ll be checking in from time to time to see what’s happening here and on Twitter and Facebook, of course, and I’ll be back with you full time in early August, when you can look forward to updates on the places I’ve visited. I’m going to be checking out some new Florida attractions and seeing a few sights in New York and New Jersey.  See you soon!

Happy Memorial Day! For many people, especially in the warmer states, this weekend is a great opportunity to hit the beach and enjoy the outdoors, especially if you’re in a region where the weather’s looking good. If you’re planning a beach trip, you’re in luck, because Dr Beach (Dr Stephen P Leatherman) has released his annual update on the country’s best beaches. This is the 21st year that Dr Beach has chosen the beaches, based on a long list of criteria. Last year’s best beach was Cooper’s Beach in Long Island, but for 2011 that accolade has gone to Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida. Here are some of the features that make this America’s best beach for 2011:

the powdery sand is nearly pure quartz crystal.  The beautiful blue-colored water is clean and clear, making it so inviting to bathers and swimmers.  The beach is hundreds of yards wide …

And here are the other beaches on the list:

2.  Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
3.  Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
4.  Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
5.  Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
6.  St. George Island State Park, Florida panhandle
7.  Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina
8.  Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
9.  Waimanalo Bay Beach Park on Oahu, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

(Photo: Betty B)

A few months ago, I decided to take what was billed as a mini-cruise on a ship leaving Florida to go to the Bahamas. It’s an experience I don’t plan to repeat. Here’s why.

1.  Getting Up Early

Our ship was scheduled to depart from Port Everglades at 8am. That meant an airline style check-in a couple hours earlier, which meant leaving the hotel early to get there and line up.

2. Too Many Queues

When I check in, I expect to stand in a line, but by my count there were three different counters to line up at before we could get to the holding area (I won’t call it a pen, though that’s what it felt like). There was one desk to show your paperwork, another to show more paperwork and a third to deal with baggage – seems to me it could have been done in one (airline-style). Read more »

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is a growing regional travel hub. Serving around 22 million passengers a year, on a typical day the airport has 695 commercial flights, 189 private plane flights and 62,142 passengers. Located in Dania Beach, Broward County, Florida, it’s the county’s largest employer. If you’re planning a trip to Florida or to any of the destinations it serves, then here’s what’s on offer in terms of flights, amenities and parking.

Terminals And Airlines

Fort Lauderdale Airport has four terminals and claims to put an end to “terminal boredom” with the range of facilities in each. (Terminal maps are available here.) The airport offers non-stop service to more than 55 US cities, as well as flights to the Bahamas, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Mexico and South America. It’s a hub for Spirit Airlines and Gulfstream International Airlines, though many other carriers operate there. Read more »