Hey gang,
Since Grandma's in town and everything we decided to try checking out St. Augustine again. After all, we had quite the solid family vacation there a couple years back, and - with the exception of hitting up the usual Disney theme parks and beaches - our imported family members haven't really experienced a whole hell of a lot of Florida.
So we're out to change that.
This time around, we opted against staying the night (after seriously considering revisiting the Pirate Haus Inn - alas, they were booked), so instead made a day trip out of it. After all, from our front door to St. Augustine's historic district is a two-hour drive - shorter than the three-hour drive we used to take every summer for day trips up to Mackinac Island when I was a kid.
Check it out:
- Brian
Since Grandma's in town and everything we decided to try checking out St. Augustine again. After all, we had quite the solid family vacation there a couple years back, and - with the exception of hitting up the usual Disney theme parks and beaches - our imported family members haven't really experienced a whole hell of a lot of Florida.
So we're out to change that.
This time around, we opted against staying the night (after seriously considering revisiting the Pirate Haus Inn - alas, they were booked), so instead made a day trip out of it. After all, from our front door to St. Augustine's historic district is a two-hour drive - shorter than the three-hour drive we used to take every summer for day trips up to Mackinac Island when I was a kid.
Check it out:
One minute behind schedule. I wasn't thrilled. |
Setting off through a two-hour gauntlet, watching Brave. . . |
I love Southern gas stations. . . |
Florida |
F.Y.I. - Some of these oranges were real, but most were nothing more than spray-painted, cement balls. |
Mid-negotiations. Always fun. |
Abby gets her swing on while Yours Truly plans on out the next move. . . |
Who farted? |
We nearly had to get a hostage negotiator to get the kid out of this slide. |
Trying to convince the kids to leave. In vain. |
Tunnel of tires. I can't imagine how gross the inside of this thing is. It's probably full of used condoms and broken syringes. |
Heading to the Fort. . . |
El Castillo de San Marco |
(. . . as if I don't have enough pictures of this frickin' fort. Kris repeatedly reminded me of this.) |
Pretty sad I'm rockin' a sweat-rag by 10am. Also sad that we didn't learn anything the last time we scheduled a walk-intensive venture out to St. Augustine in JULY. |
(Can't really see it behind the bridge, but there's a giant galleon anchored on the other side. Probably One-Eyed Willie style.) |
We had sold the whole 'fort' thing to the kids by describing it as a 'pirate castle.' They were pretty pumped about checking it out. |
Walking from the forecastle into the main fort. . . |
The barracks |
Alayna - oddly enough - was extremely interested in the Castillo. Totally came out of nowhere. |
. . . Abby couldnt' have cared less |
Family fun! |
Walking up to the parapet to check out the ramparts and the cannon-firing demonstration. And hopefully not loose a kid over the edge. |
Checking out the ships (which were big hits with the kids) in the harbor from the rampart. . . |
The weekly canon demonstration. Not really worth the twenty minutes we stood around waiting for it. |
The build-up was worse than the actual firing for the kids, but they still wanted to see it. . . |
The Houghs, ca. 2013 |
Inspecting the artillery |
Grandma and Alayna |
The courtyard (and Kris) |
Checking out more guns (definitely weird to have Alayna so enthusiastic about the fort - especially its cannons.) |
Kris is a big fan of throwing up gang signs in selfies. |
'I wanna sit on the bunk beds.' Whatever you say, kid - just don't have a three-year-old freakout. |
She was convinced these were toys. I didn't argue with her. |
Who wants to watch an educational video detailing the steps needed to load and fire a 18th century cannon properly? Alayna does. |
I can't imagine the practicality of having this thing inside. And pointed towards a wall. |
Getting ready to leave the Castillo. . . |
Checking out the forecastle on the way out out of the main fort |
Remember the Pirate Museum? Yeah. . . we didn't check that out this time around. Thanks but no thanks. |
Coming back from the fort. . . and sweating. |
Strolling down St. George Street - the heart of souvenir-dom, bars and restaurants in St. Augustine. |
Refueling at Calabash Bill's, or Surfboard Joe's, or whatever the hell this place was called. |
Grandma, having a blast with Abby's hair |
Chugging lunch |
This is how Abby eats hotdogs. |
The usual St. Augustine wares. . . |
Behold. . . the Old Folk Trolley |
Grandma has some trouble making her way over the shaky rope bridge-thingy. |
Some creepy, old cemetery. |
Outside the St. Augustine Visitor's Center - our brochure-and-bathroom pitstop, connected to the parking garage and right across the street from the playground. |
Grandma shows Alayna a horse. . . |
I tried to capture the same sort of moment with Kris and Abby, but homeboy in the green shirt kinda photobombed the picture. |
Abby attempts to collect some coins from a local fountain. . . |
Nap time. |
After lunch, Grandma wheeled the kids around 'til they passed out, freeing up Kris and I to hit up some shops. . . |
The kids start to stir from naps. . . which means its time for ice cream. |
While the girls went out in search of a decent ice cream joint, Yours Truly stopped off into one of St. Augustine's Cigar Bars for a Sam Adams and a stogie. A well-needed break. |
Happy campers. |
The coolest man in St. Augustine. (this dog may or may not be real - it never moved from this pose, so its either very well-trained, or stuffed.) |