Exploring Florida’s Wonders at Anastasia State Park

Our family doesn’t set traditional New Year resolutions, but we do make it a goal each year to get outside and explore as much as possible. With that in mind, we headed to a beautiful Florida destination for the first time that’s been sitting practically right under our noses in nearby St. Augustine.

We set out for an afternoon adventure and found a sprawling park boasting all the best Florida has to offer, with pristine white sand beaches, natural dunes as far as the eye can see, marshy riverside walkways and woodland areas ripe for exploring.

We first trekked to the beach, where you’ll find four miles of seemingly endless blue water, white sand and dunes to take in. This is a no-drive beach, but cycling is welcome and encouraged as the packed sand offers up the perfect ride. With no heavy traffic, the shore is absolutely littered with thousands of shells, and Avery’s eyes lit up when she spotted them, sending her on a scavenger hunt of colors, shapes and sizes. Common shells found by beachcombers include clam, scallop, oyster and olive shells. There have also been plenty of reports of shark teeth, but be prepared to hunt as they can be tough to spot!

There are an abundance of wooden walkways stretching over the dunes that provide stunning overlooks of the sprawling landscape and the nearby St. Augustine Lighthouse. For those unable to traverse the beach, beach wheelchairs are available for free at the Island Beach Shop and Anastasia Water Sports with a Mobi-Mat over the soft sand that allows access to the firmer sand. Please note it is recommended to call ahead of time to ensure availability.

The park is situated just outside of downtown St. Augustine, so a tasty lunch or dinner and shopping is never far away. You can even catch a concert right next door at the popular St. Augustine Amphitheatre, which is within walking distance and hosts a weekly farmers market.

Next, we headed along the river down the tidal marshes, where Avery hunted crabs and spotted countless birds. Given the variety of ecosystems within the park’s borders, there is no lack of local wildlife to spot. In fact, the dunes are home to their own Anastasia Island beach mouse, an endangered species found only in this area. You can hike along the water’s edge on The Marsh Trail, or paddle the river.

Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, bicycles and even sailboats are available for rental on-site at Anastasia Watersports (seasonal hours). Like our own New Smyrna Beach, Anastasia is well known for its surf conditions as well.

We finished up our day with a hike along the Ancient Dunes Nature Trail, which loops through the shady maritime hammock and winds through the dunes. Avery spent her time hopping over tree roots and clambering up the ancient live oaks.

If you want to extend your visit (and trust me, you won’t run out of nooks and crannies to explore!) there are 139 full hook-up campsites for campers, RVs and tents available, all of which are located within the maritime hammock, providing plenty of shade and a short walk to the beach and river. There’s even a Bedtime Story Camper Lending Library on-site with age-appropriate children’s books. With all this park has to offer, you may never want to leave!

ANASTASIA STATE PARK
300 Anastasia Park Road, St. Augustine 32080
(904) 461-2033
FloridaStateParks.org
Open 8 AM to sundown, 365 days a year (shop, snack
counter and rental hours vary)
Admission: $8 per vehicle (2 – 8 passengers)