The First Coast has been attracting visitors for centuries – the first European to set foot here was Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, in 1513. By 1562, Pedro Menendez had established a Spanish colony at St. Augustine. Long before the 1920s tourist boom in Miami, the Northeast’s great weather and superb beaches meant it was a mecca for visitors; today’s vacationers can add to these a host of newer family attractions.
Left A canopied street in the historic city of St. Augustine Right Row of Spanish cannons at the sprawling 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine
From the shrimp fleet’s docks to the Victorian-era homes, historic Fernandina Beach is a great place to stroll, shop, and restaurant-hop (see Fernandina Beach).
Hike through a maritime forest to the beach, investigate the past at a historic plantation, and learn to canoe, at the Talbot Islands park system (see Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve).
Pet the stingrays, feed the giraffes, roar with the jaguars, ride a tiger on the wildlife carousel, and see animals in their natural habitats in this award-winning zoo with more than 1,500 inhabitants (see Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens ).
Walk through this fascinating “Ancient City,” founded in 1565, with its historic district allowing a look back into the past (see St. Augustine).
With its planetarium, Ice Age fossils, historic teddy bears, and an interactive children’s center, this Daytona Beach museum is always a hit with families (see Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS)).