From Vilano, you must get back on A1A south, which will take you inland over the inlet, back through town and over the Bridge of Lions into St. Augustine, our nation's oldest city. Maybe it comes from years of living in the shadow of Jacksonville, but St. Augustine does a lot to preserve this title of seniority, almost to the point where it seems home to the world's oldest everything. In all fairness, though, this relatively small coastal town is a truly historic place, and not just for its age -- North Florida surfers add it to the record books for being home to some of the area's punchier breaks.



Once over the bridge, go past the Alligator Farm and turn at The Surf Station into Anastasia State Recreation Area, where St. Augustine's all-around best breaks are. Once an old corner gas station, the Surf Station has been entirely converted into a surf shop -- for the first 10 years, you could still get a fill-up with your new surfboard. It must have been an interesting combination, since prior to the summer of 2000 you could still drive on the beach in Anastasia. Even though that tradition has died, you'll still pay $3.25 to get in (or just sneak over from the south lot near the Holiday Inn).

You had better be hungry. St. Augustine has over 250 restaurants, the highest amount per capita on the East Coast. Before you even get to town, Fiddler's Green (904-824-8897) is a good place overlooking Vilano, but it's pricey and open only for dinner. Once in St. Augustine proper, check out local seafood favorites Barnacle Bill's (904-824-3663), Salt Water Cowboys (904-471-2332) and Osteens (904-829-6974); Gypsy Cab (904-824-8244) is good for those with a taste for the unique, and Oasis (904-471-3424) is the breakfast spot. Or, you can save a few bucks by walking up A Street to Sharkey's (904- 461-9992).

Oceanfront is pricey, so you may want to cruise up to Anastasia Boulevard and get a cheap motel along the strip there, but there are cheaper beach options, such as the Econo Lodge (904-471-2330) or Holiday Inn (800-465-4329). De Paz Bayfront Bed and Breakfast (904-829-2915) is a romantic place to stay, but as long as you're in St. Augustine, you might as well camp right near Blowhole and company at Anastasia State Recreation Area (904-461-2033).

First of all, beware of skating in the historic district and downtown area, as the bicycle cops are a little uptight. Also, the bars close at 1 a.m., which puts a damper on the nightlife -- they even wear bikinis at the local nudie bar -- so you're kind of stuck with the tourist attractions. Go wallow in some history. Castillo De San Marcos (904-829-6506) is a Spanish fortress from the original settling of St. Augustine, whose claim to fame is that it's never been taken by force. Check out the cannons. The one in the southeast corner of the fortress has a Spanish name that, according to the plaque, translates into "Young Boy only Used in Roman Pagan Rituals." Go figure.



Once night rolls around, there's not much to do. Potbelly's (904-829-3101) is a local movie theatre that pairs nachos, pitchers of cheap beer and cigarettes with surprisingly good movies. Or, there's a historic ghost tour at Saint George Street that takes groups around downtown and tells stories of the supernatural at various spots. Though it sounds hokey, it can actually be pretty spooky. But if you really wanna be scared, just go drinkin' in Daytona. For more info, see what they say on the web.

One thing about the shops in St. Augustine is that they're strategically located. Not only is the Surf Station (904-471-9463) right next to Anastasia, but across the street from Sharkey's on A Street there's a Groove Tube (904-471-8282), which sells music, clothes and shoes in addition to boards and other hard goods. There's also Blue Sky (904-824-2734), which is owned by one of the area's better women surfers, Nancy Macri, and her husband, Dave.