Our annual family beach trip was spent on Vilano beach in a condo overlooking the ocean, and 5 minutes from downtown St. Augustine.
Day 1 was spent exploring beautiful downtown St. Augustine. We enjoyed a light lunch, wandered through the historic downtown shops, visited the stunning Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, and took a stroll along the beach before heading to dinner.
Day 2 was all about slowing down and soaking up vacation mode. We spent the day on the beach, riding waves on our boogie boards, napping in the sunshine, and ending the evening with snow crab and potatoes. Snow crab is Sophia’s favorite, making it the perfect dinner to cap off a great day.
Forever is composed of nows
Emily Dickinson
Day 3 brought more adventure. After a wonderful lunch at a charming local restaurant The Blue Hen Cafe, we visited the St. Augustine Lighthouse and climbed what felt like endless flights of stairs to the top. The panoramic views were well worth the effort. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the beach and enjoying the ocean, before another wonderful dinner prepared by our fave chef in the family. We all know who that is.
Day 4 took us to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! before another afternoon of exploring downtown St. Augustine. Later, Doug and I escaped for some time together on the beach before finding a fun rooftop bar where we enjoyed cocktails, appetizers, and a beautiful evening overlooking the city.
Doug and I enjoyed an evening in town alone, while the girls drove to downtown Augustine to experience some of the haunted scary museums. We found a spot on a rooftop bar for drinks and appetizers before a nice dinner back at the condo.
Day 5 was another perfect beach day. We relaxed in the sun while the girls ventured into town for more shopping and sightseeing. There is something special about having nowhere to be and nowhere to rush, and the views from our condo and the sand on the beach are what we needed.
Day 6, our final day, looked a little different as the rain rolled in. We spent the morning exchanging gifts. This year, each of us drew a name and had a budget to find the perfect vacation souvenir for that person. The rainy weather turned out to be a gift in itself, giving us an excuse to stay in, play games, eat junk food, exchange presents, and finish our trip with a family movie night, and a great dinner.
As always, the week flew by far too quickly. We came home with sandy shoes, fullfilled hearts, and another collection of shells and memories we’ll be talking about for years to come.
