St. Augustine was founded in 1565 – 42 years before the English colonized Jamestown and 55 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. It is the oldest, continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States.

A visit to St. Augustine is an adventure with traces of yesteryear depicted by authentically clothed Spanish fusiliers and colonial craftsmen. Knowledgeable tour guides lead visitors through the centuries via horse and carriage, trolleys and trains, river cruises and walking tours. The tours provide historically accurate information accented by anecdotes and tales that are a colorful part of the city's history. Historical characters of the past whose legacies endure in St. Augustine include Ponce de León, whose spirited search for the legendary Fountain of Youth still captures the imagination, and renowned Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, who founded the city more than 435 years ago.

Near the end of the 19th century, oil magnate Henry Flagler envisioned St. Augustine as "America's Riviera," preserving much of its centuries-old structures and initiating a golden renaissance that added exciting new architectural and recreation features that turned the slumbering town into one of Florida's earliest resort locations.

The area now exudes a playful charm that blends Old and New World influences in a compelling and refreshing mixture of history, romance and Southern charm.