A Three-Day Stay Away

At some point this Spring Dear Diane and I realized it had been about three years since we’d taken a vacation (not counting spiritual retreats, which really aren't vacations). In our pre-COVID existence, every year or so we would join up with our good friends, Nancy and Dave Lee, meeting somewhere between our two homes. The Lees live in Northern Virginia and we live in Central Florida, so there’s a lot of territory to choose from. We've spent time with them in Georgia, North Carolina, Williamsburg, and other fun spots.

Dave & Nancy - Friends for 50 years

Because the Lees have children and grandchildren in Florida, we convinced them to join us on a mini-vacation in lovely St. Augustine, a truly historic city on Florida’s northeast coast south of Jacksonville. After a few days with us, they could then visit at least that part of the Lee clan that resides in Florida. Traveling from our home to St. Augustine involves only a two-hour drive, all on Florida’s picturesque back roads. But for our dear friends it meant a flight from D.C. to Jacksonville, then a drive in a rental car to St. Augustine. I think our next get-together will likely be at a more neutral site.

Diane and Me at Our Lady's Shrine

Although we spent only two nights and parts of three days in St. Augustine, we had a wonderful time. The weather forecast seemed a bit iffy, but the predicted thunderstorms never really materialized. We took advantage of the hop-on-hop-off trolley that runs throughout the city’s historic and waterfront districts. Of course, at our age there wasn't a lot of "hopping," but the trolley turned out to be a pretty effective way to see the sights. On each trolley ride we were entertained by a different knowledgeable driver-guide who related fascinating stories of the people and events that formed St. Augustine throughout the city’s long history. 

Chapel: Our Lady of La Leche Shrine

Diane and I had visited the city a few times in the past, so it wasn't all new to us. Our hotel was directly across the street from the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, which we visited on our last morning. We had hoped to attend Mass at the shrine’s church, but we had all misread the sign and couldn’t be there for the noon daily Mass. That was the anniversary of my diaconal ordination (26 years), but we celebrated quietly, thanking Our Blessed Mother for her constant intercession. The shrine, however, is a beautiful and very peaceful place -- a "must-see" if you visit St. Augustine.

We had a couple of wonderful meals in local restaurants. The first, right next door to the St. Augustine Distillery, was at the Fish Camp Restaurant, where we were served a lovely lunch. It's a popular place, especially for lunch, so get there early. And no, we didn't visit the distillery, simply because we were running late.

On our last evening together, we enjoyed a delicious dinner at the Conch House Restaurant, out on "The Island" as the locals call it. Fortunately, this particular island is connected to downtown by a drawbridge, so getting there is a breeze. Our dinner was just perfect, but even on a Tuesday evening we had about a 45-minute wait for a table. We spent the waiting time in the restaurant's bar, which is worth a visit. Halfway down a pier, it's decked-out in true nautical regalia, perfect for Dave and me, a couple of old retired naval officers.

If you occasionally visit Florida, and who doesn't these days, be sure to spend a day or two in St. Augustine. Just don't try to see everything on your first visit. It's one of those places you'll want to visit again and again.