St. Augustine
Vilano Beach
Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve - This national reserve has miles of hiking and biking paths. Go fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and bird viewing also. In the education center there are movies about wildlife, life-size models of aquatic creatures, interactive displays, and an aquarium. Creature Feature and Family Fun Hour occur monthly and are included in the price of admission.
Vilano Beach - This is a copper sand beach with rough waters and is excellent for collecting shells and bird watching. Usually a less populous beach, it's also a great place for flying kites.
Rent gear at the Vilano Marina or Vilano Surf Shop. If you have younger kids, be sure to keep them at a safe distance from the surfers. Wear beach or water shoes to keep shell from cutting little feet. Flip flops are not recommended as they easily come off in deep sands. Rinse the sand off the kids in the splash fountains at the pavilion near the beach entrance.
If driving on the beach, stay on the packed sand. Vehicles tend to stick in the deep sand. If this happens, seek an officer for advice. During the winter months, there are no fees and no lifeguards.
Vilano fishing pier - Opposite the beach is the Vilano fishing pier. Sit on benches, swing on the swings, listen for the hourly bells to toll. Rent fishing gear at the Vilano Marina next to the pier. On Sunday afternoons, there' s a farmer's market.
Vilano boardwalk - Hidden just off the main thoroughfare of Vilano Street is a small boardwalk over the marsh. Walk out over the marshes on a self-guided tour to learn about and view local wildlife.
