We lived about an hour from St. Augustine for over four years and only ever took day trips. So after we sold our house and moved into our RV full-time, we spent a full week in America's oldest city with our doodles, Lottie and Rupert. Find out why we made the Fountain of Youth our first stop. Welcome to Season 2 of the Sunshine Travelers Podcast. Same travel, new home. IN THIS EPISODEWe share what surprised us about St. Augustine's history, from the Fountain of Youth to Fort Mose, the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in what is now the US. We talk about where we parked the RV and what it cost, the three very different sides of St. Augustine, where to stay if you're not camping, and the places we go back to every time. Plus, the dog-friendly state parks we found just outside of town, including a garden in Palatka built during the Great Depression that turned out to be a real hidden gem. KEY TAKEAWAYS* St. Augustine came before Jamestown and Plymouth, and the Fountain of Youth is much more than a fountain: a planetarium, a blacksmith demonstration, and the story of the Timucua, the local Native people.* Stagecoach RV Park cost us $479 for the week with full hookups. It's 15 to 20 minutes from downtown and has a dog park with separate areas for big and little dogs.* Anastasia State Park has a maximum camper length, and our rig was too long. Dogs aren't allowed on Florida state park beaches.* St. Augustine has three sides: the touristy downtown, the historic district, and the beaches. They're all worth exploring.* Not camping? Stay downtown near the historic area, at a B&B, or across the bridge closer to the beach. Fly into Jacksonville or Daytona and rent a car.* Bring bug spray and wear loose long sleeves on the trails. The mosquitoes are real.* Flagler College's rotunda is free to walk into, and it's stunning.* Our Florida State Parks annual pass paid for itself in one week. CHAPTERS00:00 Why St. Augustine was our first stop01:14 America's oldest city and what we learned at the Fountain of Youth03:30 Our RV and truck costs are coming to YouTube04:17 Where we stayed: Stagecoach RV Park (and the turkeys)05:48 The three sides of St. Augustine: downtown, historic and the beaches07:44 Anastasia State Park, big rigs and dogs on state park beaches09:58 Flying in: Jacksonville or Daytona10:25 A day trip from Orlando, and what Stagecoach cost us11:26 The dog park and why we stay a week12:23 Bug spray, long sleeves and the mosquitoes13:12 Castillo de San Marcos13:57 Fort Mose Historic State Park16:57 Flagler College18:51 The St. Augustine Lighthouse19:20 Nights of Lights19:48 The Old Town Trolley, the distillery and more to do21:10 First Friday Art Walk and Scott's Jensen Pottery mug21:49 Where we eat: Treylor Park, Kilwins, Mayday Ice Cream, Cap's on the Water and Kookaburra25:14 Faver-Dykes State Park26:51 Palatka and Ravine Gardens State Park29:45 Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, and our next stop: Orlando and Mount Dora YOUR HOSTSScott and Melissa are the Sunshine Travelers. After years of exploring the world and leading group trips, they went full-time RVing across North America in October 2026 with their doodles, Lottie and Rupert. RESOURCES MENTIONED* Read our full St. Augustine guide with photos and links: https://www.sunshinetravelers.com/blog/st-augustine-florida-hidden-gems-state-parks-and-what-surprised-us-in-america-s-oldest-city* What we paid for our RV and truck: our bonus video is coming to YouTube * Places we mention: Stagecoach RV Park, Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Mose Historic State Park, Flagler College, the St. Augustine Lighthouse, Nights of Lights, First Friday Art Walk and Jensen Pottery, Treylor Park, Tootsy's Footsies, Kilwins, Mayday Ice Cream, Cap's on the Water, Kookaburra, Faver-Dykes State Park, Ravine Gardens State Park and Washington Oaks Gardens State Park* Germany Christmas Markets group trip (Dec 2027), join the interest list: https://www.sunshinetravelers.com/christmas-markets* Want us to plan your next trip? https://www.sunshinetravelersexperiences.com* RV gear we use: https://a.co/d/0fj6ObAU* Missed last week? Episode 189, Our First Week Full-Time RVing: https://youtu.be/gRsDLGSyL_Q* Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bDLakFY6EuE Some links in these show notes are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.Disclosure: https://www.sunshinetravelers.com/disclosure-and-disclaimer SHARE YOUR FAVORITE ORLANDO STOPSWe're spending the next three weeks in the Orlando area, including Mount Dora and Winter Park. Have a favorite state park, local restaurant or unexpected stop? Leave your suggestions in the comments. We'd love to add them to our list! SUBSCRIBE FOR THE RV SERIESOur bonus video on what we invested in our RV and truck is coming to YouTube. Coming up: monthly RV living costs, memberships we're trying, a full RV tour, and more destination guides as we explore. Follow on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and subscribe on YouTube so you don't miss an episode. See you down the road! Keywords: St. Augustine Florida, things to do in St. Augustine, America's oldest city, Fountain of Youth, St. Augustine with dogs, dog-friendly Florida state parks, RV camping near St. Augustine, Ravine Gardens State Park, Faver-Dykes State Park, Fort Mose, Nights of Lights, full-time RV living
