What Your Clients Need To Know About St. Augustine, Florida

St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches collectively make up Florida's Historic Coast, a stretch of beautiful coastline and national parks and home to the oldest continuously inhabited city founded by Europeans in the U.S. It's in and around this city - the Old City of St. Augustine - where young and old can find history come to life and pursue a full slate of other interests, from outdoor adventure to the arts. Click through this slideshow to learn a little bit about why St. Augustine might be the perfect match for clients seeking a rich cultural and outdoor experience on America's shores. Then go to TravelAgentAcademy.com and enroll in the St. Augustine | Ponte Vedra Specialist program to learn more.

Founded by the Spanish in 1565, St. Augustine has at its heart the Colonial Quarter, where visitors can encounter guides in period dress talking about life in the 16th and 17th centuries, or witness activities like musket and blacksmith demonstrations. They can also glimpse into what medical practice was like at the Spanish Military Hospital Museum, from how surgery was performed back in the day to how herbs were grown and used as medicines - some of which are popular today.

Visitors can head out of town to several nearby archaeological and national parks to learn more about America's past. Just a few noteworthy attractions include Ponce de Leon's "fountain of youth" along with a Timucua Indian village; the oldest masonry fort in the U.S., built by the Spanish in the 1600s; and the site of the first free African American settlement, chartered by the Spanish governor of Florida in 1738 and today an important stop on the Florida Black Heritage Trail.

There are enough museums in St. Augustine to keep visitors of all ages busy for an entire week. Beyond the Colonial Quarter, the Old Florida Museum has interactive exhibits that depict the lives of both indigenous and colonial residents; a lighthouse and maritime museum that tells the tales of local shipwrecks and the role of the Coast Guard in World War II; and Florida's oldest Spanish colonial home - just to name a few!

More fun awaits visitors in the natural settings in and around St. Augustine. A thrilling biplane ride will give them a stunning overview of the area, while boat tours will take them close to the natural beauty along the waterways. And nothing makes the heart pump quite like a zipline ride over a crocodile crossing - just one of the attractions at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park!

The combined areas of St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra share 42 miles of oceanfront, where beach enthusiasts will delight in St. Augustine Beach just minutes from the historic city. Along this stretch of white-sand beach, they can swim, fish and simply kick back and soak in the sun.

For hiking, biking, bird watching, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, camping - you name it - Anastasia State Park has the amenities outdoor enthusiasts will need, from trails to rentals. Visitors will find four miles of unspoiled beach and 1,600 acres of well-preserved eco-systems.

Daytime and sunset sailings aboard a schooner, together with "pirate" ships offering games for children and swashbuckling entertainment for all, are just some of the ways to enjoy life at sea off the coast of St. Augustine.

Balance outdoor and museum time with a foray into St. Augustine's art scene. The historic district is dotted with art galleries showcasing works in a range of styles, while live performances run the gamut from dance to concerts to theater.

Fresh caught seafood and local produce enhance the wide variety of cuisines that visitors will discover in St. Augustine. Spanish, British, Cuban and Brazilian dishes are some of the offerings on tap in the restaurants. A winery, beer tours, pub crawls, specialty food and wine samplings and a tour of a chocolate factory help complete the culinary scene.

By now you can probably think of clients - from couples to families to groups of friends - who would love the history, culture and natural beauty that grace St. Augustine. For more information on how to craft trips around their specific interests, and even learn about destination weddings in the area, enroll to become a St. Augustine | Ponte Vedra Specialist at TravelAgentAcademy.com. Here you will learn much more about what St. Augustine and neighboring Ponte Vedra hold in store for your discerning clients!