Anastasia State Park is windswept and sandy, with an arc of beach that stretches four miles to Matanzas Inlet, curving in on itself to face the ancient city of St. Augustine.
Resources
Overview
Location: St. Augustine
Lat-Long: 29.88016,-81.285451
Fees: State park entrance fees
Open: 8 AM until sunset daily
Leashed pets welcome but not on beach
Reserve a campsite
Location
Along A1A just south of St. Augustine.
Details
While it gets busy on summer weekends, there is so much space that a simple ramble brings solitude and seashells, squawking seagulls and pelicans floating overhead. Now that cars are no longer allowed on the beach, the sweep of hard-packed sand provides one of the best beach walks in Florida.
The campground and nature trail are set in deep shade under the wind-shaped canopy of wizened live oaks, and the lagoon attracts kayakers and windsurfers. At the park entrance are quarries from the 1500s that defined St. Augustine, the massive coquina blocks sliced out by slave labor under Spanish direction and moved to the city to build its fortifications. Visit for an hour or a weekend and find your own quiet space in this 1,600 acre state park.
Trail Map
Explore the park
Ancient Dunes Trail - At Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, the Ancient Dunes Trail leads you on a short scramble up and over relict dunes deeply shaded by ancient live oaks