We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

Safe Social Distancing

Summer travel and visiting local over-crowded tourist destinations were not an option this summer. We are an at-risk family. Staying home was our safest option. I searched for local destinations where safe social distancing in St Augustine was possible.

Good Timing

Our move across the country was lucky for reasons we could have never guessed. Unbeknownst to me, a pandemic had begun on the other side of the world as we traveled across the country. The virus descended upon the US shortly after our arrival in Florida.

We lived in an apartment in Los Angeles with over sixty families in our courtyard. Walking our dogs required multiple trips through the entire courtyard every day. Our new home in St Augustine is a spacious house with a fenced yard. I can’t imagine how much more difficult quarantining would have been in our apartment.

Venturing Out From Quarantine

After months of ordering our groceries, necessities, and take-out to support local restaurants, we cautiously ventured out. At first, we drove around town to scope out uncrowded places that would be safe to leave the safety of our vehicle. For us city slickers, it was easy to find lots of places to explore safely. We found plenty of destinations to walk for exercise, explore, and get some fresh air.

Canopy Shores Park

While perusing a map of St. Johns County, I found two parks close to our home. Canopy Shores Park boasts 1.5 miles of paved trails. The dense trees form a thick canopy above that gives the paths the feeling you are in a rain forest far from civilization. There is a deck to stop, rest, and enjoy a view of the Matanzas River.

We visited early in the morning to avoid the heat and brought our dogs along for our walk. Just a few others were in the park at this hour enabling us to practice social distancing. As others approached, we slipped on our masks.

Canopy Shores Park
804 Christina Drive
St Augustine, FL 32086

Vaill Point Park

Vaill Point Park also has 1.5 miles of shaded and paved trails. One of the paths ends at a fishing pier with a canoe and kayak launch on Moultrie Creek. Vaill Point Park is also dog-friendly, uncrowded, and a bird watchers paradise. The pier is large to enable social distancing, and the view is spectacular.

Vaill Point Park
630 Vaill Point Road
St Augustine, FL 32086

Flagler College

On a rare low humidity Saturday during the early summer, we headed to downtown St. Augustine. We did not have the opportunity to enjoy the lively pedestrian areas before the world shut down. I wanted to see if there were any uncrowded areas.

As we drove by Flagler College, I was surprised to find the campus and surrounding streets deserted. It was an opportunity to enjoy the lovely gardens and architecture by ourselves.

We parked on Valencia Street at a meter and strolled around the West Lawn. The Gazebo is a lovely spot to stop and enjoy some shade. The unique architectural and landscaping details are not visible from a moving vehicle. We appreciated the solitude and opportunity afforded us to enjoy the campus on a quiet summer day. The crowds will return once school resumes.

Flagler College
74 King Street
St Augustine, FL 32084

Varn Park

The beaches in St. Augustine are too crowded for my comfort. Thanks to a beach boasting a beach cam on their websites, finding an uncrowded beach was easy. Varn Park is in Flagler Beach south of Marineland.  It took less than an hour to arrive and the drive was gorgeous with views of the River and Ocean.

There is plenty of parking and bathrooms.  This beach is known for the coral color sand due to the shells. Fishermen and dogs are welcome.

Varn Park

3665 N. Ocean Shore Blvd

Flagler Beach, FL 32136

Historic Downtown Homes

We drove around the neighborhoods surrounding downtown north of Cordova Street. The stately homes represent numerous architectural styles. We saw Spanish Colonial, French, English, Victorian, Queen Anne, Colonial Plantation, Neo-Classical, and Coastal/Beach styles, to name a few. The diversity of styles intrigued me to research the various styles.

Downtown St. Augustine is beautiful. We enjoyed driving around in our safe bubble on wheels learning the layout of the city. When it is safe again, we look forward to exploring on foot.

Marinas and Boat Launches

We have driven past several marinas throughout St. Johns County. During one of our driving tours, we pulled in to a marina to check out the foot traffic. The coast was clear. With masks in our pockets just in case, we walked along the river’s edge. The boats were impressive, and the view of the river was spectacular. Daydreaming of boat ownership someday was fun and relaxing.

English Landing Marina
509 S Ponce De Leon Blvd
St Augustine, FL 32084

Another boat-related activity we enjoy is visiting local boat launches. Watching the boat owners launch and return to dry land from the safety of our vehicle when parking is available is interesting.

Douglas C. Crane Park
1000 Shore Drive
St Augustine, FL 32086

Outdoor Markets

The Farmers Market held on Saturdays at the Amphitheater on Anastasia Island is closed due to the pandemic. I don’t love the produce sections in the local grocery stores. California grows a significant portion of the produce consumed in the US – we were so spoiled. The selection at the outdoor markets and farm stands is much better.

We like to stop at a local produce roadside market called Farmer Market when their parking lot is nearly empty. The proprietors wear masks. I felt safe having the place to myself to choose from their excellent selection of fruits, vegetables, and related items.

Farmer Market
511 S. Ponce De Leon Blvd
St Augustine FL, 32084

Supporting Local Businesses

I prefer to shop at local businesses whenever possible if it is safe. When I place curbside pick-up or deliveries for groceries, I stopped buying produce. I am grateful for these services but have received several inedible perishables.

The local outdoor local markets are smaller and also more manageable for my daughter. She has the opportunity to pick fruits she loves, and I can throw in some math practice and life skills as we shop. We get out of the house to do some lower-risk shopping in the great outdoors.

Uncrowded Spots in St Augustine

I don’t know how long it might have taken us to find these quiet and uncrowded spots. The pandemic has forced us to live differently. Not all of the pandemic related lifestyle changes have been negative. We will continue to visit these uncrowded destinations for years to come.

Mini road trips have been a fun way to learn about our new home town. My daughter’s sensory processing challenges have always forced me to approach our outings differently. Social distancing is another element to doing things differently. Finding these off-the-beaten-track destinations has been a fun way to maintain social distancing in St Augustine.

You might also like:

Baking is Our School Closure Math