Things to Do in Saint Augustine

At his eponymous studio, champion fighter Relson Gracie schools his students in Gracie jiujitsu, a martial-arts style honed by his great-uncle Carlos Gracie on Rio de Janeiro's rough-and-tumble streets. Relson and his team of instructors also incorporate moves from disciplines such as muay thai and MMA fundamentals into classes made for students of all skill levels and ages. Aside from mastering the physical techniques of martial arts, the instructors also opine on the benefits of mental discipline, self-respect, and camaraderie.

At the tee box on Cimarrone Golf Club's 12th hole, golfers face a dilemma: play a drive safely out to the right—where, at worst, the ball may stray into the rough—or attempt an aggressive shot over the water on the hole's left side, cutting off much of the dogleg and setting up a closer approach. With multiple bending fairways, deep bunkers, and a water hazard or marsh feature on every hole, the 18-hole, 6,891-yard course presents high-risk, high-reward scenarios at nearly every turn, delighting golfers who like to live dangerously and favoring those whose sand wedge moonlights as an actuary.

Before rounds, golfers can warm up swings at the club's driving range, a much-needed confidence booster before taking to the water-laden course or betting that they can outdrive the staff's resident T-shirt cannon.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,891 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 73.5 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 137 from the farthest tees
• Five tee options
• Scorecard

The St. Augustine Lighthouse has been keeping its luminous eye on the Atlantic’s endless horizon since 1874. In the 130 years since, the tower of Alabama brick and Philadelphia iron has served as the home of light keepers, a beacon to sailors, and a target of arson, eventually benefiting from a 15-year restoration project that commenced in 1980. Today, a staff of historians and protectors is eager to share the rich history of the nation's oldest port, not only through education and preservation but also by letting guests explore.

Visitors can scale the 165-foot, black-and-white lighthouse's 219 steps to the bright-red observation deck to catch breathtaking views of St. Augustine and spot gangs of dolphins making trouble by the shore. Lens-room tours allow up-close access to the regularly off-limits Fresnel lens, built in 1873, which weighs 2,000 pounds and shepherds ships with a light that radiates for 25 miles on a clear night. The clink of champagne glasses adds an element of glamour to Sunset Moonrise events, whereas Dark of the Moon tours let guests in after-hours to hear the tales of paranormal activity that earned the lighthouse a feature on Ghost Hunters.

A mountaintop gazebo rises above a labyrinth of emerald corridors, offering sweeping, ocean views to mini golfers who conquer Fiesta Falls Miniature Golf's course. The 18-hole circuit takes players past eight waterfalls, through shadowy caves, and around a 65-foot Spanish galleon that has been enjoying a golf-centric retirement since the Age of Imperialism. During the daytime, trees and rocky outcroppings block out the sun’s rays, which are supplanted by towering light fixtures after sunset to allow for nighttime play. Fiesta Falls’s concessions dishes out soft-serve ice cream, milk shakes, and other desserts to help guests ice their elbow after a particularly strenuous round.

Located just two miles from downtown St. Augustine, inside Anastasia State Park, Anastasia Watersports dispatches its nature-loving customers to the waters of a picturesque, three-mile tidal lagoon. Protected from the ocean by a line of sand dunes, the area, referred to as the Salt Run, offers gentle waves upon which patrons can hone their navigation skills in rented canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats. Alternatively, they can ride the area’s stiff sea breeze during windsurfing lessons provided by the shop’s qualified staffers. The waters brim with trout and flounder that fisherman can hook from their vessels, and birdwatchers can glimpse the marsh’s osprey, egrets, and herons as they soar skyward to nurture egg-shaped clouds.

Operating out of the Northeast Florida Regional Airport, staff pilots pay homage to the golden age of aviation with tours in one of the vessels from a fleet of historic aircraft. Pilots steer the FAA-approved 1930s Boeing Stearman or the 1935 Waco biplane, both of which hearken back to the days of Amelia Earhart, when hot dogs only cost two shoes. Aboard these vintage planes they fly along on various scenic flights such as the St. Augustine skyline trip, which offers views of the lighthouse, Castillo de San Marcos, the Bridge of Lions, and Flagler College. They also lead combination scenic tours and romantic sunset flights. For a special treat, discovery-flight passengers can actually steer the plane themselves or plan in advance for the pilot to perform aerial acrobatics such as barrel rolls and loops.