It’s called the First Coast, the place where Spanish colonists established North America’s first permanent city more than 450 years ago. Visitors arriving in Florida by car might assign a different meaning to this tagline, as this region offers the first opportunity for southbound travelers to take a beach break or take in historic attractions.
Just over the Georgia border, the town of Fernandina Beach is steeped in history, inviting visitors to stroll the expansive historic district that showcases hundreds of immaculately preserved and restored Victorian homes and manors. More history awaits in the centuries-old cobblestone streets of St. Augustine and the ramparts of the Castillo de San Marcos, the nation’s oldest surviving stone fortifications. But the first coast isn’t just about the past. The riverfront city of Jacksonville is making a name for itself as a destination worthy of a stopover, while upscale beach enclaves such as Ponta Vedra and the Palm Coast deliver a warm slice of the good life.
