If you think the Sunshine State is all about theme parks and frying on the beaches, you probably haven’t been to St. Augustine.

Discovered in 1565, by Spanish explorer Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles, he named the city after St. Augustine, the patron saint of brewers. It is the oldest European settlement in United States. Located on the northern Florida’s Atlantic coast, the past is present where history, beachcombing and Southern treats like butter pecan milkshakes are celebrated in equal measure.

We arrived in St Augustine harbor under the glorious Florida sunshine where we quickly changed our wardrobes from sweatshirts and long pants into shorts and t-shirts. After passing the Bridge of the Lions drawbridge, we picked up a city mooring and were eager to explore this historical city by foot.

We took a stroll around the town, awed by the rows and rows of delightful cobblestone streets, eclectic shops and old-style buildings where history comes alive in the Colonial Quarter in St. Augustine’s historic district along St. George Street. Soon we announced, “This is one of the most un-American cities we’ve ever been in…” In other words, it had quite a bit of character…it was devoid of the standard American franchises, new buildings, and high-rise hotels.

After dinning at Harry’s Bar & Grill, a local favorite, we were told to see the city at night from the water so we hopped on a boat tour to see the highly anticipated “Nights of Lights” display from the waterfront.

Each year, the Ancient City is covered with millions of twinkling lights to celebrate the season, bringing visitors from around the world to view the award-winning display of holiday lighting. A tradition beloved by so many, St. Augustine has been featured as one of the “10 Best Holiday Lighting Displays in the World” by National Geographic.

The festival traces its origins to the Spanish tradition of displaying a white candle in the window during the Christmas holidays. The spectacular lighting reflects the city’s 450-year history and illuminates the beautiful setting for lasting holiday memories.

Next day we took the hop-on-hop-off trolley tour and visited The Castillo de San Marcos Fort (Spanish for “St. Mark’s Castle”), the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Next we went to the famous “Fountain of Youth”, where we sipped from the Eternal Spring water where the spring is believed to hold magical powers to restore the youth of anyone who drinks from its waters. Claudia not only drank from the fountain but also filled her water bottle for an extra boost.

Before the day ended, we’ve visited the San Sebastian Winery; Flagler College, the Old Jail (where Martin Luther King was arrested on the steps of the Monson Motor Lodge and held for days), St Augustine History Museum, Potter’s Wax Museum, the Spanish Military Hospital, and the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum.

Another exhausting but exhilarating day went by before we dinghyed back to our boat; Claudia and I both felt blessed to have this incredible opportunity to travel and visit these amazing places; we vowed not to take these moments for granted, something that we needed to remind ourselves from time to time.