St. Augustine Florida Travel Guide

Ripley’s Sightseeing Trains – yes, as in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! – has been providing St. Augustine visitors and Florida golf resort guests with a unique introduction to the nation’s oldest city for more than 50 years. By day, enjoy a sunny, interesting, fact-packed historic tour. By night, find out if St. Augustine is actually haunted on Ripley’s Ghost Train Adventure.

Ideal for the whole family, each narrated train ride transports tourists, local visitors and guests from such premier Florida golf resorts as The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village along a seven-mile circuit and back in time, with over 20 stops at some of the nation’s most exciting and historically significant attractions.

Whether you’ve come to the area primarily for a Florida golf resort vacation, to enjoy the beaches, or to discover America’s oldest city, Ripley’s Sightseeing Trains offer a most interesting way to relax, explore and learn. Each ticket purchased by Florida golf resort guests is valid for up to three days. Thus, Florida golf resort guests are welcome to hop on and off at selected sites, including Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, the Fountain of Youth and the Castillo de San Marcos.

On the coast of Florida, St. Augustine hotel guests discover more than one beach to enjoy. Some of the area’s beaches are quiet, while others draw crowds. But all are equally inspiring, whether you’re seeking to obtain peace of mind – or a piece of the action.

Just south of the famous beaches of St. Augustine is Crescent Beach, which is situated on Anastasia Island, a wildlife refuge. This beach appeals to St. Augustine hotel guests as one of the most scenic, unspoiled beaches in Florida. Great for a day trip for those staying at such St. Augustine hotels as The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village, Crescent beach offers boating, diving and fishing among its many refreshing pastimes.

Head north of Crescent Beach and you’ll hit St. Augustine Beach, where you can enjoy sandy shores, the St. Johns County Pier, a playground, pavilion, fishing pier, volleyball courts, fine dining, shopping and worlds more. Always popular among St. Augustine hotel guests, St. Augustine Beach attracts visitors all year long to America’s oldest city.

Ponte Vedra Beach is located in northern St. Johns County, south of the city of Ponte Vedra, which is home to the PGA Tour, the Players Championship each spring, and the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. As a guest at The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village, St. Augustine vacationers enjoy access to the private Serenata Beach Club on Ponte Vedra Beach, offering exclusive amenities, waterfront dining and beach access.

Rise, shine and take your pick from not just one, but two championship golf courses, both of which consistently receive four-and-a-half stars out of five from Golf Digest magazine. Where can you enjoy the privilege, you ask? At The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, which itself is rightfully recognized by Conde Nast as a Top 100 Golf Resort.

Preferred among Florida golf resort destinations for numerous reasons, The Renaissance Resort overlooks the one-and-only King & Bear course, named for its co-designers, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. For the legendary pair’s sole course co-design, Palmer and Nicklaus sought to create something eminently playable and picturesque. They nailed it with King & Bear, which showcases challenging par-fives amid lakes, loblolly pines and 200-year-old live oaks.

Golf Hall of Fame members Sam “The Slammer” Snead and Gene “The Squire” Sarazen served as consultants to course architect Bobby Weed for the Slammer & Squire course, also steps from The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village. Florida golf resort guests who experience the course are awed by memorable par-threes, natural beauty, preserved woodlands, wetlands and views of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Heralded by golf publications, avid connoisseurs and Florida golf resort frequenters alike, both courses have hosted professional golf tournaments, including the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, a Champions Tour event, Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, and other nationally televised events. When you experience The Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village, located south of Jacksonville and minutes from historic downtown St. Augustine, Florida, our well-played greens are yours for the taking.

PGA TOUR Spa Laterra, the first to boast the PGA TOUR name, keeps men and women centered at the new Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village, a Florida golf resort located in beautiful St. Augustine. With treatment areas that include private “floating cabanas,” PGA TOUR Spa Laterra proves that athletic activities aren’t the only outdoor option that keeps people coming to our Florida golf resort year after year. Massage therapists and estheticians perform an array of treatments for Florida golf resort guests in 11 indoor treatment rooms as well. Also, because of the abundant Florida golf resort activities our guests enjoy, traditional and golf-related spa treatments are available.

A Spa Boutique, where Florida golf resort vacationers can select from product lines that include Sonya Dakar, Eminence, Babor, Mama Mio and more, is another favorite amenity at PGA TOUR Spa Laterra. For a Florida golf resort wedding, event or occasion, the full-service salon at the spa will make you look magnificent. A luxurious lounge and outdoor sanctuary complete with a koi pond relaxes Florida golf resort guests. And your every wish throughout your Florida golf resort vacation – from the spa to your beautiful accommodations – is our command when you stay with us, at the new Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village.

The most challenging part of your visit to the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village isn’t finding something to do at this premier Florida golf resort, it’s deciding what adventure to enjoy next. Those seeking culinary experiences will delight in our Florida golf resort’s varied dining choices. Likewise, a selection of area dining establishments surround our Florida golf resort. Dining options for Florida golf resort guests include everything from rustic fish camps for local seafood to sophisticated bistros with tempting international cuisine.

Golfers at our Florida golf resort will never leave the 30,000 square-foot PGA TOUR STOP empty-handed, and all Florida golf resort vacationers enjoy the fabulous bargains of the area’s outlet malls. Quaint shops in downtown St. Augustine, America’s oldest city, provide Florida golf resort guests with a vast array of unique shopping options. From modern museums and major sporting events to historic sites and festivals, this Florida golf resort offers great attractions and amenities sure to complement your visit to World Golf Village.