Read our Reviews- They Speak for Us! in St Augustine Beach

Next Installment on Michael's Review!

Review submitted: October 19, 2011   Date of arrival: January 15, 2011

Last but not necessarily least of the recommendations is The Oasis. It is only a couple of blocks from the condo and is a great place for breakfast or lunch. It is very busy at night and we never visited at night, but it seems to be the only nightlife on St. A Beach.

If you enjoy fresh seafood, there is a seafood market about a mile from the condo on your left after you turn right at the light.

For non-recommendations, the biggest disappointment for us was Amici's, an Italian restaurant fairly close to the condo. The first time we went we were seated in the bar area next to a table of loud drunks. We thought that area was the total size of the restaurant so did not ask to be moved and no one offered to move us to another area where we could eat in peace. The food was pedestrian at best. We decided to try it again and found out how large the restaurant actually is. Unfortunately, they could not get the pasta order right on our second visit, did not try to make it right when reported to them, and what we got was not good. If you like Italian, there is a small restaurant across the street from The Oasis that is supposed to be excellent according to what we were told,but we never made it there. (See Saltwater Cowboys!)

The other disappointment was not being able to find a decent pizza. We tried 3 or 4 local parlors but none were good. I'm sure there must be good pizza somewhere along the way.

Our favorite thing to do is going junking. There is a great flea market on the other side of St. A and the one in Daytona, a short drive, is even larger. Most of the other attractions other than the fort (pack your senior National Park Pass if you have one)are mainly touristy, although St. George St. is enjoyable as well as wandering back streets in the old area of town. There is a great shell place right on the main drag before getting into town from the beach.

If you aren't dead-set on grilling, you will love the condo, watching the sun go down over the water from the balcony, walking on the beach collecting shells and starfish (soak them in alcohol for 48 before drying in the sun), fishing from the piers and eating out. We had a wonderful time and if it weren't so far we'd be back again this winter.

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Second Half of Previous Review!

Review submitted: October 19, 2011   Date of arrival: January 15, 2011

This is the next installment of the previous review which the guest sent to my box. It wouldn't all publish due to the length but I thought it was helpful stuff!

and our favorite restaurant. The seafood and atmosphere are great and the salad dressing is the best we've ever encountered.We tried bringing a half gallon home but it didn't last the two plus week extended journey back west. If you like your seafood fried, you'll love O'Steens just a few short miles from the condo.After stuffing yourselves, pick up a quart or two of the Minorcan clam chowder to take back to the condo for a meal the next day. Delicious! Be sure to get there early or you will recognize your arrival by the line outside.

For BBQ you have to try Sonny's. Though a small chain, it is excellent.As a former Mississippian, I pride myself on my smoked pork butt and if you like smoked pork, theirs is as good as it is out there. Unlike the salad dressing, we did make it home with a few bottles of their BBQ sauce.

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Wonderful stay

Mike (Salt Lake City)
Review submitted: October 19, 2011   Date of arrival: January 15, 2011

I wrote a long review of Pat's condo right after getting home last March, but something went wrong and it never posted. With a million apologies to Pat for this late review of our 6 week stay during January and February, 2011, I'll try again. Most of what I say has been said better many times before, but I'd like to add our kudos to the chorus of praise.

First off, Pat is a wonderful individual who is super easy to work with and who goes the extra mile to make sure everything goes right even if she is half-way around the world in China. The condo development was built in the mid-70's, but was completely renovated a few years ago and is immaculately maintained. I don't think that there is a better location on St. Augustine Beach, with the beach just past the pools and across the walkway over the dune, with a great view of the ocean from the balcony.

The only problem we experienced with the development is that the condo rules do not allow either charcoal or gas grills, and none are furnished by the condos for use in the common areas. I usually grill 3-4 times a week year round, so this put a major dent in our dining plans. However, as will be noted below, there are a large number of really good restaurants available nearby.

Most of the units in the development have been upgraded, and Pat's is no exception. The floors are all tile and the furnishings are homey rather than luxurious, something we liked. The only issue I mentioned to Pat was the high speed internet connection that was not wireless and required sitting on the end of the couch to be used. I resolved the problem with a visit to WalMart to get a router. As soon as Pat was made aware of this issue she offered to pay for the router if I wanted to leave it, but I was planning on using it at home. If I know Pat, there is now a wireless router in the unit.

A short and easy walk from the condo - or an easier drive - are two shopping centers, one with a Winn-Dixie supermarket and the other with a Publix. Although we can't remember the names, both centers have Chinese restaurants and both are very good. The Publix shopping center has a number of other restaurants we ate at, we would recommend Mi Casa – very good Mexican – and Sea Oats – great for breakfast. A word of warning about Sea Oats: if you order pancakes plan on one stack of three feeding at least two people, since they are HUGE.

While at St. Augustine Beach do not miss eating at Salt Water Cowboys, very close to the condo a

Recommended for: age 55+, families with young children, sight seeing

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