Find out why St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches are the place to be this summer
St. Augustine, Fla. (May 20, 2023) – With 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches, countless water sports, more live music than you can imagine, and a few fun surprises along the way, it’s no wonder that Florida’s Historic Coast is the place to be this summer. Learn all about some of the summer events that truly make St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and the Beaches a one-of-a-kind destination for families, couples, and everyone in between.
Whether you’re spending time riding the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, cruising up and down the Intracoastal Waterway, paddling through one of Florida’s Historic Coast’s creeks or rivers, or enjoying the peace and tranquility of one of the area’s many other waterways, there is plenty of summer fun to be had when it comes to water sports. Hang ten and sign up for surf lessons or even a summer surf camp at PIT Surf Shop, which is located just off of A Street in St. Augustine Beach. They offer weekly camps for kids ages 8 and up. Other summer surf lessons and camps can be found at St. Augustine Surf School, St. Augustine Surf Guru, Endless Summer Surf School, and Surf Station as well as locations in Ponte Vedra like East Coast Boarding School and Saltwater Cowgirls Surf Camp.
If kayaking is your preferred method of exploring the waterways of Florida’s Historic Coast, head to South Guana Outpost in Ponte Vedra Beach for ‘SciFridays at Guana Lake.’ This weekly event will be held every Friday night, now through the end of September, from 7:30pm to 10pm. Guests will paddle through a special type of bioluminescence found in the area as they learn about the organism’s DNA and how its contributed to scientific advancements. Tours are $100 per person.
Another great family-friendly event offered this summer is ‘Marine Field Experiences’, hosted by Florida Water Tours every Sunday, June through the end of August, at 11am. Kids get to become junior marine scientists as they collect real data and use it to create a profile of the waterways. Tickets are $29 for adults ($24 with Florida resident ID) and $16 for children 12 and under with every dollar collected being donated to Florida Water Warriors.
Catch a show at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre. Located on Anastasia Island, midway between historic downtown and St. Augustine Beach, is The St. Augustine Amphitheatre. This 5,000-seat venue hosts dozens of concerts each year, welcoming music legends and rising stars across all genres. Starting in June, The Amp (as its lovingly referred to by the locals) heats up with a full summer of live music. On Friday, June 2 and Saturday, June 3, pop country star Kane Brown makes his way to the venue followed by TLC & Shaggy: Hot Summer Nights with special guests En Vogue and Sean Kingston on Sunday, June 4 and reggae rock band, Rebelution, making their way to Florida’s Historic Coast on Wednesday, June 7 and Thursday, June 8.
Summer fun continues with dozens of shows at the area’s hottest concert venue, The St. Augustine Amphitheatre, including My Morning Jacket (June 15), Peter Frampton (June 28), Parker McCollum (June 29), The Smile (June 30), Riley Green (July 6), Barenaked Ladies (July (16), Young the Giant (July 20), Michael Franti & Spearhead (July 23), Goo Goo Dolls (July 27), John Fogerty (July 28), Counting Crows (August 8), Stephen Marley (August 11), Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (August 12), Jason Mraz (August 13), and Matisyahu + G. Love & Special Sauce (August 25).
Located just 30 minutes north of historic downtown St. Augustine, the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall offers a 450-seated theatre or a 900-person standing room only concert hall with a diverse and exciting summer line up. Multifaceted singer-songwriter, Sierra Ferrell, takes the stage on Friday, June 2 followed by alt-indie musician, Matt Maeson, on Saturday, June 10. On Friday, June 30, local theater group, Apex Theatre Studio, performs a kids version of “Disney’s Frozen” with a matinee show at 11am and an evening performance at 5:30pm. Summer at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall finishes up with Andrew McMahon with special guest Flor on Tuesday, July 18 and rock legends Devon Allman & Donavon Frankenreiter with special guest JD Simo on Sunday, August 20.
Offering six free concerts held over two weekends in the historic Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, the St. Augustine Music Festival (SAMF) returns bringing world-class classical music to Florida’s Historic Coast. From Monday, June 19 through Sunday, July 2, SAMF hosts a series of concerts such as the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Recognition (June 19) with the Ritz Chamber Players and special guest Ann Marie McPhail as well as a string of “B Nights,” including Bach ‘Baroque Night’ (June 24), Brahms ‘A Night of Romance’ (June 25), and Beethoven ‘A Night with Nigel’ (July 2).
There are also many free community events during the long summer nights on Florida’s Historic Coast. Concerts in the Plaza, held every Thursday night, June 1 through August 31, from 6pm to 8pm, brings a wide array of musical genres to the Plaza de la Constitución in historic downtown St. Augustine. Enjoy local and regional talent such as the bluegrass tunes of The Driftwoods, classic rock sounds of Red Level Band, and dance songs from The Grapes of Roth. There’s also the Music by the Sea Concert Series at the St. Johns County Ocean & Fishing Pier, held most Wednesday nights, now through the end of September, from 7pm to 9pm. Enjoy local and regional talent such as Soulfire, Paul Lundgren Band, Fiusha Funk, and The Groove Pipe.
Some other great events worth noting include Summer Volksfest 2023, a celebration of everything Volkswagen, on Saturday, June 17 from 9am to 3pm at the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine. This outdoor event is free and admission to the museum is $15 for adults and kids 12 and under are free. Also at the Classic Car Museum is the St. Augustine Cruisers Car Club ‘Cruise-In,’ held every third Saturday of the month from 5pm to 7pm. Summer dates include June 17, July 15, and August 19.
Looking for something a bit more Zen? The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum in downtown St. Augustine offers ‘Yoga on the Lawn’ every Sunday and Wednesday from 8am to 9am. This one-hour vinyasa flow is perfect for all levels. Cost is $15. Or try your hand at ‘Shark Tooth Exploration’ and learn to hunt for sharks’ teeth with St. Johns County Parks and Recreation staff. This event will be held on Wednesday, June 28, from 10am to 11am, at Mussallem Beachfront Park in Vilano Beach. Admission is free, but you must RSVP.
There is endless summer fun to be had when you book your next vacation or spend your next staycation on Florida’s Historic Coast. For images to accompany postings click here.
