St. Augustine Experiences — Local services in Saint Augustine

My girlfriend, Jolene and myself won a pair of tickets to go on the tour. To be honest, we had a pair of sore heads, from the night before, but had booked the tour the day before. Was this a good idea....well we've booked it now! It soon became apparent, we had made the right decision. From the moment we met Alex, our guide, and the rest of the group, Alex's relaxed, informative nature shone through. We met at the Dog Rose brewery, sampling a tasty variety of different beers brewed in house. Alex started by telling us the history of brewing in the USA (mainly) and as there were a couple of Europeans on the tour (including me), the talk turned to discussing the differences between the established US brewers and the newer US Kraft / European breweries. We then set off to our next location, via St Augustine's historic district district. My partner has lived an hour away from St Aug, most of her life and was amazed at some of the history attached. Unfortunately, many Floridians are probably blissfully unaware of this gem, sitting on their doorstep. After visiting a lovely Polish/ Greek Restaurant (Gaufres and Goods ) for some typical treats, next was the Ancient City Brewery taphouse in the centre of town. Again, some lovely samples of their beers, and all the while Alex regaling us, with more facts and figures of St Aug's history.

By now the group was getting to know each other and we all enjoyed, each others, anecdotes from around the Globe. Next, we visited a little known Greek 'sanctuary' buried in the heart of St George's Street. Well worth a visit for the architecture and the story. Finally we visited Auggie's Draft Room. This place, again allowed us to sample their plentiful array of beers, but with a twist. Here you purchase a prepaid credit card, allowing you to dispense your own beers and taste as many as your credit allows. A novel idea and would be great fun on a night out. Overall I would thoroughly recommend this tour to anyone visiting St Augustine. Being from Cornwall, (look it up!) I love this city, as it resembles a more European feel. I love other American features, but appreciate here that you can walk everywhere and dont need to (drink)drive, from place to place! After the initial tour cost, you pay nothing while on the tour. The guide purchases all of the drinks/ food while on the tour. Thanks again to Alex. I would definitely be interested in other tours given by him and...

Our tour guide Alex made our five year anniversary one to remember.

Not Just A Chocolate Tour:

To start off the day we meet up with Alex at Crucial Coffee Café. This place is definitely one of St. Augustine's hidden gems. I believe my boyfriend and I passed this place twice before we realized it was the café we were to meet Alex at, that’s how easy it is to miss. The coffee was so full of flavor and the place felt very welcoming. Definitely a great place to catch your morning coffee on those nice cool mornings.

The next stop was City Perks Coffee & Vines, and let me say, the pastries here were so yummy I just wanted to try every single one. There were so many coffee choices to choose from that I chose the Surprise me coffee option. This was a great and adventurous choice.

There were several other great places we stopped at during this tour but one of the final stops that we enjoyed was Hyppo's, this place is popsicle heaven, and is packed full of flavor and goodness.

Next tour........

The Perfect Pairing: St. Augustine's Wine, Cocktail, and Food Experience:

This tour is a definite must… you will not be disappointed. The top three stops were Carrera Wine Cellar, Boat Drinks and Forgotten Tonic.

Carrera Wine Cellar: If you want to enjoy a glass of wine and relax inside or out, this is the place. One amazing feature of this place is their wine card option. It allows you to go right in grab your wine glass, select the wine you want from the wine dispenser, and enjoy.

Boat Drinks: Let me just say if you want some rum in your coconut this is the place. There is no holding back and the oysters are so fresh.

Forgotten Tonic: Best place to grab an apple martini and have a nice romantic evening.

I think what made these two tours enjoyable was that Alex joined right in and absolutely made this one for the books. Alex is a great tour guide and after a few short hours with him it felt like we were walking and drinking with a lifelong friend.

Thank you for everything and we can't wait to go back to do the...

Russ was personable, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. He prioritized everyone’s safety, comfort, and overall experience—from the historical insights to the food, drinks, and our stay in St. Augustine. He provided plenty of recommendations and encouraged us to reach out anytime during the rest of our trip—or even when planning our next vacation—for additional assistance, suggestions, or bookings.

Russ clearly had strong relationships with all the venues we visited and was well-liked and respected by everyone we encountered. His sincere charisma, charm, and ability to adapt to different personalities were refreshing compared to other tour guides I’ve experienced in the past.

Casa de Vino- charcuterie and wine - delicious. Mojo's BBQ flavorful and cooked to perfection. The dessert from Forgotten Tonic- to die for.

One unique aspect I truly appreciated was having the option to choose our own drinks, rather than having them pre-selected and paired with the tastings.

While I’m definitely bummed to have missed the official Bourbon tour, when Russ discovered our love for Bourbon, he generously shared selections from his personal favorites as substitutions for our drinks—essentially turning our experience into a personalized mini Bourbon tour. The dedicated Bourbon tour is now at the top of my list for next time!

Thank you, Russ, for a fantastic tour—and most importantly, for your dedicated years of service. Cheers!

While gratuities are never required, bringing some cash for your guide is a great way to show appreciation for their time, effort, and the quality of...