Holidays Are Brighter In St. Augustine!

The historic Oldest City becomes a real-life, walk-through holiday display November through January, during the annual "Nights of Lights" illumination. It's a magical time to enjoy the sights, shop, dine, and relax at the end of the day in your romantic bed and breakfast inn.

Holiday Nights of Lights: St. Augustine at its picturesque peak!

The St. Augustine holiday season "Nights of Lights" festivities, which started Nov. 19, when a flash-mob-like countdown in the town square culminated with a switch being thrown to turn on millions of tiny white lights in the trees, bushes, on the buildings, lamp posts, is one of the best times to visit. It's quaint, it's hokey and absolutely, magically DELIGHTFUL!!! The one and only St. Augustine Historic Inns live Webcam (which you, the viewer, can control) has the holiday lights onscreen, so check it out. (You may have to download a Java applet to see the cam.)

"Ghosts of Christmas Past" join December's Holiday Tour of Inns

"Ghosts of Christmas Past" will greet visitors along with more traditional holiday spirits during the 18th Annual Holiday Tour of Historic Inns. This holiday tour has become a favorite holiday highlight for tourists and locals alike, featuring 25 unique bed and breakfast inns decorated for the Christmas season.

Visitors will tour 12 inns the first day, and 13 the second day, where they will also enjoy treats catered by the city's top restaurants, candymakers and vinters. Each day's tour is from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Best Fourth of July in Florida, right here!

Accommodations are fast becoming scarce for the July 4th holiday, so make your reservations now!
St.Augustine celebrates with fireworks over the Matanzas River. The display is world-class festivity.

Visit the official St. Augustine July 4th celebration schedule

Our House featured among "Remarkable" places to stay

The Jacksonville, FL, Times Union newspaper and Website featured Our House Bed and Breakfast and two other St. Augustine inns in a photo essay about unique accommodations in the Jacksonville area. The story singled out Our House's REMARKABLE Greenhaven guestroom, with its chandelier-lit tub and elusive, amorous spirit.

There's also a photo of the Alden family, who lived in this house at the turn of the 20th century. Mr. Alden worked for Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway Company.
Read the story here!

Weekends get a cannon salute at the nearby historic Spanish fort

Guest blogger Nancy visits the historic Castillo de San Marcos for a cannon-firing demonstration.  The 300-year-old Spanish fort is a short walk from Our House of St. Augustine B&B.

Get it fresh at the Farmers' Market!

The market at the St Augustine Beach Pier is a short drive from Our House B&B.

Simple Saturday night pleasures: Full moon, jazz and pumpkin bread

Blooming azaleas surround Our House with spring color

March brings out the pink and purple azalea show at Our House B&B. When they fade in a couple of weeks, the fragrant jasmine blossoms will be opening their perfumed petals at Our House and all around St. Augustine.

St. Augustine's Celtic Festival hits the streets

The St. Patrick's Day parade Saturday had an intergalactic flair. Hey, everybody's Irish once a year, right? Maybe even Darth Vader. See http://www.celticstaugustine.com/ for festival details.

W.B.Tatter Batik boutique for art and "how to" classes!

St. Augustine artist and designer Wendy Tatter creates batik images rich with imagery of the sea, sealife  and its surrondings. She also captures portraits and landscape snapshots of  people and their activities. Her work has a spontaneous energy, composition and color that belie the somewhat tedious process of using wax and dyes to meticulously  build each piece.  Her gallery is on San Marco Avenue, just around the corner from Our House of St. Augustine B&B.

February fireworks right in Our front yard!

Stay at Our House the weekend of Feb. 25-27 and experience the uniquely St. Augustinian Cathedral Festival. Yes, I know, that sounds incongruous: Cathedral? Festival? It's a combination county fair, carnival midway, mini country music/blues-a-palooza, Fourth of July annual event that raises money for the local Catholic parish school. Controlled chaos: all goes quiet by 10 p.m. The best part (aside from the kettle corn) is the Saturday night fireworks display that you can see from Our front porch.Find out more here!

Serving breakfast with music on the side

The 1923 Chickering grand piano at Our House has been with me for about 30 years. Like a good friend, it has patiently put up with my self-expressive whims, tantrums, triumphs and follies. Guests at Our House are summoned to breakfast with a tune played by the cook. Sometimes guests join the recital, as Our guest Nathaniel did recently. Watch Our House guest Nathaniel channel Carole King.

Exploring just beyond the typical tourist trail

With so many attractions, historic sites, restaurants and shops competing for your attention, it's easy to overlook the "hidden in plain site" charms of St. Augustine right outside Our door. Our House B&B is in a residential neighborhood just two blocks from the Mission Nombre de Dios - site of St. Augustine's founding in 1565. A short morning stroll rewards you with quiet beauty that the more-traveled tourist track doesn't.  Come enjoy sunrise over the Matanzas Inlet in Our House's neighborhood.