Shopping

The winding streets of the historic district are home to dozens of antiques stores and galleries stocked full of original paintings, sculptures, bric-a-brac, fine furnishings, china, and other treasures. Brick-lined Aviles Street, a block from the river, has an especially good mix of shops for browsing, as does St. George Street south of the visitor center, and the Uptown area on San Marco Avenue a few blocks north of the center. The Alcazar Courtyard Shops, at the Lightner Museum (tel. 904/824-2874), have a good selection of antiques. Check at the visitor center for lists of art galleries and antiques shops, or contact the Antique Dealers Association of St. Augustine, 60 Cuna St., St. Augustine, FL 32084 (no phone).

Experience chocolate heaven at Whetstone Chocolates, 2 Coke Rd. (Fla. 312), between U.S. 1 and the Mickler O'Connell Bridge (tel. 904/825-1700). Free self-guided tours of the store and factory usually take place Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, but call ahead to confirm the schedule. Whetstone has a retail outlet at 42 St. George St., in the historic district.

Outlet shoppers will find plenty of good hunting 7 miles northwest of downtown on Florida 16, on the west side of I-95, in the St. Augustine Premium Outlets (tel. 904/825-1555; www.staugustineoutlets.com), the new in 2008 and swankier (Gucci, Cole Hahn, Kate Spade, Hugo Boss, and the like) Prime Outlets (tel. 904/826-1311; www.primeoutlets.com), and at the Belz Factory Outlet World, on the east side of the interstate (tel. 904/826-1311; www.belz.com). All three malls are open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 9pm, Sunday from 10am to 6pm.