I ended summer with a bunch of fun activities I can’t wait to share with you.

I also changed the format of these monthly posts and retitled them from Monthly Highlights to Monthly Snapshots. I think the new format of the photos with the name is really cute! Let me know what you think.

~ The Keys

This August, I spent about four days in the upper Florida Keys enjoying the island views, swimming with sea turtles, and taste-testing Key Lime Pies. I turned the trip into my post 24 Hours in the Upper Florida Keys.

Oftentimes, the upper keys can get overlooked in favor of Key West. If you find yourself near Islamorada, Key Largo, or Tavernier, take some time to explore the upper keys as well.

Robbie’s Marina, Anne’s Beach, and Pierre’s Restaurant are all beautiful upper key gems you won’t want to miss.

~ Whetstone Chocolate Factory

Did you know that white chocolate technically has no cacao in it, but is still considered chocolate due to the amount of cacao butter used in its recipe?

Have you ever seen the cocoa plant that cacao beans come from that give chocolate its unique flavor?

Any idea how chocolate is actually made and prepared for consumption and sale?

On this chocolate factory tour, we learn all about chocolate, tour the factory, and sample some delicious locally-made chocolate.

The orange-flavored chocolate shells were a big hit. We also enjoyed ice cream and my favorite, chocolate-covered orange rinds, in the Whetstone Chocolate Store.

~ St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum

We finally had the pleasure of visiting the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum. This museum houses the largest collection of pirate artifacts in the world. There is so much information and items on display to teach you everything you could ever want to know about the golden age of pirates.

This is not the typical museum you or your kids will get bored of. In addition to a treasure hunt, the museum houses play cannons, interactive games, a knot tying station, a cargo ship sniff station (my fave), movie props, and real shipwreck treasure. Believe it or not my kids had the most fun with spinning the ship wheel.

For added charm, the recording of Black Beard’s last battle was actually designed by Disney’s Imagineers. It’s lovely to see how much care was put into this pirate experience.

~ Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

Castillo de San Marcos is really a wonderful historical monument and integral piece of St. Augustine History.

I thought this location would be a good fit for the castle series I have been working on.

The kids found it quite intriguing to see the old soldiers’ sleeping quarters, what they had worn, eaten, and how they lived their day. You could even crouch down into the old gunpowder storage room.

~ The Colonial Quarter

THIS IS ST. AUGUSTINE’S #1 HIDDEN GEM!

Colonial Quarter is a live tour, nestled in the Colonial Quarter off St. George Street in Downtown St. Augustine.

The experience takes you back in time to learn about pirates, blacksmithing, weapons, the early settlement of the city, and the daily life of the era.

The live demonstrations were a big hit, especially the grand finale, a CANNON demonstration.

This REALLY was fun for everyone. We all thought Cooper the pirate was hilarious and charming. Scarlett even spelled LOVE to him at the end.

We had such a blast at Colonial Quarter and consider it a hidden gem. Add this to your itenierety.

~ Washington Oaks State Park

This State Park is home to a lovely rose garden filled with huge bushes with multicolored rose blooms. I saw few rose varieties I did not recognize.

Across the street from the garden is a beach approach, which is also part of the state park. Here you will find an unusual array of coquina rock.

I loved exploring all the little tidepools and warm puddles between the rocks. The pictures also came out beautiful. Thanks for helping with these Nia!  

~ Calle Grande Arches / Gateway

 I am obsessed with these ruins! Constructed in the 20s, these arches were intended to be an entranceway to a luxury housing development.

A devastating hurricane and the economical collapse stopped the development of both. Now they stand on either side of a backroad.

The steps were built to allow for gondola rides through the small canal. I think that would have been so fun!

These little ruins have so much personality and intricate detail. They made another great backdrop for my castle series.

~ Family Movie Nights

If you are not looking to be out in public much with the ongoing pandemic, I highly recommend creating an at-home movie night.

I am not a fan of movies, but I love a good theme and snacks! At-home movie nights complete with crafts, dinner, and décor have been a fun activity for me to plan and a great way to take a normal everyday activity and make it memorable and fun.

I also want to point out that almost all of the items are from Dollar Tree mkaing this super frugal.

If you’re looking for more ideas I made a post on 30 Best things to do in Florida in the Fall.

 I hope you enjoyed these snapshots of our month. If you haven’t been to any of these locations, I highly recommend you check them out. October is what my son calls ‘spooky month’ and we have lots of season fun planned.

See you after spooky month!