Moving to St. Augustine? A Local Guide to Six Areas

Beach mornings. Historic streets. Waterfront walks. Your favorite coffee spot around the corner.

There’s more than one way to live in St. Augustine. If you’ve visited and started wondering what it would be like to call it home, exploring the different areas is a good place to begin.

We’re Megan and Gabe Kling. Through our real estate work, local outings, and life behind the scenes, we share the places and experiences that make this area home.

Here’s where we’d start—and what we’d pay attention to along the way.

Start with your everyday life

Before choosing a neighborhood, picture an ordinary Tuesday.

Where will you get coffee? How often will you head to the beach? Will you commute? Do you want a yard, a condo, room for a boat, or less maintenance?

Write down your three must-haves, your comfortable budget including ownership expenses, and the places you expect to visit regularly. Those answers will help you narrow your search.

1. St. Augustine Beach

If your picture of life here includes ocean mornings and stops along A1A Beach Boulevard, put St. Augustine Beach on your exploring list.

Spend time around the public beach accesses and nearby businesses, then explore the residential streets around the places you enjoyed.

Our suggestion: Walk the actual route from a property to the beach or your favorite stop. Notice crossings, sidewalks, parking, and how the trip feels.

When comparing homes, consider whether a house or condo better suits your plans, along with maintenance and any association responsibilities.

2. Davis Shores and North Anastasia Island

Davis Shores sits at the north end of Anastasia Island, across the Bridge of Lions from downtown. It’s worth exploring if both the historic city and island destinations are part of your routine.

Our suggestion: Plan stops on both sides of the bridge and travel the routes you expect to use. A location on a map can feel different when you experience it yourself.

For any property you consider, investigate its condition, improvements, elevation, drainage, and available flood history.

3. Vilano Beach and North Beach

Vilano offers beach access, a town center, and a fishing pier. As you explore north along the coast, compare each location’s relationship to the ocean, Intracoastal, and your everyday stops.

Our suggestion: Visit the Vilano Fishing Pier and town center, then make a trip from a specific property to groceries, dining, or your likely commute route.

Think about what matters most to you: beach access, a water view, outdoor space, or proximity to the places you’ll use regularly.

4. Historic Downtown, Uptown, and Lincolnville

These are distinct areas, each worth exploring separately.

Downtown centers on historic streets, the bayfront, restaurants, and attractions. Uptown extends along the San Marco Avenue corridor. Lincolnville has its own residential streets, local businesses, and significant cultural history.

Our suggestion: Walk beyond the main visitor routes. Return in the evening and spend time on the exact block you’re considering.

Ask about parking, maintenance, and whether planned exterior changes would require historic review. Notice how visitor activity and events

affect the location.

5. St. Augustine South

Explore Shore Drive and the surrounding residential streets to get a feel for this area. Shore Drive Park includes waterfront space and a boat ramp on Moultrie Creek.

Our suggestion: Spend time along Shore Drive, then make the trips you would regularly take for groceries, work, and the beach.

When looking at a property, consider the yard, garage, storage, utilities, and any restrictions. If boating is part of your plan, investigate whether the available access suits your boat and intended use.

6. Butler Beach and Crescent Beach

Continue south on Anastasia Island to compare beach access points and the locations around them.

Look at each property’s relationship to the ocean, waterways, and the services you use regularly.

Our suggestion: Find the beach access you would actually use, then make an ordinary grocery or dinner trip from the property.

Confirm whether access is public, private, or association-controlled. Review any association responsibilities, and investigate property-specific rental rules if renting is part of your plan.

A few of our local favorites

Leave room between home tours to experience life here. These are a few places and experiences we’d put on your list:

• The Kookaburra: Our coffee pick. Choose a location near the area you’re exploring and make it part of your visit. Explore locations.

• The Floridian: One of our restaurant picks. Check its current menu, location, and reservations when planning your visit. Visit The Floridian.

• Moonrise near the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier: Make time to watch the moon rise from the nearby beach. Check the moonrise time, weather, and current access before heading out. Check county pier updates.

• Guana / GTM Research Reserve: Our pick for time outdoors. Use the reserve’s visitor information to choose your outing and check current access. Plan your visit.

Look beyond the listing photos

Before committing to a home, take time to understand:

• Ownership costs: Property-specific estimates for insurance, taxes, utilities, association fees, and maintenance.

• Flood and storm considerations: Available maps, elevation information, property history, and insurance options.

• Condition and improvements: Inspection findings, roof and system condition, renovations, and permit records.

• Association requirements: Governing documents, budgets, assessments, restrictions, and maintenance responsibilities where applicable.

• Rental plans: The exact property’s jurisdiction, zoning, registration requirements, and association rules.

A St. Augustine mailing address does not necessarily mean a property is within city limits. Research the specific address rather than assuming the same rules apply everywhere.

Make your next visit a scouting trip

Choose two or three areas instead of trying to see everything.

Get out of the car. Test the routes you would use regularly. Visit at different times of day and write down what you liked and what gave you pause.

Separate location preferences from features you could change in a home. Bring your notes to us, and we can help turn them into a more focused search.

Let’s find your starting place

You don’t need to know exactly where you want to buy before reaching out.

Tell us what you want everyday life here to look like, what you’re considering spending, and when you hope to move. We’ll help you compare areas and decide what to explore next.

Call Gabe at 904-501-8515 to talk about your move.

Gabe Kling | Broker Associate
ONE Sotheby’s International Realty
Megan Kling | Marketing + Design

Follow @staugustine.homes for local life, real estate, and behind the scenes.

This guide covers a selection of St. Augustine areas. Conditions, access, expenses, and restrictions vary by address and can change.