Filed under Travel Thoughts by Jill on May 25, 2010 at 2:25 PM
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Our spotlight on St. Augustine, Florida continues this week with golf and restaurant reviews by our members. Take a look at last week’s Vacation Exchange Network Blog for posts about sights to see and things to do in St. Augustine and vacation homes available for swap in St. Augustine.
Our members’ St. Augustine golf course picks:
St. Johns Golf & Country Club is located between St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Florida and offers extraordinary golf. The 18-hole Clyde Johnston-designed course has the right challenges for novice and avid golfers alike. A great place to hone your skills, St. Johns is known for its consistent quality of service and conditions, being nationally ranked for customer satisfaction and loyalty by the National Golf Foundation, and host to the PGA TOUR Qualifying School in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Cimarrone Golf in Jacksonville should not be missed. Cimarrone’s manicured course conditions and challenging design provides a fun, player-friendly experience for golfers of all abilities.
King & Bear Golf Course in World Golf Village is named for its co-designers, World Golf Hall of Fame members Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. Wide fairways, top-notch conditioning. Not to be missed!
These restaurants have gotten rave reviews by our members:
O.C. White’s Restaurant: If sightseeing downtown, O.C. Whites is a good choice for lunch or dinner. Offering fresh local seafood, it is located in a historic building. Music in the patio area in the evening creates a fun atmosphere to spend part of an evening.
Pusser’s Bar and Grill in Ponte Vedra Beach (a short drive north of St. Augustine) is a great spot. Try the fish and chips. You won’t be sorry.
Ocean 60 (in Atlantic Beach) is a trendy spot with great food. You’d think you were in SOHO in New York City. Be sure and make a reservation because it’s a very popular spot. Located in a very cute little area that’s perfect for taking a walk after dinner.
Benito’s: There were so many good restaurants in the area, but for wonderful Italian food, don’t miss Benito’s. Located in Vilano Beach (a section of St. Augustine), the food at this very unassuming spot is terrific. On top of wonderful food, the prices are very reasonable. Over a two week period, we ate here four times.
Columbia Restaurant: This Spanish restaurant on St. George Street serves wonderful food with atmosphere. Indoor patio is stunning. Don’t miss the Scallops Casimiro.
Aunt Kate’s is a casual spot with great food and reasonable prices. The fried shrimp is terrific.
Salt Water Cowboy’s is not fancy but has a pleasant atmosphere; good food with a southern flair and good value. For those with a daring streak, try the fried alligator. Of course, be sure and try the fried chicken.
The Vacation Exchange Network is always looking for restaurant, golf, attraction, and destination reviews. Please share yours in the comments section below, or if you are a member, please email us with your reviews.
The Vacation Exchange Network
Unmatched in the home exchange industry, The Vacation Exchange Network is the vacation home owner’s first stop in vacation planning. Swap a stay in your vacation home for a stay anywhere in the United States or around the world, without the necessity of having to find someone who wants to use your home. Please visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s main site for more information about how home swaps work or to become a member and start planning your next home exchange vacation!
Filed under Eye on Vacation Homes by Jill on May 19, 2010 at 4:39 PM
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In yesterday’s blog post about St. Augustine, we highlighted the variety of sights to see and activities the oldest city in the United States offers to its visitors.
What better way to visit St. Augustine than with a home exchange? The Vacation Exchange Network has many beautiful homes available for swap in St. Augustine and the surrounding area. Here are just a few:
This modern oceanfront St. Augustine, Florida vacation home is steps away from beach and may be the perfect property for your next home exchange. Stunning wrap-around deck has private hot tub. The kitchen is modern with granite counters and upgraded Viking appliances. Vacationers can collect sharks teeth, surf, fish, charter a deep sea fishing boat, rent jet skis, para-sail, scuba dive, and rent ocean kayaks. The restaurants and culture of St. Augustine are less then 5 minutes away.
This ocean-side 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath condo in St. Augustine is 50 yards from the beach. Available are 2 pools and tennis courts, property is located across the street from the intracoastal waterway. Come to sail, tour, windsurf, surf, play golf, or just relax.
This ocean view condo has private beach access. The 2 bedroom, 2 bath home is newly remodeled and sleeps 7. The complex is gated, has 2 pools, tennis, a hot tub, and shuffle board. The property is just minutes away from Historic Old St. Augustine, Sawgrass, (home of Tournament Players Club), and the World Golf Village.
Home Exchange with The Vacation Exchange Network
Remember that with The Vacation Exchange Network, you always have the choice of mutual (direct) home swaps or non-mutual (indirect) home swaps. Browse our vacation home listings, or contact one of our Exchange Coordinators to find your next vacation!
Come back to our blog tomorrow for members’ reviews of St. Augustine golf and restaurants!
Filed under Travel Thoughts by Jill on May 18, 2010 at 4:39 PM
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This St. Augustine Florida Vacation Home Available for Home Swap with The Vacation Exchange Network
Founded in 1565 by Spanish settlers, St. Augustine is the oldest continually occupied European settlement in the United States. It was born as a military outpost and, at various times, was home to Spanish colonists, Catholic missionaries, escaped slaves, and Minorcan settlers. The city was a winter resort for wealthy Americans in the late 1800s and played a role in the civil rights struggle with a campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
St. Augustine’s long and rich history is reflected in its unique architecture and city plan. Visitors can learn more by visiting the Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum where several structures have been restored and re-enactors bring visitors back to the 1740s. Simply strolling the city’s narrow, old world streets and being amongst the Spanish-style homes and various other notable sights will also bring history to life.
For visitors looking beyond the city’s history, this unique vacation destination will not disappoint. For golfers, St. Augustine boasts the World Golf Hall of Fame and championship golf courses to match. For those looking for a distinctive adventure, you won’t believe The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and its zoological park. For vacationers longing to relax and perhaps find some seashells, the beaches of St. Augustine and the surrounding towns are among the best in Florida. And the St. Augustine Lighthouse surely won’t disappoint.
Thursday evenings are a night out for adults and kids alike, as tourists and locals gather at the St. Augustine Plaza for outdoor Concerts in the Plaza. Concerts are every Thursday from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
For even more information on all St. Augustine has to offer, take a look at a great blog tailor-made for St. Augustine visitors at The St. Augustine Travel Guide.
What better way to visit St. Augustine than with a home exchange?
The Vacation Exchange Network has many beautiful homes available for swap in St. Augustine and the surrounding area. Visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s blog tomorrow, or visit The Vacation Exchange Network’s main site to explore all of our home exchange opportunities across the United States and around the world.
To learn more about how home swaps work or to join The Vacation Exchange Network, please visit us at www.thevacationexchange.com.
We’d love to hear about your favorite spots in St. Augustine. Please comment below.
Filed under The Vacation Exchange Network Talk by Jill on April 1, 2010 at 10:35 AM
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Why Your Next Family Vacation Should Be a Home Exchange
Anna Maria Island Florida Vacation House Available for Home Exchange
10. You don’t have to ask for a room away from the noisy elevator.
Concern about where your room will be located — close to or far from the elevator, 2nd floor or 8th floor, smoking section or non-smoking section — is par for the course when you vacation in a hotel. When you stay in a vacation home, however, the whole house is yours. No need to worry about noisy guests, rooms that smell of smoke, a view of the parking lot, or being too far away from the ice machine. Every room in a vacation house is conveniently located and as quiet as you’d like it to be!
9. In a vacation home, there is no extra charge for room service.
Although I’ll agree that room service has a few benefits, I’d prefer not to have to pay $5 for that cup of orange juice my daughter is asking for. Home swappers enjoy a kitchen that is open 24/7, which is especially convenient for families with children who wake up hours too early for breakfast at a restaurant and for anyone who occasionally enjoys a midnight snack. Home swapping enables families to eat some meals at home, saving money on your vacation and adding oodles of convenience.
To be continued….
To read more of the top 10 reasons why home swapping is ideal for family vacations, visit us again tomorrow!
