On election day, we knew we were going to be in for a major waiting game. So we planned ahead for a mini adventure. We knew we would need a little Vitamin Sea! So, we pointed the car toward the Atlantic and headed east.
For those familiar with High Springs, Florida, you'll know it's a fairly painless drive. For those unfamiliar with the fresh water diving capital of the USA, start by finding Gainesville, Florida on the map and you'll be close enough. As I said before, we headed east.
One of the coolest features of Crescent beach, just south of St. Augustine and about an hour north of good ole Daytona Beach is that you can actually drive out onto the sand. As in, you get to load your vehicle up with all your beach gear and don't have to bother lugging it all in a buggy or making multiple trips. Cooler, chairs, camera gear (always so much camera gear), towels, and pup (if you choose) and you're set for a real treat of a day.
We were making the stop for just a few hours and it was unseasonably chilly so we actually just soaked up some Vitamin D, fresh air, and watched a guy on a hydrofoil absolutely slaying it. Overall, a great spot.
Now, for the details:
Location: We entered at Crescent Beach Ramp Vehicle Access on Cubbedge Road
Where to enter with your vehicle: Map here.
Know Before You Go:
According to the St. John's County Website, you need a beach driving pass. This is required for residents and non-residents. At the time we entered the beach, we did not have a pass, there was no kiosk, and there was no attendant. We're thinking that because of COVID much of this has been paused. That said, we now know to contact Beach Services before heading that way again. They can be reached at (904) 209-0331
Daily Fees:
County Resident – $10.00
Non-Resident – $10.00
Handicapped – $5.00
Active Military (with ID) – $5.00
100% Disabled Veteran – Free
Season Pass Fee (Limit 1 per vehicle):
County Resident – $50.00
Non-Resident – $100.00
Handicap – $40
100% Disabled Veteran – Free
Where to park? Where to Enter the Beach? Which Way Does Beach Traffic Drive? Get all the details by clicking here.
Where We Ate: We finally deviated from our COVID-19 restaurant hiatus and opted for a meal outside at Beachcomber St. Augustine. We were pleasantly surprised by the service and meal quality. We started the meal with a jalapeno, dragon fruit specialty drink which wasn't bad but definitely on the sugary side. In hindsight, I'd stick to a classic or something on draught. For lunch, we opted for steamed shrimp - the Ruby Reds to be exact and fried gator tail. The shrimp were perfect. Great texture, extremely fresh taste, and the cocktail sauce had a great tang to it. The fried gator was equally pleasing and the dipping sauce provided was a good match. The most important takeaway for us was we were able to comfortably socially distance (15+ feet), the servers were all masked, there was constant cleaning, we were outside where you could even get your toes in the sand, and the ventilation/breeze really eased our fears of being at a restaurant. I would describe it more as a park-like/picnic setting than traditional restaurant with the amount of space between tables. All things considered, it was a great meal and we would absolutely return.
Service: Friendly
Atmosphere: Relaxed
Dining Options: Indoor, Outdoor on the Beach, Takeout
Pets: Dog friendly - they even provide water bowls
Hours: 11 am - 9 pm daily (check because COVID has changed everything)
Hope you you love your time at Crescent Beach as much as we did! It's a great spot for relaxing, adventure, and some good eats! Drop in the comments below where we should head next and where we should visit next time we're in the Crescent Beach area.