San Pablo – Veterans

There is a long strip of barrier island running north from Vilano toward Ponte Vedra that has always been a little difficult to name as one place. Different communities along it have their own identities, and over the years there have even been efforts to give the island itself a proper name. Around here, the San Pablo and Veterans Island names are part of that story.

Whatever you call it, this is the quieter northern side of the St. Augustine coast: Vilano at the south end, A1A running through stretches of beach and maritime landscape, and Ponte Vedra farther north. It feels connected to St. Augustine without feeling much like downtown at all. If you want ocean, seafood, scenic drives and room to breathe, start heading north.