Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is one of the oldest cities in the country, and is located on Florida's "First Coast". To this day, the city retains its unique historical character and features stunning, centuries-old Spanish-influenced architecture and many iconic cultural sites. In addition to being a beautiful, coastal, historical city, it is also a gay-friendly city. In fact, in 2015, Man About World named it as one of the best “Gay Places to Go.” If you’re thinking of making a move to this beautiful city, you’ll find much about it to love!
A Look at St. Augustine’s History
St. Augustine is a city with a long history. In fact, the Spanish established it in the mid-1500s, and that architectural and historical influence is still strongly felt today. The city was initially named “San Agustin” as the Spanish landed in the area just after the feast day of St. Augustine. For many years, it was an important military fortress, and eventually grew into a larger settlement, and eventually, after over two centuries, part of the United States. Today, the city has a thriving economy largely based on tourism due to its beautiful beaches, stunning architecture, and unique history. It’s a very diverse and welcoming city with plenty to see and do, and it would truly make a wonderful place to call home.
A Few Fun Facts About St. Augustine
Read more fun facts about St. Augustine here.
St. Augustine’s LGBTQ Community
St. Augustine is a city that loves and supports its LGBTQ community with a variety of resources, including:
PFLAG St. Augustine is St. Augustine’s local chapter of the national PFLAG organization, which is the largest grassroots organization of its kind in the country. PFLAG is well-known for its mission of supporting LGBTQ people, friends, family, and allies across the country in a wide variety of ways. With 500 chapters and more than 200,000 members in the United States, PFLAG plays a critical and important role in providing advocacy, support, and resources to the LGBTQ community.
What's the Weather Like in St. Augustine?
If you like plenty of warmth and sunshine year-round, you’ll find it in St. Augustine. Summers can be quite warm, with high temperatures in July averaging around 91°F, while lows in January average around 45°F. Spring and fall are usually fairly mild and pleasant and are wonderful times to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. St. Augustine receives 51 inches of rain on average each year and no snow.
Can’t-Miss Events in St. Augustine
St. Augustine Pride is the city’s annual celebration of its LGBTQ community. Whether you enjoy parties, parades, family-friendly activities, networking opportunities, or all of the above, you can find it here. It’s one event you’ll want to be sure to put on your calendar!
Nights of Lights is a unique St. Augustine event each year, for which the city is well-known. Each year during the holiday season, millions of twinkling lights decorate the buildings and landmarks of Old Town. Visitors can enjoy shopping, dining, site-seeing, and plenty of holiday spirit amidst this beauty every holiday season.
Where to Live in St. Augustine
Unlike some larger cities that tend to have one particular “gayborhood” where much of the LGBTQ community is concentrated, in St. Augustine, the LGBTQ community is a bit more spread out across the city. This isn’t a bad thing though – it simply means that there are many wonderful neighborhoods to choose from! Many of the neighborhoods are characterized by the uniquely beautiful Spanish architectural influence, and there are a wide variety of homes in differing price ranges. The median sale price of homes in the area over the last year was approximately $344,500.
Arts and Entertainment
St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre is known for showcasing local talent along with actors from across the country in a variety of performances throughout the year, including dramas, comedies, and more in this unique and comfortable atmosphere. You’ll definitely want to enjoy a show, or several, throughout the year!
The annual St. Augustine Film Festival is an excellent way to enjoy some of the best films from across the country every year. The festival typically presents a wide variety of outstanding films, from documentaries to independent films, foreign films, along with panel discussions and director’s talks.
Parks and Recreation
Located just outside the walls of Old Town St. Augustine is the incredible and iconic Castillo de San Marco. This structure, originally built in 1672 initially served as a Spanish military fortress, and today, visitors can explore the fort and its beautiful grounds, which offer beautiful views of Old Town and surrounding waterways.
According to legend, Ponce de Leon was searching for a magical fountain of youth, and supposedly, he found it in St. Augustine. Today, visitors can enjoy seeing the original fountain, as well as the beautiful park grounds surrounding it. It’s a great place to spend a beautiful St. Augustine afternoon.
St. Augustine Nightlife
The beautiful San Sebastian Winery is the perfect spot to enjoy some of the best wines in the area. The winery has been producing wines and bottling on-site since 1996. Although known for its award-winning desert and sparkling varieties, all of the wine is wonderful. Even better, visitors who choose to go upstairs can enjoy music from talented local artists in the jazz and blues bar.
The Bar With No Name is one of the most popular bars in St Augustine. Located just opposite the historic Castillo de San Marcos. The bar offers live music on the weekends, as well as excellent drink specials. It’s the perfect spot for fun on a night out in St. Augustine.
Contact a St. Augustine Gay Realtor Today
If you're ready to make a move to St. Augustine, at www.gayrealestate.com, we're here to help you take the first step toward finding an agent who knows and loves the community, and who can help you find a home and a neighborhood you'll love. We're proud to have a network of excellent realtors in St. Augustine, and we would love to help connect you with the right one. Contact a St. Augustine gay realtor today for a free, no-obligation consultation!
