Shhh. Don't tell anybody.

We liked the way it looked on the map, practically walking distance from St. Augustine. It has affordable motels on the beach. Every trip we take must include some nature time, whether we are hiking, camping, or swimming. So, although our ultimate destination was to arrive in St. Augustine, we decided to make Vilano Beach our basecamp.

We spent hours on the beach, walking, watching the surfers, chasing my hat in the wind, and camped out in our brightly colored chairs.

We actually stayed in a motel on this trip, instead of sleeping on the beach or under the trees. Indoor plumbing is nice, and our Spanish styled residence was tucked behind a wall, within feet of the sand.

Everything we could want is within walking distance in Vilano Beach, so we set out on foot to find dinner our first night there.

The food was marginal bar fare, but the sunset was spectacular. 

 The walk back to our motel took us directly through the 50s and 60s.

And while there were signs of human activity, we saw very few people. The streets were empty.

The sign read "Home Cooked Italian," and of course we were skeptical. We tried it anyway on our second night in town. Course after course, hours later, we were the last people in the restaurant. Joelle certified it "authentic Sicilian." We waddled back to our hotel happy and full, with enough leftovers to feed us the next night. 

Real New York Home Cooked Italian Specialties

Quiet, convenient, and affordable. We strongly suspect magical Vilano Beach was a Twilight Zone experience. If we were to drive back there next month, it may no longer exist.