Oldest City One of Only Two American Destinations Selected!
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (Sept. 8) St. Augustine has been named by American Express as one of the ten “surprising, exciting, and cutting-edge places” in the world where Americans can enjoy one of their favorite travel pastimes.
A survey of American Express cardholders revealed that 87 percent
selected vacation destinations based on their personal interests. The
top ten interests named were culinary, family events, music, fitness
and exercise, education/learning, history, the arts, wine/champagnes,
fashion/shopping and sporting events. American Express then selected
ten “unexpected’ destinations worldwide where these interests could be
enjoyed. Their history recommendation was St. Augustine, Florida.
American Express said: “Not many history buffs would consider St.
Augustine, Florida their ultimate destination. However, this city
celebrated its 400th birthday back in 1965. Founded by the Spanish in
1565, it is where the nation’s first schools, hospitals and banks were
built. St. Augustine lays claim to the first European birth in the New
World and is the oldest town plan in the United States. It was here
where the first Thanksgiving actually took place, not at Plymouth
Rock.”
St. Augustine was one of only two American destinations to make the
list. The other was Virginia’s wine country. The other recommendations
made by American Express were: Culinary –Vietnam; Family Events – Lake
Garda, Italy; Music – Iceland; Fitness and Exercise – Madagascar;
Education/Learning – Kerala, India; The Arts – Beirut, Lebanon;
Fashion/Shopping – Durban, South Africa; and Sporting Events – camel
racing in the United Arab Emirates.
The American Express selection is the latest in a series of
travel-related accolades recently bestowed on St. Augustine – a city of
only 12,000 residents located on the Atlantic coast of northeast
Florida. In August, ABC’s “Good Morning America” in conjunction with
Travel + Leisure magazine, named St. Augustine as their number one pick
for a place where Americans could feel like they were in Europe –
without the cost of actually going to Europe. In June, USA Today
selected St. Augustine as one of their ten recommended American
destinations where visitors don’t need a car to enjoy their visit.
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