SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA

Joseph Caylor… A little south of the large Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida, lies a small, almost non-descript stone outpost. What this small fortress may lack in size to its more famous counterpart up north, it makes up for with its rich history and great views once you're there. Fort Matanzas was built by the Spanish to keep any invaders from coming, and was the site of the execution of French settlers, giving its name (Matanzas is Spanish for slaughter). The site can be reached only by boat, which is a very short (and free!) ride given by the National Park Service. Going on a weekend, I saw a living history presentation given by the park, so if you can make it to Fort Matanzas, I would suggest going when these living history re-enactors are there to give you a full sense of why this place is so special, and why it is a national monument in its own right.