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DPChallenge Forums >> Out and About >> North / Central Florida GTG -- St. Augustine -- 7/8th April
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02/10/2007 08:52:33 AM · #1
Hey Guys. Wayne wmprkg and I have decided to organize a GTG for Florida. I think a St. Augustine GTG would be great, we could tour the old city (I know quite a few good shooting locations), tour the castillo and hit The Aligator Farm, and the beach too if there is interest. I'm thinking mid March - early April.

Who's interested? Anyone have preferred/unavailable dates?

Here is a good St. Augustine website for those who haven't been....OldCity.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Official dates: April 7 & 8th

Current Attendees (both confirmed and hopeful):
wmprkg - Confirmed
yakatme - Confirmed
JenniferDavidGA - Hopeful
DowseDesigns - Hopeful - Not going to make it. :(
EBJones - Confirmed
Elvis_L and jaded_youth - Confirmed - Cancelled :(
ArpeggioAngel - Hopeful
Nobody - Probable
idnic - Confirmed
zaflabout- Hopeful
Skip - Confirmed

There are 8 rooms blocked at $74 per night at The Historic Days Inn, in the old city.

To make your reservations call 904-824-3383 and tell them you are with the "DP Challenge" group. These rooms need to be booked before March 6 or the remainder will be released.

Historic Days Inn
1300 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32084

Deluxe Continental Breakfast Every Morning
Denny's Restaurant on Property
Riley's Irish Pub on Property (Oh Yeah!)
Short Walk to Historic Attractions


Updates will be kept in this post. :)


We will be meeting on Saturday, 7th at 9am at Castillo de San Marco in the heart of Old St. Augustine. The plan for Saturday is fluid at the moment, I figured we would head out of the Castillo when everyone begins to get bored and find some great spot for lunch (I have a couple of places in mind, you guys like Mexican food? or would you prefer seafood?) We can always decide later. After lunch we can hit the Gator Farm if everyone agrees.

Re: The Aligator Farm, I have a photographers pass, if anyone else wants to get one on Saturday, then we can meet there at 7:45 on Sunday and get in before the public is allowed in. (But... if your not there AT 8:00 then you have to wait until 9:00 when the public is allowed in, the special door for early people only opens once.)

As for Sunday, I thought we could spend some time around the beaches. There are a couple National parks in the area too if anyone cares to visit them. I'm game for anything, but I think its best if our schedule isn't too regimented so we can feel free to 'wander' at will! :D


Message edited by author 2007-04-02 16:00:30.
02/10/2007 08:56:13 AM · #2
don't know if i can make it on a weekend, but i'm planning on being in st aug apr 9-13.
02/10/2007 08:57:38 AM · #3
Originally posted by Skip:

don't know if i can make it on a weekend, but i'm planning on being in st aug apr 9-13.


Oh sweet - we have a date either way! :)
02/10/2007 11:13:50 AM · #4
Count me in for this GTG, especially if it happens in the first week of April. I was thinking about going to Costa Rica for a couple of days that week but I'll gladly postpone that trip for a Florida GTG.
02/10/2007 11:33:39 AM · #5
I was thinking of going April 12-15 for a birding festival. They have classes and other activities going on all weekend. A lot of photography type activities.

Bird Festival

Message edited by author 2007-02-10 12:27:15.
02/10/2007 12:15:10 PM · #6
How far is St Augustine from North Jacksonville? My sister lives in Jacksonville and I could possibly plan a trip down to visit her and do a day trip GTG.
02/10/2007 12:25:55 PM · #7
St. Augustine is about 1 hour from Jacksonville. My SIL lives about 30 minutes north of Jacksonville and it takes her 1 1/2 hours to get there.


02/10/2007 12:49:14 PM · #8
Originally posted by JenniferDavidGA:

I was thinking of going April 12-15 for a birding festival.


I was thinking about it too, but then I thought of the hordes of photographers at and around The Alligator Farm and decided against it.

Actually, even before this thread was started, I thought about going to The Alligator Farm the week before the birding festival. The birds will be just as much into their mating plumage as they will the week of the festival, just without the throngs of photographers.
02/10/2007 01:07:25 PM · #9
I like the idea of going the week before the birding festival. Believe me, the birds will be just as gorgeous and the crowds will be MUCH lighter. (I don't like big crowds either). That would be the weekend of April 7th / or we could do the weekend of March 31st. An April Fool's GTG would be fun! :D
02/10/2007 01:14:34 PM · #10
The earliest that I could make it would be Saturday March 31 IF I drove up the previous night. I have to drop my son off at the airport after school on that Friday and I could start the drive then. I don't know what time his flight is but it will be after school is out, and then I'm looking at a 5 1/2 to 6 hour drive.

If all goes well I could do it that weekend, but the following weekend would be easier.
02/10/2007 01:18:47 PM · #11
OK, lets start with a tenative schedule of April 7th / 8th. I like it, progress! :)
02/10/2007 01:20:38 PM · #12
Skip -- if you could make it to town a day or two early that would be awesome!! :)
02/10/2007 03:29:13 PM · #13
That weekend sounds good to me. I was wanting to go the weekend of the birding festival because I won't know where to go and shoot without others there to point me in the right direction. I am still pretty new to this. As long as other people are going to be there I should be fine. I would rather go when there are less people there anyways.

I will have to talk to my hubby and see if he could take a day off of work. We would probily go over that Friday and stay at a campground in the area.

I will post more when I know more.
02/10/2007 07:53:57 PM · #14
Originally posted by idnic:

OK, lets start with a tenative schedule of April 7th / 8th. I like it, progress! :)


I'm up for that weekend. Any suggestions for hotel?
02/10/2007 10:32:36 PM · #15
Originally posted by wmprkg:

Originally posted by idnic:

OK, lets start with a tenative schedule of April 7th / 8th. I like it, progress! :)


I'm up for that weekend. Any suggestions for hotel?


Yay! :D There are quite a few nice / decent / workable hotels in the area. Do you want something with a view - vacationish, or just a decent room with a decent rate?
02/11/2007 11:20:08 AM · #16
Sunday bump. Haven't heard anything from the South Georgian's .... Crystal... Elvis.....????

Message edited by author 2007-02-11 11:20:17.
02/11/2007 02:44:11 PM · #17
Originally posted by idnic:

Originally posted by wmprkg:

Originally posted by idnic:

OK, lets start with a tenative schedule of April 7th / 8th. I like it, progress! :)


I'm up for that weekend. Any suggestions for hotel?


Yay! :D There are quite a few nice / decent / workable hotels in the area. Do you want something with a view - vacationish, or just a decent room with a decent rate?


Cindi,

Well of course I want it all but I'll take cleanliness and price as my determining factor. Thanks!
02/11/2007 03:05:35 PM · #18
Days Inn Downtown is in the old part of the city, so you don't pay beach prices and is clean and newly renovated. That would be my first choice.
Days Inn

This site gives a good list of other hotels in the area - the ones near the old city or near the beaches will be better than the ones near the interstate! :)

St. Augustine Hotels

Message edited by author 2007-02-11 15:05:51.
02/11/2007 03:11:47 PM · #19
Hmmmm..... 4 1/2 hour drive on a weekend. . . . I'm ready! Now, if I can get that Friday off of work, this is a no-brainer!
02/11/2007 03:12:16 PM · #20
Originally posted by EBJones:

Hmmmm..... 4 1/2 hour drive on a weekend. . . . I'm ready! Now, if I can get that Friday off of work, this is a no-brainer!


Sweet!! :D

02/11/2007 03:15:38 PM · #21
I guess the only other thing is to keep checking this thread until the date is no longer tentative? I'd hate to make a hotel reservation and then have the dates change. :)
02/11/2007 03:26:40 PM · #22
Lets just go ahead and nail that date down -- seems there is enough interest and enough people available... so....

Officially set for April 7th & 8th! :)
02/11/2007 04:38:20 PM · #23
I am waiting for someone with Days Inn to call me back to see of we can get a group rate, if there is enough interest. It seems to be a decent hotel. Normal rates that I just checked are $76 per night.
02/11/2007 06:46:12 PM · #24
Originally posted by wmprkg:

I am waiting for someone with Days Inn to call me back to see of we can get a group rate, if there is enough interest. It seems to be a decent hotel. Normal rates that I just checked are $76 per night.


I'm ok spending $76 per night on a decent hotel, but I'm also cheap! Let me know what you find out. I'll wait to book a reservation for a day or two. :) BTW, I'm in!
02/11/2007 07:03:42 PM · #25
That's great, Eric. Looks like we'll have a fun group. I hope a few more join in too. :)
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