Florida

Founded in 1513 by the Spanish explorer Don Juan Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine was sold by the Spanish to the United States in 1821.

There's plenty to keep you occupied in and around the town, including 23 miles of white sand beaches. Go back in time to the Colonial Spanish Quarter, a living museum - and discover what life was like for the Spanish settlers in the 16th Century.

Visit the formidable Castillo de San Marcos, the old Spanish fortress that guarded the city. Or drink from the famous Fountain of Youth, the city's first monument.

If 'gators and crocs are your thing, meet legendary croc Maximo, along with the other exotic inhabitants of the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park. Or if you'd prefer to relax in the company of dolphins, head to Marineland, the world's first oceanarium. There, you'll meet Nellie, the world's oldest bottlenose dolphin.

When it comes to nightlife, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to keep you entertained in the city. Or you may want to join in another popular St. Augustine pastime: ghost watching. Join one of the many tours of haunted sites around the city. If you're brave enough, you can even sail out on the ocean at night in search of the ghosts of the deep...