The Local St. Augustine
512 Anastasia Blvd
St. Augustine, FL
Old Florida, brought back right.
About The Local St. Augustine
Anastasia Island sits just across the Bridge of Lions from the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States. Anastasia Blvd runs south from the bridge along the island, passing the lighthouse and the state park before reaching the Atlantic beaches. At 512, a 1940s roadside motel sat for decades in that corridor. In October 2021, husband-and-wife Adam and Leila Bedoian reopened it as The Local St. Augustine: rooms, a vintage Florida palette of pinks and warm tones, and a straightforward conviction that old Florida motel character was worth preserving. The property has appeared on USA Today's Best Roadside Motel list every year since it opened, a consistent presence that reflects something specific and repeatable rather than a single standout season.
What The Local St. Augustine Is Known For
The Local has appeared on USA Today's Best Roadside Motel list every year since it opened in 2021, including the number-one slot in its first year. It is a small property: rooms, one pool, two owners. The Bedoians did not take a formula and apply it: they preserved a specific Florida motel idiom that was disappearing and made it work for a contemporary traveler without stripping out what made it matter. The five-year consecutive top-10 placement is the result.
Amenities
- Pets Welcome
- WiFi
- Complimentary bike rentals
- Pool with extended patio and string lighting
- Complimentary coffee and tea bar
- Digital key entry via phone (contactless check-in)
- In-room microwave and mini-fridge
- Free self-parking
- 24-hour front desk access
What Guests Love
- Half a mile from the Bridge of Lions and walkable or bikeable to both the historic district and St. Augustine Beach from the same base
- Vintage Florida design with genuine intention: pink palette, period-correct feel, nothing generic about the rooms
- Complimentary bike rentals for exactly the island-and-bridge circuit the location enables
- Digital key entry means no check-in line and no front desk wait on arrival
Worth Knowing
- The motel is on Anastasia Island, not in the historic district itself: the Bridge of Lions is half a mile north, and you will want a bike or car to reach the old city easily
- St. Augustine Beach is about 0.5 miles south by bike: a fast ride but not walking distance for most guests
- Anastasia Blvd is a busy commercial road: the property sits on it, and street noise is present on the Blvd-facing side
- Breakfast is not included. The in-room coffee setup and the tea bar are complimentary, but there is no on-site food service
- Pets are welcome. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
The Room
Each room vintage-Florida-themed with a warm, specific design sensibility that references the color and ease of old Florida without being kitschy about it. In-room amenities include a microwave, mini-fridge, luxury teas and coffee, and high-speed WiFi. Digital key entry via phone allows for contactless arrival: no front desk line, no physical key card. Rooms are drive-up accessible from the property exterior. The 24-hour front desk is staffed for any assistance, but the self-check-in process is seamless and guests consistently note it as frictionless.
The Grounds
The pool occupies a central spot on the property, with an extended patio lit by string lighting that makes it work as a gathering space into the evening. Complimentary bike rentals are available on-site: the motel's location on Anastasia Island puts St. Augustine Beach within a half-mile, the lighthouse within a mile, and the Bridge of Lions within half a mile in the other direction. Free self-parking included. The complimentary coffee and tea bar is available to all guests.
The Experience
The rhythm here runs on the gap between the motel and what is around it. Walk or bike north across the Bridge of Lions to the old city: the Flagler College campus, the narrow cobblestoned streets, Flagler's Ponce de Leon Hotel turned liberal arts college, the Lightner Museum in the old Alcazar Hotel. Walk or bike south to the lighthouse and then to Anastasia State Park, where four miles of Atlantic beach back up to coastal hammock and salt marsh. The motel itself is the base: simple, comfortable, properly designed. The two miles of Anastasia Blvd between the bridge and the park hold the bridge to the entire program.
Details
St. Augustine, FL 32080
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Local St. Augustine have EV charging?
No, The Local St. Augustine does not have EV charging.
Does The Local St. Augustine have WiFi?
Yes, The Local St. Augustine has WiFi.
What is there to do near The Local St. Augustine?
Bridge of Lions and St. Augustine Historic District: 0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum: 0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk. Anastasia State Park: 1.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is The Local St. Augustine from Bridge of Lions and St. Augustine Historic District?
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is The Local St. Augustine from St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum?
0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is The Local St. Augustine from Anastasia State Park?
1.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Is The Local St. Augustine on the beach?
No. The motel is on Anastasia Blvd on Anastasia Island, about a half-mile from St. Augustine Beach. The Atlantic Ocean is accessible by a short drive or bike ride south. Complimentary bike rentals are available on-site for exactly this.
Do you need a car to reach historic downtown St. Augustine from The Local?
No. The Bridge of Lions is about a half-mile north, and you can walk or bike across it to the Historic District, Flagler College, and the waterfront in about 10 to 15 minutes on foot.
Does The Local have a pool?
Yes. The property has a pool with an extended patio lit with string lighting.
Is parking free at The Local?
Yes. Free self-parking is included with every stay.
What does the complimentary coffee and tea bar include?
The motel provides a complimentary coffee and tea bar available to all guests, stocked with quality teas and coffee. In-room amenities also include a microwave and mini-fridge.
What is St. Augustine worth doing?
The Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century coquina fort at the edge of Matanzas Bay, is one of the most significant surviving colonial fortifications in the country. The Lightner Museum in the former Hotel Alcazar, built by Henry Flagler in 1888, has one of the finest collections of Victorian-era objects in the South. Anastasia State Park, 2 miles from The Local, has 4 miles of Atlantic Ocean beach and hiking trails through a maritime hammock.
Is The Local St. Augustine pet friendly?
Yes. The Local St. Augustine welcomes pets. A pet fee applies; contact the property directly to confirm current amounts and any restrictions before booking.
Does The Local St. Augustine include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at The Local St. Augustine.
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Things to Do Near Anastasia Island and historic St. Augustine
Bridge of Lions and St. Augustine Historic District
0.5 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
The Bridge of Lions crosses the Matanzas River to the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement in the continental United States. The historic district holds Flagler College in the 1888 Ponce de Leon Hotel, the Lightner Museum in the old Alcazar Hotel, the Cathedral Basilica, and the narrow streets of the original Spanish colonial layout. The waterfront runs along the Matanzas with restaurants and a seawall walk.
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
0.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
The 1874 lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse in Florida and one of the most photographed landmarks in St. Augustine. The maritime museum on the grounds covers the history of Florida's Atlantic coast from the Spanish colonial era through the twentieth century. The lighthouse tower is open for climbing, with panoramic views of the island, the inlet, and the coast.
Anastasia State Park
1.8 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Four miles of undeveloped Atlantic beach backed by coastal hammock, salt marsh, and an ancient coquina shell midden. One of the best natural beach experiences on Florida's northeast coast, with swimming, kayaking, windsurfing, and access to the Salt Run lagoon for paddling. The park is closed to development on all sides and draws strong reviews as the quieter alternative to the open public beach at the south end of the island.