Summer Haven
St. Augustine, FL
Summer Haven is a small, remote barrier island community south of Fort Matanzas with no commercial strip, hotels, or boardwalks, just beachfront homes along what's left of Old A1A. Chronic erosion has turned that old road into a sandy route passable only by four-wheel-drive, a reminder of a decades-long fight between the community and the sea.
The remoteness and history, including past residents like Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, make it a genuine local secret, though the lack of amenities and eroded access road mean it takes real effort and the right vehicle to get there.
How we score beachesThis isn't a beach with amenities or a real parking lot, come prepared with everything needed for the day and a vehicle suited to soft sand if planning to drive in on Old A1A. The remoteness itself is the draw for anyone looking to get away from St. Augustine's tourist crowds entirely.
Old A1A has eroded to a sand route passable only by four-wheel-drive vehicles in places; there's no standard paved parking area.
Leashed dogs are welcome year-round on St. Johns County beaches, including Summer Haven, under the county's beach leash ordinance.
Winter and spring bring mild, dry weather and the year's biggest crowds tied to St. Augustine's tourist season. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, bring the warmest water and the highest risk to this erosion-prone stretch.
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