After a long travel day, we have arrived at our first destination! We woke up at 3:00 am to make it to the airport for our 6:00 am flight. It was my children’s first flight ever, so the day was full of excitement, to say the least! We capped the day with a delicious southern feast at Cracker Barrel: endless biscuits, mac and cheese, cheese grits, mashed potatoes and gravy, meatloaf, and more!

We begin our journey in Jacksonville, which was the closest major airport to St. Augustine. I could not plan a trip to explore our nation’s past without visiting St. Augustine, which is also known as our “Nation’s Oldest City.” During our early weeks of school, our fifth grade social studies curriculum engages the students in this chapter of our history with a chapter called “Who Wins Florida?” We discuss how the French settled nearby at the same time at Fort Caroline, but the St. Augustine Fort ultimately won, becoming the first permanent European settlement in America.

I can’t wait to see the fort myself and learn more about these early days in American history! Stay tuned!