St. Augustine Beach is a small town of about 6,000 people. It is not to be confused with the city of St. Augustine, Florida, although they are both located in St. Johns County, Florida. The difference is that a discount hotel in St. Augustine Beach, Florida will put you closer to the coastline than one in the city of St. Augustine. By staying in a budget St. Augustine Beach hotel, you can easily alternate between enjoying the beach and exploring the historic city of the same name.

You won’t be in St. Augustine Beach for long before you hear about the St. Augustine Monster. In 1896, an enormous creature washed up on the beach and confounded the local population. The exact source of the monster is still debated; original beliefs that it was the remains of a giant octopus are now being questioned. Some scientists believe the mass was simply part of a decomposing whale carcass. Two monuments in St. Augustine Beach might be good places to keep an eye out for another St. Augustine Monster – Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and the Fort Matanzas National Monument.