Old Florida/Nostalgia

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Sir Goony Golf was on Blanding just across from the Playtime drive-in.
Actually, TLC Landscaping has the entire property now. They even used one of the old cement characters for advertising in their parking lot.

[winthropf]

Of course Slippery Dip... 
That place was dangerous.   God forbid you fall off your mat....
I don't remember ever actually riding on it, just that I was afraid of it.  How long ago was it shut down?  25 years?  I would have been 7.

The best old Florida stuff is still down south...  gotta hit the MaiKai!
http://www.maikai.com/

[blizz01]

Or spend an afternoon @ The Fountain of Youth.

[civil42806]

Or spend an afternoon @ The Fountain of Youth.

If you haven't been, the fountain of youth is a great retro tourist trap.  Hasn't made much of a change over the years other than getting rid of the cheap rides an petting zoo.  Still remains one of the old classics in St. Augustine.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

You know, I've never been to the FoY. Don't really have any intention of going unless someone tells me that it's an absolute must-see.

I've been to the Mai-Kai though - GREAT place! I'd love to get my hands on a Hukilau mug to add to my SHAG collection.

Back to the topic at-hand, I'm trying to pull some records on this mystery property on SR 16.
I found out who owns the land by doing a property records search.

[civil42806]

FOY is definitly not a must see.  But it probably reflects the classic tourist trap environment better than anything left in St. Augustine.

[blizz01]

Definitely - for the full effect, finish off at the Santa Maria restaurant - laminated "Map of Florida" placemats and all!  (Don't go for the food  )

[Ocklawaha]

Or spend an afternoon @ The Fountain of Youth.

If you haven't been, the fountain of youth is a great retro tourist trap.  Hasn't made much of a change over the years other than getting rid of the cheap rides an petting zoo.  Still remains one of the old classics in St. Augustine.

Well I WILL NOT go back to the fountain of youth, not only does the water taste like ______ it's BROKEN, because it DOESN'T WORK!

OCKLAWAHA

[civil42806]

Definitely - for the full effect, finish off at the Santa Maria restaurant - laminated "Map of Florida" placemats and all!  (Don't go for the food  )

Ugh food at the Santa Maria is horrible, got suckered once never again

[blizz01]

Ugh food at the Santa Maria is horrible, got suckered once never again

It is certainly a "been there, done that" sort of place - I don't think that repeat customers were ever in their business model, but they arguably have some of the best real estate/ aesthetics in town.........

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Ugh food at the Santa Maria is horrible, got suckered once never again

It is certainly a "been there, done that" sort of place - I don't think that repeat customers were ever in their business model, but they arguably have some of the best real estate/ aesthetics in town.........

So, now we know why the "feeding the fish" gimmick was really started - so the food wouldn't have to be sent back after a few bites, the customer could simply throw it to the water?

[Jason]

That's the best use for it.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

I'm resurrecting the thread because the challenge to solve this mystery is stuck in my head still.

I drove by the odd place yesterday, and I have a little slideshow.
http://s182.photobucket.com/albums/x60/HeatherBPhotography/Old%20Mystery%20in%20FL/

Managed to point the lens through some holes in the wood to zoom back into the property. I can see a few old smashed picnic tables, a wishing well, and 'numbered' spaces or stalls on a building (29, 30, 31).

[ChriswUfGator]

It used to be one of those cheesy living period villages when I was a kid. Then it morphed into a cheesy petting zoo. It might have even been one more thing before finally giving up the ghost. They did reenactments and such. They started getting some stiff competition when the other living village opened up in the 80s on St George street. You guys really have no idea, if you think Saint Augustine is a cheesy tourist trap now you should've seen it during the 80s! Disney hadn't quite managed to corner the whole market like they have now, where they fly these people in and try to keep them entirely on Disney property to get every single dollar, people used to come to Florida and do the other attractions too. I think that's really a big part of what changed.

[Dog Walker]

Hah!  If you think it was cheesy in the '80's you should have seen it in the '60's!  Have you ever SEEN a flamingo made out of shells painted pink?  I may still have one in a box somewhere.  (shudder)

By the 80's it had moved up a notch in class.