Since November kicks off with both All Saint’s Day and the Day of the Dead, both celebrated on November 1, we thought we’d highlight some of America’s best cities named for saints.
St. Augustine, Florida: The city of St. Augustine, Florida, was founded in 1565 making it the oldest continuously occupied city in the continental United States. It was named for St. Augustine of Hippo, a Christian theologian and philosopher. Modern day St. Augustine is considered a very walkable city so seeing the highlights of this historic city is simple. From a history perspective, the Colonial Quarter on St. George Street, Fort Mose Historic State Park, and Castillo de San Marcos National Monument are must-sees. For another history lesson, the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum offers pirate artifacts, including the world’s oldest pirate treasure chest and a 17th century Jolly Roger Flag. Book a stay at Bulow RV Resort and you’ll be close to all that St. Augustine has to see and do.
San Antonio, Texas: The third largest city in Texas, San Antonio was founded in 1718 when a mission was established here. For many years, it was the largest city in Texas. Today, this lively city has stayed true to its roots and is rich in culture and history. Visitors can stroll along the River Walk, a city park along the river offering shops, galleries, and restaurants. Of course, the most historic site to see here is the Alamo Mission to learn the history of the Battle of the Alamo. Other attractions include the San Antonio Zoo, Natural Bridge Caverns, and the Japanese Tea Gardens. San Antonio is just under an hour’s drive from Medina Lake RV Campground.
San Luis Obispo, California: California has its share of cities and towns named for saints – Santa Barbara, San Diego, Santa Clara, and even Los Angeles. The reason for this is that California was largely settled by Spanish conquistadors with a fondness for naming cities after saints and other religious figures. One such city, San Luis Obispo, which translates to St. Louis, the Bishop, was named by Father Juniper Serra when he founded a mission here in 1772. Located less than 20 miles from Pacific Dunes Ranch RV Resort, this charming city is worth a day trip. Visits should include a trip to the historic mission, San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, which features a museum detailing the history of the Spanish missionaries, as well as time spent in the city’s historic downtown that is home to the oddity known as Bubblegum Alley, a 70-foot-long alley decorated with ABC – otherwise known as already been chewed bubblegum.
St. Paul, Oregon: St. Paul, Oregon, is conveniently located to several of our Oregon campgrounds in the Portland area and should be part of a day trip itinerary when staying with us. Founded by French Canadian trappers in 1829, this Willamette Valley location proved to be good for agriculture as well as shipping due to its proximity to the Willamette River. Agriculture remains the town’s major industry, and that includes grape growing. There are plenty of wineries in the area – among them Lady Hill, which offers great wines in a beautiful setting, complete with live music events. Several wine tours are available. Check out options from Wine-o-palooza (wine-o-palooza.com) or A Great Oregon Wine Tour (agreatoregonwinetour.com). Every July for the past 85 years or so, the St. Paul Rodeo has drawn visitors seeking family fun and all kinds of rodeo action (stpaulrodeo.com) while the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway offers riding fun on two wheels through the beautiful countryside.
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- On the Road with Jimmy Fortune, an American country and gospel singer.
- Find more campgrounds at ThousandTrails.com.