Vilano Beach vs St. Augustine Beach: which side should you buy on?

Updated October 2026

Published October 29, 2026 · Vic Curro, Licensed Florida Real Estate Sales Associate SL3487040, The Good Life Real Estate LLC, St. Augustine, FL

The short answer: they are two different kinds of beach town on opposite sides of the St. Augustine Inlet, and the right one depends on how you want to get downtown and what you want the beach itself to do. St. Augustine Beach is an incorporated city on Anastasia Island, south of downtown, with its own city government, the county ocean pier and Anastasia State Park at its north end. Vilano Beach is an unincorporated St. Johns County community on the north side of the inlet, reached by the Usina Bridge, with a steeper beach and the Vilano Town Center. I am Vic Curro, REALTOR® with The Good Life Real Estate LLC in St. Augustine, FL, and here is how I lay the two out for buyers.

Where are Vilano Beach and St. Augustine Beach, and how do you get downtown?

Vilano Beach sits at the southern tip of the barrier island north of the St. Augustine Inlet; Visit St. Augustine describes it as just north of downtown's historic district, connected by the Francis and Mary Usina Bridge on A1A. St. Augustine Beach is on Anastasia Island, south of the inlet, bounded by the Atlantic to the east, A1A to the west, Pope Road to the north and the Sandpiper Village subdivision to the south, per the city's description. From Vilano you reach downtown over one bridge from the north; from St. Augustine Beach you come up A1A Beach Boulevard and cross the Bridge of Lions or State Road 312 from the south. Both are a few minutes to the Plaza without traffic. In summer and on event weekends, the Bridge of Lions can be the slower of the two routes, which is something to drive yourself at 5 PM on a Friday before you decide.

How are the two towns set up differently?

St. Augustine Beach was incorporated in 1959 and had 6,803 residents at the 2020 Census on about 2.12 square miles of land, with its own city government and ordinances layered on top of St. Johns County rules. Vilano Beach is a census-designated place, unincorporated, with 2,514 residents at the 2020 Census on about 1.80 square miles, governed directly by St. Johns County. In practice that means St. Augustine Beach has a city commission, city codes and a second set of rules on things like short-term rentals, parking and building, while Vilano runs on county rules alone. Neither is better; it is a question of whether you want a city layer or not. The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier at 350 A1A Beach Boulevard anchors St. Augustine Beach; the Vilano Beach Town Center and the Vilano pier on the river side anchor Vilano. Population figures are from the U.S. Census via the Wikipedia entries linked below; confirm current ordinances with each government before you rely on them.

What is the beach itself like on each side?

This is the biggest practical difference. Visit St. Augustine describes Vilano Beach as having a steep drop-off, heavier surf and a strong current because of its location near the inlet, which is why it draws surfers and skimboarders and why some people prefer not to swim there. St. Augustine Beach is the wide, flat, walkable beach from the pier south, with Anastasia State Park's beach and dunes at the north end where driving is prohibited. Beach driving exists on both sides but differently: St. Johns County lists the Vilano Beach ramp as four-wheel-drive only, and the A Street and Ocean Trace ramps in St. Augustine Beach as the driving access, with A Street closing nightly at 5 PM year-round. The county's 2026 toll season runs March 2 through September 30, and passes are sold at the toll booths, the pier gift shop and the Beach Services Office on Pope Road. Ramps close or go 4WD-only when sand and tides demand it.

What should you check before you choose a side?

Four things, in this order. First, flood zone and insurance: both sides are coastal barrier island, and the FEMA flood zone, elevation certificate and insurance quote on the specific address matter more than the town name. Second, the commute you will actually drive, at the hour you will drive it. Third, the rules that apply to your plans: short-term rental, parking and building rules differ between the City of St. Augustine Beach and unincorporated county, so if you intend to rent the home or add to it, read the ordinance first. Fourth, the beach you want: steep and surfy, or wide and flat. Price per square foot moves with oceanfront versus off-beach far more than it moves with Vilano versus St. Augustine Beach, and public price estimates for Vilano are based on a handful of sales a month, so I pull current MLS comps for the specific streets you are considering rather than quoting a town-wide number here.

How do you start?

Tell me your price range and which way you lean, and I will send you what is actually for sale on both sides so you can compare real houses instead of reputations. Start on the homes in your price range page, see the areas I work, or read what past clients have said.

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