The Fountain of Youth: St. Augustine’s BEST Source of Eternal Life!*
*not guaranteed by MouseEars TV
The Fountain of Youth has swirled through the mists of mythology for eons. Sparkling waters imbued with restorative powers beyond human understanding—and yet satisfying humanity’s most innate desire—have trickled their way into modern day. While the existence of such a fountain is questionable (and its de-aging abilities perhaps even more so), the Fountain of Youth itself is an ageless concept.
It will captivate people as long as time continues to creep forward.
If there were ever a likely location for a true Fountain of Youth, St. Augustine—already so full of legend, history, and the paranormal—is surely it.
Well, I suppose that’s why they have Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park! A fun and vibrant day trip for the whole family, you can take a sip of spring water and find out for yourself if the legend of the Fountain of Youth is fact or fiction. (But, before you become immortal, I’d recommend reading Tuck Everlasting…)
Put Your Money Where Your Myth Is
While Juan Ponce de Leon is the man most associated with the Fountain of Youth, legends of restorative waters date all the way back to ancient Greece, where Alexander the Great “was said to have come across a healing ‘river of paradise’ in the fourth century B.C.”1 Fantastical springs have appeared in legends around the world, with supposed locations in England, Japan, and the Canary Islands. Nevertheless, it was Ponce de Leon who set off on a special expedition with the express purpose of finding the one true fountain.
…right?
Well, not exactly. Scholarship suggests Ponce’s venture into Florida had nothing to do with a fountain and everything to do with political gain. Rather than searching for immortality, the Spanish explorer was simply seeking a profitable new governorship. No known documents from his lifetime mention a Fountain of Youth; in fact, the story was made up by Ponce’s rival, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, to satirize and discredit the explorer by making him look gullible.2
Since the story has stuck around for centuries, it seems like Oviedo succeeded. And yet, in some ways, he granted immortality to Ponce’s name. After all, whose archeological park is in St. Augustine? Yeah, not Oviedo’s. (Like, who even knows who Oviedo is??)
Perhaps the Fountain of Youth is found in one’s legacy…
To the Fountain and Beyond
Or maybe the fountain really is in St. Augustine, and youth is bubbling up in the water. There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to take a drink. Cheers!
No, really, it’s one of the many things to do when you visit Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archeological Park! Just head to the spring house (the centerpiece of the park), and try a sip of the trickling water, which contains over 30 minerals. The guestbook here dates back to 1868 and is brimming with the names of people who were curious to try the water. Do you think some of them might still be around, the secret bearers of eternal life?
Beyond the spring itself, the park is full of entertaining and engaging exhibits for several hours of fun. Even if the mythos of the spring doesn’t grab you, the very real history of the Timucua Native Americans is on display with a recreated village for you to explore. You’ll see what life was like, from special methods of canoe building to fishing, hunting, and pottery making. There’s even a 1,000-year-old domesticated dog burial in the park! Although the Timucua people are gone, they are remembered and surprisingly relatable. What is more human or more timeless than the unconditional love for one’s pet?
(Speaking of pets, this park is dog friendly as long as they are leashed!)
After you’ve meandered through the village, check out the hourly show in the Navigator’s Planetarium and find yourself dazzled by the same night sky Ponce saw just before his Florida landing. During the show, the navigational techniques used by Ponce and his contemporaries will be demonstrated. These are not only amazing but also make you really appreciate having a GPS!
With a working blacksmith’s shop, periodic excavations, daily cannon firings, a flock of resident peacocks, and more, Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park provides a day of historically immersive fun!
The Cost of Eternal Life
All right, time to get down to the nitty-gritty.
Ponce’s park is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and admission is $19.95 for adults, $9.95 for children ages 6-12, and free for children younger than 6. (However, if you’d like to purchase tickets online rather than at the park when you arrive, there is a small discount!)
Two hours is the minimum when it comes to planning for this park, as there is so much to see sprawled across the 15 waterfront acres! You can make a real day out of it with a picnic lunch or grab some on-site barbeque for a yummy treat!
If you have time to spare after your perusal of the park (and, with newly equipped eternal life, I’d say you have plenty), we recommend checking out some of our favorite things in St. Augustine like the Castillo de San Marcos or the Pirate & Treasure Museum!
But, getting real, here: does the Fountain of Youth work?
Well, in 1879, Anna C. Brackett submitted an opinion piece about the Fountain of Youth to the National Journal of Education. In it, she wrote, “[I]t is not youth that we want…but rest and freedom from the incessant demands of the pulverizing cares of adult life.”3 (Sounds like 2022, doesn’t it?)
Brackett’s solution was not healing water but the respite provided by ancient histories, novels, and plays, things to ease the mind and edify it before getting to work again. This is an opinion with which I heartily concur, but I would add to it this: a relaxing trip to Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.
While the water itself might not grant immortality, a day at the park offers a pleasant escape from the burdens of the world. Transported back in time, you are free to rest and relax as you take in the sights and sounds of colonial life and natural Florida. For a sunny afternoon, your soul can breathe a much-needed sigh of relief.
In this regard, the Fountain of Youth is truly a rejuvenating wonder.
Have you visited Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park? And if so, have you experienced any side effects, like becoming invincible after drinking the water? Let us know in the comments below!
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Photo: Unsplash
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