Despite the holiday's rich history in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mayor Sam Jones of Mobile, Alabama, says the first Mardi Gras celebration in this country actually took place in his city, and most Mobile natives agree.
St. George Island. Located just off North Florida's Gulf Coast, the 28-mile St. George Island is one of the last inhabited yet unspoiled barrier islands in Florida â and it is a serene and pet-friendly vacation paradise.
For island in the Black Sea, see St. Anastasia Island. St. Augustine Lighthouse on Anastasia Island. Anastasia Island is a barrier island located off the northeast Atlantic coast of Florida in the United States. It sits east of St. Augustine, running north-south in a slightly southeastern direction to Matanzas Inlet. The island is about 14 miles (23 km) long and an average of 1 mile in width. It is separated from the mainland by the Matanzas River, part of the Intracoastal waterway. Matanzas Bay, the body of water between the island and downtown St. Augustine, opens into St. Augustine Inlet.