Three of Our Destinations Just Landed on Southern Living’s Best Small Towns List
St. Augustine took the #1 spot. St. Simons Island claimed #2. And Fernandina Beach rounded out the top 20. If you’ve been to any of these places, you already knew.
Southern Living released its 2026 South’s Best Awards this month, and the results hit close to home—literally. Out of 20 towns recognized in the Best Small Towns in the South category, three of them sit right in our backyard.
More than 17,000 readers voted in the annual survey, conducted by third-party research firm Proof Insights between July and September 2025. The rankings are based entirely on reader preferences—not editorial picks, not paid placements. Real travelers choosing their favorite places.
And three of those favorites happen to be places where Casago First Coast manages vacation rentals.
St. Augustine: #1 Best Small Town in the South
No surprise here for anyone who’s crossed the Bridge of Lions at sunset or wandered St. George Street on a cool spring evening. St. Augustine didn’t just make the list. It topped it. Again.
Southern Living highlighted the city’s layers—the 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos, the growing craft brewery and distillery scene, and the long stretches of public beach along A1A. This is a place where four centuries of history coexist with genuinely good tacos and world-class surf fishing.
It’s worth noting that this recognition follows a string of recent accolades: Condé Nast Traveler named St. Augustine a top 20 Best Small Town to Visit in 2026, Billboard just called the St. Augustine Amphitheatre the top East Coast amphitheater, and U.S. News & World Report included it among the best places to visit in Florida. The national conversation around St. Augustine isn’t slowing down.
St. Simons Island: #2 Best Small Town in the South
Right behind St. Augustine, the Golden Isles landed at number two. St. Simons has a rhythm to it that’s hard to describe until you’ve been there—live oaks draped in Spanish moss, the pier at sunset, shrimp boats coming in at the village marina.
Southern Living also named the Golden Isles the top beach getaway in the entire South for 2026, which means St. Simons essentially swept two major categories. For a place that runs on island time and doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is, that’s a pretty strong endorsement from the traveling public.
Fernandina Beach: #20 Best Small Town in the South
Tucked away on Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach earned its spot at number 20 on the strength of what locals have known for years: a 52-block historic downtown that feels more like a well-kept secret than a tourist destination. Victorian architecture, a walkable waterfront, and the kind of seafood restaurants where the catch was swimming that morning.
This isn’t Fernandina’s first time getting national attention. Travel + Leisure named Amelia Island the #2 best island in the continental U.S. in 2024, and HGTV has featured the downtown among the most charming in America. The Shrimp Festival alone draws tens of thousands every spring. But making the Southern Living list alongside towns like Beaufort, Gatlinburg, and Hilton Head puts it in serious company.
What This Means for Your Next Trip
Here’s the thing about lists like this: they tend to drive demand. When 17,000 readers tell a national magazine that your town is the best in the South, other travelers pay attention. Booking windows tighten. Availability shrinks, especially during peak season.
If you’ve been thinking about a trip to any of these destinations this spring or summer, the smart move is to lock in your dates sooner rather than later. We manage vacation rentals across all three markets—from beachfront homes in St. Augustine to marsh-view cottages on St. Simons to historic district stays on Amelia Island—and peak season inventory moves fast once national press like this drops.
Browse our full inventory and book direct at www.firstcoastvacations.com. No service fees. Local teams in every market. And now, three award-winning destinations to choose from.
Own a Vacation Rental in One of These Markets?
Awards like this don’t just bring guests—they raise property values and rental demand. If you own a home in St. Augustine, Amelia Island, or St. Simons Island and want to know what it could earn as a managed vacation rental, we’d be happy to run the numbers. Reach out on www.firstcoastvacations.com or call our local team directly.
