St. Augustine’s 42 miles of pristine beaches will officially open this holiday weekend. That means lifeguards and tollbooths at all the main ramps along the beach will be in full operation from now until Labor Day. St. Augustine is one of the few places left in Florida where you can actually drive right onto the beach. But before you roll the family van out onto the sand, here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:

Watch the tides! Over the course of 12 hours, the water line will shift dramatically as the tides change. Unless you happen to have an amphibious vehicle, it’s advisable to park closer up to the sand dunes.

Sand is soft! When the tide is all the way out, the sand closer to the water’s edge is nice and firm, well suited to driving. But the sand further up the shore that doesn’t get wet is very soft, leaving vehicles without four wheel drive susceptible to getting stuck. If you do find your vehicle stuck in the sand, the worst thing you can do is to keep spinning your wheels in the sand. Ask a lifeguard to help tow you out to firmer ground.

Be careful! Driving on the beach is a luxury, but it comes with great responsibility. The driving lanes are between where most cars park and the main part of the beach, so people (children especially) often dart through the traffic to get down to the water line. Posted speed limit signs are strictly enforced, as well as seat belt laws.

When you’re not relaxing at the beach this weekend, our calendar has a list of great events for you to check out as well including the St. Augustine Air Show, Jacksonville Jazz Festival and the Memorial Day concert in the plaza downtown. It’s going to be a packed weekend in the Nation’s Oldest City, we hope to see you there!

– OldCity.com