Planning on winning HGTV 2024 Dream Home? Here's what you can do on Anastasia Island

Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·4 min read

Anastasia Island, a small island in Northeast Florida, has been getting a lot of attention lately: It's the location of the HGTV 2024 Dream Home.

But where exactly is it and what else is there to do there, you know, in case you do win the dream home?

Where is Anastasia Island?

Anastasia Island is located along Florida's northeast coast east of St. Augustine. The 14-mile barrier island averages 1 mile in width and is separated from the mainland by the Matanzas River.

Some of St. Augustine’s favorite beaches can be found on the barrier island, as well as resorts, hotels, restaurants and bars, attractions, and the city of St. Augustine Beach, according to Visit St. Augustine.

Where is Anastasia Island? Beaches, attractions, a light house and an HGTV Dream Home.

How can you win the 2024 HGTV Dream Home?

The official entry period of the HGTV Dream Home 2024 runs through 5 p.m. Eastern Time Feb. 15.

Eligible fans can enter daily at HGTV.com and FoodNetwork.com, where they will also find full details and the official rules, as well as additional home features.

How much is the HGTV Dream Home grand prize package worth?

The three-bedroom, four-bathroom home is about 3,300 square feet with views of the Matanzas River and the St. Augustine Lighthouse.

The home combines classic coastal elegance with modern touches and layers of natural textures drenched in blue and white hues, according to HGTV.

The winner of the sweepstakes will receive:

  • Keys to the fully furnished home

  • A new Mercedes-Benz E Class sedan

  • $100,000 cash

Value of the total Anastasia Island HGTV Dream Home package is estimated at just over $2.2 million

HGTV Dream Home 2024: Florida island chosen as site of HGTV's 2024 Dream Home. Grand prize worth $2.2 million

Will the 2024 HGTV Dream Home be featured on TV?

See the Dream Home in a one-hour special Monday, Jan. 1 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time on HGTV, HGTV GO and Hogar de HGTV, also available on Max and discovery+ the same day.

Things to do on Anastasia Island in Florida

"Anastasia Island is known for its gorgeous and relaxing beaches. This island is a great way to separate yourself away from the crowds for a bit," according to Casa de Sueños, a bed and breakfast in St. Augustine.

Here are a few things to do on Anastasia Island and remember St. Augustine and all its history, restaurants, and activities is just over the bridge:

  • Visit the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum: Learn about more than 500 years of history, starting with the first watch tower built in the 1500s.  Weather permitting, you can climb the 219 steps of the 165-foot-tall lighthouse and walk out on the observation deck for views of views of Matanzas Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Children must be at least 44 inches tall to climb the lighthouse. Cost is $14.95 for those 13 and older.

  • Explore Matanzas National Monument: You'll have to take a ferry to see the monument, which "preserves the fortified coquina watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine. It also protects approximately 300 acres of Florida coastal environment containing dunes, marsh, maritime forest, and associated flora and fauna, including threatened and endangered species," according to the National Park Service. The ferry runs hourly on the half-hour from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weather permitting. Boarding passes are free at the visitor center. There areno feesto enter the park. Take a virtual tour.

  • Visit St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park: There are alligator feedings, wildlife shows and interactive experiences. You can also zip line over alligators and crocodiles. General admission tickets are $34.99 for ages 12+. The zoo is home to dozens of other animals besides crocodilians, including birds, reptiles and mammals.

  • Stop by St. Augustine Beach: This small beach town is located on Anastasia Island. Incorporated in 1959, it is slightly larger than one-and-a-half square miles. Explore 1,600 acres of beaches, tidal marshes, maritime hammocks, and ancient sand dunes, where you can swim, fish, canoe, kayak, hike, and even camp. Or visit St. Johns County Ocean Pier, which offers fishing, plus a beachfront park with volleyball courts, a playground, and a children’s splash zone. There is an open-air market on Wednesday mornings, and Music by the Sea concerts on Wednesday evenings in the summer, according to Visit St. Augustine.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Anastasia Island Florida home to more than 2024 HGTV Dream Home