Summer may be officially over, but Florida’s eternal sunshine beckons us to return to the beach.

A festival on the shores of the Atlantic, minutes from beautiful Historic St. Augustine, gives us even more incentive to pack our bags for a wonderful weekend escape.


Coastal breezes, culinary delights and wine tasting are hard to resist!

Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife, a culinary coastal celebration returns to Vilano Beach the first weekend in November. Four days of wine, food, whiskey, music and nature-inspired events in a magical setting.


Vilano Beach – St. Augustine, Florida
November 2–5, 2023

The Thursday opening night multi-course wine dinner and Sunday Jazz Brunch are festival weekend favorites. Both are hosted at PESCA, a new restaurant hot spot with an amazing rooftop bar and grill and a globally-inspired menu.

The Vilano A1A Evening Soiree, a Friday evening outdoor tasting party, officially kicks off the festivities with food, drink and spectacular ocean and intercoastal water views.

The festival also features culinary master classes during the day on Friday, where top chefs share their expertise.

The W3 Saturday, 3-hour afternoon Grand Tasting event is not to be missed.  It is always a sell-out, so snag your tickets early.  

Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife is sure to keep the wine, whiskey and fun flowing.

A popular Saturday tasting event highlight is the Publix Cooking Demo Stage where Publix Aprons® Cooking School professionals showcase popular dishes and share recipes. Scheduled nature activities include GTM Research Reserve tours and interactive programs with coastal wildlife, from sea turtles to alligators!

Fast Fact: GTM Research Reserve is one of 30 National Estuarine Research Reserves around the country, with over 76,000 acres of conservation lands in northeast Florida from Ponte Vedra Beach to Palm Coast.

Festival attendees can also enjoy some downtime; there will be plenty of time to work in a few hours of personal playtime at the beach or check out St. Augustine’s many attractions.

Whiskey, Wine and Wildlife Weekend Highlights:

  • PESCA by Michael’s W3 Wine Dinner: Thursday, November 2, 2023
  • Vilano A1A Soiree: Friday, November 3, 2023
  • GTM Research Reserve Guided Tour: Saturday Morning, November 4, 2023
  • W3 Grand Tasting: Saturday, November 4, 2023
  • Sunday Jazz Brunch: Sunday, November 5, 2023 (two available time slots)

Event Ticket Pricing with Early Bird Discounts

Access tickets are all-inclusive: unlimited beverage (wine, spirits and beer) and culinary tasting for all events, with over 20+ restaurants participating in the W3 Grand Tasting on Saturday.

Note: Free trolley shuttle service is available from downtown St. Augustine, courtesy of Old Town Trolley Tours. Or, opt to travel by boat with a scenic water shuttle tour to/from the Vilano Pier for only $15 each way.

A Tasting Event a Philanthropic Twist:

The Whiskey Wine & Wildlife festival event raises funds for two local non-profits, Vilano Beach Main Street and GTM Research Reserve.

For all your vacation planning needs, visit the Florida’s Historic Coast website, a robust visitor resource with hotel/lodging information and more. A free travel planner guide is also available by mail.

Photos courtesy of Florida’s Historic Coast and Whiskey, Wine & Wildlife