The Magic Beach Motel quietly disappeared on Monday — its last official day of business.
Built in 1951, the structure sits at 50 Vilano Road, just 10 minutes from downtown St. Augustine and directly across from Vilano Beach.
Now, the property is bracing for demolition. The owner’s permit is active through Feb. 6, 2026, with the possibility of a 90-day extension.
If St. Johns County residents aren’t already familiar with the motel next to the Vilano Beach Town Center, they may have seen it featured in the 2024 Netflix original series 3 Body Problem. The Magic Beach Motel is no stranger to the spotlight — it has been used as a location in other Hollywood productions throughout the decades.
Once a staple of Vilano Beach’s offbeat charm, the iconic motor-lodge style motel still holds significance for many in the community.
Despite public opposition, local governments have little authority to intervene. Because the property is partly seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, its demolition falls under Florida’s Resiliency and Safe Structures Act. This law prevents officials from blocking demolition—even of historically designated buildings.
Among those who have voiced opposition to its erasure is Bob Olson. The former chair of the County Cultural Resource Review Board fought to save the Magic Beach Motel while on the board in recent years. He also stayed there once — back in 1978, as part of his honeymoon with his wife, Noel.
During the 1970s, the property was, according to Olson, a pastel encapsulation of Old Florida allure. He remembers the small details — like the paper bath mat pasted on the bathroom floor.
Though the building has fallen into disrepair, some believe it could still be restored to the attractive property it once was.
For Olson — now a member of the County Planning and Zoning Agency Board — preserving the motel also means stabilizing the character of Vilano Beach.
The proposed luxury hotel developments to replace it, he said, would be “totally inappropriate” and inconsistent with the “theme of the town center revival” that many locals have supported.
For many in the Vilano Beach community, authenticity is essential. Some residents have expressed a desire to keep older buildings and businesses alive.
Sallie O’Hara, former president of the Florida Downtown Association and current executive director of Hastings Main Street, referenced a survey conducted within the past year while speaking to The Citizen. According to O’Hara, more than 2,000 people opposed the demolition of the motel — fewer than five supported the developer.
O’Hara said she understands the importance of development, but also wants to see Vilano Beach’s history preserved. She described the relationship between growth and preservation as a “marriage” necessary to protect the city and its values.
The Magic Beach Motel is a “fixture in the community with inherent cultural value.”
Cindy Campbell-Taylor, former vice president of Vilano Beach Main Street, echoed this sentiment. “The community is beside themselves,” she said.
She believes the motel isn’t beyond saving. Similr structure, like Haley’s Court Motel, have come back from disrepair, she said.
Also built in 1951, Haley’s Court is a motor-lodge similar in style to the Magic Beach Motel. But rather than being razed, it was restored in 2024 by a local St. Augustine family. According to Campbell-Taylor, the motel was revived in a way that maintained its “retro, fun” aesthetic and Old Florida charm.
For Campbell-Taylor and many others in the city, the Magic Beach Motel represents more than just a building. “It’s the last remaining of Florida’s 1950s icons,” she said.
But its demolition signals something larger. According to Campbell-Taylor, it marks “a permanent shift away” from Vilano Beach’s distinct culture and identity.
No longer a board member or preservation advocate by title, she says she’s now just one of many upset residents watching the Magic Beach Motel disappear behind the curtain of time.
