St. Augustine

Explore St. Augustine

St. Augustine is situated a mere 40 miles from the glassy skyscrapers of downtown Jacksonville, 100 miles from the rocket ships of Kennedy Space Center, and 100 miles from the fantasy theme parks of Orlando – but the city’s rich history and cultural diversity make it seem worlds away.

The city has more than 50 attractions including historical sites and points of interest, living history museums, animal parks, and ghost tours. Many are located within walking distance of one another in the downtown historic St. Augustine area, while others are in the uptown antique area or across the Bridge of Lions on Anastasia Island. Those are accessible via tourist transportation, making it possible to see it all without having to move your car!

Guided walking tours - as well as those by tram, trolley, horse-drawn carriage, or cruise boat - offer unique narratives of the story of historic St. Augustine, covering some of St. Augustine’s most popular landmarks.

Historical Sites

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

Address: 11 S Castillo Dr, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

The Castillo de San Marcos (Spanish for "St. Mark's Castle") is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States; it is located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay. Castillo de San Marcos stands today as a monument to the Spanish empire’s 300-year occupation of Florida and to the interaction and clashes of cultural groups that built the unified nation that is the United States today. Constructed to protect Spain’s settlement in St. Augustine from pirate raids, hostile American Indian tribes, and neighboring imperial powers, the fortification is a symbol of the cultural and imperial struggles that shaped early North America. Never captured in battle, Castillo de San Marcos is both architecturally impressive as the oldest surviving masonry fortress in the United States and culturally significant because its stone walls are a testament to the endurance of this nation’s Latino heritage and to the other cultural groups that have played a role in its story. Learn more here.

Visitors can explore the fortress, enjoy a ranger program, watch a video, or view a demonstration by re-enactors. There is a fee to enter the Fort, and tickets can be purchased online here.

Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine

Address: 38 Cathedral Pl, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday - Sunday: closed
Plan Your Visit

*NOTE* This is an active Cathedral, so please be respectful. Pictures are allowed during normal business hours unless Mass or another service is being held. Should the Cathedral be in use for a religious service, a funeral, a wedding, or any other service, the public is not allowed to enter. Thank you for your understanding.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine (Spanish: Catedral basílica de San Agustín) is a historic cathedral in St. Augustine, Florida, and the seat of the Catholic Bishop of St. Augustine. Constructed over five years (1793–1797), it was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark on April 15, 1970. Its congregation, established in 1565, is the oldest Christian congregation in the contiguous United States.

As the early colonists were mostly sailors or soldiers with little expertise in architecture, the first church of St. Augustine was simply designed and rapidly built of disparate materials. The original parish was short-lived, burning to the ground in a 1586 attack on the town by the Englishman Sir Francis Drake. As two decades previously, the colonists hastily built a new church of straw and palmetto, which deteriorated quickly in the humid climate and burned down once again in 1599.

Money was raised in Spain, and in 1605 a third church was built, this time more permanently of timber by experienced architects and builders who had begun to make their way to the New World. For 95 years it stayed intact, though in disrepair, before again burning down in 1702 during a failed English attempt on the city by Carolina Governor James Moore.

The church vanished for over ninety years, despite an attempt to rebuild in 1707, with royal rebuilding funds misspent on provisions, soldiers' pay, and graft by public officials. During the first half of the 18th century, priests held Mass in St. Augustine's hospital, which became too small for the congregation and embarrassed it before the Native American converts to Catholicism.

From 1763 to 1784, Florida fell under British rule, and reconstruction was forgotten. After Spain regained its colony in 1784, a new sense of pride in the citizenry led to the large-scale construction of the current church from 1793 to 1797. It became a cathedral in 1870 and a minor basilica in 1976.

Flagler College, Historic Tour

Address: 74 King St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Plan Your Visit

Flagler College is a private liberal arts college in St. Augustine, Florida. It was founded in 1968 and offers 33 undergraduate majors and one master's program. Founded in 1968, the campus comprises 19 acres (77,000 m2), the centerpiece of which is the Ponce de León Hotel, built in 1888 as a luxury hotel. The architects were John Carrere and Thomas Hastings, working for Henry Morrison Flagler, the industrialist, oil magnate, and railroad pioneer. It is now listed as a National Historic Landmark, the highest designation possible.

Historic Tours of Flagler College highlight the architectural heritage of the former Hotel Ponce de Leon. The Ponce is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture and was one of the most exclusive resorts of its day. Tours depart daily from the main lobby (Rotunda) of the College located at 74 King Street. Because we are a College first, tours are subject to cancellations, please check our ticket availability for more information.

Fountain of Youth

Address: 11 Magnolia Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

The Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine is legendary, known as the place where Ponce De Leon discovered the healing waters that magically maintain your youthful appearance. Drink from the magical spring’s waters, plus explore many exhibits and historical attractions at the 15-acre Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. The park is home to a Discovery Globe, Planetarium, Timucua Indian Exhibit, Spanish cannons, and Native Christian Burial Ground Exhibit. Don't forget to take a photo with the many peacocks on the property while you are there, and keep an eye out for the pure white one!

Purchase your tickets in advance to visit The Fountain of Youth to avoid long lines. They offer discounts to Adult US Active Military with ID and AAA Cardholders. Enjoy lunch at the Smoked BBQ stand or bring your own lunches. Plenty of FREE car parking is provided in our roomy lot while touring the Park or eating at Smoked BBQ.

Fort Mose Historic State Park

Address: 15 Fort Mose Trail St. Augustine FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

More than 300 years ago, courageous Africans escaped from enslavement in British colonies. They fled southward on foot to Spanish St. Augustine, crossing swamps and dense tropical forests. Along they way, they sought assistance from Natives, thus creating the first ‘underground railroad’.

Those who reached St. Augustine were granted asylum by the Spanish government: freedom, in exchange for conversion to Catholicism and, for men, a term of military service. The first freedom seekers arrived in 1687. By 1738, more than 100 freedom seekers had achieved asylum. Fort Mose became the site of the first free black community in what is now the United States.

A formerly enslaved African, Captain Francisco Menéndez, led the free black militia of Fort Mose. For years, the warriors valiantly protected St. Augustine. However, when Spain ceded all of La Florida to England in 1763, the citizens of Fort Mose once again faced enslavement. They abandoned the fort and sought safety in Spanish Cuba.

Over the years, the Fort Mose site was swallowed by marsh, and the important legacy of its community was largely forgotten. Late in the twentieth century, a highly dedicated team of archaeologists, historians, government leaders, and committed citizens helped restore Fort Mose to its rightful place of honor. Today, Fort Mose is recognized as a significant local, national and international historic landmark.

Fort Mose Historic State Park, which now includes a visitors' center and small museum, is located on the edge of a salt marsh on the western side of the waterway separating the mainland from the coastal barrier islands. The original site of the 18th-century fort was uncovered in a 1986 archeological dig. The 24-acre site is now protected as a Florida state park. Fort Mose is the "premier site on the Florida Black Heritage Trail".

Lincolnville Museum & Cultural Center

Address: 102 M L King Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Plan Your Visit Here

Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center is an African American history museum located in the former Excelsior School, St. Augustine's first black public high school. As with all public schools in Florida at the time, it was segregated. "School #2" or "the Colored School" was built in 1925 as St. Augustine's high school for Black students. It was renamed Excelsior in 1928.

After desegregation in 1968, the school was closed and the building housed local government offices until the mid 1980s. After the offices were phased out of use, a group of former Excelsior students and community members rallied to save the building from demolition. It opened as the Excelsior Museum and Cultural Center in 2005, and changed its name to the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center in 2012.

The museum's focus is on the history, culture, and contributions of African Americans in the greater St. Augustine area. This includes the history of Lincolnville, the role runaway slaves played in building Fort Mose, the history of the area's Black churches, Black historical and social societies, Black businesspeople in the area, and visits to St. Augustine by Martin Luther King Jr. The museum's collections include artwork, memorabilia, and photographs. Most of the exhibits focus on the civil rights era in St. Augustine history, but in 2016 the museum began expanding its coverage to other parts of area history.

Lightner Museum

Address: 75 King St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

The Lightner Museum is a museum of antiques, mostly American Gilded Age pieces, housed within the historic Hotel Alcazar building in downtown St. Augustine. This 1887 Spanish Renaissance Revival-style building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Hotel Alcazar was commissioned by Henry Flagler, to appeal to wealthy tourists who traveled south for the winter on his railroad, the Florida East Coast Railway. The firm also designed the Ponce de León Hotel across the street, now part of the campus of Flagler College. Both structures are notable for being among the earliest examples of poured concrete buildings in the world. The hotel had a steam room, massage parlor, sulfur baths, gymnasium, a three-story ballroom, and the world's largest indoor swimming pool; however, after years as an elegant winter resort for wealthy patrons, the hotel closed in 1932.

On August 20, 1947, Chicago publisher Otto C. Lightner purchased the building to convert the old hotel into a hobbies museum. He used the space to house several collections, including his own extensive collection of Victorian-era art. He then turned it over to the city of St. Augustine and the museum opened to the public in 1948.

Tickets to visit the Lightner Museum are available on their website, and we highly encourage you to take the time while you are there to grab a bite to eat at Cafe Alcazar now situated in what used to be the hotel pool.

National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios

Address: 101 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Historical Chapel and Shrine Church Hours: Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday: 12 - 4 p.m.
Mission and Shrine Grounds Hours: Dawn until Dusk. Our grounds are open for prayer and reflection. Please help us respect these sacred grounds and refrain from any additional activities.

For Mass and other services, please visit the Mission website here.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche is a Catholic Marian shrine located at the Nombre de Dios Mission in St. Augustine, Florida. Originally built in 1609 in honor of Our Lady of La Leche—a Marian apparition popular among the Spanish settlers in the area—it is the oldest shrine in the United States. It was elevated to national shrine status in 2019 and received a canonical coronation in 2021.

As one of the oldest Catholic worship sites in the Americas, the shrine holds a certain historical significance and is a popular pilgrimage site for prayers concerning pregnancy.

Upon its coronation ceremony in October 2021, it is to become just the fourth-such image in the United States.

Old Jail Museum

Address: 167 San Marco St Augustine FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

Listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, The Old Jail is a must-visit when in St. Augustine! The Old Jail (also known as Authentic Old Jail) is an authentic, historical jail in St. Augustine, Florida. On August 27, 1987, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

In 1891, Henry Flagler contracted the company that would eventually build Alcatraz to construct a jail just north of downtown on San Marco Ave. So as not to create an eyesore that would strike fear in the hearts of the general public and to avoid discouraging his fat cat friends from investing in the city, he decided to disguise it. It was built in the Romanesque Revival style and painted in an unassuming color. Originally built to house up to 72 prisoners, the two-story northern wing of the jail consisted of a general population and a maximum security area, a women's section, and a lower-level kitchen. Maximum Security housed the most dangerous prisoners held at the Jail and includes a Death Row cell, for those condemned to die. A total of eight men were hung from the Gallows on the Jail compound during its history.

Today, tourists get a glimpse into the daily lives of St. Augustine’s most notorious prisoners living under the penal system of the 19th and early 20th centuries as well as tell the story of Sheriff Joe Perry. Costumed actors tell tales of the jail and its occupants, and even book you as an inmate. Additionally, the Old Jail has a large collection of weapons and artifacts for you to inspect up close and is one of just a few prisons of its kind still standing that makes for a great day of sightseeing on a historical adventure.

It would be a crime if you didn’t stop by for a visit!

St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Musuem

Address: 100 Red Cox Dr, St. Augustine, FL 32080
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum serves as a scenic and educational maritime museum. It stands 165 feet above sea level, overlooking Matanzas Bay and the Atlantic Ocean from Anastasia Island. Visitors can climb the 219 steps to the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse for a spectacular view of the city and ocean.

Visitors experience life at a Light Station through the many exhibits in the Keeper's House, learn how the Lighthouse served to protect our coast in World War II, about area shipwrecks, and the important work of marine archeologists who work at the Lighthouse. In addition, the grounds feature a natural hammock, a children's play area, demonstrations on boat building, and more. The gift shop offers a unique array of nautical and local souvenirs and does not need a ticket for access.

Not only are tickets available to climb the Lighthouse and enjoy the view, but multiple different tours are available, including a few that discuss whether or not our Lighthouse is haunted! BOO! Save 15% when you book online using code LH15

Feel more comfortable buying in person? Download a 10% off coupon here

St. George Street

First things first: it's Saint George Street. If you ask any local about it, you have to say it right. We all know St. George Street and we won't steer you wrong.

St. George Street is the epicenter of downtown St. Augustine, and you can find anything you want there. This historical street used to be the main street of the city, and now it's home to historic attractions like The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse and Colonial Quarter, fun shops, restaurants, art galleries, and so much more. While St. George Street is the main fairway, don't hesitate to hit up one of the many side streets nearby as well. There are lots of hidden gems all up and down the area. Ask a local for their favorite spots and check those out, they won't steer you wrong.

Must See Attractions

Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine

Address: 4730 Dixie Hwy, St. Augustine, FL 32086
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

The Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine is a perfect complement to the rich history of our city. With cars ranging from the early 1900s to the present day, it helps portray the city through the ever-evolving automobile. Most are private cars, but some fire trucks and other service vehicles are also on display. All are faithfully restored and can be viewed along with antique parts, gas pumps, and other period pieces.

Make sure you check out their events calendar to see if there is something fun and exciting happening while you are visiting!

Fiesta Falls Mini Golf

Address: 818 A1A Beach Boulevard, St. Augustine, FL, 32080
Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - 9:30 p.m., Friday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Fiesta Falls Mini Golf is located next to La Fiesta Ocean Inn & Suites on beautiful St. Augustine Beach. This miniature golf course consists of 18 holes, with the average game lasting between 45 minutes to an hour. The course boasts eight waterfalls and a 65-foot ship that guests can play through. Fiesta Falls Mini Golf's gazebo, situated right at the peak of the course, offers a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean.

Florida Water Tours

Address: 107 Yacht Club Drive, A-19, St. Augustine, Fl, 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Plan Your Trip

Experience the Intracoastal Waterway at its finest featuring picture-perfect attractions. Based in St. Augustine, Florida Water Tours offers amazing eco-tourism cruises for vacationers and locals year-round. Offering private and public services, they encourage you to explore the fun side of learning about nature, history, and wildlife through their exciting cruises.

Florida Water Tours takes a percentage of EVERY TICKET PURCHASED and donates into our educational outreach program.

Ghosts & Gravestones

Address: 27 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, Fl, 32084
Hours: Daily: 6:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Plan Your Tour

Join us aboard the trolley of the doomed, as your Ghost Host entrances you with tales of misfortune and mayhem. Hear accounts of long-gone residents who can still be seen in numerous locations around the city. The tumultuous past transcends into the present as we travel through the ancient city.

The stories you’ll hear come from years of research, personal accounts, and hauntingly real-life experiences.

Plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early to make time to visit Cromwell’s Parlour of Paranormal Curiosities. It is located inside the Old Town Trolley Welcome Center at 27 San Marco Ave., the check-in and boarding location for the Ghosts & Gravestones tour. Cromwell’s Parlour is St. Augustine’s only collection of the paranormal and unexplained. All objects are authentic and are either historic or supernaturally significant. The collection was gathered in this room in hopes of achieving a greater understanding of the unexplained and supernatural world. Comfortable shoes are recommended so that you don’t become dead on your feet during the brief walking portion. This tour may not be suitable for children under 13 years of age and is not recommended for children under the age of 4.

Ghost City Tours

Hours: Daily: 8 p.m.
Plan Your Trip

Are you ready to meet the Ghosts of St. Augustine Florida? Join Ghost City Tours and our amazing Tour Guides as we explore the most haunted locations in St. Augustine - where ghosts are most often seen.

Can you imagine being in a REAL haunted location after the sun goes down. Will you be the next person to have a paranormal encounter on our Ghost Tours?

Unlike most other companies, all of our ghost tours are heavily researched and based on true historical events. You'll see truth is far creepier than fiction.

Old Town Trolley Tours

Address: 167 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL, 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Plan Your Trip

Old Town Trolley Tours operates open tour buses. It has a number of set stops in town and the passenger may get off and back on at will. Both have narrated tours presented by the drivers. The tour of Old Town Trolley Tours lasts about seventy minutes if one stays on the bus for the entire route.

All narrations are live and not pre-recorded, provided by the most highly trained and knowledgeable guides locally. Each ticket offers unlimited hop-on and hop-off as often as you like, all day long, and includes free admission to the St. Augustine History Museum.

Book your ticket online and save!

Oldest Store Museum Experience

Address: 161 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

There are many beautifully restored and preserved examples of the city’s past everywhere, especially its historic district and the Old Store Museum is one of those not to be missed. Watch in amazement as our friendly clerks, butcher, and Snake Oil salesman demonstrate the very latest inventions for turn-of-the-century living. Get to know the latest and best time-saving miracles from the rockin’ 1900s!

Join them for a fun adventure to the past, there is so much to catch the eye like steam-driven tractors, tonics, worm syrup, guns, bikes, dry goods, clothing, farming equipment, wagons, and a whole array of gizmos and eccentric gadgets that captured the imaginations of the folks living in an America whose greatness in innovation was in its infancy!

Potters Wax Museum

Address: 31 Orange Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

Potter’s Wax Museum is a wonderful gallery, showcasing achievements and creations that have shaped our world. Come face-to-face with courage and innovation and mingle with greatness and incredible talents! Be amazed at the detailed craftsmanship used to faithfully portray some of the most influential and remarkable personalities in our history from around the world.

Red Train Tours

Address: 19 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Trip

Ripley’s Red Train Tours are the most fun and entertaining way to learn about St. Augustine. Put down the map and kick up your feet as your driver takes you on a fully narrated journey highlighting the city’s unbelievable story spanning hundreds of years. In addition to our daily tours of the city, be sure to check out our seasonal adventures, from holiday lights to twisted history.

All tours require advance reservations. Please check our ticketing site for available times.

Ripley's Believe it or Not

Address: 19 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

Believe it or Not!! Venturing through 14 themed galleries, adults and children alike will become immersed in artifacts, incredible art, animal oddities, pop-culture memorabilia, interactive games, and stories of people and places that are incredibly hard to believe, but undeniably true. This is your chance to experience the only place in St. Augustine where you can come face to face with a genuine shrunken head, learn about extraordinary people, and do a double-take of animal oddities!

San Sebastian Winery

Address: 157 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32080
Wine Tours & Tastings: Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Winery and Retail Shop: Daily: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Cellar Upstairs Bar & Restaurant: Thursday & Sunday: 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday & Saturday: 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.

San Sebastian Winery was founded in 1996 in one of Henry Flagler’s old East Coast Railway buildings located just a few blocks from historic downtown. It's a family-run corporation that has evolved into an industry leader since the company was originally formed in 1983 by the Cox family. With over 18,000 square feet, 40,000 gallons of wine storage capacity, and an automated bottling line capable of bottling up to 15,000 bottles per day, San Sebastian remains the second-largest winery in the state of Florida.

Today, San Sebastian ranks as one of Florida's premium wineries and remains a pioneer in the development of premium, sparkling, and dessert wines from Muscadine grapes.

Sea Serpent Tours

Address: 6550 FL-13 N, St. Augustine, FL 32092
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Closed Monday
Plan Your Trip

Sea Serpent Tours was born in St. Augustine, FL over 5 years ago and has quickly become an outdoor family fun destination for passersby as well as a favorite to many locals. Our Airboat Tour Adventures are our most popular attractions by far! We book up daily as Captain Mike Blount and his daughter Captain Becca captivate audiences with their gregarious personalities, knowledge of the waterways, and fully narrated tours. YES, headphones are provided!

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

Address: 999 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080
Hours: Daily: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Plan Your Visit

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is one of Florida's oldest continuously running attractions, having opened on May 20, 1893. It has 24 species of crocodilians, and also a variety of other reptiles, mammals, and birds, as well as exhibits, animal performances, and educational demonstrations.

The park began in 1893 on St. Augustine Beach as a minor attraction at the end of a railway running through neighboring Anastasia Island. The alligators were added at first to get visitors to buy souvenirs and see the museum there. Soon, the reptiles themselves became the main point of interest.

Growing in popularity, the park moved to its current location in the early 1920s. The park changed owners in the 1930s, and, after a devastating fire, they started reconstruction and expansion of the facilities. In 1993, for its 100-year anniversary, the park became the first place in the world to display every species of crocodilian.

In 2008, the zoo opened a new Komodo dragon facility that exhibits lizards and snakes in Southeast Asia.

On September 10, 1992, the Alligator Farm was designated a U.S. Historic District. As such, it was referred to as the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Historic District. According to the National Register of Historic Places, it covers less than 1 acre (4,000 m2) and contains one building and one structure.

Tickets are available for purchase online. You can also purchase animal encounters, behind-the-scenes tours, zip lines over crocodiles, and much more.

St. Augustine Boat Tours

Hours: Daily: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Plan Your Boat Tour

Get a front-row seat to view historic St. Augustine from the beautiful Matanzas Bay and see natural Florida along the Intracoastal Waterway. Off the pavement and onto the water! Perfect any time of the year, our scenic St Augustine Boat Tours give you a different perspective of historic St. Augustine and the surrounding waters. We’ll take you on an enjoyable, leisurely tour of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Matanzas Bay, as well as give you a look at the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.

St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum

Address: 12 S. Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Plan Your Pirate Adventure

The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum offers an exciting and educational museum experience that transports you and your family back in time over 300 years to Port Royal, Jamaica, at the height of the Golden Age of Piracy. But be on your best behavior! You never know when there be a pirate about, you scallywags!

St. Augustine Scenic Cruise

Address: 111 Avenida Menendez, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Hours: Daily: 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Plan Your Cruise

Since the 1900’s St. Augustine Scenic Cruise has been giving visitors to St. Augustine a unique view of the city and a way to enjoy St. Augustine’s historic landmarks and natural beauty.

The Usina’s were among settlers from the island of Minorca, located off the coast of Spain, finally settling in St. Augustine in 1777. Many of their descendants remain in St. Augustine today. Read about this amazing family's history here.

View the interactive 2023 Travel Planner by clicking HERE!

Parking in St. Augustine

Founded in 1565, the City of St. Augustine town plan was originally laid out in the late sixteenth century for foot traffic, walking, horses, and horse-drawn carriage. That's why the streets are so narrow, many of which are one-way, and many streets have overhanging balconies. Due to these historic roads, parking in downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods has always been at a premium.

The Historic Downtown Parking Facility (HDPF) is located at 1 Cordova Street, just off West Castillo Drive as you turn off U.S. 1, within walking distance to St. George Street and San Marco Avenue as well as the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. The 4-story, 400,000 square-foot structure offers over 1100 parking spaces and is open 24 hours per day, year-round. It features daily pay on entry, security, and easy connections to sightseeing vehicles, and horse-drawn carriage services, and is located next to the Visitor Information Center. Parking at the HDPF is $15.00 per entry and is payable by cash or credit card. Locations, where the ParkStAug app may be used, do not include the HDPF. For more information about the HDPF, call (904) 484-5160.

The adjacent Visitor Information Center (VIC) has clean restrooms, a gift shop, lists of special events, arts and cultural information, and rows of brochures and guides. For more information about events, attractions, and the historic area, call the VIC at (904) 825-1000.

Parking in other City of St. Augustine-managed parking areas

Pay stations for parking are located throughout downtown St. Augustine. Easy-to-use directions are at each station and the cost for parking is $2.50 per hour and payable with cash, credit cards, and the ParkStAug app available from both the App Store and Google Play. Call 904 825 1037 for more information.

For more information on parking in downtown St. Augustine, please Parking Tips.

VisitStAugustine.com is an online visitor's guide for the nation's oldest city.

Some of the most up-to-date information can be found here, including some coupon codes if you book online!

If you are looking for specific information on what you can and cannot do in St. Augustine, visit the City of St. Augustine's website.

They have information regarding parking, the beaches, and all other ordinances available right at your fingertips.

Click the photo below to learn more from the Visitor and Convention Bureau.

They have details on just about everything, including the best hotels.

Founding of St. Augustine

St. Augustine, Florida, was founded by Spanish explorers long before Jamestown and the Plymouth Colony. Juan Ponce de Leon, the first governor of Puerto Rico, landed near present-day St. Augustine on Easter, March 27, 1513. He was in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth. Claiming the land for Spain, he named it “La Florida” for the many beautiful flowers in bloom.

Over the following half-century, Spain launched at least six unsuccessful attempts to establish an actual settlement in Florida, but it was the French who did it successfully. The French established a settlement with Fort Caroline along the area of high sand dune bluffs that overlook the St. Johns River in present-day Jacksonville. This new French colony not only posed a threat to the Spanish territorial claims, but also to the Spanish treasure fleets that sailed along the Florida coast.

When King Philip II of Spain heard that the French had made a settlement near the mouth of the St. Johns River in what he considered Spanish-claimed territory, he wanted them out immediately. As a result, the King named his country’s most experienced admiral, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, as the new governor of Florida and instructed him to not only colonize the area but to also drive out any settlers from foreign lands that he may encounter.

With 11 ships, Admiral Pedro Menendez set sail for Spanish Florida, and on September 8, 1565, he and his crew landed at an inlet in what would later become northeast Florida. Because Menendez sighted the spot on the Feast of St. Augustine of Hippy, the patron saint of his hometown, he named the settlement St. Augustine.

Admiral Menendez wiped out the French settlement at Fort Caroline, securing La Florida for Spain.

The French were not the only ones looking to expand and strengthen their empire:
England’s Sir Francis Drake attempted to take Spanish Florida
Pirates had an interest in Spanish land
One pirate attack in 1668 convinced the Spanish government to build a better fort
In 1669, Queen Mariana of Spain allocated funds to build the fortress Castillo de San Marcos
In 1740, James Oglethorpe attacked nearby Fort Mose, the only free black settlement in America

Florida officially became a state in 1845.

History of St. Augustine

1513 Ponce de Leon lands near the site of St. Augustine and declares La Florida for Spain.
1565 Menendez establishes St. Augustine and drives the French out of nearby Ft. Caroline.
1586 English pirate Sir Francis Drake burns and pillages St. Augustine.
1668 Captain John Davis and his band of English buccaneers slaughter 60 townspeople in the streets and plunder their homes. Such clashes become increasingly common with the establishment of English colonies in Georgia and the Carolinas.
1672 Construction begins on St. Augustine’s famous coquina fort, the Castillo de San Marcos.
1696 The Castillo de San Marcos is completed. In its history, it never falls to any outside attacks.
1702 Governor James Moore of Carolina leads a two-month siege on the Castillo without success.
1740 British General James Oglethorpe of Georgia launches another unsuccessful attack on St. Augustine.
1763 After the French and Indian War, Spain trades Florida to Great Britain in exchange for Havana. St. Augustine comes under British rule for the first time.
1783 After maintaining its allegiance to Britain during the American Revolution, St. Augustine and Florida are returned to Spanish rule under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, signed between England, France, and Spain.
1821 A colorful ceremony in St. Augustine marks the peaceful transfer of power as Spain sells Florida to the United States. Spanish soldiers leave St. Augustine, never to return again.
1837 Osceola, famous leader of the Seminole Indians, is captured near St. Augustine and held prisoner for two months in the Castillo de San Marcos before being transferred to South Carolina. This occurs during the Seminole War, which carries on for much of Florida’s 24-year territorial period.
1842 The Seminole War ends in Florida with the surrender of much of the Seminole nation.
1845 Florida becomes the twenty-seventh state of the Union. Tallahassee is selected as the capital due to a geographical compromise between St. Augustine and Pensacola. Tourism also begins to take hold at this time.
1862 During the Civil War, a Union blockade appears off the city’s inlet and demands the surrender of St. Augustine. That night Confederate troops retreat and the Union occupies the city through the end of the Civil War in 1865.
1883 The Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax River railway is completed, linking St. Augustine with its booming neighbor to the north, Jacksonville. During the winter of 1883-1884, Henry M. Flagler, the co-founder of the Standard Oil Company, visits St. Augustine and is amazed by its charm and tourism potential.
1883 Henry Flagler’s two magnificent hotels, the Hotel Ponce de Leon (now Flagler College) and the Alcazar Hotel (now houses the Lightner Museum) open for an elite tourist clientele. He also purchases the Cordova Hotel (now the Casa Monica). The three hotels make St. Augustine a magnet for high society travelers, earning the city the nickname “Newport of the South.”
1896 Flagler’s East Coast Railway reaches Miami, opening the door to developing South Florida.

Today, St. Augustine remains a popular international tourist destination, retaining a unique mix of small-town charm, southern hospitality, historical integrity, and seaside appeal!