The 11 Best Things To Do in St. Augustine, FL

Saint Augustine is a unique getaway brimming with culture and history around every corner. This Florida city was founded in 1565 by Spanish admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, making it the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States.

Regarded as the nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine has an enticing old-world charm and welcomes visitors with century-old churches, historical buildings, and treasured samples of Spanish colonial architecture.

Tried and true St. Augustine attractions include Castillo de San Marcos, a massive Spanish stone fortress built over 300 years ago, and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, beautifully built in the Spanish Mission style.

Nestled poignantly on Florida’s Historic Coast, St. Augustine is also a gateway to majestic sandy beaches, such as Crescent Beach and the Anastasia State Park.

Here’s a guide to the top 11 things to do in St. Augustine, including historical sites, museums, family-friendly attractions, and amazing nature-based locations.

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The 11 Best Things To Do in St. Augustine, FL

Visit The Castillo de San Marcos

Castillo de San Marcos, St.Augustine, Florida.

St. Augustine is a historic city filled with fascinating sites that document the rich history of the United States.

For a true journey back in time, be sure to visit Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. Listed as a National Monument, the fort was built over 300 years ago by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route.

The Castillo de San Marcos is located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay, and while exploring the fort, you’ll get the chance to see the numerous rooms that once sheltered soldiers and prisoners, the large interior courtyard, and the gun deck that offers showstopping views of St. Augustine.

Explore The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, in Florida.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine is the oldest Catholic Church in the city and the oldest parish in the country.

Its original structure dates back to the 1700s and was built in the Spanish Mission style, which can be seen most prominently in the southern facade of the church. The interior of the church is embellished with artful murals, stained glass windows, sculptures, and artifacts.

Walk Around St. George Street

St. George Street, in St. Augustine, Florida.

Exploring St.George Street on foot is a great way to take in St.Augustine’s energy. The street makes up the Historic District of this ancient city and is home to an array of cafes, bars, restaurants, and bakeries, as well as must-visit attractions.

Here, be sure to visit the Oldest Wooden School House, which was built 200 years ago on a site occupied since the early 1600s ( this is claimed as being the oldest wooden school building in the United States, the house).

Located within a 2-minute walk from St.George Street, Flagler College is another famous site in the area. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the college dazzles visitors with its majestic 19-acre campus, the centerpiece of which is the former Ponce de León Hotel, built in 1888 as a luxury hotel.

Go On A Day Trip To St. Augustine Beach

St. Augustine Beach is an amazing day trip from St. Augustine. Located on Anastasia Island, this small town is praised for its wide Atlantic Ocean beaches (make sure to visit Crescent Beach), which are wide and perfect for paddle boarding, surfing, and sunbathing.

When not lounging on the beach, feast on freshly caught seafood in the city’s seaside restaurants, and walk down the St. Johns County Ocean Pier for some unparalleled views of the ocean.

Have An Adventure At The Anastasia State Park

The Anastasia State Park is one of the most unspoiled locations in Florida. Often ranked as one the best state parks in the United States, the park is located on a peninsula on Anastasia Island, just an 8-minute drive from St. Augustine.

Regarded for its immense natural beauty, this 1,600-acre state park comprises endless miles of unspoiled beaches, tidal marshes, maritime hammocks, and ancient sand dunes.

Some of the activities here include hiking, swimming, beachcombing, and sailboarding, to name a few. Anastasia State Park is located on The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, making it a prime bird-watching destination. Laughing gulls, least terns, black skimmers, blue herons, tricolor herons, wood storks,s and roseate spoonbills are some of the bird species you can spot here.

Visit The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum

The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, in St.Augustine, Florida.

Built between 1871 and 1874, St. Augustine Lighthouse majestically stands north of Anastasia Island, 165 feet above sea level. Visitors can climb the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse for breathtaking views of Matanzas Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and St. Augustine.

The lighthouse is also home to a museum that documents over 500 years of maritime history, beginning with Ponce de Leon’s first sighting of Florida in 1513. Some of the treasures found at the museum include artifacts from a 1782 British loyalist shipwreck.

Discover Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, in St.Augustine, Florida.

The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is a 15-acre park, known as the place where Ponce De Leon discovered the healing waters that magically maintain your youthful appearance.

Visitors can drink from the magical spring’s waters, and explore many exhibits and historical attractions in the park. These include archaeological discoveries, including hut foundations and relics, of the Timucua people, and a state-of-the-art planetarium, which displays a show tracing the routes of Spanish explorers from Europe, across the vast Atlantic to the New World.

Filled with large oaks, peacocks, and native birds, the park is also a prime spot for a scenic walk among nature.

Explore St.Augustine’s Museums

The Lightner Museum, in St.Augustine, Florida.

St.Augustine has a well-rounded cultural scene, with museums catering to every interest and curiosity.

The Classic Car Museum has a fabulous collection of vehicles from the 1800s to modern-day sports cars, while the legendary Potter’s Wax Museum houses over 160 wax sculptures of real and fictitious figures, including politicians, entertainers, horror characters, and historical personalities.

Visiting St.Augustine with the kids? Then, be sure to check out the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum, which plays host to over 800 authentic artifacts celebrating the history of piracy from the 1600s through the present day.

Head over to the St. Augustine History Museum to learn about the development of St. Augustine under Spanish and British rules, and stop by the Oldest Store Museum to see a re-creation of the original St. Augustine general store that was operated by C.F. Hamblen in 1908.

Lightner Museum is housed in the former Alcazar Hotel built in 1888 by magnate Henry Flagler and houses a unique collection of Americana, fine and decorative art, and natural history specimens.

Another bucket list St.Augustine museum is Villa Zorayda. Set within a lavish mansion built in 1883 for Franklin Webster Smith, the museum dazzles and enchants with its Moorish Revival Architecture inspired by the Alhambra Palace, in Granada, Spain. The museum harbors an impressive art collection of original art and antiques.

Don’t pass up the chance to also visit the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum, one of the best-preserved and most authentic Second Spanish Period residential buildings in St. Augustine.

Sports enthusiasts will love the World Golf Hall of Fame. Here, visitors will stand in awe with interactive exhibitions featuring artifacts, artworks, audio, video, and photography significant to the history of golf and its most notable people.

Visit The Colonial Quarter

The Colonial Quarter, in St.Augustine, Florida.

Want to dive deeper into the fascinating history of St.Agustine? Then, visit the Colonial Quarter, which is a living outdoor museum depicting life in the city in the 1740s.

While touring the Colonial Quarter, you’ll get the opportunity to see how the colonial Blacksmith worked, watch a live musket demonstration, and climb 35 feet to the top of their interpretation of a Spanish watchtower for a stellar view of the Castillo de San Marcos and St. Augustine’s bayfront.

Meet Wild Creatures At The St. Augustine Wild Reserve

The St. Augustine Wild Reserve was founded to provide shelter for unwanted and abused exotic animals. Visitors can explore the reserve through educational tours, which allow them to get face-to-face with an array of wild creatures including tigers, lions, panthers, bears, and deers, among others.

The St. Augustine Wild Reserve’s philosophy is that close and personal interaction with wild animals creates a deeper respect for these creatures, as well as an understanding of nature and wildlife.

FAQ

What is St. Augustine known for?

St. Augustine, in Florida, is known as “America’s oldest city”, since it’s the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the USA. The city is famous for its historical sights, museums, and close proximity to amazing beaches.