Important Things To Know About St. Augustine Before Visiting
• The town is known for its Spanish Colonial architecture and is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the continental United States.
• Today, there are over 100 historic structures within St. Augustine city limits
• The Castillo de San Marcos fortress is currently its most visited attraction with an estimated 750,000 tourists annually
• You might want to include taking a tour for those interested in learning about pirate history or having a romantic dinner at
• It can be reached by car and by ferry from Jacksonville or Daytona Beach on Florida's Atlantic coast, then driving south on A1A.
Best Places to Visit in St. Augustine
St Augustine is strategically located near the intersection of two major American highways (US 1 and US 17), which converge on Saint Augustine and provide access to key regions both within Florida and beyond.
There is a lot to do in this city and visitors to this place can enjoy an old charm that at times has been compared with Europe’s best medieval cities, while still enjoying all modern amenities like world-class golf courses, shopping malls, restaurants, nightlife activities etc.
The Castillo de San Marcos: The Castillo de San Marcos is a 17th century fort. It was ordered built by Spain in the 17th century to protect the city from any foreign intrusion. The fort was never attacked but played a big role during the Great Siege of Florida in 1837 and also during World War II when it was used as a military hospital by American troops.
The Castillo de San Marcos is one of those tourist attractions that can be seen right away when you enter St. Augustine's historic district.
The Castillo de San Marcos is open to visitors all year round with hours from 9am-5pm daily and 7pm-10pm Friday and Saturday for guided tours only or after 5pm for self-guided tours only on Fridays and Saturdays.
Boat tours of the harbor area or bay: The harbor and bay are home to acres of aquatic life, scenic views of iconic landmarks, and an abundance of wildlife. Some of the most popular boat tours include whale watching tours, sea lion tours, sunset cruises and dinner cruises.
A boat tour is a great way for people to see this area - from sailboats to yachts. Boat tours provide visitors with a unique perspective on all that St. Augustine has to offer and are available year-round during daylight hours.
The tours can take anywhere from an hour to six hours and cover the entire St. Augustine Bay region from Coronado Island south to the Mexican border. The boat tours are good for tourists and locals alike because they give you a better understanding of the region's history, natural environment, and cultural diversity.
The Oldest Wooden School House: The Oldest Wooden School House was the first school in all of Florida. It currently houses a museum where you can find artifacts from all stages of Florida history. It is open to public and visitors can tour the interior of this historic building for free.
It is the only surviving wooden school house in the entire United States. It was built by Henry John Burt in 1884, and originally served as a one-room schoolhouse. Eventually, it was expanded to two rooms and it became known as St. Augustine High School. The building has been expanded several times over the years, but it still retains its original wood-frame structure.
Ghost tour through some of the most haunted hotspots: The city of St. Augustine is known as one of the most haunted hotspots in America. It features a number of locations that are said to be home to ghosts and other supernatural beings.
Visitors can explore the haunted spots in the city and learn about otherworldly encounters. The locals share their stories and offer guidance so that visitors can get an authentic experience no matter where they go on tour. There is a lot of history in this vibrant city, and some of it is quite chilling.
The Haunted Pub Tour is one of the most popular attractions in St. Augustine. Every week, you can go on a tour through some of the most haunted hotspots in the city. The ghosts that inhabit these places are as fascinating as they are frightening.
During this tour, you can even step into a haunted house for an intense scare fest and enjoy your favorite drink at one of the oldest taverns in town - The Hoist at Union Station!
Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum: Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum St. Augustine showcases exhibits from around the world, which offer a glimpse into history, culture and the world’s most unbelievable phenomena.
The Museum is open 365 days a year and offers you a chance to experience the weird and unusual. As you walk through this museum of oddities, you will see everything from shrunken heads to live snakes and spiders. There are also interactive exhibits that allow you to test your strength by breaking blocks of ice with your hands or being locked in a jail cell to see how long it takes for guards to come back and rescue you.
The museum features more than 500 authentic artifacts from all over the world including those from an 80-year-old man who has never cut his fingernails since 1936; the largest collection of living primitive arthropods on display outside an insectarium; an eleven-
Fort Matanzas National Monument: Fort Matanzas National Monument is a great place for anyone who wants to visit the St. Augustine area. It's an historical site with beautiful views and it's not too difficult to get to.
A major attraction at Fort Matanzas that visitors love are the cannons. The fort was built in 1816, so these cannons are well over 200 years old and have been important in defending the city of St Augustine from raids by pirates and other invaders throughout history.
When people think of Florida, they usually associate it with beaches, but there is way more to this state than just beaches. Fort Matanzas National Monument is a great example of how Florida has more to offer than just sun: there are museums, hiking trails and historical sites as well!
9-mile old pedestrian boardwalk: The 9-mile old pedestrian boardwalk St. Augustine is one of the newest attractions to the city that dates back to 1905. It is a favorite attraction for both locals and tourists, who come from all over the world to see it.
The boardwalk in St. Augustine is a great place for people from all over the world to visit. It offers a relaxing experience with its soft sand and beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Visitors can enjoy this iconic walk for hours on end and still not see it all!
St. Augustine 's boardwalk was created by combining two different structures which are the Ingleside and Mission Beach Boardwalks. This unique merging allows visitors to trek back and forth between both without having to go anywhere else, making it one of a kind in that aspect as well!
Flagler College: Flagler College in St. Augustine is a higher education institution that offers undergraduates the ability to pursue an associate's degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree.
With more than 10 different academic programs to choose from and small class sizes, Flagler College is the perfect place for students to further their education. There are no majors required at Flagler and with more than 100 clubs on campus there are plenty of opportunities for students to get involved.
With its beautiful scenery and state of the art facilities, it is easy to see why attending Flagler College in St. Augustine would be such a great experience.
Why is Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour Best Option To Explore St. Augustine?
There are many ways for tourists to explore St. Augustine but the best option is a bus tour. This is because you don't have to worry about parking, can sit in the shade during hot days, and you can get an overview of the city by hopping on and off at different stops.
The main reason why this option is the best is because it gives you a chance to experience many of the attractions and activities in one day. You can learn about the history of St. Augustine and its people, see all the natural beauty, and have access to a variety of restaurants and tours that you might not otherwise have time for if you are not staying at least 2 days in town.
This tour also offers an alternative for people who cannot walk or stand for long periods of time because they can get on-and-off at various points on their own schedule as opposed to walking around all day long which may be hard on some knees or hips.
In addition, this tour has one unified ticket price so all passengers pay fair prices regardless of how many buses they want to ride on throughout the day, where they want to get off, or how often they get off and back on
Best Time To Visit St. Augustine
The best season to travel to the beautiful city of St. Augustine is when the weather is moderate and you can enjoy the perfect temperature. Additionally, it offers more comfort because less extreme temperatures occurs in this season.
It is also a great time to visit the city's historical sites, as well as its many beaches which are popular for swimming and fishing during this time of year. And if you're looking for some fun in your vacation, then it's an excellent time for fishing tournaments and marina festivals that take place all around the city in November-December.
