Top 15 Attractions in St. Augustine

By The Backseat View

St. Augustine is a romantic, luxurious beach town filled with history. It is the oldest city in the country, founded in 1565 by the Spaniards. The cobblestone streets, massive Fort Castillo, and building architecture styles testify to the changes in our country’s history. The beauty of the city can’t be captured in words. You can’t help but fall in love with St. Augustine, so everyone should visit. With a great beach, living history, and amazing food, St. Augustine used all 400 years to create the perfect beach town.

Let’s open the St. Augustine Travel Guide.

Facts

• Jacksonville, FL, is an hour away.
• Over 2 million people visit St. Augustine yearly.
• It’s a perfect year-round destination, with summer being the most crowded.
• Christmas is something to behold, so it’s constantly named “Best Christmas Town in Florida” by dozens of articles.
• “Old Town” is the historic heart of downtown.
• The Atlantic Coast beaches are 10 minutes from downtown.
• Parking is non-existent downtown, so have a plan.
• The Old Town Trolley is a hop-on-and-off trolley that stops at 22 locations and passes 100 points of interest. Two stops on the tour offer free parking, so start your tour there.
• For whatever reason, I’m not a fan of trolley tours, so our walking tour starts at The Bridge of Lions.

Top 15 Attractions

1. The Bridge of Lions

The Bridge of Lions can’t be missed. The massive lions are at the end of a retracting bridge that opens every hour and half hour. One side of the Bridge of Lions has historic St. Augustine, and the other has the beaches of Anastasia State Park and Alligator Park. After soaking in the Intracoastal views, we walk a block to the Gilded Age.

2. Flagler College

Flagler College and the Lightner Museum are across the street from each other and are the most photographed buildings in St. Augustine. We just toured the free public areas of these unbelievable, ornate buildings.

Flagler College offers tours to see the 800-seat Dining Hall and 79 Tiffany stained-glass windows, which must be purchased in advance. The Spanish Renaissance architecture, the 64-foot domed ceiling, and ornately carved displays are stunning. Gilded Age glamour is dripping like diamonds from every angle of these buildings. Let’s cross the street to the Lightner Museum.

3. Lightner Museum

The Lightner Museum is the former Alcazar Hotel built in 1888 by Henry Flagler. If you are interested in art history, they offer tours. I came to see the architecture of the building, and it was jaw-dropping.

4. St. George Street

Let’s walk a block to stroll George Street. St. George Street is THE STREET in St. Augustine, where you can walk, shop, and snack your way through history lessons. The street is narrow and pedestrian-only, and it is filled with alleys and quality shops to explore.

St. George Street feels alive with history, but it’s crowded. On the cobblestone streets and 400-year-old buildings, you could be in Boston or Europe. You will stroll by the nation’s oldest wooden schoolhouse.

As you wander down George Street, you will pass The Columbia House.

The Columbia House

The Columbia House opened in 1873 and is one of Florida’s most famous and popular Cuban restaurants. The flower-filled courtyard is full of people waiting, so make reservations. The mouthwatering dishes are served in a classic atmosphere, drawing famous guests Babe Ruth, George Clooney, and Steven Tyler. The 1905 Salad is famous and has been served the same way for over 100 years.

If you started this tour too early for lunch, stop at the Kookaburra for the best coffee in town. After your food stop, continue shopping at the quaint stores until you reach the Pirate Museum.

5. Pirate & Treasure Museum

When traveling with boys, I will never pass by a Pirate Museum. The world’s largest collection of pirate artifacts, the original Jolly Roger, the world’s only pirate treasure chest, and all the pirate movie props make this a must-do for everyone.

I really enjoyed reading the pirate stories in the Book of Pirates, so we stayed about an hour. Admission is around $19, with coupons everywhere.

6. Fort Castillo

Across the street from the Pirate Museum is the Fort, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. The view of the bay and old St. Augustine is spectacular. The massive fort was built in 1600 to protect the city, so you can’t miss it. The fort is well maintained and an adventurous walk through history. Bring your National Park Pass for free entrance. Sunset is memorable, so bring dinner out to the grassy lawn. The Old Town activities are endless, so I’ll list one more before we walk a mile.

7. Medieval Torture Museum

The Medieval Torture Museum is 5,000 square feet of suffering, and I wasn’t brave enough to go inside. Explore the dark, gruesome, and cruel side of humanity. If you want to meet the tortured ghost, join the nightly Ghost and Gravestones Tours.

8. Fountain of Youth

We walked the mile through homes and businesses to the Fountain of Youth. The Fountain of Youth is a spring located on a 15-acre historical educational park filled with peacocks. Honestly, it was an average tourist experience, but if I was pressed for time, I would skip it at $22/person.

The entrance to the Fountain of Youth is on Magnolia Avenue, which has been voted the “Most Beautiful Street in America.” The 650-year-old live oak, “The Old Senator,” is a few streets over in Villa 1565’s parking lot.

9. Tour the Old Jail Museum

The old jail is near the Fountain of Youth, a mile from the center of town and other attractions. The small museum is $18/person and provides a glimpse into early prison life. I’m turning around, walking the mile back into town, and calling it a day.

10. Anastasia State Park

We started our second day crossing over the Bridge of Lions to beaches, alligators, and the lighthouse. We drove a few miles to Anastasia State Park for the uncrowded beach. The Park is well maintained and a perfect area to camp. It is 1,600 acres with four miles of pristine beach, marshes, and ancient dunes. Y’all, it was June, and the beach was uncrowded and peaceful.

11. Anastasia Mini Golf

Every beach trip needs mini golf, and Anastasia Mini Golf stays packed. The 18-hole course has a pirate ship, tunnel, and tons of family entertainment. If you enjoy zoos, try Alligator Park.

12. Alligator Park

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park was founded in 1893. It’s one of the oldest zoos in the country, and it has 23 species of crocodiles, tons of birds, reptiles, Galapagos tortoises, and lemurs. The alligator feeding is twice a day. There are two expensive zip-line courses. After visiting with the alligators, head over to the lighthouse.

13. St. Augustine Lighthouse Museum

Climb the 219 lighthouse steps for the breathtaking island views. The beautiful grounds and informative displays are an enjoyable way to bring American history into your vacation. After the Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, let’s visit the wild side.

14. St. Augustine Wild Reserve

You will have up-close views of exotic animals such as tigers, lions, cougars, bears, lynxes, leopards, and wolves. Tours watch big cats’ feeding time, and the tiger will get a bubble bath. We always visit nearby wildlife reserves and have been blown away every time. The rescued animals are at peace, and these places are better than most zoo experiences. The Wild Reserve 90-minute tours are $35 once a day by advance appointment only on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday. I saved the best for last, so let’s head to the beach.

15. Beach

St. Augustine Beach is gorgeous, giving off an “Outer Banks” vibe. We visited the clean and empty Anastasia Beach in June. St. Augustine’s Beaches are a hidden gem reminiscent of Old Florida. Visit different beaches such as North Beach Park, Vilano Beach, Surfside Park, or Crescent Beach. A perfect vacation is spent relaxing on the uncrowded beaches and enjoying all St. Augustine offers. I would skip the crowds in Destin, FL, for St. Augustine any day. Bikes can be rented to ride on the beach at St. Augustine Bike Rentals. I’m ready for another visit, so I hope you are too.

Let’s find Lodging

Edgewater Inn

I treasured the 19-room hotel, delicious breakfast, free parking, and walking to all the attractions and views of the bay. I felt complete peace in my rocking chair on my porch with a fantastic view of St. Augustine. Parking is impossible in St. Augustine, so check the parking situation at any hotel you choose. The Edgewater Inn is located by the Bridge of Lions, so we walked across the bridge to explore the city. Old Florida bought the best locations, so my vintage hotel has the best location and views. The rooms have been remodeled, and there’s no noise from downtown.

The Collector Luxury Inn and Gardens are nine 18th-century homes with a B&B feel. They are in the heart of America’s oldest city, making them the perfect historic location for a luxury, low-key retreat. The rooms run $300 to $500 a night, but it’s adults only.

If I stay for a week, I’ll stay at Vilano Beach lodging options such as The Saint Augustine Beach House and the Beachcomber Cottages on Vilano.

Camping is not my thing, but the Anastasia State Park is so wonderful that I rented a spot for a few days.

Restaurants

Welcome to Foodie heaven. There’s no way to list all the amazing food choices. We have talked in depth about the Columbia House, so you know it’s my favorite.

My other restaurant vacation goals are St. Augustine Seafood Company, The Floridian, and Catch 27 for fresh southern seafood and donut bread pudding. The Gypsy Cab Company has the best peanut butter pie.

History, pirates, beaches, and off-the-charts restaurants are enough reasons to book your trip to the Nation’s oldest city. Thanks for reading my Top 15 attractions in St. Augustine Travel Guide.