St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Lower 48 states (Santa Fe is the oldest capital). Founded by the Spanish 1565, St. Augustine served as the Spanish capital for over 200 years. For most of those 200 years, St. Augustine served as a bulwark against English encroachment into Florida. In 1819, Spain ceded Florida to the United States, and a few years later the capital moved permanently to Tallahassee.
For an more in-depth exploration of St. Augustine’s history, check out this site: Our History | St. Augustine, FL
Today St. Augustine is a place known for some awesome beaches, the Flagler college, a wide variety of restaurants and breweries, shopping, and a butt-load of history.
It’s also a tourist trap, but that’s ok. There’s lots to see and do here, and so much of it quite fun. Without further ado, here a few of the attractions I found particularly interesting.
Castillo de San Marcos
The biggest, and the most obvious, attraction in St. Augustine is the Castillo de San Marcos. This “castle” is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. It was built by the Spanish Empire in 1672, after a raid by the English pirate Robert Searle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Searle) destroyed much of the town of St. Augustine.
Enjoy a leisurely exploration of a Spanish (later British, then even later American) fortress. Be sure to make note at how small all the rooms are. What intrigued me the most was the barracks for the enlisted troops. Their bed was communal, and was basically just a large sheet of plywood framed to provide a small incline for sleeping “comfort”. Nothing but the best for the grunts!
On weekends the staff put on a production of loading and firing one of the cannons. Pretty neato, and kids of all ages really enjoy it.
https://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm
Downtown St. Augustine
The Historic Downtown is the oldest section of St. Augustine. Some of the buildings date back to the early 18th century! Pretty old for the USA. Downtown is also the heartbeat of the city. Most everything is within walking distance, and there is plenty of things to walk to. However, if you don’t feel up to walking, you can sign on for a trolley tour. You can hop off at any point, and jump back on when you are ready to check something else out.
You’ll find lots of independent shops, historic inns you can rest your weary bones, a distillery, museums and historic churches, bars, taverns and and live music, and tons of souvenirs and other touristy things. There’s an interactive Colonial Quarter, which recreates St. Augustine’s historic past.
You can even wander down to the waterfront, and board a pirate ship for an excursion along the waterway (https://blackravenadventures.com/).
Believe me, you will definitely find something that interests you in the Historic Downtown.
Historic Downtown | Visit St. Augustine
Bouvier Maps and Prints
Bouvier Maps and Prints is for serious collectors. You will find antique maps, rare books, and hard to find prints. You can learn a lot about St. Augustine’s past just by perusing the merchandise. The owner doesn’t seem to mind lookie-loos. But hardcore bibliophiles and cartophiles need to be careful about drooling on the merchandise!
https://www.visitstaugustine.com/thing-to-do/bouvier-maps-and-prints
St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
My favorite museum in the whole St. Augustine area has got to be the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. Sure, it’s touristy. But it’s interactive and it’s fun. Kids (and Grandpa’s) love it. The kiddos get to look for certain items in the displays, and if the find them, they mark them off a sheet and at the end get a cheesy reward from the gift shop.
Old farts love it because there is a fair amount of knowledge about pirates that can be gleaned from this tourist trap. And the museum has a replica cannon that makes a shockingly loud simulated Ka-Boom! when the lanyard is pulled. And who doesn’t like that?
https://www.thepiratemuseum.com/
The Pirate Store St. Augustine
Speaking of pirates, the Pirate Store is also a hoot. You can buy all sorts of pirate kitsch and knick-knacks for your own frigate back home. It’s well worth your time to check it out.
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
Finally, we come to the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum. Located just a couple of miles from downtown St. Augustine, this lighthouse is still operating. Nevertheless, you can climb clear up to the top and see all the way to Miami! Kidding. Florida may be flatter than Kansas, but it’s a big state and Miami is a long way away.
Around the grounds are outdoor exhibits describing the history and workings of a operational lighthouse. Included are mock boats and a playground that the kiddos can enjoy. The lighthouse and museum are surrounded by a lush and beautiful landscape, if you are into that sort of thing. Which I am.
https://www.visitstaugustine.com/thing-to-do/st-augustine-lighthouse-and-museum
Food & Beer
I certainly did not try every restaurant or eatery in and around St. Augustine, but I have tried a fair number. And here are the ones that I personally found quite tasty. Of course, your tastes might vary:
Best Pizza: Antonio’s New York Style Pizza, 934 Santa Maria Blvd
Best Burgers: Rendezvous Restaurant, 106 St. George St, Suite H
My favorite local beer: ‘Orange Blossom Lager’, which actually hales from Orange Blossom Brewing in Orlando. Runner up: Ancient City Brewing’s ‘Orange Amber Ale’. Ancient City Brewing is based in St. Augustine.
