St Augustine Tourism

Connect with nature and history when you visit St. Augustine, Florida.

Discover the oldest city in America by visiting St. Augustine, Florida. The small Southern town--home to about 15,000--welcomes visitors from all over the world with a charming touch. In addition to historical sites spread throughout the northeast Florida city, St. Augustine also boasts family activities, dozens of restaurants and plenty of outdoor attractions.

Location

St. Augustine is located along Matanzas Bay on the northeast Atlantic coast of Florida.

St. Augustine is located in northeast Florida, about 40 miles and nearly an hour south of Jacksonville. The city is along state Highway 1, or Florida A1A, not far from Interstate 95. The town sits inland from a barrier island on Florida's Atlantic coast. The downtown area is along the Matanzas Bay, and surrounded by plenty of green spaces and secluded destinations.

Weather

Watch out for afternoon thunderstorms during the summer.

Like much of Florida, St. Augustine’s temperatures are warm in the fall and winter and can get extremely hot during the spring and summer. Hurricanes are possible during hurricane season, which typically runs from June to November in the Atlantic Ocean. Typical Florida weather patterns include the chance of afternoon showers or thunderstorms in the summer.

Outdoor Activities

You might catch a peacock roaming around the Fountain of Youth park.

The typical pleasant weather in St. Augustine means residents and visitors are often seen frolicking outside on nice days. In addition to walking around the downtown shopping district and along the bay, guests often visit the area’s outdoor attractions. Check out the 1,600-acre Anastasia State Park for camping, fishing and swimming along four miles of beaches. Also popular is Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth, a 15-acre park with roaming peacocks and a shipwreck exhibit.

Sightseeing

Visit the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum and other attractions while in the town.

If you prefer a guided tour of St. Augustine, you can use one of the several tour companies for both daytime and nighttime tours on land and sea; try Ancient City Tours, St. Augustine Ghost Tours and St. Augustine Eco Tours. Also check out the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum, Castillo De San Marcos fort in downtown on the bay and the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park to see animals from all over the world.

Dining

Enjoy views of the Castillo De San Marcos fort and Matanzas Bay while dining in downtown St. Augustine.

Downtown St. Augustine holds a number of bistros and bay-front restaurants, and several other eateries are spread throughout the town. Check out Acapulco Mexican Restaurant for views of the fort and bay in downtown, Raintree Restaurant and Steakhouse in a restored Victorian home and the beachfront South Beach Grill. Seafood choices include Barnacle Bill's Seafood Restaurant, Cap's On the Water and Harry's Seafood Bar and Grille, among many others.

References

• St. Augustine, Florida
• St. Augustine Visitor's Guide

Resources

• Anastasia State Park
• Fountain of Youth
• Ancient City Tours
• St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park
• Barnacle Bill's Seafood Restaurant