St Augustine is also the oldest city in the United States with a rich cultural blend of French, Spanish, British and Greek influences, which makes the city one of the most unique places to visit on the East Coast of USA.
You can safely say that St Augustine is a history enthusiast’s paradise and you will immediately experience this the minute you step foot in St Augustine Old Quarter and see colonial structures such as Fort Matanzas National Monument and the Spanish Military Hospital.
No matter how long you're visiting or staying for, you'll never be bored as St Augustine truly boasts loads of fun attractions, museums and art galleries:
Colonial Spanish Quarter Village
First on the list of places to visit in St Augustine FL is, without a doubt, the Spanish Quarter Village. Even if you’re not a history buff, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy taking a walking tour of this historic district to see old buildings and get a glimpse of what life would’ve been like in 18th century St Augustine.
The Spanish Quarter Village along St George Street isn’t only filled with colonial buildings such as a blacksmith shop, period homes and taverns, but also many restaurants and many small shops where you can enjoy dining and shopping.
Colonial Spanish Quarter Museum
The Spanish Quarter Museum is located in the Spanish Quarter Village, a few yards up the road from the Spanish Village store.
The museum is a great stop on St George Street if you’re looking to learn about the history of Florida, as it offers interesting re-enactments and live demonstrations to give you an idea what live would have been like for the settlers.
Dow Museum of Historic Houses
The Old Dow Museum of Historic Houses is also located on the Spanish Quarter Village at the intersection with St George St and Bridge St.
A visit to the Dow Museum is another of the best things to do in St Augustine if you're a history buff, as you’ll get a chance to take a self guided tour of eight colonial houses and see interesting colonial furnishings and many antiques.
Government House Museum
The Government House Museum is located nearby Flagler College, just a short walk from the intersection with St George Street.
The Government House, which serves as a visitor’s center as well, is a lovely Georgian style mansion which has on display many recovered artifacts like pistols, cannons and gold coins.
Anastasia State Park
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, or want to enjoy fun recreational activities while in St Augustine, you’ll love visiting Anastasia State Park, which is just across the Bridge of Lions.
At Anastasia state park, not only you’ll be able to do things like camping, hiking, canoeing, fishing and swimming but also educational programs and ranger interpretive programs such as bird watching and star-gazing.
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
If you’re only visiting the city on a short vacation and only have time for top places to visit in St Augustine, be sure to add a visit to Castillo de San Marcos right at the top of your itinerary of things to do in St Augustine.
Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest fort in the states and you will enjoy spending a couple of hours walking around the fort and checking the cannons located on the top level of the fort where you can also enjoy stunning views of the ocean.
If you’re a true history buff, you definitely won't be disappointed visiting Castillo de San Marcos since the fort’s rangers also offer guided tours, battle re-enactments and live pioneer demonstrations.
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium
The Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium is located a short walk from St Augustine Visitor’s Info Center and it’s probably one of the most fun things to do in St Augustine with kids.
If you’ve been to a Ripley’s Museum before and liked it, you’ll enjoy visiting the Ripley’s Odditorium as it also offers fun activities like the wax hand impression and the revolving tunnel, as well as scaled down to size replicas like Chicago’s Ferris Wheel replica.
St Augustine Wooden Schoolhouse
The Wooden Schoolhouse is located on Spanish Street and it’s another of the top historic attractions in St Augustine as it is the oldest wooden schoolhouses in the states.
Touring the Wooden Schoolhouse gives you a chance to see learning conditions back then and learn about old punishments used by the teachers to deal with bad pupils!
Oldest House Site
The Oldest House is another interesting historic attraction to visit in St Augustine since it's the oldest living quarter in Florida.
The Oldest House Site is located near the Military Affairs Department and boasts a couple of museums showcasing interesting artifacts, as well as a beautiful garden and a kitchen quarter.
Lightner Museum
The Lightner Museum is one of the top museums in the city and one of the most interesting places to visit in St Augustine FL without a doubt.
The Lightner Museum is located near Villa Zorayda Museum and boasts different rooms like a music exhibit room and lobby room where you can see interesting and historic antiquities like early type writers, beautiful furnishings, old-fashioned bathing suits, a gilded rocking chair, period cut glass and more.
St Augustine Lighthouse
A visit to St Augustine FL wouldn't be complete without visiting the Lighthouse to enjoy amazing panoramic views of the city and the sea. Besides the views, St Augustine Lighthouse has also a small museum which is housed in the keeper’s house and boasts interesting artefacts like a brass lamp and a brass whale oil container.
St. Photios Shrine
St. Photios Shrine, located on St. George Street, is another of the places to visit in St Augustine FL to learn more the colonial settlers that landed in Florida. The Shrine, which is actually a Greek Orthodox Church, has many beautiful frescoes depicting life of early settlers in the new world.
Villa Zorayda Museum
Villa Zorayda Museum is located a short walk from the Lightner Museum, so if you’re in the area, you wouldn’t want to miss passing by Villa Zorayda to see more beautiful artefacts. The Villa was actually built to resemble The Alhambra Palace in Spain, and it also boasts many interesting artifacts and antiquities such as oriental rugs, brass lamps, gas lamps and much more.
Alligator Farm
The Alligator Farm is a popular attraction in St Augustine and a great place to visit with the family for a fun afternoon; especially you like to see crocs and gators up-close.
The Alligator Farm is located a short walk from St Augustine Lighthouse, and besides feeding crocs and seeing alligator shows, you’ll be able to see other types of wildlife like giant tortoises, snakes and birds.
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