Top 10 Things to Do in St. Augustine: Brady Skye’s Local Favorites

1. Castillo de San Marcos

If you’re starting downtown, start here. The Castillo de San Marcos is the biggest piece of history you’ll find on the bayfront, and one of my favorite things about it is how much you can appreciate just by walking around its perimeter. The water, the palms, the old walls: this is my kind of reset.

Completed in 1695, the fort was built from local coquina, a stone formed from shells. Take your time around the grounds, then explore the interior if you want to get deeper into the story. You don’t have to turn every visit into a history exam. Sometimes the best first step is simply standing beside something that has survived for centuries.

My local tip: Leave time for the grounds and the bayfront views, not just the rooms inside.

2. Get Out on the Water

You can spend a whole trip exploring St. Augustine’s streets, but save a little time for the coast, too. On a good-weather day, trade the sidewalk for a little time afloat.

That might mean renting a kayak, joining a boat tour, or watching the sails go up aboard the Schooner Freedom. St. Augustine Sailing and a floating tiki cruise are other experiences I mention in the video. Pick the outing that fits your group and your pace. Keep an eye out for dolphins, too — they don’t take reservations, which is part of the fun.

My local tip: Choose the experience around your group’s comfort on the water and the day’s conditions.

3. Anastasia State Park

A few miles from downtown, Anastasia State Park feels like a deep breath. It has more than 1,600 acres of beaches, tidal marshes, maritime hammocks, and ancient dunes. You don’t have to be camping to make a day of it.

Walk a trail, spend time on the beach, watch for birds, or get out on Salt Run with a paddle. The video covers everything from cycling and fishing to surfing and picnicking, but this is also a perfectly good place to do a little less. I like that you can trade the busy historic district for protected coastal scenery without making a big expedition of it.

My local tip: Bring water and sun protection, and leave a little time to wander beyond the parking lot.

4. St. Augustine Lighthouse

The lighthouse is one of those landmarks that earns its place in the skyline. If you’re comfortable with the climb, the view from the top gives you a whole new sense of how St. Augustine fits together: the ocean, the waterways, the island, and downtown beyond it.

But the climb isn’t the entire experience. The grounds and maritime exhibits give you more to explore, and the boatbuilding work connects the place to the practical skills of life on the coast. Come for the view and give yourself time for the stories below. Check current climbing requirements and weather conditions before you arrive.

My local tip: Look around the maritime exhibits as well as looking out from the tower.

5. A Trolley Tour and a Ghost Tour

These are two different ways to get acquainted with the city, and together they make my fifth pick. A trolley tour helps you get the lay of the land while hearing some history along the way. For a first visit, that can save you a lot of “wait, where was that again?” later.

Then there’s the after-dark version. St. Augustine is very old, so of course plenty of people say it’s haunted. Ghost tours lean into the stories and atmosphere, and people come from all over for them. Choose a tour that fits your group’s taste for spooky storytelling; a leisurely walk and a more theatrical ride can be very different nights out.

My local tip: Use the trolley to get your bearings, and save the ghost stories for the evening.

6. The Alligator Farm and Crocodile Crossing

The Alligator Farm is a classic Florida stop, but it offers more than a quick look at some very impressive teeth. What began as a small reptile exhibition grew into a zoological park with wildlife shows, varied exhibits, and conservation work behind the scenes.

For another perspective, Crocodile Crossing takes the adventure up into the canopy with a ropes course and zip lines. You can explore the zoo on the ground or add a little height to the day. Either way, take time to learn about the animals and the habitat pressures they face. This is a good stop for curiosity as well as the camera roll.

I have done the crocodile crossing three times now and it never gets old. If you are afraid of heights, this one may not be for you. But I believe you can overcome anything you sink your teeth into. Okay … maybe this isn’t the right place for that analogy.

My local tip: If the ropes course is on your list, check its current requirements separately from zoo admission.

7. The Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth combines a beautiful property with entertaining, hands-on ways to encounter the past. The archaeological park explores the area’s Timucua history and its connection to St. Augustine’s early Spanish settlement. That bigger story matters: life here did not begin when Europeans arrived.

Look for demonstrations, explore the grounds, and yes, there’s an opportunity to taste the spring water. I’ll leave the eternal-youth claims up to you. What I value is the chance to connect the familiar name with a place, some history, and an experience that gives everyone in the group something to talk about afterward.

My local tip: Give the archaeological story as much attention as the famous spring.

8. Flagler College

Formerly the luxurious Hotel Ponce de León, Flagler College is one of the landmarks I always recommend slowing down for. Henry Flagler opened the hotel in 1888, and the building still makes quite an introduction. The towers and grounds are only the beginning.

A historic tour lets you appreciate details that are easy to miss from the sidewalk: the grand lobby, decorative ceilings, stained glass, and the craftsmanship throughout. This is the kind of place where looking up pays off. Remember that it is an active college, so use the current visitor and tour arrangements rather than assuming every space is open for a wander.

My local tip: Leave room in your itinerary for a guided look inside, not just a photo outside.

9. The Colonial Quarter

Right on St. George Street, the Colonial Quarter gives you a chance to experience and imagine how people lived, worked, and defended the city hundreds of years ago. I like that the history has people attached to it. A demonstration gives you something to watch, and a guide gives you someone to ask.

Blacksmithing, historic buildings, live demonstrations, and the watchtower make this more than a walk past old walls. It’s a place to slow down and let the story catch up with you. We’ve also devoted an entire article to our Colonial Quarter experience if you want a closer look before you visit.

My local tip: Allow time for the guided experience and its questions, not just a quick lap of the grounds.

Take a closer look in our Colonial Quarter story, or use our Colonial Quarter listing for the location and directions.

10. The Lightner Museum

Across from Flagler College, the Lightner Museum gives you another remarkable historic building to explore. It occupies the former Hotel Alcazar, with art, antiques, and intriguing objects inside architecture that deserves a visit in its own right.

Before you even get into the galleries, the courtyard sets the tone: palms, a koi pond, and a stone bridge. Inside, take your time with the collections and the building’s former life as a grand hotel. After a morning on the beach or the bayfront, this is a lovely change of pace. St. Augustine has a way of making even an indoor afternoon feel like an occasion.

My local tip: Pair it with Flagler College, and don’t hurry through the courtyard.