St. Augustine, Florida

Information and photos of the surrounding area and major attractions

St. Augustine Historic District

The heart of the city of St. Augustine is here in the Historic Downtown. Rich history is offered within the landmarks like the 1600s Castillo de San Marcos, overlooking Matanzas Bay, and the González-Alvarez House. Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is the site of a celebrated spring and reconstructed settlements. There are quaint shops on St. George Street and the surrounding area offers a variety of restaurants and attractions.

Anastasia State Park

Anastasia State Park is a 1,600-acre state park in Florida. Its location is on a peninsula on Anastasia Island across Matanzas Bay from downtown St. Augustine along the Atlantic coastal plain. The park boasts acres of unspoiled white sand beaches, tidal marshes, maritime hammocks and ancient sand dunes.

St. Johns Fishing Pier

The St Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier is the perfect place to relax while fishing or sightseeing. The Pier Gift Shop offers all of your beach item needs, refreshments, food choices, souvenirs, fishing poles, chairs and umbrella rentals.

Bridge of Lions

The Bridge of Lions spans the Intracoastal Waterway in St. Augustine, Florida. A part of State Road A1A, it connects downtown St. Augustine to Anastasia Island across Matanzas Bay. The bridge gets its name from two white marble lion statues guarding the bridge on the west side, Fiel and Firme. More recently, two new lions were added to the east side of the bridge, Pax and Peli.

For a scenic hill workout, a walk across the Bridge of Lions and back totals approximately one mile. A walk across the bridge and back to see all four lions is about a mile, and worth every step.

Castillo de San Marcos

The Castillo de San Marcos (Spanish for "St. Mark's Castle") is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States; it is located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine, Florida.

It was designed by the Spanish engineer Ignacio Daza, with construction beginning in 1672.

Fort Matanzas National Monument

Fort Matanzas National Monument preserves the fortified coquina watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine. It also protects approximately 300 acres of Florida coastal environment containing dunes, marsh, maritime forest, and associated flora and fauna, including threatened and endangered species.

Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park

The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is a privately owned 15-acre park in St. Augustine, Florida. It has been touted as the likely 1513 Florida landing site of Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon.

The park contains a well, claimed to be the freshwater source sought by Ponce de Leon. Archaeological excavations made on the park's grounds in the 1990s uncovered remains of the first Spanish settlement and its fortifications in St. Augustine.

The property has a variety of exhibits such as a planetarium, a blacksmith, the spring house (the fountain of youth), cannon firings, a Timucuan village, and more.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is one of Florida's oldest continuously running attractions, having opened in 1893. It has 24 species of crocodilians, and also a variety of other reptiles, mammals and birds, as well as exhibits, animal performances and educational demonstrations.

The Park works with other zoos and organizations around the world to ensure the survival of the many specie. Today, as exotic species in even the most remote corners of the world suffer from habitat loss, overexploitation and environmental pollution, their conservation efforts are more important than ever.

St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum

The St. Augustine Light Station is a privately maintained active and working lighthouse in St. Augustine, Florida. The current lighthouse stands at the north end of Anastasia Island and was built between 1871 and 1874. The tower is the second lighthouse tower in St. Augustine.

The current lighthouse tower is owned by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, Inc., a not-for-profit maritime museum. The museum is open to the public 360 days a year. Admission fees support continued preservation of the lighthouse and five other historic structures. Admissions and museum memberships also fund programs in maritime archaeology, traditional wooden boatbuilding, and maritime education.