St Augustine was founded in 1565 by Pedro Menendez de Aviles, and is a truly unique city full of glorious buildings, colonial Spanish neighborhoods, with both charm and character of its own. The majority of this Ancient City focuses on its history so if you are a history-lover, this is a great place to visit. Below are a few of the best activities in the area; you cannot visit without doing these!
Old Town Trolley Tour
The
90-minute tour features over 20 stops and more than 100 points of interest. This tour allows you to go at your own pace with the hop-on hop-off feature that lets you get off at any of the locations situated close to popular attractions, restaurants, and shops. Trolley tickets also grant free admission to the St. Augustine History Museum and free beach shuttle to Alligator Farm, the Lighthouse Museum, and the beach. When you're ready, just re-board and it's on with the tour. This is a touring deal that can't be beaten when visiting the city. This tour takes you to locations such as the City Gate, Flagler College, Colonial Quarter, the Fountain of Youth, Cathedral Basilica, and so much more. Tours depart from boarding locations approximately every 15-20 minutes. This will be the perfect tour to see everything in the city during your next St Augustine getaway!
Helicopter Tours
Tours from the air are very popular in this beautiful city. One company specifically, Old City Helicopters, provides travelers with a variety of exciting helicopter tour options. From passing over the historic downtown area to exploring the natural surrounding areas, the various tours featured by Old City Helicopters can provide a variety of sightseeing excursions, each painting an unprecedented, panoramic view of the area. Helicopter tours are a great way to spend time with loved ones, make memories, propose, and just relax and see what the area has to offer.
Ghost Tours
With great history comes great paranormal activity. With the
Haunted Stroll Through Old St Augustine, you will get to hear legends, stories, and rich history of the city all while visiting popular locations and landmarks that have had documented hauntings. It lasts about 90-minutes and takes you to Castillo de San Marcos, the City Gates, Tolomato Cemetery, and Huguenot Cemetery.
Secrets of St Augustine Ghost Tours is another popular choice. This 75-minute walking tour is fully narrated and is lead by a professional and knowledgable tour guide that will tell you all about each location and the hauntings that take place in the area. You will enjoy a chilling walk through the historic and haunted streets of St Augustine. You will visit the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, the Old City Gates, Tolomato Cemetery, and Spanish Street. Ghost tours are a great way to connect with the city and keep the "spirit" of the area alive!
It's the best form of "living history".
Visit the Museums
With great history also comes great museums! St Augustine has several amazing ones that you don't want to miss. Here are just a few..
- Colonial Quarter Museum
- Pirate & Treasure Museum
- Villa Zorayda Museum
- Spanish Military Museum
- Oldest Store Museum
- St Augustine History Museum
- The Medieval Torture Museum & Micro Masterpieces Art Collection
- World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum
- Potter's Wax Museum
- Santa Barbara Hospital Museum
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