Location: St. Augustine
Top Things to do in St. Augustine
What to do and see in St. Augustine, Florida (FL): The Best Budget-friendly Things to do
Saint Augustine is a luxurious, romantic vacation spot—you’ll find classic hotels and intimate restaurants. Those can be a dime a dozen, though. What sets Saint Augustine apart is its history—it’s the oldest European settlement in the U.S. And nowhere else in the world can you taste the waters of the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park (where Ponce de Leon may have landed). Who knows, if you vacation here, maybe you won’t need that Botox!
Restaurants in St. Augustine
1. St. Augustine Wild Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,026 reviews
The St. Augustine Wild Reserve offers tours by appointment on Mon, Wed, and Sat at 2pm. We also offer a VIP tour Friday at noon. Email to make reservations. Guests will be given a tour of the Reserve by a wildlife professional. An intro to each species & how the species arrived here will be discussed. Visitors will have a close-up view of the exotic animals, and will venture closer to adult lions and tigers than they ever imagined. Meet our amazing white tigers, orange tigers, golden tabby tiger, cougars, servals, lynxes, leopards, hyenas, & wolves. We feed all big cats on the tours, and set up a tiger bubblebath. It gets exciting when the big cats eat! You will also howl with the wolves at tour's end. We don't allow photography; we offer a photo flash drive for a small donation, as well as refrigerator magnets of our favorite animals. To book a tour, log onto bookeo.com/tigertours. Cost is $30/adults; kids 10 & under, $20.00; and kids 2 and under, free!
Reviewed By Go753066
We absolutely loved this!!!! They do amazing work with these animals. Delightful to see people who truly love animals and take such wonderful care of them. They give a fantastic tour with amazing information about all of their animals. A must see if you are in this area.
2. St. Augustine Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8,108 reviews
St. Augustine Distillery is a locally owned and operated, artisanal spirits distillery in historic, downtown St. Augustine. Located within a beautifully restored ice plant from the turn-of-the-century, our mission is simple: Educate and inspire our guests about our handcrafted, award-winning rum, bourbon whiskey, gin, and vodka. All of our spirits are made from local and regional agricultural products. The result is undeniable; world-class spirits that create the best local cocktails imaginable. Come taste for yourself. St. Augustine Distillery offers free tours and tastings seven days a week.
Reviewed By kristincW3725BV - Sarasota, United States
The St. Augustine Distillery tour is a must-do! It’s a free tour and Nick is a great tour guide/bartender.The samples are excellent, especially the Florida Mule and Rum Tiki. You won’t regret this off-the-beaten path stop.
3. St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, Inc.
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,545 reviews
A visit to the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is more than you might expect! Climb 219 steps for a breathtaking view of both St. Aug and the beaches. Or go below to discover a 1782 British shipwreck. Take guided tours, free with admission, on the hour 11 am - 3 pm. Check out the exhibits in the Keepers' House and Maritime Archaeology Center. Visitors also encounter ghosts on the nighttime Dark of the Moon tour, which is the only St. Augustine ghost tour that gets you inside the Lighthouse. Book in advance because it fills up fast, and book mid-week to avoid crowds. For general admission purchase your tickets on-line in advance w/coupon code LH15 to get a 15% discount off regular admission prices. Or join as a family member for discounts to local attractions, and 20% off in the Museum shop as well as free admission all year long. Step up and make a difference at our non-profit museum. You help keep the light shining when you visit.
Reviewed By 28beverlyd
A beautiful light house with amazing views, very informative presentation before we walked up the lighthouse and the other buildings on the property were amazing to walk through and learn.
4. The Oldest Store Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 750 reviews
Watch in amazement as our friendly clerks, butcher and Snake Oil salesman demonstrate the very latest inventions for turn -of-the century living. You will find over 10,00 essential and time saving items from the 1900s!
Reviewed By 308maritag - Merritt Island, United States
Really interesting. Our guides showed a different perspective at the turn of the last century. I was in no hurry for this Tour to end.
5. Lightner Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,836 reviews
Located in the heart of downtown St. Augustine, Lightner Museum occupies the historic Alcazar Hotel, a Gilded Age resort hotel built in 1888 by railroad magnate Henry Flagler. Founded in 1948, the Museum is home to one of the premier collections of 19th-and early 20th-century fine and decorative art in the country. Furnishings, paintings, leaded glass windows, cut and blown glass, and natural history specimens from the Otto Lightner Collection are exhibited against the backdrop of the magnificent Alcazar Hotel. Visitors to the Museum are invited to participate in an immersive experience of art, architecture, and design from America’s Gilded Age. We are open every day except for Christmas Eve (close at 1PM), Christmas day, and New Year's Day. Our hours are from 9AM-5PM with last entry precisely at 4PM.
Reviewed By lray56 - Cocoa, United States
I often visit St Augustine but had not toured the Lightner in years. It is in the old Ponce de Leon Hotel, a beautiful late 19th century era building. (even if you don't tour the museum it is worth a stop just to walk around the property) My friend and I like old ceramics, crystal, etc and this museum has lots of that on display, as well as a wonderful collection of antique musical instruments, and so much more. There are a couple of excellent antique shops on the property, and a good restaurant too. We thought this would be a "wuick stop" but we ended up staying more than two hours. I DO think this museum is better suited for adults more than for children, so do keep that in mind.
6. Fort Matanzas National Monument
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,076 reviews
This fort is on Rattlesnake Island and can be reached via ferry.
Reviewed By Whyme512 - Streetsboro, United States
Even though the dock had been washed away and we couldn’t get to the fort, the Park Ranger was very talkative and explained everything about the fort. He then explained about the critters and the plants in the area.
7. St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,847 reviews
Reviewed By Photochic1 - Beaufort, United States
The Alligator Farm has lots and lots of alligators from the US and also from other countries. In spring and early summer there are also hundreds of birds making nests and making baby birds in the rear area of the Farm. You can see Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Black-Crowned Night Herons, Yellow-Crowned Nigh Herons, Wood Storks, Egrets, White Ibises, Little Blue Herons, Green Herons and Great Blue Herons.
8. St. George Street
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,589 reviews
Reviewed By tedlong29 - Gulf Breeze, United States
St. George Street is the absolute heart of the city. I love walking down here at any time of the day. One can just feel the history all around them. It's also packed full of unique shops, great dining, pubs, museums, cool sites and talented street musicians at every turn. It feels like you are in some seaside village in Spain. It's just a timeless place and I cant ever get enough of it. Definitely come here while visiting St. Augustine. I would suggest early evening as it's not so hot especially during the summer months. It's best to park at the Visitor Center Parking Garage and start from the City Gates.
9. Old City
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,566 reviews
Reviewed By 266JosephG - Montreal, Canada
This was our first visit to historic St. Augustine. We parked at the Castillo and toured the fort and then strolled along the river, on St. George Street and in-between and beyond admiring the historic architecture of the basilica, former luxury hotels (now FlaglerCollege), the Governor House and the beautiful park Plaza de la Constitucion. We browsed in the many shops and halted in one of its landmark bars and enjoyed a nice seafood dinner in the colonial quarters. It was a magnificent sunny day, in a laid back atmosphere devoid of any overcrowding; truly a great outing and a promise to return.
10. St. Augustine Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,573 reviews
Reviewed By 89vanessao
Soft white sand, the ocean looks and smells lovely, and there are areas where you can drive you car to the spot of your choice instead of having to lug all your gear from a public parking lot a quarter mile away.
