Founded in September 1565 by Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles of Spain, St. Augustine is the longest continually inhabited European-founded city in the United States – more commonly called the "Nation’s Oldest City."
Stroll the narrow lanes, enter the many museums, and visit historic landmarks such as Castillo de San Marcos, Ponce de Leon's "Fountain of Youth," and the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse.
For 21st-century activities, consider family fun (a beach on the Atlantic), outdoor adventures (kayaking an inland waterway), golf (play where the pros play), fine dining (the fresh catch of the day), and shopping from colonial to chic. Plan your trip to St. Augustine
The Old City
Tell your kids that some people believe the first meal between European settlers and Native Americans happened in St. Augustine, not Plymouth, Mass. They ate lots of shellfish for that first Thanksgiving dinner and not so much turkey. St. Augustine is dripping in history but a family trip here doesn’t have to be like school. Roam the 320-year-old Castillo de San Marcos, and then consider a visit to Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Who wouldn’t want to see a shrunken head or two? A hop-on-hop-off trolley cruises by the highlights.
St. George Street
St. George Street in St. Augustine is the premier street in the nation's oldest city, a thoroughfare where pedestrians can stroll unencumbered by vehicle or even bicycle traffic. St. George is just one of several quaint, walkable streets in the Historic District of St. Augustine, and getting lost among the side streets is part of the fun of experiencing this small northeast Florida city. On the narrow avenue, boutiques, bistros, galleries and gift shops are tucked into cubbyhole-sized storefronts.
Aviles Street
Aviles Street, entered by walking under a stone archway, is the oldest street in the nation, dating back to the 16th Century. Aviles once was known as Hospital Street, the location of the second Spanish Military Hospital Museum. It was also the location of an early church, cemetery, boarding homes, and schools. Today it is a thriving arts district with several galleries with all styles of art, jewelry, handmade leather goods, boutiques, and antique shops. Sidewalks are lined with outdoor seating for independently owned restaurants and cafes. There’s even a gourmet ice cream sandwich shop called Peace Pies. The General Kirby House is home to the St. Augustine Historical Society. The Father O’Reilly House Museum, one of the oldest structures in St. Augustine, focuses on the history of the house, the Catholic tradition, and the story of the Sisters of St. Joseph who preserve and maintain the museum.
Castillo de San Marcos
Built by the Spanish in St. Augustine to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States and interprets more than 450 years of cultural intersections. The Castillo is a star fort made of a stone called coquina (Spanish for "small shells"), which consists of ancient shells that have bonded together to form a sedimentary rock similar to limestone. Take a self-guided tour (free with admission) and cover your ears for the cannon firings and weaponry demonstrations on Saturdays and Sundays.
Lightner Museum
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.
Columbia Restaurant
This Columbia is a branch of Florida’s oldest restaurant - one of seven - founded in Tampa's historic Ybor City in 1905. Family-owned and operated for more than 115 years and five generations, it exudes old-world charm, and award-winning Spanish/Cuban cuisine and an extensive wine list.
Let there be Lighthouse
It’s not likely that travelers will know that Florida has 29 lighthouses, though they might recognize one of the most picturesque. The barber-pole striped St. Augustine Lighthouse, built in 1874, can be seen from miles away and you and the family can get an up-close look by climbing the 219 stairs to the top. Then walk outside the still-working lighthouse (there’s a sturdy guard rail) and get the best, if not windiest, view of the area. (Kids have to be 44 inches tall to make the upward trek.) Activities abound, including scavenger hunts, plus visitors can check out the restored 1876 keeper’s quarters, which is now a museum. Scheduled tours include a ghost romp and nighttime walk, suitable for kids in fourth grade and higher.
Fly a kite
It tends to be windy on the east coast of Florida, which means it’s a great area to fly a kite. There are lots of kite shops along the beaches and this kite-flying tutorial has some great tips to help you help your kids keep a classic diamond kite aloft. There are a number of kite festivals and if your family’s travel dates match theirs, you should check them out. It’s a sight to behold when the sky above the beach is loaded with colorful kites. There are kite festivals at New Smyrna Beach, St. Augustine, Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral, among others.
Walk it off
Want to explore the cultural, historical, and architectural treasures of St. Augustine? There’s an app for that. Just go to Florida Stories Walking Tours, and download the app created by the Florida Humanities Council. With this app you can learn, at your own pace and on your own schedule, what some of Florida’s most unique towns and cities have to offer.
