On Sept. 8. 1565, Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles landed here and named a stretch of land near the inlet in honour of Augustine, a Roman Catholic saint. The emphasis on “first European settlement” acknowledges that the Timucuan Indians were here first. Since then, the city has been under the governments of Spain, Britain, and United States. Florida became a state in 1845. It was part of the Confederacy from 1861-1862 before returning to the Union.

Henry M. Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil, built two hotels and took over another to serve as the base of his Flagler System hotels. He founded the Florida East Coast Railway as a means of transporting guests to and from the north to his hotels in St. Augustine, Palm Beach, and Miami.

Directions from Orlando.

106 miles, 1Hr 45mins.

Take I-4 East from Orlando. Exit I-4, SR-400 via ramp at sign reading “I-95 N to Jacksonville” and go North for 0.8 miles. Bear right on I-95, SR-9 and go North for 37 miles. Exit I-95, SR-9 via ramp at sign reading “Exit 92 US-1 to St Augustine” and go Northwest for 0.3. Bear right on US-1 S, SR-5 and go North for 17 miles. Turn right on W Castillo Dr and go East for 0.2 miles. Turn right on Cordova St and go to the Municipal parking lot and the Visitors information

Attractions

Castillo de San Marcos

Castillo de San Marcos is probably the most impressive of all the historical landmarks in St. Augustine. Every year, thousands of visitors flock here to see this unique structure and learn about its colourful history.

Construction of the Castillo was begun in 1672 and took 23 years to complete. It was besieged on 2 occasions by the British, but held fast.

OldTown Trolley Tour.

Take a Tour of the city at your own pace! The Old Town Trolley Tours allow you to get off at any convenient stops situated close to all popular attractions, shops and restaurants. When you’re ready, just re-board and continue with the tour.

St. Augustine Old Jail

This was completed in 1891 and housed prisoners for over 60 years. It is one of the few surviving 19th century jails. It was built by railroad magnate Henry Flagler, to resemble a fine hotel. Guests can see the male and female cells, maximum-security area, the gallows which ended the lives of numerous criminals, and also a large collection of guns used in actual crimes!

St. AugustineLightnerMuseum

Relics of America’s Gilded Age can be found exhibited on the museum’s three floors. Costumes, mechanical musical instruments, furnishings and other artefacts give a glimpse into 19th century daily life.

Ghost and Gravestones

The “Trolley of the Doomed” transports you to 3 haunted sites:

1. The SpanishMilitaryHospital –hear about the strange practices of the 17th Century Practitioners.
2. The Old Drug Store – rests on an old Indian burial ground.
3. The Old Jail – the site of countless supernatural occurrences.

The Oldest HouseMuseum Complex

A must see attraction on your visit to St Augustine.

The González-Alvarez House is the oldest surviving Spanish Colonial dwelling in Florida. The present house dates to the early 1700’s but the site has been occupied since the 1600’s.

There are many more worthwhile attractions including the Ponce de Leon Fountain of Youth, Scenic Boat Cruise, Potters Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Anastasia State Park.