St. Augustine, Florida: What to See and Do

St. Augustine Florida is full of historical events, that take you back to another place and time. From the heart of down town historical St. Augustine, you can't look any direction without spotting pieces of history that are irreplaceable, and simply amazing. It's the type of town that you can roam the streets for countless hours in complete aw without getting tired or bored. It's no wonder that most visitors return to St. Augustine in future vacations, you just never want to leave.

The question is, is St. Augustine worth the cost? Well, it all depends on what your willing to spend, and what you want to see. Almost all of the attractions charge an entrance fee. The days of "please leave a donation" are dead and gone. You can expect to spend anywhere between $6.00 to $18.00 per person to enter places with historical significance. That might not seem like much, but with some attractions taking less then 20 minutes to enjoy, the money adds up quick, especially if your on a family vacation. Listed below is a sneak peek at what you get for your buck, before you hand it over.

Places you must see in St. Augustine Florida

Fort Castillo de San Marcos is the first place you should stop. The Fort is run by the parks department, and your ticket is good for the entire week. Even though you will find plenty of military history to admire, the fort setting is somewhat romantic. There is actors in period costume doing demonstrations, and on the weekends they fire the cannons. Your free to walk the entire fort at your own pace, which is always nice. And from the top of the fort you can see over the water, or historical down town. If you love photography, you find yourself spending hours snapping unforgettable photo's. From ghost stories, to historical events, the fort has it all.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse, isn't just a to look at. Tours allow you to walk amongst the light keepers house, which is now a museum revealing the lighthouse's past. On the outside of the property you will find beautiful gardens, with plenty of places to set and day dream. For those who aren't afraid of heights, you can tour the lighthouse, which means climbing the spiral stairs to the top, where you can get a birds eye view.

The Old Jail is also a place worth seeing. It's fun to see how the warden lived, and how is wife worked. And lets not forget about those who spent their days living behind bars. The Old Jail is a guided tour, however it moves slow, and there is plenty of time to snap photo's, and ask questions. It's interesting to see the cells that some called home, and what they did to get there. You can see how and where the inmates lived, and how some even died.

There are also places throughout the town of St. Augustine that are free to visit such as, the oldest drug store, and Mission of Nombre de Dios, which are worth seeing. Honestly, there is tons of free things to see, just by waking through the town. Parks, monuments, cemeteries, and much more. The City Gates are also fun to look at, and read the history of, and you'll be amazed at just how big they really are.

Places you might be disappointed in in St. Augustine Florida

Not every place is packed full of history. In fact some of the historical sites are no more then a few rooms, which only take minutes to see. Even though they might have an interesting past, there is a little disappointment that comes with paying for a tour that's extremely short.

The Spanish Military Hospital consist on only a few rooms. Even though there are a few antique medical tools to look at, it just didn't seem like enough. The walk through took less then ten minutes, and that included asking questions, and striking up conversation that didn't consist of the hospitals history.

The Oldest Wooden School House was another disappointment. The tour consist on one small house, in which you are only allowed down stairs. Inside you will find animated dummies that tell you a little bit about school life, for that time period. The room is very small, and stuffy, and you can see it all in less the 5 minutes. Outside is a nice small flower garden, and an old outhouse in which you can take photo's of. In my opinion this historical site should still be free with a donation box.

Almost are the historical buildings are "haunted" and there is plenty of companies taking advantage of it. On every corner you will find someone trying to sell you a haunted tour. Even though the ghost tours might be entertaining, check out the prices first. Tours can run up to $50.00 a person, which seems a little pricey for ghost stories. Find out how long the tour last, and if it's targeted for children, before you pay. You can also pick up books about haunted St. Augustine, at any book store, or most of the gift shops in St. Augustine, and do your own little tour.

St. Augustine over all is like any tourist town. You can expect to pay a little more, and get a little less. However, if you do your research, map out your day, and stick to a sight seeing plan, you can have an affordable vacation that is pack with unforgettable memories.