Unforgettable Walking Tour of Historic St. Augustine

Explore Historic St. Augustine

A walking tour of historic St. Augustine is one of the best ways to explore the city, where you’ll find countless historic attractions. During your journey, you’ll find yourself immersed in the rich historical culture. Embrace the Spanish colonial architecture of red tiled roofs and Palladian windows, and peruse one of the many museums in St. Augustine’s historic district. Enjoy street performers as they reenact historical events, and stop by a local restaurant for a drink or meal while you’re walking around historic St. Augustine.

Walking tours are the best way to see the sites in historic St. Augustine. Whether that means a self-guided adventure from one attraction or museum to the next, or professionally-guided walking tours is entirely up to you. Regardless of how you do it, there are several unforgettable stops during a walking tour of historic St. Augustine. 

Historic St. Augustine Attractions

1. One main attraction just off of St. George Street is the oldest fort in the United States, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. Over 350 years old, this fortification provides reenactments, park rangers ready to share stories of the past, self-guided tours of the property, and weapons demonstrations.
2. Visit the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, which displays authentic school life in the 1800s.
3. For a little more color, visit the Old Jail, located in St. Augustine’s Historic District, where performers bring the past to life.
4. For a hands-on experience, learn about blacksmithing or watch a musket demonstration at the Colonial Quarter.
5. St. Augustine is home to many old churches. Admire the stunning architecture of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine and Grace United Methodist Church, and other houses of worship where several of these congregations are still active today.
6. In the heart of downtown St. Augustine, you’ll find the Plaza de la Constitución, home to the Governor’s House and Cultural Center as well as several historical markers.
7. Finally, what’s a trip to St. Augustine without the search for eternal youth? At Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archeological Park, actors bring to life the historical importance of St. Augustine’s rich history, where you can drink from the original Spring of Eternal Hope.

The Best Museums in the St. Augustine

St. Augustine is home to a wealth of fascinating historical and cultural museums, too, and they are a highlight of any great walking tour or adventure around historic St. Augustine. A few favorites include:

1. Don’t miss the renowned Lightner Museum. Just off the main road, this remarkable museum is celebrated for its beautiful architecture and captivating collections of art and artifacts that showcase the city’s rich past.
2. Our guests receive a discount on the incredible Oldest House Museum Complex and Gardens. Here you will be guided along a tour of Florida’s Oldest House, the Webb Museum, gardens, a Surf Culture Museum, and additional exhibits.
3. Go back in time to learn about the Golden Age of Piracy at the St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum. This museum boasts over 800 artifacts from the 1600s to the present day.
4. Right outside of historic St. Augustine, on Anastasia Island, is the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. Discover how a lighthouse works, maritime exploration, boatmaking, and St. Augustine’s role in World War II. The museum offers additional tour packages, including experiences like the sunset, moonrise, and nighttime illumination of the lighthouse.

Don’t leave historic St. Augustine without visiting the Bridge of Lions. This iconic drawbridge, adorned with lions on the east and west ends, connects downtown St. Augustine with Anastasia Island. There are many restaurants in St. Augustine to dine at after you’ve worked up an appetite. After all of that walking, drop by a St. Augustine brewery for a drink along the way, or if you’re looking for a great bite to eat, stop by Prohibition Kitchen, located on St. George Street, which is known for its signature cocktails, boozy milkshakes, distinguished food, and nightly music.

St. Augustine Walking Tours

While the St. Augustine Historic District offers a leisurely, walkable, self-guided tour, you may be interested in a formal walking tour provided by a professional company. A formal tour ensures that no cultural and historical landmarks are missed and can also supplement the journey with historically relevant information. 

1.  Spyglass Travel and Tours offers a variety of walking tours of the St. Augustine Historic District. Learn the real history of the oldest city in America.
2. If you’re looking for a bit of chocolate with your history, look no further than St. Augustine Experiences. They offer a “Sweets and History” tour, among other food-centered historical tours.
3. Revelery Tours provides a unique walking tour experience with a true crime pub crawl that mixes St. Augustine murder mysteries and historical crime stories.
4. St. Augustine Land and Sea Tours has several tours available, including walking tours, boat tours, and golf cart tours, to suit your interests.
5. Nothing beats a walking tour about paranormal activity. Ghost City Tours travels around historic St. Augustine’s most haunted places.
6. Old Town Trolley Tours has a long list of tour packages for Historic St. Augustine. This hop-on, hop-off all-day tour lets you decide how much time you want to spend at each stop.