St Augustine Lighthouse

St Augustine


The light produced by this 1870s striped lighthouse beams all the way downtown. A great place to bring kids over six and more than 44in tall (since all climbers must be able to ascend and descend the tower under their own power). A variety of special themed tours, such as the spooky 'Dark of the Moon' paranormal tour and the 'Lost Ships' archaeology tour, are held on a regular basis. Consult the website for what's on when.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby St Augustine attractions

1. Alligator Farm Zoological Park

0.33 MILES

Herpetophobes should run in the other direction of this facility – the only one on the planet with every species of crocodilian in residence. Nature…

2. Anastasia State Recreation Area

0.7 MILES

Locals come to escape the tourist hordes at this terrific park, which is a beautiful quilt of estuarine marsh, maritime forest, boardwalk paths and sandy…

3. Oldest House

1.36 MILES

Also known as the González-Alvarez House, this is the oldest surviving Spanish-era home in Florida, dating to the early 1700s and sitting on a site…

4. Ximenez-Fatio House

1.54 MILES

Dating to 1798, this fascinating museum complex includes the main house building, the area's only detached kitchen building and a reconstructed washhouse…

5. Spanish Military Hospital Museum

1.55 MILES

Not for the faint of heart, guided tours of this museum discuss Colonial-era medical techniques in all their gory glory: amputations, leeching, the whole…

6. Plaza de la Constitution

1.59 MILES

In the heart of downtown, this grassy square, the oldest public park in the US and a former marketplace for food (and slaves), has an attractive gazebo,…

7. Cathedral Basilica of St Augustine

1.62 MILES

With its magnificent bell tower lording it over the Plaza de la Constitution, this Spanish-mission-style cathedral is likely the country's first Catholic…

8. Governor's House

1.64 MILES

A government building has stood on this site since 1598 and served as a residence, courthouse, administrative headquarters and post office. Today, it is…