St. Augustine - Downtown

Old City Gates, St. George Street, Town Plaza, & Bayfront – Start your explorations at the Old City Gates. Walk through the gates and go south, down the quaint St. George Street shopping district. See street musicians, pirates, or other characters roaming the streets as you stroll through the historic buildings (pick up an ice cream along the way).

St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum – Kids can immerse themselves in pirate culture, shooting off cannons, sniffing cargo boxes, tying sailors’ knots, listening to an audio show all about Blackbeard in the brig. See one of only two original Jolly Roger Flags and the only pirate chest left in the world. Search for “hidden treasure” by locating discovery drawers throughout the museum marked with a skull & crossbones. Don’t forget to photograph the kids in the pillory!

Castillo de San Marcos (The Fort) – This spectacular Spanish Fort is a must see. The British unsuccessfully attacked the fort on various occasions, it was a prison during the Seminole War, and a Union garrison in the Civil War. Wander the stone fortress, laid out in a four bastion star shape, to see how the soldiers lived in the 17th century. Actors in period costumes relive history for you and your kids. Talk to a Spanish soldier. Watch as they blast their cannons or fire their muskets (check at the front desk for cannon and musket demonstration times).

Project SWING – Great for small kids, this is a playground with its own lighthouse to climb. There are picnic tables for parents to rest, as well as forts, and towers, and acres of equipment where kids can run wild, swing, play, and slide. The park is directly across from the Visitor Information Center and parking, off Castillo Dr.

Horse carriage rides – Pick up a private horse carriage ride along Avenida Menendez. These charming rides, hosted by licensed tour guides, give an hour-long historical tour of the downtown area. Private carriages are available day or night.

Potter’s House of Wax (King St.) – Potter’s House of Wax is the very first wax museum in the U.S. Come check out all the characters that live here. A fun experience for kids of all ages, come see over 150 famous people. This museum regularly updates its celebrities from all different eras and walks of life, so it's always changing.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! – This is the Original Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum. (It was once a hotel where Robert Ripley used to stay when he came to St. Augustine). Ripley’s has three floors of oddities and interactive displays that will be a true delight for children who have never seen one of these museum funhouses.

St. Augustine Municipal Marina – Take a one hour or two hour boat cruise around the bay. Choose from a double-decked boat, a sailboat, pirate boat, or small boat tours. On the bay cruise, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, which populate the area. The marina also has a small putt-putt course, and it's a great place to walk the docks to see yachts, sailboats and all kinds of boats.

Santa Maria Restaurant – The restaurant extends out into the bay, offering a view of the marina and Bridge of Lions. In the restaurant are trapdoors next to the tables – kids can feed fish and sea birds through the trapdoors.

Oldest House – Here kids will learn how people from different eras of St. Augustine history lived. The Oldest House in Florida dates back to the early 1700's, and preserved changes to the home demonstrate the various centuries. There is also a military museum representing military artifacts from the Colonial period to current day. Wander out into garden and also check out 18th century stand-alone kitchen building.

Lightner Museum – Originally the Alcazar Hotel, built by the oil and railroad tycoon Henry Flagler, the Lightner Museum has electic mix of stuff. This is an old-style museum, a glimpse into the Gilded Age, where you're as just as likely to see a stuffed lion along with a handmade quilt or a Tiffany lamp. It's worth a visit, even if you don't tour the museum, just to wander through the lavish garden and shops in the building that was once an opulent indoor swimming pool.

Villa Zorayda Museum – Over 100 years old, this museum is a small-scale replica of a portion of the Alhambra Palace in Spain.It includes a sizable antique collection throughout the building. Enjoy the beautiful Moorish architecture and see no place else like it, unless you go to Spain.

Whetstone Candy Factory Tour – This one hour tour is sure to please the tiniest of chocolate lovers. Starting in the candy shop, see a short movie and taste the various types of chocolate made at the factory. On the guided-tour of the factory, interact with the workers while they make chocolate right in front of your eyes. Also, try the ice cream (gelato), also made at the factory.

Ghost Tours – With all of its history, ghost stories permeate St. Augustine, and there are famous haunted sites such as the St. Augustine Lighthouse and The St. Francis Inn. Your family has multiple choices when it comes to ghosts. You can walk the streets with a costumed guide, take a doomed trolley, or ghost train.Some tours offer the use of ghost meters so you can see if a ghost is near you!