Experience the ultimate St. Augustine vacation with sailing and motor boating, canoeing and kayaking, water skiing, parasailing, and jet-skiing in the immediate area, in the Atlantic, in Salt Run, in the Matanzas Bay or the Intracoastal Waterway. Experience it all when you stay at our Vilano Beach cottages, downtown rentals or our historic hotel in St. Augustine,
Pirate Museum
This is not just for the kiddos! Relive the Golden Age of Piracy at the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum with the world’s largest collection of authentic pirate artifacts. Check out the world’s only authentic pirate chest, and one of only two existing 17th century Jolly Rogers. Plenty of rarely-seen shipwreck treasures from the Florida Division of Historical Resources. Paid admission.
Insider Tip: The museum is owned by Pat Croce, who owned the Philadelphia 76’ers during the 80s. He owns one of the largest collections of pirate relics in the world, and opened the museum in 2010.
Visit the museum at 12 S. Castillo Drive or call 904-819-1444.
Biking
Just park your car and use our complimentary cruiser bikes to tour the town! It’s a fun and convenient way to see St. Augustine.
Maria Sanchez Lake
Ask us for directions for a leisurely bike ride around St. Augustine’s Maria Sanchez Lake. It’s a beautiful area that a lot of visitors to St. Augustine miss!
First-Friday Artwalk
The First Friday of Each Month
Held throughout the city
There are five art districts, and more than 20 galleries, peppering St. Augustine, and they all open their doors the first Friday of each month.
Enjoy artist signings, new work, live music, and food and drink in this celebration of the arts. Starts at 5:00pm.
Uptown Saturday Night
The Last Saturday of Each Month
Held along San Marco, north of the parking garage
Some of the city’s best locally owned shops are in “uptown” St. Augustine, and they all throw out the welcome mat on the last Saturday of each month. Enjoy free drinks, live music, and event specials throughout the varied shops along San Marco. Check out some of the cutest clothing boutiques in the city, as well as artisan-made jewelry, hand-crafted handbags, imported furniture, and more. Starts at 5:00 pm.
Nights of Lights
Late November to early January
During Nights of Lights, St. Augustine glows with holiday magic from the ground to the rooftops. Recognized as one of the ten best holiday lighting displays in the world, Nights of Lights features millions of tiny white lights that create a magical atmosphere in the Nation’s oldest city. The Bayfront Marin House joins in with thousands of lights of our own, which helped earn us a spot as one of the top ten bed and breakfasts to enjoy the holidays.
Tracing its origins to the Spanish tradition of placing a white candle in the window during the Christmas season, the lighting reflects the city’s 450 year history and sets the scene for lasting holiday memories. Enjoy the sights in many different ways on foot, by bicycle or pedicab, on the Holly Jolly Trolley or the Ripley’s Red Train, or by horse and carriage. Learn more about what to expect during Nights of Lights in St. Augustine.
Sing Out Loud Festival
September
Held Everywhere!
SING OUT LOUD is getting even LOUDER!!
Sing Out Loud is quickly turning into one of the very best events in St. Augustine! Throughout September, over 300 national, regional, and local musicians play in venues all around the city… and the concerts are free! See a complete line-up of artists.
But the fun doesn’t stop there… St. Augustine’s 24 Historic Bed and Breakfasts are all offering free events during the week in September as well. Here’s how the Extended Play events work: Stay at the Bayfront Marin House (or any other bed and breakfast in town…but seriously, you want to stay here!). When you check in, you’ll get an exclusive Passport that will grant you access to ANY of the events happening during your stay. Stay with us, and enjoy a free beer tasting at one of the other bed and breakfasts, or a free wine hour at a historic inn. The Passport lists all of the events each night, and it also has great coupons to the best restaurants in town.
Come to St. Augustine for Sing Out Loud, but stay for the Extended Play version. You’ll have a great time! Be sure to check out our Sing Out Loud Special to save during your stay!
Tour the City
One of our favorite things to do in St. Augustine is to walk or ride through the oldest streets in the country, enjoying the Spanish style architecture, and discovering small boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants.
There are many ways to see St. Augustine—Segway tours, mini car rentals, scooters. Ask us about rentals around town! If you prefer to walk, there are also a large number of walking tours, such as those focusing on food, beer, wine, ghosts, and history. If you have something you’d love to see, and you want a suggestion on how to best see it, just let us know!
Located throughout the city.
World Golf Hall of Fame Museum
If you came to Florida to golf, you won’t want to miss the World Golf Village Hall of Fame, a museum dedicated to the men and women in both professional and amateur golf. PGA acquired the museum in 1983, and over 350,000 people visit each year.
Check out the Trophy Tower, located on the county’s highest point and home to many of golf’s most important trophies. The complex also includes an IMAX theater, a full-swing golf simulator that allows you to experience some of the best courses in the world, as well as a top-rated golf course.
Visit the museum at 4300 Marsh Landing Blvd, Jacksonville Beach, FL, or call at 800-530-5248.
St. Augustine Distilleries
Enjoy a free tour of the distillery, and learn how they craft small batch rum, whiskey, vodka and gin onsite. You’ll learn about the heritage varieties of sugar cane, corn, citrus, and other locally grown ingredients, and have the opportunity to sample the latest batches. Located in the recently restored Ice Plant.
Visit them at 112 Riberia Street or call 904-825-4963.
Taste a variety of flavored spirits for free at this local distillery. They offer a variety of moonshine, rum, vodka and whiskey – all inspired by the local area.
Visit them at 11 Saint George Street or call 904-454-8006.
Alligator Farm
It’s more than just alligators—it’s crocodiles, birds, reptiles, and monkeys. It’s a long boardwalk through some of the prettiest areas in St. Augustine, where photographers from around the world come every year to shoot exotic birds like the roseate spoonbill. Hang around for the demonstrations—they’re totally worth it.
Admission required.
Visit them at 999 Anastasia Blvd. or call 904-824-3337.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
Climb 219 steps to the top of the 165-foot tower for a breathtaking view of historic downtown St. Augustine (you can see the Bayfront Marin House from the top!), the beaches, and the nation’s oldest port.
Discover St. Augustine’s rich maritime history at the site of Florida’s first lighthouse. Explore exhibits in the restored keepers’ house about the Coast Guard in WWII St. Augustine, shipwrecks, and the lives of the keepers and their families. Don’t forget to shop in the museum store for unique lighthouse and maritime gifts. Paid admission.
Insider Tip: The lighthouse periodically offers night time tours, and ghost tours. Check their website for times and dates.
Visit the lighthouse at 81 Lighthouse Avenue or call 904-829-0745.
Fountain of Youth
Visit America’s First Colony! Founded by Pedro Menendez on THIS ACTUAL SITE 42 years before Jamestown and 55 years before Plymouth Rock, The Fountain of Youth is the first settlement area in our Nation’s Oldest City. There is so much to do here: Drink from Ponce’s Spring of Eternal Hope, see Stars in our Planetarium, and visit the Timucua Indian Village of Seloy. Paid Admission.
Insider Tip: If you’re an Instagrammer, SnapChatter or even just a shutterbug, take your phone. Magnolia Street is one of the most photogenic scenes in town. And the Fountain of Youth is home to several amazing white peacocks…another great shot that will impress your followers.
Visit the Fountain of Youth at 11 Magnolia Street or call at 904-829-3168.
Schooner Freedom
Wrap up the perfect St. Augustine day with a sail on the Schooner. See our beautiful city from the Matanzas Bay, and watch the sun set over the historic district.
You’ll get a chance to see our historic Bridge of Lions from the water—the Schooner is so tall that it requires the drawbridge to be open to sail through.
View our Romantic Getaways in St. Augustine to add a Sunset Sail for Two, or our discounted Sail Away package.
Lightner Museum
Experience Florida’s Smithsonian. Henry Flagler’s former Alcazar Hotel holds 19th-century artifacts including natural history exhibits, Tiffany glass, a Victorian Village and antique mechanical musical instruments. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult.
Henry Flagler’s former Alcazar Hotel holds 19th-century artifacts including natural history exhibits, Tiffany glass, a Victorian Village and antique mechanical musical instruments (call for details—antique musical devices played once a day). Paid admission.
Insider Tip: Check out the courtyard at the Lightner—it’s a beautiful tranquil place where you can feed the koi (bring a quarter to buy fish food), tour the heavily planted gardens, and enjoy the classical music. Don’t miss the Café Alcazar, a lunchtime favorite, located in the old indoor swimming pool of the hotel.
Castillo de San Marco
National monument, the Castillo de San Marcos, is the oldest masonry fort in the United States and the only standing 17th century military construction. It is also one of two forts built of coquina, a soft limestone composed of broken shells.
This native material gave the Spanish a special advantage. Instead of cracking or collapsing, coquina walls absorbed or deflected enemy projectiles allowing the Spanish to guard their possessions and keep their people safe. This unique craftsmanship has been standing since 1695 and is continually admired by tourists today. The fort sits on a 20.5 acre national park where tourists can step inside the walls of the fort, hear cannons boom and attend live reenactments. Paid admission.
Insider Tip: The oldest part of the Bayfront Marin House was built in 1790 and is also made of coquina. You can see some of the exposed original walls in the Francisco Marin Room and the Coquina Suite.
Visit the fort at 1 South Castillo Drive or call 904-829-6506.
Flagler College Tour
You don’t have to be a high school senior to enjoy a tour of this spectacular Flagler-built property. Originally opened as a luxury hotel in the late 1800s, Flagler College offers a student-led tour daily. You’ll enjoy the over-the-top front lobby, filled with carved statues, mosaic floors, and painted ceilings, as well as the old dining room (today the student cafeteria), ensconced with a priceless collection of Tiffany stained glass. Paid admission.
Insider Tip: The hourly tour takes you through many of the most impressive rooms of the old hotel. But if the tour schedule doesn’t match your own, you can walk through the courtyard and into the lobby without a guide.
Visit them at 74 King Street or call 904-823-3378.
Horse and Carriage Rides
Enjoy St. Augustine as they did centuries ago—inside your own private horse-drawn carriage!
You can catch a ride further north on the seawall, just ½ block south of the fort. Or schedule a ride in advance with our innkeeper, and have the driver bring your steed right to the front gate of our hotel in St. Augustine.
The tour of the town lasts approximately 45 minutes. Call the inn for pricing.
Zipline Over the Alligator Farm
Not seeing the connection between air activities and the alligator farm?
That’s because you haven’t tried their new zipline course!
Zipline over the alligator displays for a truly unique view of this historic attraction. Great for kids and adults alike.
Visit them at 999 Anastasia Blvd. or call 904-824-3337.
Vintage Biplane Rides
Take an exciting biplane trip over St. Augustine, in the open cockpit of an authentic WACO plane.
It’s a great way to see the original layout of the ancient city, including the unique design of the Castillo from above.
And it seats two—so you can share St. Augustine from the air with a friend!
Visit them at 4900 U.S. 1 North, Suite 100 or call 904-819-0002.
Fishing the Intracoastal Waterway
Located directly on the Intracoastal Waterway, St. Augustine has a wide range of angling opportunities right on its doorstep. Fishing here is nothing short of spectacular, from the inshore shallows to the open Atlantic. If you choose to cast a line here, you’ll have a chance of catching many different species, from redfish to blue marlin!
We recommend using FishingBooker to help you compare and book your fishing charter in St. Augustine. They list over 70 charters on their site. Whether you’re looking for a 4-hour inshore trip or a full-day offshore adventure, you can search by duration, captain, or fish species. It’s a great way to customize your stay and your fishing excursion.
Beach Days
St. Augustine and neighboring Anastasia and Vilano Islands have over 42 miles of beautiful beaches.
The inn has beach towels, chairs and umbrellas available for you to borrow—ask us about reserving them, and ask us for our favorite sandy spaces.
We’ll be happy to recommend one that’s perfect for you.
View everything you need to know about St. Augustine beaches.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding and Kayaking
Who needs a gym when there are so many fun and active ways to see St. Augustine? Don’t worry if you aren’t an expert—St. Augustine Kayak Rentals is happy to give lessons in both kayaking and paddle boarding.
Choose from a variety of tours—sunrise, sunset, eco based, and history based.
Insider Tip: Rentals are by reservation only. We suggest calling as soon as you know that you would like to try this while in town.
Private Sail
The ultimate water indulgence in St. Augustine. Let us arrange a private sail for you and someone special.
You’ll begin your adventure at Camachee Cove (less than two miles from the inn) and set off for a 90 minute sail on the beautiful Matanzas, just the two of you (plus a captain and first mate). It’s the perfect backdrop for a romantic proposal, or just reconnect with your loved one for a memory that will last forever.
Contact the inn for details, or view our available packages.
Eco Tours
Tour of the Matanzas Bay and intracoastal waterway with Captain Zach who will tailor his route to your interest. Want to see birds, dolphins, or just learn more about the ecological systems and tides that keep our waterways bright and sparkling? Just ask!
One of our favorite parts of the tour is when the captain cuts the engine, drops an underwater microphone into the bay, and identifies the various sounds of dolphins, manatees and fish as you gently guide above them.