Even as someone who used to live in Florida and still visits annually, I had my plan for spending 1 day in St. Augustine on the back burner for years. I typically spend my time on the southern, more Gulf Coast-ier side of things and had never made it that far north.
I’d always been drawn to the history (forts!), the mystery (ghosts!), and the fact that it’s America’s oldest continuously settled city (men in wigs!). This year I finally decided to make a special trip to the top of Florida to check out the Ancient City. Read on to see how you can organize your own jam-packed 1 day in St. Augustine.
1 day in St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine’s location makes it a perfect day trip destination. It’s less than a 2-hour drive from Orlando and only 45 minutes from Jacksonville (which it’s technically part of). So if this will be your first stop on your Florida itinerary, you’ll want to fly into Jacksonville International Airport (JAX).
Is 1 day in St. Augustine worth it?
So is one day in St. Augustine even worth it? Absolutely. Seeing everything you can in a city in just one day can be a challenge, but with enough planning (and the right destination) it’s not hard at all.
Plus, St. Augustine is a compact and incredibly walkable city. You can see a ton of what St. Augustine has to offer in even just a short amount of time. You’ll spend almost zero time behind the wheel, waiting in traffic, getting lost, or worrying about finding your way around. I’d say St. Augustine, Florida is one of the most easily navigable cities I’ve visited.
Obviously, you could always spend more time here, but you definitely won’t feel cheated if all you can swing is one day in St. Augustine.
Why visit St. Augustine, Florida?
For me, I always wanted to visit St. Augustine, Florida to learn more about its history as the “oldest city in the United States.” The city was founded in 1565 and has gone through so many transformations since then.
And being someone who spends a lot of time in Florida, I was also interested to visit a place that is so unlike the Gulf Coast where I usually spend my time. Otherwise, 1 day in St. Augustine, Florida is perfect for:
- History lovers
- Architecture nerds
- Foodies and craft cocktail enthusiasts
- Those who want to experience Old Florida
- Day trippers
Where to stay in St. Augustine
St. Augustine has tons of great places to stay before and after your jam-packed day in America’s oldest city. (So you don’t have to spend as much time on the road both early as hell and late at night like I did.)
For St. Augustine, I recommend staying as close to the downtown area as possible. This will make sure you have the best (and fastest and easiest) access to everything. Here are a few hotel suggestions to help you start your search:
See all St. Augustine hotel options here (or maybe opt for a VRBO instead).
How to get around St. Augustine
St. Augustine is one of the most walkable cities I’ve ever visited. It’s seriously easy here to just park your car once and spend the rest of the day on foot. There are several paid parking lots around the city and also tons of street parking. (Here’s more info on St. Augustine parking if you need it.)
Book your rental car here if you’ll need one.
The Old Town Trolley Tour
As walkable as St. Augustine is, during my one day in St. Augustine I still decided to book a spot on the Old Town Trolley tour.
These trolley tours are one of the most popular things to do in St. Augustine (and many other cities like Key West, Nashville, and Boston). I wanted to save time and money and thought this was my best option to see everything I needed to see. Was I right? Meh, not entirely.
Check out my entire St. Augustine Old Town Trolley tour review here. It includes pros and cons, helpful tips, things you should know before you book, and compares it to its competitor.
1 day in St. Augustine map
This map contains all the things to do in St. Augustine I mention in this post. To save this map: Click on the star ⭑ next to the map’s title to save in your Google Maps. To use this map: When you get here, open Google Maps on your phone, click “Saved” at the bottom, then click “Maps.”
Have more time in Florida? Here’s how to spend 3 days in Sarasota.
St. Augustine 1-day itinerary
During my one day in St. Augustine, I did a mix of taking the trolley around town, driving when I had to, but mostly walking. I based what I did and when I did it on each site’s opening and closing times as well as tour times and the rumbling of my stomach. Adjust yours accordingly!
Here are the best things to see, do, eat, and drink if you only have a single day to spend in St. Augustine.
1. Old Town Trolley Tour
I started off my 1 day in St. Augustine at the Old Jail where I parked my car and jumped on the next available Old Town Trolley Tour. I had pre-purchased my ticket so I was ready to go when I got here. (And by that I mean, on my phone from my car in the parking lot.)
I won’t go into all the details of what the trolley tour is like because I wrote a whole post about it here, so be sure to check that out.
Pro tip: Pre-purchasing your Old Town Trolley tour ticket(s) online is cheaper than if you wait to do it in person. Save some cash; get your tickets here.
2. The Old Jail
St. Augustine’s Old Jail operated from 1891 to 1953 and was constructed by the same company that built Alcatraz. They offer tours that highlight the jail’s history and tell some of its more interesting stories.
I checked it out from the outside but didn’t make it inside on this visit. But if this sounds like something you’d like to see, check out this St. Augustine Old Jail tour.
3. Old City Gates
I hopped off the trolley at Stop #5 for my first stop of the day: the Old City Gates. This is the perfect place to start your 1 days in St. Augustine.
The Old City Gates were once the official entrance into the city of St. Augustine and were constructed in 1808. They stand right at the end of St. George’s Street, an important historical site of its own.
4. Huguenot Cemetery
Heading north through the Gate and across the tiny street, you’ll find the Huguenot Cemetery–a Protestant burial ground used from 1821 to 1884. Until this time, the only cemetery in town was reserved for Catholics.
The boys in charge, realizing they had a desperate situation on their hands–all those Protestants and all–designated this piece of land for Protestant burials. And just in time, too, as a large number of the city’s inhabitants was, soon after, wiped out by a yellow fever epidemic.
5. Spanish Trail Marker
And just a little bit past that sits the Old Spanish Trail marker. This big round ball/tiny Death Star marks mile zero of the Old Spanish Trail. The end of this trail is in San Diego, California, y’all!
The Old Spanish Trail is a 20th-century auto route that mimics the same trade route used by Spanish conquistadores 400 years ago. Allegedly. You can get from this marker to the one in San Diego along this route that crosses 8 states and 67 counties along the southern border of the United States.
Also check out: 9 Delightful Day Trips from Clearwater
6. Castillo de San Marcos
From here, walk 7 minutes along the coast to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument–arguably the #1 attraction in all of St. Augustine.
Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest and largest masonry fort in the United States, constructed between 1672 and 1695. It was built as a defensive fort and is (now) the only surviving 17th-century military construction in the country.
Castillo de San Marcos is operated by the National Park Service and you can visit and tour it every day of the year (with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas). They offer insightful ranger programs and the park rangers on site are eager to tell you all of the Castillo’s history. (There will be quizzes.)
You can visit all the rooms of the fort like the storage rooms, chapels, living quarters, the jail, and walk along the top to see the cannons and the views.
7. St. George Street
Back across the main road you’ll find St. George Street–a really old pedestrian-only street lined with restaurants, shops, and other historical landmarks. Walk down St. George Street and be sure to check out:
- The country’s oldest wooden school house, built over 200 years ago
- Columbia Restaurant (which I’ll talk about it a minute)
8. Flagler college
Besides Castillo de San Marcos, Flagler College is the other iconic St. Augustine attraction. Though it’s a college today, it opened as the groundbreaking Ponce de Leon Hotel in 1888. By 1967 the hotel was suffering for business and closed down temporarily–until it reopened a year later as Flagler College.
Besides being an absolutely gorgeous piece of property, Flagler College is full of fun facts:
- It was the first hotel of its kind to be constructed entirely of poured concrete.
- It was one of the first buildings in the U.S. to be wired for electricity. (40 years before the White House actually.) Thomas Edison installed the electricity here himself.
- The hotel had running water when it opened–a true innovation that other hotels didn’t have yet.
- It possesses the world’s largest private collection of Tiffany stained glass (worth an estimated $130 million). If this interests you, you can visit the Morse Museum in Orlando to see the rest of the world’s largest collection of Tiffany art.
- And the ceiling of its Flagler Room is painted in the original Tiffany blue.
You see, oil tycoon Henry Flagler, scientist extraordinaire Thomas Edison, and fancy man Charles Lewis Tiffany were all buddies. That equals one beautiful, cutting-edge building.
Flagler College tour
The place is definitely worth checking out, but its bread and butter lie in its guided tours which are offered a couple times a day. You get to learn so much about the weird and awesome history of this building and see some really cool stuff. The tours are led by current Flagler College students and they’ll be the most entertaining thing you do during your 1 day in St. Augustine!
Flagler College tours are offered 7 days a week and last about an hour. Get more information on the tour and book your tickets here.
Also check out: 7 Terrific Tours to Take in Tampa, Florida
9. Memorial Presbyterian Church
Like with the Huguenot Cemetery, there also weren’t any places for non-Catholics to worship either. So, they built their own and it’s beautiful. The Memorial Presbyterian Church was founded in 1824 and built by none other than Henry Flagler. St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice inspired its unique look.
I love visiting interesting churches when I travel and this has to be the most unique in St. Augustine. It sits just behind (and diagonal from) Flagler College and you’re welcome to go in and check it out.
Back on the trolley
From outside the Presbyterian Church, I hopped back on the Old Town Trolley to catch a breeze and see some more of St. Augustine from the comfort of my own butt.
I blew by the St. Augustine distillery and the highly recommended Ice Plant bar. I learned about St. Augustine’s Civil Rights history and about MLK’s visits to the city. And then I hopped off at the Lightner Museum for a look around.
10. Lightner Museum
St. Augustine’s Lightner Museum consists of a unique collection of (mostly) Gilded Age antiques, artworks, and more. It’s all housed inside this incredible historic property once known as the Hotel Alcazar. (The building itself is on the National Register of Historic Places.)
Even if you don’t have time to explore the museum, you can still come and walk around the historic property which is filled with palm trees and beautiful flowers, fountains, and more.
11. Lunch at Gaufre and Goods
After checking out the grounds of the Lightner Museum, I walked the short walk to lunch at Gaufres and Goods. Gaufres and Goods is a locally-owned Polish and Greek restaurant located in a vintage former bakery. The place is popular, the service is great, and the best-selling pierogis are fantastic!
12. Plaza de la Constitución
From here, backtrack to Plaza de la Constitución–St. Augustine’s main square. This is the center of St. Augustine’s downtown area and is surrounded by restaurants, shops, monuments, trolley stops, and the coast on one side.
There are historical markers all over the area to catch up on some of the city’s history. This plaza hosts festivals and regular art walks, and is all lit up at night.
13. Bridge of Lions
Across the street from Plaza de la Constitución is the Bridge of Lions. This bridge, now on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in the mid-1920s.
The Bridge of Lions is a drawbridge connecting Anastasia Island to the mainland and is capped off by two lion statues–exact replicas of the Medici lions outside Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. (One of my favorite palazzos!)
Back on the trolley
Back over in Plaza Constitución I caught the Old Town Trolley again to head back towards my car at the Old Jail. On the way there I saw Aviles Street, the Oldest House, and the Fountain of Youth.
14. Aviles Street
Back across the street, you’ll find Aviles Street shooting off south from Plaza Constitución. Aviles Street is the oldest street in the oldest city. Ergo, the oldest street in the United States.
This cobblestone street is–you guessed it–lined with restaurants and shops and historical markers, as well as several bed and breakfasts.
15. The Oldest House
The Oldest House (officially known as the González-Alvarez House) was built back in 1723 and is the oldest house in St. Augustine. (Though considered a baby by Massachusetts standards, where I live, this is a big deal for Florida.) This house is a National Historic Landmark and is open for public tours.
16. Fountain of Youth
I rode the trolley back towards the start until we got to the Fountain of Youth where I hopped off again.
The Fountain of Youth (yes, that Fountain of Youth) is a natural spring that’s believed to restore the youth of anyone who drinks from it. Though the legend of the Fountain of Youth goes back ages and ages, it’s most famously connected to Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon. (It’s also believed to be located on one of The Bahamas’s 700 islands, but whatever.)
Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park
The location of the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine is the spot where Ponce de Leon landed in the area. Allegedly. Actually, there’s a lot of alleged history involved here, as you can imagine.
Today, the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is a whole complex of old settlements, missions, Native American villages, and other historical spots. And… the Fountain of Youth, which is little more than gross-smelling water trickling from what looks like a street gutter.
Personally, I decided not to go in to drink the famously stinky water, but my friend just did. Her verdict: actual fountain? Lame. Rest of the site? Cool.
17. Magnolia Avenue
From here, I exited the Fountain of Youth parking lot onto Magnolia Avenue which is listed as one of the 10 most beautiful streets in America by National Geographic.
Magnolia Avenue is a short road dividing the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park and a residential neighborhood. It’s lined top to bottom with–nope, not Magnolias–live oak trees drenched in Spanish moss. And it’s beautiful.
From here, it’s just a few minutes’ walk back to where I parked my car at the Old Jail. By now, the Old Town Trolley had made its last pickup and dropoff so I’d have to drive myself over the Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Island and our next stop.
18. St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum was probably my favorite stop during my 1 day in St. Augustine. Mostly because I love to climb tall towers, but also because there’s just so much to see and do here.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse dates back to 1874 and was even used by the U.S. Coast Guard during WWII to watch for German U-boats.
I have a whole post on WWII sites in St. Augustine if you’re interested. (If you didn’t know, I’m also a WWII historian.)
At the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum you can:
- Climb to the top of the lighthouse for great views and a cool breeze (219 steps)
- Explore the museum that covers the history of the lighthouse
- Walk the property’s many nature trails
- Grab a snack at the Tin Pickle, their WWII-themed eatery
- Visit the lighthouse keeper’s house
- Watch volunteers build small wooden watercraft using only historic tools and plans
- And a ton of stuff for kids I know nothing about
19. Dinner at Columbia
For dinner, head back to St. George Street to end your one awesome day in St Augustine at Columbia Restaurant. Columbia is an amazing Spanish restaurant known for their Cuban sandwiches and their signature 1905 salad. (My name is Ashley Smith and I approve this meal.)
Columbia is a favorite of mine and I’m known to visit the Tampa and Sarasota locations every now and then. Their Ybor City location is the original and is also the oldest and largest Spanish restaurant in the country. It’s a must-visit that I talk more about in my post on how to spend a day in Ybor City.
At the St. Augustine location, the place is beautiful and they’re open 365 days a year. They make sangria and salads at your table. And they brag about their century-old family recipes for paella, their red snapper, and their Cuban roasted pork.
What else to do in St. Augustine
The above is only what I did during my 1 day in St. Augustine, but there’s still more to do and see besides that. Here are a few more popular things to do in St. Augustine if you have more time (or just different preferences):
There are seriously so many more options. Check out all the great local tours and activities here on Viator and Get Your Guide.
