How to spend one day in St. Augustine Florida
We were in Orlando for spring break and decided to spend one day in St. Augustine Florida.
The drive from Orlando to St. Augustine is about two hours and it’s the perfect day trip to add to your family vacation when visiting Orlando!
St. Augustine is one of the oldest cities in the US, founded in 1565! There’s so much history to explore here that you can easily see in one day!
Better yet, spend a weekend and get to see more of St. Augustine and a visit to the beach, and the Alligator Zoological park as well.
On the blog, I will share how to spend one day in St. Augustine Florida, sharing all the top attractions so you can plan your visit and explore the oldest city in Florida’s historic coast!
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How to get around St. Augustine
Old Town Trolley Tour
If you only have one day in St. Augustine Florida, the Old Town Trolley Tour is the best way to see all the main attractions.
The Old Town Trolley Tour takes about an hour and a half, and it takes you to most of the main attractions in St. Augustine with 22 different stops along the way, plus you can use it as a hop-on-hop-off ride to stop and explore the historic sites!
You can also do the Haunted Old Town Trolley Tour as well, which guides you to some of the most haunted places and spooky stories around St. Augustine!
You can also reach most of the main attractions on foot since they are pretty much all located within a walking distance along the historic center in St. Augustine. Make sure to wear comfy shoes as there will be lots of walking!
Go on a horse carriage ride
Another fun thing to do on a day trip to St. Augustine Florida is a horse carriage ride.
Get to know the oldest city in America while enjoying a fun horse carriage ride around the town. There are a few horse carriage tours to choose from, here are a few:
- St. Augustine Horse & Carriage
- Country Carriages
- The Tasting Tours Horse & Wine Carriage Ride
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Where to stay in St. Augustine
When planning your one day visit to St. Augustine Florida, plan ahead of time and pick a hotel located in the historic district so you can easily walk to all the main attractions in St. Augustine.
We loved our stay at the Rennaissance St. Augustine Historic District since its located right in the center of the historic city.
This hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels in St. Augustine with quaint Victorian architecture. There is a restaurant on-site and paid parking with a sleek and modern interior.
More hotels in St. Augustine:
- Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront
- Best Western Bayfront
- Bella Bay Inn
- Casa Monica Resort & Spa
- Casa de Solana Bed & Breakfast
- Hemingway House Bed & Breakfast
Visitors Center at St. Augustine
When planning a day trip to St. Augustine, make sure to stop by the Visitors Center.
This is where you can find the information desk and more information on things to do, restaurants, and more around.
The city’s parking garage is also located here and is the best place to park when visiting St. Augustine. You can find restrooms, a gift shop, and local exhibits as well.
Top things to do in St. Augustine
There is so much history to explore in St. Augustine, and you would probably need more than one day, especially if you want to visit all the Museums.
On your one-day visit to St. Augustine Florida, I suggest planning a visit to at least one of these museums and then spending the rest of the day exploring the city.
If you take the Old Town Trolley Tour, you can see most of the main sites on the tour which takes about an hour and a half, then hop off and explore a few of these historic sites. This is the best way to see St. Augustine if you’re short on time!
Make sure to purchase the St. Augustine Tour Pass with over 27 Attractions here. You can enjoy access to some of St. Augustine’s best attractions with this tour pass saving you up to 40% off!
Visit the Museums in St. Augustine
- Old Jail Museum: VIsit the historic jail that was in use from 1891-1953. You can take a tour with period guides and learn more about this historic jail built by Henry Flagler. Tickets cost $15.16 adults / $9.09 kids 4-12
- Potters Wax Museum: Visit the Potters Wax Museum that houses over 160 Wax figures located in an historic Old Drugstore built in 1886. Tickets cost $14.16 adults / $8.08 kids 4-12 / FREE under 4
- See the Oldest House: The Gonzalez-Alvarez house is one of the oldest houses in St. Augustine, built in 1723 showcasing the Spanish colonial architectural style.
- You can tour the house and tickets cost $10 adults / $7 seniors & military / $4 students with ID. The Oldest House museum is open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tours run every half hour.
- Colonial Quarter: Explore hundreds of years of Colonial Spanish and British living history in St. Augustine. Learn about blacksmithing, Musket demonstrations, and more.
- Historic Tour Tickets cost $14.99 Adults (13 & over) / $11.99 Seniors & Military / $8.99 Children (5-12) FREE (4 & under)
- Lightner Museum: Museum featuring curios and antique mostly from the Gilded Age located in the former Hotel Alcazar built by Henry Flagler.
- Tickets cost $17 adults / $14 Seniors / $10 kids 12-17 / $14 military & college students / FREE 11 and under. Purchase tickets here. Museum is open daily 9am-5pm.
- Mission of Nombre de Dios: Oldest Catholic Mission in the United States and also the first landing site of Pedro Menendez de Aviles who founded St. Augustine.
- This is also home of the Great Cross which was erected in 1965 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first parish Catholic Mass. Hours are Mon-Sat 9am-5pm / Sun 12-4pm.
- Ripley’s Believe it or Not: Marvel at the Bizaare and unusual at Ripley’s St. Augustine. You can also get on the Ripley’s Red Train Tour, and a hands-on paranormal investigation. Tickets cost $23.99 adults / $12.99 kids 4-12
- Visit the Plaza de la Constitucion: Explore the Plaza de la Constitucion which is St. Augustine’s main square which was first laid out in 1573. This was once the bustling city center during its hayday where locals used to shop and mingle.
- Today it is still the vibrant gathering place where local events and live entertainment are held. There is also a public market that has been in use since the 1500s. Nearby you can visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, Trinity Episcopal, and the Government House which all border the Plaza.
- See the Old City Gates: Visit the Old City Gates which was once the only entrance into St. Augustine built in 1808 using coquina blocks. The gates were part of the old city wall erected for the city’s defense. The Old City Gates still stand today and is now the entrance into St. George street.
- See the Old Senator Tree: Don’t miss a visit to the 650 year old historic live oak tree located in the courtyard at Villa 1565. The Old Senator Tree is the oldest living tree in St. Augustine and is a fun photo-op on your day trip.
- Stroll Magnolia Avenue: If you take the Old Town Trolley Tour, you will pass thru Magnolia Avenue on your way to the Fountain of Youth park where the street is flanked by Spanish moss covered oak trees and they’re so stunning!
- Magnolia Avenue was listed as one of the top 10 most beautiful streets in America by National Geographic and it really lives up to its name! You can also drive thru the street, or get here on foot, it’s just about a mile from the Castillo de San Marcos!
Go on a Tastings Tour
- Whetstone Chocolates Tasting Tour: Go on a chocolate tasting tour at Whetstone’s Chocolates. Tickets cost $8.95 adults / $6.50 kids 5-17 / FREE under 5
- San Sebastián Winery: Enjoy a a self-guided complimentary winery tour and wine tasting at San Sebastian Winery. Must be 21 and over for wine tasting, and hours are Mon-Sat 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- St. Augustine Distillery: Take a free self-guided tour at St. Augustine’s Distillery to learn more about their variety of Bourbons. The distillery is housed in the oldest Ice Plant in Florida. Free Tours & Tastings are daily from 10:30am-5:30pm
Visit Flagler College
Another place to add to your day trip to St. Augustine Florida is a visit to one of the most beautiful college campuses in Florida.
Flagler College was once home to the luxurious Ponce de León Hotel, built in 1888 by Henry Flagler who was an oil magnate and railroad pioneer.
He wanted to build a winter resort getaway for the wealthy Northerners and was built in the Spanish Renaissance style.
The hotel has been operating up until the mid-20th Century until it permanently closed in 1967 and turned into a college a year later in 1968.
Today, the hotel is now called Flagler College and operates as a private Liberal Arts college and is listed as a National Historic Landmark.
You can take a tour of this stunning college campus when visiting St. Augustine. Tours cost $16 per person and should be reserved in advance here.
This one-hour tours depart daily from the main lobby and are offered with a limited capacity during the summer of 2022 due to renovations.
Visit the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park
Another attraction to add to your one day in St. Augustine Florida visit is the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.
Take a sip from the mythical springs of the “Fountain of Youth” which supposedly helps you maintain your youthful appearance.
Ponce de Leon was said to be in search of the fountain of youth when he set sail for Florida in 1513. No one knows whether or not he actually found it, but is still worth a visit just for the historical experience.
This 15-acre historical park not only houses the “mythical Fountain of Youth” but is also the site of the first Spanish settlement founded by Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés in 1565.
There are so many other historical attractions to explore on your visit including a planetarium, living history re-enactments, the Timucuan Village, the reconstructed First Mission of Nombre de Dios, and more.
Tickets cost $19.95 for adults / $9.95 kids 6-12 / FREE 5 and under. The highlight for our little one was the peacocks which were everywhere in the park.
Visit the Castillo de San Marcos
One of the best things to do in St. Augustine Florida is a visit to the Castillo de San Marcos.
The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is one of the oldest masonry forts in the continental US built by the Spanish in 1627 to defend Florida and the Atlantic trade route.
The Castillo de San Marcos is a star fort made with coquina which is made by bonding ancient shells to form a stone that can be found in the Old City Gates as well.
You can visit the fort which is part of the National Park Service and offers free regular daily programs, ranger-led tours, cannon firings, and weapons demonstrations with your admission.
- Entrance fees cost $15 for adults
- FREE for kids 15 and under and are valid for seven consecutive days.
- Admission is free with your National Parks Pass!
- Metered parking costs $2.50 per hour.
Let the kids take part in the Junior Ranger program here to earn their Junior Ranger badge.
You can download the Junior Ranger booklet here, or pick one up at the Information Center desk at the entrance.
Take a Stroll along St. George Street
After your sightseeing tour of St. Augustine, enjoy some downtime shopping at St. George Street.
This pedestrian area at St. George St. is home to many boutique shops and restaurants.
We enjoyed lunch at the Columbia Restaurant which serves traditional Spanish cuisine dating back to 1905.
We loved the original Cuban Sandwich and the Cuban flavors sampler menu which included roast pork, empanadas, and more. There are so many dining options here including:
- Cafe Alcazar
- Prohibition Kitchen
- The Florida Cracker Cafe
- Taberna del Caballo
- The Spanish Bakery & Cafe
- Costeau’s Waffle & Millshake Bar
Sample one day St. Augustine itinerary
- Start your day early and grab a Belgian style waffle at Costeau’s Waffle & Millshake Bar for breakfast located along St. George Street
- Do the Old Town Trolley Tour first thing and do the whole circuit which takes about an hour and a half. This way you get to see all the main attractions so you can pick where you want to stop for later.
- After your done with the tour circuit, take a break for lunch at the Columbia Restaurant and have the original Cuban sandwich, or grab an empanada from The Spanish Bakery & Cafe both located along St. George Street.
- Get back on the trolley and hop off at an attraction or museum of your choice. Pick at least a couple of museums or attractions to visit. I suggest visiting the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, and the Castillo de San Marcos. You can easily do both attractions in one day.
- I would spend at least an hour at the Fountain of Youth Park. It’s a small attraction that you can easily accomplish in about an hour or two. There is a cafe at the entrance to the park for a meal or some snacks.
- Hop back on the trolley and make a stop at the Castillo de San Marcos. This is one of the main attractions at St. Augustine and can easily be seen in about an hour or two as well!
- I would spend the rest of the day strolling along the historic town and go on a self-guided walking tour.
- Make sure to stop by Flagler College, Casa Monica Spa & Resort, and the Lightner Museum. They’re all located next to each other and it’s amazing just getting to admire the beautiful architecture!
- Don’t miss a stroll along St. George Street as well and find that unique St. Augustine souvenir. Don’t miss the Oldest Wooden School House along the way, it’s a great example of what school life was like during the Spanish Colonial times.
- Grab dinner at one of the many restaurants in St. Augustine. We had dinner at the newly opened River & Fort Restaurant & Roof Top Lounge. The restaurant is located across the Castillo de San Marcos and serves a Southern style menu. We sat at the outdoor patio with views of the Bay and the Fort.
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