Don't forget the history!

Let us repeat why the city got that name:

On August 28, the Feast Day of Saint Augustine, Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés first sighted the coast of Florida. Twelve days later, on September 8, he stepped ashore, planted the Spanish flag into the sandy soil and, with soldiers and settlers who had traveled with him and Timicuans who greeted his arrival watching, Menendez founded a new city and named it St. Augustine.

The year was 1565.

An interesting story

While building a ramp at the Pirate & Treasure Museum in Florida, workers unearthed parts of an 18th-century British sword, a compass, a tooth, a bottle, & some other glassware - The sword would've belonged to an enlisted man & was the type the British used when they took over St. Augustine in 1763.

Other sightseeing tips

In addition to all major historical sights, you can also take a number of guided tours through the city or a romantic moonlight-tour on the mysterious and secretive Matanzas Bay. It was in this sheltered bay, which many of the Spanish sailing ships made their final bunkringsstopp before they sailed back to Spain. It was often when the pirates struck with his conquests. It is said that you can still see the silhouettes of pirate ships come sailing in full attack when the full moon shines at its best.

First Free Black Settlement

In 1738, the Spanish established Fort Mose. This was an outpost in St. Augustine that consisted of 100 men, women and children who were mostly runaway slaves of the British. In order to keep their freedom, these former slaves were required to serve in the militia and convert to Roman Catholicism.

Read more About St Augustine, Florida

Happy New Year!

Whether you’re in town on vacation or you’re lucky enough to be a Florida resident, you can browse through different listings of weekend events to find something that meets your needs.

Visit the Current events page on the Nation’s Oldest City web site for a complete list of daily events in St. Augustine and browse through the list of highlighted events going on around town this weekend or any other weekend.

There is always something to do in St. Augustine, Florida

There is always something to do in St. Augustine, Florida, regardlsess of a day of the week or a season of the year. Attractions are going on all the time.

Winter is best for walking the streets and shopping during the sunny, mild afternoons, checking out the abundant antique shops and book stores, searching for Christmas gifts. At night, it is easy enough to bear the brunt of our winter weather to enjoy the Nights of Lights celebration around town, with millions of white lights all over town from November through February. With a slight chill in the air, retreating indoors for a delicious meal at any of our dozens of restaurants is then a good bet. Hot chocolate is also available at many cozy, beautiful cafés in the historic district.

In the spring, it quickly warms up enough for golf, tennis, and other sports, and the sightseeing trains begin to fill with short-sleeved visitors. Spring breaks are the best times to plan family trips to the famous historic sites of St. Augustine. Springtime is also a very popular time to hold weddings in the Old City, with the orange blossoms and azaleas around town all in bloom.

In the summer, you can’t pass up a trip to one of our many gorgeous area beaches. Parasailing and other water sports are available that turn your vacation into a memory that lasts a lifetime. Summer evenings are also wonderful for walks down St. George Street and strolls into the many exciting clubs and pubs in the area.

When the weather cools in the fall, and the sun begins to set a little earlier, it is the ideal time for one of the many ghost tours in St. Augustine. The cooler weather is also perfect for a cozy carriage ride, where you can bundle up with a blanket and enjoy hearing the history of the town first-hand.

Clearly, there is always something going on. Festivals of all kinds occur throughout the year. Just make sure to take the time to select the exact accommodations to put the icing on the cake of your trip to beautiful St. Augustine, Florida. The options are endless for a vacation to St. Augustine during any season and odds are that each season will have you experiencing the town anew.