Best time to travel in St. Augustine?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with 2015-2024 averages
Best time: March to May and October to November
Best avoided if possible: January and July to August (less pleasant weather or big crowds).
Temperatures and rainfall: 1991-2020 normals from the St. Augustine station, NOAA data (public domain).
Humid subtropical on the Atlantic coast of northern Florida: hot summers around 32°C with afternoon thunderstorms, mild winters around 19°C during the day with cool nights, and a hurricane season from June to November. The best time to visit St. Augustine is March, April, May, October and November, with temperatures reaching 31-33°C (July). By contrast, January, February, June, July, August, September and December are generally less favourable (less pleasant weather or big crowds, depending on the destination), though a trip is still possible with a bit of planning. In high season, book early: prices and visitor numbers climb fast.
Go against the flow. To avoid the crowds without sacrificing too much on the weather, aim for February, June, September and December: the crowds thin out, prices drop too, and the climate stays pleasant.
Do these months appeal to you? See what's best elsewhere too: where to go in March · where to go in April · where to go in May · where to go in October · where to go in November.
At a glance
Why go to St. Augustine?
St. Augustine is 42 years older than Jamestown and 55 years older than the Mayflower: founded in 1565 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés to drive out the French who had settled further north, it is the oldest continuously inhabited city of European origin in the continental United States. Spanish for two centuries, British for twenty years, then Spanish again until 1821, it keeps from these changes of hands a centre of narrow streets, coquina houses and wooden balconies that looks like no other American city.
The city was born a second time at the end of the 19th century, when Henry Flagler, Rockefeller's business partner, built his Spanish Revival palaces here, the Ponce de Leon and the Alcazar, and then extended his railway down the coast all the way to Key West. These hotels, now a university and a museum, with their towers, courtyards and Tiffany stained glass, give the centre a second layer of architecture, the most spectacular one.
Finally, St. Augustine is lived on a human scale. The historic centre can be explored on foot in a day, Anastasia Island, its lighthouse and its beaches are ten minutes away, and dinner means local shrimp and clam chowder spiced with datil pepper, a legacy of the Minorcan settlers who arrived in 1777. The city also has a particular resonance in French history: it was here, at Fort Matanzas, that French Florida came to an end, in 1565.
Tourist map of St. Augustine: what's where?
The map below pinpoints the 6 places covered in this guide: a handy way to picture the distances between each stop and plan your route in St. Augustine.
- Castillo de San Marcos
- Flagler College
- St. Augustine Lighthouse
- Anastasia State Park
- Fort Matanzas
- Mission Nombre de Dios
How much does a trip to St. Augustine cost in 2026? Budget calculator
Estimate your budget for St. Augustine based on your travel style: accommodation, meals, activities and local transport included (flights excluded). Adjust the length and the number of travellers, and the totals update.
Totals for all travellers over the chosen length; the daily amount is per person. Flights extra, indicative amounts to adjust depending on the season.
Dollars are paid by card almost everywhere. Prices are shown before tax: sales tax is added to purchases and meals, and an extra accommodation tax to rooms. The Castillo accepts only bank cards. Tips of 18 to 22% are expected in restaurants, and a few dollars for the guides on walking tours.
Safety in St. Augustine: should you be worried?
St. Augustine is a calm and safe city for visitors, by day and by night in the historic centre. Theft from cars does happen in beach car parks, so leave nothing visible. The main danger is the sea: rip currents are common on the Atlantic beaches, so swim near the lifeguard stations and respect the flags. Jellyfish and stingrays are common in summer, so shuffle your feet in the sand as you enter the water. The heat and humidity from June to September call for sightseeing in the morning and drinking often, and the afternoon storms bring lightning, so leave the beach at the first rumble of thunder. Hurricane season runs from June to November: follow the island evacuation orders if a storm approaches. Health insurance covering the United States is essential.
Things to see and do in St. Augustine
Our first-hand favourites, and the great classics:
- Castillo de San Marcos
- St. George Street
- Flagler College
- Lightner Museum
- St. Augustine Lighthouse
- Fort Matanzas
- Anastasia State Park
- Mission Nombre de Dios
What to book before you go to St. Augustine →
🧭 Discover the St. Augustine itinerary, day by dayMap, timings, budget and where to stay: free to access, to fit your dates. Create my tailor-made itinerary →The colonial quarter
The heart of the city lies between the Castillo, to the north, and the Plaza de la Constitución, to the south, around pedestrianised St. George Street. The Spanish and British houses of the 18th and 19th centuries, in coquina or wood, have often been rebuilt on their original foundations. The González-Alvarez House, the oldest house in the city, can be visited south of the plaza, and Aviles Street, running parallel, lines up art galleries and small restaurants. In the evening, ghost tours leave from the city gate.
Flagler's St. Augustine
South-west of the plaza, King Street lines up Henry Flagler's three creations of the 1880s: the Hotel Ponce de Leon, now Flagler College, the Hotel Alcazar, now the Lightner Museum and City Hall, and the Casa Monica, bought by Flagler, which has become a hotel again. Further on, the Memorial Presbyterian Church, built by Flagler in memory of his daughter, houses his tomb beneath a copper dome. The Villa Zorayda, a one-tenth-scale replica of part of the Alhambra in Granada, dates from 1883.
The bayfront and the Mission
The avenue running along Matanzas Bay, from the Castillo to the Bridge of Lions of 1927 and its two marble lions, is the evening promenade. Further north, San Marco Avenue leads to the Mission Nombre de Dios and its great cross, then to the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, a commercial attraction built on the site of Menéndez's first camp. The municipal marina, at the foot of the bridge, is the departure point for bay cruises and dolphin-watching trips.
Anastasia Island
Across the Bridge of Lions, the island has the lighthouse of 1874, Anastasia State Park and its wild beach, the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, opened in 1893, and the seaside town of St. Augustine Beach, further south, with its pier and seafood restaurants. Fort Matanzas lies at its southern tip, 20 minutes' drive along the A1A, which runs beside the dunes.
Fort Matanzas and the south coast
23 km south of the centre, Fort Matanzas National Monument brings together a visitor centre, a trail through the dunes and a small free ferry to the Spanish watchtower. Matanzas Inlet, right next door, is the site of the massacre of the French Huguenots in 1565. Further south, Crescent Beach and the inlet beach are among the calmest in the area, and Washington Oaks park, 40 km away, combines gardens with a beach of coquina rocks.
Vilano Beach and the north
To the north, across the Vilano bridge, a peninsula separates the estuary from the ocean, with a beach less busy than Anastasia's, a fishing pier on the river and a few seafood restaurants. Further up, the Guana Tolomato Matanzas reserve protects dunes, marshes and oak forests for kilometres, with hiking and cycling trails and one of the most beautiful wild beaches in northern Florida.
How many days, and which itinerary in St. Augustine?
Two full days cover the Castillo, the colonial quarter, Flagler's buildings and the lighthouse. Three or four add Fort Matanzas, a beach day on Anastasia and a kayak trip. St. Augustine fits well into a Florida trip between Savannah, three hours to the north, and Orlando, two hours to the south.
🗺️ Day-by-day St. Augustine itinerary · 📓 Printable St. Augustine travel guide (PDF) · 🌍 Discover all of the American West
The essentials (2 days)
Day 1: Castillo de San Marcos at opening time, St. George Street and the Plaza de la Constitución, lunch, a guided tour of Flagler College and the Lightner Museum in the afternoon, sunset on the Bridge of Lions and dinner in the colonial quarter. Day 2: Mission Nombre de Dios early in the morning, across to Anastasia Island, a climb up the lighthouse, an afternoon on the beach at the state park and a shrimp dinner in St. Augustine Beach.
City and coast (4 days)
The two days of the essentials, then a day heading south along the A1A: Fort Matanzas and its ferry in the morning, Crescent Beach, the Washington Oaks gardens on the way back. On the fourth day, kayaking on the Salt Run lagoon or in the Guana marshes, then Vilano Beach at sunset. A car is useful from the third day.
The coast from Savannah to St. Augustine (1 week)
Three nights in Savannah for its squares, Bonaventure and Tybee Island, then the road south via Jekyll Island and its driftwood beaches, halfway, and a night on the Georgia islands. Three nights in St. Augustine for the centre, the lighthouse, Fort Matanzas and the beaches. Return via Jacksonville airport, an hour's drive away.
How to get to St. Augustine and get around?
There are no direct flights from Europe: the nearest airport is Jacksonville, 75 km to the north, reached with a connection in Atlanta, New York, Charlotte or Washington, for a journey of 12 to 14 hours. Allow an hour's drive to St. Augustine. Orlando, 170 km to the south, offers more flights and often cheaper car hire.
The historic centre can be done on foot: from the Castillo to Flagler College, it is less than 1 km. The sightseeing trains and hop-on hop-off trolleys tour the city with commentary and also serve the lighthouse and the Fountain of Youth, a handy way to get around on the first day.
A car is almost essential for getting there and for the coast, Fort Matanzas and the beaches. In the centre, parking is paid and scarce: use the large municipal car park near the visitor centre, or a hotel with parking, and leave the car there while you visit.
Cycling is pleasant on Anastasia Island and along the A1A, and several outlets hire bikes by the day. Avoid crossing the Bridge of Lions by bike at rush hour, as the roadway is narrow.
Where to stay in St. Augustine?
The historic district concentrates B&Bs in 19th-century houses, with breakfast and wine in the evening, from €200 to €350 a night, often adults only. They are the best way to do everything on foot.
The chain hotels and boutique hotels on the bayfront and San Marco Avenue cost around €150-280 a night, plus parking. The renovated retro motels on the bay, a few minutes' walk from the fort, are a good mid-range option.
St. Augustine Beach, on Anastasia Island, lines up hotels and motels facing the ocean, from €120 to €250 a night, with direct beach access and 10 minutes by car from the centre. The chains at the I-95 motorway exit drop below €100.
Prices rise in March and April, during spring break, at summer weekends and during the Nights of Lights, from late November to late January, when the centre is lit up with millions of bulbs. Accommodation taxes are added to the advertised price.
Our picks stop by stop, in three price ranges →
What to eat in St. Augustine?
The speciality is Minorcan clam chowder, red and spiced with datil, a small, very hot pepper grown here since the arrival of settlers from Minorca in the 18th century. It turns up as a sauce and as a jam on every table in the city.
Wild Atlantic shrimp, caught offshore, are eaten fried, grilled or in a Lowcountry boil in the seafood restaurants of St. Augustine Beach and Vilano, for $20-35. Oysters and clams come from the estuary's farms.
The colonial quarter lines up taverns and Spanish and Cuban restaurants, plus a scene of cocktail bars and craft breweries. The best-known tables are booked up at weekends; allow $50-90 per person with wine.
The city also has a craft distillery set up in a former ice plant, and a winery that makes muscadine wine from a very sweet local grape. Add a tip of 18 to 22% at restaurants.
Which kind of traveller is it for?
St. Augustine lends itself to a cultural, romantic and relaxing trip. Whether you travel as a couple, with family or even solo, everyone finds their own pace. For accommodation, you will mostly find boutique hotels, classic hotels and resorts.
Entry requirements & practical info
UK, Australian and most EU passports need an ESTA, applied for online before departure, for stays of up to 90 days; a few EU countries sit outside the Visa Waiver Program and need a full visa. Canadians need neither, only a passport. Anyone who has been to Cuba since January 2021 cannot use an ESTA and must apply for a visa.
Rules change: before you leave, check your country's official travel advice.
Once there, to stay online without paying roaming charges, an St. Augustine eSIM activates in a few minutes and works as soon as you land (plans from €3.99). Remember suitable travel insurance too.
Frequently asked questions about St. Augustine
When is the best time to visit St. Augustine?
March to May and October-November, with 23 to 28°C, a sea that is already or still pleasant and fewer storms. Summer is hot and humid, with storms almost every afternoon, and coincides with hurricane season. Winter is mild, and the Nights of Lights illuminate the centre from late November to late January, at the cost of heavy crowds at weekends.
How many days do you need in St. Augustine?
Two days for the historic centre, the Castillo, Flagler's buildings and the lighthouse. Three or four to add Fort Matanzas, the beaches and a kayak trip. The city combines well with Savannah to the north and Orlando to the south.
How much does it cost to enter the Castillo de San Marcos?
$15 per person aged 16 and over, about €13, valid for seven days, free for younger visitors, payable by card only. The Castillo is not subject to the $100 surcharge for non-residents, which applies only to eleven major national parks. Fort Matanzas, to the south, is free.
How do you get to St. Augustine from Europe?
Fly to Jacksonville, with a connection, then drive an hour south, or to Orlando, which has better connections, then drive two hours. A hire car is the simplest solution.
Can you swim in St. Augustine?
Yes, from May to October, on the beaches of Anastasia Island, St. Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach and Vilano Beach. Swim near the lifeguards, as rip currents are common, and keep clear of the turtle nests marked out on the sand.
What is the link between St. Augustine and France?
The city was born of a rivalry with the French Huguenots of Fort Caroline, who settled in 1564 near present-day Jacksonville. In 1565, Pedro Menéndez took their fort and had the shipwrecked survivors of Jean Ribault's fleet executed at Matanzas Inlet, south of the city. Fort Matanzas and its visitor centre tell this story.
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