Visit the St. Augustine Lighthouse

The St. Augustine Lighthouse sits 165 feet above sea level overlooking Matanzas Bay and the Atlantic Ocean from beautiful Anastasia Island. Here you have many options to choose from of things to do and learn about. You can climb the 219 steps to the top for a spectacular view of the area. Experience life at a light station. See preservation and research work in action at the Maritime Archeology and Education Center. The quality hands-on activities for all ages are really what sets this unique museum apart. There are a plethora of things to do on a visit to the St. Augustine Lighthouse but these are our 5 favorites!

1. The impressive exhibits at the St. Augustine Lighthouse will have you learning all the history of the region from the 1500s when Ponce de Leon first set eyes on Florida, to WWII era history, to the connections to today’s shrimping industry. These informative exhibits are housed in 4 historical areas on the property.
2. You’ll have the opportunity to watch wooden boat building in progress. At Heritage Boatworks museum volunteers of the St. Augustine Lighthouse use the old world and modern techniques to continue the tradition of boatmaking and educate in the process. An interesting and informative activity!
3. Along with the boatmaking demonstrations, there is an array of other daily demos and programs to choose from at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Ranging from learning how sailors navigated the ocean before there was GPS, to how lighthouses work, to stories of shipwrecks to discovering how archeologists search for and find artifacts from the floor of the sea. There is certainly a program for everyone!
4. The specialty tours are worth checking out at the St. Augustine lighthouse as they too offer a variety of subjects and interests. There are tours like the Lighthouse Ghost tour where you’ll walk through the 1876 Keepers’ house and lighthouse tower at night! Once a month the Sunset Moonrise tour offers the opportunity to watch as the sun disappears into the St. Augustine horizon and at the same time the full moon comes up out of the Atlantic. A magical sight to witness!
5. Enjoy wandering around the gorgeous grounds of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Stroll along the Maritime Hammock Trails through natural and historic sites. Get a picnic lunch from the Tin Pickle, a WWII themed snack bar. Soak in the beauty and ponder the history that has happened here.