A-Foot in St. Augustine

By Chelle Koster Walton
Published: April 10, 2009
Last Updated On: May 3, 2012

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Downtowns & Small Towns

Parks

Walking Tours

Museums

St Augustine

Historical Sites

Historic Districts

Hotels

Explore St. Augustine’s historic nooks and crannies the way the colonials did, solely on shoe leather.

Footloose & Car-Free

Do it like the colonials. It's the fitting and most efficient way to explore all of St. Augustine's intriguing historic nooks and crannies: the way the Spanish, Greeks, Minorcans, British and early Americans did it, solely on shoe leather. You're in good company as you walk - pirates, wenches, Victorian ladies and top-hatted gentlemen stroll the Old City streets, too.

One section of the historic district along St. George Street allows only foot traffic, so you have no choice in the matter. Other streets in the zone, not much more than a half-mile by a half-mile, are easy to reach and navigate. A number of walking tours themed to ghosts, the Henry Flagler railroad era, Spanish heritage and other historic aspects are available night and day. When your feet need a break, hop aboard the sightseeing train or trolley or sit back for a clip-clop horse-drawn buggy tour.


Parking Zone

My most recent visit, I headquartered my walking tour in the thick of Old City at St. Francis Inn, a properly time-framed building where the whirlpool bath in my room issued the perfect antidote to walking the brick streets of the historic district day-long. Other bed-and-breakfasts are easy to find within walking distance of St. Augustine's attractions - try Carriage Way or Casa de Solana for a sense of the past. Casa Monica Hotel, circa 1888, is an option for those who seek luxury with their history, plus affordable alternatives such as Days Inn and Bayfront Inn are nearby.


Walk This Way

We begin at the northernmost and ancient-most section of the Old City, where the Spanish built their fort Castillo de San Marcos beginning in 1672 to defend against British marauders. Before visiting the national monument, stop at the Visitor Information Center on Castillo Drive for an orientation movie, maps and an overview of the city and its past.

Don't miss the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse and the Colonial Spanish Quarter, a living museum comprising several historic buildings and re-enactors demonstrating life during St. Augustine's early Spanish years.

North of the fort lies some attractions best visited by train or trolley, unless you're an avid walker. Ripley's Believe It or Not! is right next door, but Old Florida Museum, Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth, Mission of Nombre de Dios and Old Jail Museum lie a half to a mile away. If you do walk, stop in at the row of antique shops along San Marco Avenue.

The City Gates mark the beginning of St. George Street a block west of the fort. Shops and historic stops line the street and side streets for 10 blocks. Don't miss the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse and the Colonial Spanish Quarter, a living museum comprising several historic buildings and re-enactors demonstrating life during St. Augustine's early Spanish years. For a taste of Spanish, have a bite at Columbia Restaurant. Shop for local art, Spanish pottery, candy, kites, cigars and more. Restaurants of all denominations and art galleries spike off the main thoroughfare along the way.

When you reach Cathedral Place, circle the Plaza de la Constitucion and Old Market to visit Basilica Cathedral and the Government House Museum of History and Archaeology. Continue west on King Street to visit Potter's Wax Museum or take a side trip into the Gilded Age, when industrialist Henry Flagler built railroads, hotels and churches here. Hallmarks of his reign include Flagler College, which offers tours of the erstwhile hotel where it resides; Casa Monica Hotel; and the Lightner Museum, another former hotel that houses an eclectic collection of art glass and other treasures. Have lunch at the bottom of the hotel's old swimming pool and peruse the antique mall around it.

Follow Cordova Street to Bridge Street, the boundaries for Lincolnville, a historic African-American community of fine, Victorian homes. The Dow Museum of Historic Homes clusters a set of multi-era buildings from the town's past on Bridge Street. A block over on St. Francis Street, Oldest House is another complex for visiting the past.

Circle back along the waterfront via Avenida Menendez. At the city marina, you can pick up a boat tour of local waters. Motels, pubs and restaurants line the waterfront.

For more information on meandering into the past at St. Augustine, visit floridashistoriccoast.com.