Beach Guide: St. Augustine Beach's Iconic Pier and Melodic Surf

A. No. St. Augustine Beach is a separate city on Anastasia Island in St. Johns County, across the Bridge of Lions from St. Augustine's historic downtown.

So, the Spanish colonial old town, the fort and the narrow streets are in St. Augustine. The wide Atlantic beach, A1A Beach Boulevard and the pier are on the island. Most visitors do both, but they are a bridge apart.

A. St. Johns County Ocean Pier Park at 350 A1A Beach Blvd. It has free parking, free beach access, restrooms, a covered pavilion, volleyball courts, a splash park, a visitor information center and a gift shop.

It's the most serviced access on this stretch, and the free parking makes it the default choice. During repairs to the adjacent fishing pier, the park's northern beach access is closed. Visitors must use the southern entrance, and parking near the pavilion may be affected by construction.

A. No, not at the moment. The St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier closed in May for a construction project to repair and strengthen its pilings, with work anticipated to finish by the end of November 2026.

The rest of Ocean Pier Park remains open, including the splash park, restrooms, gift shop and beach access, although parking near the pavilion may be affected. The northern beach entrance is closed during construction, so visitors must use the southern entrance. Swimmers and surfers should remain at least 500 feet from the pier while repairs are underway.  Here’s where you can check its current status.

A. Seasonally. St. Johns County Marine Rescue staffs the beaches generally from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, roughly 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting. There is a lifeguard stand at Pier Park and at each beach ramp.

Outside that season, and outside those hours, the beach is unguarded. Anastasia State Park, just north of the city, also has seasonal lifeguard coverage at its designated swimming area from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Other stretches of the park's beach are unguarded.

A. Atlantic beaches tend to have more waves than the Gulf. Conditions change daily, and rip currents can occur even when the ocean appears calm.

Check the beach warning flags and swim near a lifeguard when one is on duty. If you're caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore until the pull releases rather than fighting straight back in, and raise an arm to signal a guard. Call 911 in an emergency. If you're stung by a jellyfish, rinse the affected area with seawater rather than fresh water, avoid rubbing the skin and carefully remove any visible tentacles without touching them with bare hands. Seek medical attention for severe or persistent symptoms, and call 911 for difficulty breathing, fainting or other signs of a serious allergic reaction.

A. On designated beaches in St. Johns County, yes, and the fee depends on the time of year. A driving fee is charged for vehicles entering the beach from March 1 through Sept. 30. From Oct. 1 through the end of February there is no fee to drive on the beach.

During sea turtle nesting season, May 1 through Oct. 31, county-managed beach driving gates close at 7:30 p.m. and reopen at 8 a.m. The A Street ramp in St. Augustine Beach has a different schedule, closing at 5 p.m. year-round. Beach driving is restricted to designated areas and may be suspended because of tides, weather or sand conditions. Vehicles are not permitted on the beach at Anastasia State Park.

A. Yes. Beach wheelchairs can be reserved through the county's online reservation system, with at least three days' advance notice required. Reservations are available for up to seven consecutive days, subject to availability, and chairs can be delivered to designated county-managed beach access points. For information, call Beach Services at 904-209-0331. Accessible parking is available at Ocean Pier Park, and ADA beach driving passes are offered to eligible visitors.

A. Yes. Dogs are welcome on St. Johns County beaches provided they are leashed at all times, including in the water, and owners pick up after them.

The leash rule is not a formality here and is enforced. Check the county's beach rules page before you go. Rules for the state park differ from the county beaches.

A. Anastasia State Park is at the north end of the island, with dunes, a tidal marsh and a quieter beach. The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum sits on the island too and can be climbed.

Over the Bridge of Lions, downtown St. Augustine has the Castillo de San Marcos and the historic district. Visitor information for the whole area is on the Florida's Historic Coast site.

A. Spring and fall bring mild, comfortable weather and thinner crowds than summer. Summer is warm and humid, with the warmest water of the year and the season's lifeguard coverage, which makes it the best window if swimming is the point.

Winter is the trade-off. The air is often pleasant for walking the beach or the historic district, but ocean temperatures on this stretch of northeast Florida drop into the upper 50s and low 60s in January and February, too cold for most people to swim.

A. Nesting season in St. Johns County runs May 1 through Oct. 31, and the county takes concrete measures through it, including closing the beach driving gates overnight.

Flashlights are strongly discouraged during nesting season because artificial light can disorient nesting turtles and hatchlings. Leave nests and their markers undisturbed, fill in holes, knock down sandcastles and remove beach furniture overnight. Stay out of dunes and designated conservation zones.

St. Johns County regulates beachfront lighting to protect nesting sea turtles and hatchlings. Compliant outdoor lighting should be low, shielded, directed away from the beach and use approved long-wavelength colors such as amber, orange or red.

The county publishes its light management rules and a sea turtles page, and disturbed nests or injured turtles go to the state Wildlife Alert line at 888-404-3922.