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St. Augustine was already more than fifty years old when the Pilgrims landed. Founded in 1565, it's the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the United States — and home to the oldest masonry fort in the country, built from local shell-stone.
The best of it is free to walk, but a little money unlocks the great fort, the Gilded Age palaces, and a night inside a centuries-old inn. Here's the city from free to luxury.
America the Beautiful Pass: Castillo de San Marcos is a National Park Service site. If you have the $80 annual America the Beautiful pass, it covers your entry — and there are 10 fee-free NPS days in 2026.
The Four-Tier Plan
- ✓St. George Street & the Old City Gates# — Walk the narrow pedestrian lane of centuries-old coquina buildings and shaded courtyards.
- ✓The Seawall & Plaza de la Constitución# — See the fort from the bay and stand in the oldest planned public square in the country.
- ✓Nights of Lights (seasonal)# — From Nov 21 to Jan 18 the old town glows under millions of white lights — free to walk through.
- ✓Castillo de San Marcos# — $15 (kids 15 and under free) to tour the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S., built of coquina shell-stone.
- ✓St. Francis Inn# — Sleep inside the history — an 18th-century inn with fireplaces and quiet courtyards in the old quarter.
Pro Tips
Walk St. George Street early
Before the shops open, the old lane is empty and quiet — the best few minutes of the day.
Check NPS fee-free days
On a handful of days in 2026, entry to the Castillo is completely free.
Wear comfortable walking shoes
The old town is small and best on foot over its coquina and cobblestone streets.
Visit Nov–Jan for the lights
Nights of Lights is one of the best holiday displays in the country — and free to stroll.
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