The Ultimate Guide to Spring in St. Augustine
How to Make the Most of Your Spring Vacation to St. Augustine
The Nation's Oldest City is a fantastic destination for your spring vacation. A visit to St. Augustine in spring provides you with a immense list of fascinating places to explore and exciting things to do.
So what are you waiting for? Let's jump into how to take the ultimate spring break in St. Augustine.
Explore Downtown St. Augustine
After you've arrived and settled in to your St. Augustine vacation rental, it'll be time to head out and check out the bustling downtown area.
The first thing you'll notice is the impressive architecture of St. Augustine's historic buildings. Over the centuries since the city was first established, various areas feature an enticing multicultural influence. Everyone from Spanish and English colonials to American revolutionaries and early African-Americans left a cultural and stylistic impact on the city's design. It's all too easy to get lost in time just gawking at the St. Augustine's lovely buildings.
When you do collect yourself from admiring the architecture, you can turn your attention to the city's vibrant downtown scene. The Historic District of St. Augustine hosts some of the area's best shopping and dining. Plus, this district is where you'll find the gorgeous Flagler College, one of St. Augustine's most recognizable and intriguing landmarks.
First-time visitors coming during spring should start their journey on St. George Street as it's what many locals consider the heart of St. Augustine. Formerly the city's main drag, St. George Street gives you the most authentic experience of the Ancient City. The street is lined with St. Augustine's most cherished boutiques, historic homes, and wonderful dining spots.
Uncover History Across the Ancient City
St. Augustine is the oldest oldest continuously occupied settlement of European and African-American origin in the United States. The original settlement of St. Augustine was established in 1565 by Spanish colonizers under the command of Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés.
Over the years as St. Augustine grew from a small military outpost into a full-blown city, it changed hands between the Spanish, British, and eventually the United States. As such, St. Augustine is rich with cultural and historic sites that are fascinating to explore!
Two of the oldest and most recognizable sites are the Castillo de San Marcos and the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The Castillo is an imposing fortress built by the Spanish to ward off attacks from the British Navy. You can take a self-guided tour of Castillo de San Marcos as well as catch weapon demonstrations of muskets and cannons over the weekends.
The St. Augustine Lighthouse has a history nearly as old as St. Augustine itself, with the site's original watchtower dating back to the early 1600s. The current lighthouse is 150 years old, 165 feet tall, and it houses an authentic hand-made Fresnel lens from 1874 that still lights up every night. Exploring the lighthouse and it's joint maritime museum is a must-do spring activity in St. Augustine!
BONUS TIP: The St. Augustine Lighthouse is a well-known haunted attraction. Get a complete ghoulish experience by taking the Dark of the Moon Ghost Tour inside the tower at night!
Try Exciting Water Outdoor Activities
Spring is the best time for outdoor activities in St. Augustine. Temperatures stay in a pleasant range between the mid 60s and low 80s °F, and this season brings the lowest precipitation levels. All ideal conditions for some adventuring outdoors!
Some of the most fun to be had is out on the water. Water tours abound here in St. Augustine, and you can cruise out to sea on yachts, kayaks, and everything inbetween. One water tour that's unique to St. Augustine is hopping aboard the 76-foot schooner, Freedom. The Freedom is the the largest US Coast Guard certified sailing vessel in St. Augustine, and it's been thrilling guests out on the high seas for over 20 years. This is an especially fun spring excursion for families traveling with kids.
If you prefer to paddle you're own canoe, then you do that here too... but in a kayak! There are many exceptional kayaking tour outfitters that will guide you across the tranquil waters around St. Augustine. You can paddle out during the day, at sunrise or sunset, or even at night on special bioluminescent tours.
Of course, if you're looking for less thrills and more places to chill, you can always hang out at the lovely beaches in St. Augustine. The beaches here are some of the finest sand-meets-water spots in the country. They're perfect for swimming, surfing, strolling, and just sprawling in the sand to soak up the sun. Check out our Beaches Guide to find your ideal St. Augustine beach.
Stay in a Lovely Vacation Rental
You know we had to say it! One of the most important factors in a great spring vacation is picking the right place to stay. Here in St. Augustine, the best accommodations are with Sovereign & Jacobs in the beautiful communities of Ocean House, Sea Winds, and Seaside at Anastasia.
Find your ideal vacation rental by browsing the communities, searching for oceanfront or ocean view rentals, or by searching our entire catalog. Whichever option you go for, we're sure you'll have an exceptional time staying in your St. Augustine spring vacation rental!
Learn more about all the exciting activities and things to do in St. Augustine this spring, head over to our Visitors Guide. Click the button below to browse our complete catalog of luxury St. Augustine vacation rentals.