On any usual google searches regarding St Augustine, the first-mentioned activities and must-sees are, of course, its fantastic history, beautiful beaches, and stunning wildlife. If, however, you are not such a fan of the beaten track and prefer to see hidden gems and wacky features, then search no further. I have compiled a list of the weirdest and most beautiful things to see and do in St Augustine.
Dress up as an inmate at the Old Jail Museum. Undoubtedly top of the list for history lovers, the old jail museum is situated in the old town and served as the city’s jail from 1891 until 1953. The best part about this experience, which makes it deserving of its place on this list, is that visitors can dress up as inmates from that time period while moving through the male and female cells, as well as the maximum-security cells too. The jail does not look as expected since it was designed and built to blend in with St Augustine’s ancient walls. It, therefore, appears like a Victorian house in many ways, making it even more unique and spooky to visit in fancy dress!
Get spooked out at the Medieval torture museum. If you are faint-hearted, scroll away now. With the spooky theme, downtown St Augustine has its very own medieval torture museum. This was put together by historians, scientists, and curators to inform visitors of the horror of our medieval past. This is an absolute must-see for history lovers that is very often overlooked in St Augustine travel guides.
Prepare to set sail at the Pirate and Treasure Museum. As featured on CNN, St Augustine’s pirate and treasure museum is the perfect place for groups of all ages, and a fantastic way to learn more about St Augustine from a different perspective. The museum offers over 800 authentic artifacts which reflect a rich history of piracy dating back to the 1600s. Why go to see the Pirates of the Caribbean part of Orlando when you can see these relics?
Get your mind bent at the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum. This is not just an optical illusion experience. Ripley’s has hundreds of weird and beautiful artifacts, red-train tours, one of the oldest miniature golf courses in Florida, and a whole castle investigation for you to partake in to discover some of St Augustine’s oldest and darkest secrets. Make sure that you book in advance, as tickets can sell pretty quickly during the holidays, and are mandatory for the train tours and haunted castle investigation.
Take the zip-line through the St Augustine Alligator Farm. This one is certainly one to write home about. It is the only location in the world where you can see every species of crocodile that currently exist, but they are committed to conservation, and caring for the animals that they have in their collection. There are albino alligators, wading birds, lemurs, tamarins, and countless other animals to see and learn about here. But undoubtedly, the coolest part is the zip-line through the tree-tops of the park. This zip-line is undoubtedly one of its kind, with tropical birds and lemurs at your eye level, alligators and crocodiles right beneath your dangling feet.
Sail away on the Schooner Freedom. The Schooner Freedom is St Augustine’s premier tall ship, with a height of 76 feet, and nearly 2400 square feet of sail. She is family-run, and the captain and crew operate with a passion for the boat and the ocean. This is the perfect postcard home to sail in for the afternoon if you are into your boats. Freedom is an authentic replica of a 19th-century blockade runner, with beautiful white sails, making it the picture-perfect sailing boat. With such magnificent sunsets throughout the year in Florida, sailing in such a stunning boat at this time is a great way to make people at home jealous.
Hire a paddleboard. Anastasia Island, Vilano beach, and St John’s river are all home to some of the rarest and most beautiful wildlife in the world. Not only this, but they are popular locations for SUP (stand up paddleboarding). There are some great rental shops dotted around, filled with helpful experts who can give you tips on where to head to, how suitable the weather is, and how difficult certain areas are for different ability levels.
Be stunned by Potter’s wax museum. Housed inside the oldest pharmacy in the United States, Potter’s wax museum is definitely worth a spot on our weird and wonderful list for its exquisite detail and meticulous accuracy that the wax figures hold. The figures vary across a wide range of Roman Centurions, celebrities, politicians, and athletes. There are often artists hanging around also, who can provide interesting anecdotes about how the works were created.
Get a thrill in the secret chamber of the Castillo de San Marcos. Finally, I had to reserve a spot for exploring this fort and its hidden mysteries. Built in 1672, it is easy to imagine the stories that line its walls, and even better is to visit in person and hear some of them, which brings chills down the spine. Deep inside the fort is a hidden chamber with a low doorway, which was only discovered in 1932. Rumor has it that skeletons were found lurking in the shadows when they opened the door. Many ghost hunters have reported unusual activity around this room. It has a history of unexplained deaths, so it is a lucrative place for those keen on horror.
I sincerely hope you have picked up some ideas for your weird and wonderful trip to St Augustine. I have intentionally chosen rare, wilder, and more exciting locations for those who are keen to stray outside of their comfort zones while enjoying the fantastic opportunities available in St Augustine.
