If you are looking for a great place to go on your next family vacation Tennis Villa 15B is the place to be… our family ranged in ages from 7-57 and we all had a wonderful time.  Disney is a short drive away, you have a pool indoor and out, the beach is right there and the downtown is awesome.  We went to an ice cream and fudge shop called Killwins…mouth watering!!!

The owner was WONDERFUL to work with and she remodeled and updated the entire unit very nicely.

Entering the fort grounds

Located on the edge of the historic district in St. Augustine, Florida, Castillo de San Marcos was built by the Spanish at the end of the 17th century. Dad and I visited in May 2010 as part of our visit to St. Augustine.

History of the Fort

The fort is hauntingly beautiful

St. Augustine is the oldest permanently occupied city in the United States, founded by the Spanish in 1565. Spain immediately saw the need for defense, and constructed a series of wooden forts. But two events occurred 100 years later that spurred the need for a more permanent defensive structure. In 1668, St. Augustine was attacked by an English pirate. In 1670, English settlers established Charles Town (modern-day Charleston) in South Carolina.

Construction on Castillo de San Marcos began in 1672 and lasted 23 years. The fort was built from coquina, a soft but strong stone made from compressed shells that is prevalent in the area. The softness of the stone allows cannonballs to bounce off rather than penetrate the fort’s walls.

Military Battles

See the solidier on the gun deck?

Queen Anne’s War was largely a fight between England and France for control of North America. As Spain was allied with France and had interests in the area, it quickly became involved. The war began in 1702 and in early November of that year, English forces sailed from Charles Town to St. Augustine.

The Siege of St. Augustine lasted two months. All 1,200 residents and 300 soldiers remained safely ensconced in the fort as the English forces pounded the walls with cannon fire. As expected, the soft coquina walls absorbed the impact and little damage occurred. Spanish reinforcements arrived from Cuba at the end of December. Finding themselves surrounded, the English burned their ships and retreated overland, burning the city on their way out.

In 1738, the fort was strengthened and interior spaces were redesigned. Castillo de San Marcos’ next battle was part of the War of Jenkins Ear, named for an English captain whose ear was cut off by a Spanish officer. In 1740, General James Oglethorpe of England led seven ships to St. Augustine.

As before, the city’s residents and soldiers took shelter in the fort while the English forces uselessly bounced cannonballs off its walls. This Siege of St. Augustine lasted 27 days, while Oglethorpe choked the Matanzas River and the city’s supply routes in an attempt to starve the city. The English were forced to retreat when their own supplies ran low, but to avoid future blockades, the Spanish decided to build an additional fort at the Matanzas River. Fort Matanzas was completed in 1742.

Castillo de San Marcos Changes Hands

Housing was primitive at best

The Treaty of Paris in 1763 gave control of Spanish Florida to the British, who made some changes to the fort and renamed it Fort Mark. It was used as a prison during the American Revolution. In 1783, the new Treaty of Paris gave control back to the Spanish, who brought back the original name and made some improvements. But the Second Spanish Period ended quickly and, in 1819, Spain ceded the Florida Territory to the United States.

The United States changed the fort’s name to Fort Marion and used it primarily as a prison during the Second Seminole War. When Florida seceded from the Union in 1861, the Confederacy took the fort without a fight. It returned to Union hands in 1862, also without a struggle, and became a military prison for the rest of its operations.

The fort housed mostly Native American prisoners from 1875 through 1887, where it became a model for Native American educational programs. During the Spanish American War, the fort housed more than 200 deserters. But in 1900, after 205 years under five different flags, the fort ceased operations.

Castillo de San Marcos Today

The museum displays are fascinating

The fort became a National Monument in 1924 and came under the auspices of the National Park Service in 1933. The National Park Service changed its name back to the original Castillo de San Marcos. Today it operates as a tourist attraction.

Visiting the Fort

The view from the gun deck is worth the climb

Although many of the St. Augustine trolley tours and carriage rides offer a stop near the fort, we decided to take our van. There is a huge metered parking lot just outside the fort which, as of 2011, costs 50 cents per hour. A few free disabled spots are available. You can park here for a maximum of two hours, so if you need all-day parking, consider the garage at the Visitor Center one block away.

Dad has a Golden Access pass from the National Park Service, which provides free admission for the pass holder and up to three adults. Regular fort admission is $6 per adult, valid for seven consecutive days. Children aged 15 and under are free, and must be accompanied by an adult.

We picked up a free self-guided walking tour brochure at the ticket booth and took our time exploring the fort. Several rooms house artifacts and exhibits that explain some of the important battles that took place. A 25-minute video on the fort’s history plays every hour throughout the day.

Keep an eye out for reenactors in period costumes

Both park rangers and reenactors in period costumes are on hand to provide further information and perform historical interpretations. Historic weapons demonstrations take place on a semi-regular basis. Programs are not always well-advertised, so ask about anything that might take place during your visit.

The grounds are wheelchair-accessible, but access to the gun decks is via steep stairs. Keep a close eye on your children, as the fort was not built to modern standards. Uneven surfaces and dark passageways could be dangerous for those who are not paying attention. It takes approximately two hours to see the fort in depth, or about an hour to make a brief walk through each room.

The Lighthouse and Museum is a surprisingly large complex

Located on the northern end of Anastasia Island, within the city limits of St. Augustine, the St. Augustine Lighthouse plays a critical role in water navigation. In May 2010, Dad and I set off to tour the lighthouse and accompanying museum. The surprisingly expansive museum and audio tour provided a great deal of historical information, while the climb to the top yielded an amazing view.  

Lighthouses of St. Augustine  

The Keepers' House is now a museum

The first lighthouse on the property was built by the Spanish shortly after they settled the area in 1565. It was a crude wooden structure designed more for primitive defensive than ship guidance, but served both purposes until St. Augustine was burned by English privateer Sir Francis Drake in 1586.  

The Spanish built a much larger complex in 1683. Built from coquina, a soft but sturdy stone made of compressed shells, and surrounded by a coquina wall, the complex included a guardhouse, watchtower, well and ammunition storage house. The complex was expanded and refurbished each time it changed hands.  

In 1821, the United States acquired the Florida Territory and the Territorial Council requested lighthouses for Pensacola and St. Augustine. The coquina building was converted to a true lighthouse for the first time, opening in 1824 under lighthouse keeper Juan Andreu.  

When Florida joined the Confederacy, lighthouse keeper Maria De Los Delores Mestre and Captain George Gibbs extinguished the light to help deter Union attacks by sea. Customs master Paul Arnau removed the lens and buried it in a secret location. Though the lens was later recovered, the light was not relit until 1867.  

By 1870, beach erosion had nearly reached the coquina lighthouse. A new brick lighthouse was constructed west of the original structure. It opened in 1874 under keeper William Russell, who previously operated the coquina lighthouse. The original keepers’ house fell into the ocean in 1878, and the old tower collapsed in 1880.  

The Victorian duplex was added by keeper William Harn

The brick lighthouse was operated for 20 years by Union war hero William A. Harn. His family was welcoming to visitors, often serving lemonade out on the front porch of their home, a Victorian duplex built during Harn’s reign.  

Each head keeper was aided by two assistant keepers, who lived in separate portions of the duplex-style home. Modern technology brought changes over the years, from the 1885 conversion to kerosene lamp fuel, to indoor plumbing in 1906. The keepers’ house received electricity in 1925, but the lighthouse was the last in Florida to receive electricity in 1936.  

As automation and technology reduced the duties involved, the number of keepers dropped from three to two and eventually to one. In 1955, the lighthouse was fully automated and the last full-time lighthouse keeper departed Anastasia Island. The keepers’ house was rented to local residents during the 1960s, and sold to St. John’s County in 1970. That year, the house suffered a devastating arson fire, although the lighthouse was not affected.  

Restoration and Museum Conversion  

The Junior Service League did a great deal of restoration work

The Junior Service League of St. Augustine took over the lighthouse and grounds in 1980 and began the process of restoring the complex. Despite setbacks, including serious damage to the lens by rifle fire in 1986, the JSL had the support of numerous organizations. The complex opened to the public in 1994 as the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum.  

Today the museum includes the rebuilt keepers’ house, themed to its 1867 appearance, the lighthouse tower, a World War II jeep repair facility, and a 1941 Coast Guard barracks. There is also a maritime archaeology exhibit and displays on the local boatbuilding industry. An audio tour provides detailed information about each location, and the knowledgeable employees are happy to answer questions.  

Our Visit  

The stairs to the tower base don't look so intimidating

We arrived mid-morning, intending to see everything. As of 2011, adult tickets are $9 per person, with a small discount for seniors aged 60 or over and children aged 11 or younger. Family ticket packages and annual passes are available. A private tour of the lens room is available by appointment, but at $500 per person it was a bit out of our price range!  

Dad was doubtful about his ability to climb the 219 steps due to his health conditions, but good-natured travel partner that he is, he agreed to try. A few jokes about the ability of a stretcher to reach the top of the stairs, and we were off to make the climb. You can listen to the audio tour, included in the price of admission, in any order, so we headed to the tower first to “get the climb over with,” according to Dad. 

Surprisingly, the climb was not that challenging. There are wide landings after every dozen or so steps, and many are audio tour stops. Pacing the climb gave Dad a chance to catch his breath and rest his legs. The total elevation gain is 14 stories, and there are windows on every landing that let you monitor your progress. 

Dad made it up all 219 steps

Emerging on the top deck was quite an experience. The spiral stairs get progressively steeper and narrower as you approach the top, making the last portion of the climb intimidating for those (like me!) who suffer from claustrophobia and a fear of heights. I took the last steps tentatively, suddenly finding myself on the very narrow top landing. Feeling claustrophobic, I stumbled out the door to my left, out into the bright sunshine. The deck is surrounded by a railing, but it feels particularly open and exposed after the confining climb. I saw several fellow climbers with their backs pressed against the wall, as far away from the railing as possible.  

The view was spectacular from the top

But wow, what a view! I got my bearings for a moment and then stepped out to the edge. As the wind whipped through my hair, I took in the sights all around St. Augustine. Dad was pretty eager to get back on the ground, though, as his back was feeling the climb. It’s amazing how much easier it is going down!  

Back on the ground, we sat and caught our breath for a bit, and then headed outside to take in the rest of the tour. It seemed that every time we turned a corner we made an exciting new discovery. We spent more than two hours exploring the various buildings and displays.  

Myths and Legends  

The tower is filled with myths and legends

The lighthouse is replete with tales of ghostly activity. While the daytime tours do not mention these legends, most staff members are eager to share their stories if asked. The lighthouse was featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters. Our first experience with the lighthouse was actually on a ghost tour several years ago. We did the Hearse Tour of St. Augustine, which proved quite creepy as we were the only guests on the tour, and one of the stops was the lighthouse grounds. We didn’t see anything unusual, but the tales definitely set a spooky mood.  

The lighthouse offers “Dark of the Moon” tours on most, but not all, Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year. These evening tours focus on the paranormal history of the complex, with an emphasis on presenting the historical facts behind the legends. As of 2011, these tours cost $25 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. Call ahead to be sure that the tour is available on your chosen evening.  

Height and Accessibility Information  

Children must be 44 inches and able to climb under their own power

For safety reasons, children must be 44 inches tall to climb the lighthouse. They must also be able to climb under their own power. The steep, spiraling stairs are not conducive to carrying a child, and if you were to slip, it would be almost impossible to maintain your own balance while holding a child.  

Children who do not meet the height requirement to climb receive several perks. The child and one parent are admitted free of charge to the museum and the tower base. The child also gets a free coloring book and a certificate entitling him to a free climb when he is tall enough.  

As a historic building, the lighthouse tower is not accessible to those who are unable to climb the steps. However, there is a ramp to the ground floor of the keepers’ house. An alternative stairway to the basement of the keepers’ house has only six steps and can be opened by staff upon request. Most of the grounds are wheelchair accessible. Staff members go out of their way to provide whatever assistance they can to those with disabilities, so don’t hesitate to ask if something specific is possible.

Drink from the legendary Fountain of Youth

Settled by the Spanish in 1565, St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest continuously-occupied city in the continental United States. St. Augustine was actually discovered by accident by explorer Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513. Legend has it that Ponce de Leon set out from Puerto Rico in search of the island of Bimini, where he was told he could find the restorative Fountain of Youth. Ponce de Leon found Florida instead, and came ashore alongside a fountain that he believed was indeed the Fountain of Youth.

The Fountain first opened as a tourist attraction in 1901, operated by Diamond Lil’ of the Alaskan Klondike Gold Rush. Lil’ charged a small fee for a drink from the fountain and a short presentation. Today the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park is a full-day tribute to the history of Spanish Florida.

Admission

The entrance sets the stage for the day ahead

As of 2011, admission to the Fountain of Youth is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors aged 60 and over, and $6 for children aged 6 to 12. Kids under 6 are free. Discounts are available for AAA members and active duty military, and St. John’s County residents are free. However, Fountain of Youth tickets are also included in a wide range of tour packages. Check with the Visitor Center in St. Augustine for ticket package options. Parking is free, and the Fountain of Youth is a stop for all local tourist trolleys. Your admission fee includes all exhibits and special programs at the park.

Spring House

The water is treated and filtered, but tastes like sulfur

Your tour starts in the spring house, where the Fountain is located. Enjoy a free cup of water from the Fountain while listening to a guide explain nearly 500 years of history. Today the water is treated and filtered, ensuring that it meets modern standards for drinking water. However, the spring imparts a heavily sulfur taste. You may want to warn your kids about the taste before they try it. The guided presentation is geared toward families and kids, and provides a lot of information in a short, entertaining way. There are also several historical exhibits in the building.

Planetarium

Arrive early to check out the old navigational instruments

The planetarium show is great fun for both kids and adults. Sit back and relax in a comfortable seat while stars are projected on the dome that surrounds you. A soundtrack explains how Ponce de Leon and his traveling party were able to find Florida using the stars for reference. Try to arrive a few minutes early to check out the displays of early navigational tools in the lobby.

Discovery Globe

The 1959 Discovery Globe is low-tech but very cool

The discovery globe is a very old-school, but very cool, exhibit. A massive 3D illuminated globe at the front of the room demonstrates the routes used by Spanish explorers to the New World and highlights various Spanish towns throughout the United States. The discovery globe presentation has changed little since its inception in 1959, making it a fascinating look at early tourism technology.

Indian Exhibits

Living history interpreters share the Native American culture of the era

The Native Americans played a crucial role in teaching the Spanish settlers to adapt to their strange new home. A series of exhibits document the lifestyle of Native Americans in Florida in the 1500s. Living history interpreters demonstrate native games and crafts, and children are invited to participate.

Native Christian Burial Ground

The Native Christian Burial Ground is morbid yet fascinating

Perhaps the most morbidly fascinating exhibit at the Fountain of Youth is the Native Christian Burial Ground. In 1934, workers planting orange groves in St. Augustine unearthed a collection of human bones. When the Smithsonian certified the location as the first Christian Indian burial ground, dating to the 1500s, the bones were moved to a permanent exhibit inside the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park. Each skeleton was carefully laid out in the same position that it was found.

A black and white photo shows what the original exhibit looked like

Although the display was heavily disturbed by Hurricane Donna in 1960, the skeletons remained on exhibit to the public until 1991. Informational signs told visitors the story of the discovery, as well as some details about Indian burials in the 1500s. In 1991, the Timucua Indian Nation requested that the skeletons be reinterred according to current Native American practice. While the bones are long gone, the exhibit remains. The old information signs still stand, alongside photos of the original display and new signage that explains the reburial.

Today the exhibit bears silent witness to the changing face of American tourism. From the 1930s until the 1990s, it was perfectly acceptable for tourists to gawk at real human bones. Today it is seen as unacceptable. But is this true for all bones under all circumstances? Certainly mummies are still on display around the world, and the controversial Bodies Exhibition has toured the country for more than five years. Perhaps it isn’t the fact that they were human bones, but the fact that they were Native American bones. Maybe the display and subsequent reburial actually tell us more about the dynamic and ever-changing relationship between Native Americans and European Americans than they do about our taste for looking at bones themselves.

Whatever your thoughts and feelings about the Native Christian Burial Ground, it serves as an excellent jumping-off point for conversations. A slightly odd energy seems to hang over the exhibit, particularly when your family is in the building alone. Be prepared for questions from your kids, and perhaps from your significant other as well.

Tips for Parents

The friendly peacocks are everywhere

The Fountain of Youth Archeological Park has changed little since its inception. Instead, it stands as a well-conceived, low-tech tourist attraction that is great fun for all ages. Don’t look for sophisticated computer systems or interactive displays. Instead, focus on the extremely knowledgeable employees who have perfected their presentations through years of practice.

Although your guide map will give a suggested route through the exhibits, you are not required to follow that plan. Each building’s presentation repeats on a regular basis, generally every 15 to 30 minutes depending on season. We were there at the same time as an enormous school group, so rather than pack in with the kids we skipped ahead by one exhibit. We had a 20-minute initial wait, and then had every exhibit almost to ourselves.

The massive, well-manicured grounds are dotted with picnic tables and benches. Friendly peacocks and squirrels scamper and play, and most are docile enough to be hand-fed. Pack a picnic, take your time, and enjoy one of Florida’s last remaining pre-Disney tourist attractions.

We loved the warm water and soft sand beaches near St. Augustine.

What’s the oldest city in the United States? Our kids guessed Boston, and I confess, I would’ve thought New England would be the regional winner for the longest inhabited in the continental US. But we’d all be wrong – America’s oldest is St. Augustine, Florida. And as such, the town loves it’s history. And because the history involves such sights as residents in period costumes and military re-enactments, your family will love the history it offers, too.

St. Augustine has beautiful beaches, and a relaxed Southern feeling to its family friendly shops and old fashioned wax museum and alligator farm. Positioned on the north eastern side of the Florida coast, this is a lovely city with historic buildings and a graceful central plaza that dates from the era when this town was a center of military activity and trading for colonial Spain.

We arrived in this gracious city just at lunch time, and with a desire for both seafood and the beach, we hit Barnacle Bill’s family friendly establishment right near the sand off Beach Boulevard. We had crisp and delicious fried shrimp – available at nicely reduced prices on the children’s menu. After lunch we strolled the pedestrian only by-way of St. George Street, where street musicians and street vendors compete with the tourist shops along this pleasant avenue. Reputedly the oldest wooden school house in the US is located here, too.

After exploring, we went to our accommodations for the weekend. We stayed at The Kenwood Inn, a charming bed and breakfast that welcomes kids with a sun room full of board games and a small but well appointed swimming pool in its courtyard. The house was built in the eighteen hundreds, and the part of the pleasures of this spot are the irregularly shaped rooms and comfortable canopied beds. The breakfast was plentiful and laid out buffet style in the mornings; cookies and sherry were served in the evening as an extra treat. The St. Francis Inn, down the street, is another gracious bed and breakfast in a town with many to choose from.

Once we’d checked in, as the sun light was waning,  we hit a few tourist spots. Potter’s Wax Museum isn’t a grand historical attraction from the colonial era, but it is a relic of the past – a simpler past, when tourists were amazed by wax replicas of movie stars and political figures. Our kids loved the hokey but well maintained site, and agreed to pass up the more prosaic chain- attraction charms of nearby Ripley’s in order to check out Potter’s.

Historic fort in St. Augustine, Florida

More conventionally historic is the stunning Castillo De San Marco, a fort built in 1695 to protect St. Augustine’s Spanish settlers from the British. Unfortunately, while it kept the citizenry safe, seven years later the Brits burnt out the town while the settlers stayed in the fort. The fort is a beautiful piece of Spanish architecture and from there it’s just a short stroll to the water. Look for dolphins, and watch the moon rise.

Next day, after breakfast at our b & b, we grabbed some tasty snacks to go from The Bunnery Bakery and Cafe on St. George. We enjoyed our feta cheese and spinach croissants on the sand. While there are beautiful beaches all around town, cars are allowed onto the sand – which is fun, too. If you’re not looking to drive onto the hard pack, particularly with small children in tow, you may want to drive for a few minutes to one of two more serene beach going locations.

At Fort Matanzas National Monument Beach, you can take a wooden walkway to a beautiful beach. A free ferry offers a short, ranger led hourly ride to the other side of the inlet. There you can take a tour of this fort which was built in the mid 1700′s. Anastasia State Park is clean, quiet and peaceful, and another prime dolphin watching site – and again, car free, with soft white sand.

St. Augstine lighthouse – great coastal views!

For another look at this gorgeous coast line, check out the beautiful St. Augustine Lighthouse  which has led ships into port for over a hundred years. Recently restored, it’s now also an nautical museum with an observation deck that allows a great view of the city sky line and the river as well as the sea coast.

If you haven’t seen enough dolphins yet, you can check out Marineland in St. Augustine, sixteen miles south of the town proper down A1A. Dolphin and sea lion shows and memorabilia from the park’s beginnings in 1938 are on display.

Closer to town is the Alligator Farm. Watch these enormous creatures eat in the alligator lagoon, then walk through a bird rookery filled with egrets. Our kids were thrilled to watch the massive alligators and we learned a lot about their habits and intelligence, too. One of this area’s oldest attractions, the farm surprised us with its excellent, entertaining and educational programs. They run several times a day, with titles like Florida’s Forest Friends, allowing up-close interactions with native animals – no alligators involved; and In the Realm of the Alligator – full of facts and alligators participating in enjoyably dangerous looking interactions with their handlers.

Seeing those ‘gators eat might bring on an appetite. We had a great recommendation for dinner regarding a locals favorite, O’steens. Expect a wait, but enjoy the fresh fish, the sweet squash casserole, and the shrimp boat models – all at reasonable prices.

What we loved best about St. Augustine – other than warm ocean, beautiful beaches, and fresh shrimp – was the family friendly feeling of the entire town. From the historical sites to the souvenir shops, there were always friendly greetings and locals who were eager to share stories about the history and the flora and fauna of the region. As the oldest inhabited city in the U.S., St. Augustine retains a sense of abiding charm. Easy to relax in and explore, the town was a mix of Spanish architecture and Southern hominess at its best.

Related Articles:

St. Augustine Lighthouse: Illuminating America’s Oldest Port