St. Augustine has an old-town charm that appeals to many leisure travelers. With horse-drawn carriages on the streets and centuries-old buildings, you will immediately feel transported back in time. Consider visiting Colonial Quarter to learn more about people’s lives back in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. On the other hand, if you feel like you need to unwind and bask under the sun, you can head over to some beaches, such as St. Augustine Beach and Vilano Beach. Families with kids will have a great time at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park. To know what you can do on a rainy day, keep reading for the top things to do indoors in St. Augustine, Florida, below.
1. Indulge in history at St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
Committed to preserving Florida’s Historic Coast’s maritime heritage, St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum offers various permanent collections. It showcases the rich local history in five categories of permanent collections: Aid-to-Navigation & Transportation, Historic Structures, Light Station Military, Maritime Arts & Culture, and U.S. Lighthouse Service & Keepers.
To make your visit more exciting, the museum has specialty tours and experiences. Dark of the Moon Ghost Tour, a roughly two-hour guided tour of Keepers’ House and St. Augustine Lighthouse tower with an overview of the latter’s history, is an excellent activity to begin with.
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
Address: 81 Lighthouse Avenue, St. Augustine, Florida 32080, United States
Website: St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
Opening hours: 9am - 6pm (daily)
Price: 14.95 USD
2. Go and explore the historic Lightner Museum
Lightner Museum is a historic building at the heart of St. Augustine. Aside from a permanent collection, it hosts rotating exhibits. In celebration of the museum’s 75th anniversary in 2023, the 75 for 75: Lightner Museum Diamond Anniversary Exhibition showcases a curated selection of artwork and artifacts from the permanent collection.
Moreover, if you’re looking to grab a bite after your visit, head over to the onsite cafe, Café Alcazar, for a white-tablecloth lunch. This eatery is located behind the museum and is open from 11am to 3pm.
Lightner Museum
Address: 75 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084, United States
Website: Lightner Museum
Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)
Price: 17 USD
3. Step back in time at Historic Tours of Flagler College
If you want to learn more about the legendary heritage of the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, head to Historic Tours of Flagler College. This historical landmark is a classic example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. It is now a listed National Historic Landmark. Tours begin in the main lobby and will explore the courtyard, grand lobby, dining room, and Flagler Room. Throughout the tour you will find many stunning artifacts and designs. Flagler Room, for example, features a massive piece of intact white onyx.
Do note that the tours are subject to cancellation, so ensure you check ticket availability right before your visit.
Historic Tours of Flagler College
Address: 74 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084, United States
Website: Historic Tours of Flagler College
Opening hours: 9am - 4pm (daily)
Price: 17 USD
4. Explore retail paradise at St. Augustine Premium Outlets
St. Augustine Premium Outlets is St. Augustine’s leading outlet shopping destination. It offers an array of world-class brands, such as Nike Factory Store and Michael Kors. Whether you’re looking for athleisure wear or women’s apparel, you will have a great time shopping here.
You can grab a quick bite after a long day of hopping from one store to another, thanks to the few onsite dining outlets. You may have some pretzels at Auntie Anne’s/Planet Smoothie or have a delightful dessert at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
St. Augustine Premium Outlets
Address: 2700 State Road 16, St Augustine, FL 32092, United States
Website: St. Augustine Premium Outlets
Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 10am - 8pm; Fri - Sat: 10am - 9pm; Sun: 12pm - 6pm
5. Elevate your imagination at Tiny Art Gallery
Your visit to Tiny Art Gallery is included in the All Inclusive Ticket of Medieval Torture Museum. It includes access to Medieval Torture Museum, Tiny Art Museum, and a fun-filled ghost-hunting experience. Tiny Art Museum features microminiature art, which are not visible to the naked eye. In order to view these works, you have to look into a microscope.
On the other hand, the ghost-hunting experience allows you to catch ghosts throughout the museum using a Ghost Hunting app.
6. Taste world-class spirits at St. Augustine Distillery
St. Augustine Distillery is a family run distillery making world-class spirits using locally sourced ingredients. It occupies the former FP&L Ice Plant, which was part of St. Augustine’s first power and ice complex in the early 20th century. Today, the building is listed on National Register of Historic Places.
You can take a free self-guided tour to learn more about how spirits are thoughtfully made and brought from the farm to the bottle. An educational guided tour with a tasting experience is also available.
St. Augustine Distillery
Address: 112 Riberia Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084, United States
Website: St. Augustine Distillery
Opening hours: 10am - 6pm (daily)
Price: Self-guided tours: Free; Guided tours: from 20 USD
7. Uncover piracy at St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
For families looking for something fun and educational to do with the kids, St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum is the place to be. The visit will take you back to the Golden Age of Piracy in Port Royal, Jamaica. The museum displays more than 800 authentic artifacts showcasing the history of piracy from the 17th century to the present.
Since the museum is open every day except on Christmas Day, you would not have trouble adding it to your itinerary.
St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
Address: 12 South Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084, United States
Website: St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
Opening hours: 10am - 7pm (daily)
Price: Child: 9.99 USD; Adult: 18.99 USD
8. Experience life behind bars at Old Jail Museum
Old Jail Museum provides a glimpse of the penal system’s history and the daily life of prisoners back in the day. What used to be a prison that served St. Augustine from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987. During a tour, you will hear incredible stories about the inmates who once lived in the cells.
Tours start at 9am and depart every 20 minutes until 4:30pm. Night tours are also available as part of Ghosts and Gravestones tours.
Old Jail Museum
Address: 167 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084, United States
Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)
9. Unlock the Dark Ages at Medieval Torture Museum
Are you into something unusual? Consider visiting the Medieval Torture Museum, one of Florida’s biggest interactive historical museums. It has over 6,000 sq. ft (557.42 sq. m) of exhibit space with more than 100 implements and devices displayed. The massive collection of confinement and torture devices is pretty fascinating. Purchasing the base ticket would get you an audio guide and a ghost-hunting experience.
Medieval Torture Museum
Address: 100 St. George Street, St. Augustine, FL, 32084, United States
Website: Medieval Torture Museum
Opening hours: 10am - 10pm (daily)
Price: from 19.99 USD
10. Relax and rejuvenate with St.Augustine Massage Therapy
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
St.Augustine Massage Therapy is committed to helping you relax, relieve stress, or manage pain. After a long day or week of exploring St. Augustine, it’s undoubtedly an excellent place to unwind. For a reasonable price, you can already get a one-hour therapeutic massage. This package combines numerous techniques to yield the best possible results. Packages that last for two hours each are also available.
This spa is open only on weekdays. Before going here, do ensure that you make an appointment first.
St.Augustine Massage Therapy
Address: 69 S Dixie Hwy Unit D, St. Augustine, FL 32084, United States
Website: St.Augustine Massage Therapy
Opening hours: Mon - Tue: 9:30am - 6:30pm; Wed: 8:30am - 4:30pm; Thu: 9:30am - 5pm; Fri: 9:30am - 3:30pm
Price: from 75 USD
Uncover one of Florida’s most historic cities
St. Augustine is one of the most historical cities statewide, and as you plan your itinerary, check out the above top things to do indoors in St. Augustine, Florida! Immerse yourself in the past and discover the captivating stories that have shaped this charming city.
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