Fort Matanzas National Monument

It was a fun little tour of the Fort. Small but mighty. Nice boat ride over to the island. Park Rangers were definitely into what they do for a living, very energetic about giving the history of the fort! Free tour but the spots go fast.

Well kept, clean and fort. Short boat ride to the fort with a lot of history. Beautiful place. Bathroom and vending machine with drinks are available. A hiking area is also available.

Very interesting, loved the history lesson and had no idea a fort could be so small! Loved Ranger Linda and our Captain was great as well. The nature walk was also pretty awesome and loved learning that the live oaks grow away from the salt water!

Great place for a little family outing. They have lots of picnic tables, shade, public restrooms, trash bins and vending machines with cold drinks. The gentleman in the information office was very kind and friendly. He gave us maps and information on the area. The ferry was closed when we went so we did not get to pay the $2 and ferry over to the monument. The walking trails are nice but not recommended for anyone who may have a fear of spiders.

Interesting fort on a small island, about a 2 min ferry ride (free, but must get boarding passes in the visitors center) from shore. The pilot was great, and the ranger had the history for us. The ferry departs every hour starting at 9:30-3:30.

Great family fun outing in the St. Augustine area. The 45-minute tour includes a ferry ride across the inlet and a guided tour of the Fort. The Park Rangers/ tour guides are engaging but also allow you to explore the site. Highly recommend.

Fort Matanzas is a small but fascinating historic site that perfectly complements a visit to the larger Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine. It's very easy to get to by car — you can leave your vehicle at the free parking lot in the park, and from there, a free ferry runs every hour to take visitors across the water to the fort. I highly recommend visiting Fort Matanzas, either before or after exploring the main fort in St. Augustine. It’s a peaceful, beautiful place that adds depth and context to the area’s colonial history. The ride itself is short and peaceful, and once you arrive, friendly and knowledgeable park rangers are there to share the history of the fort. Their stories really bring the place to life, and their passion for preserving history is obvious.

I LOVED this National Park unit. Easy to get to. A smooth, relaxing ferry ride across the river. A wonderfully informative talk by the park rangers (YOU'RE AMAZING). A few sets of stairs to see centuries old cannons, poke around in Spanish built quarters, and a thrilling ladder climb to the top with beautiful vistas. All with an hour and absolutely free. Definitely adds context to the much larger Castillo de San Marcos in Saint Augustine but without the hustle and bustle. I recommend getting there EARLY. We arrived at 9:15 and they still had seats for the 9:30 tour. It was a full tour. I believe them when they say the tickets are all given out for the day by 11 am. You have to physically show up to secure your free tickets on the same day you plan to visit. You can not get them over the phone/internet. You can not get them days in advance. Restrooms are by the parking lot and clean.