St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum

I was here in the summer and then came back during the holidays. It is a must see with all the Christmas trees. I enjoyed looking at each and every tree. The rooms were all decorated with exquisite taste. Parking is tight if you have a large vehicle. The only negative is I wish there was a discount if you can't actually climb the lighthouse. The museums were very informative.

Beautiful day mark & stairs, at this well-preserved lighthouse. The big keepers' house is equally gorgeous & serves as a museum. There is an excellent gift shop as well as other buildings on the property that you can visit. They are open almost every day of the year, and we visited Christmas eve.

We climbed the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse! Luckily there were many spots to stop along the way to the top. It was pretty busy but everyone was respectful and took turns going up ir down the narrow stairs. Fun experience

The staff were very friendly and professional. The gentleman supervising at the top was especially helpful and knowledgeable, and he gave us some excellent recommendations on places to visit. The walk up the stairs wasn’t nearly as bad as it looks. My wife made the climb in a dress and high heels—earning compliments on the way up and down! She’s 39 and not particularly athletic, so don’t let the stairs intimidate you. There are multiple floors along the way where you can stop and rest if needed. The history of the property is fascinating, and everything is very well run. Overall, it was a great experience and well worth the visit.

We decided to stop here on a whim during a weekend trip to St. Augustine in April. The staff was very friendly, and there were some interesting exhibits. The grounds are well kept and the views are amazing if you can hack it up all of the stairs. I appreciated all the number markings at each flight to show you how far you have left to climb. The stairs are a bit narrow, so if that is a concern for you, be aware of it. Otherwise, bring a bottle of water, and take your time. The views are certainly worth it.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse Keeper’s Tour is nothing short of unforgettable—an experience that transforms a historic landmark into a living, breathing story. From the moment you step onto the grounds, you feel like you’ve been granted rare access to a world usually hidden behind ropes and “staff only” doors. Every detail, from the daily routines of historic keepers to the quirks of lighthouse life, is delivered with warmth, humor and a deep respect for the past. You don’t just learn history; you feel it. The behind-the-scenes access is extraordinary. Climbing the lighthouse takes on a whole new meaning when you understand the lives that revolved around it—the long nights, the responsibility, the isolation, and the pride. (The climb is not completed on the tour). Standing at the top, with sweeping views of St. Augustine, the Atlantic and Anastasia Island, is breathtaking, but it’s the stories echoing in your mind that make the moment powerful. There’s an intimacy to this tour that’s rare. It feels personal, immersive, and thoughtfully paced, allowing you to truly connect with the site rather than rush through it. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a local or a first-time visitor, the Keeper’s Tour offers insight and emotion you simply won’t get on a standard visit. In short, the St. Augustine Lighthouse Keeper’s Tour isn’t just a tour—it’s a journey through time, guided by passion and authenticity. It’s one of those experiences that stays with you long after you descend the final step, and it’s an absolute must-do in St. Augustine. 🌅✨

My wife and I went to the special event at the top of the beautiful historic lighthouse. The event is held once a month to watch the sunset and the full Moon rise. We were rewarded with a beautiful sunset and the full moon rise over the ocean was awesome. Our experience was seriously diminished by the male volunteer that was supposed to be pouring champagne for all the guests but seemed totally focused in looking after two younger women whose glass were always full while we had to ask several times for a second half glass. The volunteer attitude changed a five star experience to barely a three stars. In future please have the volunteer treat all guests equally. At the opposite end we wish to commend Tammy as very pleasant and helpful with information about the lighthouse and in passing food around.

Had a great experience here. We climbed the 219 steps to get to the top of the lighthouse. Breathtaking views and excellent staff to learn about the history of the area on hand. We found out that the place was dog friendly after our initial visit. Since the admission pass is good for the entire day, we returned with our pups to hike the trails and walk around the park again. A memorable place to visit.

My daughter and I love to explore lighthouses. The St Augustine Lighthouse has a very special history because the original water tower was there since at least 1569 when Sir Francis Drake added it to his map. Back then it was a wooden water tower used to watch for the enemy. It eventually slid into the ocean in 1880. The current St. Augustine Lighthouse was built between 1871 and 1874 and futther away from the ocean. It took three years to build due to a lack of manpower and funds. It was first lit on October 15, 1874. We bought our tickets online so that we could get reservations and pick which tour we eanted. Prices for Adults is $14.95 per adult and $12.95 per Senior over 60. We chose the evening Lighthouse tour & Grounds only at 7:15pm. We had 9:00 pm reservations for a boat tour that same evening so we didn't have time to see the Lighthouse Keeper's tour. There are 219 steps to reach the observation deck. There are also eight landings where visitors can stop and let other people pass. My daughter climbed all the way to the top with frequent stops on the platforms. I couldn't do it because of medical reasons. But there was enough to look at from down below. When younger, I climbed to the crown on the Statue of Liberty. You can bring your dog here if it is leashed and under your control on the grounds only, but not in any of the buildings. You might call them about support dogs and the rules. Accessible parking is available on the grounds and restroom. This was a wonderful experience.

As a family of 5 with young children, we can't really do lighthouses, but on our way out of town, my kids wanted a picture with it. I haven't been here in 15 years, but I don't remember them gate keeping so hard. They would not let us go past the admission without paying. It was 15 feet away and we were told we couldn't do it. I wouldn't make this stop again.

Visited this property during a trip to St Augustine. It is a short drive from the old city toward the beaches. The complex takes about 1 1/2 hrs to see. If you choose to climb up the lighthouse to the top, you will need to spend more time. The caretakers house is now a museum. Very interesting stories and artifacts. There is a snack bar on the premises. Parking is free. .

So beautiful views from the top of the lighthouse! I enjoyed visiting St. Augustine famous lighthouse!

Interesting historical stop. The main event is walking the 219 steps to the top and then down. You can pick up a bucket that weighs the same as what the light house keeper had to carry several times a day to keep the light lit . You have to be in good shape for that. The rest of the site is a museum to the shipping of the area and times. Multiple nature trails in the woods to enjoy as well. Enter through the gift shop. 10% off for active duty and their party (ID required). We had a family pass from a charity event so we just walked in. Overall a fun stop

I love lighthouse, so I try to visit as many as possible. This was a very nice example, and I thought they had done a particularly nice job with all of the exhibits on the property, in the Keepers House and other buildings. I did climb the 219 steps to the top, which was well worth it. It is nicely broken up with landings where you can watch your breath, and signage that tells you how much farther you have to go.

We came here on our first day in St Augustine, parking is easy, but the parking lot is pretty full. I guess it's a popular tourist attraction. We walked in the museum and gift shop, it has some poster on the wall to tell you the story of the light house which gives you a good understanding of the history. You need to purchase the ticket in the gift shop to walk around or walk up the lighthouse. It's over 200 stairs to climb. I decided not to go.. hope later they will just charge for people go up to the lighthouse, not walk around.

This place is simply awesome! Very historic and a must see when you're in St. Augustine!

We have so much fun here everytime we are in town. U must do the climb though to the top. The view is fantastic

Hidden Gems come a dime a dozen once in a lifetime and many many more forever and always odd beauty syndrome and the beloved ryan k.

Super fun day exploring the St. Augustine lighthouse! We had a wonderful tour and climb.

As our first time in Jacksonville we heard St Augustine was a must place to visit! Our first stop was the lighthouse. Parking was easy and we found a spot right out front. Our admission would have been $15 a person for 4 of us but the nice gentleman helping us got us a deal that my sister who lives here could use in the future. We were able to get her a one year membership with discounts and free admission for us for that day for $65! The lighthouse has 219 steps! (talk about a workout lol). I loved THAT along the way UP, with each set of steps you climbed, there is a landing with little tidbits of history of how it was built, maintained or notable events. All the way up at the top you are rewarded with a cool breeze and a beautiful view of the area and the Atlantic Ocean. After coming down from the lighthouse you can explore the exhibits at the old house where the light keeper and his family lived. There's an area that shows how they restore items found in the sea. My dad and hubby played a game of corn hole and we walked along a path taking in all the greenery. We stopped at the gift shop before leaving for a shirt and magnet and got to use my sister's new member discount! The staff were friendly and helpful as well. Overall it was a beautiful welcoming experience!

Fun trip. Lighthouse, museum, and lots of informative stops. Staff is super friendly and helpful. Was so much more than I expected. Lots of stops on the way up for resting. I also purchased the member so I can visit other lighthouses in FL. Highly recommend. Tip: I suggest visiting early in the morning before it gets too hot in lighthouses.

Really cool experience climbing the 216 steps up to the top. Someone on the top even offered to take a pic for us

I came here a couple of years ago, and I think it was much better back then. This time, they take you to a room, tell you the story of the grounds, then send you out to go look around the house and the lighthouse. Last time, there were employees in the house giving you stories of the rooms you were in. Especially in the basement. This vist we were there all of 45-50 mins and 30 of those was the story time before we went to look around. This visit was not worth the $65 for 2 people

My husband and I were married at a lighthouse so now we take great joy in visiting them all over the US. This specific lighthouse is located in St.Augustine and while it is not seaside... it has so much charm and history to offer. We really enjoyed our visit here. There is lots of areas to explore and learn history. I would say this lighthouse and museum is great for all ages. The lighthouse itself has a 40 inch requirement but there is plenty for kids to do elsewhere. Our son loved the playground. It's a wooden ship. They also have a area area for a puppet show and lots of cute photo cutouts around. The lighthouse itself is not a terrible walk up. I appreciate the areas to sit down. The staff below was so friendly and offered pictures. The view from the top is beautiful and you can see the ocean and the old city. We also ate at the restaurant and those ladies were marvelous. So friendly and helpful. We loved that they had something for everyone. We got a hot dog and popsickle for our son. I got sangria and a garlic pickle. I was very happy lol. Overall excellent experience. I look forward to coming back and doing a tour at night during a full moon. I've noticed they do special events.

What a great stop in St. Augustine! We're not the shopping type, and were looking for something to do other than that. The history in St. Augustine is wonderful. The lighthouse museum and tour was about $12 (for Seniors) and was worth it. Lots of great exhibits and information. We did climb the 219 steps to the top of the light house. Take it slow - there are landings to rest along the way. The views from the top are beautiful! Put this on your list if you're in the area.

Looking for a chilling evening during spooky season or maybe during your next visit to St. Augustine? Well look no further, the Dark of the Moon tour at the St. Augustine Lighthouse is a must for fellow aspiring paranormal investigators! This is the only tour that takes you inside the lighthouse after hours ya'll! Now, I actually have been on this tour years ago, but I enjoyed it so much I decided to return. This spot has been pushed into the limelight by the hit show Ghost Adventures where the famous ghost hunters stayed overnight and captured a lot of paranormal activity during their stay. At around $30 an adult ticket, it's a steal for 2hrs of exploring, ghost stories and photo ops. When you first arrive to the location there is plenty of parking and check-in is with the cashier inside the gift shop. The check-in process was super quick and easy since we booked the tickets online. They give everyone in your party a glow stick to use as a light source throughout the night. The tour itself was super entertaining and informational. Our tour guide had such great humor and knowledge about the property and made our experience amazing. We had the opportunity to go inside the old Light Keeper's home and climb up the lighthouse itself. Now let me tell ya'll...you're paying for the experience and a workout because those stairs were no joke lol. But it was all worth it in the end when you reach the top and see the beautiful view of the city. Overall, I had another amazing time at this Dark of the Moon Ghost tour! I highly recommend it for folks who have an interest in the paranormal. If you do decide the brave this night tour, make sure you bring bug spray, it's a must! Or else ghost won't be the only thing that will haunt you during this tour!

I made the trip to St. Augustine to visit this haunted lighthouse. The climb for the lighthouse is a workout. There are 219 steps to reach to the top. Once you reach the top, the view are amazing. My friends and I paid to do the ghost tour. Our group rented those EMF apparatus for $5 to see if we can pick up any energy. Unfortunately, we didn't see anything peculiar that night, because there were too many people for the night ghost tour.

For a mere $15 each, we scaled the heights of this historic lighthouse and captured the breathtaking vistas of America's oldest city from the pinnacle. The grounds are mottled with historic exhibits that showcase the lighthouse's rich history, including a dedicated museum. Each landing of the lighthouse features interesting photographs and trivia about the lighthouse as well. This is a must-see for anyone passing through the historic city of Saint Augustine.

Kind grounds staff are able to share intriguing information about the lighthouse history. Several self paced exhibits scattered in the various buildings on the grounds. Fair price at $15 for adult admission.

It's a great historical spot to go and see St Augustine from a higher location. Supporting this lighthouse and its museum is important. The steps up to the platform is a great workout.

A nice historical visit. The climb to the top is 219 steps with a stunning view from the top. There are multiple buildings to visit including the light keepers home, a boat building exhibit, children's play area, museum and gift shop.

A Spirited Climb at St. Augustine Lighthouse! In St. Augustine's charm by the sparkling sea, The lighthouse stands tall with a rich history! Climb to the top, where the view's quite grand, With tales of yore, you'll soon understand. The spiral staircase, made of dreams and delight, Leads you to vistas that astound your sight. As you ascend, the past whispers near, Echoes of sailors that you can almost hear. The galleries below share stories so dear, Of keepers and ships through many a year. With exhibits to explore and treasures to find, You'll step back in time, leaving worries behind. And if you're lucky, as legend's been told, You might meet a ghost both charming and bold. For the lighthouse is known for spirits that play, Adding mystery and magic to brighten your day! So if you're in town seeking wonder and light, The St. Augustine Lighthouse is a pure delight. With history rich and a ghostly surprise, This landmark's a beacon 'neath Florida skies!

There were many beautifully theme-decorated trees throughout the grounds. We were permitted to go to the top of the lighthouse and look out over the city of St. Augustine to view the first "Night of Lights" for the city. Kids need to be at least 44" to go up in the lighthouse, but there is a playground for them. I learned things about lighthouses in general, as well as interesting facts for this one. This is still a working lighthouse and is a very cool experience. They also have ghost tours for those wanting to experience a ghoulishly fun night.

We really enjoyed our visit to the Lighthouse and touring the grounds. There are plenty of historical sites in St. Augustine, and this is one you need to check out. Just be ready for a lot of stairs :)

A definite must stop when in St Augustine Florida. The lighthouse is very well maintained as well as the property. So many things to see. Snack shack on site with very reasonable prices. Includes beer, wine, refreshing beverages.

Got to do the nighttime ghost tour! warning: bring bug spray! But it was a great experience! Climbed up 219 steps to the top and explored the light keeper's house. It is very dark -but you get a glow stick, which helps. It was a spooky experience! The guides were excellent and very knowledgeable! You get to learn about some history, get some exercise and beautiful views! There is a lot of history for this lighthouse, go check it out!

I absolutely loved coming here! I bought my tickets ahead of time and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. You start in the gift shop area which is both the entrance and exit. You get a wrist band and can come and go to explore the grounds. The property is beautifully maintained. To climb the lighthouse you have to be over 44 inches tall so no little kids. You should be in decent shape as well as there are a lot of stairs to climb. The stairs are see through so a fear of heights would ruin the experience. The view at the top was wonderful. A worker up top monitors the wind and weather, and no one can climb during thunderstorms.

The views from the top of the lighthouse are spectacular, and the "ranger?" who was at the top of the lighthouse was very friendly and available to answer any questions that one had about the lighthouse and surrounding area. Climbing the stairs up the lighthouse they have interesting tidbits to read at each level.

This was the highlight of my tour of St Augustine. Every detail is explained and it is not just a climbing tour of the lighthouse. We learned about the long history of the place and its importance to the area. The findings in the waters around the lighthouse were all explained and I bet I could now explain the markings of some of the cannons. The docent was so energetic and he certainly loved what he was doing. Don't miss this adventure. They even arranged a group picture for all to share.

Pretty cool. Grounds and museums have good info and actual items of historic significance. It rained as soon as we got there so we didn't see much. $14.95 for a quick walk.

The St Augustine Lighthouse is a cool place to check out if you're in the area, if for no other reason than to make the trek up the 219 steps to the viewing deck of the 7th tallest lighthouse in the US. Each landing on the way up has signage with facts and stories about the lighthouse and the view from the top is great. They also have a museum indoors with more history of the lighthouse, the lighthouse keeper, and other history of the ocean in that area. There is also a small trail in the woods to walk on the grounds along with a couple other side buildings, including the gift shop.

St. Augustine is my hometown. I've always driven by the St. Augustine light house or viewed it from my brother in-law's boat on the ocean. I've never been inside. Today, I wanted to climb to the top and look out amongst beautiful St. Augustine Beach. It's $14.95 to get in. I recommend purchasing your ticket online. Seamless interaction. If you're a local, you can become a member for 1 year under various membership levels and how many are in your group. The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum opens to the public at 9am. They close at 6pm. Seniors & Children 12 & under $12.95. The Lighthouse is totally non-profit and run by dedicated staff and volunteers. First, I made my way through the gift shop to redeem my online ticket. You're provided with an arm bracelet which you can return throughout the day until 6pm. The grounds are well kept leading to the lighthouse. I headed inside and up the 219 steps to the viewing deck. There's an amazing 360 view of St. Augustine Beach & all of St. Augustine itself. I stopped along the way to read the interesting stories and view the city from the small windows. There wasn't a breeze due to Hurricane Lee. It was hot at 9am. I met some really gnarly ladies who walk the lighthouse 4 to 5 times a day. My legs felt like jello after going up only twice. After marking it to solid ground, I walked around the plantation. There is so much to see and do on the land. Lots of history about the original lighthouse and all the lighthouse keepers. There's a area where you can observe small wooden boats and canoes being built by volunteer boat weights. They auction off 1 boat every year to the public in December. There's a quaint shop called, Tin Pickle that serves up homemade drinks, sweets and other snacks. The artifact conservation viewing area caught my attention because I like old things...lol. I don't felt like I even scratched the surface on my 1st visit so I'll be back with hubby in our next trip home. Maybe I'll run into you there.

Haunted or not it is a must visit! Standing 165 feet high at the north end of Anastasia Island located east of St Augustine, it is an active and working lighthouse built sometime between 1871 and 1874. It has a long and fascinating history that you may find interesting. I will add a link at the bottom of this review for those interested in reading about the it, but before I move on, I must make honorable mention of the 15 women of the Junior Service League of St. Augustine (JSL) who had a major role in preserving this historic site and helping to kick off a massive restoration project in early 1980s. If it was not for these awesome ladies, we would very likely lose a large part of the history of this site forever. Today, the St. Augustine Light Station consists of the tower, the Keepers' House, two summer kitchens, a U.S. Coast Guard barracks and a garage that was used as a jeep repair facility during World War II. At the present the lighthouse is open to the public and all visitors can climb up the stairs to the top and get a 360 view of the surroundings, or walk around the grounds and look into most of the abovementioned structures. The Lighthouse Museum of St. Augustine opened full-time to the public in 1994. It offers many exhibits in the Keeper's House. You can stroll the beautiful surroundings, and enjoy a guided tour that is included with admission. There is also a gift shop where you can pick up a souvenir. Now, you may ask why I mentioned haunted. Well, apparently the lighthouse is home to many ghosts the most famous of whom is that of lighthouse keeper Peter Rasmussen who worked there from 1901 to 1924 and is known to be a bit grumpy! Then there are the ghosts of Eliza and Mary Pittee, as well as an unnamed girl who drowned in an unfortunate incident right below the lighthouse in the Bay. Next is the ghost of William Harn who was the house's first keeper to perish. Finally, there are the ghosts of Joseph Andreu and his Wife, Maria Mestra De Los Dolores Andreu. Joseph died after falling while painting the lighthouse. After Joseph died, Maria became the first official female lighthouse keeper and the first Hispanic-American woman to command a federal shore installation. People have claimed to have seen her in a white dress with her long hair down. More about the history of the lighthouse: https://www.staugustinelighthouse.org/get-involved/about-mission-uvp/history/

The lighthouse ghost tour was on the top of our list while vacationing in St. Augustine. We went on a Wednesday evening and wow, there were a lot of people! Didn't expect it to be so busy in the middle of the week. The tour starts at 8:30pm and ends at I think 10:30 or 11pm. The guides tell you the stories of what happened in the house, basement, and the lighthouse. Once finished, you are able to roam around and explore everything. They offer emf readers that you can rent for $5 or you can also bring your own. The lighthouse is 219 steps up! I did not think I would make it. I had to stop quite a few times to catch my breath. It's a lot higher than I thought it was. Going down was definitely much faster and easier Lol! Didn't catch any paranormal activity. I think there was just too much distraction going on, too many people and too much noise. I've experienced paranormal things my whole life, so was kind of bummed I didn't this time, but I most definitely want to come back on a less busy night or maybe even a private tour. Overall, it was a very fun experience and a great workout, haha!

Great views. 219 steps you can take breaks going up if needed. Some other buildings with interesting historical items to view are also onsite. They also have food, drinks and rest rooms on site.

Be prepared! We absolutely loved the lighthouse and museum. We hiked up to the top and it was a bit of a challenge but oh so rewarding. The steps are steep and spiral so be prepared. There are landing for breaks if needed. As you walk up to the top there are facts on the wall that help to learn about the lifestyle of the lighthouse keeper and their families. The view is incredible, there was a slight breeze and miles of miles of beaches. At the top the docent explained to us how the lighthouse glass was original and how the lighthouse keeper would tote the oil up to light the light. Now it is electric but still incredible to watch the light spin. Throughout the property are trails for walking and seeing native birds and animals. You can tour other building on the property to learn about different functions. The lighthouse keeper house was beautifully decorated and full of neat displayed of how items were discovered. Our next favorite stop was the wooden boat shop. I love watching and learning how items were made before the heavy equipment.

This was an incredibly fun and cool experience! The lighthouse is just beautiful and so well-kept, extremely clean even for how old it is. There are about 8-9 flights of stairs to climb to get to the top, but there are spots to rest every so often which is nice. The view at the top is just indescribable- SO vast and just wonderful. I could've sat up there for hours and just soaked in all there was to see. There are also a lot of buildings surrounding the lighthouse where you can see and learn all the history behind it, and it's pretty fascinating stuff. They have a few walking paths nearby as well, with a lot of nice foliage. I thought the admission prices were pretty reasonable, not overly expensive and totally worth it anyways just to get that view at the top of the lighthouse. I definitely want to come back here again, just such an amazing experience that's hard to describe unless you go yourself, which I reallyyyy recommend!!

Great place to visit! Lighthouse climb is a must, and plan on spending a couple of hours reading through all the information, displays and videos. It was also decorated for the holidays, with multiple themed trees, which weee really well done. Highly recommend a visit!

This review is for the Dark of the Moon lighthouse ghost tour. From the start - even just making the reservation a couple weeks prior to my arrival, I dealt with friendly service. I knew this would be a great experience. Now, I am not an absolute believer. In fact, I'm pretty skeptical. But, I'm not arrogant enough to think that it's not possible that the paranormal exists. I was alone, so I told these 2 young guys that I'd tag along with them - if that was ok. They were totally fine with that since it's "safer in numbers" and so we went with the group, which was divided in 2 so there were about 25 in each group. Nice small group. We were first given the rules. The bats flew all around at dusk. That helps with the ambiance. Then we were guided to the lighthouse keeper's quarters and told some stories and we had a chance to look around briefly, but were told we could use our free time later to go back and look at everything in detail.. Then alongside the lighthouse, the guide proceeds to tell us about the start of the ghost tours and some history and what we might see. I was 3-4 feet away from the 2 young guys that I tagged along with and we were all facing forward and out of nowhere, someone gently leaned on my forearm every so lightly and when I turned my head - there was no one there.... yeah. That happened. I asked the guys "was that you?" they turned to look at me like 'huh?' and I said, "that wasn't you, was it?" They said no. I said I was officially freaked out. But not scared. It didn't feel spooky in a malicious or scary way. But something was definitely there. I could stop here but I also climbed the entire 219 stairs up...and then made my way around the super narrow outside observation ledge at the top.....hugging the lighthouse with my back.....I was a bit terrified.....of the height and in the dark and not much of a rail to keep you from the edge....I made my way around to the stairs again and back down..... WHEW! After that we went back in the keeper's house and looked around and did not experience any other paranormal activity. I think I felt enough for the night. I enjoyed this tour immensely. Definitely recommend!

This is supposedly haunted. There were 3 episodes there for ghost hunters show. Bummer we couldnt walk the 200+ steps because of remodeling. There were more museums and houses to see. We only had time for the main one. They took off 2 dollars for the lighthouse being closed. It was 11.95 each. There is also a forest to walk around.

This place was so beautiful. I love how they have a shirt you can buy that says how many steps you have gone up at the lighthouse. The view from the lighthouse was breathtaking. They have a military discount as well as far as I can remember. Everyone that works here is very kind too.

We like lighthouses, so stopped in to check it out while nearby. Like most lighthouses it's self-funded. They charge a reasonable admission, and also ask for donations which is expected from a charitable organization. The view is pretty good. Not as close to the ocean as I prefer, but many lighthouses have been relocated to prevent them from being overtake by the ocean. They have a "museum" but there's not much to it. The staff were friendly and nice. The cafe was closed the day we went, but apparently they serve draft local beers. We wished it was open, but we had a good time.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum is on the outskirts of St. Augustine and its more popular attractions and is oddly far (for lighthouse standards) from the water (which is what I first noticed as we drove up to the tall structure). As I walked the grounds and visited the different exhibits, I learned that the original lighthouse fell into the ocean in 1880. So, I can't blame the reconstruction crew for building it a little further away from the coast. However, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't see the coast (from ground level) near this attraction. This lighthouse has 219 steps to the top (the journey is not handicap accessible), but if you're not fond of heights or not physically able to make the climb, they thoughtfully have a video in the lighthouse keepers' house that shows you the views from the top. The other exhibits are handicap accessible and there are plenty of exhibits geared towards children - there's even a play area on site. There is also a small snack bar on site so that you don't have to learn and explore on an empty stomach.

A little workout to the top but oh so worth it with the most incredible views of Saint Augustine! So much history and plenty of people around to answer all your questions.

I had visited the Lighthouse before on a trip to St. Augustine. Exploring the grounds, home and lighthouse was awesome. Guides were helpful and shared great stories. I even smelled ol' Pete's cigar! A friend wanted to go ghost hunting through the city last weekend. We booked the nighttime ghost tour. To be honest, I felt (and smelled) more during daylight! The big thing at night is they turn off of the lights. I was more scared of falling and breaking something than any ghost! It's dark...real dark! The tour guide was good and informative. Perhaps too much. We stood around outside listening to her for an hour before going off to explore! (Spray yourself down with bug repellent...they're a killer out there!). Would have preferred guides scattered throughout to share little stories and answer questions. Daytime (or nighttime if you prefer), the Lighthouse should be a must stop when visiting the area!

Really cool experience but be ready for some stair climbing mixed with FL heat! The inside flight up wasn't so bad and there's a breeze given the windows throughout. Once you reach the top it gives an amazing view of St. Augustine. Given COVID they do limit the number of people in at the same time. Staff is friendly. I asked about a handicap entrance up the lighthouse which they don't have however they did let us in through a separate entrance so that my hubs didn't have to walk a long way to get to the lighthouse. They do have sections as you climb up that you can stop to rest. I'm petrified of heights so the climb up was ok but the climb down was extremely scary and left me saying why the heck did I wanna do this. Lol They do have a gift shop and restrooms available that are in the A/C which is a huge plus. They do have parking onsite and recommend masks however we opted not to wear as did others as it's hard to breathe when climbing stairs plus the FL heat doesn't make it better.

There is an admission fee to go into the lighthouse, but this place is super cute as are the surrounding grounds as well. Great views from the top, the staff is very friendly as well and helpful. There is a decent amount of parking here but it seemed a bit busy when we stopped by so just be warned when it is busy parking might be a bit of a challenge. Definitely a nice place to stop and visit even if you aren't into light houses.