St. Augustine Historic Walking Tour
St. Augustine: 460 Years in 90 Minutes Walking Tour
Walk more than 460 years of history in 90 minutes, in a group of no more than 12. We cover Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, the Castillo de San Marcos, Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age and the 1964 civil rights movement that brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to town. Then we send you off with our list of where to eat and drink, so the rest of your trip runs like you live here.
Highlights
Click the Tabs to Find Out More
Trip Details
Price
$30 Per Person
A minimum of 2 guests is required to open a new tour. Once a tour date/time is opened, solo travelers are welcome to join! Traveling solo? Contact us with your potential dates, and we’ll be happy to let you know when a tour becomes available.
Departure Time
8:30 AM “Beat the Crowds!”
10:30 AM
12:30 PM
3:00 PM
5:30 PM “History Under the Lights!” (Nov 21st, 2026 – Jan 18th, 2027)
Please give yourself ample time to find parking! Recommendations will be on your confirmation email.
Meeting Point
Meeting point is on historic Aviles Street, south of the Plaza de la Constitucion. After your reservation is made, you will receive a confirmation with maps and the exact address of the meeting location.
Availability
Seven days a week, rain or shine
Duration
Approximately 90 minutes
Group Size
All historic tours are semi-private with 10 people or less.
Participation Requirements
We will be walking for most of the 90 minutes. It gets hot in Florida so come hydrated and make sure to have sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat in the Summer. The tour has a few stairs involved. Guests should have a moderate fitness level to complete this tour. We recommend sneakers or comfortable sandals.
Distance
Approximately 1.3 miles
Overview of Your Tour
St. Augustine was founded on September 8, 1565, 42 years before Jamestown and 55 years before the Pilgrims reached Plymouth. It has been occupied ever since, making it the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the continental United States.
For 90 minutes, we walk it on foot, in a group of no more than 12.
We start with the Spanish. Juan Ponce de León named Florida in 1513. Where he came ashore is still argued over, and we’ll tell you which parts of his story hold up and which are legend. Pedro Menéndez de Avilés landed in 1565 and officially founded St. Augustine. The streets we walk follow a town plan laid out under Spanish rule, with the Plaza at its center. On the bayfront, the Castillo de San Marcos took 23 years to build out of coquina and has never been taken by force since it was completed.
In 1777, Minorcan families escaped the indigo plantation at New Smyrna and walked north to St. Augustine. When Spain returned in 1784 and most of the British left, they stayed. Their descendants are still here, and so is the Minorcan clam chowder.
In 1888, Henry Flagler opened the Hotel Ponce de Leon, now Flagler College, and the Gilded Age arrived by rail.
By the time Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to town in May 1964, local dentist Dr. Robert Hayling and teenagers from the NAACP Youth Council had been picketing and sitting in for years. On June 11, King was arrested trying to enter the Monson Motor Lodge restaurant on the bayfront, his only arrest in Florida. Weeks later, the Civil Rights Act became law.
Along the way, we point out the places we eat and drink when we’re off the clock and the side streets most visitors walk past. You’ll leave with a list. The rest of the trip is yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
An easy walk of a little more than a mile. The beauty of Florida is its flat!
Absolutely! We will be giving you recommendations on the best restaurants, bars and attractions in St. Augustine so you know what to do while you’re in town.
This is a great guided walking tour for a family! An easy walk with fun stories to entertain all age groups!
