One Day in St. Augustine: The Best Day Trip Itinerary
Spending one day in St. Augustine is the perfect way to experience the charm, history, and beauty of the Nation’s Oldest City — even if you’re short on time!
As a Floridian who’s visited St. Augustine more times than I can count, I’ve put together this ultimate day trip to St. Augustine itinerary to help you make the most of your trip here.
From exploring the Castillo de San Marcos to strolling along the historic St. George Street, this guide covers all the must-see spots — so you can experience the best of St. Augustine in just a day!
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Here are the best things to do with 1 day in St. Augustine:
🚋 Old Town Trolley Tour – Best way to explore the city
🏰 Castillo de San Marcos – St. Augustine’s iconic fort
⭐ St. George Street – The heart of old town
🕯️ Ghost Tour – Learn about the city’s dark & spooky history
Day Trip to St. Augustine Itinerary
For this St. Augustine itinerary, I used the Old Town Trolley Tour because it’s an easy way to get a quick overview of the city. It’s also a fun way to get around downtown while learning more about the city’s history.
However, you can still easily follow this itinerary without using the trolley tour (it’s just a bit more walking).
Arriving & Parking in St. Augustine
St. Augustine was built before cars and modern roads, so the streets are narrow and parking can be difficult. I recommend using the St. Augustine Parking Finder Site Here to help you find a spot. You can also check out my post on Parking in St. Augustine.
Lot and Garage Parking rates are typically $20 Monday-Saturday until 9pm and on Sundays from 1pm-9pm. There is also meter parking available (especially on King Street).
Free Parking in St. Augustine Tip: If you plan to take the Old Town Trolley Tour, you can take advantage of their free parking at Stop #1 (167 San Marco Ave, Saint Augustine).
Old Town Trolley Tour
If you only have 1 day in St. Augustine, I highly recommend taking the Old Town Trolley Tour because it is the easiest way to explore the city in a short time.
This is a hop on, hop off style tour that will take you around the old town and make stops at the major sites. Plus, the driver tells interesting stories about St. Augustine’s history along the way.
Tours run daily from 9am-4:30pm (except on major holidays), with trolleys departing about every 15 minutes.
Some of the popular stops along this tour include: St. George Street, Castillo de San Marcos, the Fountain of Youth, St. Augustine Distillery, the Old Jail, Potter’s Wax Museum, and more.
Even as someone who has visited St. Augustine many times – I really enjoyed taking the trolley tour because it gives such a great overview of the city. Plus, it makes it easy to see a lot in one day.
Castillo de San Marcos
Castillo de San Marcos was first opened in 1695 and is the oldest masonry fort in the United States. It was first built to protect the Spanish city against invaders, including pirate raiders who often roamed the shores of the Matanzas Bay.
The fortress was built using coquina (a type of crushed seashell limestone) that actually absorbed cannonfire rather than cracking, which allowed it to withstand many invasions!
The fortress is a must-see, but if you aren’t a history fan you can just see it from the outside because there aren’t tons of things to see on the interior. However, if you love history (like I do) then it is worth going inside Castillo de San Marcos.
Another thing to note is that on most Saturdays & Sundays, they do a cannon fire demonstration usually every hour from 10:30 am until 3:30 pm.
If you are taking the trolley tour, you can either get off at stop #17 or get off at stop #4 (The City Gates) and walk over.
St. George Street
After checking out Castillo de San Marcos, head over to the most famous street in the city, St. George Street. This pedestrian-only street is the heart of old town, and was once the main street of the city.
St. George Street dates back to 1595, when the Spanish explorers first founded the city of St. Augustine.
Today, this pedestrian-only street is known for its cobblestone pathways, Spanish-colonial architecture, shops, and restaurants.
St. George Street is my favorite part of the town because it feels like stepping back into time!
Lunch in St. Augustine
If you are getting hungry for lunch, there are lots of options along St. George Street. I recommend heading to Prohibition Kitchen for a 1920’s themed restaurant or going to Mehaan’s Irish Pub and getting an outdoor table with views of the bay.
For a quick bite, Pizza Time or Gringo’s Tacos are great options!
St. Augustine Distillery
For the next stop, you’ll want to hop back on the trolley to stop #12: St. Augustine Distillery. This distillery was built in a historic 1907 Ice Plant building.
Today, they use modern distilling techniques with locally sourced ingredients to create some award-winning bourbon, rum, gin, and vodka.
St. Augustine Distillery offers free self-guided tours that include tastings. Or, you can simply head to their Ice Bar to try some of their handcrafted cocktails.
If you are more of a wine drinker, you can opt to visit San Sebastian Winery which is located nearby St. Augustine Distillery (stop #13).
Plaza de la Constitución
Next up, take the trolley to the Plaza de la Constitución (stop #14), which is famous for being the oldest park in the United States.
The park was first founded by Spanish settlers in 1573, and has since been a central gathering place within the historic city.
Today, the park features ancient oak trees and historic monuments.
It is also just off from King Street, which is another popular street in the old town and has many boutique shops, restaurants, and the historic Flagler College.
The Lightner Museum
Just a few minutes walk from the Plaza de la Constitución is the Lightner Museum.
At first glance, you’ll notice the Spanish Renaissance Revival architecture, which looks like something straight out of Spain and is definitely photo-worthy.
The Lightner Museum is famous because it is in the former Alcazar Hotel, a luxurious Gilded Age resort built in 1888 by Henry Flagler.
Henry Flagler was one of the most influential people in Florida during the Victorian age and played a major role in making Florida (especially St. Augustine) a tourist destination.
He is most famous for his luxury hotels and for expanding the railroads in Florida – including even creating a railroad as far south as Key West!
Inside the Lightner Museum you’ll find beautiful stained glass, historic musical instruments, antique furniture and other decorative arts. It’s a unique place to visit for history enthusiasts as it offers a glimpse into the opulence of the late 1800s.
Flagler College
Speaking of Henry Flagler, another must-see in St. Augustine is Flagler College. Keep in mind, this is a college campus so it is limited what you can do here, but it is worth walking by – especially since it is right by the Lightner Museum.
On certain days, there are historic tours offered at Flagler College, for more info see the Flagler College website here.
Flagler College obviously gets its name from Henry Flagler, but before becoming a college it was once Hotel Ponce de Leon, a luxurious gilded age resort built by Henry Flagler.
The Oldest House in St. Augustine
After exploring the area around King Street, head back on the trolley. Stop #15 will take you by the oldest house in the town, which is the González–Alvarez House.
While this isn’t the oldest house ever built in the city, it is the oldest surviving home and dates back to 1723 during the First Spanish Period.
If you have time, you can get off at stop #15 to take a tour of the oldest house, or you can enjoy the quick view and info from the trolley!
The Bridge of Lions
The next stop (#16) will take you to the St. Augustine Marina, where you can also see the Bridge of Lions.
This is one of St. Augustine’s most iconic landmarks, and it connects the historic town to Anastasia Island over the Matanzas River.
The Bridge of Lions was built in 1927 with a classy Mediterranean Revival style. It is guarded by two marble lion statues at its entrance, which is a nod to St. Augustine’s Spanish heritage and named after Ponce de León, the Spanish explorer who first claimed Florida.
Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth
At the end of the day, take the trolley to stop #22 Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth. Located in the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, this is the legendary spot where the Spanish explorer Ponce de León arrived in 1513 in search of the mythical Fountain of Youth.
While the Fountain of Youth may be a legend, it still is an important historical site. Even prior to the Spanish explorers landing in St. Augustine, this area has been found to have been home to the Timucua Native Americans.
Today, you can visit the park and explore some of the cool historic exhibits. You can even drink water from the mythical Fountain of Youth Spring.
This site is located a bit farther from St. George Street & the heart of the old town so I feel like a lot of visitors miss it completely, but it’s actually a beautiful 15 acre park and has some fascinating history!
Magnolia Avenue
Last but not least, walk over to Magnolia Avenue to take a peek at the prettiest street in the town! Magnolia Avenue is mostly a residential area, but the street is lined with beautiful trees with Spanish Moss.
It’s an instagram worthy site that is only a few minutes walk from the Fountain of Youth and from the free parking area for the Trolley Tour.
St. Augustine at Night
While you can visit as a day trip, if you have the time I’d recommend spending 1 night in St. Augustine. This way you don’t have to feel rushed to get back and can enjoy the city after the crowds leave.
If you do stay the night, I’d recommend taking one of the ghost tours! As America’s oldest city, St. Augustine is filled with history and some spooky ghost stories.
Taking a ghost tour is a fun way to learn more about the history of St. Augustine mixed in with some entertaining ghost stories. You can also read my review on the best ghost tour to take here.
✅ Book your St. Augustine Ghost Tour Here!
Best Time to Visit St. Augustine for a Day Trip
St. Augustine can be visited year-round. Like all of Florida, St. Augustine is hot & humid in the summer months and so in my opinion the best time to visit is between November-May if you want to avoid the heat.
One plus is that St. Augustine is in northern Florida, so the heat is much better here than in southern Florida!
If you are looking to experience some holiday magic, then I highly recommend checking out the Night of Lights Festival, which is held every November through January.
Last but not least, keep in mind there is hurricane season in all of Florida. Hurricanes do not hit the area every year, but there is always a chance. Typically, the most likely time for hurricanes in Florida is from late August to early October (however they can happen anytime from June-November).
Getting to St. Augustine for a Day Trip
The best way to get to St. Augustine is to drive. Luckily, it is easily reachable from several larger cities & popular tourist destinations in Florida.
Here are the drive times from a few popular places in Florida to St. Augustine.
Jacksonville: ~45 minutes
Daytona Beach: ~1 hour
Gainesville: ~1.5 hours
Orlando: ~2 hours
Tampa: ~3.5 hours
St. Augustine is the perfect place to visit as a day trip from Jacksonville, Gainesville, or even Orlando! However, if you are coming from farther away (like Tampa) I’d recommend spending 1-2 nights.
FAQ: One Day in St. Augustine Itinerary
Absolutely! Even if you only have one day, you should definitely visit St. Augustine. Not only is this America’s oldest inhabited city, but there are so many things to do, places to eat & drink, shops, and even beaches nearby.
One day is enough to explore the old town and see a few of the main sites in St. Augustine. The old town is fairly compact, making it easy to see in a day. Plus they have options like the trolley tour which help you to see several sites in a day. However, if you have more time you could easily spend 2-3 days in St. Augustine.
The best way to experience St. Augustine is by taking the trolley tour, especially if you are short on time. The trolley tour is a fun way to see the old town, while also learning more about the history of St. Augustine. Plus, it makes it easy and convenient to visit a majority of the tourist sites.
Magnolia Avenue is the prettiest street in St. Augustine. Magnolia Avenue is famous for its picturesque canopy of oak trees draped in Spanish moss, creating a beautiful atmosphere that feels like something straight out of a fairytale. It is easily one of the most Instagrammable spots in St. Augustine.
Final Thoughts: Is a Day Trip to St. Augustine Enough?
St. Augustine is the oldest inhabited city in the United States, and while it is small in size there are still a lot of things to do here.
Ideally, it’s a great place to visit for 3-4 days, however if you only have time for a day trip then spending just a day is perfectly fine!
If you are spending only one day, I recommend hopping on the trolley tour as it is a fun and unique way to see a lot of sites quickly while also learning some fascinating history and stories about the old city.
