10 Fun Things to in St. Augustine Beach, Florida
St. Augustine, Beach, aka Anastasia Island, is a northeast Florida favorite beach spot. It’s a small town with easy-going vibes and wide-beaches. Looking for fun things to do in St. Augustine Beach, Florida? You’re in the right spot!
I spend a few months each year in St. Augustine Beach and while there’s always more to explore, I know it pretty well at this point. Here are ten ideas of things to do in St. Augustine Beach to get you started
Psss…some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you use them, I get a small-commission at no extra cost to you. Win-win!
10 Fun Things to do In St Augustine Beach, Florida
1. Enjoy the Beach
St. Augustine Beach is a beach town so enjoying some oceanfront time is the can’t miss activity. Whether your favorite beach activity is walking, wading, or just relaxing with your favorite book, St. Augustine’s wide beaches are a great place for it. But don’t forget your sunscreen (my fav brand) – even in winter Florida sun is strong!
I recommend catching at least one sunrise or sunset. (It’s the Atlantic Ocean so sunrise is over the ocean. Sunset is not but the clouds often catch the light and offer a great glow!)
Where: The St. Johns Ocean & Fishing Pier (aka “The Pier”) is the largest parking lot on the Island and the center of a lot of activity. There is a paid drive-on beach entrance at A-Street and A1A Blvd best suited for 4WD vehicles. There are also a number of smaller free lots scattered up and down A1A Blvd (St Augustine Beach Parking Map Here).
Another popular option for visitors is stay beachfront or beach adjacent and enjoy walking to the beach from lodging without the hassle of parking. Embassy Suites is a splurge stay with an oceanfront pool (check price here). There are also number of beachfront or beach adjacent condos and homes of varying price points that can be rented on Vrbo (browse listings here) or similar rental platforms.
2. Pick Your Paddlesport
Paddlesports like surfing, kayaking, and paddleboarding are a popular past-time in St Augustine Beach. For surfers, the waves alone are not trip-worthy but it’s often enough to scratch the itch, especially in winter which is typically the best time of year for surfing in St Augustine Beach.
Paddleboarders have the option of hitting the ocean or the calmer intracoastal and connected waterways. With a few exceptions, the intercoastal and connected waterways are likewise the go-to spot for kayaking and canoeing.
Where: The Pier is the most popular surfing spot in St Augustine Beach, but there are others like Blowhole and A-Street. (Check the reports on Surfline) For flatter water paddle-sports like kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding Anastasia State Park provides a great launching point into the Salt Run inlet complete with onsite kayak, canoe, paddleboard, and sailboat rentals from Anastasia Watersports.
3. Go Fishing
St Augustine Beach boasts saltwater and freshwater fishing options from a variety of locations including the beach, bridges, and boats. You can find a spot, bring your gear, and DIY or charter a fishing boat tour. Since I have minimal personal experience fishing I’m going to defer to this article for more information on fishing in and near St. Augustine Beach, FL: Saltwater and Freshwater Fishing by Visit St Augustine.
Where: Fishing off the pier, on the beach, off a kayak or canoe in the intercoastal, and near the Bridge of Lions are common spots.
Tip: You must have a fishing license to fish in Florida. You can learn more and apply for a license online via the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission here.
4. Hang with [and above] Alligators
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is a family-friendly place to (safely) check out alligators and “every living species of crocodilian”, native reptiles, and other animal attractions like lemurs and pythons. Adventurous souls can add-on a 45 or 90-minute ziplining course across the park. (reservations required).
Where: St Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (999 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080) Click to Buy Tickets
5. Mini-Golf
For nostalgic summer vibes go mini-golfing at St. Augustine, Beach. Pairs well with post golf ice-cream or Rita’s Italian Ice. (Serious golfers may want to make the hour-ish drive up to Ponte Vedra, Florida to play at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club or TPC Sawgrass)
Where: Fiesta Falls (818 A1A Beach Boulevard, St. Augustine Beach FL 32080) and Anastasia Miniature Golf (701 Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine, FL 32080) are the two on island miniature golf courses.
6. Listen to Live Music
A fun evening thing to do in St. Augustine Beach island is to go catch live music. A number of bars and restaurants offer live music in the evenings, and if you’re willing to take a short drive “over the bridge,” you’ll find even more music options in downtown historic St. Augustine.
Where: St Augustine Amphitheater (aka “The Amp”) is a 5,000 seat covered amphitheater. It’s the favorite music venue on Anastasia Island for a mi of nationally touring modern artists, classic favorites, and stand-out cover bands. Café 11 is a former convenience store turned into a well-known intimate music venue and restaurant.
7. Camp Out
You can tent or RV camp in St. Augustine Beach, though (likely because of the weather), there are more RV options. TIP! If you are tent camping or have a rig without AC, go in one the off-season (cooler months) unless you are looking for a sweat lodge type experience. St Augustine beach gets hot and humid during summer months!
Where: Hands-down the best place to tent-camp in St Augustine Beach is Anastasia State Park, but book early, it’s popular. The other tent-camping options are at RV parks on or near St. Augustine Beach with a few tent spots mixed in – not ideal, but could work in a pinch. For RVs, Anastasia State Park is again an option as well as e local KOA that’s about a mile from the beach. Personally, I’d probably go just outside of St. Augustine Beach borders to the North Beach Camp Resort (north) or Oceangrove RV Resort (south) which I haven’t been to personally but look like good options closer to the beach.
8. Check Out the Lighthouse
Chances are you’ll spot the iconic St Augustine Lighthouse during your trip to St Augustine Beach, and if you want, you get view it up close and even climb 219 steps to the top at the St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. The museum is really a collection of exhibits and buildings on nice grounds with some short nature paths to explore. It’s a great place to learn about maritime history and ongoing research via the LAMP program. It’s family-friendly but also fun for curious adults. I’ve gone solo and enjoyed it!
Where: St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum (100 Red Cox Road, St. Augustine, FL 32080)
9. Eat Local
St. Augustine is coastal town and as such is known for its seafood including classic fried seafood dishes and minorcan clam chowder, but that’s not all it has to offer on the food front. From classic sports bars to modern, innovative dining, there are great things to eat for every taste bud in St. Augustine beach.
Where: Everywhere! There are no shortage of restaurants in St. Augustine Beach. Check out my Local’s Guide to the Best Places to Eat in St. Augustine Beach for my top picks my category.
10. Shop the Markets
There are two regular weekly farmers and arts markets in St. Augustine Beach: The Wednesday Pier Farmers Market and the Saturday Farmers Market. The Wednesday market takes over the St. Johns Fishing Pier parking lot and is the smaller of the two markets. The Saturday market takes over the St Augustine Amphitheater grounds is a Saturday morning hot spot on the Island. Both offer a mix of produce and prepared foods, with a sprinkling of art offerings. Other markets pop up seasonally for example, the arts and crafts market near the winter holidays.
Where: The Pier for the Wednesday Pier Farmers Market. The St. Augustine Amphitheater for the Saturday Farmers Market.
BONUS – Take a Day Trip!
St Augustine Beach is a launching point for different day trips ranging from 15-minutes away to a few hours away. A few day trip ideas include:
Historic downtown St. Augustine is a MUST visit – it is just over the Bridge of Lions, and 5 – 15 minutes away, depending on where you are staying.
Jacksonville, Neptune, and Atlantic beaches area are also accessible if you want to shake up your beach vibe. They have an overall younger crowd, are walkable, and a number of restaraunt options.
Princess Place Preserve is a great 1,500 acre park in Flagler County that includes historic buildings.
Springs around Gainesville and Ocala including Silver Springs State Park are stunning and if you go at the right time of year you might catch (and by catch I mean see) a Manatee, Florida’s famous sea cow.
