Includes admission and with the audio tour

Brief History
In 1798, Don Andres Ximenez built this fine three-story home and warehouse of coquina for he and his bride, Juana Pellicer Ximenez. Juanas father, Francisco Pellicer led the Menorcan exodus of 1777 out of New Smyrna, from their illegal bondage by Dr. Andrew Turnbull. Pellicer brought approximately 600 people to St. Augustine at the invitation of British governor Colonel Patrick Tonyn. Francisco Pellicer was also a master carpenter and may well have been involved in the construction of this home. In his original site plan, Ximenez included a grocery story and storage room, tavern, and billiard hall on the first floor, family bedrooms and living area on the second floor, and servants/enslaved persons living areas on the third floor. There were also two large warehouses that butted up to each other – what we now know as the first floor guest rooms – along with a detached kitchen and washroom.

Juana Ximenez died in 1802, at the age of 26. Andres followed in 1806. He was 53. The Ximenez family passed the property among them until 1825, when Mrs. Margaret Cook and her husband were given the opportunity to purchase an interest in 1/3rd of the house. She bought another 1/3rd interest in 1827, after her husband passed away. By 1830, Mrs. Cook owned the whole compound. She converted the home into a boarding house by turning the tavern into a lobby, the billiard hall into a fine dining room, and the two warehouses into four guest rooms. The grocery store and storeroom remained intact since it was such a profitable business. Mrs. Cook hired Eliza Whitehurst, a single lady, to manage her new boarding house. In June 1838, Mrs. Whitehurst died, most likely due to a Yellow Fever epidemic ravaging St. Augustine.

In July, Sarah Petty Anderson, also a single woman, purchased the boarding house from Mrs. Cook. In 1852, Louisa Fatio, the last of this impressive line of single women to either own or manage the property, became the manager of Miss Andersons boarding house.

In 1855, Miss Anderson sold the property to Louisa and moved to Tallahassee. Miss Fatio owned the property and kept it afloat during times of slavery, secession from the Union, re-occupation by Union troops in 1862, and Reconstruction. She died in 1875, having maintained the integrity, reputation, and prominence of this boarding house through a time when the term boarding house often had a very negative connotation.

The house spent the next several decades as an artists retreat until it fell into disrepair by the 1930s – yet the downstairs/grocery store and storeroom always housed some form of retail business.

In 1939, The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Florida purchased the property, and in the process of refurbishing the home, presented it for the first time to the public on May 6, 1940, as an example of historic home restoration. Please visit this amazing property at your first convenience. In the meantime, we have built this extensive website for you to virtually step onto our property, play our games, hear our stories, and read of our history.

Villa Zorayda is a house at 83 King Street in St. Augustine, Florida. Built in 1883 by the eccentric Boston millionaire Franklin W. Smith as his winter home, it was inspired by the 12th-century Moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain.

Closed on Easter Sunday, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Guided audio tour is included.

Listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, The Old Jail is a must-visit when in St. Augustine! Built to look like a hotel in the Romanesque Revival style and painted in an unassuming color, visitors will find that the Old Jail has been renovated to give tourists a glimpse into the daily lives of St. Augustines most notorious prisoners living under the penal system of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Costumed actors tell tales of the jail and its occupants, and even book you as an inmate! Additionally, the Old Jail has a large collection of weapons and artifacts for you to inspect up close and is one of just a few prisons of its kind still standing that makes for a great day of sightseeing on a historical adventure. It would be a crime if you did not stop by for a visit!

In 1878, oil magnate and industrialist, Henry Flagler, left the familiar confines of his tony and privileged life in New York City and traveled south to Jacksonville, Florida with his ailing wife. On strict doctors orders, they were advised to escape the intemperate winter of Manhattan so his wife, Mary Flagler, could potentially recover from tuberculosis. She would not survive the trip. Shortly thereafter, Henry Flagler would re-marry and make his way to the Ancient City, St. Augustine, Florida. Finding the area charming and brimming with possibilities but sorely lacking in accommodations, the businessman hit the ground running and began to make sizable real estate investments, one of which was the Hotel Ponce de Leon.

In 1891, Henry Flagler contracted the company that would eventually build Alcatraz to construct a jail just north of downtown on San Marco Ave. So as not to create an eyesore that would strike fear in the hearts of the general public and to avoid discouraging his fat cat friends from investing in the city, he decided to disguise it.

St. Augustine’s only adults only ghost tour! 

The Telling Elegies Ghost Tour is a thought provoking experience that explores early St. Augustine’s dark and macabre haunted history. Delve deeper into the darkest hauntings of St. Augustine, Florida. From the oldest unsolved murder to the serial killings of the 1970’s….this tour explores the evil underbelly of the Ancient City. Get to know the darker side of human nature….you may even leave the tour questioning your own being. This tour contains mature themes and languages. 

• Tour duration: 90 minutes.
• Tour times vary. Click the “See Available Tour Times” button to view availabilities.
• Adults only tour for guests 16 and older.
• Pet policy: pets are allowed.
• Alcohol policy: not allowed on this tour.

Bring your own beverages, kick back, and relax with a cold one (optional of course) and see beautiful St. Augustine from the water! As the shadows get long and the sun sets behind the skyline, you will feel the stresses of the week slipping away and will find yourself right at home on the spacious deck of the Pellicano. We hope you understand that our sunset cruise is best enjoyed by grown-ups. Adults only please.

A combination of historical displays and private collections bring over 400 years of Florida history to life. The museum features displays of the various countries that ruled over St. Augustine: England, Spain, and France.

• Your St. Augustine History Museum Includes: Visit our Spanish sunken treasure room
• Explore how St. Augustine and Florida grew under the Spanish
• Hear fascinating stories about the Indians, the Spanish Galleons and the Pirates of the Revolutionary War
• More than 400 years of history is on display
• Masks are strongly recommended inside except for vaccinated guests

Henry Flagler was a powerhouse and catalyst for change in the real estate and transportation industries. His contributions to Florida are documented and displayed throughout the St. Augustine History Museum. As you tour through, you will also see authentic artifacts, unpublished photographs and learn about the evolution of St. Augustine and Florida under Spanish and British rule. More than 400 years of history is on display including toys and dolls from the early 19th and 20th centuries, a replica of a Spanish galleon and real gold, silver and jewelry found in lost treasures off the Florida coast. Housed on the Old Jail, the museum offers another level of insight into Floridas past.

At the aquarium you will be led by a guided tour with a Marine Biologists that will explain some of the exciting creatures that are native to our waterways. See sharks, stingrays many different species of fish, touch starfish, sea urchins, horseshoe crabs and more!

Learn about the amazing history of Spanish Colonial Medicine. Find out why the Spanish were 400 years ahead of their time.

Guided Tours:
Their fully guided 45-minute presentation will take you back to the colonial Spanish days of medicine with both surgical and apothecary demonstration. Your journey to the past begins as our skilled surgeon performs surgical demonstrations. Watch as our Apothecary creates medicines and discover how colonial herbs were the origins of some of the most popular medicines today.

The first wax museum in America, Potters has been delighting guests since 1949. Inspired by his visit to a wax museum in London when he was a boy, George Potter dreamed of creating his own world of wax in the United States. Today, this Wax Museum is home to more than 160 different wax figures – each an authentic life-sized recreation of the men and women they represent. Artists and craftsmen spent a great deal of time researching the process in the British museum before creating these incredibly life-like figures. Founder George Potter described his meticulous process:

Each part of the figure is custom-tailored, using real hair that is grown by women in Italy and placed onto the figure a single strand at a time. The eyes are made in Germany and the hands are sculpted in Belgium with wax imported from France. Even the costumes were designed by one of the greatest in the industry-costumers to the Court of Saint James.

The museums collection includes people who have played an important part in history: Celebrities, sports figures, people in the news and many modern-day figures. Stand next to Tiger Woods, Captain Jack Sparrow, Elvis and Harry Potter. Take your picture with Angelina Jolie, Michael Jordan and Brittany Spears. See Princess Diana, Ponce de Leon and many of Potters original figures.

The Wax Museum offers an entertaining time for adults and children of all ages. Groups and school field trips are welcomed. Bring your camera, as the figures make for a great photo opportunity!

Admission Includes:

• See more than 160 different wax figures
• The collection includes people who have played an important part in history
• An entertaining time for adults and children of all ages

Visit this top-rated St. Augustine attraction for a fascinating, informative, entertaining tour of Ponce de Leons Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, the original site of the Nations oldest city. Located in the area first explored by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513 and settled by Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565, historic St. Augustine is the oldest successful European settlement in the United States. Colonial America started right HERE, 55 years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, and 42 years before Jamestown! With a long, rich history spanning nearly 500 years, the Fountain of Youth Park will delight and amaze you. Whether you visit for an hour or take all day, our 15 waterfront acres will provide you with hours of enjoyment.

The St. Augustine Pirate and Treasure Museum offers an exciting and educational museum experience that transports you and your family back in time over 300 years to Port Royal, Jamaica, at the height of the Golden Age of Piracy. The museum spans about 5,000 sq. ft. with a 1,300 sq. ft. courtyard. After a successful 5-year run in Key West, Pat Croce moved the Pirate and Treasure Museum to another pirate stronghold: St. Augustine, Florida. Pirates such as Sir Francis Drake and Robert Searles who frequented the nations oldest city and the Spanish fort, the Castillo de San Marcos, played a major role in the history of pirates and Colonial America.

Experience the historic grounds of Castillo de San Marcos on this paranormal investigation walking tour. Explore the disturbing military history, macabre medical procedures, and the true Native American history and legends associated with the oldest masonry fort in the country. This exterior only tour (you do not enter the Fort) of the longest extant building in the city also includes the famously haunted City Gates and the terrifying Huguenot Cemetery…at night, after dark!

Join our experienced paranormal investigator on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:30pm for the premier paranormal investigation in St. Augustine… if you dare! This tour and investigation program includes shared equipment use for the group that we supply and show you how to use- such as EMF meters, spirit boxes, and more. You are also welcome to bring any of your own equipment that you’d like photos and recording of this guided program are welcome and encouraged!

• The Paranormal Investigation adventure begins at the Tour St. Augustine office, 4 Granada St.
• Duration: approximately 2 hours.
• NOTICE: There is no entry INSIDE of the Castillo, all investigation activities take place on the grounds surrounding the fort- including inside the moat and defense embankments.

The Oldest Wooden School House Historic Museum & Gardens welcomes visitors to the unique Minorcan homestead of Juan Genopoly, established in the late 1700s. Preservation, conservation, interpretation, and education are the cornerstones of this rich historic treasure. The Attraction The Old School offers the opportunity for people of all ages to see an ORIGINAL American Treasure. The Genopoly House has been preserved to reflect the homestead life of the Minorcan Settlers as well as school life in the 1800s. We are proud to provide recreational and educational entertainment for visiting families and students. The self-guided experience begins as the Professor comes to life and welcomes you! All visitors receive a diploma after exploring the Old School, kitchen and gardens! Tour reservations are encouraged for groups of 10 or more. 192

Local actors and storytellers make this tour with the items and inventions from the turn-of-the-century come to life! By providing history and humor all rolled into one delightful experience, guests will be captivated to learn more about turn-of-the-century life within the ancient city. 171

The Oldest House Museum Complex is owned and operated by the St. Augustine Historical Society. Admission to the Oldest House Museum Complex includes a guided tour of Floridas Oldest House, a detailed history museum, ornamental gardens, a rotating exhibit gallery, surf museum, Marineland history exhibit and the museum store.

The Oldest House is open from daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tours run every half hour.

St. Augustine Surf Culture Museum
Located in the bottom floor of the Tovar House, the St. Augustine Surf Culture Museum tells the story of the surf community of St. Augustine, tracing the legacy of wave riding in the early twentieth century to the contemporary moment. This interactive museum interprets over seventy local oral histories, hundreds of historical images, hours of surf film, artifacts, memorabilia, articles, and historic surf boards.

Marineland’s Marine Studios Exhibit
The top floor of the Tovar House is home to Marineland’s Marine Studios exhibit which takes a look at the rich history of modern day Marineland and highlights some of the firsts of the world of marine science, film making, tourism, architecture, and animal training.</br
People and Places of St. Augustine
The second floor of the Tovar House is home to this temporary art exhibit which includes locally produced folk-art to internationally known artists. The collection reflects the personages and environment of St. Augustine. Throughout the year, other temporary exhibits may be featured.

Notice: This tour is bookable from November 23, 2024 thru January 26, 2025 only. This tour books up fast, be sure to get your reservation in early.
National Geographic has selected The Ancient City, one of the top-10 places in the world to see Christmas lights, for over a decade! Each year, more lights are added and the Nights of Lights Festival becomes more and more popular. Why struggle, maybe for hours, to find a place to park and then walk to see just a few blocks of lights? Step aboard the Pellicano and they will take you downtown to see the lights from the water. The reflections on the water appear to double the number of lights in the city, while the fresh night air in the bay makes some of the best restaurants on the east coast, smell even better.

Tour duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Discover the oceanfront playground that has delighted visitors since 1938. Make an ocean of memories as you meet bottlenose dolphins up close, experience the wonder of marine life, explore 80 years of Florida history, and even swim with dolphins in our unique educational programs.

TourPass grants admission but does not include Dolphin Swims or Meet & Greets. You can upgrade to these programs for an additional fee.
Daily Schedule:

• Shark Talk: 10:30 a.m. (Feedings on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday)
• Dolphin Training Presentation: 11:15 a.m.; 2:30PM
• Turtle Talk: 1:00 p.m.

The rich history of the Black experience in St. Augustine, Florida is also the history of the Black experience in America. In 1866, free men and women birthed Lincolnville: a community that found itself at the crossroads of history. Through exhibits and stories told from a local, intimate perspective, the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center chronicles 450 years of the winding road that is the black journey. Come and experience the journey for yourself.

Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center is an African American history museum located at 102 Martin Luther King Avenue in St. Augustine, Florida. It is located in the former Excelsior School, St. Augustine’s first black public high school.

Located in the heart of downtown St. Augustine, Lightner Museum occupies the historic Alcazar Hotel, a Gilded Age resort hotel built in 1888 by railroad magnate Henry Flagler. Founded in 1948, the Museum is home to one of the premier collections of 19th and early 20th-century fine and decorative art in the country. Furnishings, paintings, leaded glass windows, cut and blown glass, and natural history specimens from the Otto Lightner Collection are exhibited against the backdrop of the magnificent Alcazar Hotel. Visitors to the Museum are invited to participate in an immersive experience of art, architecture, and design from Americas Gilded Age.

The Building
Completed in 1888, the Alcazar Hotel was the second grand hotel Henry Flagler built in the city of St. Augustine. Designed by architects John Merven Carrere and Thomas Hastings, the building stands testimony to Flaglers vision to transform St. Augustine into a premiere winter resort for wealthy East Coast tourists.

At the peak of its popularity during the 1890s, more than 25,000 guests visited the Alcazar. A major attraction of the hotel was its indoor entertainment and recreational facilities. The Alcazar boasted the worlds largest indoor public swimming pool at the time, a grand ballroom, sulfur baths, a steam room, massage parlor, gymnasium, bowling alley, archery ranges, tennis courts and a bicycle academy.

The Alcazar Hotel closed during the Depression, and in 1947 the building was purchased by Otto C. Lightner to exhibit his turn-of-the-century collection of fine and decorative art. The Lightner Museum opened two years later. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and today houses both the Lightner Museum and City government offices.

The Collection
Chicago publisher Otto C. Lightner was fascinated by what people collected – a hobby that became his trademark and his passion, which is clearly reflected in the eclectic collection of late 19th-century and early-20th century artifacts on display at the Lightner Museum. Arranged over five floors, the Museum is filled with remarkable artifacts from this dynamic period in American history. Furnishings, paintings, mechanical musical instruments, and other curiosities transport you to the heyday of the Alcazar Hotel and its wealthy visitors. Today, the Lightner Museum offers a fascinating view of how beauty and luxury were defined in Gilded Age America.

You will visit the most haunted bars in St. Augustine famous Historic District, many of them not known to tourists, while enjoying the finest drinks and the most engaging ghost stories that St. Augustine has to offer.

Relax while taking a ghostly stroll in the Ancient City – and still have fun while uncovering the haunted secrets of the city’s most haunted pubs and bars. Learn about Brothels, Pirates, and Demons – with a side of alcohol. This is a walking tour.

• Starting time: 8 pm however more tour times may be available.
• Adults only. All guests must be 21 years of age or older.
• Duration: 2 hours.

The perfect way to experience St Augustine for those that would like to keep walking to a minimum. The one hour narrated golf cart tour allows you to get up close to all the amazing landmarks the oldest city has to offer with live commentary from your city certified tour guide/driver.

Tour Details:

• Duration: 1 hour.
• Ages 3+ only.

What You Will Experience:

• You will board the golf cart at the Plaza de la Constitucion.
• After a short introduction, your tour will proceed by the waterfront with magnificent views of the Matanzas Harbor and the Bridge of Lions.
• The tour will pass in front of the Castillo de San Marcos on its way to The Mision Nombre de Dios site where the city founder, Pedro Menendez de Aviles, first arrived.
• You will then drive by Fountain of Youth, Magnolia Street and the Old Jail site.
• Once downtown, your tour will pass by the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, Alcazar and Casa Monica hotels and then by the Governors House and down Aviles Street ( Oldest street in the US). You will be in the oldest part of town where you will be able to observe examples of Spanish and British colonial architecture.
• Before returning to the Plaza, you will drive by the Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church and the outside of the Hotel Ponce de Leon where the largest collection of in use Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass windows collection may be observed.

The Ghosts of St. Augustine Tour will take you, your family, and your friends to the most haunted places in St. Augustine.

If you are easily frightened, you may have a hard time sleeping the night after you join us. Stories of St. Augustine hauntings are downright spooky!

The Ghosts of St. Augustine Tour is the perfect ghost tour for families traveling to St. Augustine. You will be a hero to your kids for taking them on this entertaining tour.

• This is an all ages ghost walking tour.
• Starting time: typically at 8 pm.
• Duration: 90 minutes.
• Pet policy: Well behaved pets on leashes are allowed.
• Alcohol: not allowed

This is where it all began, the oldest ghost tour company in Florida has spent years delving into historic libraries, church documents, diaries and in-person interviews in order to dredge up the secrets of the past.

Follow the glimmer of lantern-light as you explore the back alleys of St. Augustine with your licensed professional tour guide who shares authentic history and the stories of paranormal activity. Keep your senses alert for swooping lights, unearthly fog and ghostly shadows in the night… all of which have actually been witnessed at the haunted sites we visit.

• Tours last approximately 75 minutes and depart every night at 8pm (Additional tour times on weekends and select nights)
• Departure location: from the Tour St. Augustine Inc. office at 4 Granada Street.
• This tour is family friendly and welcomes well behaved pets on leashes.

Prepare yourself for a Frightseeing Adventure like none other as your resident Ghost Host shares tales both true and truly unnerving of the citys tumultuous past. Discover the secrets of the Tolomoto Cemetery and the apparition seen playing on the sacred grounds after dark. Could it be the spirit of five-year old James or is it the Ghost Bride, still waiting for her walk down the aisle. Be sure to keep a watchful eye while passing by the old City Gates. You might catch a glimpse of Elizabeth, a child victim of the yellow fever, waving to those who pass by. Plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early to make time to visit Cromwells Parlour of Paranormal Curiosities.

Cruising up alongside a pod of Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphin that choose to make St Augustine their home, even makes the crew giddy and they do it every day!

There is something exciting, yet very calming, about watching these beautiful creatures glide through the water, in perfect formation, in groups of anywhere from two to ten. Often we see mommas, with their babies following alongside, so close you would think they are attached.

If we find them just right, when they are feeding, we might catch a glimpse of one 6-8 feet in the air, often with a fish in their mouth! They are in the wild, however, so finding them is not guaranteed (96% success), but seeing great sights and hearing great stories is!
Tour Duration: 1.5 hours

We have teamed up with the original St. Augustine Historic Pub Crawl to bring this unique experience to those of you who prefer a little…spirits with your spirits!

Explore the most notorious haunted taverns on this spine-tingling investigation. This adults only walking tour gives you a chance to try real paranormal equipment at the actual haunted sites we visit, while enjoying drinks and hearing the haunted history along the way.

• A local craft beer at the first stop is INCLUDED with your ticket.
• Pub Crawls last appx 2hrs and explore at least 4 unique venues on each tour.
• Tours depart Friday and Saturday from their downtown tour reception lobby at 4 Granada Street.
• Ages 21+ only. TOURS DEPART RAIN OR SHINE.

On the Living History Tour, you can imagine life in St. Augustine for hundreds of years. See and Experience how our citizens lived, worked and played while defending against attack. Learn about blacksmithing and cover your ears for a live musket demonstration! Visit a home that is over 270 years old. Climb the watchtower and look for ships on the horizon. The St. Augustine Colonial Experience allows you to understand the success of the oldest permanent European Settlement in North America. History awaits you.

• Learn about Blacksmithing: This hourly demonstration explores how the colonial Blacksmith worked hard at the forge. He reworked old metal into tools, cooking utensils, strap hinges and nails.
• Live Musket Demonstration: Join our tour as you lock and load your 17th century replica musket. The talented tour guides demonstrates musket drills, repairs, shows how to maintain the garrison’s guns, weapons and how to test and inspect firearms. Watch as they do a full musket demonstration.
• Climb the Watchtower: Climb 35-feet to the top of the interpretation of a Spanish watchtower from the past for a birds-eye view of the Castillo de San Marcos and St. Augustine bayfront. Pinpoint the historic city’s landmarks and imagine what Spanish soldiers looking out would have seen and felt.
• Walk Through History: Stroll the Flags Over St. Augustine boardwalk through the centuries beneath the very flags that have flown over this ancient city for over 450 years.

The Classic Car Museum is a 30,000 sq ft special events space, museum and classic car storage facility located just outside of historic St. Augustine, FL. The versatility that each space offers is endless. Our venue is perfect for any type of event. From a classic car back drop to an outdoor manicured lawn and pond, to an upscale banquet room, these spaces offer something new, something memorable and something within your reach.