A St. Augustine day trip from Daytona Beach can focus on the historic district, the bayfront Castillo de San Marcos and a walk along the old town’s streets. Plan your parking and choose the sites you want to see before setting out, since their opening patterns differ.
- St. Augustine is about 50.4 miles from a three-star hotel in Daytona Beach.
- The Castillo de San Marcos opens seven days a week, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
- The city’s Historic Downtown Parking Facility has 1,200 spaces and is open 24 hours a day.
- Castillo admission is $15 per person age 16 and older; younger visitors enter free with an adult.
Is St. Augustine practical as a day trip?
St. Augustine’s historic center brings several significant stops together, making it possible to shape a day around a few selected sites rather than trying to cover the whole city.
The Castillo de San Marcos sits on the bayfront, north of the Bridge of Lions, while the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum is on Aviles Street in the heart of Old St. Augustine.
The National Park Service describes the Castillo as the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. Its Spanish stone walls make it a substantial historic site, and its position on the water gives you a natural place to start before walking into the nearby historic district.
Keep the plan focused: choose the fort, a museum visit or both, then leave time to walk the surrounding streets. You can adjust the order to match the sites’ admission hours and the parking arrangement that works for your visit.
Getting there and parking near the historic district
The city’s Historic Downtown Parking Facility is at 1 Cordova Street, beside the Visitor Information Center. From the garage, you can walk to St. George Street, San Marco Avenue, the Castillo de San Marcos and Francis Field.
The garage charges $20 per vehicle, per entry, during peak hours of 7:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and $5 per vehicle, per entry, from 5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Parking is first-come, first-served; a monthly pass does not guarantee a space. Peak hours may change during holidays and special events.
Free, accessible Park & Ride shuttles operate during selected high-traffic events, rather than as a daily, year-round service. If you’re visiting during an event, check the City of St. Augustine’s official site before you go for current parking and shuttle details.
For a Daytona Beach outing before or after your drive, the Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier offers a walkable contrast to St. Augustine’s historic streets.
Choosing historic sites and waterfront stops
The Castillo de San Marcos and Ximenez-Fatio House Museum offer different ways to spend time in the historic district: a bayfront fortress visit or a house museum tour on Aviles Street.
Castillo de San Marcos
The Castillo is open seven days a week except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. First admission is at 9:00 a.m., last admission is at 5:00 p.m., and visitors must leave by 5:15 p.m. Its grounds are closed from midnight until 6:00 a.m.
Admission costs $15 for each visitor age 16 and older. Visitors age 15 and younger enter free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets are valid for seven consecutive days. The Castillo is a walk-in park; its entrance fee applies to each person, and tickets are not transferable.
There is also an on-site parking lot, priced at $2.50 per hour. Automated stations accept most U.S. coins and currency, as well as credit and debit cards.
Ximenez-Fatio House Museum
The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum offers self-guided tours Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., weather permitting. Guided tours take place at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on those days, also weather permitting.
Guided-tour admission is $15 for visitors age 12 and older; audio-tour admission is $12 for visitors age 12 and older. Children ages 7–12 pay $6, and children under 6 enter free. Check each site’s official information before your visit for current hours, admission and access details.
A manageable one-day walking plan
A straightforward plan is to park once, visit the Castillo first, then walk into the historic district for a museum visit and time on its streets. Starting with the fort gives you a clear first stop on the bayfront; the house museum’s location on Aviles Street makes it a possible next destination.
- Park downtown. Use the Historic Downtown Parking Facility at 1 Cordova Street, or choose the Castillo’s on-site lot if you want to begin at the fort.
- Visit the Castillo. Check its admission window and give yourself time to leave before the 5:15 p.m. exit deadline.
- Continue toward Aviles Street. If the museum fits your schedule, choose a self-guided tour or one of its guided-tour times.
- Walk the historic district. The city garage is within walking distance of St. George Street, San Marco Avenue and Francis Field, so you can add a stroll through the area without moving your car.
Allow your chosen sites’ schedules to set the pace rather than trying to fit every attraction into one visit. If you’re planning another Daytona Beach day, the SFB to Daytona Beach route covers arrival planning for that airport.
FAQs
Is the Castillo de San Marcos open every day?
It is open seven days a week except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Its first admission is at 9:00 a.m. and last admission is at 5:00 p.m.
Can you reserve parking at the Historic Downtown Parking Facility?
Parking is first-come, first-served, and a monthly pass does not guarantee a space.
Does St. Augustine have a daily Park & Ride shuttle?
No. The city offers free, accessible Park & Ride shuttles during selected high-traffic events; the service is not a year-round daily shuttle.
Does the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum offer guided tours?
Yes. Guided tours take place Monday through Saturday at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., weather permitting.