St. Augustine Lighthouse

MarilynR (Atlas Obscura User)

The St. Augustine Lighthouse provides a great birds-eye view of the Atlantic Ocean and Matanzas Bay. It is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

The lighthouse is 165 feet tall and visitors can climb to the top via 219 steps. Each landing on the way up has historical and fun facts for you to read.

The lighthouse’s lantern is made from 370 hand cut, seamless glass prisms. It is rather large - around 12 feet tall - and very impressive. It is very well maintained and a nice payoff to see when you get to the top.

The grounds also has a maritime museum with lots of historical photographs, the lighthouse keeper’s quarters, and lush gardens/green space to stroll in. There is ample parking and a lot of it is shaded by large trees covered in Spanish moss. There is also a gift shop with lots of Florida themed and lighthouse gear for you to bring home, and a playground for the kids.

Know Before You Go

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is just a short 10-15 minute drive across the Bridge of Lions downtown and a nice way to see a lot of the city and the ocean from a great viewpoint.