Today we are exploring 3 amazing forts around St. Augustine, Florida. Becky is staying home while I take our daughter and our son Drew to the Ancient City. We’ll be visiting the main fort downtown, the Castillo de San Marcos, as well as Fort Matanzas and Fort Mose. We are looking forward to exploring these amazing forts around St. Augustine!
Planning Forts around St. Augustine
St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the contiguous U.S. and a major tourist destination. And the fort downtown, the Castillo de San Marcos, continues to be the major tourist attraction in this ancient city. Though we have been numerous times over the years, for some reason our daughter has never been here! Drew and I plan to take her and help her with the junior ranger activity. But we have to get here early this holiday week. So, we plan to get to this fort first around when it opens at 9:00AM.
We will plan to explore the main fort downtown first for a couple hours. Once done, we will walk across the street to the historic downtown district to get some lunch. From there, we will head back to our car to drive down the coast to Fort Matanzas National Monument. And if we have time we will stop at Fort Mose Historic State Park on the way back. The difference between these 3 forts is less than 16 miles, but we’ll be doubling that since we’ll be backtracking. We know the Castillo gets busy so makes since to start in the middle.
Arriving at the Historic Fort in Downtown St. Augustine
The historic fort downtown was constructed by the Spanish between 1672 and 1695. Named the Castillo de San Marcos meaning St. Mark’s Castle, it’s the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States. When Spain ceded Florida to the U.S. in 1821, the fort became an army base renamed Fort Marion. And in 1924, after 251 years of military occupation, it became Fort Marion National Monument for the people. The original name was restored to Castillo de San Marcos in 1942 and has been a popular tourist destination ever since. You can read more about this monument at: Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (nps.gov).
We aim to get to the fort when it opens, but get to the parking lot about 9:25AM. Though the large lot is mostly full, there are still plenty of spaces left. Though like most parking lots in St. Augustine, you have to pay to park here. There are meters you can pay with cash or credit card. It’s $2.50 an hour so we pre-pay for 2 hours. We then walk up to the hill to the entrance. The entrance fee is separate and is $15 per person over 16, but we have a national park annual pass.
They check our pass and we grab a brochure ready to enter the fort. Some steps to the left of the entrance leads to a little area offering some nice views of the city. And once on the bridge over the moat we notice it is dry again. We heard there was water in it from Hurricane Nicole this year. But a park ranger tells us they haven’t had water in the moat since 1996.
Inside Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
As soon as we walk over the “drawbridge” to get into the fort, our daughter notices pigeons in the rafters. And once in, we head into the 1st room on the left which is the park store. Here you can get 6 different passport stamps. I forgot our daughter has her own passport book, but they have stickers you can stamp for a little cost. This is also one of the places you can pick up a junior ranger activity book. After getting the free book and purchasing some stickers and a pen, we head into the middle of the Castillo de San Marcos.
The fort opens to a grassy square with rooms all around it. And it’s here we 1st look into the junior ranger book. It tells us we have to complete 6 pages of activities to get the junior ranger badge. It also states you can get a patch if you complete all of the activities, but 6 is a lot for a 6-year old. However 1 activity is just to ask a park ranger why they like working for the park service. And here we see a information table manned by 2 park rangers. So, we walk up to a young ranger to ask her. We were surprised to hear her answer is she likes math, and she does accounting for the park. After thanking her, we find some restrooms on the right. And afterwards we sit to do another page before checking out the different rooms.
Each room has something different including informational signs and props. Some rooms have models, maps, historical relics or pictures of St. Augustine’s most famous residents. After going through all the rooms downstairs, we take the staircase to the top.
On Top of Castillo de San Marcos
After about 40 minutes exploring the rooms downstairs, we take the 2 flights of stairs to the top. And we are instantly greeted by amazing views all around. The views of the Matanzas River littered with sailboats is beautiful even on this cloudy day. As we walk around the coquina walls we pass cannons toward the 1st tower, a sentry box. On this other side we see nice views of downtown St. Augustine as we walk toward the 2nd tower. Just past this tower our daughter spots some pigeons on the wall. She is more excited to see these birds we think.
As we pass more cannons, we see the 3rd tower is open. This tower is small and only 1 person can go in it at a time. We wait our turn and go 1 at a time to check it out. But on the other side is the largest one, the bell tower. It is much taller and big enough for both our daughter and Drew to go in at the same time.
Not only is this one bigger, but there are pigeons on top! There are a few places to sit here, so we take time to finish the junior ranger pages. We see some kayakers in the river and the Bridge of Lions that connects the mainland to the beach. You can also see the black and white striped and red-topped St. Augustine lighthouse from here. After taking in the views and finishing the book, we head down to see a ranger.
Junior Ranger Oath and Rolling Down the Hill
Once back downstairs, we find the same park ranger we talked to earlier at the table. She checks out the book and sees we finished 7 of the pages. In the back is a certificate she signs and stamps with the date. Seeing our daughter’s being really shy, she asks if she wants to recite the oath or do a high five. Of course she says high five, but they have to warm it up first. So they rub their hands together, before they high five. It was so cute and we really appreciate the young ranger Nicole.
After almost 1.5 hours we have explored our 1st fort and completed the junior ranger activity. When we head out we see the line to get in is long. We’re glad we started early today. But we have 1 more thing to do before we head downtown for lunch. We walk outside the fort and around toward the city where there is a big hill.
Her brothers have already told her how they rolled down the hill here when they were young. And since it’s a family tradition, now she has to do it. And she’s been ready ever since we left this morning. The ground is still wet this morning, so we put her jacket back on and let her go. She has a blast at the 1st of the forts around St. Augustine, but now it’s lunch time.
Pizza and Popsicles in Downtown St. Augustine
Since we just have to walk across the street to downtown, we don’t want to move our car. And the parking lot is now full and cars are circling the lot. So we head back to the meter to buy 2 more hours of time to walk downtown. This is much easier than trying to find another parking spot. Across from the fort is a traffic light we cross to get downtown. And we head to St. George Street for pizza.
Pizza Time is located in the middle of St. George Street where you can buy individual slices. At 11:30AM, there is no line other than a few people inside. And inside we see all kinds of interesting and tasty looking slices on display. But before we order, we see a sign for Cash Only next to an ATM machine. So, I get enough money out not knowing how much I’ll need. I get a large slice of ravioli pizza for me and a plain slice of cheese for our daughter. Drew gets a slice of deep dish caprese pizza and an Italian arancini rice ball. I decide to try one too. Once at the register, we get 2 sodas and a bottled water and it’s over $50. Our take is the pizza is expensive but really good.
On the way out, there is a line out the door. So again, glad we started early. On the way back we stop at a family favorite, Hyppo Gourmet Popsicles. They have popsicles made with fruit and other interesting ingredients. I am full, but get a strawberry popsicle for our daughter. Drew gets one with Cristal champagne and mango. They enjoy them on the way back to the car.
Fort Matanzas National Monument
We leave the 1st of the forts around St. Augustine downtown and head over the Bridge of Lions. For 14 miles we drive on A1A down the coast to Fort Matanzas National Monument. It’s an easy drive taking us around 20 minutes arriving at the entrance at 1:15PM. Like the downtown Castillo, Fort Matanzas is also a national monument and run by the National Park Service. This fort was completed in 1742 to protect this inlet to the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine. To read more about this fort, check out: Fort Matanzas National Monument (nps.gov)
After trying to take a few pictures with our daughter playing with the sawgrass, we head in the small park. There is 1 parking lot and it looks pretty full, but we luckily find a spot. But, as soon as we walk up to the visitor center we see a sign that says “Today’s Boats FULL”. In order to get to Fort Matanzas, you take a free ferry ride behind the visitor center. However, you have to get a boarding pass before they’re all gone. And even though the board in front shows 3 ferry times this afternoon at 1:30PM, 2:30PM and 3:30PM, there are no more passes. But we walk to the visitor center where we talk to a park ranger.
The ranger tells us all the passes’ for the day were given out when they opened at 9:00AM. It’s a holiday week and we expected the Castillo downtown to be busy, but wasn’t expecting this park too. We can walk down to the ferry, but access to the dock is restricted for ferry boarding. However, we do at least get a view of the fort across the river.
Previous Trip to Fort Matanzas
Drew and I have been to the fort once many years ago when he was much younger. And the 5 minute ride across the shore to see the 3 story watchtower is a cool experience. Once across the river, the ranger that drives the boat also provides a guided tour of the fort.
There are 3 levels to this fort also made of coquina. Once up the wooden stairs is the gun deck where you can see multiple cannons. And up some more steps is the officer’s quarters where only one officer slept here. Up a ladder you can go to the observation deck up top. Here you can see really good views all around. You get to spend plenty of time to explore before heading back on the ferry. We wish we could’ve done it this trip, but we’ll have to come back on a less crowded day.
Junior Ranger Booklet and Nature Trail
Not being able to visit the fort, we head inside and ask the ranger for a junior ranger booklet. To complete the book, our daughter would have to complete 3 of 4 activities in the park. But the ranger tells us we can’t do 2 of them, visit the fort and watch a video. However, we do explore some exhibits, and check out the book. And for her 4-7 age group, she would have to complete 10 pages! This is more than we did at the Castillo, and I decide not to put her through the torture. So, we decide to do the only other thing to do here, their short nature trail.
The Coastal Hammock Trail is and easy 1/2 mile loop that is mostly boardwalk. At the beginning we see a QR code that provides a trail guide of 10 spots along the way. These spots talk about the coastal hammock forest including the plants and animals you can see along the trail. There is even a marker here of the massacre by Pedro Menendez of Jean Ribault and his men. The Spanish Menendez slaughtered Ribault and his French Huguenots here from Fort Caroline in Jacksonville. The word Matanzas is from the Spanish word for slaughter. To read more about it, check out our separate post: Fort Caroline National Memorial Tour & More.
The trail leads back to the parking lot and the restrooms. There are also picnic tables between the entrance road and the parking lot under large oak trees. These trees provide lots of shade and their limbs provide plenty of opportunity for climbing. Less than an hour in the park, we have time for one more of the forts around St. Augustine.
Fort Mose Historical State Park
Getting to the 3rd of the forts around St. Augustine takes us about 30 minutes bypassing downtown. Just north of the city gates is the turn onto Fort Mose Trail to the park. Since we didn’t spend much time at Fort Matanzas this time, we have more time to explore Fort Mose. Pronounced “Moe-say” Fort Mose strategically protected the North of St. Augustine just as Fort Matanzas protected the South. But what’s more interesting about this Spanish fort is who lived there. Fort Mose is the site of the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what is now the United States. It was chartered as a settlement in 1732 for those freeing slavery from the English colonies in the Carolinas. To read more about its interesting history, see Fort Mose Historic State Park | Florida State Parks.
I’ve been here once before when the visitor center was closed, but it’s open today. Inside the building are restrooms, an auditorium to watch a movie and a museum. A park volunteer offers to turn on the movie for us, but we opt to walk through the museum instead. Though there’s no cost to enter the park, we pay $4 ($2 per adult and kids are free) to enter the museum. The museum has interesting history of Fort Mose and of its inhabitants on display. They even have a coloring table our daughter finds in the back. This park is here to showcase the history of this site even though the fort is buried in the marsh. But on the way out, the volunteer tells us they are starting a groundbreaking on creating a replica fort here! It would be cool to see, but we can still enjoy the grounds.
Trails at Fort Mose
After about 30 minutes in the visitor center, we head out back. Here is an open area with picnic tables that leads to a dock on the marsh. As we approach it, we see an ibis on the railing before it flies away. And at the dock, paddlers can launch their kayaks and personal watercraft here. On the way back we find the Freedom Trail that goes through the woods. It is a very short trail with a few more signs about the history here that leads us back to the front. But near the parking lot is another longer nature trail.
This nature trail is about a 1/2 mile out and back boardwalk trail through a marsh to an overlook. It starts out going through a beautiful and secluded marshy area. There are a couple places you can stop to peer into the shallow water below. You walk through this open area before going through some trees and out to the overlook.
It is at the overlook you can see where Fort Mose was located. A sign at the overlook points you in the right direction. This is also a great place to see wading birds. We see a couple little blue herons before we see an ibis flying and settling in the water. It could possibly be the same one we saw earlier. As we walk back on the boardwalk, I spot a great blue heron carrying something in its mouth. And after about an hour and 15 minutes in the park it is just about 4:00PM. After exploring 3 forts around St. Augustine, we are ready to head home.
Forts around St. Augustine Summary
Today we spent the day exploring 3 amazing forts around St. Augustine, Florida. The 1st was the big fort downtown, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. We got there early morning which helped to beat the crowds. Afterwards we got lunch downtown before heading to Fort Matanzas National Monument down the coast. And on the way back we stopped at Fort Mose Historical State Park. These 3 forts played an important part in Spanish Florida protecting St. Augustine and are interesting to visit.
The Castillo is always a fun place to visit and it was our daughter’s 1st time there. She also completed her junior ranger activity to get another badge for her collection. Not to mention our daughter got to continue the family tradition of rolling down the hill. We enjoyed walking downtown afterwards and getting large slices of pizza and Hyppo popsicles. But we were disappointed the boats were full at Fort Matanzas before arriving there. However, both of these forts were very busy today and glad we chose the Castillo first. We were also glad we were able to stop at Fort Mose to see the museum and the marsh views. It’s a very pretty place and look forward to seeing the replica fort that will be built there. Our daughter loved the forts around St. Augustine so much, she said we have to do this “fun day” every year!