Florida’s Historic Coast, which includes St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach, averages 223 days a year of pure sunshine. That’s an impressive stat. But it still leaves several days where the weather can be overcast, rainy, cool, or sometimes during the winter months – cold. Luckily, like many touristy areas of Florida, there are still plenty of things to do and places that can be explored – indoors! Here are our Favorite 5. Be sure to call ahead to check on hours of operation and admission fees.
St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
Relive the Golden Age of Piracy at the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum with the world’s largest collection of authentic pirate artifacts, fun interactive exhibits, and more.
This exciting and educational experience will transport you and your family back in time over 300 years to Port Royal, Jamaica, at the height of the Golden Age of Piracy. One of our most popular features is the Discovery Drawers marked with a skull and crossbones and hidden throughout the museum. Consider it your own personal treasure hunt.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum
See more than 800 exhibits of unusual, strange, and even weird oddities and curiosities at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum.
New to the museum: Ripley’s Haunted Castle Tour. Previously known as Castle Warden and scene to unsolved murders and unexplained paranormal phenomena, this 80-minute tour of the most haunted place on the Southeastern Seaboard is an investigation with Team R.I.P. Participants explore what’s really going on when the museum’s daily guests are gone, the sun has set, and the dead reveal themselves.
Lightner Museum
Take a stroll through the gilded age at Lightner Museum. Henry Flagler’s former Alcazar Hotel holds 19th-century artifacts including natural history exhibits, Tiffany glass, a Victorian Village, and antique mechanical musical instruments.
This is a large museum occupying five floors, as well as galleries. Even casual visitors should plan on one to two hours to get an overview of the exhibits. Visitors with specific interests may need additional time. This museum has collections that will appeal to everyone, no matter what your interest.
The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s days).
St Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
Explore the undersea story of a real shipwreck at St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum’s interactive exhibit Wrecked.
First lit in 1874, the St. Augustine Lighthouse continues to send its light into the darkness above the Atlantic. The lighthouse’s nighttime beacon with its flash every 30 seconds and its unique paint scheme glistening in the sun announces the location of the nation’s oldest city both day and night.
Today, the lighthouse not only continues to serve its traditional navigation purposes, but it also provides visitors with a magnificent view and brings alive maritime history and lore. The Keeper’s House along with the historic Coast Guard barracks and the Maritime Archaeology and Education Center tells the story of the lighthouse’s past, present, and future.
Plus, special tours and events held here throughout the year entertain and educate while serving as a reminder of St. Augustine’s eternal link to the sea. For ticket purchases, visit www.StAugustineLighthouse.org/visit/expand-your-visit
Flagler College
Historic Tours of Flagler College highlights the architectural heritage of the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, listed as a National Historic Landmark. Built by railroad magnate, Henry M. Flagler in 1888, the Ponce is considered one of the finest examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture and was one of the most exclusive resorts of its day. Tours daily at 10 am and 2 pm. It is highly suggested you purchase tickets prior to your arrival at https://bit.ly/3f335gw.
Virtual tours of the courtyard, the Flagler Room, the Dining Hall, the Rotunda, and the Solarium are here.
Source: Information and Photos – Florida’s Historic Coast Tourism Board