Try These Exciting St. Augustine Activities For Families

As you set about booking your Saint Augustine vacation rental, take a moment to consider which family-oriented activities you should partake in. There is so much to see and do that packing everything into one vacation will prove to be impossible. Carefully picking your planned adventures will keep things flowing much more fluidly, maximizing the fun you and your kiddos will have while staying in St. Augustine.

So, what are the absolute best attractions and activities for families to do? The following six suggestions are enjoyed by visitors of all ages and make for many memorable moments! Think about which ones will bring the most smiles to your kids’ faces – and yours.

Black Raven Pirate Ship

If your kids (or you) are into pirates, then the Black Raven Pirate Ship is a ‘must’ when it comes to St. Augustine activities. Situated just south of Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine, the Black Raven Pirate Ship really does sail the high seas! It is inspected by the United States Coast Guard and is approved to hold up to 127 passengers. Each family trip lasts about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and you will need your boarding pass to get on the ship. Daily departures are at 2:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., and you can reserve your spot online.

While onboard, you can take part in Blackbeard’s Treasure Hunt. A friendly pirate will start off by serenading you, but this quickly devolves into high seas chaos and even a swordfight before the Black Raven departs. Of course, there will be pirate jokes, sword training for kids, free face painting, cannon firing, and a battle with the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

When you retrieve the illustrious treasure chest, you and your family will get to share the booty. While dinners are not served on board, there is a fully licensed bar that is open during all trips and provides drinks and snacks.

Visit Family Fun Parks

Fun parks are a great way to wear the kids – and yourself – out. When you’re looking for things to do in St. Augustine, FL, Marineland might stand out since it puts you face-to-face with dolphins. You can snorkel or swim with them in their 1.3 million gallons of dolphin habitat.

Kid-friendly programs at Marineland will get kids into the water to play with the dolphins. There are 14 bottlenose dolphins who live at Marineland. You will want to bring sunscreen, towels, and bathing suits so you can get into the water with these clever and friendly creatures. You might also want to bring some snacks since there is no restaurant on-site.

Adventure Landing is another fun park you can visit. You can partake in a game of mini-golf or head on over to the arcade to try your hand at any of your classic arcade favorites, including basketball and skeeball. Challenge your kids with some laps around the go-karts track, then head on over to the batting cages to see who has the better swing. You will need to reserve the cage at least 48 hours in advance, and only those six years old and older can use them.

Play Mini-Golf

You’re going to need a lot of ways to get the kids out of your St. Augustine beach house rental or downtown rental homes. Another one of the beloved St. Augustine family activities you can enjoy is mini-golf. In St. Augustine, you can take your pick from multiple mini-golf locations. 

Anastasia Miniature Golf is an 18-hole course that has been actively in business since 1978. Their course offers everything from a tunnel to a pirate ship, and a few of the holes are a lot more challenging than the others (even for adults). This creatively designed course sprawls through luscious tropical landscaping that intersects with waterways full of gorgeous Japanese koi fish. In the pirate-themed area, you will encounter “spooky” tunnels and waterfalls. If you want to spend all day there, there is an all-day unlimited pass for $18. Rainchecks are available if the weather turns sour.

Fiesta Falls Mini-Golf is located right near St. Augustine Beach. This 18-hole course boasts a 65-foot-tall ship you can play on, eight waterfalls, and a gazebo from which you can get a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean. Fiesta Falls is open seven days a week and has private areas that you can use for a birthday party or other special occasions.

Believe it or not, you can play mini-golf at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! In St. Augustine. After you tour the main attraction, take to this 18-hole course to learn about mini-golf history. In fact, St. Augustine is home to Florida’s first mini-golf course, which opened in 1949. In 2014, Ripley’s Bayfront Mini Golf was the first miniature golf course in Florida to make it onto the National Register of Historic Places.

Get Up Close With Wildlife

Want to get up close with wildlife? The St. Augustine Alligator Farm is a strange but delightful local gem that is home to alligators, pythons, and large reptiles. These creatures come from all across the globe. Check out the alligator pit, which features over 20 of the hugest gators you’ll ever find. Let’s face it: this is the best place to meet them.

The St. Augustine Wild Reserve is home to the Soul of the Wolf Wildlife Sanctuary, which provides a home for unwanted and abused exotic animals – and none of them are refused. You and your family can take part in educational programs that let you meet these exotic animals, although there is a no-touch policy involved. Tours can be booked online, and V.I.P. tours are available by appointment only on Fridays.

Marine biologists at the St. Augustine Aquarium will guide you through this outdoor facility. You and the kids can even don some diving gear and snorkel around in the aquarium, getting up close with marine life. You might even be lucky enough to meet a mermaid while there! Adult tickets are $14.99, admission for a child is $9.99.

The Anastasia Island Arcade Museum

One of the indoor activities in St. Augustine for families is the Anastasia Island Arcade Museum. This museum boasts original, classic pinball and mechanical arcade games. It is just like traveling back to the 1980s. In addition to the 30 machines, there is a Wurlitzer jukebox – and all are free to play.

While you are there, be sure to snag one of the museum’s delicious craft sodas. When you play the games at the museum, you will learn about the history of arcade games. Take note: This museum is only open on Saturdays.

Explore The Colonial Quarter

The true heart of St. Augustine is its Colonial Quarter, which has barely changed since it was originally developed. Find yourself flashing back a few centuries in this cozy little courtyard nook.

Here, you can visit a blacksmith’s shop and learn from a professional reenactor and historian about how smithing works. This blacksmith will craft everything from nails to cooking utensils, illustrating how carefully these items were crafted and what a time-consuming process it was. You might even get treated to a hands-on demonstration!

If you really want to have a blast, check out the musket drill. A gunsmith will talk about how a 17^th-century musket would be repaired, inspected, and tested. You’ll learn every step for how to lock, load, and fire. You will also be able to see a one-room colonial residence called the De Mesa-Sanchez House, a leatherworker’s shop, and even go on a walk that lets you see flags from the countries that have a stake in the city’s rich history.

Finally, you can climb the 35-foot watchtower to get a great bird’s-eye view of St. Augustine. You’ll be able to see the Bayfront and the famous Castillo de San Marcos fort.