25 Best Sights in Northeast Coast, Florida

The focal point of St. Augustine, this commanding structure was completed by the Spaniards in 1695 (English pirates were handy with a torch back then), and it looks every day of its three centuries. The fort was constructed of coquina, a soft limestone made of broken shells and coral that, unexpectedly, could absorb the impact of British cannonballs. (Unlike solid stone, the softer coquina wouldn't shatter when hit by large munitions.) The fort was also used as a prison during the Revolutionary and Civil wars. Tours are self-guided, so be sure to pick up a brochure and map. Children 15 and under are admitted free and must be accompanied by an adult. Save your receipts, since admission is valid for seven consecutive days.

If you don't mind paying a modest entrance fee for beach access, this park offers some outstanding choices. At one end of the beach, there's a playground and snack bar, where you can order sandwiches and cold drinks or rent a beach chair, umbrella, surfboard, or other beach paraphernalia. If you walk north along the beach, however, all traces of civilization seem to vanish. An offshore break makes the park a good surfing spot, there's a boat launch, and canoes and kayaks can be rented. The campgrounds are very popular, too. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: solitude; surfing; swimming; walking.

This quiet beach south of St. Augustine played a role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, when it attracted national attention for a "wade-in" that later led to Martin Luther King Jr. visiting St. Augustine. Today, it is a county park that still provides access to the beachfront. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

This cathedral has the country's oldest written parish records, dating from 1594. The circa-1797 structure underwent changes after a fire in 1887 as well as restoration work in the mid-1960s. If you're around for the holidays, stop in for Christmas Eve's gorgeous Midnight Mass, conducted amid banks of flickering candles that reflect off gilded walls. Regular Sunday masses are held throughout the year at 7, 9, 11, and 5.

This 2-acre living-history museum with costumed re-enactors provides a vivid sense of life in St. Augustine from the 16th through the 18th centuries. The De Mesa–Sanchez House dates from the 1740s; though built on original foundations, other buildings—including a soldier's home, print shop, blacksmith's shop, and gunsmith—are replicas. Climb the 35-foot watchtower for a panoramic city view, dig for replica artifacts, create a leather medallion, take part in a musket drill, or watch a 16th-century ship being built. Tours start daily at 10:30, noon, 1:30, and 3. The complex also includes three restaurants: the Taberna del Caballo, St. Augustine Seafood Company, and Bull & Crown.

To look at a marvelous Venetian Renaissance–style structure, head to this church, built by Flagler in 1889 as a memorial to his daughter Jenny, who died during childbirth. In addition to Jenny, this is the final resting place for Flagler himself; his first wife, Mary; and their granddaughter Marjorie. The dome of this stunning sanctuary towers more than 100 feet and is topped by a 20-foot Greek cross.

This once-dated attraction continues to undergo a major rejuvenation. There are still fun elements from the original "Old Florida" (admittedly somewhat kitschy), but there's much that's new and exciting, too. The timing is appropriate—in 2013, the park celebrated the 500th anniversary of Ponce de León's arrival. The 15-acre waterfront site is also the location where Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, in 1565, established the first and oldest continuous European settlement in what's now the United States. Excavations have also shown it was the site of a Franciscan mission to the Timucuan Indians. The park includes a replica of the mission, a Timucuan village and burial grounds, a boatyard in which a 16th-century-style boat is being constructed, and a three-story watchtower with broad, panoramic vistas of the bay, inlet, and Mendez Settlement field. Other highlights include cannon firings; a working blacksmith shop; Navigators Planetarium; a gift shop; a small, elegant café; and the springhouse where you can still quench your thirst from "the fountain of youth."

This historical building has been a hospital, a courthouse, a customs house, a post office, and, during the American Revolution, the home of the British governors. And it was from here, in 1821, that the Spanish governor ceded control of East Florida to the United States to conclude 256 years of colonial control. After a major renovation, the building reopened in 2013 and features revolving exhibits. A shop on-site sells history-related souvenirs and a wide selection of books.

In his quest to turn Florida into an American Riviera, Henry Flagler built two fancy hotels in 1888: the Ponce de León, which became Flagler College, and the Alcazar, which closed during the Great Depression, was purchased by publisher Otto Lightner in 1946, and was donated to the city in 1948. It's now a museum with three floors of furnishings, costumes, Victorian art glass, not-to-be-missed ornate antique music boxes, and even an early-20th-century-era shrunken head from the Jivaro Indians of Ecuador.

The world's first oceanarium was constructed in 1938, 18 miles south of St. Augustine. This National Register of Historic Places designee, now part of the Georgia Aquarium, has come a long way from marine film studio to theme park to its current iteration as dolphin research, education, and entertainment center. The formal dolphin shows are history, but you can have a far more memorable experience with interactive programs that allow you to swim with and feed the animals or become a dolphin trainer for a day. Programs start from a simple "touch-and-feed" option and are as elaborate as a super-expensive "trainer for a day." General admission allows you to observe the dolphins through 6-foot-by-10-foot acrylic windows. The 1.3-million-gallon facility is home to 13 dolphins, and until 2014 the park housed Nellie, the longest-lived dolphin in human care until her death at the age of 61. A new calf, Coquina, was born shortly after Nellie's death. Other exhibits feature native Florida marine life such as tarpon, sharks, spotted eagle rays, and giant sea turtles, as well as historical artifacts dating back to the park's inception as a nautical movie studio.

The site, north of the Historic District, commemorates where America's first mass was celebrated. A 208-foot-tall stainless-steel cross (purportedly the world's tallest) allegedly marks the spot where the mission's first cross was planted in 1565. Also on the property is the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, the first shrine devoted to Mary in the United States. The landscape is exquisitely maintained, and the mission is crisscrossed with paths. A museum and gift shop are also on the property.

Just five minutes from St. Augustine, this site (aka Usina Beach) includes boat ramps, two campsites, and a picnic area with grills. If you'd rather eat in a restaurant, you're in the right spot—a variety of eateries overlook the ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; walking.

At this 19th-century prison, felons were detained and released or detained and hanged from the gallows in back. A knowledgeable "inmate" will guide you through the men's, women's, and maximum-security cells, relaying tales of executions and the less-than-appealing sanitary conditions of the jail in its heyday. After learning the history of local crime and punishment and seeing displays of weapons and other artifacts, you can browse the surfeit of souvenirs in Gator Bob's Trading Post and the adjacent Old Store Museum.  Note that the museum is at the starting point of the Old Town Trolley Tour.

Known as the Gonzalez-Alvarez House, Florida's oldest surviving Spanish-colonial dwelling is a National Historic Landmark. The current site dates from the early 1700s, but there's been a structure here since the early 1600s. Much of the city's history is seen in the building's modifications and additions, from the coquina blocks—which came into use to replace wood soon after the town burned in 1702—to the house's enlargement during the British occupation. The complex also includes the Manucy Museum; the Page L. Edwards Gallery and its rotating exhibits; a gift shop; and an ornamental garden.

This tiny 18th-century building of cypress and cedar served not only as a schoolhouse but also as a tearoom, a farmhouse, and a guardhouse and sentry shelter during the Seminole Wars. In 1939, members of the Class of '64 (1864, that is) dressed out the school as they remembered it, and today automated mannequins instruct you on the education of 150 years ago. Apparently teachers had more leeway then because miscreants were given "time out" in a cubby beneath the stairs. And the heavy chain wrapped around the building? It was to hold the structure down during hurricanes. Kids will like the school bell and wishing well in the charming courtyard garden.

At the foot of the Bridge of Lions, this central area of the original settlement was laid out in 1598 by decree of Spain's King Philip II. At its core is a monument to the Spanish constitution of 1812, and at its east end is a portico dating from early American days. This is where products and, regrettably, people were sold, earning the area the twin names of "public market" and "slave market." Today, it's the gathering spot for holiday events, art shows, and evening concerts. Toward the bridge, look for the life-size statue of Ponce de León. The man who "discovered" Florida in 1513 was, apparently, all of 4'11".

Originally one of two posh hotels Henry Flagler built in the 1880s, this building—which is now part of a small liberal-arts college—is a riveting Spanish Renaissance–revival structure with towers, turrets, and stained glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The former Hotel Ponce de León is a National Historic Landmark, having hosted U.S. presidents Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Warren Harding. You can view the building for free or take a guided tour offered daily through Flagler's Legacy Tours (check ahead for availability).

The nation's first Ripley's museum is, appropriately enough, in a historic structure—Castle Warden, an 1887 Moorish Revival–style mansion. Like its younger siblings, this odditorium is packed with plenty of unusual items including Robert Ripley's personal collections; a mummified cat; a death mask of Abraham Lincoln; a scale model of the original Ferris Wheel created from an Erector set; and life-size models of Robert Wadlow, the world's tallest man, and Robert Hughes, the world's fattest man.

Founded in 1893, the Alligator Farm is one of Florida's oldest (and, at times, smelliest) zoological attractions and is credited with popularizing the alligator in the national consciousness and helping to fashion an image for the state. In addition to oddities like Maximo, a 15-foot, 1,250-pound saltwater crocodile, and a collection of rare albino alligators, the park is also home to Land of Crocodiles, the only place in the world to see 24 species of living crocodilians.

Traversing the treetops in Crocodile Crossing is an inventive, ambitious, and expensive course with more than 50 rope and other challenges and 17 zip lines. In many places, a thin cable is all that keeps you from becoming croc cuisine. The shorter Sepik River course (nine zip lines) is cheaper. Reptiles are the main attraction, but there's also a wading-bird rookery, an exotic-birds and mammals exhibit, a python cave, and nature trails. Educational presentations are held throughout the day, and kids love the wild-animal shows.

Just south of Anastasia State Park, this beach has a livelier setting, thanks to the restaurants, bars, and shops along Beachfront Avenue and the 4-acre St. Johns County Ocean Pier Park. The park offers a playground, small splash park, sand volleyball courts, a covered pavilion, and a Wednesday-morning farmers' market. From May to September, Music by the Sea concerts are offered for free. Speaking of free, the beach doesn't charge a fee, but the popular fishing pier does ($6 fishing pass, $2 pier pass for spectators). In addition, there are some areas designated for driving on the beach. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

The first commercial block ice in Florida was made in this building over 100 years ago. Today, the structure has been transformed into a craft distillery that makes small batches of bourbon, rum, gin, and vodka using locally sourced ingredients. A self-guided tour takes you through the distilling process and provides insight on the operation's partnerships with small area farms. Samples during the tour include cocktails such as the Florida Mule and New World gin and tonic. A gift shop sells bottles of spirits as well as bar gadgets and accessories.

It's unusual to find a lighthouse tucked into a residential neighborhood. This 1874 version replaced an earlier one built when the city was founded in 1565. Although its beacon no longer guides ships, it does draw thousands of visitors each year, in part because it has a reputation for being haunted.

The visitor center has a museum featuring an exhibit called Wrecked, which displays artifacts from an 1872 British loyalist shipwreck discovered off the shores of St. Augustine. You can also see exhibits on the U.S. Coast Guard, historic boatbuilding, maritime archaeology, and the life of a lighthouse keeper—whose work involved far more than light housekeeping.

You have to climb 219 steps to reach the top, 140 feet up, but the wonderful view and fresh ocean breeze are well worth it. Children must be at least 44 inches tall to make the ascent. The museum also conducts evening Dark of the Moon Paranormal tours ($25) and one-hour Lighthouse Keeper's tours ($19.95) for a history lesson and behind-the-scenes look at the keeper's role.

Inside this small museum established by entrepreneur and motivational speaker Pat Croce is a collection of more than 800 pirate artifacts, including one of only two Jolly Rogers (skull-and-crossbone flags) known to have actually flown above a ship. Exhibits include a mock-up of a tavern, a captain's quarters, and a ship's deck.

You'll learn about the lives of everyday and famous pirates, their navigation techniques, their weaponry, and the concoctions they drank (including something called Kill Devil, which is rum mixed with gunpowder). You'll get to touch an actual treasure chest; see piles of gold, jade, emeralds, and pearls; and leave knowing full well that there were pirates before Captain Jack Sparrow.

This beach, just 2 miles north of St. Augustine, is sandwiched between the Tolomato River and the Atlantic. In the 1920s, it was home to the Grand Vilano Casino, which was destroyed by a hurricane in 1937. Until recently, Vilano Beach had deteriorated into a small, somewhat run-down area, though with a laid-back, '60s, surf vibe. Now, however, it's home to stores and restaurants, the Vilano Beach Fishing Pier, and other community improvements. A Hampton Inn & Suites is within a few minutes' walk. The beach has some nice breakers for surfing—skimboarding is also popular—but strong currents sometimes make it dangerous for swimming. It's also one of the few beaches on which you can still drive a car. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; surfing; walking.

Built as a merchant's house and store in 1798, the place became a boardinghouse in the 1800s and has been restored to look like it did during its inn days—romantic yet severe, with balconies that hearken back to Old Spain and sparely appointed rooms. Docents lead you around the property; be sure to look at the fascinating St. Augustine street scenes, painted in 1854 by an itinerant artist. Amazingly, much of what you see in the paintings is extant.