St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

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St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

  • February 14, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by kikster from Bonita Springs, Florida
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is so charming and well kept, it will take your breath away! As soon as you drive in the parking lot you will feel the almost palpable charm of this old Floridian lighthouse.

The lighthouse itself is gorgeous, white and black with a red rooftop, and it has been kept so well that it looks as if time never passed. Inside the building you can read many interesting historical facts about the lighthouse—from storms that hit to sightings of German submarines during World War II—and see the tools and lanterns that the keepers used in the past.

As you proceed up the stairs—and trust me, there is a lot of them to get to the top—every lending gives you the opportunity to read more about the lighthouse, and also to rest a little before going up another flight of stairs.

Once you reach the top, the view is breath-taking. Not only you can see the Atlantic Ocean in all its beauty, you can also admire the old city of St. Augustine, which looks as charming as an old postcard.

After descending from the lighthouse, we took our time and read some other incredible stories in the museum, which used to be the keeper's house. There are some very interesting collections of memorabilia from the families that have taken care of the lighthouse in the past 2 centuries.

Everyone that works on the premises is friendly, polite, and very knowledgeable of the history of both the lighthouse and the city. This made our experience most enjoyable even though it was a very cold and windy winter day.
I definitely suggest to everyone to go see this beautiful and interesting attraction.

From journal Weekend Getaway in St. Augustine

St. Augustine Lighthouse

  • September 8, 2005
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Whiterabbit79 from Merritt Island, Florida
St. Augustine Lighthouse

No matter where you go in St. Augustine, you can always see the lighthouse in the distance. When you visit the lighthouse and the grounds, it gets even better. However, like everything it seems these days, it does cost to get in. The cost to go on the grounds and museum is $5, and for the museum and lighthouse is $7.50.

I chose to stay on the ground as the rest of my group went up the lighthouse. On the walk through the museum, I learned of how the lighthouse was made and what is being done to keep it in great condition. It is very informational and interesting to learn the history of this place. If you are okay with climbing a few hundred steps, I would recommend going to the top, but if you aren't, there are plenty of things to check out in the museum and the surrounding grounds.

From journal St. Augustine--A Great Day Trip

Editor Pick

St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

  • June 6, 2004
  • Rated 3 of 5 by thedrifter from Nashville, Tennessee
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

To get to the top of the 165 foot tall lighthouse, you must climb 219 stairs. If you are not in good physical condition, you'll likely find yourself stopping for a breather on the way up. If you are in poor physical condition, I suggest you enjoy the view from the ground. If you do make it to the top, though, you will be treated to a fabulous view of the surrounding area.

Construction of the St. Augustine lighthouse began in 1871, making it more than 125 years old. The adjoining house was built in 1876 and, quite unusual in Florida, has a basement. This house is where the lightkeepers and their families lived, up until 1955 when the light was changed to an automated system. Now it is home to the Lighthouse Museum, but the memories of the lightkeepers is well preserved within its walls.

Small as it might be, the Lighthouse Museum is really quite interesting and worth a thorough look over. Exhibits explain the history of the lighthouse, as well as give an education on just what a lighthouse does and how it works. The stories and lives of the lightkeepers are documented here, as well. During the World War Two era, this facility was an active Coast Guard center. The stories surrounding this time period include an intriguing tale of German submarine attacks along the St. Augustine coastline.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum turned out to be much more interesting than I had expected it to be. It is also an attraction that will appeal to a variety of age groups. I would set aside between one to two hours for touring the museum and climbing the lighthouse. While this is a day time activity, if you go late in the day, the sunset view from the top is hard to beat.

From journal Something Old, Something New

The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

  • August 25, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by katkids from Carrollton, Texas
The Lighthouse and Museum is a great place to visit. Some say the Lighthouse is haunted, but I unfortunately didn't get a chance to experience that. There's a great deal of history behind the lighthouse and is a must see attraction when visiting this cozy little town.

From journal Vacationing in St. Augustine, Florida

Editor Pick

The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

  • November 4, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by AnaMH from South Florida, Florida
The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

Visitors get the chance to see St. Augustine from a bird's point of view. Climb the 219 steps to the lantern room and the gallery walk of the lighthouse to see the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterway and St. Augustine. The museum is in the restored two-story lightkeeper's house.

From journal History, beaches & beauty all rolled into one city

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