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Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This park preserves the site of the first legal free black settlement in America. It was established in 1738 by the Spanish for escaped black slaves seeking asylum from the British colonies. The former site of the community, long forgotten but rediscovered in 1968, is located about two miles north of St. Augustine. Also spelled Fort Moosa or Fort Mossa.
Fort Mose is a former Spanish fort in St. Augustine, Florida. In 1738, the governor of Spanish Florida, Manuel de Montiano, had the fort established as a free black settlement, the first to be legally sanctioned in what would become the territory of the United States. The original fort was briefly abandoned after the Battle of Bloody Mose in 1740, but was rebuilt at a nearby location and again occupied by free Africans from 1752 to 1763. It was designated a US National Historic Landmark on October 12, 1994.
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A 15 acre (6.1 hectares) waterfront attraction touted as the 1513 landing site of Ponce de Leon, the discoverer of Florida. Although no evidence has been found to support this, the park is the location of the first Spanish settlement in St. Augustine. Guests can explore a recreation of a Timucuan Native American village, witness a cannon firing, view archeological digs, and even drink from the supposed "Fountain of Youth", a natural spring.
The original Odditorium of the famed American purveyor of the strange and unusual was opened in the historic Castle Warden hotel in 1950. Three stories worth of exhibits include a mummified cat, a two-story scale model Ferris wheel made out of Erector sets, life and death masks of famous celebrities (including Abe Lincoln), shrunken heads, and an iron maiden. Rumored to be haunted, the opening credits and various segments of the most recent Ripley's TV series were filmed here.
Over 300 years old, this one-room schoolhouse has stood through the rise and fall of two empires and the birth of the United States. Self-guided tours are offered daily, and an animatronic teacher and student provide a history of the building.
A large coquina limestone fort constructed by the Spanish in the late 1600s to defend their small colony. Inside, certain rooms are open to the public, including the chapel, guard quarters, and the powder magazine. The top deck of the Castillo is also open to visitors and allows great views of the city and the bay, as well as up-close encounters with authentic cannons. There are living history demonstrations on weekends, including the firing of those cannons—an incredibly powerful (and loud!) experience. Lower level is handicapped accessible. Parking $2.50/hr.
Pirate Soul Museum
Previously operated in Key West, the museum was moved to St. Augustine in 2010. It is the largest collection of pirate artifacts in any one museum, with notable artifacts including a gun owned by Blackbeard himself and an authentic treasure chest belonging to Thomas Tew.
Spanish Quarter
This recreated garrison town allows guests to visit with a blacksmith, learn to fire a musket, and stand watch on a lookout tower. You'll see costumed historical interpreters tell the story of everyday life when the city was a remote outpost of the Spanish Empire. The property also includes a British pub, a Spanish taverna, and a seafood restaurant, all of which do not require admission. A rustic outdoor stage set under an old oak tree hosts free weekend concerts also open to the public.