The St. Augustine Lighthouse is one of the city’s most renowned attractions, bringing in tourists and locals still to this day. There is a big reason why the st. Augustine Lighthouse still attracts such a crowd! The historical site is filled with so much history, nature, and of course architecture, encompassing such a huge taste of Old Historic St. Augustine. Here are some of the most prevalent reasons the St. Augustine Lighthouse is so popular:
Its distinctive look attracts tourists: the St. Augustine Light sits 165 feet above sea level but regardless of its height, the tower is not easy to miss. The black and white spiral tower topped with a red cap lays right across from the city’s bayfront on Anastasia Island. The tower has been restored to resemble how it appeared in 1888, including the original brick light keepers house at the bottom of the light station. The interior of the tower has 219 steps that spiral up the tower, but don’t worry, there are 8 landings in between to take well deserved breaks while climbing and descending the tower. The Light Station still has its original Fresnel lens from 1871, lined with over 370 hand-cut prisms which allows the light to reach such distances. Besides how the lighthouse looks, the view from the top is beyond stunning. From the top of the lighthouse you can see miles in every direction, from views of the cities bayfront and Matanzas Inlet, to magnificent views into the Atlantic Ocean and all of Anastasia Island.
The history: Along with the actual Light Station, there is also a museum on site. The maritime museum first opened in 1988 and remains open today for guests to visit and indulge in the nearly 150 years of history the historical sight has to offer. Along with educating its visitors, the museum is big on community service, where they log hundreds of hours everyday from locals in the community. Besides the Maritime museum, the Keeper’s House has three floors of history exhibits for visitors to view.
Tours and Spooky Stories: The St. Augustine Lighthouse offers a “Behind the Scenes” tour on the hour everyday. The tour educates its guests of the importance the Light Station has played in our city, while also showing all the work that goes on within the museum and education center. There are also specialty tours offered at the museum including a Sunset Tour where guests can enjoy drinks and food while they watch the sun set and the moon rise from the top of St. Augustine. The Exclusive Lens Room Tour allows guests special access to the lens room, which is not open to the public. The Dark of the Moon Tour is a guided paranormal tour of the Saint Augustine Lighthouse where guests can learn the paranormal history behind the light station and keepers house, climb the tower to the top for beautiful night time views, and conduct their own paranormal investigations around the historical landmark. The Light Station has a deep history of paranormal activity and has sightings to this day of a ghost that appears to be one of the late lighthouse keepers, making it perfect for anybody seeking a little extra thrill!
The St. Augustine Lighthouse is not a landmark to neglect on your visit to our historic city. The Lighthouse offers amazing views of the city and tells an even better historical story for anyone interested in learning about our city’s past. This is not a place you will want to miss during your next visit and is perfect for everyone in the family. Be sure to find your way to the St. Augustine Lighthouse, let the light be your guide!