Ghosts of St. Augustine and Best Tours to Find Them!
Ghosts of St. Augustine, whether legend or real, are deeply engrained in the culture of this historic small Florida town. This “Oldest City in the United States” is filled with charming cobblestone streets, Spanish colonial architecture and tons of history and stories.
But St. Augustine may be best known these days for it’s darkest side – a reputation as one of America’s most haunted cities and lots of fun, offering some of the country’s best ghost tours to go along with this theme.
Whether you find the ghosts of St. Augustine or the history of this small town as more interesting, St. Augustine delivers on both! From the St. Augustine Lighthouse to Castillo de San Marcos, and from cemeteries and inns to large oak tree legends… there’s a ton of hidden history that comes alive at night when visiting this town.
St. Augustine at Night
As soon as the sun sets every evening, the streets come alive with walking tours, pub crawls, horse and buggy rides and trolley tours. And what’s the common theme to all of this fun and intrigue?
Learning about St. Augustine’s intriguing stories, legends and history spanning over 400 years!
We’ve got recommendations for walking and trolley tours (including pet-friendly tours!), plus a couple of haunted inns you may want to stay at while visiting St. Augustine as well.
Tolomato Cemetery is located in the heart of St. Augustine. During the day, you can read up on the history of this one acre gated with over 1000 people buried inside, with history dating back to the 1700s. At night, you’ll visit this location while on your walking ghost tour and learn lots more spooky stories…
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Who are the Ghosts Haunting St. Augustine?
Legends of restless spirits abound in St. Augustine! Have you visited these sites and seen any of these ghosts yet?
- The Ghost Children of the Lighthouse: The St. Augustine Lighthouse has witnessed its share of tragedies, including the drowning of two young girls. Visitors often report sightings of playful apparitions or disembodied voices of children!
- Judge John B. Stickney of the Huguenot Cemetery: Known for his kindness, Judge Stickney’s spirit is said to linger in the cemetery, particularly near his grave. Some believe he offers ghostly legal advice!
- Castillo de San Marcos: A national monument, this site is central to the history of St. Augustine and the U.S. dating back more than 450 years with the fort being built from 1672 to 1695, then again in the 1700s. Most walking ghost tours visit the grounds of this fort at night, because it has some eerie legends to learn.
- Old St. Augustine Jail: Now a museum, this location has lots of spooky history and legends involving shady criminals from long ago still wandering and causing unexplained noises, cold spots and apparitions.
- The Ghosts of Casa de Solana: One of the oldest houses in St. Augustine, there has been plenty of reported paranormal activity over the year including unexplained whispers and the sound of footsteps in several locations throughout the inn and grounds.
Here’s more on the paranormal activities of Casa de Solana, and if you’re interested in staying at the Casa de Solana Bed and Breakfast Inn visit the official website here.
So the natural question is… do you want to learn more about these ghosts and more, when visiting St. Augustine? If you’re the adventurous type and love a little nighttime fun, history and ghost storytelling… don’t miss the ghost tours!
Tip: there are walking ghost tours, trolley ghost tours and even haunted pub crawls to choose from while visiting St. Augustine. Each one of these offers a different experience, and they’re all fun! Here’s more information to help you plan…
Ghost Tours of St. Augustine
St. Augustine offers some of the very best ghost tours in the country including walking tours, trolley tours and even golf cart tours and haunted pub crawl tours!
You’ll learn more about the paranormal legends as well as local history from a guide who is passionate about the subject matter.
It’s recommended to make reservations in advance, especially for the trolley tours that book up fast. Use these official website links to get more information on tour days/times, price ranges, and locations.
Tip: if you arrive too late and the trolley tour you want is booked up or no longer selling tickets (most stop selling 15 minutes before their scheduled start time)… join a walking tour! The walking tours tend to sell tickets up to the last few minutes and most always seem to have extra space.
There are LOTS of ghost tours to choose from, you may just want to experience more than one!
Walking Ghost Tours
These walking tours explore the haunted sites of St. Augustine on foot, with guides sharing local history, ghost stories and legends along the way.
Some of these walking tours are pet-friendly too! We took our dog Moomoo, she had lots of fun. BUT she did get spooked not by ghosts, but by the horse and buggies riding all around the streets at night!
Note: St. Augustine is old, and some of the streets and pathways you’ll walk on these walking tours are not paved and stable, and these tours typically last 90 minutes to 2 hours.
You’ll need to be in relatively good shape and have no trouble standing and walking on some grass and dirt and uneven pathways.
In addition to ghost tours, there are also a few really fun pub crawl walking tours as well. But if you’re looking for the best of both… a HAUNTED PUB CRAWL walking adventure, check out this Haunted Pub Crawl St. Augustine official website here.
Walking Ghost Tour Companies
- Ghost City Tours: This company offers multiple walking tours to choose from, and is pet-friendly. See their official website to choose the type of ghost tour you’d like to take: Ghost City Tours St. Augustine
- Old City Ghosts: This company offers a variety of tours including the haunted Old City, pirates and a haunted pub crawl! Official website here: Old City Ghosts St. Augustine
Trolley Ghost Tours
Trolley tours are a great choice if you want to see a little more of St. Augustine. Your costumed storytelling guide will share plenty of ghost stories and local legends along the way.
- Ghosts and Gravestones: This company offers a variety of tours including trolley tours, and tours of the old (haunted) jail. Here’s their official website with pricing and days/times of each of their tours: Ghosts and Gravestones St. Augustine
- Old Town Trolley Tours: These open air trolleys run all throughout each day, and for an affordable price you can purchase a one day or two day pass allowing you to jump on and jump off at the locations you’d like to visit.
Visit the Old Town Trolley Tours official website here for more information on their trolley routes and stops, plus places nearby to visit and eat at. Using this trolley system is a fun way to enjoy the Old City without having to drive your car and find parking. - Ghost Town Trolley: at night, the Old Town Trolley Tours (above) turn into fun ghost tours, and last about an hour. Here’s more information on where to show up for your ghost trolley tour, schedule and pricing here: Ghost Town Trolley
Horse and Buggy Rides
While visiting St. Augustine, you’ll see people touring the streets in horse and buggies. While we didn’t find any horse and buggy “ghost tours” per se, they still looked really fun!
So if you’re interested in learning more about experiencing St. Augustine this way, visit the Country Carriages official website here.
Tips to Make Your Ghost Tour Even Better
Tips for your St. Augustine Ghost Hunting Adventures:
- Book your tours in advance, especially during peak seasons.
- Wear comfortable shoes for walking tours and bring some water.
- Bring a camera or recorder – you never know what you might capture!
- Keep an open mind and be respectful of the locations and other tourists
Whether you’re a seasoned ghost hunter or simply curious about the paranormal activity in St. Augustine, Florida… joining an official tour is a great way to learn insider history, legends and ghost stories from a pro!
Looking for a Great Place to Stay in St. Augustine?
- Ghosts of St. Augustine, their stories, legends and reported paranormal activities… aren’t limited to historic buildings and cemeteries!
There are a few inns in town that also have some ghost stories of their own! But besides the fun paranormal legends, these inns offer the beauty of real St. Augustine.
- The Kenwood Inn: Built in 1865, this charming inn has 14 unique rooms and suites with lots of amenities, is pet-friendly, and is a popular venue for weddings.
The Kenwood Inn official website here, and here’s some information on paranormal activities at The Kenwood Inn here.
- St. Francis Inn Bed and Breakfast: Built in 1791 has had its share of paranormal activities reported, but the most common legend is that of a star-crossed lovers story that ended in tragedy.
It’s also a wonderfully charming place to stay and in a fantastic location, walkable to museums, restaurants, shops and trolley tours. For more information check out the official St. Francis Inn Bed and Breakfast website here.
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