Where to Stay in St. Augustine, FL ✔️ 4 Best Areas (2024)

Hi there and welcome to your virtual guide to the oldest city in the United States! I visited St. Augustine, FL, for spring break and couldn’t have loved it more! Now I’m here to help you decide where to stay in St. Augustine!

From my experience, it’s best to stay in the Historic District and then hit the beach when you feel like it. The Old Town is so charming and has endless attractions and stunning architecture, you’ll be taking pictures for hours!

But I also have your back with 3 more areas that may better suit your travel interests. I cherry-picked the top-rated hotels in each area and sorted them nicely by budget so you can book your favorite spot in seconds!

Please do book your stay in St. Augustine in advance since the place can get crowded, especially during the summer & winter holidays.

Quick picks for your stay

These are the best hotels in St. Augustine’s Historic District that are up for grabs:

Check out this map that highlights all the areas in St. Augustine that I’ll talk about in this post:

1. Historic District – where to stay in St. Augustine, FL, for the first time

St. Augustine’s Historic District is the beating heart of the city with a history spanning over 700 years (when it was founded by Spaniards). If you’re a first-time visitor, you’ll definitely want to lay your head here!

I visited St. Augustine (also known as the Ancient City) for spring break when I studied in the U.S. Walking along the Historic District felt like I was transported back in time because of its old-world charm. The narrow pedestrian-only streets, colorful colonial buildings, and flags hanging from everywhere create such a pleasant, romantic atmosphere.

I don’t know what I enjoyed more – the beautiful buildings or all the unique places to eat (if you don’t know me by now, I’m a hardcore foodie). 

While we were walking around, my cousin told me you can never go wrong with food in St. Augustine, and I think this is actually true. Everything we had was pure gold (think burgers, shark meat, and popsicles with goat milk). The popsicles were at The Hyppo, map, I really recommend the place!

More importantly, if you stay here, you’ll be able to walk to basically all attractions. The renowned Castillo de San Marcos (map) is a 2-minute walk from St. George Street (the main pedestrian street). And, the Pirate & Treasure Museum, a must if traveling with kids, is just across the fortress.

Definitely visit the castle (castillo is the Spanish name), it’s wonderful and has so much history and stunning views! I enjoyed my time here.

Many thrilling experiences await in this area, from spooky ones like visits to an old jail, trolley rides, scenic boat rides, treasure hunt cruises, and so much more!

PRO TIP: Consider a visit to St. Augustine from the last week of November until the end of January for the annual light festival Nights of Lights! You can take electric cart tours or trolley tours around the wonderfully-lit Historic District for a truly magical time!

GETTING AROUND: Historic Downtown is 100% walkable, plus there’s a STAR Circulator Bus that offers free shuttle rides across the area (incl. to the beach) and a hop-on hop-off trolley (starting from $36) with narrated tours and 22 stops that include all of the city’s landmarks. 

You can also use an Uber to get a ride to the beach or rent a scooter or an electric bike. I only recommend renting a car if you plan to move around the surrounding areas a lot, like to visit Orlando or Jacksonville. Parking and traffic jams can get real messy in St. Augustine. If you’re driving here, just get a hotel around U.S. Route 1 (area description later) with free parking and use the car only to get to the beach and back.

There are so many accommodation options in the Historic District for all budgets, from the posh Hilton to charming bed and breakfasts and inns (I mean, could Casa De Solana be any more romantic?). 

Other accommodation options in the Historic District 

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St. Augustine’s Historic District is super popular for tourists, and chances are, the hotels here will be booked out if you don’t secure your room in advance. Here are some more options just in case the ones above are already gone:

• Renaissance St. Augustine Downtown Hotel ($$$) – This 4-star hotel offers modern and cozy rooms, an outdoor pool, first-class service, and an on-site bar just steps from the castle.
• Bayfront Inn ($$) – Grab a quick breakfast, then head to the outdoor pool to swim in this lovely inn before exploring the Historic Downtown. 
• St George Inn ($$) – There’s a reason why this inn has so many return visitors – it’s beautiful, clean, and has the most attentive staff.
• Economy Inn ($) – An affordable hotel in the Historic District that has rooms with coffee makers and free Wi-Fi 

Things to do in the Historic District 

• Walk along Castillo de San Marcos and enjoy the views
• Take a hop-on, hop-off trolley tour with a museum visit
• Take pictures with the wax figures at Potter’s Wax Museum (oldest wax museum in the US)
• Learn new things and take Insta-perfect pictures at Lightner Museum
• Join a guided tour of the Old Jail Museum
• See the nation’s oldest wooden schoolhouse in the Colonial Quarter (map)
• Go on an exciting treasure hunt cruise with a show
• Spend a day at Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park (map)

2. St. Augustine Beach – best area to stay in St. Augustine, Florida, for beach lovers 

St. Augustine Beach is a 10-minute drive from St. George Street, and it’s the most popular beach in town. It’s located on Anastasia Island nearby, and I recommend it as a base for beach and water activity lovers. 

Any water activity you can think of, you can do it here! Plus, around half-way from the Historic District to the Beach is the iconic St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. Not visiting this lighthouse is pretty much like going to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower, seriously! The locals and tourists love this place and take such great care of it. 

The museum is rather small so it won’t take more than 1 hour to visit. But they have the cutest souvenir shop there, so make sure not to miss it! I bought a “St. Augustine” T-shirt from there and still wear it years later!

Now about the beach. The St. Augustine Beach stretches for 4 mi (6.5 km) along the Atlantic Ocean, it’s super wide and sandy, and most of it is completely free! You will have to pay for parking though, and I know that in Anastasia State Park (map), the parking costs $8 at the time of writing.

Anastasia State Park spreads over 1,600 acres of sand dunes, unspoiled beaches, wetlands, and plenty of picnic areas. It’s the ideal place for the whole family!

Just South of Anastasia State Park, at the beginning of St. Augustine Beach, you’ll also find a large St. Johns County fishing pier (map) with playgrounds and picnic spots. This is one of the best places to watch the sunrise!

BEACH SAFETY: Swimming is prohibited 400 feet (120 meters) around the pier. Also, be aware of the flags on the beach. If there are yellow or red flags, refrain from entering the water due to strong currents. A purple flag means dangerous marine life like sharks or jellyfish in the area (only enter at your own risk).

Other attractions I recommend in the area include the Alligator Farm Zoological Park (map) for alligator, crocodile, and caiman sightings, and the ride along the scenic Florida A1A Route (map) that passes here!

NOTE: If you choose to stay at the beach (either here or in Vilano), it’s better to have (or rent a car) since these areas are far less walkable compared to Downtown.

Other accommodation options in Saint Augustine Beach

Things to do in Saint Augustine Beach 

• Chill on the sand or try water activities at St. Augustine Beach
• Climb the Lighthouse and visit the Maritime Museum (map)
• Have a dolphin encounter at the Marineland
• Eat the best seafood at the legendary Sunset Grille (map)
• Go for a walk in Ocean Hammock Park (map)
• Visit the Fort Matanzas National Monument (map)
• Catch a sunrise by the fishing pier 

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3. Vilano Beach & Ponte Vedra Beach – best place to stay in St. Augustine, FL, for nature

If you want your stay in St. Augustine to revolve around relaxing in nature, swimming at the beach, and playing golf, then Vilano Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach (slightly further North) are just the spots for you! 

The 2 beach areas are located near the Historic District (10-minute drive), just across the Francis and Mary Usina Bridge (map) on Tolomato River. You can drive (recommended), take the Dolphin Bay Scenic Shuttle, or bike to Vilano Beach from Downtown St. Augustine.

Vilano Beach is like your frozen-in-time place with art deco modern re-creations, bringing back that nostalgia feel. 

Both Vilano and Ponte Vedra are super chill. The ocean breeze and stunning views will put you in a vacation mood as soon as you arrive! The area is also home to some of the finest golf resorts in the nation (yes, I’m talking about Ponte Vedra!), making it a perfect match for golf enthusiasts.

But it’s not only the pristine beaches, golf, and tranquility that attract tourists. The local restaurants are pretty popular here. Most of them have outdoor seating so you can enjoy the seaside (and riverside) all day long! Cap’s on the Water (map) and Beaches at Vilano (map) are a must for fresh seafood!

Oh, and if you’re driving, make sure to include a ride North along the A1A Highway (map) for some scenic views! You could also rent a scooter and enjoy the sights without a car!

Other accommodation options in Vilano Beach

Things to do in Vilano Beach 

• Sunbathe all day long on Vilano Beach (map)
• Walk on the Vilano Beach Nature Boardwalk (map)
• Have a picnic at the South Ponte Vedra Beach Recreation Area (map)
• Spot some cute dolphins on a sunset boat tour
• Play golf at the TPC Sawgrass public course (map)
• Enjoy a delicious dinner at Vilano Grill 180 (map)

4. U.S. Route 1 – best area to stay in St. Augustine, Florida, with a car

If you’re driving to St. Augustine, you’ll either arrive by the U.S. Route 1, Interstate 95, or the Scenic Florida A1A Route. For the first 2 options, I recommend choosing from the many hotels along US-1 just North of Downtown St. Augustine. You’ll be in the center of the action without having to experience the worst of the traffic jams!

I visited St. Augustine with a car, but I remember my cousin parked well outside the Downtown area because we were visiting during the weekend and the traffic was super hectic. So basically the easiest thing to do is leave your car at your hotel and then walk.

The great thing is that the city’s trolley shuttle service passes through this area so you can leave the car at the hotel and go sightseeing without thinking about parking! And when you’re done exploring, you’ll enter the main route in a minute and be ready to continue your journey through Florida.

If your hotel doesn’t offer parking (the ones I recommend below all do), use the ParkStAug app to find available parking spots. Street parking is free in St. Augustine after 21:00 overnight until 08:00 in the morning.

Depending on where exactly you stay along US-1, you’ll be from 10 to 30 minutes walk away from all the Historic District attractions! But please note that staying along US-1 won’t alleviate ALL the traffic jams since this is still an important thoroughfare. You may still experience some traffic (especially around San Marco Avenue intersection, map) during peak hours.

PRO TIP: Bring earplugs if your hotel is located just across the train tracks. The railway line runs parallel to US-1 in St. Augustine and it may get noisy at night. If you’re a light sleeper, choose a hotel further away from the tracks. You can Google the tracks’ location just to be sure!

No luxury hotels are available along US-1, but Hilton Garden Inn is the closest it gets to it, and it’s located literally in the Historic District! They do charge a lot for parking though ($20 per day), but if you don’t mind about it, it’s a great option to consider.

Now these are other great options along Route 1 with much cheaper (or free) parking:

Other accommodation options along U.S. Route 1

Things to do near U.S. Route 1

• Walk to the Old Jail Museum (map) and start exploring Downtown from there
• Eat the best Colombian food at De Leon Latin Cocina (map)
• Take an airboat safari along St. Johns River
• Shop like a local at the Kyle’s Seafood Market (map)

👑 Luxury price:	US$350
💵 Mid-range:	US$200
🛏️ Budget:	US$130
📍 Best area:	Historic District
🛎️ Best luxury hotel:	Casa Monica
🧳 Best mid-range hotel:	Cedar House
👛 Best budget hotel:	The Pirate Haus Inn

FAQs about where to stay in Saint Augustine, Florida 

Final thoughts on the best places to stay in St. Augustine, Florida

Saint Augustine is such a fascinating city! Florida sure has a lot of surprises in store for tourists, and I’m sure you’re going to enjoy your stay here! Hopefully, my guide helped you decide where to stay in St. Augustine and pick the perfect hotel!

But if you’re still feeling indecisive, here are my 2 favorite options in the Historic District:

• St George Inn – a luxury hotel that offers views of the Castillo de San Marcos; what a great combination
• Casa de Solana – the most romantic place to stay, ideal for couples coming to town for the weekend

Please don’t forget to book your stay in St. Augustine in advance, especially if you’re visiting around the Nights of Lights festival or during the high season!

Do leave a comment below if you have any questions or want personalized suggestions for where to stay in the Ancient City!

Safe travels,

Darija

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