Directions

The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is located in downtown St. Augustine, Florida. St. Augustine is located on Florida's Northeastern Atlantic coast about midway between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach.

Nearby Jacksonville and Daytona are served by international airports with easy access to I-95. Rental cars are available at the airports and also in St. Augustine.

From I-95: Take the exit for St. Augustine Historic Sites and Downtown (Route 16, Exit 318). Follow Rt. 16 to US 1. Turn right on US 1 for two miles to Castillo Drive. Turn left on Castillo to the traffic light. Turn right at the light. The Castillo and parking are ahead on the left.

From US A1A: The Castillo is located on A1A in downtown St. Augustine.

Fees & Reservations

Entrance

Learn about the Interagency Passes here.

Parking

There is limited metered parking in the Castillo visitors parking area at $0.50 per hour.

Operating Hours & Seasons

The Castillo de San Marcos is open to the public from 8:45 AM to 5:15 pm every day of the year except December 25. (The ticket booth closes at 4:45 pm.) The Park grounds are closed from midnight until 5:30 am.

Visitation is lowest from the middle of September through late November.

Visitation is highest June through Labor Day, and quite high on summer and holiday weekends when an average of 3500 people visit the Castillo daily.

School group visitation is quite high February through May. High visitation can also be expected during the December holidays, and March through April.

Accessibility

The Castillo de San Marcos was built for ancient warfare, not for public touring. Unfortunately, the need to preserve the historical and architectural integrity of the fortress limits access to some areas.

Facilities

Free parking is available in the visitor lot for properly identified vehicles.

The Park can provide a wheelchair for use while visiting the fort. Rental wheelchairs and other conveyances are available from a nearby concession.

The parking lot and the fort's lower level, which includes the museum rooms, the theater, the bookstore and the restrooms, are wheelchair accessible.

Most of the Park's pedestrian walkways are paved; however, those within the moat and covered way are sand and crushed shell stone. The Gun Deck Level can only be reached by stairs

Interpretive Services

The Park brochure is available in English.

Self-guide tour brochures are available in English, Spanish, German, Japanese, Russian, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, and French.

The Park Orientation Video is in English.

Things To Know Before You Come

Accessibility

The Castillo is primarily an "out-of-doors" park with no visitor center.

Facilities: The parking area, lower level of the fort, and restrooms are wheelchair accessible; the upper gun deck however can only be reached by stairs.

Interpretive Services: A written park history is available in English. Self-guided tour brochures are available in English, Spanish, German, Japanese, Russian, Dutch, Italian, and French. The park orientation video is in English.

Crowds

Getting Around

The Castillo, like most of downtown St. Augustine, is primarily a pedestrian area. Walking is the best way to visit the historic district which is about one mile long by 1/2 mile wide.

Long term (all day) parking is available for a fee in the city parking garage just behind the Visitor Information Center which is located on the corner of West Castillo and South Castillo Drives, across from the Castillo headquarters building.

Public Transportation

There is limited public transportation in St. Augustine. However, private companies operate tour trains, horse carriages, and bicycle and motor scooter rental stores.

Pets

Pets are not allowed inside the structure of the Castillo de San Marcos though they are allowed in the exterior areas of the park. Pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Please be responsible and courteous of others when bringing any pets into the park.

Weather

Spring (March through mid-May) and Autumn(October through late November) can be quite pleasant with temperatures ranging from the upper 50s into the 80s F.

The Winter months (December through March) are usually dry. Temperatures can be cooler than one would expect, ranging from the upper 30s through the 60s F generally, though sudden cold snaps can occur.

Threatening Weather

The Castillo de San Marcos is open every day of the year except December 25. However, there are some periods of severe weather that may temporarily require us to close some or all of the Park's operations.

Sunshine: The sun shines bright here, often burning our visitors. Sunburn can occur quickly and can be quite severe. We suggest using a variety of sun protection, including sunscreen, light loose clothing and UV protective sunglasses.

Heat indexes (temperature + humidity) can often exceed 105 F. High heat indexes may limit some of our interpretive programs.

Thunderstorms & Lightning: When it rains in Florida, it usually pours! Florida's thunderstorms are beautiful, powerful and potentially dangerous. Typically short-lived, they can drop several inches of rain in a short period of time.

The majority of Florida's thunderstorms come in the summer months, chiefly during the afternoon. Formed by the combination of humid air and hot temperatures they create strong updrafts which form massive clouds filled with electrical and kinetic energy. Florida is often called the "Lightning Capital of the World" for good reason.

Lightning activity within 6 miles of the Park will require the closing of the upper gun deck to visitation.

Hurricanes: June 1 through November 30 is Hurricane Season in Florida. Hurricanes and Tropical Storms can affect local weather conditions hundreds of miles out from their center of rotation. Be sure to check the tropical weather forecast for the period you plan to visit.

A Hurricane Watch indicates the possibility that hurricane conditions could be experienced within 36 hours.

A Hurricane Warning indicates that sustained winds of at least 74 mph are expected within 24 hours or less in a particular area.

Park policy requires us to close the Park when Tropical Storm/Hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours.