This was a very cool stop and there were a lot of interesting things to learn if you are into history. It took us around 1.5 hours to explore. We probably could have taken 2, but it was extremely hot the day we visited. The gift shop is also great. It was very fun walking around and imagining what it would have been like to see it when it was in operation. read more

The fort is an amazing historical gem and well worth the visit to this ancient city. The period actors dressed in full period costumes walk the complex and interact with visitors and give demonstrations. The firing of the cannons are on the hour and very cool to witness. The instruction to the soldiers are given in Spanish. Lots of history to be learned and one of the best Forts we have visited out of the many In Florida. read more

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Very fun, must see area to complete your national monument tour! Went here and learned so much history with my friends on a girls trip away! It's also walking distance from historic district where you can explore tons of fun things as well! read more

Admission fee I believe is $15 per person , we only had one day to explore, so instead of waiting in line, we decided to walk around it through the exterior. It's amazing to know this has been in St. Augustine since the 1500's... history is honestly quite beautiful. Even though I didn't get a chance to see inside, it was still worth it. There is a public parking lot in front of it, it's meter parking, you could pay cash, card, or using their app. read more

This is a beautiful view. St Augustine Florida is the best place I've ever been to and nothing can compare. The forts are awesome. They had so many cool events happen at the fort whenever I was a kid. I hope to revisit this place one day. It brings back great memories. Unforgettable memories. read more

Haven't been here in years and still enjoy visiting. Entry is $15 for adults and children 15 and under are free. On a Friday it can get busy during the afternoon with school field trip kids but it's a big fort so you can avoid the crowds. Since it's outdoors it's nice to visit in the cold months like January. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. It's a staple landmark to visit when in Saint Augustine. read more

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This is a great historical site to have around when in town much to see and learn about the fort. I got many photos while I was here admission on site is 16.00 dollars for adults. The architecture is beautiful the layout of the fort is uniquely sound. There is much to learn each room gives details on the history of what it was used for or assumed to be used for. They do not have any activities at this time going on. No reenactments or cannon shootings as of June 2021 as they are still limited to only 100 people on site at a time and do keep tracking of how many come in and leave so come early to avoid waiting in line to enter. I have attached most my photos me with held of course people are here to see the property pictures not me. The moat was cool as well. Seeing all the fort walls almost reminds me of the lord of thr rings siege on helmsdeep nerd alert on myself but if in the area check it out they have pay by the plate parking it runs 2.50 an hour in half hour increments cash or card at the automated kiosks in the parking lot. Enjoy your time and again this is only my opinion and my experience. read more

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Listen, this glorious Castillo deserves allllll of the stars. It's hundreds of years old and still standing even after being tortured by savages like the children who live IN MY HOME. The history is rich, there is so much info to take in and the cannons were pretty solid too. Things said to my children while checking out the ancient Spanish fort... "Do those look like stairs? Down to the moat? Can you...read?" "No you can't go into the tidal toilet." "Bro, if you compare this to Harry Potter one more time" "Yes. This cannon definitely shot heads of enemies. I know a guy who knows a guy who was there. Look it up." "No. You cannot do PARKOUR on the 450 year old Castillo." All in all 5/5. Will return again. read more

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Great visit with a lot to see! There is a cannon firing show with a history review! Fort is well preserved and maintained more better than others that we visited in the Caribbean! read more

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Yet another ruin and battleground, but this one is well preserved. Very large, you're allowed to walk on and thru most of the grounds which is surprising. I imagine not much was going to make it to land from this position! They had all angles covered. Great photo opportunities on a nice day. You can walk on the side outside wall along the water ca entering if you want some adventure and cool shots/perspective. There's a fee to enter and while there's parking I'd recommend parking in a lot somewhere for the day if you have a car and just walking or jumping on the paid team. Cool place to picnic and chill on a nice day. Lots of traffic even on a weekday. read more

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Amazing historial landmark to share with the family. So many different things to do here and many different people from diff countries visiting it almost feels like you're in a different country. Beautiful day to experience this beautiful place. Recommend it! read more

Castillo de San Marcos - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Castillo de San Marcos is a great location for a history lesson for the family and the kids. The entrance fee is very affordable and there are discounts available. The whole Castillo can be explored in about an hour. Just make sure to wear some sun block at the top because it's super hot. But definitely a nice spot to visit. Meter parking is available outside. read more

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You can't really visit St. Augustine and not go to the Fort. That being said, I do think it's worth a visit. It's well-preserved and has knowledgeable staff throughout the grounds. Some more interpretive sessions throughout the day would be nice, though. Maybe we were just there at the wrong time. :( Find out about the history of St. Augustine from the perspective of the men (Spanish and British and Spanish) who fought to defend it. read more

Wonderful site. The history talk was amazing! Definitely worth your time. Be aware lots of field trips might be taking place.

This was my third visit to the national monument. It has a huge history exploration area on the bottom of the fort on the top of the fort. A large portion of Saint Augustine can be seen. Most days, especially weekends the volunteers will do a reenactment and shoot off cannons into the water. read more

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Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. We had a great time walking around the outside of the fort learning all about the history and details of the fort. It's interesting that it was built to guard the harbor entrance of St. Augustine. read more

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The park rangers are super helpful. Friday is a great day to go as they often have cannon firings. Check the schedule for those exact times. I would make sure to come for national public lands day at the fort for free admission all day. This occurs on Sept 24. There are living history demos all day. read more

Castillo de San Marcos - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Get there 15 minutes before the fort opens to get a parking spot. They open at 9, and by 10 the (paid) parking lot will be full. The lot is used by anyone who wants to access the old shops, etc. parking is $2.50/hr, paid with card or cash (coins, $1 or $5 bills). The fort is run by the National park service, so look up discounts before arriving to see if you qualify for any. (Veterans, 4th graders, etc) read more

Castillo de San Marcos - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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It is a rare experience to see something in America that could genuinely be called a castle, but this fort did have a moat (albeit not one with water currently). It has an interesting history going back to the colonial period and plenty of sights to see. Several costumed presenters added color. The fee to get in is fairly high for one site that isn't that big, but it's covered under a national parks pass, which is generally a pretty good deal. I wouldn't bank on spending a ton of time here, but it is a sight worth seeing. read more

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History, made visible. Worth the stop, in my humble opinion. If you have a National Parks Pass-it is free & you can skip the line (just have your drivers license out with your pass). FYI-no air-conditioning (unless you count the cold stone/sea breezes naturally cooling the fort), bathrooms can get a little crowded during busy times, no elevator. But where else could you possibly SEE history in bold stonework? And if you talk to a National Parks Ranger, prepare to be amazed-they are a wealth of information! read more

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Our second trip here. We came on a free entrance day for the NPS, since this is a National park. This time we walked around the moat around the fort and got to experience that. You don't need to pay to walk outside the fort but the inside has such a beautiful history and story. I hear they shoot off cannons at 12, 2, and 4 but we missed that. That will be on our next trip! Get here early because the line gets LONG!! Parking right outside the fort is $2.50 per house. There is a parking garage right by the visitor center across the street that charges $15 for the day. We parked in the garage and walked the town for hours afterwards. read more

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Great national park to visit, educational for kids. Self guided tour but park rangers abound to answer questions also. read more

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Absolutely beautiful & rich with history. I have been here a couple of times and it never we gets old. They do cannon shows and walk you through the history of the fort. Right outside of the fort, there is a big lawn area which is perfect for picnics or if you simply want to cross the road and grab a bite through historic downtown. read more

Castillo de San Marcos - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

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Castillo de San Marcos National Monument located in Saint Augustine, FL. Entrance fee is $15 PER person. Kids under the Age of 15 are FREE to enter BUT must be accompanied by an adult. The fort is the largest in the State of Florida. I suggest buying tickets in advance especially with April being the most busy season to visit. Castillo de San Marcos holds 450 visitors in the fort. Open 7 days a week. Upon entering; you go across the bridge walk into the fort. On the left side; there will be a small entrance that you would crawl through, and once you're through you will stand in a old room that is where the prisoners where kept. The rest you can explore by going up the stairs. Also; once you exit the fort the outside has a old fashion oven where they cooked with information facts. read more

Castillo de San Marcos - City Gates w/ Castillo de San Marcos - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Everyone knows what an old fort is. This one is nice. But I'm basing this review entirely on the bathrooms. The bathroom ls here are great. They are big, well stocked, and clean. That can be rare for an old site. read more

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Probably the #1 tourist thing to do is the fort. Lot of history and displayed in a nice way. I can see where this could get very hot but there is a lot of in and out of shade. Other than the trolley (also excellent) this is the best way to learn all of the history of the city. (hint: if you are a senior citizen and have a National Park Pass - bring it!) read more

Best castle and oldest masonry building in the USA! Finally a real US castle w historic importance and a history of conquest!! The star-shaped castle has strategic advantages, but I won't talk about it - go see it! The guides are living and breathing historians of the highest caliber; you WILL learn interesting things! I may go again; can't rate it high enough!! read more

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Love the Castillo de San Marcos. It is beautiful, amazing architecture, fascinating building material and history.

Beautiful place with a lot of history, it was so nice to walk around and see the beginnings started and where it was lead too. This place is definitely worth the stop read more

Castillo de San Marcos - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Saint Augustine, Florida

Highly recommend this national park !! Came here the day after a wedding and was very happy to seer some of the bridal party and family there. It was a great park and the workers and volunteers did an amazing job of educating us on the rich history of this national park. I wish we had more time e to spend. My only recommendation is to give your self and those touring with you ample time to view the various rooms and the speakers. The canon shots at the top of the hour was awesome. Thank you National Park for preserving this treasure. read more

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The history is surprising... a wonderful place to get our countries history in perspective. Hard to think this place was established 50 years prior to the pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock. It's ownership bounced back and forth starting from indigenous peoples and back and forth between nations. This is a must to visit if you are in town. The parking is easy and you can spend as much or as little time there as you like. read more

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11/26/19 This Fort is impressive even from a distance. As the approach your awe increases. This is a very significant piece of history. I am glad that it has been so well-maintained for all these years. There are signs giving descriptions from the outside of the fort. You can opt to pay the $15 entrance fee to see the inside or simply enjoy the beautiful outside of the fort, the well-kept grounds, the cannons, and the beautiful backdrop of the sea. I did not opt to go in. I have been to other forts in other countries and this one seemed to offer less to see inside. However I am sure the inside is somewhat impressive as well. read more

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This fort is actually a National Park. The nice part that children 15 and under are free with an adult. This is a huge fort and you would be best to allow a couple of hours. The fort has many rooms with authentic displays in each. The rangers are available to answer your questions. You can walk throughout the main level courtyard as well as the top level there are more displays. This is a great place to relive history and take some home through a nice gift shop. read more

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Add this to your must-do list while in St. Augustine. Only $15 per adult and kids were free. We had a great time exploring the fort. There was no wait time to get in and the kids enjoyed doing the activities to become Junior Rangers. Great place to learn the history of the area! read more

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Castillo de San Marcos nps.gov/casa The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest and largest masonry fort in the continental United States; it is located on the western shore of Matanzas Bay in the city of St. Augustine. A must see when you're in St Augustine small fee to enter. read more

Great ambiance and Old-World feel, but the food is terrible. (Yelp says my review is too short, so here's this.) read more

It's a park, so it's park kind of stuff. Oldest fort in the USA I think. It used to be Spanish, then British then we bought Florida from the Spanish so it became ours. I didn't see any official tour, but you're free to roam the property and take pictures everywhere. A nice piece of history read more

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My BF is a huge history fanatic so we decided to take a trip to St. Augustine to visit Castillo de San Marcos since we both hadn't been in a while. What we failed to realize is that we took our trip during the government shut down so we encountered a wall (see where I was going there, lol). Obviously, the fort was closed, but we were able to walk around it and take in the beautiful scenery. Fast forward a few months later and were able to access the fort. The exhibits were fascinating and I felt like I had my own personal tour guide with my BF educating me on the history of the fort. Downtown St. Augustine is right across the street which offers amazing shops, restaurants and entertainment. Veterans of the military with a disability rating are offered a free national park pass for themselves and up to three guests. Children are offered free entry into the fort. I'm glad we got to go inside Castillo de San Marcos on our second trip and will be visiting again. read more

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Awesome place, so much history, and the views alone of the ocean and St. Augustine are worth it. It was a nice little bonus that I didn't have to pay because of my annual national Park pass! read more

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Haven't been in QUITE a while and every time I go, I learn something new. This time we caught the cannons!