Best Time to Visit St. Augustine: St. Augustine is a popular beach vacation destination on Florida’s northeast coast. One of the oldest cities in the United States, St. Augustine has been a hub for tourism for generations. People flock to St. Augustine from all around the world to enjoy its beautiful beaches, explore its historical sites, and experience its excellent restaurants, bars, and resorts.
If you are considering visiting St. Augustine, one of the first things you should do is decide what time of the year you want to visit. The city always has plenty to do, but the best time to visit St. Augustine may differ depending on what you are interested in doing. Looking for great beach weather? Cooler temperatures to explore the city comfortably? The best conditions for fishing? The best deals on hotels? Here is the best time to visit St. Augustine, depending on what you are interested in doing.
Best Time to Visit St. Augustine’s Beaches
St. Augustine’s Beaches are some of the nicest in Florida. With long, white sands and refreshing Atlantic waters, it is no secret that the city’s beaches are its main attraction. St. Augustine’s peak beach season begins in June and lasts through the end of August.
During these summer months, temperatures usually hover around the low 80s, making the weather perfect for spending the day on the beach. However, the summer is also the time when St. Augustine gets the most crowded. If you are visiting in the summer, it can be difficult to find parking, rentals, or hotel rooms, and prices are higher than during any other time of the year.
The best time to visit St. Augustine’s beaches to avoid the crowds and still experience great weather, is from April to May, and then again from September through the end of October. If you go in the spring, you should strongly consider April and May, rather than March. This will allow you to avoid the spring break crowds and cooler weather, and enjoy the relative calmness of late spring.
In the fall, the crowds have dissipated significantly as people return to school and work, and the weather is still warm enough to make the city well worth a visit. Plus, in September and October the water is even warmer than it is in the spring, since it takes time for it to cool off after the summer.
Best Time to Visit St. Augustine for Good Deals
St. Augustine is least expensive in the winter, however winter is also when the city has the least to do. During the winter months, temperatures in St. Augustine drop to the 40s and low 50s, which does not make for great beach weather. Winter still offers plenty of great things to do and see, including the below wintertime attractions, however if you want to spend time on St. Augustine’s famous beaches while also getting a great deal, there are better times to visit.
Nights of Lights – November to January every year, the Nights of Lights is a citywide Christmas lights display that features millions of small white lights illuminating 20 blocks of the city including the sidewalks, the Bridge of Lions, historic buildings, hotels, restaurants, and more.
St. Augustine Christmas Parade – The city’s famous Christmas parade, featuring floats, horses, cars, and a marching band.
St. Augustine Film Festival – Held each year in January, the St. Augustine Film Festival showcases films from filmmakers around the world.
However, the best time to visit St. Augustine for a good balance of deals and good beach weather is from March to May. During this time of the year, crowds are smaller (with the exception of the mid-March spring break crowd) and hotels, airfare, and rentals are generally cheaper. During the spring months, the weather is great, the beaches are less crowded, and it is the perfect time to visit St. Augustine to get a great deal and still experience everything the city has to offer.
Best Time to Visit St. Augustine to Explore the City
St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States, founded in 1565 by the Spanish. The city therefore has a rich history, stretching more than 450 years, and is home to many impressive historical sites, as well as many modern attractions. When visiting St. Augustine, exploring the city is a must. To get the full experience, companies in the city offer hop-on hop-off tours of the city, walking tours of sections of the historic district, and trolley tours through the city streets.
Summer and fall are a great time to visit St. Augustine to explore the city. Although St. Augustine does get crowded in the summer, most of the activity is concentrated on the beach, and you will still be able to enjoy the city’s historic sites, distilleries, restaurants, museums, and other attractions.
One of St. Augustine’s unique attractions, which is especially great in the fall, is the city’s ghost tours. The Old Town Trolley Tours of St. Augustine runs a special “Ghosts & Gravestone Night Tour” tour during Halloween time, stopping by the historic cemeteries and rumored haunted sites in the city, and various other tour groups in the city operate similar tours. The tours are a great way to learn about the city’s history and explore the major sites, while getting into the Halloween spirit.
Best Time to Visit St. Augustine for Fishing
St. Augustine is one of the best fishing destinations in Florida. The waters off of St. Augustine have so many species of fish, that it is possible to catch almost anything. Fish that are commonly caught from shore fishing include speckled trout, redfish, and flounder. Common catches while offshore fishing in St. Augustine include tuna, wahoo, grouper, shark, snapper, and barracuda.
The best time to visit St. Augustine for fishing is May through September. This is when the fish are most active, and you are most likely to land some good catches.
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Jacksonville Beach vs St. Augustine: A Guide to Choosing the Best Vacation Destination