Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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- Kristin C184 contributionsGreat history, beautiful viewsRight by the historic city of St. Augustine. Loved the history and the views. We have a national park pass so did mot have to pay to get in. Really enjoyed learning its part in the history of our oldest city!Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 11, 2024
- journalmytripsGeorgia735 contributionsA second visitWe had visited this site many years ago but felt that another visit would be interesting since in the meantime we had read much of the history of that era. The fort is well kept considering its age. The displays in the various rooms were well done and informative. If you have the time, walk around some of the area outside of the fort. And if possible try to go early in the day. Parking is available near to the fort with payment at a kiosk where you decide how long your visit will last. That parking fills up quickly.Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 13, 2024
- vacationersforlifeDerwood, Maryland76 contributionsNice historical siteThis is a late review … we came the week of Thanksgiving 2023. As soon as we got to the ticket office, we were greeted by a rude park employee but luckily she was at the ticket counter and we didn’t have to deal with her again. We thought the grounds are beautifully kept, it’s well preserved and/or gratefully replicated and tastefully presented. Our tween liked it but not as much as we did. We enjoyed walking around and visiting the exhibits. It was informative and educational. It was a mild day with a wonderful breeze blowing, overlooking the ocean. The parking situation wasn’t the best but that was likely because it was during Thanksgiving and Night of Lights event, so it was busy. History I wasn’t aware of until I visited here.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten February 20, 2024
- Stephen KCorpus Christi, Texas2,801 contributionsDon’t miss it: If you are 62+ purchase a lifetime senior pass for $80 (will cover 3 others)On the water’s edge just east of the Lion’s Bridge. This National Park is the oldest masonry fort on the continental US and is definitely worth a visit. Kids will enjoy walking around the top of the fort. If one of you is 62+, purchase a lifetime senior pass for $80. It was cover you and 3 others, and will get you into any US National Park for free (including Refuges, National Monuments)Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 25, 2024
- LBReed68La Grange, Kentucky43 contributionsGreat History!It is run by the national park service. Unfortunately, the rain on the weekend kept us from seeing the reenactments, cannon and weapons, but the other exhibits were vey interesting. We had visited the fort in San Juan the previous year, and it was neat to compare the two structures and the history of their occupations.Visited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 27, 2024
- browncondo2102Kitchener, Canada1,824 contributionsProtecting the cityCastillo de San Marcos is a large castle which was built to protect the city in the late 1600 at the western shore of Matanzas Bay in St. Augustine. It is the oldest masonry fort in the US built of Coquina Limestone. It is soft when you cut it and spongy. It takes 2-3 years for it to dry but it has stood the test of time.Visited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 7, 2024
- ellentamboWesterville, Ohio264 contributionsGreat and interesting place to spend the afternoonThis was a fun and interesting place to go. We liked watching the demonstration for cannon firing. I also liked that we got to renew our national parks pass and that the fee for the park pass for the year covered all 4 of us! Thanks! We love national parksVisited March 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten March 17, 2024
- Bill GPittsburgh, Pennsylvania158 contributionsCelebrate the history of St. Augustine, Florida!Traveling to St. Augustine make sure you allot time for this monument! History at its finest! The fort is well maintained and cared for. The cannon demonstration is something to see and hear!Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten April 3, 2024
- FLHarlockTavares, Florida4,944 contributionsHot shots!Been here several times and it never disappoints. I learn something new every time. This time I found the ‘sizzling salvo’. It’s a furnace that heats up cannonballs until they’re red hot and then shot at wooden ships to set them on fire. Amazing! This is the coolest fort I’ve ever explored. So much history. Highly recommended!Visited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten April 13, 2024
- Kristi SMooresville, North Carolina262 contributionsEducational and great viewThe fort was well taken care of and educational. Plenty of rooms open to go in and learn about the forts use over time Great views from the upper level. Kids were free to get in.Visited March 2024Traveled with familyWritten April 20, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
11,193 reviews
Excellent
7,669
Very good
2,912
Average
533
Poor
46
Terrible
33
Pat M
Parrish, FL283 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Wonderful place to visit. Adults pay $15 and children under 15 are free. There was a wonderful historian who had a very interesting presentation. It is hot so going early in the morning is better also less visitors. There is a charge for parking and it is limited also. We recommend it.
Written July 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Go279148
5 contributions
May 2024 • Family
Our son recommended that we visit the fort while in St. Augustine and it did not disappoint! So much history was to be learned about this earlier part of our history. All of the rooms in the fort had displays documenting different periods throughout time. They had a cannon firing demonstration by volunteers in uniform. I would recommend a 2 hour time frame to take in everything. It can be a little difficult finding a parking place and it costs $2.50 an hour. I read in earlier reviews that you can get free admission if you have a senior national park pass so thanks for saving us $30.
Written May 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer J
London, Canada25 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
We stopped here for about 1.5 hrs with our family of 5. It was a hot afternoon in August and we stopped here to see the castle, but appreciated the shade and fans to sit and get cool. The entrance fee is $15.00 US for anyone over 15 years old. There is no parking at the fort, but you can find street parking. The fort itself is not too big and doesn’t overwhelm you with too much information. There are restrooms and water bottle refill stations. The fort itself is not very accessible for those needing mobility assistance. You are able to climb the stairs to go to the top of the fort which gives you great views of the ocean and the old town of St. Augustine. We really enjoyed our time here!
Written August 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matt Rogers
Louisville, KY243 contributions
Sep 2024 • Couples
Happened to go on 9/28 and it was free admission. Definitely go early if you want to park at the fort. The parking lot is small and fills up quickly. You can use a CC or cash to pay ($2.50 per hour). They fire a cannon periodically with staff and volunteers dressed in costumes. Staff are happy to take pictures with guests. Lots to explore and learn about the history of the fort. Really enjoyed the video and presentation about a Tragic Love Story (?). The presenter was fantastic and the topic was really interesting if you enjoy history. Lots of interesting picture options.
Written September 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicole O
Chicago, IL75 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
The tickets are $15 each, pricey in my opinion for what its worth. But what is beneficial is that your ticket inside is good for a week. Which is great if you need to retire early from the fort because it is so hot. I ended up passing my bought tickets to a friend who was going the following day with his dad. Time spent inside which includes reading everything was 1.25 hours. There are air-conditioned bathrooms and a water bottle refill station inside the fort, but no souvenir shop to buy water bottles if you forgot, so bring yours with you. Other things to note is the site does have mold (moisture does that and is normal) but if your allergic like me, it makes me want to leave each room faster, so I skimmed many of the readings. I will say, that it overall it is plainly arranged with text and not as many artifacts or replicas as I would like. I am someone who loves going to museums and go on historic walking tours whenever I go somewhere new, so while this is a must-do, I'd recommend sharing tickets to save money (ex. You have a group of 6, buy 2 or 3 tickets and rotate who goes on which days you attend. I wouldn't go in big groups as it isn't worth the price.) There isn't enough substance to go back again for the length of the ticket window, so sharing is caring.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DiverM
Jupiter, FL594 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Tickets are $15 per person 15 years and older. I would recommend buying an annual national parks pass for $80 which gets in 3-4 people and is good for a year for all national parks.
The cannon firing is only on the weekends Sat/Sun so plan accordingly.
It was really hot when we went and the tours were self-guided. We went through it in about an hour.
We parked at the visitors center for $15 for the day about a block away and that worked out well. They have a lot of info and lots of clean air conditioned rest rooms. The parking is covered so your car stays cool.
The cannon firing is only on the weekends Sat/Sun so plan accordingly.
It was really hot when we went and the tours were self-guided. We went through it in about an hour.
We parked at the visitors center for $15 for the day about a block away and that worked out well. They have a lot of info and lots of clean air conditioned rest rooms. The parking is covered so your car stays cool.
Written July 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
patncolin
Cliffsend, UK153 contributions
Oct 2024 • Friends
A very well presented historical monument with great information boards giving detailed explanations of the various rooms , periods and equipment . The staff ,were very helpful , and the re enactors present on the day of our visit really made the visit, so thanks to them . The prices in the gift shop were quite expensive though and were not value for money even allowing for the location , which was a shame because it prevented me acquiring souvenirs that if they had been reasonably priced I would have bought . Items in the town, still touristy were more reasonable. That being said we still had a great timein the Castle
Written October 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bean-Buggles
Plumsteadville, PA728 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
Really nice National Monument to visit. There is a fee to enter per person (look up on the NPS website) and there is a Jr. Ranger program here for those collecting badges for their littles. Parking is on site, however, many tourists use it to park when visiting St. Augustine so it will fill up very quickly during peak seasons, so arrive early in the morning if visiting during that time period. Lots of good signage all over the park. View is beautiful from the top. Gift shop and restrooms on site.
Written January 20, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
iheartjax
Jacksonville, FL224 contributions
Jan 2024
Recently visited Castillo de San Marcos National Monument on MLK weekend. It was a fun day to learn about the history and take in the beautiful weather in St Augustine. Parking was easy in the designated lot per hour and there is also convenient garage parking a short walk away. The fort itself is nice to visit for adults and kids alike. If you visit on certain national park days, the entrance is free, otherwise it’s about $15 per adult, unless you are a veteran or senior. Highly recommend if you are visiting. Lots of places for a picnic or try a local restaurant like Prohibition Kitchen, Ice Plant, and Hyppo or Mayday for dessert.
Written January 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David G
31 contributions
Dec 2023 • Family
We went to the Castillo twice, once at night after it had closed and the next day when it was open. The Castillo grounds are well lit, and there are exhibits in the moat that you can see but these are not lit, we had to use our phone flashlights to read the plaques. You cannot go into the Castillo itself when it's closed. The next day we went to it when it was open, we had a hard time finding a parking spot because the parking lot is small and it's also available parking for people to go into the city. We didn't wait long to get tickets and were able to go in to the fort through the drawbridge. The inner courtyard has bathrooms and allows for you to walk on top of the Castillo. There was a person in a period outfit who was knowledgeable about the cannons and the Castillo's history. The different rooms inside the Castillo were interesting and had information signs about what they were used for.
Written January 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were there late morning. Waited about 1/2 hour. It wasn't a bad wait and well worth it to us Pyrates!
Written June 5, 2022
you will need about 1 hour but if you like to take a lot of pictures like me I will say about 2 hours. It is beautiful with a lot of History. Enjoy
Written June 2, 2022
We paid 15.00 per adult. I believe under age 15 is free if with a paying adult. You can visit the National Park Service and search for the Castillo and it provides pertinent information including entrance fees.
Written May 4, 2022
Happiness688193
Saltville, Virginia
Can you buy ticket in advance and reserve a time to tour fort?
Written March 20, 2021
No, you can not, unfortunately. Early morning is the best time. Well worth the wait!
Written March 20, 2021
Besides limiting the number of people inside fort, are any areas of fort closed off during COVID? Wondering if the 90 min drive is worth it now or wait for covid restrictions to end.
Written December 23, 2020
All the areas inside were open, but they were not doing any cannon firings or weapons demonstration.
Written December 24, 2020
I am planning a trip to St. Augustine next week... does anyone know if the fort is open.
Written May 24, 2020
Yes but if you plan to go don’t go in the afternoon on the weekend. Got in line at 130 and stood in line for an hour due to crowd limit.
Written February 3, 2021
Is there a guided tour available for purchase or only self guided?
Written August 15, 2019
It is a self guided tour. I do remember staff being there to answer questions but I'm not sure of their hours.
Written August 17, 2019
Is it possible to park, go outside and get a good view of the fort while we have our dogs with us. We don't want to have to leave the dogs in the car.
Written April 19, 2019
Sure if you just want to see the outside of a fort. The grounds are nice and it is on the water which can be seen from other areas. I would have been disappointed not to see the inside, the rooms, the history and information posted. The parking lot is right there, decent size but fills up fast and you must pay for parking which is true throughout St. Augustine.
Written April 20, 2019
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