Fort Matanzas: Fun and History

Today I am linking up with Allie from simplystaugustine.com for her 31 days of Summer Link-Up!  As a local of St. Augustine, one of my favorite things to do is taking a short drive South of downtown to the Fort Matanzas National Monument.

I fell in love with this little hidden gem when we first moved to town and were being tourist  exploring all the our new home had to offer!  A little history: The fort was built in order to guard St. Augustine from the British who made their way up from the South.  You can learn the rest on your visit!  This day trip will become one of your favorites and a nice way to entertain guests....all for free!








Upon entering the Fort Matanzas Park, you will find beautiful oaks covering the picnic area, restrooms, a trail leading to a nature trail, and the visitor center.  To get to the fort, you simply pick up your free boarding pass from the visitor center and wait for your departure for the ferry.  While waiting, you will be offered to watch a short video on the history of the fort, or you can enjoy the nature trail.

The ferry is an exciting 5 minute cruise across the Matanzas inlet to the ferry.  Once you're there, it's time to explore!  No matter you're age, you will feel like a kid again!  I'll let the pictures do the talking:

These last pictures were taken from the nature trail.  I definitely recommend taking the time to take a casual stroll down this coastal hammock!  Be sure to pick up the guide from the visitor center to get the most out of it!

Another thing I suggest since you've made the drive out to the Fort Matanzas area is take a picnic and then enjoy the public access beach area right down the road (South).  This is one of our favorite places to soak up the sun and enjoy views of the Fort all day.

Have you been to Fort Matanzas?  What's your favorite thing to do there?

Be sure to visit Allie over at simplystaugustine.com to hear about other exciting things to do in our beautiful ancient city!