Playgrounds and things to do with kids in St. Augustine

A big wooden playground with one gated entrance, a sandbox and play trolley for toddlers, and forts and towers for older kids.

A playground under big oaks, then a paved one-mile loop to look for birds, an easy walk at a kid's pace.

A working cathedral you can walk into quietly. Give kids a mission: find a favorite stained-glass window or spot the Spanish coat of arms.

A playground with open grass, courts and a ballfield around it, so older siblings can shoot hoops while the younger ones climb.

The play area is fenced in, with slides and climbing bars built to be accessible, so every kid gets a turn and a runner can't get far.

A reconstructed fort and the story of the people who escaped slavery to reach it, told through exhibits and a guided tour. Best for kids about seven and up.

A compact history gallery where a timeline walks from Spanish and British colonial rule to today. Short enough for a school-age kid's attention span.

A beginner skate area next to a playground, so an older kid can practice while a younger sibling climbs. Skaters under 17 need a signed waiver.

A shady square with old cannons to look at, trees to run around and a gazebo to dance in, while you sit with a snack.

A playscape with four-square and hopscotch painted on the courts, so kids can start a game without any gear.

Changing local-history exhibits, restrooms and water fountains, which makes it a good first stop before walking the old town.

Student art from local schools hangs here at times, so a budding artist sees work by kids their age. Classes and camps come up too.

The stone gate from 1808, with pieces of the old town wall on either side. A quick walk-through and a photo, then on to the next thing.

Older kids can walk the self-guided route past the stills, barrels and bottling line in an old ice plant. The tasting is for adults only.

An accessible playground, short nature trails and a beginner skate area set apart for new skaters, so a first-timer can try it away from the big kids.

A playscape, then a nature trail out to a dock over the water. Enough for a play and a short walk with a view.

Pinball, classic video games and skee-ball, set to unlimited play, so nobody's asking for another quarter.

Lightweight balls and bumpers for kids ten and under, then the arcade for the break between games.

A beach with a playground, plus the short Ancient Dunes trail for a wildlife hunt (it has stairs and hills). Swim where the lifeguard is: rip currents.

Kids join the pirate crew for a treasure hunt, sea shanties, sword-fighting lessons and water cannons. Pick the all-ages sail, not the adults-only one.

A small, staff-guided capybara encounter, and kids can feed or pet them when the capybaras choose to come over.

The original stone fort, and a Junior Ranger booklet from the entrance gives kids something to hunt for as they explore.

Blacksmithing, a cannon demonstration and a watchtower to climb. The cannon is loud, so warn a noise-shy kid before it goes off.

Watch rescued cats from the café side, or sit in the lounge with them. The kitten lounge is for ages eight and up.

A student-led tour of a grand old hotel, with discovery drawers and a stained-glass design station kids can get their hands on. Fountains in the courtyard, too.

Ask at the desk for the guide made for kids, then turn the collection into an I Spy hunt for odd objects. Strollers are fine in most galleries, not all.

Photographs, art and neighborhood stories of Black life through the civil-rights era, in a former Black school. Some exhibits cover violence, so best for older kids.

A short daytime tour with a costumed deputy: kids step inside the old cells and hear the inmates' stories. It's about crime, so it suits older kids best.

Hop on and off a narrated trolley and let the kids pick the stops. Collapsible strollers can ride along.

A guided tour through an old coquina house showing how different households lived in it, then the gardens and a small surf museum.

A recreated 1908 general store where costumed guides demonstrate odd old gadgets, so kids get to see early-1900s inventions actually working.

A talking professor greets you, and your kid leaves with a small diploma after seeing the old classroom, kitchen and gardens.

A retro indoor roller rink with skates down to toddler sizes, so even small kids get out on the floor. The lights and music can be a lot for some.

Peacocks wandering the grounds, a planetarium, a blacksmith and a re-created Timucuan village, so kids keep moving from one thing to the next.

More than 160 wax figures, from historical people to pop-culture characters, that kids can pose beside for photos. A studio shows how they're made.

A padded toddler zone plus bigger indoor structures for kids up to 49 inches, so a taller older sibling may end up watching.

Eighteen holes right on the bay beside the Bridge of Lions, a good way to burn off energy between history stops.

Odd objects and hands-on displays inside an 1887 building built like a castle, so the building is half the fun.

Grilled cheese and 35-plus arcade games that take quarters. Kids are welcome early; later in the evening it's adults only.

A two-hour tall-ship sail where the crew gets kids helping to raise the sails. Better for older kids and teens than toddlers.

A guided tour of colonial surgery, antique tools and a mock amputation included. Best for older kids into gross history; sensitive ones may not enjoy it.

Alligators and crocodiles side by side, so kids can finally see the difference, plus lemurs, birds and wildlife shows. The zipline starts at age 8.

Staff lead you around a shaded, open-air aquarium and hand over starfish and horseshoe crabs to touch. Toddlers get as much out of it as older kids.

A small boat out looking for wild dolphins and birds, and the guide drops an underwater microphone so kids can hear what's below.

Old toys and dolls, a Spanish galleon replica and a sunken-treasure room, which makes a good first pass at the town's history.

Kids under 44 inches can't climb the tower and nobody can be carried, so the shipyard playground and puppet theater are their part of the visit.

Real pirate artifacts and hands-on displays pitched at about four to eight, and it's indoors and air-conditioned for a hot afternoon.

Real shipwreck artifacts and treasure, hands-on displays and a small theater. Some of it covers the Titanic, so sensitive kids may have questions.

A guided walk past rescued big cats, bears and wolves, with the story of how each one got there. It's over an hour on foot, so small kids may tire.

A dedicated kids' area with routes for small climbers, and higher walls and bouldering once they outgrow it. Under-sevens stay in the kids' area.

Brush and feed shaggy Highland cows and other farm animals on a guided outdoor visit. Wear closed-toe shoes, it's a real farm.

A hands-on colonial workshop: rope-making, candle-dipping and weaving, pitched at about ages 3 to 10. Everyone goes home with a beeswax candle.

An ornate Alhambra-style house full of strange rooms and objects, with an audio tour. It can win over a tween. Stairs and no elevator, so leave the stroller.

Watch the chocolate machines at work, then taste white, milk and dark. Everyone wears a hairnet in the production room.

A 19th-century boarding house with its rooms still furnished. Kids can compare the tiny shared sleeping room with their own and ask the guide who stayed.