What should you do in St. Augustine when it’s too hot to walk around?
On extremely hot St. Augustine days, plan outdoor activities for the morning and save air-conditioned attractions, a long lunch, your hotel pool or a break at your hotel for the hottest part of the afternoon. Check the heat index—not just the temperature—before heading to the beach, and consider going earlier in the day when extreme heat is forecast. By late afternoon and evening, head back downtown for dinner, sunset activities, shopping or a ghost tour.
St. Augustine is a walking city. That’s part of what makes it wonderful.
But there are summer days when walking St. George Street at 2:00 in the afternoon sounds considerably better from inside an air-conditioned hotel room.
Summer temperatures in St. Augustine regularly climb into the upper 80s and 90s, and humidity can push the heat index — what the temperature actually feels like — above 100°F on particularly hot days.
That doesn’t mean you picked a bad day to explore St. Augustine.
It means you need to plan the day differently.
Instead of trying to power through the hottest hours, use the morning for the things that require being outside, make the middle of the day intentionally comfortable, and come back out when St. Augustine starts cooling down for the evening.
Here’s how we’d do it.
Summer weather changed the plan completely? If thunderstorms rather than heat are keeping you inside, see our guide to Things to Do in St. Augustine When It Rains.
First: Check the Heat Index, Not Just the Temperature
There’s a big difference between seeing 92°F in your weather app and discovering that the heat index makes it feel like 103°F.
That matters when your plans involve walking several miles on brick streets, sitting on the beach, touring the Castillo or pushing a stroller around downtown.
Before deciding what kind of day you’re going to have, look at the hourly forecast — particularly the feels-like temperature, cloud cover and chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
If the heat index is expected to climb above 100°F, we’d start moving outdoor activities earlier rather than trying to squeeze everything into the afternoon.
And that includes the beach.
Going to the Beach? Make It Your Morning Activity
It’s easy to assume that the hotter the day, the better the beach sounds. Not necessarily.
When the heat index is pushing well above 100°F, sitting on exposed sand during the middle of the afternoon may not be particularly enjoyable — especially for families with young children. The ocean can feel wonderful.
Getting across scorching sand, sitting under intense sun and trying to keep everyone comfortable for three hours may not.
On exceptionally hot days, we’d rather arrive at St. Augustine Beach in the morning.
Get there around 9:00 or 10:00 AM, enjoy a couple of hours in the water and start thinking about your next move as midday approaches. You haven’t “used up” your beach day.
You’ve enjoyed the beach during the part of the day when you’re more likely to actually enjoy being there.
If the beach is part of your plan, a little preparation makes a hot day considerably easier. Our St. Augustine Beach Packing Guide covers what to bring before you leave your hotel.
Still deciding which beach fits your day? Start with our Complete Guide to St. Augustine Beach, or explore our Vilano Beach Guide if you’re considering the beach north of downtown.
Traveling With Younger Kids? There’s Another Option
If the kids aren’t ready to head indoors, consider the splash park at the St. Johns County Ocean & Fishing Pier in St. Augustine Beach.
It gives younger children an opportunity to keep playing in the water without committing the family to another few hours sitting on the beach.
This can work especially well as part of the same morning:
Beach → rinse off → splash park → lunch.
By the time everyone is hungry, you’re ready for air conditioning anyway.
The Middle of the Day Is When You Change Gears
This is where we’d resist the temptation to cram in another outdoor attraction.
If the heat index is extreme, you don’t earn bonus vacation points for suffering through it.
Instead, use those hours for something you would have wanted to do anyway.
If You Have Kids, Save Ripley’s for the Afternoon
If Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is already on your family’s list, don’t necessarily visit first thing in the morning. Save it.
When downtown starts feeling oppressively hot, Ripley’s becomes considerably more valuable.
You’re indoors. You’re air-conditioned. And there’s enough to explore that you’re not simply stepping into a shop for fifteen minutes before having to figure out where to go next.
Depending on how interested your family is in the exhibits, it can occupy a meaningful chunk of the afternoon.
VentureWell tip: On extremely hot or rainy days, indoor attractions become more popular. If there’s something your family definitely wants to experience, check tickets and hours ahead of time rather than assuming you’ll walk straight in.
Choose a Museum You Actually Want to See
St. Augustine gives you another advantage here: some of its best history is indoors.
But don’t visit a museum simply because we told you museums have air conditioning.
Choose one that matches what interests you.
Interested in the extravagance of America’s Gilded Age? The Lightner Museum makes sense.
Traveling with children fascinated by pirates? The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum is probably a better fit.
Want something strange and unexpected? That’s where Ripley’s enters the conversation.
The point isn’t to collect museums.
It’s to intentionally save one good indoor experience for the part of the day when being indoors has the greatest value.
Save These for the Hottest Part of the Day
Air-conditioned, genuinely worth your time, and substantial enough to give you a real break from the afternoon heat. These are the indoor St. Augustine experiences we’d intentionally save for when being outside stops being fun.
Family Museum Attraction
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Explore hundreds of fascinating oddities, rare artifacts, interactive exhibits, and unbelievable stories inside one of St. Augustine's most recognizable attractions. It's a fun stop for families, curious travelers, and anyone looking for something completely different.
Intimate Magic & Mind Reading Show
Magic Hideaway at the Casa Monica Resort and Spa
Hidden inside the iconic Casa Monica Resort & Spa, Magic Hideaway is an unforgettable evening of close-up magic, mind reading, and audience interaction in an intimate theater with just a handful of guests. It's one of St. Augustine's most unique date-night experiences.
Historic Moorish Mansion Museum
Villa Zorayda Museum
Step inside one of St. Augustine's most unique landmarks, a stunning Gilded Age mansion inspired by Spain's Alhambra Palace. Explore beautiful architecture, rare antiques, ancient artifacts, and fascinating stories on a self-guided audio tour through this historic treasure.
Gilded Age Grandeur
Courtesy of Google
Lightner Museum
Step inside St. Augustine’s Gilded Age.
Step inside Henry Flagler’s magnificent former Hotel Alcazar, where extraordinary architecture, Gilded Age art, decorative treasures, historic furnishings, and wonderfully eclectic collections reveal another side of St. Augustine’s past.
Interactive Pirate Museum
St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum
The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum is one of the city's premier family attractions, featuring more than 800 authentic pirate artifacts, interactive exhibits, and immersive experiences that bring the Golden Age of Piracy to life. Located directly across from Castillo de San Marcos, the museum is home to rare treasures including one of only three surviving original Jolly Roger flags and the only authenticated pirate treasure chest in the world.
Hidden Downtown Gem
Tiny Art Museum
Discover one of St. Augustine's most unusual attractions at the Tiny Art Museum, where incredible microscopic paintings and sculptures are so small they can only be viewed through powerful microscopes. It's a quick but unforgettable stop in Historic Downtown.
Experience Colonial Medicine
Spanish Military Hospital Museum
With a 4.6-star rating from more than 600 reviews, the Spanish Military Hospital Museum offers one of St. Augustine's most immersive living-history experiences, where costumed interpreters demonstrate 18th-century surgery, colonial medicine, and herbal remedies inside an authentic reconstruction of a Spanish military hospital.
America's First Wax Museum
Potter’s Wax Museum
Step inside America's first and oldest wax museum to explore more than 160 incredibly detailed figures representing famous leaders, celebrities, scientists, athletes, and historical icons from around the world. It's a fun indoor attraction that's perfect for families and history lovers alike.
Or Do Something Vacationers Sometimes Forget They’re Allowed to Do
Go back to your hotel.
Seriously.
If you’re staying downtown or at the beach, there is absolutely nothing wrong with disappearing for two hours.
Take a shower.
Let younger kids nap.
Get into the hotel pool.
Sit somewhere cold.
Change clothes.
Have absolutely no productive vacation activity whatsoever.
A family that takes a break from 2:00 to 4:00 may have considerably more energy for dinner, St. George Street and a ghost tour that evening than the family that spent those same two hours trudging around downtown because they were determined to “get their money’s worth.”
You’re not wasting vacation.
You’re protecting the best part of the day.
But What If You Actually WANT Water All Day?
Here’s one limitation of St. Augustine that’s worth acknowledging.
St. Augustine is exceptional for history and beaches.
What it doesn’t have is a major destination water park.
There are pools, beaches and places to get wet, but if your kids are imagining giant slides, lazy rivers, wave pools and an entire day built around water, you’ll need to venture beyond St. Augustine.
And suddenly…
Orlando becomes interesting.
Or Trade the Beach for a Florida Spring
There’s another option before you commit to driving all the way to Orlando: head inland to one of Florida’s natural springs. The water at many of these springs stays around 72°F year-round, which feels remarkably refreshing when North Florida is sweltering.
Several are within day-trip distance of St. Augustine, and they offer something completely different from another afternoon at the beach. You can swim at De Leon Springs, spend a summer day in the water at Blue Spring, snorkel the remarkably clear water at Silver Glen, or venture farther for tubing and some of Florida’s most beautiful spring scenery. If that sounds more appealing than roller coasters and water slides, start with our guide to the 7 Best Natural Springs Near St. Augustine.
Then transition directly into Orlando with something like:
A Really Hot Day Could Become an Orlando Water-Park Day
If you’re spending several days in St. Augustine and the forecast shows one particularly hot day, consider using that day differently.
Instead of forcing another afternoon downtown, you could head toward Orlando and make water the entire point.
Make the Hottest Day a Water Park Day
When the St. Augustine heat gets serious, go where the water attractions are. These Orlando-area water parks are worth considering when you’d rather spend the day on slides, in wave pools and floating a lazy river than fighting the afternoon heat.
Tropical Water Park
Artist's Illustration
Aquatica Water Park (Orlando)
SeaWorld's tropical Orlando water park combines high-speed slides, family raft rides, two massive wave pools, kid-friendly splash areas, sandy beaches, and relaxing rivers for a full day of Florida fun.
All-Inclusive Paradise
Artist's Illustration
Discovery Cove
Orlando's all-inclusive extraordinary escape.
A reservation-only tropical day resort where guests can snorkel with tropical fish and rays, float through lush waterways, hand-feed exotic birds, relax on white-sand beaches, and even swim with dolphins.
Snowy Water Adventure
Artist's Illustration
Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park
A wildly imaginative Disney water park themed as a melting Florida ski resort, featuring towering thrill slides, family raft rides, a one-acre wave pool, lazy river, and excellent play areas for younger kids.
Disney Water Adventure
Artist's Illustration
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
A beautifully themed Disney water park featuring enormous surf waves, tropical beaches, family raft adventures, thrilling waterslides, a water coaster, and a relaxing lazy river surrounded by lush island scenery.
Island Water Fun
Courtesy of Tiqets
Island H2O Water Park
A colorful Kissimmee water park featuring 20+ slides and attractions, a giant wave pool, lazy river, family raft rides, kids' splash zones, and seasonal nighttime events near Walt Disney World.
Tropical Water Adventure
Artist's Illustration
Universal Volcano Bay
Universal Orlando's immersive water theme park surrounds a towering 200-foot volcano with thrilling water slides, a water coaster, whitewater rapids, wave pools, tropical beaches, and relaxing rivers.
A few options worth considering:
Universal Volcano Bay
If your family likes the idea of a full-scale themed water park, Volcano Bay can easily become the centerpiece of the day.
And this is where a simple day trip can start turning into something else.
Because once you’re already at Universal Orlando, you may find yourself thinking:
Should we really drive all the way back tonight?
Hold that thought.
Aquatica Orlando
Aquatica is another strong choice when the primary objective is simple: we want to spend the day in the water.
For families who don’t necessarily want to turn the trip into a larger theme-park vacation, it can make Orlando a very different kind of day from anything you’ll experience in St. Augustine.
Disney’s Water Parks
If Disney is already part of your Florida plans — or you’ve been looking for an excuse to make it part of them — check the current operating schedule for Disney’s water parks.
This is another situation where we’d think beyond just buying a ticket.
If you’re already making the drive to Walt Disney World, would everyone rather come home afterward…
or wake up in Orlando the following morning?
Those are two very different vacations.
LEGOLAND + SEA LIFE + Water Park
Families with younger children should also look at the LEGOLAND Florida, SEA LIFE Aquarium & LEGOLAND Florida Water Park three-park ticket.
This one is particularly interesting because you’re not committing the entire experience to a traditional water park and for a great price.
You can mix rides and attractions at LEGOLAND with SEA LIFE Aquarium and water time at LEGOLAND Florida Water Park.
For the right age group, that’s a lot of flexibility packed into one Orlando-area excursion.
And This Is Where a “Day Trip” Can Become a Much Better Idea
Here’s the conversation we’d have before automatically driving back to St. Augustine.
If you’ve spent the entire day at Volcano Bay, LEGOLAND or Disney…
Do you actually want another long drive at the end of it?
Maybe you do.
But maybe you start looking at each other and saying:
“What if we just stay tonight?”
And then:
“If we’re staying tonight, should we go to Universal tomorrow?”
Or:
“Could we add a Disney day?”
Now you’re no longer planning a water-park excursion.
You’re potentially building a St. Augustine + Orlando vacation.
And that’s something worth thinking through before you book everything separately.
Turn a Day Trip Into Something Bigger
Thinking about escaping to Orlando for the day? Maybe one day becomes an overnight — or two.
Our travel specialists are certified Universal Orlando Resort and Disney specialists who can help arrange your hotel, tickets and rental vehicle and figure out how Orlando fits into your St. Augustine vacation.
If Orlando Is Part of the Plan, Think About Your St. Augustine Hotel Too
This is something people often don’t consider until after they’ve booked.
Where you stay in St. Augustine affects how convenient regional day trips will be.
If your priority is experiencing historic St. Augustine, staying downtown has a huge advantage: you can walk to restaurants, St. George Street, the bayfront and many attractions.
We wouldn’t give that up simply to shave some time off one drive to Orlando.
But if you’re planning a vacation that includes the beach, St. Augustine and Orlando, your priorities are different.
A St. Augustine Beach hotel can make sense because you’re already positioned south of downtown and can work your way toward US 1 and the routes connecting with I-95.
Hotels around the SR 16/I-95 corridor offer another tradeoff. They’re not the immersive downtown experience and they’re not beachfront, but they can be strategically useful for travelers who expect to spend considerably more time driving around Northeast and Central Florida.
The question isn’t:
Which location is best?
It’s:
What are you actually planning to do during your vacation?
That’s the question we’d answer before choosing the hotel.
When You Stay in St. Augustine, Come Back Out for the Evening
If Orlando isn’t happening today, your afternoon retreat has another payoff.
By late afternoon and early evening, start venturing back out.
This is when we’d rather enjoy downtown.
Have dinner somewhere you’ve actually been looking forward to.
Walk the bayfront.
Get ice cream on St. George Street.
Take a sunset cruise.
Book an evening ghost tour.
Listen to live music.
Explore the historic district after dark.
St. Augustine is beautiful during the day.
But summer evenings here deserve their own part of the vacation.
And because you didn’t exhaust yourself trying to walk around during the worst heat of the afternoon, you may actually have enough energy left to enjoy them.
The Better Way to Handle a Hot St. Augustine Day
You don’t need to abandon your plans because the forecast says 94°F.
You may just need to rearrange them.
Use the morning for the beach and outdoor attractions.
Save a genuinely worthwhile indoor experience for the hottest part of the afternoon.
Use your hotel when you need it.
Come back outside when the day becomes more comfortable.
And if the forecast is truly brutal?
Maybe that’s the day you stop thinking exclusively about St. Augustine.
A water-park day in Orlando could become one of your family’s favorite days of the trip.
And if that one day starts turning into two?
Well…
That’s how good vacations sometimes get a little bigger.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Days in St. Augustine
How hot does St. Augustine get during the summer?
Summer daytime temperatures in St. Augustine frequently reach the upper 80s and 90s. Humidity can make it feel considerably hotter, with the heat index sometimes climbing above 100°F. Check the hourly heat index before planning several hours of outdoor sightseeing.
What is the best time to walk around downtown St. Augustine in summer?
On particularly hot days, morning and evening are generally better for extended outdoor exploring than the middle of the afternoon. Consider doing St. George Street, the bayfront, Castillo area and other outdoor sightseeing earlier, then returning downtown later for dinner and evening activities.
Is the beach a good idea when it’s extremely hot?
It can be, but don’t assume extreme heat automatically makes for a great beach day. Strong sun, hot sand and a high heat index can make exposed beaches uncomfortable, particularly for young children. On exceptionally hot days, consider making the beach a morning activity and leaving before the most intense afternoon conditions.
What can families do indoors in St. Augustine when it’s too hot outside?
Rather than choosing an attraction simply because it has air conditioning, pick something your family genuinely wants to experience and save it for the hottest part of the day. Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, the St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum and the Lightner Museum are examples that appeal to different interests.
Does St. Augustine have a water park?
St. Augustine does not have a major destination water park comparable to those in Central Florida. Families wanting large water slides, lazy rivers and full-day water attractions may want to consider an Orlando-area day trip to a water park such as Volcano Bay, Aquatica or one of Disney’s water parks.
Can you take a day trip from St. Augustine to Orlando?
Yes. Orlando can be visited as a day trip from St. Augustine, although the drive makes for a long day when combined with a full theme-park or water-park visit. If you’re already considering Orlando, compare the convenience and cost of driving back the same evening with staying one or two nights and making Orlando a larger part of your Florida vacation.
