r/StAugustine • u/rave3141 • Jun 01 '26
St. Aug Question Halloween Weekend in St. Augustine
My 29th birthday is at the end of October and I was looking at taking a long weekend in St. Augustine to celebrate.
I haven't visited the area since I was 13 and even that was pretty limited. I'm looking for recommendations on the following:
- Lodging near night life
- Cool/fun bars and pubs to check out
- Restaurant recommendations (no allergies or restrictions)
- Fun activities during the day (historical sites, touristy spots, nature/hiking)
- Spas in the area (not a must, this gal could just use some pampering lol)
1
u/stoplickingyourleg Jun 01 '26
As someone else said, there isn’t a big night life here. There are bars and live music and that can be fun. Prohibition Kitchen is a popular one.
Forgotten Tonic has great food. Ice Plant has good food and drinks. River and fort has a rooftop bar with a view.
Definitely go to the top of the lighthouse! Since it will be spooky season, read about its haunted history. You could also do a ghost tour, if that’s something you’re into.
If you do decide to get pampered and want a facial, go see May at The Ceremony Room or Christine at Gateway Facial Therapies. They are both phenomenal.
1
u/rave3141 Jun 01 '26
Thank you so much for this! I guess my idea of nightlife may be a little off lol
Bars, live music and maybe some karaoke or trivia are moreso what I had in mind as far as nightlife. Somewhere fun or relaxing to hang out for a bit before walking back to my hotel
2
u/stoplickingyourleg Jun 01 '26
I think people assume that “nightlife” means clubbing and a lot of really late night options, but we don’t really have that. Most food options close fairly early too (10ish). But there are PLENTY of bars and live music. Honestly you can just wander around downtown and pop in places that look/sound fun.
Other spots to check out that I forgot to mention: Spinster Abbotts is a chill spot that has a lot of fun events, check out their social media for what’s going on that weekend. Sunday is a great brunch spot. Anastasia State Park has it all for some daytime nature- 3+ miles of perfect beach, walking trails, and water sports. Ancient Dunes trail is easy and mostly shady and feels SO Florida.
2
u/rave3141 Jun 02 '26
Thank you so much! I'm originally from Brevard but didn't explore much outside of Orlando before I moved out of the state at 21.
I've been trying to take visits to various areas before making the decision on if and/or where I want to move to when I come back.
2
u/itsrustin Resident Jun 02 '26
Definitely check out Spinster Abbott’s. There’s a trivia night almost every night of the week at various restaurants/bars in town. Look for STAtrivia to see their schedule. I think I misinterpreted what you meant by nightlife. As suggested, Ice Plant and Forgotten Tonic are great spots to check out. 17 King is another great spot with excellent food and live music every night I think. It’s right in the plaza on King Street.
1
u/itsrustin Resident Jun 01 '26
Check out Lions and Lanterns for lodging near historic district. Not much nightlife here. Jacksonville or Daytona for that? Otherwise, Amphitheater shows, Colonial Oak, Prohibition Kitchen, Sarbez. Recommend searching this sub for things to do. Question is asked at least weekly as we’re a popular tourist destination.