On Twitter earlier today, @jonathanrhunt asked if I knew of a good resource of discounts on attractions for St Johns County residents. After a little research, I saw that there wasn’t one. So I’m going to try and make one. There were a few I could remember from gallivanting around St. Augustine when I started at Flagler in 2004, and a lot that I couldn’t get with just a Flagler ID: it had to be true resident status (driver’s license or utility bill). So, be sure to bring your proof, but so far here are the discounts I’ve uncovered. Posting them here for now but soon we might add this as a page to the site.
St Augustine Alligator Farm is half off ticket price. Hailing from Central Florida and being very familiar with Gatorland, I was a little disappointed that a place called an Alligator FARM didn’t serve gator to eat there, but other than that, this place is great, especially for half off.
The Scenic Cruise is half off, bringing it to about 7 bucks for an hour and fifteen minute cruise around the bay and around near the lighthouse. Beer, wine, and sodas available for sale on the boat. It is a great time. I love doing this when people come to visit and once in a while on a gorgeous day. Bring your camera. The last cruise of the day is usually right around sunset, which is perfect. Definitely need proof of residence to get this.
Old Town Trolley Tours offers a hometown pass to ride free with any other paying guest (ie, when people come to visit and just HAVE to get on one of those trains, even though you can recite their narration from your time spent walking downtown). Also, you can get the hometown pass to ride free in November all month! So, if you haven’t had relatives bug you to ride and you kind of just want to play around and be a tourist for a day, it won’t cost you anything, and the weather is bound to be gorgeous in November!
St Augustine Lighthouse is half off. If you haven’t climbed to the top of the lighthouse, you should do it. Do it this weekend. Saturday’s going to be gorgeous. And it’s half off, so you have no excuse. The museum is fascinating and the grounds are spectacular, giant oak trees everywhere.
The Oldest House is free for St Johns County residents. It’s probably one of those places you’ve given directions to for tourists a million times but never actually been inside. I know that’s certainly the case for me. Now that I know it’s free, I think I’ll check it out. Feel free to comment here if you’ve been and let us know what it’s like.
The Lightner Museum is free with proof of residence! It’s free for all Flagler students as well with your Flagler ID. I’ve been there many times and it seems you always run into something you hadn’t seen before. It’s a lot more interesting than you might think and it seems to me like a tamer (but more historically interesting) Ripley’s. This dude, O.C. Lightner, was a wealthy Chicago publisher and personally collected Victoriana. The website highlights the stained glass and art pieces, which are gorgeous, but evidently Lightner’s interests also expanded to include a mummy, a shrunken head, a stuffed lion that had once belonged to Winston Churchill, dolls, toys, and various historic music machines (which the museum demonstrates every day). History buffs will enjoy exploring the once hotel, where you can still see the Turkish baths in the old spa and cool pictures of the giant indoor pool that once filled the bottom of the hotel (which now contains fascinating antique shops and, of course, the Café Alcazar in the deep end).
Fort Matanzas: Ok, this one’s kind of a cop out because it’s free for everyone, and not just St Johns County residents, but if you haven’t made your way south on A1A to check out Fort Matanzas, I know you’ll enjoy it. There’s a free ferry that takes you across the inlet every hour on the half hour, and you’re led by a costumed guide who gives you a tour of the Fort, telling you all about the history and answering all of your questions. I saw a manatee in the water right next to the Fort the last time I went. Dolphins are frequently spotted during the ferry ride as well.
UPDATE: Ripley’s Believe it or Not: Local price $5 for St John’s Co. Regular price is 14.99 Adult 7.99 child. Trains are ½ price - $8.50 Adults and $4 for children. This is an excellent discount and I thank my twitter friend @RipleyWorld for this info!
There’s no reason not to ask for a local’s discount everywhere you go around here, even the shops on St. George Street. During tough economic times, locals are golden, the bread and butter and all that, and you should take advantage of that! Leave any other tips or recommendations in the comments! With a gorgeous weekend coming up everyone get out there and make good use of these!
