Saint Augustine True History Tours

03/03/2026

Statehood Day! Florida is 181 years young today.

Statehood since March 3, 1845 - - 181 years!

02/19/2026

Our sister company, Savannah True History Tours, was featured in today’s New York Times. The Savannah Dark History Tour is highlighted as a fact-based alternative to the city’s numerous ghost tours.

Fun fact: We also offer a St. Augustine Dark History Tour! Come experience the True History Tours difference!

The present and past coexist in a Southern city unlike any other.

02/12/2026

Our friends at The Minorcan Experience have some great events quickly approaching! If you're not already following, their page is a treasure trove of both Minorcan and general St. Augustine information.

Programs for 2026. Please share this post to help get word out. The events are free. Seating for indoor events is first some, first served. Donations for the 2027 Journey To Freedom may be made at the door.

01/28/2026

Embarrassed to say tonight was our first show at Cafe Eleven. The place is amazing. You already know the food is good, but the shows are even better. Our owner, Brandon (the one writing this, me), went to undergrad, law school, served as a Park Ranger, and practiced law for over well a decade in Virginia. Well in Virginia, way back in the early Aughts (what I think we call the first decade of the 2000’s), I became a huge fan of Carbon Leaf. Carbon Leaf put on an amazing show, and the venue is one of the best listening rooms in Florida. Thanks to both Cafe Eleven and Carbon Leaf for a night full of great memories, new favorite songs, and a beer list to match the occasion.

PS - I’m not known as a photographer. Barry doesn’t look super happy in the picture, but I promise the crowd had him in excellent spirits.

01/23/2026

in 1861, Confederate sympathizers removed the lenses of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. They were led by Paul Arnau, the city’s Collector of Customs. The goal was to prevent Union ships from safe passage by water into the city at night.

By the end of the year, Arnau was Mayor of St. Augustine. He resigned in March of 1862 to avoid being the man to surrender the city to Union forces. He was imprisoned by Union troops until he revealed the location of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum lenses. He was mayor multiple times after the War as well. Arnau lived in the Arrivas House at 46 St. George St.

Happy Friday, St. Augustine! Remember, 25% off all tours Sunday-Tuesday with code TRUEHISTORY25

01/20/2026

We’re kicking off the new year with a big discount! This Sunday through Tuesday (Jan. 25-27), all tours are 25% off with code TRUEHISTORY25. This includes both the St. Augustine History Walk and Dark History Tours.

In creating these tours, company founder Brandon used his National Park Service background to craft a walk that’s both enriching and entertaining. Unlike many local tours, these are not “anecdotal” tours. Anecdotal tours venture from corner to corner, offering unrelated facts about the buildings and monuments the tour encounters. At the end, the guest is often left trying to piece together this random information to gain an understanding of the city’s history. We do things differently. Our tours revolve around a central narrative. Our goal is to interpret all five hundred years of the city’s history, allowing the guest to walk away with a deep appreciation of the Oldest City in the United States. Come experience the True History Tours difference!

Oh, and by the way, that Dark History Tour isn’t a ghost tour. Think MythBusters meets True Crime. You’ll hear true stories about the city’s seedier side, and we may even bust a ghost story or two along the way.

11/27/2025

Despite what those pesky Pilgrims say, the first Thanksgiving in the US was observed in St. Augustine on September 8, 1565. What did the Spanish eat? According to the National Park Service:

“From our knowledge of what the Spaniards had on board their five ships, we can surmise that it was cocido, a stew made from salted pork and garbanzo beans, laced with garlic seasoning, and accompanied by hard sea biscuits and red wine.”

That’s just a wee bit different than what we’ll have on our table today.

Happy Thanksgiving, St. Augustine! We’re thankful for this amazingly historic city and all who inhabit and visit it!

PS for the history geeks: The Pilgrims weren’t even part of the first English Thanksgiving in the US. That occurred at Berkeley Plantation in Virginia in 1619.

11/20/2025

History isn’t just about the past, it’s lived every day!
At the southernmost point of St. George Street, Connor Park is a beautiful reminder of that living history. Located at 5 South Street, the park now occupies land where the home of Raymond and Manny Connor once stood.

Raymond, a 14th-generation St. Augustine native, veteran, and community leader, dedicated his life to this city. After his passing, the Connor family and the City of St. Augustine came together to honor his legacy with a park that not only celebrated his life, but also helped protect the historic Lincolnville neighborhood from flooding.

For the Connor family, this land holds generations of memories – and now, it continues to make history for years to come.

11/08/2025

Next door to Osprey Tacos just across the Bridge of Lions, Old Coast Ales began as a homebrewing hobby between two friends and has grown into a 7-barrel brewery and taproom since opening in 2017. Their goal was to create a space where both locals and visitors can enjoy great craft beer in a laid-back, community atmosphere.

Their first beer, the Empirical IPA, set the stage for a rotating lineup of light lagers, malty ales, and barrel-aged favorites — all brewed in-house! Whether you’re stopping by after the beach or meeting up with friends, Old Coast Ales is all about great beer and good times.

Don’t miss Wednesday nights, where they host live music from local artists to keep the good vibes rolling through the week!

10/27/2025

Just off Cordova Street, Get Lit Boutique brings classic literature to life in Downtown St. Augustine. Founded by Jenny Sanzo, the shop is filled with book-inspired finds. Guests encounter everything from wallets shaped like old novels to earrings and bags celebrating Edgar Allan Poe, Jane Austen, and more. You’ll also find carefully curated clothing, accessories, and playful designs inspired by the stories you love.

What makes Get Lit Boutique truly special is how everything honors timeless stories, making it a unique spot where history isn’t just preserved in buildings - It’s kept alive through the literature that shaped generations.

10/15/2025

If you look closely, you’ll find this marker on the southeast corner of Cordova Street and Cathedral Place. In the early 1700’s, St. Augustine became a walled city. The Cubo Line first ran westward from the Castillo. Another wall eventually ran south from the Cubo Line down what is today Cordova Street. Did you know much of today’s Cordova Street was once a creek? It also wasn’t originally known as Cordova Street!

This north-south line was called the Rosario Line. The Rosario Line consisted of seven redoubts(small forts). In 2008, the City discovered a portion of the Rosario Line behind the Governor’s House. The original wall may have been as tall as seven feet, but this portion was destroyed around 1870. Fortunately, a coquina portion of the wall survived underground.

It’s still Geek Week! All tours through Friday are 25% off with code TRUEHISTORY25. Hope to see y’all soon!