Castle Ottis Coastal Hwy,…read moreSt. Augustine, FL 32084 Did you know we have a hidden castle in St Augustine? Castle Otttis is a unique, privately-owned landscape sculpture in Vilano Beach, Florida, built by Rusty Ickes and Ottis Sadler. They wanted to build something unique and different that would go well with the landscape of St Augustine. Since both were religious, they also wanted to built something that would show their appreciation to Jesus. The Castle features rustic stone walls and an interior with elaborate cypress woodwork, serving as a venue for religious weddings and events. Its not open to the Public. It offers tours available only by appointment. So you would have to go to their website and request an tour appointment via email. The story behind it is interesting. Just 2 men who wanted to be in peace with nature.

Just about 10 minutes north outside of historic St. Augustine is a unique castle that sits back…read morefrom the main road among trees and hedges. Sadly, the owner and creator of Castle Otttis, Kendle Icke, passed away in July 2023. However, his son, who lives on the property does conduct tours for small groups of people who have reservations. His tours are very interesting with information on how the castle came to be. Apparently, Mr. Icke had a couple of dreams about a castle in great detail, which he shared with a builder friend of his. The friend encouraged him to build it and agreed to help him. They were able to get donated building materials to work with. Mr. Icke built the castle in the image of old castles in Ireland and dedicated it to his wife. Castle Ottis was built between 1984-1988. The Ickes also had a home on the property to the left of the castle. We took the tour with a small group of people, which worked out very well. There are 3 levels if you count the rooftop, where you will see gorgeous panoramic views of the ocean. This is a castle based on 1000 year old Irish castles. The tour is free but donations will be greatly appreciated. A must see if you are in St. Augustine. It is a magical experience. There are special events held at the castle, like weddings or anniversaries. It is also great for photography opportunities. This is a one of a kind opportunity. Please note that Castle Otttis does not have handicapped accessibility. Parking is available on the property for the guests. You are allowed to take pictures inside the castle.

This attraction is so cool in that it's completely free! My family and I were trying to find…read morefree/cheap things to do when we were visiting St. Augustine so when my brother found this fort with a free ferry ride, we couldn't pass it up. When we went, we had just missed the earliest time to when the ferry took off, so we had a wait for almost 2 hours for the first next time slot with room on the boat to take us across to the fort. The nearby beaches were a godsend in that aspect since we easily walked a few minutes to a beach down the road and killed time then. The actual tour itself was really nice. The ferry was nice and slow and there was plenty of room on board for the group we were with. The guy driving the boat and the actual tour guide himself were super friendly. The fort itself was really cool. We were impressed that we were able to go up to the very top for free! The ladder up to the third level was really cool. Definitely check this out if you're in the area.

A truly wonderful experience. No charge makes it better. A short boat ride over to the fort on…read moreother side of river. Note that number of visitors each trip is limited by seating availability on boat so come early and get your tickets. A small fort but interesting nonetheless. Great short hiking trails on the ranger station side . No hiking on the island where the fort is.

Stopped by while in the area at a state park. Interesting history. Parking is right off of Old…read moreDixie Highway. Not really good for handicapped people. Ruins are inside a fence. We were glad we stopped. Interesting for us. Some birds in the area. You are able to walk around the fence to view the ruins.

This is what I would call a roadside attraction as it literally is right there!…read more So first I must say that the address will take you to an intersection so from here your gonna wanna continue down Old Dixie highway as it's about a mile away from here but it comes up quickly so keep your eyes peeled so you don't miss it! This is more or less a ruin of what it once was but the history is totally here as you can see just how much work it was having this facility in the swamp as it's literally in the heart of it! The area is fenced off but for good reason as I'm sure if you were to get closer to the structure it might not be that safe. We spent a little bit here as it was quite fascinating to just enjoy the structure and the atmosphere. Overall a super cool part of Florida's history that you should totally check out if your in the area as who doesn't love sugar and rum!

After sitting derelict for years, this house has been saved. Immediate 4 stars for that alone. Went…read moreto the grand opening event, not much to see since its been turned into offices for the NPS but it's preserved from destruction and that in itself is worth a Bravo!

I never imagined before that a residence of Napoleon Bonaparte Broward would still exists. But I…read morefound out about it online, and here it is, still standing after almost 140 years. This is a great place to learn about Napoleon Broward and his family and you will greatly appreciate the architecture style of that age. The private owners that currently own the house are very nice and this place is open to visitors. You have to check this place out, it's pure history that you will be breathing in. Beautiful house too.

William John Howey (January 19, 1876 - June 7, 1938) was an American real-estate developer, citrus…read moregrower, and Republican politician from Florida. He founded and served as mayor for the town of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida where he developed and sold citrus groves, becoming one of Florida's greatest citrus developers. He was one of the first citrus growers to send fruit from Florida to England. In 1921 he opened Florida's first citrus juice plant. He ran for governor on the Republican ticket in 1928 and 1932. Mr. Howey's prominence led to many distinguished guests visiting the Howey mansion, These included Lord Bathhurst of England, H.B. McNeal, publisher of Golfer's Magazine, golf master Chick Evans, Kansas Governor Alfred Landon, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Phillip's of petroleum fame, and President Calvin Coolidge who was guest of honor at an all-male dinner party in February 1930. Mr. Howey's former home near Lake Wales, Florida became the site of Florida's Bok Tower at the Bok Tower Gardens. In 1925 Mr. Howey commissioned a 20 room mansion in the town he founded. The architect was Katherine Cotheal Budd. During WWI she designed temporary lodgings known as hostess homes for women who were visiting their husbands at military training camps. Budd is credited for creating 72 lodgings with a homelike atmosphere and the Howey House is one of a few existing examples of her work. The Howey Mansion was designed in the popular Mediterranean Revival style. The house is set back on a wide lawn with wrought iron gates and a long horseshoe drive. The entrance to the home features an elaborate, two story bas relief frontispiece .The massive front door and the woodwork on the first floor is made from peaky cypress. Leading to the second floor is a graceful curving stone stairway with a wrought iron banister. Other features of the home include three large fireplaces, a ballroom-size drawing room, enormous beamed ceilings, and a servant call-bell phone system. There is even a hidden passage behind a sliding bookshelf panel in the library. The original 15 acres grounds of the mansion were called The Park and included many botanical plants and shrubs. On March 6, 1927 The Park was the host site for an open air concert performed by the New York Civic Opera Company bringing the top opera singers of the day to the mansion for a concert for the community. The mansion was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Place on January 27, 1983. On April 12, 2017 it was listed for sale at $480,000. The new owners are Brad and Clay Cowherd, Orlando real estate investors who have made period-accurate restoration of the house. I visited the Howey Mansion for the Founders Day Festival. Admission for tours of the home was discounted to $10. The Howey Mansion is available for private rentals like weddings while historical tours are also available Monday through Friday at 11am. The Founder's Day event included a local market, food trucks, live music, and family activities. I enjoyed visiting the tents and touring the mansion including the hidden bar in the basement that was created during prohibition. Behind the mansion, is a trail through the woods that will take you to the Georgian marble mausoleum where the Howey family is interred including William J. Howey (1938), daughter, Lois Valerie Howey (1941), and Mary Hastings Howey (1981). This year Centennial Founder's Day Celebration, marked100 years since the town's founding in 1925.

What an incredible place! We really enjoyed the tour Fran and Mercy gave us. They were extremely…read moreknowledgeable about the property and you can tell they love what they do. The property itself is gorgeous. If you're looking for an event space, you're in luck they rent it out for weddings and other events.

Castillo de San Marcos is a national monument and the oldest masonry fort in the US. Built by the…read moreSpanish in 1672 it was never captured or taken by hostile forces. There's so much history here and plentiful exhibits to learn about it. The fort is remarkably well preserved and it's a joy to walk around regardless of whether you decide to dig into the history. The second floor is especially stunning with gorgeous views of the water beyond and an impressive display of the fort-protecting cannons. Any ship sailing in those waters would be vulnerable to the cannon fire. This was one of the highlights of our Saint Augustine trip.

Highly recommend coming to this fort only during the winter and never ever during the summer. The…read moreheat gets so intense that medics were taking older folks out in stretchers. I was almost one of them - really!!!. Visited here again in the winter months and was a much better experience. Aside from the heat, it was a really cool place and been inside twice on self guided tours. They have staff dressed up in colonial attire and they answer all our questions. The little stone walled rooms were extremely tiny but you then can understand how the Spanish military lived and fought to defend the fortress and the City of St. Augustine. There is a price per person but you can hear the cannons shoot for free outside. You can also get great free pictures with the stone walls of the outer fort and rusted cannons with the river.

The RR is a beautiful scenic drive with at least 10 historic buildings like the Winterbourne Inn to…read moreenjoy. Its views of the St. John's River, the Buckman Bridge and the buildings make it a nice choice for walks/runs. It has updated sidewalks and streets. At a corner of Kingsley and River a newer section has with seats to take in the surroundings. People are usually very friendly you meet along thexway.

Add the Lightner Museum as a stop when visiting St. Augustine! The museum is located in the heart…read moreof the city in what use to be the Alcazar Hotel, a Gilded Age Resort. The building architecture and the gardens are beautiful. There were many collections to peruse, which were housed on 3 levels. It took us about two hours to make our way through, but you could easily spend 3 if you take your time and read everything. The floors all have a front and rear. The best suggestion we were given is to start on the 3rd floor an make our way down. The staff on hand were friendly and readily available to answer any of your questions. You can make a reservation for lunch at the Cafe, which is located on the lower level of what was once a pool.

Love coming here! The history of the museum is fascinating and the exhibits are amazing! If you…read morelove art this is a place you'll not want to miss! You might even want to continue to support them by becoming a member. TIP: You can become a member of the museum for as little as $50. per year. Membership supports everything they do at the museum, from exciting new exhibitions and engaging programs, to the preservation of their historic building and collections. According to their website, every membership to the Lightner Museum includes: * Unlimited free admission to the museum's permanent galleries and exhibitions for a full year * Invitations to Members-only previews of special exhibitions * Discounts on select events and programs There are many more perks and additional levels of membership. For additional information and to purchase memberships online, go to lightnermuseum.org Support your local arts.

Is this really MTV's Moon Man?…read more Yes, this giant, silver astronaut made of Styrofoam and holding an American flag was built for MTV and is safely locked inside the backlot at Acme Industrial Surplus in Sanford. The 15-foot styrofoam astronaut has been towering over this business's fence for several years and has been providing photo-ops for roadside attraction seekers or those by happenstance catch a glimpse of him. He first appeared at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards in Miami this event was notable because it was the first time the ceremony was held outside of New York City and Los Angeles and just to make you feel old, OutKast took home Video of the Year for "Hey Ya". MTV was launched on August 1, 1981, the original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by television personalities known as "video jockeys," (VJs) it's oblivious this format was abandoned about the same time "Moon Man" was given a life sentence to rot and decay in this company's bone-yard..... but not to worry you have plenty of time to get here and check it out, although Styrofoam breaks into pieces easily, it takes about 500 years for one styrofoam cup to dissolve, so Moon Man isn't going anywhere soon, that's unless the current owner decides to take him to a landfill, that's some responsibility now since the whole world is watching.

This "attraction" was a humorous adventure to say the least. I kind of felt like I was in an…read moreepisode of Dexter and was being lured to discrete location to be robbed and murdered. This is not something you need to see while in Sanford. It's located in an unidentified metal yard. And once you actually locate the Moon Man there is no place to park and admire him. The best view of him is from a round about off the highway that you can't park or stop in. Overall, disappointing and a little terrifying. Even at 1 in the afternoon.

This historical tour was fantastic! We did the last tour of the day with Kayla, the owner. She was…read moreextremely knowledgeable and shared so much information on the home and what's happened over the years. I'm going to have to take this tour again just to try to remember it all! Lovely maintained home with so much history. Who visited, who contributed to the building and maintenance of the home, the restoration efforts. It was fascinating. We happened to be there on a day when they received a gift of an original Edison grammaphone with the beeswax songs in paper wrappers! And it actually worked! Amazing. Also loved the Louis Comfort Tiffany windows - just gorgeous!

If you're planning a visit to nearby Blue Springs State Park, the Stetson Mansion is an absolutely…read moremust-visit stop. Yes - Stetson - as in the hats. I was just as surprised to learn that the famed hat-maker once called the small town of DeLand, FL home. I happened to be visiting during peak manatee season and so had the privilege of being able to still enjoy the mansion during its special holiday tour season. During the holiday tour, each room of the mansion has a unique theme to it that you get to learn all about from your helpful docent. Not only do you get to the enjoy the wonderful story of that room's decorations theme but the history of the home and family is wonderfully blended in. I'm told that obviously during the regular historical tour you dive deeper but I left learning waaaaay more about the Stetson family than I ever expected (or knew). The home is privately owned and you the love and passion the new owners have for the historic property is evident in every room. We even had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners (the super sweet and DeLand native, Kayla) I was surprised to learn she had even created many of the decorations herself that adorned the opulent rooms in the mansion. The Stetson Mansion is a great example of one of the many historical gems tucked away in Florida small towns that you can stumble upon when exploring the state. Whether you're doing the regular history tour or holiday tour, you're sure to have a fabulous visit to the Stetson Mansion.