A full moon hanging over the Nation's oldest City amplifies the spooky October mood.
Halloween is only a few weeks off – arrange an autumn trip filled with paranormal encounters, festivals, and restaurants in the Nation’s Oldest City.
“This fall there’s such a wide array of activities on Florida’s Historic Coast that you will find yourself wanting to extend your stay by one more day.”— Susan Phillips, President and CEO, St. Johns County VCBST. AUGUSTINE, FL, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — October has arrived, Halloween is just around the corner, and there remains ample opportunity to organize a chilling-season excursion to Florida’s Historic Coast.
Celebrate Halloween in a place where spectral encounters go beyond mere tall tales. With more than 460 years of history, St. Augustine has accumulated centuries of uncanny lore, mysterious occurrences and ghost narratives — making October an especially thrilling time for a visit. And beyond the supernatural, the month is packed with autumn fairs, farm outings, culinary events, live music, and seasonal activities throughout the calendar.
“This autumn, reward yourself with a holiday that brings less anxiety and more enjoyment,” states Susan Phillips, President and CEO of St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau. “Travelers from Florida and Southern Georgia can drive here in a few hours without the trouble of heavy suitcases and connecting flights. This fall there’s such a wide array of activities on Florida’s Historic Coast that you will find yourself wanting to extend your stay by one more day.”
Featuring centuries-old brick lanes, historic burial grounds, a formidable Spanish fortress, and a famously eerie lighthouse, St. Augustine abounds in ghostly encounters. Visitors can pick from numerous ghost tour providers, with offerings that include family-friendly early-evening walks and late-night paranormal investigations that deliver plenty of thrills. The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum Mortality & Mourning Candlelight Tours run every weekend through Oct 31. Join a Beetlejuice Pub Crawl with The Tasting Tours, take part in an intimate ghost-hunting outing with After Dark Investigations equipped with paranormal detection gear, or discover the story of the Pittee sisters who haunt the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum during its Dark of the Moon Ghost Tours.
Autumn has arrived on Florida’s Historic Coast, and the spooky season is only one element of the picture. Elkton’s farming heritage comes alive at Sykes Family Farms’ popular harvest festival, which offers a nine-acre corn maze, hayrides, a pumpkin patch, U-pick sunflowers, farm animals, and children’s activities. Savor culture and cuisine at the St. Augustine Greek Festival, a weekend full of traditional food, dancing, and live music. With live performances, fresh fall tastes, and autumn-themed happenings, St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches presents a month filled with reasons for a quick escape.
And given that October is already here, an autumn getaway does not demand months of preparation. Reaching the destination is straightforward, with convenient access through major highways such as I-95, I-10, and I-75, or by enjoying a coastal drive along scenic Florida Highway A1A. With plenty to explore during daylight and even more after sunset, October on Florida’s Historic Coast is best experienced as a multi-day stay. Combine a ghost tour or family trick-or-treating with a beach day, a walk through Historic Downtown St. Augustine, or a top-tier meal and creative cocktails at one of the area’s MICHELIN-recognized restaurants.
There is still time to turn Halloween — or any October weekend — into a Florida vacation. Extending your stay is even simpler thanks to lodging partners and attractions offering special Fall Travel Deals. Discover more sights and activities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com.
Situated halfway between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the golf and seaside communities of Ponte Vedra, the rural areas of Hastings, Elkton, and St. Johns, and 42 miles of Atlantic shoreline.
Florida’s Historic Coast is also a well-known culinary destination, featuring a growing number of MICHELIN-recognized restaurants that highlight the region’s varied and evolving food scene.
The St. Johns County Visitors and Convention Bureau serves as the official tourism marketing and management body for St. Johns County and Florida’s Historic Coast. The destination’s official website, FloridasHistoricCoast.com, supplies visitors, travel professionals, and media with information, inspiration, and resources for experiencing St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches.
Visitor Information Centers are positioned at 10 Castillo Drive in St. Augustine and at the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., in St. Augustine Beach.
For travel information, visit FloridasHistoricCoast.com or call 1-800-653-2489. Follow Florida’s Historic Coast on Instagram and Threads at @FloridasHistoricCoast and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OfficialStAugustine.
Barbara Golden
+1 904-669-8142
bgolden@floridashistoriccoast.com
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCB
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X
