Feature Photo: The spooky season is upon us! Photo courtesy of FloridasHistoricCoast.com

St. Augustine, Florida, is known to many, as the oldest city in the U.S. It also has the distinction of being one of the country’s most haunted towns. Its lengthy past includes numerous sordid and tragic events that have spurred a slew of colorful tales over the years. Add two historic cemeteries with graves dating back hundreds of years, a “brooding” Spanish fortress and significant, documented paranormal activity, and it’s no wonder that visitors flock to this Florida locale to roam its ancient streets during the hallowed season. 

Spine-tingling experiences abound with tours, boat trips, corn mazes, Halloween bashes, fun runs and more. There’s something for everyone to enjoy this time of year.

A ghost tour is a must! Photo courtesy of FloridasHistoricCoast.com

Take a walk on the spooky side of St. Augustine with one of Old City Ghosts guided tours. You’ll hear about real-life hauntings and residents that have long passed, but whose spirits don’t want to leave the city. You’ll visit haunted buildings and graveyards like Tolomato Cemetery and Huguenot Cemetery, each has a fascinating history and boasts its share of creepy, unexplained happenings, apparitions and ghostly encounters, strange noises and more.

You can also learn about the city’s tumultuous past on the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour, billed as a “frightseeing adventure like none other” with tales that are both “true and truly unnerving.” There’s even a trolley tour option with costumed ghost hosts. And for brave souls who want to raise the eerie quotient, there’s “The Old Jail After Dark” tour, where you’ll participate in an actual paranormal investigation of St. Augustine’s most haunted building, the Old Jail.

Costumes abound! Photo by Renee Unsworth, courtesy of FloridasHistoricCoast.com

Take to the seas on a Ghost Boat Tour with Adventure Boat Tours. You’ll float up to some of the spookiest spots in the city, as your seafaring guide spins some historical yarns and searches the shores for lurking souls from the past. Notorious locations include the famous Lighthouse and Castillo De San Marcos, both well-known for their paranormal presence. And then there’s the lagoon under the Cross, the site of the old mission and a long ago lost village. The tours run Thursday-Saturday in Sept. and Oct.

Over at the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum, join a tour by candlelight (Fri.-Sat. through October) to explore death and spiritualism practices from St. Augustine’s Second Spanish Colonial Era through its Victorian Era. This spooky, but family-friendly activity, guides visitors through the 226-year-old house museum in mourning, while showcasing cultural practices and stories from Old St. Augustine. The museum will also hold its annual Trick Or Treat Harvest Festival, Oct. 26th, with games, crafts, candy and more. 

If you can summon the courage to come face-to-face with some eerie bugs and beasts, head to The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, for “Creatures of the Night,” Oct. 18-20th.  You’re guaranteed to have a “spooktacular” experience, complete with plenty of treats. Come in costume!

Ghosts & Gravestones Trolley tour. Photo courtesy of FloridasHistoricCoast.com

Get ready for a haunting good time at the Annual Halloween Bash at the World Golf Village on Oct. 5th. There’ll be live music, a bounce house, face painting, character meet and greets and plenty of food and treats at this all-ages event.

Plan to attend another day of fun-filled activities for kids and their families at Ancient City Kids Day on Oct. 26th. Coordinated by EPIC and brought to the community by a committee of children organizations, this special event will include live entertainment and dozens of booths, each offering games, crafts, giveaways, bounce houses or fun contests. 

Make sure you also take the family to Sykes Family Farms for its annual Corn Maze, weekends through Oct. You’re guaranteed to have an “a-mazing” and “cornfusing” time, as you navigate all the twists and turns. Other fun fall activities on the farm include hayrides, duck races, a cow train and a kids’ play area. Plus there’s a pumpkin patch and fall produce for sale. 

Huguenot Cemetery. Photo courtesy of FloridasHistoricCoast.com

For a dose of culture, a la Halloween style, get your tickets to The St. Augustine Ballet’s performance of “The Dracula Ballet” on Oct. 11-12th. This new and thrilling Halloween tradition is based on Bram Stoker’s legendary tale and promises memorable dancing, gothic sets and costumes. 

For a screaming good time, put on your most outrageous costume and strut your stuff at the 8th Annual Headless Bangers Costume Ball on Oct. 26th. Your hosts for the evening will be BedRock, the ultimate hair band. To prep for the event and add that special touch to your attire, visit the Salem-inspired Hocus Pocus Beauty with Hopcraft Collective and make a custom Sanderson sister-inspired lipstick. 

Those looking for some physical activity with a bit of post-race fun should don their running shoes and Halloween costumes for Ancient City Brewing’s brews and Boos 5K Race and one-mile fun run on Oct. 26th. Stick around for the live music and food truck afterwards.

Pick your poison on the Beetlejuice Pub Crawl, offered Thursday-Sunday in Sept. and Oct. by The Tasting Tours. This tour is billed as a “spine-tingling, cocktail-fueled adventure like no other,” where you can expect plenty of “ghostly giggles” and “playful pranks” along the journey. There’s even a “dead guy” who’ll accompany you!

For more information on these and other events: visitstaugustine.com.