Seven adventures, one passport
A fictional Keeper lends visitors magical objects: a captain’s compass, a listening stone, a truth lantern. Every adventure ends fully and earns its own seal. The places and facts are real; the magic is invented, and we always say which is which.
Start here
FreeFree walk · Gate SealThe Three Keys of the Ancient City
Ages 6+ with an adult · 20–35 minutes · 3 clues from the City Gates to the Castillo. Earn keys made from noticing, learning and kindness.
Play nowThe Map That Forgot Its People
Ages 10+ · 45–60 minutes · play anywhere. A real 1834 Supreme Court case, Antonio Huertas, and an enchanted map with eight locks.
Read and playThe full collection
Each one runs on your phone: clues one at a time, hints, a sketch pad, saved progress and a full ending. One purchase covers your group.
Ages 6+ · 60–90 min · Compass SealThe Lost Treasure of St. Augustine
Captain Mara Tide’s compass points toward stories, not gold. 10 clues from the City Gates down St. George Street to the Plaza.
See what’s inside: route, ages & FAQ →Buy · $14.99
Ages 8+ · 45–60 min · Shell SealThe Secret of the Spanish Fortress
Wake a listening stone by solving an apprentice engineer’s puzzles. 10 clues, all from outside the Castillo.
See what’s inside: route, ages & FAQ →Buy · $14.99
Ages 10+ · 60–75 min · Lantern SealThe Ghosts of the Ancient City
A truth lantern sorts records from whispers. A ghost hunt that is really about evidence. No gore, no jump scares.
See what’s inside: route, ages & FAQ →Buy · $19.99
Ages 10+ · 60–90 min · Guestbook SealThe Gilded Age Conspiracy
The Eraser removed everyone but the famous guests. Restore the missing page outside Flagler’s grand hotels.
See what’s inside: route, ages & FAQ →Buy · $24.99
Ages 4–9 · 30–45 min · Window SealLittle Detectives and the Sleeping City
Six gentle missions to wake a paper city. Point, speak, sign or draw; no reading required.
See what’s inside: route, ages & FAQ →Buy · $9.99Optional deeper missions
Each walk includes three extra missions for curious kids and fifth graders: stars and tides, bastions and blind spots, shadows, architecture and more.
Groups & Field Trips Scavenger hunt FAQ
All sales are final. Adventures are digital and unlock instantly, so purchases are non-refundable. Trouble opening yours? Email hello@since1565.com and we’ll get you back in. By purchasing, you agree to our Terms, safety rules and refund policy.
Group or team? One purchase covers everyone on the same outing.
🛍️ Junior detective tees, totes & ornaments: visit the Since 1565 shop on Etsy →
How the adventures work
Do I need an app or account?
No. Everything runs in your phone’s browser. Progress, notes and sketches are saved on that phone.
Are there tickets or a physical treasure?
No. Every clue is viewed from public sidewalks or open grounds. No museum, church, college interior, cemetery entry or purchase is needed, and there is no buried or physical treasure.
What if a landmark is blocked?
Every outdoor clue has a fallback you can solve from the facts on screen, so a closure never ends your game.
What is real and what is invented?
Places, dates and people are supported by listed sources. The Keeper, the enchanted objects and their voices are fiction, and the story says so.
Can I get a refund?
All sales are final. Each adventure is a digital product that unlocks the moment you pay, so purchases are non-refundable. If your link won’t open or something isn’t working, email hello@since1565.com with your receipt and we’ll fix it or resend your link.
How much does a scavenger hunt cost in St. Augustine?
Since 1565 hunts cost $0–$24.99 per group, not per person:
- Three Keys and The Map That Forgot Its People: free
- Little Detectives: $9.99
- Lost Treasure: $14.99
- Spanish Fortress: $14.99
- Ghosts of the Ancient City: $19.99
- Gilded Age Conspiracy: $24.99
One purchase covers your family, school class or co-op on the same outing. No admission tickets are needed, because every clue is viewed from public sidewalks or open grounds. All sales are final. Compare all hunts.
How long does a St. Augustine scavenger hunt take?
Most Since 1565 hunts take 30–90 minutes:
- Three Keys (free): 20–35 minutes
- Little Detectives: 30–45 minutes
- Spanish Fortress: 45–60 minutes
- Ghosts of the Ancient City: 60–75 minutes
- Lost Treasure: 60–90 minutes
- Gilded Age Conspiracy: 60–90 minutes
Progress saves on your phone, so you can pause for lunch or a shop and finish later.
How many people can participate in a scavenger hunt?
One Since 1565 purchase covers your whole group on the same outing, whether that's a family, a school class or a homeschool co-op. Clues are easiest to share with a few people around each phone. Big groups can split into small teams, each opening the adventure on its own phone. Progress saves separately on each phone. Teachers, co-ops and teams: see our Groups page.
Are St. Augustine scavenger hunts indoors or outdoors?
Since 1565 walking hunts are outdoors. Every clue is viewed from public sidewalks or open grounds, so you never need to enter a museum or buy a ticket. If the weather turns, your progress is saved and you can finish later. For a rainy-day option, The Map That Forgot Its People is a free mystery you play online from anywhere.