Since 1565 offers self-guided scavenger hunts through St. Augustine's historic district that you play in your phone's browser, with no app and no tickets. Two hunts are free. Paid hunts cost $9.99–$24.99, and one purchase covers your whole group. They take 30–90 minutes, and there are options for ages 4 and up. Start any time at since1565.com/hunts.html.
Planning your hunt
1. What should we do in St. Augustine with kids in one day?
Start at the City Gates with the free 20–35 minute Three Keys hunt, which ends at the Castillo de San Marcos. After lunch, walk St. George Street to the Plaza with The Lost Treasure of St. Augustine (ages 6+, 60–90 minutes). Finish at the Bridge of Lions and count the lions. With children ages 4–9, swap in Little Detectives and the Sleeping City (30–45 minutes, no reading needed). For the full schedule with food and parking tips, see our one-day itinerary and Plan Your Visit.
2. 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.
3. What are the best scavenger hunts for families in St. Augustine?
For families, we recommend matching the hunt to your youngest player:
- Ages 4–9: Little Detectives (30–45 minutes). Kids point, speak, sign or draw instead of reading.
- Ages 6+: The Lost Treasure of St. Augustine (10 clues, 60–90 minutes), from the City Gates down St. George Street to the Plaza.
- Ages 8+: The Secret of the Spanish Fortress (10 clues, 45–60 minutes), all from outside the Castillo.
- Try it first: the free Three Keys hunt (20–35 minutes).
4. How do I participate in a scavenger hunt in St. Augustine?
With Since 1565 there's nothing to book and no set start time:
- Pick a hunt at since1565.com/hunts.html.
- Pay securely by card. Free hunts open right away.
- Your adventure opens instantly in your phone's browser. Bookmark or save the link.
- Go to the starting point and tap through the clues at your own pace. Your progress saves on your phone, so you can stop for lunch and pick up where you left off.
5. What are the secret spots to discover in St. Augustine?
These lesser-known spots are all free to see from public areas:
- Aviles Street: one of the oldest streets in the country, and quieter than St. George Street.
- The City Gates: look for tiny shells packed into the coquina pillars.
- The Plaza de la Constitución.
- Fort Matanzas: about 15 miles south. Check nps.gov/foma for ferry times.
Our Free Sights guide tells the history behind six of them. Our Mystery Files reveal the stories most visitors walk right past. Please respect private homes and closed areas.
6. Which scavenger hunt apps work in St. Augustine?
Several companies offer app-based hunts in St. Augustine. Since 1565 hunts need no app at all: they run in any modern phone browser (Safari, Chrome and others) on iPhone or Android. There's nothing to download and no account to create. Each hunt has hints, a "Grown-up: show answer" button, Google Maps links and saved progress, and every outdoor clue has a backup so a closed street never ends your game. Try the free hunt.
7. How do I arrange a private scavenger hunt in St. Augustine?
Every Since 1565 hunt is private by default. Your group plays on its own schedule, with no guide, no strangers and no reservation. One purchase covers your whole group on the same outing, whether it's a family, birthday party, reunion, school class, homeschool co-op or work team. Big groups split into small teams, each on its own phone. Our Groups page for teachers, co-ops, teams and private hunts has tips for picking the right hunt and running a group outing.
For kids and beginners
8. What are some fun scavenger hunt questions for kids?
Try these St. Augustine questions on your walk:
- What tiny things are the Castillo's walls made of? (Shells. The stone is called coquina.)
- How many diamond-shaped corners does the Castillo have? (Four. They're called bastions.)
- What animal guards the Bridge of Lions, and how many can you count? (Lions, and two.)
- Can you find shells in the City Gates pillars? (Yes. Look closely!)
- What year was St. Augustine founded? (1565. It's in our name!)
For a full set with hints and a printable feel, play the free Three Keys hunt.
9. What are some easy treasure hunt clues for beginners?
Good beginner clues ask kids to spot, count or touch something they can see, rather than solve a riddle. For example: "I'm made of shells but I'm not a beach. Find my pillars where the old road starts." (The City Gates.) Or: "Count the stone lions guarding the bridge." Our Little Detectives hunt is built entirely this way for ages 4–9, and every clue has a hint and a grown-up answer button so nobody gets stuck. See Little Detectives.
10. What makes St. Augustine perfect for scavenger hunts?
St. Augustine was founded in 1565 and is the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the United States. Its historic district is compact and walkable, and real clues sit everywhere: coquina-shell walls, the 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos, centuries-old streets, and stories from the Spanish, British and American eras. That makes it ideal for hunts that teach real history while you play. Read more in our Mystery Files.
Timing and logistics
11. What is the best time of year to do a scavenger hunt in St. Augustine?
Fall, winter and spring are the most comfortable seasons for walking hunts, with milder temperatures and lower humidity. Summer is hot and humid, often with afternoon thunderstorms, so go in the morning and bring water. Hurricane season runs June 1–November 30, so check the forecast. From Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 18, 2027, Nights of Lights makes evening strolls magical. See our Nights of Lights guide and events calendar.
12. 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.
13. Are scavenger hunts good for team building?
Yes. A scavenger hunt gets a group talking, splitting up tasks and solving problems together, outdoors instead of in a meeting room. With Since 1565, one purchase covers your team on the same outing. Split into small teams of 3–5, each on its own phone, and compare finish times over lunch. The Gilded Age Conspiracy and Ghosts of the Ancient City (ages 10+) work best for adults. See our Groups page for teams, teachers, co-ops and private hunts for planning tips.
14. Can I do a scavenger hunt solo in St. Augustine?
Yes. Since 1565 hunts are self-guided and work perfectly for one person. You set the pace, the clues come one at a time on your phone, and hints are there if you get stuck. Solo travelers often enjoy The Gilded Age Conspiracy or Ghosts of the Ancient City, which are built for teens and adults and dig deep into real history. See all hunts.
15. What's included in a St. Augustine scavenger hunt?
Every Since 1565 adventure includes:
- step-by-step clues that appear one at a time
- a hint and a "Grown-up: show answer" button on every clue
- Google Maps links and a backup for every outdoor clue
- a finger sketch pad and saved progress
- optional deeper missions for curious kids
- a full story ending that earns a seal for your Detective Passport
There's no physical treasure and no tickets are needed. See how it works.
16. Should I choose a scavenger hunt or an escape room?
Choose a scavenger hunt if you want to be outdoors, explore the city and learn real history at your own pace. It also costs less: Since 1565 hunts are $0–$24.99 per group. Choose an escape room for a timed, indoor puzzle challenge. On a rainy day in St. Augustine, try our free online mystery, The Map That Forgot Its People, which you can play anywhere.
17. 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.
18. What should I bring on a St. Augustine scavenger hunt?
Bring:
- a fully charged phone with data, plus a portable charger
- water, sunscreen and a hat
- comfortable walking shoes
- a light rain jacket in summer
Some historic streets are narrow or uneven, so plan ahead if you're bringing a stroller or wheelchair. For a complete packing list by season, see What to Pack for St. Augustine.
19. 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.
20. Are there history-based scavenger hunts in St. Augustine?
Yes. Every Since 1565 hunt is built on real, sourced St. Augustine history: the Castillo's coquina walls, the Spanish fortress defenses, Henry Flagler's Gilded Age hotels and the city's documented legends. We clearly label what's history, what's legend and what's fiction, and list our sources on sources.html. Teachers can connect hunts to Florida history topics on our educators page.
Ready to explore? Try the free Three Keys hunt · Compare all hunts