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Bill Terry

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St. Augustine Lighthouse with black and white spiral, keeper's house, and signs for museum and gift shop

Be Cool: Exploring St. Augustine’s Lighthouse in the Heat and Humidity

Bill Terry

Extreme Heat Advisory

Illustration of a cartoon alligator relaxing on a beach chair under a bright sun, with a thermometer reading 96°F, a humidity indication of 82%, and a feels-like temperature range of 110-119°F. Tropical palm trees and a drink with an umbrella are also depicted.

What to do?

Enjoy the historic St.Augustine lighthouse from ground level… in the shade… and the air-conditioned indoors.

Informational sign titled 'We're More Than a Lighthouse' featuring sections on Maritime Hammock, Lighthouse Workings, WWII Home Front, and Maritime Exploration, with details about exhibits, experiences, and activities.
Six buildings with exhibits, shaded walkways, and guys building boats in open tents or the shade.

The Lighthouse

A tall striped lighthouse with a red roof, situated in a lush green area under a blue sky.
Mandatory Traditional Lighthouse Image
A close-up view of an entrance with a red awning, featuring a bright red umbrella in front, on a white brick building with a stone archway marked '1871'.
Lighthouse Entrance
A person ascending a staircase with a handrail, while another individual stands on a spiraling staircase above, inside a brick-walled building.
The start up (or the end down)
A spiral staircase viewed from above, showcasing intricate ironwork and a central light source.
219 steps to the top… and 219 back down. Too hot and humid today!!!!
Aerial view of a striped lighthouse surrounded by trees and residential buildings, with a river and boats in the background.
This is actually a curtain in the Welcome Center, but still a good visual of the surrounding area
(a better option today than climbing way up to see the panorama… they also had a nice video)
A tall striped lighthouse with a red top, surrounded by greenery and buildings with red roofs. The blue sky complements the scene.
The small green building was originally a garage in WWII to repair jeeps and other military vehicles.

Better option: visit the indoor… air conditioned… displays

Informational display about the Anastasia Lighthouse and the St. Augustine Lighthouse, featuring historical facts, height measurements, and descriptions of their lighting systems. Includes illustrations and a scale for height reference.
The first lighthouse and the current lighthouse, first lit in 1874
Close-up view of a glass lighthouse lens with multiple refractive prisms, showcasing intricate design and reflections.
Fresnel Lens
Art installation featuring green illuminated paper boats displayed in a brick archway.
The water cistern under the Lighthouse Keepers House has been turned into a model display
Art installation with white paper boats suspended in a brick archway, illuminated by blue lighting.
A unique ceiling light fixture with a floral design, featuring multiple transparent petals around a central light source, set against a textured blue background.
Modified Fresnel lens from underneath.
A comic-style illustration featuring humorous scenes about military life, depicting sailors in various comedic situations, including washing clothes and celebrating liberty, with captions and speech bubbles.
There was a Coast Guard contingent assigned to the lighthouse during WWII.

And visit the Local Gedunk

Sign for 'The Tin Pickle' featuring a cartoonish green fish character with a fierce grin, set against a circular background.
A display case featuring a sign for 'The Tin Pickle' with information about the terms 'Gedunk' and 'Tin Pickle', accompanied by cartoon illustrations of a hot dog and a pickle.
What is a Tin Pickle and a Gedunk?

(Here the Gedunk is a nice snack bar featuring cold beverages, cold ice cream, and cold snacks)

And watch the guys making boats the old- fashioned way

Three men standing beside a partially carved wooden canoe in a grassy outdoor area, surrounded by trees.
A pine log being hollowed out, by hand, to be a canoe.
Three men working on a wooden boat in a workshop, with tools and a sign promoting a boat giveaway in the background.
Traditional, handcrafted boat building.

(The boats are then given away in a prize drawing to support the museum’s volunteer boatbuilding program.)
A man working at a woodworking machine under a tent, with a stack of lumber nearby and greenery in the background.

And just enjoy the shaded natural surroundings.

A wrought iron gate covered in creeping vines and leaves, with a small plaque attached.
A (slightly overgrown) gate in honor of Leonard B. Tucker
A narrow, winding path through dense greenery and trees in a natural setting, surrounded by lush foliage.
“Lee’s Lane”
A wooden display structure resembling a small house, featuring a plaque on the front, surrounded by lush green foliage and plants.
A small memorial to Janey Bailey

Thanks for visiting!

August 12, 2026

Click/ tap here to visit full-size, no-watermark images at www.ImagesByBill.us

Look at all my St. Augustine posts from 2015 to now.

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