On our last trip to St. Augustine Florida, we finally caved and tried their infamous trolley tours. These sightseeing tours are one of the most popular tourist attractions in St. Augustine, but we were hesitant to ever ride them as we weren’t sure whether they were another touristy gimmick or not.
Lucky for us, after trying them for ourselves, we decided that they are worth the moeny. Our favorite part about them was that they offer a convenient, informative, and fun way to navigate and learn about Old Town without having to walk everywhere yourself.
In this article, we’ll break down the different trolley tours, compare their prices and perks, and share our personal preferences to help you decide which tour to go with and know what to expect. Let’s dive in!
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What are St. Augustine’s trolley tours?
St. Augustine’s trolley tours are guided sightseeing experiences that let you explore and learn about the city on a trolley that drives through the streets. Some of them allow you to explore St. Augustine all day, hopping on and off as you please, while others can just give you a 1-hour historical tour.
The vibe is definitely touristy, we’re not going to sugar coat it, but we would still recommend them! We booked one of the the hop-on, hop-off tours and got to hear about the history of the city from a knowledgeable guide in real time, save on our steps, and forget about our car for the entire day.
There are also some special trolley tours like an Evening Ghost Tour that Old Town Trolley Tours runs. During the Christmas season, special tours take you past the holiday lights and decorations around town. Keep on reading to learn about the two main companies that offer St. Augustine trolley tours, their respective prices, how to book a trolley tour, and more!
What is the best trolley tour in St. Augustine?
This ultimately depends on your preferences. The two main companies that offer trolley tours are Old Town Trolley Tours and Ripley’s Red Train Tours. Both of these companies offer professional experiences with well-informed, personable guides. In the aspect of quality, both companies are solid options, and we don’t have anything negative to say about either.
That being said, we prefer Old Town Trolley Tours because they have a larger fleet of trolleys and offer a hop-on, hop-off tour option, which is handy. But Ripley’s Red Train Tours do come at a lower price point, and if you don’t quite care to hop on and hop off all day, they take visitors around more than 100 points of historical interest in just one hour.
St. Augustine Trolley Tour Breakdown
Below, we’ve broken down what you can expect from the main 6 St. Augustine Trolley Tours that these two companies offer. We compare prices in the second column and the main differences in the experiences in the third. Links to book are in the tour title!
💡 Old Town Trolley Tour Perks! If you go with Old Town Trolley Tours, they throw in free Parking for the day, free admission to the St. Augustine History Museum, free beach shuttle to Alligator Farm and the beach, and even complimentary hotel shuttle service.
| Trolley Tour | Price | About |
| One-Day Old Town Trolley Pass | $40 adults, $18 children 4-12 | •Unlimited rides from 9:00-4:30 •Historical commentary •22 stops •Hop-on, hop-off |
| 2-Day Old Town Trolley Pass | $70 adults, $37 children 4-12 | •Unlimited rides for 2 days •Historical commentary •22 stops •Hop-on, hop-off |
| Ghosts & Gravestones Old Town Trolley Tour | $37 adults, $36 children 4-12 | •1 hour 20-minute continuous tour •Learn about local ghosts •Evenings only |
| Nights of Lights Old Town Trolley Tour | $102 per row (up to 4 people) | •30 to 45-minute ride after 6 pm •Christmas Carol Sing-Along •November to January •Includes glasses, cookies, and cider |
| 1-Hour Ripley’s Red Train Tour | $25 adults, $15 children 4-11 | •1-hour tour •Historical commentary •No hop-on, hop-off •Go past 100 historical landmarks |
| Nights of Lights Ripley’s Tour | $70 per row (up to 4 people) | •30-minute ride after 6 pm •November to December •Includes special viewing glasses •Free holiday movies for kids at 6 pm |
How to Book Your St. Augustine Trolley Tour
Both companies allow you to book tours online as well as in person at their physical locations. Even though we ended up booking in person, we strongly recommend booking online and in advance, especially when visiting on weekends or in high tourist seasons like the holidays.
You can use the tour links we left above to go directly to the company’s booking site, or affiliate site, and book your slot. Once you’ve completed your booking, you’ll receive a confirmation email or ticket. Print the confirmation or save it to your phone for easy access on your trip!
When to Visit St. Augustine, Florida
Trolley tours in St Augustine run year-round and almost daily, but we prefer visiting in the cooler months (we avoid St. Augustine as much as we can from July to August). Our favorite seasons for visiting St. Augustine are the spring and fall, where you can enjoy pleasant weather even in the middle of the day.
If you do happen to visit in the summer, consider taking early morning or late afternoon trolley tours to avoid the peak heat. Leave indoor activities like museums and restaurants for the middle of the day.
Second to spring and fall, we also really enjoy the holiday season (November to January) in St. Augustine when the historic downtown lights up for the Nights of Lights. Although it can get quite touristy, we can’t deny that it’s a fool-proof holiday plan. Our favorite spot to take photos in front of during the holidays is in front of the Lightner Museum.
More Things to Do in St. Augustine, Florida
While trolley tours are a popular choice in St. Augustine, they’re not the only way to have fun in this city. We’ve written about 15 of our favorite free experiences in St. Augustine that you can do whether or not you book a trolley ride.
And if you’re still interested in a tour, but are looking for a more intimate experience, consider these alternative experiences:
- Golf Cart Tours: Golf cart tours offer a unique and flexible way to explore St. Augustine. Navigate the city’s narrow streets at your own pace and enjoy the freedom to stop wherever you like. Golf cart tours are ideal for smaller groups and provide a more personalized experience.
- Walking Tours: For those who prefer to explore on foot, guided walking tours in St. Augustine offer the possibility to explore at a slower pace. With themes such as True Crime Pub Crawls and Ghost Walking Tours, St. Augustine has plenty of unique walking tours that physically take you into really unique spots throughout the city.
- Boat Tours: Consider hitting the waters surrounding St. Augustine with a Sunset Cruise on the Matanzas River or even a Treasure Hunt Cruise. Ditch the land to see the city from a different perspective and admire the waterfront views!
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