St. Augustine pushes October ghost tours, festivals and fall travel deals

Florida’s Historic Coast is promoting Halloween-season travel with ghost tours, harvest festivals, dining and lodging deals across St. Augustine and nearby communities. The campaign is aimed at short-getaway travelers from Florida and Southern Georgia who can reach the area by car for a multi-day October escape.

Why it matters: - St. Augustine is using October’s Halloween appeal to draw short-break travelers to Florida’s Historic Coast. - The destination is pairing haunted attractions with festivals, food and outdoor activities to encourage longer stays. - Fall travel deals from lodging partners and attractions could make a quick getaway easier to book.

What happened: - St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau rolled out its October travel push on Oct. 2, 2026. - The campaign highlights ghost experiences, fall festivals, farm events, dining, live music and seasonal programming across the month. - Susan Phillips, president and CEO of the bureau, said travelers from Florida and Southern Georgia can reach the area in a few hours and avoid the hassle of flights and heavy luggage.

The details: - St. Augustine’s 460-plus years of history, historic cemeteries, Spanish fort and lighthouse give the city a strong ghost-tour draw. - Visitor options include family-friendly early-evening tours and later-night paranormal investigations. - The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum hosts Mortality & Mourning Candlelight Tours every weekend through Oct. 31. - The Tasting Tours offers a Beetlejuice Pub Crawl. - After Dark Investigations offers ghost-hunting excursions with paranormal detection equipment. - St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum offers Dark of the Moon Ghost Tours tied to the story of the Pittee sisters. - Sykes Family Farms in Elkton is hosting a harvest festival with a nine-acre corn maze, hayrides, a pumpkin patch, U-pick sunflowers, farm animals and children’s activities. - The St. Augustine Greek Festival adds traditional food, dancing and live music. - Florida’s Historic Coast sits along major routes including I-95, I-10, I-75 and scenic Florida Highway A1A. - The area is positioned as a multi-day destination with beach time, Historic Downtown St. Augustine visits and MICHELIN-recognized restaurants. - The tourism bureau says visitors can find more information and trip-planning resources at Florida’s Historic Coast. - Florida’s Historic Coast includes St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns and 42 miles of Atlantic coastline. - The destination says it has a growing collection of MICHELIN-recognized restaurants. - Visitor Information Centers are located at 10 Castillo Drive in St. Augustine and at the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier at 350 A1A Beach Blvd. in St. Augustine Beach. - Travel information is available at FloridasHistoricCoast.com or by calling 1-800-653-2489. - The destination’s social accounts are on Instagram and Threads at @FloridasHistoricCoast and on Facebook at Facebook.com/OfficialStAugustine.

Between the lines: - The campaign is designed to turn a Halloween visit into a broader shoulder-season tourism play. - By emphasizing drivable access, the bureau is targeting nearby regional travelers who can make spontaneous plans. - The mix of ghost tours, family activities and dining suggests the destination wants to appeal to both thrill-seekers and visitors who want a lower-key fall weekend.

What’s next: - October events will continue through Halloween and the rest of the month. - Travelers looking to extend their stay can use fall travel deals from lodging partners and attractions. - The bureau is steering visitors to FloridasHistoricCoast.com for trip planning and bookings.

The bottom line: - St. Augustine is betting that haunted history, fall festivals and easy drive-in access will make October an ideal month for a multi-day coastal getaway.