St. Augustine isn't just "old" (founded in 1565); it is a city built on layers of bizarre history, from pirate raids to Gilded Age excess. To truly see the "Fascinating" side of the Ancient City, you need to look past the tourist traps and find the stories hidden in the coquina walls. Here are the best things to see and do in St. Augustine, ranked by how fascinating they actually are.

Most people think of Florida springs as a summer destination—a place to cool off when the heat index hits triple digits. But if you ask a local, they will tell you the truth: Winter is the magic season.

In 1768, the ships arrived at the mosquito-choked inlet of Ponce de Leon. The reality hit them immediately. There was no housing. The land wasn't cleared. The provisions were short. The settlers were tasked with clearing dense palmetto scrub and pine forests to plant indigo, a cash crop the British desperate wanted. Conditions were brutal. The settlers died by the hundreds from scurvy, gangrene, and malaria. By some accounts, nearly half the population died within the first