Fort Matanzas National Monument
A free boat crosses the Matanzas River to a compact 1742 coquina fort guarding the southern approach to Spanish St. Augustine.
Artwork inspired by Winslow Homer
Fort Matanzas is compact because its mission was sharply defined: watch the inlet, warn St. Augustine, and prevent an enemy from approaching the city from the south. The river crossing, tidal marsh, four cannon positions, and elevated platform explain this defensive geography more clearly than the fort’s tight interior rooms can on their own.
Begin at the visitor center on Anastasia Island, since the fort stands across the river and has no road access. Obtain a free, capacity-controlled ferry pass before exploring, allowing enough time for a later boarding. Wind, lightning, tides, or maintenance may halt crossings even when the park remains open, making the boardwalk, nature trail, and beach access worthwhile alternatives.
- Completed
- 1742
- Crossing
- Free passenger ferry
- Landscape
- Tidal inlet and marsh
Quick guide
- Essential action
- Obtain a free ferry pass before exploring the grounds.
- Weather reality
- The boat can stop even while the park remains open.
Explore further
- Collect a pass
- Ferry boarding is free but capacity-controlled, so collect a pass before exploring.
- Read the inlet
- Identify ocean, river, marsh, and the route toward St. Augustine.
- Study compact defense
- Four cannon positions and tight quarters reveal a narrowly defined mission.
- Keep an alternate
- Use the boardwalk and nature trail if weather suspends the boat.
Good to know
The visitor center is on Anastasia Island; the historic fort is across the river and cannot be reached by road. A map pin on the fort itself is not the correct arrival point.