What to Expect
JAXPORT's Blount Island cruise terminal is in the port complex, 10 km east of downtown Jacksonville and 55 km north of St. Augustine. A shuttle runs between the terminal and the parking area; taxis and Uber are available at the pier. Downtown Jacksonville (Riverplace, the Museum of Science and History) is 20 minutes by taxi. Most passengers use this port as a homeport for Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries; as a port-of-call it is less common. The primary day-trip destination for port-call passengers is St. Augustine.
Getting Around
Taxis and Uber from the terminal to downtown Jacksonville: $20–30. To St. Augustine: Uber or taxi ($55–70 one way, 55 minutes) or Greyhound from the Jacksonville bus terminal ($10–15, 1h30). Car rental from Jacksonville downtown or the cruise terminal area (advance booking recommended). For the Jacksonville beaches (Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach): 30 minutes east by car. Skyway Express monorail covers downtown Jacksonville between five stations — free and a local curiosity.
St. Augustine — America's Oldest City
St. Augustine was founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés — 55 years before the Mayflower landing. The Castillo de San Marcos (1695, $15 entry) is the oldest masonry fort in what is now the continental United States; the coquina walls absorbed cannon fire by compressing rather than shattering. The Colonial Quarter living history museum ($12) reconstructs 16th-century daily life on St. George Street. Flagler College (free to walk the campus) is Henry Flagler's 1888 Ponce de León Hotel, now a liberal arts college with a dining hall featuring 79 original Tiffany stained glass windows — tours available. The Oldest Wooden School House (1716, $7) and the Cathedral Basilica (1797, free) complete the heritage circuit.
Tipping and Currency
US Dollars. 18–20% at restaurants is standard in Florida; some add it automatically for groups of 6 or more. Taxi drivers: 15–20%. ATMs at the terminal area and throughout Jacksonville. St. Augustine: ATMs on St. George Street and at major parking lots.