GALLERY: Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St....

Travel

GALLERY: Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Any trip to St. Augustine must include a stop by the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

St. Augustine's history stretches back to 1513 when Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon first landed in the New World.

Any discussion of Ponce de Leon usually includes a discussion on the Fountain of Youth, too.

"Not one word about the Fountain of Youth was ever written by Don Juan Ponce de Leon," said the Fountain of Youth re-enactor Chad Light.

"There's no evidence to suggest he knew anything about it. But, regardless of that, the mythology that has been built up around it is so ingrained with Ponce de Leon that when someone says Ponce de Leon, you think Fountain of Youth."

And today, visitors to St. Augustine can drink from a Fountain of Youth, but that's because Luella Day McConnell, known as "Diamond Lil," created the current Fountain in 1904.

Visitors to the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park can take a sip from the world famous fountain, but there are other offerings at the park, too.

The park is the site where Pedro Menéndez de Avilés arrived in the New World in 1565 and established the first continuously occupied European settlement in the country. There's evidence of Native Timucua Indians at the location for over 4,000 years.

"One thing that people are typically unprepared for is that there is more here than just a sip of water," Light said.

"People will pay the admission to come into the park, take that drink, not knowing what they are going to see is the evidence of a very large, very ancient native habitation here, that they are going to see the field that contains the original settlement site of the Spanish, that the 15 acres here truly are one of the most beautiful spots in Florida, as far as our view and what we have to see."

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

Here are some more photos from the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Fla.

1/25

Any trip to St. Augustine must include a stop by the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

Today's Gallery Headlines

Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals

PHOTOS: Braves beat Nationals in extra innings

aajc 052326 momocon

PHOTOS: MomoCon 2026 held in Atlanta

How Hot 107.9’s Birthday Bash remains an Atlanta staple, 30 years later

PHOTOS: Hot 107.9 Who’s Hot Showcase and Concert

Athens indoor football event

PHOTOS: Indoor football kicks off in Georgia