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The National Park Service strives to make Castillo de San Marcos National Monument accessible. The fort itself is three centuries old and accessibility is not always ideal. Through on-going self-assessment, we are identifying and eliminating barriers to accessibility.
Download the Park AppThe NPS Castillo de San Marcos National Monument App on Android and iOS includes up-to-date accessibility information. All of the entrances and park exhibits are audio described and videos are captioned. The app includes alternative text for images, combined with your device’s built-in accessibility features. Download it for free before you arrive. Cellular service can be poor inside the coquina stone walls of the fort.
By doing this, most of the app content will be available for use in the park (the exceptions being alerts, calendar updates, and real-time updates—accessing those items before leaving service will at least keep that information in the app). Even without cellular service, the app will be able to share your location on the map and bring up all site content. Access PassThe America the Beautiful - The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series includes the Access Pass: a free, lifetime admission and discount pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Access Passes are available online for a $10 handling fee and at the Castillo's ticket booth/entrance station for FREE. Audio/Visual AssistanceSign Language Interpreters are available for ranger programs with three weeks notice. Please email us with your request or call the main park line at (904) 829-6506. Films shown in the fort's theater room and on the app contain captions. The park's app has audio descriptions of the self-guided tour and park exhibits. Braille versions of the park brochure and self-guided walking tour are available at the fort's ticket booth/entrance station, and there is also a tactile exhibit. LanguagesThe park brochure is available in English. Self-guide walking tour brochures are available in Spanish. General history brochures are available in German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, and French. The park's film in the theater room is closed-captioned in English. 
NPS Service AnimalsQualified service animals assisting people with disabilities are allowed and must be leashed. A service animal is defined as a one that performs some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform such as carrying a pack for persons with mobility impairments, assisting persons with balance, or alerting medically-dependent persons of specific conditions such as oncoming seizures. Companion dogs that are used only to provide comfort or emotional support (“therapy animals”), or other pets are not allowed into the fort. Learn about the Bark Ranger program. Wheelchairs and MobilityFree parking is available in the handicapped space or any other available space in the visitor lot for properly identified vehicles. Rental wheelchairs and other conveyances are available from the City of St. Augustine's Visitor Center. Please call them at (904) 825-1000 for more information. The parking lot and the fort's lower level, which includes the fort rooms, the theater, the bookstore and the restrooms, are wheelchair accessible. Most of the park's pedestrian walkways are paved; however, those within the moat and covered way are sand and crushed shell stone. The gun deck can only be reached by stairs. To experince the virtual tour of the gun deck, click here. Autism and Sensory-SensitivityCastillo de San Marcos National Monument joins a growing number of tourism and recreation-related organizations in northeast Florida to be awarded the Certified Autism Center™ designation by The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This certification comes as part of a larger initiative led by the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, aiming to achieve the Certified Autism Destination™ designation. The initiative will ensure that St. Johns County and the City of St. Augustine offer a multitude of options for autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals and their families seeking entertainment, recreation, and lodging. For a breakdown of the sensory experiences you can expect to encounter at the Castillo, please see the charts below. 
IBCCES Sensory Guides – Ratings are from 1 (low sensory stimulation) to 10 (high sensory stimulation). Sensory Guide for: Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine FL – Main Level.
Touch rating – 3: Visitors explore at their own pace. Some interactive features or programs (participation is voluntary). Various surface areas and textures. Open grassy areas for exploration. Taste rating – 1: low impact on this sense. Sound rating – 4: Some sound from videos or other media during demonstrations. Potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors. Areas can be crowded on busy days. Sight rating – 4: Mostly natural light, outdoor setting, with dim lighting in some areas. Additional lighting on exhibits. Fans in some rooms can cause light to appear to flash. Areas can be crowded on busy days. Smell rating – 2: Potential scent for some demonstrations. 
IBCCES Sensory Guides – Ratings are from 1 (low sensory stimulation) to 10 (high sensory stimulation). Sensory Guide for: Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine FL – Second Level.
Touch rating – 3: Must climb stairs to explore. Some tactile features, metal displays in the sun can be hot. Various surface areas and textures. Taste rating – 1: low impact on this sense. Sound rating – 3: Area is open. Potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors. Sight rating – 3: Mostly natural light, outdoor setting. Views from high heights. Smell rating – 1: low impact on this sense. 
IBCCES Sensory Guides – Ratings are from 1 (low sensory stimulation) to 10 (high sensory stimulation). Sensory Guide for: Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine FL – Cannon Firing.
Touch rating – 4:Potential to feel reverberations from cannon firing, even from lower level—feeling intensifies with proximity to cannons on second level. Most areas are open, can be crowded when busy. Taste rating – 1: low impact on this sense. Sound rating – 7: Most areas are open, can be crowded when busy. Cannon can be heard from both levels. Sound intensifies with proximity to cannons on second level. Potential for close proximity/shared space with other visitors. Sight rating – 3: Mostly natural light, outdoor setting if viewing the firing. Smoke is evident. Smell rating – 6: Detectable scent of smoke, especially on second level—may be intense and smoke may waft toward visitor viewing areas.
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Last updated: December 23, 2024