Replacing the original Spanish watchtower, which was built in the early 1500s, the current lighthouse was completed in 1874. St. Augustine’s oldest surviving brick structure, the tower contains 219 steps, taking visitors 165-feet above sea level. Today, the watch keeper’s house serves as a museum of maritime archeology and shipwrecks, documents the lives of keepers and their families, and examines the role of the Coast Guard during World War II. Note: Children shorter than 44 inches tall are not permitted up the tower; as a result, these children receive free admission to the museum and the base of the tower and one accompanying adult receives half-price admission. Also, children must climb the steps themselves; parents are not permitted to carry children up the stairs.