Spooky Season Marks The Return Of Florida Water Tours’ Moonlit Mysteries Tour
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (September 24, 2026) – Florida Water Tours is welcoming fall and the Halloween season with the return of its popular Moonlit Mysteries: Haunted History Boat Tour. Beginning Saturday, Sept. 26, the cruise departs after sunset and features guides who spin tales tied to St. Augustine’s 460-plus years of history. From the haunted St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum to the shores of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, this 75-minute excursion is steeped in historic lore.
“In a city with centuries of history, there’s no shortage of spooky stories to tell,” says Jessica Jadick, Owner of Florida Water Tours. “We love this trip because it’s so cool to be out on the water after dark – I mean, can you imagine navigating these waters before GPS, before channel markers, before lighthouses, using the stars? Pair that feeling with our historical stories, and it really takes you back and makes you think.”
The stories told on Moonlit Mysteries: Haunted History Boat Tour may be spooky, but they are anchored in history. Take the story of the three little girls who are said to haunt the grounds of the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. They tragically lost their lives on July 10, 1873, when a construction cart they were playing in went off the rails and flipped over into the water. In the more than 150 years since, many strange occurrences on the Lighthouse grounds have been attributed to their spirits, usually accompanied by the lilting laughter of girls. One of the Head Keepers in the 1950s refused to live in the property’s big house because he was convinced it was haunted. A local artisan who rented the Keeper’s cottage in the 1960s was awoken one evening by a small girl standing by his bed – when he blinked his eyes, she disappeared. To this day, staff and visitors still report mysterious experiences, hearing laughter in the lighthouse tower after hours or seeing full-formed apparitions.
Moonlit Mysteries: Haunted History Boat Tour is a 75-minute cruise and is designed for passengers ages 13 and older. Both the Great Blue Heron and Osprey have an onboard bar offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for purchase. Passengers can bring their own snacks on any cruise or choose from specially curated Graze Boxes featuring sweet and savory treats, prepared fresh by Floating Food Company, Florida Water Tours’ in-house catering outfit. The cruise is $39 per person (13 and older). The cruise is offered on select Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Saturday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Nov. 14. Departure times vary by season. To view all departure options, visit www.FloridaWaterTour.com
