Crescent Beach, Florida travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Crescent Beach is a beach town in St. Johns County, Florida, in the First Coast region of the state.

1 sights · 2 things to do · 1 places to eat · 3 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Crescent Beach

Fort Matanzas National Monument

Crescent Beach Park

Park providing beach access.

Southeast Intracoastal Waterway Park

Provides parking, hiking trails, and views of the Intracoastal Waterway near Fort Matanzas.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Oct–May. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 48°F. Very hot (Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Sep and Jun. (climate data from nearby Daytona Beach)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
UST Northeast Florida Regional Airport, St Augustine — 14 mi away. Directions
DAB Daytona Beach International Airport, Daytona Beach — 42 mi away. Directions
JAX Jacksonville International Airport, Jacksonville — 56 mi away (major hub). Directions

FL-A1A provides access to the town, passing through it to the north and south.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning Fort Matanzas National Monument, Southeast Intracoastal Waterway Park
Lunch Safe Harbor
Afternoon Crescent Beach Park

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Photos

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Understand

The town is on one of the numerous barrier islands on Florida's east coast. It is bounded by the Intracoastal Waterway to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. To its north are the towns of Butler Beach and St. Augustine Beach, and to its south is Matanzas Inlet, Fort Matanzas, and the small town of Summer Haven.

The town has a subtropical climate bordering on temperate. The beach can be battered by tropical storms during hurricane season, between June and October. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cool to mild.

Due to the town's unincorporated status and its proximity to St. Augustine, addresses in the city use "St. Augustine" as their city even though the town is several miles outside the St. Augustine city limits.

Get in

FL-A1A provides access to the town, passing through it to the north and south.

See

See Fort Matanzas National Monument

This small watchtower was built in the 1740s on a small island south of the city to control access via the Matanzas River. Eight ferries a day take visitors from Anastasia Island to the marsh where the fort sits. Free passes for the boat can be picked up at the visitors center there, where a half-mile boardwalk nature trail loops through the woods and dunes (a good way to spend the time waiting for the next ferry).

📍 8635 A1A Southparking available west of FL-A1A🕒 Daily 9AM to 5:30PM💲 Free admission☎ +1 904 471-0116⚠ Last checked Jul 2018 — confirm before you go

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