ST. AUGUSTINE DAY TRIP

Pack 529 St. Augustine Day Trip

Liberty in Action 250th Challenge

Saturday, December 5, 2026

Pack 529 will be hosting a family day trip to St. Augustine filled with fun, hands-on, and historical experiences. Families will have the opportunity to explore historic sites, participate in colonial-era activities, and work toward completing four of the five Liberty in Action Challenge requirements.

Families who would like to extend the experience and turn the trip into a weekend adventure are welcome to do so at their own planning and expense. Any additional lodging, meals, transportation, activities, or other expenses associated with extending the trip will be the responsibility of each family.

Participation is open to Pack 529 and their families. Space is limited to a maximum of 50 total people.

Official Master Trip Plan

• Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026

• Location: St. Augustine, Florida

• Core Goal: Complete four of the five Liberty in Action Challenge requirements in a single day.

• Registration Deadline: Friday, November 27, 2026

What We'll Be Doing

Throughout the day, our Pack will explore the people, places, and events that shaped early America while completing four of the five requirements of the Scouting America Liberty in Action 250th Challenge. Scouts will experience history where it happened, participate in hands-on activities, and discover how the values of liberty, equality, citizenship, service, and civic responsibility connect the past with the ideals of Scouting today.

During our adventure, we will:

• Complete four of the five Liberty in Action Challenge requirements (Requirements 1–4). Requirement 5, the Service Project, will already be completed by Scouts through Scouting for Food and/or 10,000 for the Troops.

• Learn about Florida's role during the Colonial and Revolutionary periods and how St. Augustine was connected to the events and people of the founding era. (Requirement 2 – Founding-Era History)

• Explore the historic Old City Gate and discuss St. Augustine's role during the colonial and Revolutionary eras. (Requirement 4 – Founding-Era Site Visit)

• Visit Castillo de San Marcos, learn about its history and significance, and discuss liberty, equality, fairness, and other founding ideals. (Requirement 1 – Founding Ideals)

• Experience living history with a guided tour through the Colonial Quarter, learning about daily life, trades, military service, and the people who lived in St. Augustine during the colonial period. (Requirement 4 – Founding-Era Site Visit)

• Create colonial-era crafts at the Treasure Chest Museum, including hand-dipped beeswax candles and three-strand twisted rope, using techniques practiced more than 250 years ago. (Requirement 3 – Creative Expression)

• Walk through the Colonial Night Watch Encampment, where Scouts can meet colonial militia reenactors, see period equipment and camp life, and learn about the experiences of soldiers during the colonial era. (Requirement 4 – Founding-Era Site Visit)

• Practice citizenship, teamwork, civic responsibility, and respect for our nation's history throughout the day. (Requirement 1 – Founding Ideals)

By the end of the day, Scouts will have completed Requirements 1–4 of the Liberty in Action 250th Challenge and, together with their previously completed Service Project, will have completed all five requirements. More importantly, Scouts will gain a deeper appreciation for American history and an understanding of how the ideals of liberty, equality, citizenship, and service continue to shape our communities today.

Optional Extra Activities (On Your Own)

This date has some exciting things happening in St. Augustine. After the official Pack program concludes, families are welcome to continue exploring Historic St. Augustine at their own pace. The following activities are optional, are not part of the official Pack itinerary, and will not be organized or supervised by the Pack.

• Colonial Night Watch Torchlight Parade

• Nights of Lights

Families who choose to participate in these or any other optional activities are responsible for making their own arrangements. Any admission fees, meals, transportation, parking, or other expenses associated with optional activities are the responsibility of each family.

Cost & What’s Included

• Scout Cost: $19.99 ($0 Castillo de San Marcos, $9.99 Colonial Quarter, $10 Treasure Chest)

• Adults + Teens (16+): $40.99 ($15 Castillo de San Marcos, $15.99 Colonial Quarter, $10 Treasure Chest)

• Siblings (5-15): $19.99 ($0 Castillo de San Marcos, $9.99 Colonial Quarter, $10 Treasure Chest)

• Siblings 4 and under: Free

What’s Included:

• Castillo de San Marcos admission

• Colonial Quarter Guided Tour admission

• Treasure Chest Museum admission

• Colonial Night Watch Encampment (free)

• Liberty in Action patch for Scouts who meet the requirements

What’s NOT Included:

• Parking and travel expenses

• Lodging

• Meals and snacks

• Souvenirs and other personal purchases

• Admission to other attractions

• Optional activities after the end of our planned activities

Pre-Trip Logistics & Notices

• Important Note About Reservations: The Pack will reserve admission for all activities as one group. Families will pay the Pack, and the Pack will make one payment on behalf of the group directly to each attraction. To secure our reservations, all participating families must submit payment to the Pack before the registration deadline. Late additions cannot be accommodated 

• Punctuality: Please arrive on time. December 5 is one of the busiest days of the year in St. Augustine. Parking will be limited, and both vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be heavy. Please plan ahead, allow extra travel time, and be prepared to walk from parking areas to our rendezvous points. 

• Park and Ride Shuttle: It is highly recommended that families use the free parking areas and Park-and-Ride shuttle rather than attempting to park in the historic downtown area. Nights of Lights Free Shuttle | St. Augustine, FL 

• Travel & Lodging: Travel to and from St. Augustine is entirely on your own. If your family chooses to stay overnight and extend the trip into a weekend adventure, lodging must be booked independently. St. Augustine hotels fill up months in advance for this particular weekend, so families should make arrangements as early as possible. 

• What Scouts & Families Should Bring: 

  • Class A uniform (Scouts & Leaders) and Class B for family members, 

  • Weather-appropriate apparel, 

  • Comfortable walking shoes, 

  • A day pack with your Six Essentials, 

  • Any medications needed for the day, and 

  • Money for meals, snacks, souvenirs, and other personal expenses

• Out-of-Pocket Expenses: All meals, snacks, parking fees, souvenirs, and any other attractions or personal expenses are the responsibility of each individual family.

• Respect for Historic Places: Before the trip, please talk with your Scouts about the importance of respecting historic sites, monuments, buildings, exhibits, and the people around us. Many of the places we will visit are hundreds of years old and are shared with the public. Scouts should follow all posted rules and staff instructions, stay on designated paths, avoid touching or climbing on structures or artifacts unless specifically permitted, and use respectful voices and behavior. We want our Scouts to be curious and engaged while also being good stewards of the history we are there to experience. 

• Communication: Pack communication will be coordinated through WhatsApp, and Pack leaders may also use walkie-talkies when within range. Parents and adult leaders should keep their phones available and monitor the Pack WhatsApp group for important updates, schedule changes, and meeting-location information. 

• Safety: This is an incredibly busy weekend. Adults need to plan to keep their children close to them throughout the day. The buddy system must be followed for the entire duration of the Pack outing, including while traveling between activities, during free time, and in crowded public areas. Scouts should remain with their assigned buddy and within sight of their supervising adults at all times. During transitions between activities, the adult leader assigned to each group must walk at the front, with another adult at the back of the group. Scouts may not independently navigate between attractions and must remain with their assigned group and supervising adults at all times. 

• Walking Map: A Google Maps route showing our planned destinations is available here:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ei6L3VgrPakWNxT88

Our Planned Activities

For the morning, our whole group will certainly be together. For the afternoon, however, the Treasure Chest has a maximum capacity of 25 people, so if our group is larger than that, we will split into two smaller groups who will follow a planned schedule for visiting the Colonial Quarter and Treasure Chest attractions.

Old City Gate

Location: North end of St. George Street & Orange Street

Meet at the Old City Gates to regroup before walking together to Castillo de San Marcos. Pack leadership will share a brief overview of the City's historic entrance and its importance in defending colonial St. Augustine.

More Information: https://www.visitstaugustine.com/thing-to-do/city-gate

Castillo de San Marcos

Address: 11 S Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084

Explore the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States and learn about St. Augustine’s military history. Scouts can explore the fort’s historic rooms, courtyards, and gun deck while learning how Spanish soldiers lived and defended the city. They can also discover the fort’s unique coquina construction and experience the history of one of St. Augustine’s most important landmarks.

As part of our Liberty in Action activities, Scouts will also participate in a discussion about liberty, equality, fairness, and other founding ideals, connecting what they learn at the fort to the principles that continue to shape our lives today. 

More Information: https://www.nps.gov/casa

Colonial Quarter Guided Tour

Address: 14 S. Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084

Explore more than 300 years of St. Augustine's history through immersive exhibits, historic buildings, demonstrations, and hands-on interpretation. Scouts will discover how soldiers, craftsmen, merchants, and families lived during the colonial period.

More Information: https://colonialquarter.com/experience/

Treasure Chest Colonial Hands-On Museum Workshop

Address: 76 Spanish Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084

Participate in an interactive workshop where Scouts will hand-dip beeswax candles and twist three-strand rope using techniques practiced during the colonial era. This hands-on experience gives Scouts the opportunity to learn and practice skills from the 1700s.

More Information: https://treasurechestmuseum.com/

Colonial Night Watch Encampment

Location: Colonial Quarter Museum, 33 St. George Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084

Following the last guided tour, our group will reconvene and then go together to explore the Colonial Night Watch Encampment. At the encampment, Scouts can meet colonial militia reenactors, observe period military camps, learn about eighteenth-century equipment and camp life, and ask questions during this informal living-history experience.

Because the encampment is an open-house-style event, families who wish to remain after the official Pack program may continue exploring at their own pace.

More Information: https://www.visitstaugustine.com/event/colonial-night-watch

Optional Evening Activities (On Your Own)

The official Pack program concludes at approximately 4:30 PM. Families wishing to continue enjoying Historic St. Augustine are welcome to participate in the following activities on their own. These events are not part of the official Pack itinerary. Transportation, meals, parking, admission fees, and any other expenses are the responsibility of each individual family.

Colonial Night Watch Torchlight Parade

Location: Historic Downtown St. Augustine 

At approximately 7:00 PM, colonial reenactors march through the streets carrying flaming torches while accompanied by period music and ceremonial blank musket volleys. The parade begins at the Visitor Information Center, 10 S. Castillo Drive, and proceeds to the City Gate and down St. George Street to the Governor's House. 

More Information: https://www.visitstaugustine.com/event/colonial-night-watch

Nights of Lights

Beginning at dusk, Historic Downtown St. Augustine is illuminated by more than three million white lights during the internationally recognized Nights of Lights celebration. Families may stroll through the historic district, enjoy local restaurants and shops, and experience one of the nation's premier holiday traditions.

More Information: https://www.floridashistoriccoast.com/nights-lights/Full Group Itinerary with S

Itinerary