Bones Under Us, Ghost Tour with Archeology

St. Augustine’s darkest stories are not only about ghosts. They are about lost graves, buried churches, and forgotten people beneath streets you may already know. This 90-minute walk links archaeological clues with tales of restless spirits, moving from Aviles Street to the Bayfront and ending near the old city gates.

I like two things right away: the tour uses archaeological evidence and spirit recordings, rather than relying only on spooky storytelling, and guide Nicholas brings images and videos to help explain the cases. The walk also gives you more local history than a standard ghost tour, including the city’s old hospital, jail, fort, cemeteries, and waterfront.

The main consideration is physical. This is a lengthy walking tour with several stops, and you should be ready to walk for about an hour and a half after dark. Some stories involve murder, lost burials, and tragic deaths, so this is not a gentle family tale with a few harmless chills.

Key things to know before you book

• Lost burials are the central theme: You will hear about graves hidden beneath former churches, forgotten cemeteries, and burial grounds where many markers have disappeared.
• Nicholas leads the walk: He is praised for clear explanations, lively storytelling, answering questions, and using photos and videos during the tour.
• The route covers major St. Augustine sights: Stops include the old Spanish Hospital, Aviles Street, the Bayfront, the fort, the city gates, and Huguenot Cemetery.
• The tour begins at 8 p.m.: Meet at 3 Aviles Street and finish near the Visitor Information Center and parking garage.
• The group is limited to 22 people: That gives the guide a better chance to answer questions and keep the walk together.
• The price is $29.99 per person: For a long, guide-led walk combining local history, archaeology, and ghost stories, the value is strongest if you want more than theatrical scares.

Why the buried past makes this ghost tour different

Many St. Augustine ghost walks use old buildings and famous legends as a backdrop. Bones Under Us takes a more specific route. Its subject is what lies below the streets: old burials, vanished markers, former churches, and places where the city’s past has been covered by later construction.

That focus gives the tour a useful sense of place. You are not simply hearing that a spirit appears near an old building. You are hearing why people were buried there, what happened to the burial ground, and how archaeological discoveries can change the story.

The paranormal side is still part of the experience. The tour includes spirit audio and video, along with evidence collected by ghost investigators. I would approach that material with an open but careful mind. You can enjoy the atmosphere and listen to the claims without treating every sound or image as proven fact. The strongest part of the walk is the way it puts supernatural stories beside documented local events.

The guide matters here. Nicholas is described as highly prepared, willing to answer questions, and good at making history easy to follow. He also adapts the presentation to the group, which is useful if you want to ask about a particular building, burial site, or piece of evidence.

Starting at the old Spanish Hospital on Aviles Street

The tour begins outside the old Spanish Hospital at 3 Aviles Street. This opening stop introduces the main question of the evening: if a building has a long record of hauntings, where are the spirits now if the original setting has changed?

That is a stronger starting point than simply pointing at an old wall and announcing that it is haunted. The tour looks at what may have happened to the people connected with the site and where their remains could have gone. You begin with the connection between a building’s past and the ground around it.

From there, the route moves through Aviles Street toward the location of old burials beneath a forgotten church. This section should appeal to you if archaeology interests you as much as ghost stories. The idea that a busy historic district can conceal former burial grounds makes the city feel layered and slightly unsettling without needing a dramatic performance.

The drawback is that specific archaeological discoveries are not listed in detail before booking. You will get the guide’s presentation on site, but you should not expect a museum-style display or a formal excavation visit. The value comes from the explanation and the setting.

Old jail stories and evidence from ghost investigators

Another stop takes place at the site of the true old jail and an antique shop. Here, Nicholas shares evidence connected to ghost investigations. The mix of jail history and paranormal material gives the stop a different mood from the church and cemetery sections.

A jail is a natural setting for stories of fear, punishment, and death, but the useful part is the link to the real site. You are hearing about a place that had a practical role in the city, not a building created for a ghost attraction. That connection can make the stories feel more grounded.

The tour also uses images and video to show what the guide is discussing. This matters after dark, when a spoken description alone can be hard to follow. If Nicholas is showing a photograph, recording, or other piece of evidence, you have something specific to consider instead of relying only on imagination.

You should still expect a walking presentation rather than a private investigation. The advertised experience does not suggest that you will conduct experiments or handle equipment yourself. It is a guided look at reported evidence and the site’s past.

Crossing toward the Bayfront and the dark water

After Aviles Street, the walk heads toward the Bayfront. One stop is on the pier near the bridge, where the story concerns men who were murdered so that St. Augustine could exist. It is a grim reminder that the city’s early development involved violence as well as exploration, settlement, and trade.

This waterfront setting adds a useful change of pace. The earlier stops focus on buildings and buried ground. Here, the water becomes part of the story. The suggestion that voices or spirits come from beneath the surface gives the stop a strong nighttime atmosphere, though the experience depends on weather, visibility, and the group’s ability to hear the guide near the water.

The route then continues along the Bayfront, across from the Casablanca Inn. This is where stories of love and misdeeds enter the tour. The setting helps show how ghost tales grow around places connected with relationships, betrayal, and loss.

I like the way this section broadens the subject beyond cemeteries. Not every haunting is tied to a grave marker. Some are attached to an act, a relationship, or a place where people believe a strong emotional event left a lasting trace.

Soldiers, lost jewelry, and the fort

Near the city’s great fort, the stories turn toward long-dead soldiers. You may hear about sightings involving lost jewelry, lost loves, and soldiers who lost their heads, both literally and in the sense of vanished identity.

The tour also includes the possibility of seeing the face of a native leader who was deeply wronged. This adds a different historical viewpoint to a route that might otherwise focus mainly on colonial buildings and European military stories. It is an important reminder that the city’s past includes conflict between peoples, not just old architecture and ghost legends.

The fort stop should be one of the most atmospheric parts of the walk, especially because it combines a major St. Augustine landmark with tales of soldiers and unexplained appearances. At the same time, do not expect entry into the fort as part of this experience. The route stops by the fort before returning toward the center of town.

This is also a good point to remember that the tour is not a series of isolated haunted houses. The guide connects stories to military life, personal loss, local conflict, and the physical places where those events unfolded.

Behind the Milltop and through the city gates

Behind the Milltop, the group pauses at a place where there is evidence of a haunting, though the tale remains uncertain. Nicholas explains the historical finds that may offer clues about deaths connected with the site.

That uncertainty is a good sign for anyone who prefers a thoughtful tour. Not every location is presented as a solved mystery. Sometimes the historical evidence points toward questions rather than answers. You can decide for yourself how much weight to give the paranormal claims.

The walk then passes through the city gates, where you hear the truth and the stories surrounding a young girl whose spirit is said to protect people. This section deals with how local legends change over time. The guide separates what is claimed from what can be supported, which gives you a better way to understand the tale.

The city gates also provide a clear transition to Huguenot Cemetery. The route shifts from streets and public landmarks to a burial ground with a more direct connection to the forgotten dead.

Huguenot Cemetery and more than 600 missing markers

Huguenot Cemetery is one of the most important stops. It is estimated that more than 800 people are buried there, while markers for more than 600 have been lost. That single fact explains the tour’s title better than any dramatic sound effect could.

A cemetery without enough markers creates a difficult problem. You may know that people are buried there, but you cannot easily identify where each person rests. The loss of markers also erases names, dates, family connections, and personal stories. The guide uses this setting to discuss the tragic details of people whose final resting places have been partly forgotten.

The cemetery also has a guardian figure who is said to react strongly if his rest is disturbed. This is one of the tour’s more traditional ghost legends, but it gains force from the actual burial ground. You should treat the site respectfully and follow the guide’s instructions.

Because the cemetery is a serious historic place, this stop may feel less like entertainment than the earlier ghost stories. That is a strength if you want a tour that remembers the dead instead of using them only as props. It may feel heavy if you prefer a light, theatrical evening.

The final tale and the short walk to the parking garage

The tour ends with an unknown story of lost love and a spirit that may be dangerous to the unwary. The exact nature of this tale is not provided in advance, which lets the final stop keep some mystery.

You finish a short distance from the St. Augustine and St. Johns County Visitor Information Center at 10 South Castillo Drive. That location is only a few steps from the parking garage, a practical benefit after a nighttime walk. You do not have to retrace the entire route to reach your car.

The ending also returns you to the center of town, so you can continue your evening nearby if you wish. The experience begins and ends in central St. Augustine, but it is not a loop. Plan your parking with the end point in mind.

What $29.99 gets you

At $29.99 per person, this tour sits in a reasonable range for a 90-minute guided walk in a major historic city. The price makes the most sense if you value the guide’s explanation and the range of subjects: archaeology, cemeteries, military history, local legends, ghost-investigator evidence, and waterfront stories.

You are not paying for transportation, admission to a museum, or a staged show. You are paying for a guided route through public areas, along with Nicholas’s research, storytelling, photographs, videos, and interpretation. If you only want quick ghost stories and jump scares, another type of tour may suit you better.

The reported score is 4.6 from 10 ratings, with 90 percent recommending the experience. The strongest praise centers on Nicholas’s clear explanations, his ability to answer questions, and his use of photos and video. The history portion receives particular attention, which tells me this works best for people who want real local context alongside the supernatural material.

Timing, group size, and what to bring

The tour starts at 8 p.m. and lasts about one hour and 30 minutes. Darkness is essential to the mood, but it also means you should pay attention to footing and stay with the group.

A maximum of 22 people keeps the group smaller than many city walks. That does not guarantee a private feel, but it should make it easier to hear the guide and ask questions. Nicholas’s willingness to respond to questions is one of the most useful features of the experience, so take advantage of that.

You need a moderate level of physical fitness. The route is described as a lengthy walking tour, and it includes Aviles Street, the Bayfront, the pier, the fort area, the city gates, and Huguenot Cemetery. Wear comfortable walking shoes and plan for an outdoor evening.

Service animals are allowed. Confirmation is provided when you book, and the mobile ticket is convenient for a late start in the historic district. Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. If bad weather cancels the tour, you can receive a different date or a full refund.

Who should book Bones Under Us

I would choose this tour if you want St. Augustine’s ghost stories tied to actual places, old burials, and archaeological questions. It is especially suitable for history-minded visitors, curious locals, couples who enjoy a dark evening walk, and families with older children who can handle stories about death and murder.

I would skip it if you want a short ride, a seated presentation, or a highly theatrical show with actors and special effects. The route requires steady walking, and the mood can become somber around the cemeteries and stories of violence.

The strongest reason to book is the subject itself. St. Augustine is famous for its old streets, but Bones Under Us asks you to think about what has been covered, moved, forgotten, or left without a marker. Add Nicholas’s photos, videos, and clear storytelling, and you get a tour that offers more substance than a string of spooky claims.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The tour begins at 3 Aviles Street in St. Augustine, Florida, outside the old Spanish Hospital.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 8 p.m.

How long does the experience last?

The walking tour lasts approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at the St. Augustine and St. Johns County Visitor Information Center at 10 South Castillo Drive, a short distance from the parking garage.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $29.99 per person.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 22 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted, and poor weather may lead to a different date or a full refund.