NAI 2024

Offsite Sessions

Saturday, December 7, 2024

If the minimum requirements are not met by October 1st, the session will be canceled.

St. Augustine by Sea & by Land

Full Day
9:00am–4:00pm
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

Embark on a one-hour guided tour through St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum facilities, led by Interpretive staff. The staff will highlight the newest 150 Years of Service Exhibit and discuss the planning process for its development, to be installed in September of this year. Hear how the organization celebrated its 150th anniversary through unique programming and events.

Then, spend another hour exploring at your own pace, revisiting your favorite exhibits, discovering new ones, and climbing 219 steps to the lighthouse observation deck!

Next, head over to St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park and enjoy lunch at Toucantina surrounded by the natural wonder of the park.

Get a behind-the-scenes tour and have time on your own to explore the park. Don’t miss the alligator feeding demonstration and interpretive stations set up around the park to interact with at your leisure.

Bring water bottles, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and comfortable walking shoes. Small backpacks are ok. You can leave items on the bus.

Price: $110
Meals: Lunch on your own at Alligator Farm
Minimum participants: 20
Maximum participants: 50

Hidden History of St. Augustine

Full Day
8:30am–5:00pm
Fort Mose, Linconville Museum + Self Guided Walking Tour

Start your day at Fort Mose. Watch the introductory movie and explore the exhibits to learn more about the first legally sanctioned free African settlement in what would become the United States. Immerse yourself in an interactive experience for a deeper understanding of the fort’s residents. Join a guided tour to learn about the people of Fort Mose and their journey to freedom.

After a picnic lunch on the picturesque grounds, head over to the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center to learn about African American history from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. Join a guided tour of the exhibits that highlight significant events and notable figures. Learn about the Lincolnville Neighborhood and its role in the Civil Rights Movement, and its legacy. Spend some time exploring on your own and reflecting on the connections between Fort Mose and Lincolnville.

Then, join the celebration of 450 years of African culture in St. Johns County with live music, traditional food, and fun at the 11th Annual Gullah Geechee Heritage Festival.

Bring snacks, water bottles, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and comfortable walking shoes. Small backpacks are ok. You can leave items on the bus.

Price: $115
Meals: Lunch included
Minimum participants: 18
Maximum participants: 24

Eco Exploration

Half Day
8:00am–1:30pm
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve

Begin the adventure at the Environmental Education Center with a brief overview of the reserve’s unique ecosystems, wildlife, and conservation efforts. After checking out the exhibits, enjoy a docent-led hike through salt marshes, maritime hammocks, and tidal creeks. Spend some time exploring on your own for birdwatching and photography.

Bring snacks, water bottles, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and comfortable walking shoes. Small backpacks are ok. You can leave items on the bus.

Price: $80
Meals: Not Included
Minimum participants: 15
Maximum participants: 24

Hike into History: Fort George Island Cultural State Park

Half Day
8:00am–1:30pm
Fort George Island Cultural State Park

Enjoy a three-mile hike, museum and historic grounds tour, and picnic on scenic Fort George Island. Learn about the historic Ribault Club and its heyday as a tony resort in the 1920s and 30s (and how local park agencies partnered to bring it back from ruin), hike a packed natural trail through hardwood hammock and maritime forest ecosystems, explore the water’s edge at Fort George inlet and river, and rest with a picnic under the live oak tree.

Bring snacks, water bottles, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and comfortable walking/hiking shoes. Small backpacks are ok. You can leave items on the bus.

Price: $80
Meals: Lunch included
Minimum participants: 15
Maximum participants: 24