Hands-on-History Day Camps at Castillo and Fort Matanzas

The National Park Service offers four five-day sessions of their annual Hands-on-History and Nature Summer Day Camps at two locations in 2019: June 3 - 7 and June 10 - 14 at Fort Matanzas, and June 17 - 21 and June 24 - 28 at the Castillo de San Marcos. The summer day camp sessions are geared for campers ages 9 to 11.

Through interactive presentations, hands-on projects, games, and living history demonstrations, the Hands-On History camps cover topics that range from archaeology and preservation to nature, Native Americans, Spanish exploration, and life in colonial Florida. Activities include creating textiles, pottery, leatherwork, and more.

Admission: Nonrefundable fee of $25.00 per child. Registration begins on Monday, April 1, 2019. Contact Mary Sims at (904) 829-6506 ext. 227 (from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to reserve a spot.

When: The 2019 Hands-on-History & Nature Summer Day Camp at Fort Matanzas will be from June 3 to 7 and June 10 to 14. The 2019 Castillo de San Marcos Hands-on-History camps will take place from June 17 to 21, and June 24 to 28. The camps run Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Where: The Castillo de San Marcos is located at 1 South Castillo Drive in St. Augustine, Florida 32084. Fort Matanzas is located on Rattlesnake Island, which visitors reach via a short ferry ride. Access to the free ferry is through the Fort Matanzas Visitor Center and gift shop, which is located at 8635 A1A, about 15 miles south of St. Augustine.