Best Time to Visit Fort Matanzas National Monument
DecemberBest month to visit
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Visit Fort Matanzas in December
December offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.5× the average month) and December is the quietest.
Annual visits
653K
2025
Busiest month
Jul
1.5× avg
Quietest month
Dec
0.6× avg
10-yr trend
rising
+14.7%
More photos of Fort Matanzas
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Fort Matanzas by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Quiet | 72 Good | 65°F / 49°F | 10.3 h |
| February | Quiet | 68 Good | 68°F / 52°F | 11.0 h |
| March | Average | 63 Good | 72°F / 56°F | 11.8 h |
| April | Average | 71 Good | 78°F / 62°F | 12.7 h |
| May | Busy | 58 Fair | 83°F / 70°F | 13.5 h |
| June | Busy | 40 Poor | 86°F / 76°F | 13.9 h |
| July | Busy | 31 Poor | 88°F / 77°F | 13.7 h |
| August | Busy | 39 Poor | 88°F / 77°F | 13.1 h |
| September | Average | 53 Fair | 86°F / 76°F | 12.2 h |
| October | Quiet | 69 Good | 81°F / 69°F | 11.3 h |
| November | Quiet | 83 Excellent | 74°F / 60°F | 10.5 h |
| December★ best | Quiet | 77 Excellent | 69°F / 53°F | 10.1 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00086767, ~5.8 mi away).
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About visiting Fort Matanzas
Fort Matanzas National Monument is a National Monument in FL and a moderately visited park, drawing about 653,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 14.7%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.5× the park's average month, while December is the calmest at roughly 0.6× — a 2-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 35% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 82°F in July down to about 57°F in January, with the wettest stretch in September. About 8 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is December: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 10.1 hours in midwinter to 13.9 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. There is no entrance fee, so cost is one less thing to plan around when you pick your dates. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Fort Matanzas National Monument preserves the fortified coquina watchtower, completed in 1742, which defended the southern approach to the Spanish military settlement of St. Augustine. It also protects approximately 300 acres of Florida coastal environment containing dunes, marsh, maritime forest, and associated flora and fauna, including threatened and endangered species.
Weather & conditions
Summers are hot and humid with afternoon thundershowers. Sunscreen, a hat, UV protective sunglasses, and are recommended. Drink plenty of water. Winters are cool to mild with some cold spells, especially with wind from the north or off the water. Fall and spring are temperate with temperatures around 70F-80F (21C-26C). During danger of lightning, the fort will be closed and ferry service will be suspended. June-November is hurricane season so check for tropical storms before visiting.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Fort Matanzas
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Fort Matanzas National Monument — live availability and prices to plan your trip. December is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Fort Matanzas
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated July 2026The closest airport to Fort Matanzas National Monument is Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), about 45 mi (1 hr drive) away. For the most flight options, most visitors fly into Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), about 1 hr 28 min away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB)Closest | 45 mi | 1 hr | Delta, Silk Avia |
| Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)Best for flights | 70 mi | 1 hr 28 min | American Airlines, Delta, Fly Lili, Silk Avia, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines |
| Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) | 73 mi | 1 hr 50 min | American Airlines, Delta, Island Air, Silk Avia, United Airlines |
| Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) | 80 mi | 1 hr 45 min | Allegiant Air, Icelandair, TUIfly Netherlands |
| Orlando International Airport (MCO) | 104 mi | 2 hr 13 min | Aer Lingus, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air Transat, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) — about 1 hr from the park.
- Most flights / best value: Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) — the largest hub near Fort Matanzas, about 1 hr 28 min away.
Entrance fees
There is no entrance fee at this park.
Frequently Asked Questions
December offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Fort Matanzas National Monument. The park is busiest in July (about 1.5× the average month) and quietest in December.
July is the busiest month at Fort Matanzas National Monument, running roughly 1.5 times the park's average monthly visitation.
December is the quietest month at Fort Matanzas National Monument, at about 0.6× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Fort Matanzas National Monument recorded about 653,152 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+14.7%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Fort Matanzas National Monument averages about 82°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) is the closest airport to Fort Matanzas National Monument, about 45 mi (1 hr drive) away.
Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is the nearest major airport, about 70 mi (1 hr 28 min drive) away, with the most flight options of any airport near Fort Matanzas.
There is no airport inside Fort Matanzas National Monument. Fly into Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and drive the rest of the way — about 1 hr 28 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Fort Matanzas
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Putnam-Broward Lake water qualityGrade B · 26 mi · FL
- Browsout Lake water qualityGrade B · 26 mi · FL
- Brownor Lake water qualityGrade B · 26 mi · FL
- Duval-Willow Lake water qualityGrade B · 36 mi · FL
- Wio Lake water qualityGrade B · 37 mi · FL
Beach water quality near Fort Matanzas
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Crescent Beach water qualityGrade A · 3 mi · FL
- Marineland Beach water qualityGrade A · 5 mi · FL
- Anastasia State Park water qualityGrade A · 11 mi · FL
- Varn Park water qualityGrade A · 13 mi · FL
- North Flagler Pier water qualityGrade A · 17 mi · FL
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.