Holiday light displays may be one of your favorite parts of the holiday season. And after a visit to Florida’s Historic Coast during Nights of Lights, the oldest USA city will be at the top or your list every year.
St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights sparkles from the sidewalks to the rooftops with more than 3 million white lights from November 18, 2017, through January 31, 2018. This city-wide light display has been listed among the top ten holiday light displays in the world by National Geographic. And for good reason. Draping the city’s unique Spanish Colonial architecture, beautiful bed & breakfast inns and places on the National Historic Register with a warm white glow makes the Christmas season’s Nights of Lights unique by any standard.
Here are 10 brilliant ways to see and save during your Nights of Lights experience.
- From romantic bed & breakfast inns to familiar hotels and beachside resorts, special mid-week offers and lodging deals are available during Nights of Lights. Plan your mid-week stay to take advantage of the great deals during Nights of Lights. http://www.floridashistoriccoast.com/nights-of-lights-lodging-deals
- Visitors can enjoy the sights in one of many different ways – on foot, by bicycle or pedicab, on the trolleys or trains, or by horse and carriage. This year, the city is offering a free Park ‘n Ride Shuttle every Saturday from November 18 – December 24. For information on the free shuttle visit http://www.citystaug.com.
- Take an affordable tour on the Old Town Trolley’s Famous Nights of Lights Trolley. Board the Red Train Nights of Lights Tour at Ripley’s Museum, 19 San Marco Avenue. www.ripleys.com/RedTrains
- Nights of Lights shines from the water too. St. Augustine Eco Tours harbor tour of the Nights of Lights is aboard stable and comfortable six or 12-passenger boats, providing a peaceful way to experience the illuminated city. Depart nightly by appointment from the St. Augustine Municipal Marina. staugustineecotours.com
- Grab your friends and enjoy a Nights of Lights Wine & Carriage Tour. Enjoy a glass of wine on this group tour aboard a horse-drawn carriage as you tour the brick-lined streets. tastingtours.com
- Free Events – The first weekend in December features the city’s traditional Christmas parade and Colonial Nightwatch, a celebration of the city’s Colonial British Grand Illumination. The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum’s Luminary Night takes place the first Wednesday in December and the Regatta of Lights, a colorful and dazzling parade of sailboats, shrimp boats and other watercraft on Matanzas Bay takes place on Saturday the 9th –all are favorites among the locals.
- Elegant Inns, historic museums and flavorful restaurants partner up for the amazing self-guided 24th Annual Bed and Breakfast Holiday Tour. This year’s tour is themed “Coastal Christmas”.
- Experience the joy of the season by candlelight with evening tours of the Villa Zorayda and the Castillo de San Marcos.
- Take in the view of Nights of Lights from the sea aboard the Schooner Freedom on the ship’s Moonlight Sail. Every Friday and Saturday night the Schooner sets sail on a watery tour providing complimentary soda, water, beer, wine and hot chocolate. schoonerfreedom.com
- Just take a walk on the bright side! Each weekend in December, Tour Saint Augustine guides lead a 90-minute walking tour where participants can enjoy St. Augustine’s sparkling history while learning about unique colonial folklore and holiday traditions. Sites include the opulent Lightner Museum courtyard, Plaza de la Constitución and the enchanting Bayfront. Beginning with homemade hot chocolate or ice cream, the tour departs from Tour Saint Augustine, 4 Granada Street at 6:30 p.m. – tourstaug.com
For more information about events, tours and deals in St. Augustine during Nights of Lights visit www.NightsofLights.com.
