Holiday light displays may be one of your favorite parts of the holiday season. This year more than ever a visit to Florida’s Historic Coast during Nights of Lights, the nation’s oldest city, will make your holiday spirit soar.
St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights sparkles from the sidewalks to the rooftops with millions of white lights through January 31, 2021.
Over the past few years this city-wide light display has been listed among the top 10 holiday light displays in the world by National Geographic, USA Today Top 10 Events, Smithsonian, Fodors and many other travel influencers. And for good reason. Through the Covid-19 pandemic with all the precautions and safety measures in place, Nights of Lights remains a great way to get into the holiday spirit.
The lights drape 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 some brilliant ways to safely and affordably experience Nights of Lights this year:
- From romantic bed & breakfast inns and vacation rental homes 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.
- While there won’t be any shuttle service taking visitors from satellite parking to the downtown area to ensure safe distancing, visitors are urged to use the Historic Downtown Parking Facility at the Augustine Visitor Information Center. The great thing about Nights of Lights is that the displays are best viewed just by walking around the ancient city. Please mask-up!
- Be sure to get a great Nights of Lights Selfie! Snap an Instagram-worthy photo at one of the many brilliant spots around town like the Plaza de La Constitucion, Bridge of Lions, Bayfront and Lightner Museum.
- Celebrate Christmas with one of the Historic St. Augustine churches hosting in person and livestream services.
- Enjoy the spectacular Nights of Lights displays safely by land, sea and air. Whether by trolley or sightseeing train, horse-drawn carriage or electric cart, or sailboat or pontoon boat, there are plenty of tours offering safe distancing and private tours for visitors to enjoy at this year’s spectacular display.
- And this year there are even more light displays to explore on Florida’s Historic Coast including Elkton’s Bright Nights of Drive Thru Lights at Sykes Family Farms, the Light up the Beach display at St. Augustine Beach and along Ponte Vedra Boulevard at the Lodge & Club and Inn & Club which add an extra sparkle to a holiday seaside visit.
- Earlier this year, the City of St. Augustine launched #MaskeradingAsHeroes, an ongoing campaign to educate the public on the importance of mask-wearing. ‘Be a Mask Hero’ also creates a sense of shared responsibility and awareness, all while encouraging individuals and businesses to take part in this campaign. Participation can include masking up, posting a picture of wearing a mask within city limits, and using the hashtag, assuring visitors their Nights of Lights experience is a safe and healthy one.
- And, if you are not ready to travel, there are great videos and images which share the magic of Nights of Lights
Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra Beach and 42 miles of pristine, Atlantic beaches. For more information on events, activities, holiday getaway and vacation opportunities in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches, go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com.
