Nights of Lights
Annual holiday event in St Augustine draws thousands
What?
Nights of Lights is a fun occasion where businesses and residences and public buildings and parks and streets are all decorated with holiday lights at night.
When?
Generally, annually from about Thanksgiving, through around the end of January.
Where?
The historic downtown area of St. Augustine. Flagler College and the Lightner Museum offer some of the best light displays.
How to See the Lights
The easiest way to experience the lights is to walk the streets and immerse yourself in the beauty of each place. That way, you can take your time and see what you want to see, and stop when you want to stop. There are plenty of restaurants and bars to eat and drink at, as well as stores you can shop. Other ways to view the lights are:
A scenic boat tour
Take the Old Town Trolly tour
Ripley’s Red Train
Pirate Boat tour
Electric cart tour
Horse and Buggy ride
Where to dine?
There are lots of great places to eat in St. Augustine. It really depends on what you are in the mood for. Here’s just a short list of suggestions:
http://www.ocwhitesrestaurant.com/?ref=VisitStAugustine.com&type=featured for seafood
https://www.visitstaugustine.com/restaurant/aviles-restaurant-and-lounge for fine dining
https://www.visitstaugustine.com/restaurant/ancient-city-brewing-downtown-taproom for local beers
https://www.pkstaug.com/ for craft beers, fancy cocktails, and upscale pub fare
Where to stay?
We chose to stay right in the heart of things, in a small efficiency that is in an old house, that has been sectioned off into 3 short-term rentals. It is located near Flagler College and all the good restaurants and bars. Find it, or others on www.airbnb.com, or www.vrbo.com
If you really want to splurge and stay at a beautiful hotel, check out Casa Monica:
https://www.kesslercollection.com/casa-monica/
If You Go:
Know that parking is a challenge. If you can find it, private property parking goes for around $25. Limited street parking is available. Best bet may be at a public parking lot parking. Check here for availability:
https://citystaug.modii.co/v2/finder
Live the Wayfarer life! What’s your next adventure?