I can't believe it's been a month since I have been to St Augustine for Nights of Lights for Xmas. This really is a masterpiece and a beautiful finale of all Things Christmas in florida. The whole town is decked out in lights and it made me so happy. Miss it a lot and know we always come back but being here at this time is definitely the happiest feeling. read more

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Okay, parking is easy if you are coming in just for this. The trolleys board quickly and even long lines get on board in no time at all. Otherwise, going in circles around town wasn't exactly what I expected. Sure, St. Augustine is nice during the holidays. Trying to spot the elves on the ride gives us something to do (and grab a photo of one if you want that cup of hot cider at the end of the ride), and sometimes the people near you on the trolley are better than the tour itself. What it comes down to, however, is it worth it? Maybe once. I'll say that, but otherwise, I'll pass -- or pay enough money to get the Grinch himself to do the tour next time. read more

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During our Uber ride back to the St Augustine KOA we were treated to a small part of the "Nights of Lights" kick off celebration located in and around St Augustine. Nights of Lights is an annual holiday lighting display in St. Augustine, Florida, featuring over three million white lights that illuminate the historic district from November 15, 2025, to January 11, 2026. The event is inspired by the Spanish tradition of displaying a single light in a window, and it is best experienced by walking through the historic streets or taking a themed tour on a trolley, boat, or even a horse-drawn carriage. read more

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I've come here every year since 2019 with my friends from college who live in Saint Augustine and it's become a tradition for us. It's so magical and truly gets you in the holiday spirit. I know that parking can be difficult so it's good to know that they have an app now that helps with that. We love walking around and going in all the different shops and it's just always such a good time. One of my favorite traditions! read more

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I have spent time in St. Augustine nearly every year of my childhood and many years as an adult. I have been there in the months of April-October, but I had never been there for the Nights of Lights. I always wanted to go, and I finally got my chance. We loved it. As if St. Augustine isn't beautiful enough, add a warm Christmas feel with lights decorating the entire town, horse drawn carriages, the typical good food and drinks you get here, and friendly locals. It lived up to everything I had seen for years. I feel very fortunate to have gotten this opportunity. If you get the chance, don't miss out. read more

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It wasn't up to the standards that I held it to! I expected way more lights than what I saw. The pictures online make it look so different but also we didn't do the trolley tour, which is probably why. There are plenty of shops and things to eat, but if you're looking to sit down somewhere, make sure you do your research and make a reservation. All in all a night in Saint Augustine is always fun. Traffic was a little bit too hectic for me so I suggest knowing where you want to park and getting there before the sun goes down so that way you have a chance to enjoy read more

A beautiful evening filled with holiday cheer! Saint Augustine was packed with people from all over the world site seeing, shopping and enjoying the great trolley tours. My family and I arrived early and enjoyed the tour by Old Town Trolley! Great customer service and fun filled tour with lots of holiday cheer and singing! Highly recommended and hope you enjoy your visit to Nights of Lights! read more

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Our trip to St Augustine for the Nights of Lights was on our bucket list and it did not disappoint! To me, it was a magical time. I love neon lights. We went 4 nights in a row and drove past all of the participating businesses including Plaza de la Constitución from one end to the other end. Twice we took a trolley and twice we drove in our own car. We fiund street parking later in the evening. Traffic is bumper to bumper in your own car and that's why we took the trolley because they were able to get around the traffic better. We drove in our car around 10pm when the traffic had died down and we were able to get better photos. Pedestrian traffic was still in high gear though because the bars and restaurants were still open. I wiuld definitely go back again. This trip was awesome! I highly recommend it. read more

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Not sure what all the hype was for this activity but I did not think it was worth the price. You buy tickets online which gives you a row. There were only two of us so it was $102 with tax and fees. We had the last row of the car so we could see behind us easily - that was a good choice. The train takes off and you basically drive in circles to see the nearby parks and businesses that have put up holiday lights. It's pretty but in walking around downtown, we pretty much saw everything on foot and didn't need the train. Was hoping it would take us farther out to see something unique. They handed out these unique glasses that turned all light into snowflakes. Tried to take a pic to show the effect. The atmosphere is great. The holiday music is blaring and people are singing and waving at us. It was NYE, so lots of shouts for a Happy New Year. When you exit, you get a cup of hot cider and a cookie. The people working were very nice. Overall, it just wasn't worth the steep price. read more

Nights of Lights - Festivals Near Me

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The Holiday lighting was very well done...it's so Beautiful!!! The atmosphere of people was great too; families, young folk too, so much Joy and smiles! read more

Bring 4 people for the trolley ride for the lights. It's better sharing the fun. They give you 3D glasses to enjoy snowflake lights as you ride. The driver is hilarious and sings with you and gives you a lot of fun facts. I highly recommend this tour!!! read more

Such a beautiful evening at St. Augustine's Nights of Lights! I have heard about this wonderful holiday activity ever since I moved to Orlando over 20 years ago and I finally had the chance to check it out, and I will say I was not disappointed. I was able to do a pedi cab tour of the lights on the very first evening of the event which was absolutely beautiful. It was a bit chilly but our driver provided us with cozy blankets so we were nice and warm. Since it was opening night of the event, it was extremely crowded but that is to be expected at such a popular event. I definitely hope to come back in future years to enjoy what this event has to offer more times! read more

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We had an AMAZING time!!! First of all, St. Augustine is absolutely wonderful. This place is a must see whether you are vacationing or a local. You MUST also take a special visit to the "Nights of Lights" from November 23rd to January 26th. All of downtown is lit up including the boats in the river. Everyone parks and tours throughout the city. You can also tour via car, trolley, golf cart or horse and carriage (my favorite). There are guided tours throughout. Talk about rows and rows of streets filled with great music, dining and dancing. Thousands of unique shops are open for business. NOW, we made a "SPECIAL" this time because of our anniversary. My husband surprised me with (one of the many) Scavenger hunts there have. (Year round I might add) We had a BLAST! You don't have to be young, fast or timed if you don't want to. I'm 70 and too tired to work up a sweat if I don't have to. BLAAH, (my running days are over) So, for the hunt, you go to one of many apps. and you can start/finish anytime you like. Just so you know you don't have to visit just for the holiday season. (We have the pleasure of living 20 minutes outside the city) There are Pirate tours, Ghost tours, 2 Castle tours The Castillo de San Marcos right in town, and Castle Otttis. You can also visit the light house and the Maritime museum. Just some of the MANY wonderful places to go. read more

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This event was pretty overhyped. I was really excited to go because I saw that the Nights of Lights in Saint Augustine made top 10 lists for places to see Christmas lights not only on the East Coast and the USA. Let me just say.... It does not live up to the hype. Do not book a special flight or travel more than 1-2 hours by car for this event. It's just not worth it. We came for the opening night, so at least there were free music performaces which saved the evening for me. The musicians were very talented and they played classic Christmas songs. We were there for the lights to officially light at 6:30pm and it was fun but pretty disappointing as only about 5 trees lit up. The rest of the buildings in the city have the roofs or some edges lined with lights but there's not very many given the size of the buildings. I've seen more impressive Christmas decor put on by individuals within their own neighborhoods. The events also drew big crowds like other reviews have said and you have to wait to get into any of the bars or restaurants in town. read more

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I'm glad to have finally experienced Old Town decorated for the holidays, but I doubt I'll return again for this seasonal event. Though the lights & decorations were exquisitely beautiful, the crowds were so egregious that I found it difficult to enjoy the ambiance. Plus, traffic was obscene. In Flagler Beach for the weekend, our son in Jacksonville suggested meeting in St. Augustine for dinner and to check out Nights of Lights. As it was the first Saturday night of December this year, we should have anticipated the insanity. Parking was tough but we secured spots blocks away fairly easily for about $20. Driving around later was a bigger challenge. Hubs & Gilligan (our sleepy chiweenie) got tired of walking so I walked back to the car & braved the traffic mayhem to pick them up. Three-quarters of mile took over an hour in the congestion. But, that might have actually been the best way to experience Nights of Lights! I'll add that our dinner at Barley Republic was outstanding & the wait didn't seem excessive for any Saturday night (reviewed separately, of course). read more

My wife and I took a weekend trip to St. Augustine for opening night of the Nights of Lights. What a beautiful showing of lights and a way for the entire community to participate. We did a bike tour of the lights and we're very impressed. They also had a great band playing Christmas music for a couple of hours. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because I thought there would be more lights from what I heard, but overall I loved the experience! read more

Free park and right to avoid the crazy traffic! Great event in St Augustine beautiful city decorated for Christmas! Very fun and festive great for families and couples for a fun date! read more

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Fun adventure. Be prepared to walk and stay close to your kids. Tons of people by the dreads. Lots of restaurants, trees, and light posts, covered in lights. It's free to come and walk around. There was beautiful caroling in the center of the park, many shops to look inside and shop for souvenirs, and plenty of restaurants to eat. Give it a go, very nice family atmosphere. read more

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We went on the RUDEE ride where you can BYOB but they had warm chocolate drink to share in this cold December night. We just had dinner at the King Fish Grill and the pick-up line was just by the round about. I purchased our tickets online. I had to change my ride dates twice and they were gracious enough to respond almost immediately and took care of me. Finally got there and saw their office. Went and checked in. I didn't have to show my email confirmation. The overall vibe of the Captain and hosts were Just right, not aggressive, not passive. TIP TIP TIP, they're wonderful. read more

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I love Christmas time!! Experiencing the holiday lights downtown in historic Saint Augustine is a magical experience. I've been on the night of lights trolley ride, as well as walked around on foot. Both are an amazing experience! The trolley takes you all around the city, so you get to cover a lot. You get special glasses to wear that make the lights twinkle in 3D. There is Christmas music playing in the trolley & my family & I loved singing together! Our trolley driver was very cheeky & fun! They serve hot cider & a cookie after. When you walk, it's perfect to start around the fort (or the parking garage) & go south down Castillo Drive until you hit King Street & then cross the street and go back north on the other side of Castillo Drive. Then you can see the lights from a different perspective! If you are walking, make sure you go past the Hilton and walk up into that area, it's one of my favorite parts! Parking can definitely be tricky, but we usually park in the parking garage or in the lot by the fort. It's a lovely holiday tradition!! Lights are free to experience, you only have to pay for parking. You can also pay extra for a trolley ride, carriage ride, or even a boat ride from the bay! read more

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My husband and I visited St. Augustine with his mother to celebrate Christmas. It was our first trip to St. Augustine, and one of the suggested "things to do" on every list was visit the Night of Lights. We considered visiting on our first night in town on Saturday, but the traffic was terrible, and we had no idea where we were going, so we ended up saving it for Monday night. It was much easier to get downtown and drive around. The lights are so beautiful! And plentiful! Given that it was 80 degrees over the weekend and did not feel like the Christmas season, seeing all of the lights really helped get us in the Christmas spirit. If you are in town during the season, I would recommend strolling through all of the pretty lights. read more

Nights of Lights - Festivals Near Me

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Was only 30 minutes and they kept going around in circles. Extremely disappointing and will not go again. We went on a bus trip there. Originally trolly was to be an hour, then changed to 45 minutes but wound up being 30 minutes. Lightening wasn't what was portrayed in advertising. read more

I don't recommend trying to do this on a Saturday night in December. The whole town is a total madhouse. You can't get in a restaurant to eat without waiting for hours. You also barely walk the streets due to the foot traffic. I find that the current level of crowding takes away from the experience. If you do want to go, consider eating and staying beachside and taking a cab to town to ride the trolley. Also you can buy the trolley tickets weeks in advance for a certain time to ride. You do have to arrive 15 minutes ahead of time read more

Nights of Lights is a great sight seeing adventure for locals and tourists alike! It's a beautiful ambience and makes for a festive way to do some shopping. I do suggest if you can go on a week night to do so. Being a local to Neptune Beach we could only find time to go on a Saturday. While we had fun, it is extremely crowded. You can't get into a place to eat unless you wait 2-3 hours or eat much earlier in the day. The boat parade is probably the best part! It's great to watch each boat go by with all the different lights and decorations. Other than that, you're mostly walking through a crowded park. A great holiday festivity that's fun to witness, but likely won't find time to go back in the next couple years unless it's a week night. read more

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The city looks great lit up and all of the shops stay open late, but it is very crowded on the weekend, so patience is a necessity. We had prepaid online for trolley tickets and when we arrived the line was wrapped around the parking garage and around the block. The ticket attendant said it would be a two hour wait. So we decided not to wait and were assured we could get a refund by calling customer service. After walking around for an hour I felt like we made a better decision as it is better to see the lights while walking, plus you can stop into some of the shops while you walk. There is a lot of live music in bars and all of the shops seemed to stay open late. read more

Nights of Lights - Festivals Near Me

Awesome time of year to visit Saint Augustine downtown! So many lights, so very beautiful. Tips: 1. Make dinner reservations ahead of time at a restaurant that accepts them, like Columbia or the Floridian. No one has to wait hours to eat with a little advanced prep! 2. If you didn't make reservations, many restaurants offer bar seating first come first served. It's worth a shot. 3. You don't need to spend a lot of money on trolleys unless you want that experience. It's fun to just walk around and admire the lights. 4. On the days that it is offered, take advantage of the free shuttle service from the nearby lots so you aren't driving around aimlessly hoping to luck out. The downtown parking garage will likely fill up early. If you want to park there, go early and spend the day. The streets can be crowded so make sure you are prepared for that. It's a hot tourist stop and people from other countries as well as the USA are there. Have patience and you will have fun! read more

Trolley tour not worth the cost. Maybe my expectations were too high? The driver did not point out any places of interest or history. Seemed like we went around in circles passing the same buildings. I realize the area is small but you can see more just walking around. Trolley ride lasted only 20 minutes. Definitely not worth it. read more

If you can only visit St. Augustine once a year then try to pick this time if the year. Beautiful weather, beautiful lights and a fun festive in the air. All the tour trains are playing Christmas songs so you can hear them all over while walking around. Take a horse carriage ride and enjoy all the lights. read more

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While we were in St Augustine we did the nights of lights tour. We did it with our two toddlers and they absolutely loved it. They were mesmerized by all the lights. It was a nice breezy night and we felt so much Christmas cheer. They also play Christmas music on trolley that adds to the experience. When you get off the trolley, they offer warm cider and sugar cookies. Yummy, yum, yum. Tips: I would suggest to try and take this tour on week day if possible because it does get busy. Also, try and buy your tickets ahead of time online. Lastly, don't forget to arrive about 15-20 minutes before your time because the parking garage gets busy. read more

There's a lot of white lights that give more of a summer vibe in one small area... other than that there's maybe three restaurants that are decorated on the outside for Christmas. This town does not give "Christmas vibes" read more

Riding the trolly singing Christmas carols and Free transportation to the night of lights is worth it. Monday's are the best. read more

Nights of Lights - This past Christmas - Festivals Near Me

Eh. We've been here before and it felt like there were less lights in the main area than normal. We had bought tickets to take the trolley tour and it was a 2 hour wait. Uh, no thank you. Unless I'm at Cedar Point with top thrill dragster or millennium force waiting at the other end of that wait, it's just not happening. Our party of 8 decided to walk the area and enjoyed the lights just as much. It was a cool night and a walk with the family made for a good evening. The trolley does offer a "fast pass" option for another 50% - so about $22 - but I still don't know if that would be any better than driving around in your own vehicle. There is no dedicated road for the trolley so it's waiting in traffic with all the other vehicles. Maybe once with small kids but I don't know too many sub 10 year olds that will last that 2 hour long line. read more

It was our first time visiting this event and I felt the best way to see everything was to ride on the trolley. Even though it was only 2 of us we had to pay for the entire bench because of covid. The ride itself was ok, we basically were driven around in St Augustine traffic to see the lights which is okay but the disappointing part was that there was no information along the way about any of the sites or about the event itself. You can do the same thing in your car... I would not do the trolley again. The city itself is absolutely beautiful this time of year. All of the locations around the center part of DT were lit up, the center walkway looked amazing. It does; however, get very crowded. Tips would be to arrive early, uber into the city or be prepared to pay $15-$20 dollars for parking. There are a few private church lots that are open and there is a city parking garage at the welcome center that is also very convenient. Street parking is almost near impossible. If you stay across the Lions bridge, you can easily walk into town and I would highly encourage it. The city looks amazing from across the bridge. read more

I've been to this event a few times now over the years. I can tell you it's usually crowded full of people on the weekends or anytime close to the holidays- it's a huge draw for locals and vacationers alike. National Geographic named it one of the top ten Christmas Lights to see in the WORLD. That kinda says it all. The shops out on A1A all deck out in lights, the Plaza De La Constitucion (the park downtown across from the Bridge of Lions) is beautifully lit too! The park has lights draped around the trees and from a distance the whole park looks magical! Flagler College and the Lightner Museum get in on the fun too~ since they face each other- it is worth the walk over to see all the lights. I was lucky this year that we happened to go on a Monday night after the holidays and it was so quiet! Hardly anyone out~ made for fun taking pictures! We also did a boat tour of the Nights of Lights- I highly recommend! So much fun seeing everything from the water! We lucked out with unusually mild temperatures- the the boating was wonderful! If you are a local and haven't gone- you are missing out on a magical evening! read more

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The city is gorgeously lit up, but it's total mayhem. You'll be stuck in traffic for quite a while, especially during the weekends. There's a Night of Lights Trolley tour. It used to be something that I loved to do. I guess it's getting popular, wait time can be up to three hours. Plus, it does the same loop multiple times. Parking is also a hassle. My recommendations are avoid going on the weekends, visit the city early to get a parking spot, and skip the trolley. 2 stars just for the lights. read more

The first time seeing it, years ago, it was spectacular. But, after seeing so many other light festivities, there are more breathtaking ones. This one is nice, especially if you go opening night and you see all the lights light up at once! =) And, if you don't want to walk, take the Holly Jolly Trolley. It's fun, if you want accompaniment of Christmas music. But, the night we went, it was nothing but traffic and the driver took us behind buildings with no lights. I was a little disappointed, but I saw how much fun the other Trolleys were, passing by and even going through the old town! Ours didn't go that way ... hmmmm. Maybe I'll give it another try next year. If you go by foot, you can see pretty much everything the Trolley shows you, just be prepared to walk long distances. It's always nice to stroll the streets, grab some yummy treats, as you go by the shops. If you go on certain nights, they have the Boat Light Parade and lots of live misic, too. All in all. If you want to stroll and enjoy the weather and city sights and lights. You can take some good pictures there. My advice, get there fairly early!!! Parking is horrendous and afternoon traffic is no fun. Go early, grab something to eat, they have yummy restaurants there. Make a day of it and then enjoy the lights. It will be more fun when it's not on an empty stomach. Merry Christmas, ALL! read more

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If you have never been to St. Augustine, the time to come is December. Compared to other beach areas in Florida, this one gets very cold during the winters, but its still a must see. The best way to experience the yearly Nights Of Lights is to take the trolley for $14 per person, you will see everything and it makes the narrow streets and people everywhere safer to not drive yourself. Mostly all you see are white Christmas lights, which is much prettier than color lights. The Bed & Breakfasts are all over the town, many choices and price points. This is something good for all ages and worth the drive to see. The only downside are the crowds of people, if being around thousands of people bothers you and parking nightmares every direction, then maybe not a good choice for you. read more

Nights of Lights - Festivals Near Me

Such an amazing family-friendly spot to take the kids. It's totally free to visit and you can walk along the water and through the town and enjoy all the lights. read more

Nights of Lights - Nights of Lights in St. Augustine - Festivals Near Me

$60 for two people was too much. Trolley went in circles. Blasting music overhead on old am radio speakers. Walk or hire private golf cart ride. This was disappointing... driver provided no historical messages. Just blasting horrible sound and going in circles for only 25 minutes Save your money and time read more

The Nights of Lights is a must-do annual event that really makes the holidays in Florida special. An excellent outing for the family, the trolleys are low cost & an awesome way to tour the lights (many offer free cider & cookies). Also, if you are a local of Saint Johns County, many trolleys offer BOGO tickets! read more

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