st augustine night of lights tour

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• St. Augustine
• Washington DC
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Old Town Trolley Tours St Augustine 4.6

PLAN YOUR TRIP

A Holiday Tradition Celebrating 30 Years

The holidays are popular for enjoying time-honored traditions like gift-giving, bonding with family, and decorating your home in the spirit of the season. Here in America’s Oldest City, we take the latter to a whole different level. Inspired by an ancient holiday practice brought here by the Spanish of displaying lit candles on window sills, The Annual Nights of Lights is set to brighten up the holidays in The Ancient City once again! To experience the glow of the season and the more than 3 million sparkling white lights adorning every corner of the city, stretching for nearly 20 blocks, take a ride on Old Town Trolley’s Nights of Lights Tour!

Spend less time waiting in line and more time with your loved ones by reserving a private row for you and your family or for that special someone. Your Nights of Light Trolley will be waiting for you when you arrive.

Over $100 of money saving coupons per guest.

Sing along with carolers on your holiday tour! Don’t forget to wear your complimentary magical viewing glasses for an enhanced, fully-immersive holiday experience and be sure to join us at the end of the tour for complimentary sugar cookies and warm apple cider!

“This tour is a holiday tradition for locals and visitors alike and is sure to become one of your favorite holiday memories.”

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Now in its 30th year, st. augustine’s award-winning nights of lights is admired by a global audience and is well known as one of the “10 best holiday lighting displays in the world” by national geographic traveler..

Tickets & Schedule

Tours depart from the Visitor Information Center, 10 West Castillo Drive.

November 19, 2023 – January 28, 2024

Approx. 30-45 minutes. Times vary by date. See calendar for times.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Due to the popularity of the city’s Nights of Lights, be sure to give yourself enough time to park and check in as traffic can be heavy.

Private Charters available nightly. Please call customer service for group bookings: (904) 829-3800.

RESERVATIONS

Admission Reservations:  Reservations are required. Reservation based tickets are non-refundable. You may reschedule up to 24 hours in advance of tour time by calling 904-337-3780. Maximum of 4 guests per row.

1 to 4-guest trolley row: Starting at $69.99 (Private row for your use – maximum of 4 guests per row)

Age Requirements:  Children 3 years and younger may be considered a lap child. Toddler carriers and children ages 4 and older are required to have their own seat and must remain seated at all times.

24-hour parking is conveniently available at the adjacent Historic Downtown Parking Facility. The cost is $20 per vehicle, per entry. Cash, credit, and debit cards are all accepted. For more information on parking in St. Augustine, please visit the City of St. Augustine website.

Discount parking for trolley guests is available at the nearby Old Town Trolley Welcome Center, 27 San Marco Ave., on a first come, first served basis.

ACCESSIBILITY

For wheelchairs and scooters, a minimum of twenty-four (24) hour notice is recommended. Please call (904) 829-3800 for scheduling. This will allow us time to ensure that a properly equipped vehicle will be made available for your use. Wheelchair accessible trolleys are scheduled on a first come, first served basis.

11th Annual Light Up the Night Contest!

Each year guests of the Old Town Trolley are asked to help choose the city’s Top 3 lighting displays.  Winners of these prestigious awards will receive cash, prizes and one of the most sought-after trophies in the city!

“Nights of Lights has also received accolades from AAA Auto Club as one of the 12 Favorite Places to Catch the Holiday Spirit and the American Bus Association as one of the top 100 events in the country.”

Enter Nights of Lights Contest

THINGS TO DO IN ST. AUGUSTINE

Things to do in st. augustine on vacation.

Know Before You Go

Family & Kids

2023 Performance Calendar

Sponsored by Old Town Trolley Tours 

All groups perform from 6pm to 8pm at the Old Town Trolley Nights of Lights Guest Queuing Area – Visitor Information Center.

Sunday, November 19 Beachside High School Chorus

Monday, November 20 Ponte Vedra High School Jazz Band & Sharkapellas

Friday, November 24 A Swing and A Miss (Jazz Ensemble)

Saturday, November 25 St. Augustine High School SJCCA Musical Theatre

Sunday, November 26 Pedro Menendez High School Dance Ensemble

Friday, December 1 Beachside High School Musical Theatre

Saturday, December 2 Palm Valley Academy Jazz Band

Sunday, December 3 Ponte Vedra High School Drum Line

Thursday, December 7 Beachside High School Chorus

Friday, December 8 Bartram Trail High School – Voice of Bartram

Saturday, December 9 Murray Middle School – SJCCA Jazz Band and The Jolly Jingling Bulldog Choir

Sunday, December 10 Fruit Cove Middle School Flyers Jazz Ensemble

Friday, December 15 Valley Ridge Academy Jazz Band

Saturday, December 16 Pedro Menendez High School – Falala Falcons Christmas Cabaret

Sunday, December 17 St. Augustine High School SJCCA Jazz Band

Monday, December 18 Freedom Crossing Academy Musical Theatre

Tuesday, December 19 St. Augustine High School SJCCA Band

Wednesday, December 20 Gamble Rogers Middle School Chorus

Thursday, December 21 Pacetti Bay Middle School Vocal Ensemble

Friday, December 22 Tocoi Creek High School Jazz Ensemble

Saturday, December 23 A Swing and A Miss (Jazz Ensemble)

Tuesday, December 26 Ancient City Brass Band

Wednesday, December 27 Ancient City Brass Band

Thursday, December 28 Ancient City Brass Band

Friday, December 29 Pedro Menendez High School Falala Falcons Christmas Cabaret

Saturday, December 30 Ancient City Brass Band

Sunday, December 31 Gainesville Brass Quartet

• Map & Guide
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Nights of Lights 2024 - 2025

The 2023-2024 Nights of Lights festival turns St. Augustine into a dazzling holiday display.

Nightly from Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 - Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025

Throughout Historic Downtown 1 Cathedral St. St. Augustine, FL 32084

View Google Map

The 30th Annual Nights of Lights dazzles with more than three million lights adorning every corner of the historic district for two months.

This award-winning holiday lights display runs from Saturday, November 23, 2024, to January 26, 2025, in historic St. Augustine . During the seasonal display, businesses downtown stay open later, letting you dine with a view of the lights and browse the shops of the decorated buildings.

The trains and trolleys offer special seasonal tours that take you through the best areas, and there are also a variety of specialty tours — everything from walking to electric cart tours, and even tours to see the lights from the water and from the air.

Featured Upcoming Events

Light-Up Night!

Nights of Lights Tours 2024 - 2025

Surf Illumination — 2024

Christmas Tour of Homes — 2024

Light Up the Night! New Year's Eve Beach Fireworks Show

Check out our complete list of holiday tours and all the other events happening during Nights of Lights.

There are plenty of photo opportunities throughout the downtown area, from the dazzling lights along the bayfront, to the Christmas tree placed in the center of the Plaza de la Constitución with holiday gifts surrounding it. From dusk until dawn, the lights bring holiday cheer to visitors and locals.

The City of St. Augustine offers a Free Park and Ride Shuttle Service for Nights of Lights beginning on Light Up Night, November 23, and continuing on select days through the end of December.  F or information about operating times as well as pick-up and drop-off locations, visit here.

Light-Up! Night

The annual Light-Up! Night begins at 4:00 p.m. with a performance by Showtime USA presenting a wide variety of holiday musical favorites. Showtime's performance will be in front of St. Augustine's City Hall, 75 King Street. At 5:30 p.m., the All Star Orchestra takes the stage with great swing and big band sounds in grand holiday style at the historic Plaza de la Constitución Gazebo . During the Light-Up! Night ceremony, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Plaza , the switch to the Nights of Lights is flipped on to illuminate the city. The concert continues after the ceremony until 7:30 p.m.

This is the local winter holiday celebration in St. Augustine where each historic downtown business and many residents participate by lighting up their buildings. The celebration was chosen in 2011 and 2012 by National Geographic as one of the top 10 dazzling holiday lighting displays in the world . The dazzling display continues to dazzle, becoming more and more popular each year as a holiday destination for vacationers from all over the world.

Some of the most elaborate light displays can be seen at Flagler College , the Lightner Museum , and on side streets such as Cordova and Orange streets. The main plaza, called the Plaza de la Constitución, features lights draped around every tree, with a huge Christmas tree in the center where photos can be taken. The pedestrian-only main shopping area, St. George Street, is also beautifully lit up.

A frequent award winner for their light display is the Tini Martini Bar inside the Casablanca Inn . Visitors and locals can dine on their outdoor patio among the glowing bulbs. The view of the bayfront from the Bridge of Lions is a favorite for many, and a guaranteed photo opportunity.

Nights of Lights in St. Augustine traces its origins back to the traditional Spanish practice of displaying a white candle in windows during the Christmas holidays. Candles in the window allude to the fact that Mary and Joseph could find no inn that would give them shelter. When the Spanish put candles in their windows, they were symbolically making room in their homes and hearts for Jesus.

It also reflects the welcoming attitude of the holiday season, showing that guests are welcome to the home. The stunning lights reflect the city's more than 450-year history and illuminate the beautiful cityscape for lasting holiday memories.

Things to Do

Looking for things to do in St. Augustine during the celebration of lights? This event features millions of tiny, white lights that create a magical atmosphere in the nation's oldest city. From roof shingle to doorway entrance, the downtown buildings are a glow in holiday cheer.

Vacationers can walk through the Plaza de la Constitución during Nights of Lights and stare up at the glowing lights in the trees, and wander through downtown's brick streets while taking in the beautiful and magical sights. Visitors can snap photos with outdoor displays, like the holiday tree in the center of the town plaza, or grab some hot cocoa from a local restaurant.

Check out these local tours during Nights of Lights. There are many more tours and all kinds of events happening this year.

• Old Town Trolley Famous Nights of Lights Tour
• Ripley's Red Train
• St. Augustine Eco Tours
• Scenic Cruise Tours
• Florida Water Tours
• St. Augustine Sailing
• St. Augustine Boat Tours
• Black Raven Pirate Ship Tour
• First City Helicopter

Related Events

Fourth of July Fireworks and Concert

Concerts in the Plaza

Fourth of July Tours

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