From mid- November to the end of January, St Augustine lights up the holiday sky with millions of bulbs! It is a true sight to behold, if you can survive the thick crowds, cold weather, and of course, if you are able to find any parking. With plenty of ways to spend the holiday, don’t get overwhelmed trying to make Nights of Lights plans and follow the secrets that all the locals know. Here’s what you need to have the best Night of Lights ever:
The Best View
There is only one way to get the best Nights of Lights view, and that’s by taking to the water! Start your cruise with a setting sun, and watch the lights grow brighter and bigger as your tour takes you closer to downtown. The best part of this view – NO CROWDS. No matter where you are on the boat you get a full 360 degree view of the lights! Take it from the locals, the best views start from sunset and are always reflected in the water!
Warm Drinks and Blankets
All holidays are better with hot cocoa! So make sure when you make your plans, that you find the tour serving the best warm drinks. The cold weather is the hardest part of Nights of Lights, you have to take it into consideration when you make your plans. Not every tour in town will have blankets available, so make sure you look out for those when you make your plans. Even with those, make sure that you still layer up!
The REAL story of Nights of Lights (and St. Augustine)
Without the history, all you’re looking at is lights! St. Augustine is full of fascinating history, and the only real way to immerse yourself in the spectacle is to get a local guide. Every street, building, and light bulb helps to build the culture of St. Augustine and it is important to make sure you are getting authentic stories!
Believe it or not: 3D viewing glasses!
It may sound crazy, but the BEST part of NOL is the 3D Viewing glasses! It will definitely bring you back to your childhood. When you get these glasses and put them on, the holiday lights that cover all of town will turn into snowmen, elves, presents, penguins and more. Bring them home with you and try them out on your own holiday lights!
MOST IMPORTANT: Free parking
This is the #1 reason that you should look for your Nights of Lights plans outside of downtown. As soon as the festivities begin, driving through downtown St. Augustine is impossible; traffic galore. Being stuck in traffic for a hour can potentially make you miss your tour, and will definitely diminish the holiday joy of Night of Lights. There are so many great ways to enjoy nights of lights, without driving downtown, look for those and miss the extra hours of traffic.
Where can I get all of these?
To get the most out of your Night of Lights experience, you should join Florida Water Tours for their specialty Nights of Lights tour! The warmest boat tour on the St. Augustine waterfront, experienced guides provide drinks, perfect views and lots of stories surrounding the event and the city itself. They have all the basics: bathroom on the boat, free parking with plenty of space and a bar stocked with beer and wine. They even have complimentary hot coco for all the tour (and for a few dollars you can add Irish cream). Plenty of blankets and drinks to keep you warm all night. The best part is, this business is run by a St. Augustine family, so your ticket goes right back to supporting local Floridians. Support this family business and don’t miss out on the best Nights of Lights viewing. Click here to book your tour!
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