Every winter, St. Augustine puts on an amazing show. The entire historic district – every palm tree, every balcony, and every roof is covered with over three million white lights. It’s the “Nights of Lights,” and honestly, photos don’t do it justice. It is called one of the colorful and vibrant holiday events, and when you’re seeing thousands of glows in the Plaza, it’s hard to argue. The vibe is less commercial and more old-world enchantment.
“Illuminations this year”
This year, the lights started to glow on Sunday, November 16, 2025, and stay up to Sunday, January 11, 2026, so you have a big amount of time to catch and admire them. The main hub of the event is the Plaza de la Constitución – it’s where the huge tree is located and where you’ll find live music on weekends. It’s a lot of fun and pleasure just wandering around with hot cocoa and feeling this vibe fully.
For the best views, you’ve got options. The Old Town Trolley tour is a classic (and comes with those fun 3D glasses that turn lights into snowflakes), but walking the Bayfront or taking a carriage ride feels a bit more intimate. The lights turn on when it starts getting dark. If you want to find the place to park easily, you need to arrive before sunset.
“Beyond the Glow: Daytime Thrills & Evening Contrasts”
Let’s be honest, you can only stare at twinkling lights for so long before you need a break from the crowds (or just a place to feel your toes again). If you need a total vibe shift, head over to 100 St. George Street. There are spots here perfect for hitting pause on the holiday chaos, plus a few nearby gems to round out your evening.
First, strictly for a change of pace, there’s the Medieval Torture Museum. Visiting a dungeon during Christmas sounds weird, but it’s actually a place you need to visit. It have a 4.9 star rating, and not without reason. This museum is not some ordinary haunted house – it’s historically accurate dive into the past. If that feels a bit too heavy and has no match with your goals of relaxation, the Tiny Things Museum is right there in the same building. It’s quiet, weirdly stunning, and seeing art painted on a grain of rice is the kind of thing that makes you forget about the noise outside.
But if you are in the centre of the district, you can easily go to several interesting spots too. After walking a short distance from previous sights, you can get to the Pirate & Treasure Museum, which offers you view on another part of history. If you need to warm up with a drink, go to the St. Augustin Distillery for a free tour and tasting – it is located in a restored ice plant that looks incredible under the holiday lights, so you continue to feel the vibe. Finally, for such a good finish after all history, move to the Whetstone Chocolates on King Street for evening treat. Combining these stops creates you a wonderful weekend, without ever leaving the glow of the festival.
“There’s a reason people keep coming back to Nights of Lights – it’s the contrast. The warmth of millions of lights against the cool winter night feels comforting. But to really appreciate that warmth, a little bit of darkness helps. That’s why a stop at the Medieval Torture Museum actually fits perfectly. You step out of the stark, brutal history of the past and back into the glowing, hopeful present of the city. It makes the lights feel even brighter. And for those who want magic without the macabre, the Tiny Things museum offers that same sense of wonder, just on a microscopic scale.” Author: Dr. Felix Thorne Specialist in Visual Culture & Museum Experience Design.
