St Augustine Nights of Lights 2018: Things to Do

St Augustine Nights of Lights 2018: Things to Do

Visiting St. Augustine for the 2018 Nights of Lights? You’ll find lots of other things to do and holiday events to enjoy, as well. St. Augustine hosts Candelight Tours at Villa Zorayda, Tree Lighting Under the Sea at the Aquarium, Colonial Night Watch Weekend, Luminary Night at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, the Regatta of Lights, and more.  Casa de Solana Bed and Breakfast, just two blocks from the Plaza de la Constitución in the historic district, is the perfect hotel location for enjoying these events, as well as seeing the Nights of Lights from Saturday, November 17, 2018, to Sunday, February 3, 2019.

The  9th Annual Candlelight Tours at Villa Zorayda will be offered on select evenings between November 23, 2018, and January 5, 2019. The grand Villa Zorayda, built during the 1880s in the Moorish Spanish revival style, was patterned after design the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. Candles illuminate the docent-guided tours through the museum, including the Court of Lions with its spectacular red and gold Christmas tree. Most tours begin at 6:00 pm and last about 90 minutes. Saturday tours typically include refreshments of homemade cookies and punch prior to the tour.
Admission: Tours without Refreshments: Adults $17.00, children ages 7-12, $8.00
Tours with Refreshments: Adults: $19.99, children ages 7-12, $9.00, no charge for children ages 4-6.
Reservations are required; contact the Museum at 904-829-9887 (tickets are not available online).

The St. Augustine Aquarium will host Tree Lighting Under the Sea on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5 pm – 8 pm from December 1, 2018 until December 29, 2018. Watch Santa and his mermaids decorate the underwater tree with lights, and enjoy caroling, refreshments, holiday stories and more. See the website for additional information.

Craft beer lovers are in for a special treat during the Nights of Lights this year. Local St. Augustine breweries will host the 2nd Annual Nights of Pints.  Purchase a commemorative t-shirt and receive one draft beer on the house at each of four breweries. Participating breweries include Ancient City Brewing Taproom, Bog Brewing CompanyDog Rose Brewing Company, and Old Coast Ales. The proximity of all four breweries to downtown makes it easy for Nights of Lights visitors to stop by while they enjoy the festival. Cost: Shirt, $30. Admission to breweries is free.

You’ll find plenty of things to do to fill your days as well as nights this holiday season. Here are just some of the fun, FREE things to do in St. Augustine: Enjoy St. Augustine Beach and Anastasia Island, check out the fishing (and spectacular sunsets) at Vilano Beach Fishing Pier, tour the San Sebastian Winery, and take a leisurely walking tour to see the historic city at your own pace. Visit our Things to Do Page to see the long list of other possibilities.
At Casa de Solana, we promise you’ll start each of your busy days with our complimentary homemade breakfasts, and look forward to relaxing afterward during our wine and cheese social hour every afternoon. Use of bikes, beach towels, WiFi, and off-site parking are complimentary, too. The holiday celebrations and Nights of Lights in St. Augustine are spectacular, so don’t wait to give us a call at (904) 824-3555, or go online and book your stay!

Photo by Aaron Burden on UnSplash