Nights of Lights in St. Augustine

It is that time of year again, and when the temperatures finally begin to drop, the elves seem to come out at night and string millions of tiny white lights throughout historic St. Augustine.

Nights of Lights has become one of the city's great holiday traditions. Visitors come from near and far to walk the old streets, enjoy the decorations, visit the restaurants and shops, and see the Ancient City transformed for the holidays.

Of course, all those visitors bring something else with them: traffic.

Downtown becomes especially busy during Nights of Lights. Pedestrians are everywhere, parking becomes harder to find, and streets that were laid out centuries ago suddenly have to accommodate modern holiday crowds. Drivers should slow down, watch carefully for people crossing the street and bring a little extra patience.

The best way to enjoy the evening is to plan ahead. Check current City of St. Augustine information for parking, transportation and special-event arrangements before heading downtown.

Once you arrive, park the car—or leave it behind altogether—and enjoy the city on foot. The Plaza, bayfront, historic streets, restaurants and shops are all part of the experience.

For those of us driving taxis, Nights of Lights means long hours, heavy traffic and plenty of new faces climbing into the cab. It is also one of those times when St. Augustine reminds us why so many people travel here in the first place.

Happy holidays to the friends we already know and the new ones we will meet along the way.

Enjoy the lights, enjoy St. Augustine, and please travel safely.

Abraxi Taxiom: The brighter the lights, the slower you drive.