Christmas in St. Augustine, Florida
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Christmas in Florida is tough for me because the warm weather makes it hard for me to get into the holiday spirit! I Come with me to find holiday cheer at Christmas in St. Augustine, Florida.
St. Augustine Night of Lights
Foregoing the trolley tour, I chose to walk and experience the St. Augustine Night of Lights and it was so magical! However, while I was walking to the Lightner Museum, I was passed by the Grinch driving a golf cart full of guests for a Night of Lights tour and I can’t tell you how sad I was to discover that the Very Un-Merry GrinchMas Ride was sold out the night I was there because the Grinch was a riot! So if you’re a fan of Grinch-style sass, that would be my suggestion as a fun way to see the lights!
Night of Lights Holiday Market in the Colonial Quarter
Located in the historic district, this small market was in its first year when I visited and there’s definitely room to grow! There were just a handful of vendors in the small space just off St. George Street and while they were lovely, they need a larger showing to make the market a true destination. I was there on a Thursday night, so it’s possible that there are more vendors on the weekends. If you had a different experience, drop me a comment as I’d love to know if it’s worth going back to next year!
Hours: 3-9 PM Sunday through Thursday and 3-10 PM Friday through Saturday from November 23, 2024, through January 1, 2025.
Holiday Market at the Lightner Museum
The Lightner Museum’s Annual Holiday Market is a one-night event each December. Held inside the Lightner Museum, I enjoyed browsing the 35 vendors and doing a little holiday shopping! If you’ve got little ones, there’s a Kid’s Corner where they can write letters to Santa and do fun holiday crafts! This was a much more extensive market than the Colonial Quarter market and I would strongly suggest planning your visit so you can shop at the Lightner Market!
Date: December 5, 2024 from 5:30 – 8 PM
Miracle Pop-Up at Forgotten Tonic
Of course, I had to stop in for a Christmas cocktail at the Miracle Pop-Up at Forgotten Tonic! These Christmas-themed pop-ups happen in a variety of cities and sipping on a festive cocktail from a Christmas-themed dinosaur mug was just the dose of holiday cheer I needed!
It was a quick overnight escape, but it left me feeling far more festive!
Stay: The Local St Augustine! See what I loved about my stay at this retro Florida motel!
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Lori Barbely
Hi, I’m Lori. But you can call me Lors. I’m a middle-aged New Jersey-born gal, currently based in Orlando, Florida. My background is in editorial travel photography and writing and I've been to more than 30 countries. I’m obsessed with tropical locales and my favorite city is Tokyo. Have camera, will travel! I’m a Disney adult, Lord of the Rings fan, certified crazy cat lady, and sushi addict! I hope this blog inspires your wanderlust. Feel free to follow me on Instagram for snippets of daily life on and off the road.
