Country Carriages Nights of Lights Tours

Country Carriages offers rides for one to four people in decorated carriages pulled by horses in holiday finery.

The carriages operate in the afternoons and evenings on Thursdays through Mondays. Country Carriages start and end their rides along the Bayfront, across from Meehan's.

The Details

• What: A 30-minute tour of downtown.
• Admission: $175.00 for up to four people.
• When: From 5:00 to 10:15 p.m. on Thursdays through Mondays, from November 17, 2025, to January 5, 2026, plus Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
• Where: Departing from the bayfront, between the Bridge of Lions and the Castillo de San Marcos, and returning to the same location.
• Contact: Call them at (904) 669-8619, or book a tour online.

Parking and Shuttles During Nights of Lights

Nights of Lights begins at dusk on Saturday, November 21, and ends on Monday, January 18, 2027. 

There are two types of bus routes:

1. Free Park and Ride Shuttles on select days. (See Below)
2. Free STAR Circulator Bus on a loop between the Visitor Information Center and Quality Inn and Suites at St. Augustine Beach, adjusted for Nights of Lights. (Go here to learn more.) 

Free Park and Ride Shuttles

How Does it Work?

• Park for free in one of the lots outside of town.
• Take a free shuttle bus to the Visitor Information Center, and enjoy all that Nights of Lights has to offer.
• Then, meet the free shuttle bus at the Visitor Center and ride back to your car. 

When Do the Free Shuttles Operate in 2026/27?

• 4:00 to 11:00 pm. on Light-Up! Night, November 21.
• 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on December 5 (the day of the Christmas Parade).
• 1:00 to 11:00 p.m. on the remaining 21 high-attendance days during Nights of Lights.
  • November: 27 and 28
  • December: 4, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31
  • January: 1 and 2

Where Will You Park? 

Three lots will be open on the days the shuttles operate:

• St. Johns County Health Department, 200 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, off U.S. 1
• Broudy's Lot, 198 West King Street, St. Augustine, off U.S. 1
• San Marco Lot, 301 San Marco Avenue, St. Augustine

Special Light-Up! Night Shuttle on Anastasia Island

On Saturday, November 21, 2026, park in one of two lots on Anastasia Island and use the Free Park-and-Ride Shuttle, provided by Historic Tours of America. This shuttle operates from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., traveling between the two lots and the east (Anastasia) side of the Bridge of Lions. You will have to walk across the bridge to get to town, and walk back across the bridge to pick up the shuttle when you want to return to your car.

• Anastasia Baptist Church, 1650 A1A South
• R.B. Hunt Elementary School, 125 Magnolia Drive (off A1A South)

Why Use the Lots and Shuttle Service?

• It's free.
• It's easy. You avoid the hassle of driving around (and around) the city streets looking for a parking spot.
• Third, Nights of Lights is a walking event and a tour event. Leave your car in a free lot, take a free shuttle to the Visitor Information Center, walk around town, and ride a trolley, a red train, a golf cart, or a pedi-cab.
• When the shuttles are operating, the parking garage charges $40.00 after 1:00 p.m. Before 1:00 p.m., and on any day the shuttles don't operate, the garage charges $20.00 for the day. 
• This fee does not apply to St. Johns County residents who have registered with ParkStAug. Residents are encouraged to register online or at the city office on Bridge Street before Nights of Lights starts. Having the ParkStAug app does not guarantee you a space in the garage.

Days of Unusually Heavy Traffic

Here are the special events that will impact the traffic and the shuttles:

• Light-UP! Night, Saturday, November 21, 2026, beginning at 4:00 p.m. Shuttles start at 4:00 p.m. See below for information about the special Park-and-Ride shuttle from Anastasia Island.
• Christmas Parade,  Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The shuttles start operating at 8:00 a.m. for the Christmas Parade.
• Regatta of Lights, Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Coming from Ponte Vedra? View the boats from the Vilano Fishing Pier. Coming from Anastasia? View the boats from the bridge. The viewing space on the bayfront is limited due to construction.