Schooner Freedom Nights of Lights

The Schooner Freedom offers a two-hour Nights of Lights Sunset Sail from November 21, 2026, through January 18, 2027. 

The double-masted Schooner Freedom is an authentic replica of a 19th-century blockade-runner, built in the 1980s in Virginia. The Schooner Freedom Nights of Lights Sunset cruise departs the dock at 4:15 p.m. and returns at 6:15 p.m. The crew offers complimentary refreshments, warm blankets, and Christmas cheer.

The Details

• What: This two-hour Schooner Freedom Sunset/Nights of Lights Sail takes place on a 41-passenger schooner, decorated from stem to stern with lights.
• Admission: $75.00 per person plus tax.
• When: The Sunset Nights of Lights cruise leaves the dock at 5:15 p.m. on Light Up! Night, November 21. The ship leaves the dock at 4:15 p.m., from November 22, 2026, through January 18, 2027.
• Exceptions: There are no tours on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day. Select days are blocked due to private charters.
• Where: Departing from the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, 111 Avenida Menendez. There is limited metered parking nearby. Please allow plenty of time to park your vehicle or ride the shuttle downtown.
• Contact: Call (904) 810-1010, or go to their website to purchase tickets. You can also purchase tickets at their ticket office at the marina.
• Special Trips: The Schooner Freedom takes passengers on the Regatta of Lights for $80.00 per person.

Above photo courtesy of Cody Burgdorf.

Nights of Lights Free Parking and Shuttles for 2026/27

Learn about how the free park-and-ride shuttles, the STAR beach circulator, and the parking garage operate during Nights of Lights.

Nights of Lights begins at dusk on Saturday, November 21, and ends on Monday, January 18, 2027. Here are the special events that will impact the traffic and the shuttles:

• Saturday, November 21, 2026, beginning at 4:00 p.m.—Light-UP! Night
• Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 9:00 p.m.—Christmas Parade
• Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.—Regatta of Lights

Free Parking and Two Types of Free Shuttles

1. Free parking and free shuttle rides to and from your car are available on select days during Nights of Lights. 
2. On Anastasia Island, the free STAR Beach Shuttle travels in a loop during Nights of Lights. That shuttle runs on a loop on Anastasia Island, picking people up and dropping them off on the east side of the bridge.

Parking Lots and Shuttle Rides 

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?

From 4:00 to 11:00 pm. on Light-Up! Night, November 21. From 1:00 to 11:00 p.m. on the remaining 21 high-attendance days during Nights of Lights. From 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on December 5 (the day of the Christmas Parade).

• November: 21, 27, and 28
• December: 4, 5, 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 when 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.

STAR Beach Shuttle for Nights of Lights

During the Nights of Lights Season, the STAR bus circulates on an Anastasia Island route, beginning at 5:00 p.m.

• The shuttle heads from the Bridge of Lions on A1A to The Quality Inn & Suites, 901 A1A Beach Blvd., stopping at several locations on the way. 
• At the Quality Inn, the shuttle turns back toward the Bridge of Lions, stopping at other locations along the way. 
• All passengers disembark near the Bridge of Lions, and the shuttle turns back to make another loop.
• Things to know about the loop:
  • Most stops don't have public parking, but are within walking distance of parking either in a lot or on a street. Do not park in a hotel lot unless you are a guest. You will be towed.
  • The stop near the Bridge of Lions is a 5- to 10-minute walk from the bridge. To get downtown, you have to walk across the bridge. It's a great opportunity to view the lights.
  • The bus will not make additional stops. You cannot flag it down and have to get on or off at a designated stop.

The STAR Circulator does not operate on New Year's Eve due to the fireworks on St. Augustine Beach.