St. Augustine Carriage ToursSt Augustine Nights of Lights Tour by Electric Cart
This St Augustine Nights of Lights tour rides through the holiday lights in a small electric cart rather than a horse-drawn carriage. St Augustine Land and Sea Tours runs it as a 45-minute loop from the waterfront at 2 Artillery Lane, past the Plaza de la Constitución, Flagler College and the Lightner Museum, with Christmas songs on board. The price is $42 per person and the driver answers questions but does not narrate. This page sets out what the price covers, the route, the parking situation in season and who should book a different ride, including the Nights of Lights trolley and the private history carriage. Compare it with the other St. Augustine carriage tours compared.
About This Tour
St Augustine Land and Sea Tours runs this 45-minute electric cart ride through the Nights of Lights from 2 Artillery Lane by the waterfront. The cart loops through the Plaza de la Constitución and past Flagler College and the Lightner Museum, and Christmas songs play during the ride. The listing caps it at 10 participants and calls it a small group.
The ride is not narrated. The driver-guide answers questions, and the cost is per person, so a couple pays for two seats. Seatbelts are mandatory and each row takes a maximum of 600 lbs, about 270 kg. It runs only during the Nights of Lights season and the listing says to bring a jacket.
$42 per person. The listing does not offer a private cart rate for this ride.
45 minutes. The listing gives no clock times, so check availability for starting times.
2 Artillery Ln, St. Augustine, FL 32084, by the waterfront. You check in in person. There is no hotel pickup.
Shared small group, limited to 10 participants. Not private. Each row takes a maximum of 600 lbs (about 270 kg) and seatbelts are mandatory.
Food, snacks and drinks are not included. Parking and tips are also not covered. You can walk to the lights for free without a ticket, so the price buys the seat and the driver.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund. Reserve now and pay later is available.
Check Dates and Availability
The ride runs only in the Nights of Lights season and the listing publishes no fixed departure times. Check availability for dates and starting times.
Quick answer Price, length and what to know
This St Augustine Nights of Lights tour costs $42 per person, lasts 45 minutes and leaves from 2 Artillery Ln in a shared electric cart limited to 10 participants. It runs only during the Nights of Lights season.
Key takeaways
- The ride is not narrated. The driver answers questions, so if you want a full commentary look at the private electric cart tour instead.
- Parking downtown is the hard part in season. Read St. Augustine parking before you drive, including the city's free Park & Ride shuttle, whose 2026-27 lots were not yet published.
- If you want a whole row to yourselves, compare the Nights of Lights trolley, priced per private row of up to 4.
What the Price Covers
The figures here come from the GetYourGuide listing for this ride, checked against the operator's own included and excluded lines.
What $42 Buys
The price is $42 per person, not per cart, so every rider pays. There is no per-group rate on this listing, unlike the trolley, which sells a whole row. Included in the price are the seat on the cart, the driver-guide, the 45-minute ride and the Christmas songs. Reserve now and pay later is available and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start.
Not included: food, snacks and drinks, tips, and parking. No entry fees apply because you pass the landmarks without going inside any of them. The listing asks you to bring a jacket and weather-appropriate clothing.
One honest note: viewing the lights is free on foot and no ticket is required for the display itself, so the money buys the seat, the driver and the routing. That is a fair trade in cold or crowded weather, less so on a warm quiet weeknight.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seat on the electric cart | Yes | Shared small group, limited to 10 participants |
| Driver-guide | Yes | English. Answers questions but does not narrate |
| 45-minute ride | Yes | Loop from the waterfront, back at the start point |
| Christmas songs | Yes | Part of the ride as listed |
| Food, snacks and drinks | No | Bring your own, or eat before |
| Parking | No | Garage and meter fees are paid separately |
| Tips | No | Not covered by the listing |
| Hotel pickup | No | You meet at 2 Artillery Ln and check in in person |
Sources: Wikipedia, St. Augustine, Florida, City of St. Augustine
The Ponce de Leon Hotel, now Flagler College. Photo: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Route and What You Pass
The listing describes a loop from the waterfront at 2 Artillery Lane through the Plaza de la Constitución and past Flagler College and the Lightner Building. These are all pass-bys from the cart. The listing does not state that you get off anywhere, so plan on seeing them lit up from the street.
Landmarks on the Loop
The ride starts at the St. Augustine waterfront on Artillery Lane, drives through the Plaza de la Constitución with its Christmas tree, and passes Flagler College and the Lightner Building among other sites. All of these are viewings from the cart. If you want to go inside Flagler College, its own historic tours run about 45 to 60 minutes by day and are a separate activity.
For more on the streets and squares in between, see the St. Augustine historic district guide.
| Stop | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Artillery Ln | The start point by the St. Augustine waterfront. You check in in person | Listing |
| Plaza de la Constitución | Laid out in 1573 under Spanish Royal Ordinances and a National Historic Landmark since 1970 | Floridas Historic Coast |
| Constitution Monument | An obelisk in the Plaza built in 1813, believed to be the only surviving monument of its kind | Floridas Historic Coast |
| Flagler College | Occupies the Ponce de Leon Hotel, built in 1888 by Henry Flagler and designed by Carrere and Hastings, now a National Historic Landmark | Wikipedia |
| Lightner Museum | The building was completed in 1887 as the Hotel Alcazar, designed by Carrere and Hastings | Wikipedia |
Who This Ride Suits and Who It Does Not
This listing fits some travellers well and others badly. The honest limits are below, each with a better-matched alternative.
Book It If
You want a short, cheap holiday ride at $42 per person in a small group capped at 10, with free cancellation 24 hours out. It suits couples and small parties who are happy to sit with strangers and do not need a scripted commentary, since the driver answers questions instead. Because it is an electric cart rather than a horse-drawn carriage, there are no horse welfare questions to weigh.
If the season itself is what you are researching, start with the St. Augustine Nights of Lights guide.
Look Elsewhere If
If you want a driver who narrates the whole route, book the private electric cart tour, a 90-minute private ride for up to 7 at $200 per cart. If you want a private vehicle for your own party on a holiday route, the Nights of Lights trolley sells a private row of up to 4 for $81 with cider and cookies. If you came specifically for horses, the horse-drawn carriage history tour is a private 45-minute carriage at $175 per carriage, though it is not a seasonal lights ride.
And if your dates fall outside the season, this cart does not run at all. The Waterfront Golf Cart Tour is the same operator's daytime option.
Know Before You Pay
Seating is shared and the listing does not guarantee that your party sits together in one row. The row weight limit of 600 lbs means larger parties may be split across rows. There is no hotel pickup, no food or drinks, and no stated minimum age, which is a gap rather than a promise.
At 45 minutes it is a short ride, so it works best as one part of an evening rather than the whole plan.
Parking, Weather and Timing
Everything here comes from city and tourism sources. The start point at 2 Artillery Lane is downtown, so plan the car before the ride.
Parking Near 2 Artillery Lane
The Historic Downtown Parking Facility at 1 Cordova Street holds 1,200 spaces and is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The city lists daytime entries from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at $20 per vehicle (one Visit St. Augustine guide calls it a day rate), and the 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. rate is $5 off-peak, but that $5 rate does not apply during Nights of Lights, so expect the higher rate in season. On shuttle days last season the garage charged $40 for entries at or after 1 p.m.
Street meters cost $2.50 per hour for non-residents, free before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday. The free STAR Circulator bus runs daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The city also runs a free Park & Ride shuttle in season, though the 2026-27 lots and schedules were not yet published. Details are in the St. Augustine parking guide. Do not park in resident-only neighborhoods, where vehicles without a resident tag are fined $100 during Nights of Lights.
Weather and What to Wear
The season runs from Saturday November 21, 2026 through January 18, 2027. Nights then are cool. January averages a daily high of 19.7°C (67.5°F) and a low of 8.8°C (47.8°F), and December sits close to that.
The listing itself says to bring a jacket, and one open cart in moving air feels colder than the numbers suggest. Rain is possible in any month.
Crowds and Timing
The city suggests visiting Monday through Thursday for shorter waits, less traffic and easier parking. Light-Up! Night on Saturday November 21, 2026 brings the lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at the Plaza, which is on this route.
More than three million white lights decorate the historic district, including rooftops, oaks and the Bridge of Lions. The full picture is in the St. Augustine Nights of Lights guide, and more evening ideas are under things to do in St. Augustine.
How the Ride Runs
The listing gives the length, the start point and the loop but no clock times. Starting times vary, so check availability.
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Before
Book and plan the car
Reserve a seat at $42 per person. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start. Sort parking in advance, because the $5 evening garage rate does not apply during the festival and the free shuttle schedule for 2026-27 was not yet published.
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Meeting point
Check in at 2 Artillery Ln
The meeting point is 2 Artillery Ln, St. Augustine, FL 32084, by the waterfront. Check-in must be done in person. There is no pickup, so arrive with time to park and walk.
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Boarding
Seatbelts and rows
Seatbelts are mandatory. Each row takes a maximum of 600 lbs, about 270 kg, and the cart is limited to 10 participants. Parties may be split across rows.
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First stretch
Waterfront to the Plaza
The cart leaves the waterfront and drives through the Plaza de la Constitución, where the city Christmas tree and thousands of lights on the surrounding trees and foliage are the centrepiece.
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Midway
Flagler College and the Lightner Building
The loop passes Flagler College and the Lightner Building among other sites, all viewed from the cart with Christmas songs playing. The driver is not narrating, but answers questions.
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Back at the start
Return to Artillery Lane
The 45-minute ride ends back at the start point. The lights stay on across the season, so a walk along St. George Street or the bayfront afterwards costs nothing.
Pros and Cons
A straight read of this listing against what it costs and what it leaves out.
What we genuinely like
- Cheap for a holiday ride at $42 per person, with free cancellation 24 hours out and reserve now pay later
- Small group capped at 10 participants, a quieter format than a big trolley
- 45 minutes is long enough for the lights loop without taking a whole evening
- An electric cart means no horse welfare questions, unlike a carriage ride
- A driver-guide who answers questions, with Christmas songs on board
The honest downsides
- The ride is not narrated, so history buffs get far less than on a dedicated history tour
- Shared seating, and the 600 lb per row limit means your party may not sit together
- Runs only in the Nights of Lights season, so dates are tight
- No hotel pickup, and downtown parking in season is expensive and busy
- No food, drinks or snacks, and the listing names no stops where you get off
- The listing states no minimum age and no wheelchair policy, both unstated rather than guaranteed
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who want a narrated, private or horse-drawn ride, or anyone travelling outside the Nights of Lights season.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this Nights of Lights electric cart tour cost?
It is $42 per person for the 45-minute ride, so every rider pays. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start. For a whole private row instead of per-person seats, compare the Nights of Lights trolley.
Where does the tour start and how do I check in?
It starts at 2 Artillery Ln, St. Augustine, FL 32084, by the waterfront, and check-in must be done in person. There is no hotel pickup. Parking options near the start are covered in the St. Augustine parking guide.
Is the ride narrated?
No. The listing states the tour is not narrated, but the driver-guide will answer questions. If you want a full guided commentary, the private electric cart tour is a narrated 90-minute option.
When does this tour run?
It runs only during the Nights of Lights season, which for 2026-27 runs from November 21, 2026 through January 18, 2027. Starting times are not fixed on the listing, so check availability. The season itself is described in the St. Augustine Nights of Lights guide.
Can my family sit together in the cart?
The listing does not guarantee it. Seating is shared, the cart is limited to 10 participants, and each row takes a maximum of 600 lbs, about 270 kg, so larger parties may be split across rows. A private row of up to 4 is sold on the Nights of Lights trolley.
Is there a horse pulling this ride?
No. This is an electric cart with a driver-guide, so the city's carriage rules and horse heat limits do not apply to it. Travelers who specifically want horses can look at the private horse-drawn carriage history tour.
What should I bring and what is not included?
The listing says to bring a jacket and weather-appropriate clothing, and January nights average a low of 8.8°C (47.8°F). Food, snacks and drinks are not included, and neither are tips or parking. See also things to do in St. Augustine for the rest of an evening.
What Travelers Said
Loved the tour and the guide Mr Robert! Had a group of 6. Had fun and learned some facts along the way! Got us in the holiday spirit.
really enjoyed the ride thru town to see the lights up close
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