ST. AUGUSTINE – People travel to St. Augustine, Fla. to see the town illuminated with holiday decor for the Nights of Lights celebration while locals deal with excessive traffic and poor treatment by some tourists.
St. Augustine, the oldest city in the nation, concluded its annual Nights of Lights celebration on Jan. 26, 2025. Tourists came to take in one of the top ten holiday displays in the world, according to National Geographic. But for the locals, this busy season makes them feel unwelcome in their town.
Tourists come to St. Augustine for more than the holiday celebration, the town has a vibrant community of local shops and a welcoming atmosphere. “I love seeing the community here,” said Fort Myers resident Skyler Hartwigh. “Especially all of the dogs.”
Ally Romero, a resident of Fort Lauderdale, visited the city months before the celebration and enjoyed the city’s charm but wasn’t too impressed with the Nights of Lights decoration. “I was expecting more light installation,” said Romero, “I was a bit underwhelmed.”
Residents enjoy the celebration but advise tourists and the city to be courteous towards them. “The city needs to pay more attention to the locals,” said Javier Pinto. “The traffic is unbearable.”
Due to the influx of visitors, downtown business employees are late for work and have difficulty finding parking. Workers appreciate the life tourism brings to the town, but feel visitors don’t appreciate them the same.
“The people are the best and worst part,” said downtown barista Emma Begley. “You’ll meet the most interesting and worst people you’ve ever met.”