In the spirit of the season, the City of St. Augustine extends holiday greetings to residents and visitors alike. With a brief announcement made on their official social media channel, the city confirmed that "City offices are closed today through Friday, December 26, in observance of Christmas." For those enjoying the festive pause, a bit of housekeeping was in order: solid waste collection services have taken a holiday themselves today, and residential recycling pickups are not to make their rounds tomorrow, according to the City of St. Augustine - Government's post.
While trash bins sit idle, the holiday does bring a gift of sorts for those driving into this historic town. Parking, a perennial festive headache, is temporarily relieved as the city has decided to freely offer spots in city-owned lots and on-street spaces, with the Historic Downtown Parking Facility also joining in the gratis spirit. This exemption, posted on Facebook by the City of St. Augustine - Government, advises to "Please double‑check whether a lot is city‑owned or privately operated, as many private lots have strict towing policies," a reminder not to take the holiday cheer too far by assuming all parking is free.
Although most will get to park without reaching for their wallets, the Castillo de San Marcos lot has been singled out as the exception to the rule. The City of St. Augustine - Government's social media note was clear: "Parking fees remain in effect at the Castillo de San Marcos lot."
