The Fur-Bearing Trout: Fact, Folklore, or Fuzzy Fish Tale?
From Nation, For Nation - Pulse of the Nation
Graveyard Goodies: Gravestone Recipes, Some recipes are so good, they get taken to the grave.
All Aboard the Red Train: Your Front-Row Seat to St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights
It's that time of year again, when St. Augustine feels straight out of a storybook! That's right, Nights of Lights is back! More than two million white lights blanket the Nation’s Oldest City, turning every street, sidewalk, and rooftop into a glowing holiday wonderland.
And the best way to see it all? Aboard Ripley’s iconic Red Train!
Whether you're a longtime local or just someone who loves a good glittering spectacle, this is the tour to put at the top of your festive bucket list.
Reserve Your Row
Reservations are made by row, not by person.
That means:
-->Your row = your space.
-->Up to four guests can ride together.
-->Each row measures 68 inches long.
-->You can book multiple rows for bigger groups.
-->It’s cozy, convenient, and perfect for families, date nights, and festive friend outings.
What to Expect on the Nights of Lights Tour
From the moment the Red Train pulls out of Ripley's Believe It or Not! St. Augustine at 19 San Marco Ave, the holiday magic starts in full force!
Here’s the vibe:
-->A 30-minute ride packed with twinkling lights.
-->Complimentary magic glasses that transform every bulb into dancing holiday shapes.
-->Your favorite Christmas tunes filling the air.
-->A ride across 20 glowing blocks of historic St. Augustine.
-->Lights recognized by National Geographic as one of the Top 10 Holiday Displays in the World.
Every corner is a photo op, and every stretch of the city feels like a real-life snow globe, minus the snow. The tour runs nightly at 6 p.m. from November 16 through January 10, with a break on Christmas Day.
Rockin’ Red New Year's: Keep the Sparkle Going
Can’t make it before Christmas? No problem!
From December 31 to January 10, Ripley’s Red Train transforms into the Rockin’ Red New Year's ride, same glow, same magic, just with that “new year, new train” energy. →
From Globe, For Globe - Pulse of the Planet
From a tech giant's fail to the Liberty Bell being sold, you don't want to miss out on these pranksters!
Ahh, April 1st, a pranksters' paradise. It’s the one day of the year where jokes are welcomed and trust issues rise. But while most April Fools’ pranks result in harmless laughs, some go terribly wrong.
From fake murder confessions to job-losing gags, these five pranks prove that sometimes, the joke isn’t worth the punchline.
1. Google’s Mic Drop (2016)
Tech giant Google is known for its creative and quirky April Fools’ pranks, but in 2016, they took it a step too far. They introduced a “Mic Drop” feature in Gmail that inserted a GIF of a Minion from Despicable Me dropping a microphone-and then prevented recipients from replying.
What seemed like a lighthearted joke led to serious misunderstandings. Users unknowingly "mic-dropped" their bosses, clients, and even grieving family members. The backlash was swift, and Google had to issue an apology, admitting that the prank had caused "more headaches than laughs."
2. A Murder Confession That Wasn’t (2013)
Susan Tammy Hudson of Kingsport, Tennessee, thought she was being funny when she called her sister on April 1st and declared, “I shot my husband. I’m cleaning up the mess-let’s go bury him in Blackwater.”
Unfortunately, her sister didn’t find it amusing and alerted the authorities. Police quickly swarmed Hudson’s home, only to find her husband alive and well. While no charges were filed, this prank highlighted a key lesson: Maybe don’t joke about murder?
3. The Fake Astrologer Death Announcement (1708)
Long before viral hoaxes were a thing, Jonathan Swift-the author of Gulliver’s Travels-pulled off an elaborate April Fools’ prank under the pseudonym "Isaac Bickerstaff." He predicted that famous astrologer John Partridge would die on March 29. On March 30, an anonymous letter confirmed Partridge’s "death." By April 1st, someone even knocked on his door to arrange his funeral!
Though Partridge was very much alive, the hoax stuck, and he spent years convincing people he wasn’t a ghost. Ironically, he died seven years later-never knowing who Isaac Bickerstaff really was.
4. A Radio Prank That Caused Panic (2002)
Two Kansas City radio DJs thought it would be hilarious to warn listeners that the local water supply had been contaminated with "dihydrogen monoxide" (DHMO).
While the name sounds terrifying, DHMO is just plain old H2O-water. Unfortunately, hundreds of panicked citizens flooded the police department with calls. Officials weren’t amused and labeled the prank as "irresponsible." A similar prank in Florida over a decade later got two DJs taken off the air and nearly hit with felony charges.
5. The Taco Liberty Bell (1996)
In 1996, Taco Bell took out full-page ads claiming they had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the "Taco Liberty Bell." Outraged citizens flooded the National Park Service with calls-until Taco Bell revealed it was an April Fools' prank.
The Takeaway: Think Before You Prank
April Fools’ Day is all fun and games-until someone ends up in police custody, fired, or struggling to prove they’re not actually dead.
The best pranks are lighthearted and leave everyone laughing, not calling 911. So before you go full trickster mode, remember: A good joke doesn’t need a rescue team!
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