Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Denver Zoo Lights

    3.8 (116 reviews)
    Open 4:30 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Denver Zoo Lights Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Denver Zoo Lights

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Zoo lights walkway
    Aundya A.

    Such a great way to spend time with friends and families during the holidays. The animals were mostly active but a couple were sleeping already after 7/8 PM. Definitely recommend getting a Peppermint Spiked Hot Chocolate at the stand when you first walk in to the right. If you don't want the commemorative cup, you can pay half the price for a regular cup of spiked hot chocolate in the grill.

    Lights
    Abram W.

    Went For The Lights They Were Cool and Staff was very nice experience , they kept other parts of the zoo open which was cool and got to see some animals

    Sonja A.

    Zoo Lights is always a fantastic holiday event. Bright lights, hot drinks and cozy fireside barrels for smores.... Average walk through time is 1.5hours however we stayed for a good three. Tropical Discovery was open to viewing, we saw Dobby and the gang at Giraffe Meadows, sang lullabies to Ruby the Rhino and paid seasons greetings to the twins on Sheep Mountain. The lights were beautiful with the into to Aurora Borealis display and while not controlled by the zoo keepers (maybe?) Mother Nature gave us a wonderful evening for the walk. We were originally planning to attend the first Tuesday of member week, but because of a snow storm, we had to reschedule. Doing that was so easy and the representative most accommodating at rescheduling our visit. That was most appreciated. 2022 was a wonderful display and as usual, will be back again next year for the experience!

    Giraffe house
    Tiffany A.

    Went with another couple tonight and this was our second time in the last few years. It's definitely a fun, festive event but it was so crowded - even on a Wednesday! I think this is a step above other light displays (ie Botanic Gardens) because in addition to seeing lights, you also get to see animals. However, there was a lot of construction going on/closed off areas. We got to see giraffes and elephants up close which was pretty cool! We probably spent about an hour and a half walking the whole loop. Wish there were a few more animals active and about but it was dark and they were in their enclosures for the night already. Overall fun experience!

    Alexa S.

    We go to this every year, and it is always a fun event to check out with your family and friends. Even when it is cold, it is fun to walk around the zoo with some hot cocoa or spiked hot cocoa and see all the lights on display. Some of the inside exhibits are also open and nice and warm. Not everything is open, so it doesn't feel like an all night event, but a good amount is, and the light are always exciting to see.

    Trippy trees
    Mateo E.

    2020 is the first Christmas my three-year old son will remember, so we've been at work making it one to remember. The Zoo Lights kicked off Christmas Eve with a flash, the first step to an amazing Christmas holiday. This was my first rodeo at the Zoo Lights, so we weren't sure what to expect. While we only saw one elephant and a couple rhinos, there weren't many people around, either. The limited number of tickets and emphasis on social distancing gave us the time and space to truly enjoy this magical landscape at our own pace. My son bounded from feature to feature, often (like his dad) with mouth agape, just staring at the colors as he walked. He was bummed that the train wasn't running, but more than happy to take a ride on the carousel. He had a blast. Mission accomplished! P.S. This would be an awesome place for a date.

    Tree lanterns

    Second time going. The first time was 4 or more years ago. Here's are some tips: DO get the family s'mores package $12.99 / 4 servings DO get the souvenir Zoo cup ($12.99) as refills are discounted to $6.99.....if it's cold you will need it. The hot spiked chocolate was substantially better than the spiked cider. You will be outside walking - A LOT It will inevitably be COLDER at night than during the day - dress appropriately. DO NOT get their donuts - they don't make them / not even warm/hot. And finally - yes it it a zoo....but like you and I, when it gets cold and dark the animals (many of which are not native to here) don't want to be on display for you...so you may only see a few BE PREPARED!!!! This event is NOT for viewing animals. There are several INDOOR animal exhibits open and you will see some animals, but it's NOT like the entire zoo animal population is out there.

    Zoo lights
    Bonni R.

    I have always loved the Denver Zoo and all their events, and Zoo Lights is no exception. This visit was on a "members only" night and even with lots of people it didn't feel too crowded. There is plenty of free parking and there wasn't a line to get in so we just walked right in about 5 minutes before our timed entry. The lights were beautiful and there were a few themed areas - like the "under the sea" area with Caribbean music playing. Almost every family had a stroller or wagon but the walkways are wide and we never felt boxed in. There were quite a few snack/drink/light up toy vendors and they even had an area with tall fire pit type hand warming stations (see my picture). Hot chocolate, apple cider and cocktails were widely available and we enjoyed a funnel cake. A few of the animals were out - including two of the elephants, who were playing in the dark. The giraffe house was open and that's always a favorite. We even watched a hippo playing underwater and some sleeping sea lions. The train was running but the line for that was longer than we wanted to wait. It was a fun evening and I look forward to this event every year.

    Alisa J.

    The Denver Zoo Lights are fun for any age and exciting. I loved seeing the whole property covered in lights and it was so much fun to walk around and see the animals that were still out too. They had free hot chocolate and we bought snacks from the vendors. Overall a great experience and I would go back. The designs were interactive and the music was fun. I think it's one of the better lights displays in Denver.

    Lights
    Lauren Z.

    It can be a little sad seeing the animals are in cages at night, but the lights really are beautiful. Seeing some of the animals is optional. I recommend going when it's not too cold, and you can really walk around for a while. When we went, we got a hot chocolate, and It kept my hands warm the entire time. The lights feature a ton of animals which is really fun for kids. If you're CU alumni, go on CU night for an extra fun experience! Gorgeous. So the only reason I'm knocking it a star is Because part of the back half really has no lights and we were a little confused where they all went. But the front half is incredible! Will continue going back.

    No crowds in November 2020. Much more enjoyable this year than in previous years.
    Nancy C.

    This review is specifically for Zoo Lights 2020, which was a vastly superior experience to my experience last year. COVID-19 may have forced the situation, but the limited number of tickets and timed entry really helped meter out the crowds for both the parking lot and the zoo itself. Last year, we circled around and around for a parking spot and wanted to give up except that we didn't want to flake on the friends who were also attending. This year, we pulled right into a spot upon entering the lot. Last year, we spent the entire time just trying to slowly make our way through the crowds to get to the exit, so we didn't even pay attention to the lights. We were just trying to get some breathing room and move along in hopes that we could finally leave and go home. This year, we got to walk at our own pace and take in all the beautiful light displays. There were times when our family got a small area to ourselves. In the picture I posted, I'm the person in the bottom left and you can see the empty stretch ahead of me. I felt like I was seeing the displays for the first time because I honestly cannot remember one display from last year. Here are some of my favorites: + The abominable snowman. My toddler insisted on watching this one for a while. First you hear rustling. Then you hear footsteps as the footstep lights simulate an invisible abominable snowman walking. Then you see the snowman and hear his roar! + The gorgeous flower lanterns in the Elephant area. + The sea animals display. While there obviously weren't that many animals out, we still got to see the giraffes, penguins, lions, sea lions, and birds. There are also ice sculptures in the sting ray area, but there were still a work in progress the day after Thanksgiving. I would have loved to see the final product, though it was cool to see the artist sculpting away. Highly recommended. We'd love to make visiting Zoo Lights a holiday tradition, as long as the timed tickets stay in place and they continue to limit the number of tickets available for any given time.

    James S.

    Great to take in the festive lights and see a few animals at night. While the lit trees were nice to see the best displays were animal related designs. Some even had fish flying through the air or animals bouncing up and down. For the grown ups they had spiked hot chocolate and for the families they had s'mores packs and fire pits. It was a nice way to spend an evening. Not sure I would go on a cold and windy night.

    See all

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon A.
    18
    8
    0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M. C.
    1
    279
    22

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan S.
    1000
    67
    185

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan T.
    0
    16
    0

    1 year ago

    They did an incredible job! I was very impressed by the lights, organization and flow. My kids loved it!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alisa J.
    241
    1905
    6829

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bay M.
    473
    904
    6508

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeffrey S.
    3071
    2527
    8089

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 16
    Thanks 0
    Love this 19
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Megan R.
    4864
    950
    3723

    8 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Abby S.
    3637
    2530
    7144

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Denver Zoo Lights

    Does the train run during zoo lights?

    Yes. We were there Thursday night for the 6:30 entry. Both the train and carousel were both running albeit with long lines.

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Denver Zoo Lights

    We walked the full loop, hot cocoa in hand, music playing, and enjoyed all of the LED animals!

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Festivals 2,438 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Denver Chalk Art Festival

    Denver Chalk Art Festival

    4.4(34 reviews)
    2.3 miGolden Triangle, Southwest

    This is a quintessential cultural event must-do for anyone in Denver. Started over 20 years ago,…read morethis annual gathering has become a fan favorite for people who love art and Denver festival celebrations. What started in downtown at Larimer Square with dozens of artists has now become over two hundred talents chalking it up over several blocks around the Denver Art Museum. The way this festival works is sponsor-driven. Local businesses and organizations buy "squares" to which carefully curated artists are assigned with full autonomy in theme and execution to create, as long as the sponsors' names are chalked first. The artists are then given two days to create their design in real time, rain or shine. It's an opportunity to witness visual art in all shapes and colors. With the youth group and school opportunities as well, you've got kids of all ages being represented on the pavement. In addition to the visual arts, the festival includes live music and vendors. I strongly recommend planning your weekend around it. This is an event to build a tradition around, for sure!

    Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous, so I couldn't resist heading out to check out some chalk art!…read moreThe crowd was out in full force (no surprise there), which made snapping clear photos a bit tricky--but I still managed to grab a few that I really loved. The creativity and talent on display were just incredible! These artists seriously blow me away every time.

    Photos
    Denver Chalk Art Festival - Talk about good art!

    Talk about good art!

    Denver Chalk Art Festival
    Denver Chalk Art Festival

    See all

    Cherry Creek Arts Festival - Sculpture

    Cherry Creek Arts Festival

    3.8(58 reviews)
    2.4 miCherry Creek, Southeast

    The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is an annual show happening during the July 4 weekend. This show…read morewas voted number one of the nation. It is an excellent juried art show with all types of artwork to view. I suggest getting there early as the crowds continue to grow the later it gets. We arrived shortly after 9 AM. Even though the show begins at 10 AM, many of the artist booths were open and ready for viewing. This was nice because there were no crowds at all. However, by 10:30 AM, it was pretty packed. The other option is to arrive closer to the noon hour. You do, however, run the risk of getting caught in a afternoon thunderstorm. We did notice as we were leaving around the noon hour that the crowds had dispersed somewhat. It also gets quite warm in that area. The thunder heads were looming above as we were leaving. This is a top notch show. So many excellent artists to talk to and see their works. Admission is free. There are approximately 7 blocks of art! There is lot parking for a fee or limited street parking, which can be difficult to find.

    BEAUTIFUL ARTS FESTIVAL…read more During a recent visit to Denver, we went to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. It was a large street festival located along 1st Avenue across the street from the Cherry Creek Shopping Center mall (large parking garage $3 festival parking). This was a very well curated arts festival that included over 250 artists. While the art was clearly out of our budget, we appreciated the quality and variety of art. The collage and textile art and the kinetic sculpture were incredible. Even the food trucks were well chosen. We enjoyed our delicious and well prepared chicken gyros that were as good as what you would get at a table service Mediterranean restaurant. The Cherry Creek North business community will be hosting other weekend events throughout July and will close out the summer with the Smash Fine Arts Festival.

    Photos
    Cherry Creek Arts Festival - Sculpture

    Sculpture

    Cherry Creek Arts Festival - Steampunk art

    Steampunk art

    Cherry Creek Arts Festival - Huge crowds

    See all

    Huge crowds

    Taste of Colorado

    Taste of Colorado

    2.0(164 reviews)
    2.2 miGolden Triangle, Southwest

    I haven't been to the Taste in quite a while but decided to give it a go on rock and roll music…read moreday. I spent about 5 hours touring the area. The layout makes sense and flows well with the exception of the food area. The music and vendors are placed for optimal traffic and viewing. The porta-potties were off to the side, music in front of courthouse, and the food along Broadway. The music and vendors were great I ended up spending $40 on socks and beef jerky. I listened to a few songs by the Police cover band, a Zeppelin cover band, and REO. I cannot offer a way to improve these aspects of the festival and award them 4-5 stars. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the music even though organizers turned it into musical clique days. Parish the thought of different genres on the same day. The lineups are reminiscent of seating in a middle school cafeteria. The porta-potties get 3 stars mainly due to the lines. While you're waiting in a 15 deep line it's interesting to see who can muster the most appalling grimace as they step out into the fresh air. Academy Awards for sure. The technology has improved over the years with a side urinal to keep the seat somewhat usable. The odor control has improved immensely. Hand sanitizer is available too. They should have a few retro potties from the 90s for comparison giving performers a real reason to grimace. Now, the food, 1 maybe 2 stars at best. This is what crashes the overall rating. This festival is the Taste of Colorado-- it's about food, right? 30 tickets or $20, for a gyro sandwich? Is the meat marinated in Macallan? All the prices are out of wack. How much do these restaurants have to pay to be here? 50% of sales?? Everything is double what it should be. This festival is supposed to be about food! Let's represent. I spent $30 for 45 tickets. The pictures below show the ticket amounts and what I got. You be the judge. The best was the Top Sirloin from Rodizio. (Expert tip: skip the 4 ticket rice enjoy the meat.) Worst: Jaegerschnitzel for 15 tickets. The mushroom sauce was ok but way too salty; bring a sharp knife for the patti. 2 little ramekins of alligator giblets will set you back. $5.33. Jell-O shots have more substance. Street tacos were good. The lines and pedestrian flow in the food area-- ridiculous, the food--meh, the music/vendors and people watching-- much better. Recommendations: double or triple the food vendors by creating an atmosphere where they can make money and showcase and prepare their offerings. Raise the stage 10' and add a couple of big screens by the half-way-satellite-speaker extensions.

    My dad and I had some free time to kill before I needed to head to the airport on Labor Day. We…read moredecided to check out Taste of Colorado because, to be frank, there wasn't too much else going on. While the whole weekend I heard "Taste of Colorado sucks" come out of his mouth a handful of times, I think we were both mildly impressed deciding it doesn't "suck" but is simply A-OK. In terms of getting bang for your buck, this certainly isn't the place to do that. I paid nearly $7 (in tickets) for a shot of nitro cold brew coffee. For my main dish of the day, I got a lamb sandwich from Bistro Colorado which was actually pretty darn delicious and worth it in my opinion. You really had to do a few laps to scout out to find the hidden gems amid the typical fair food. For that reason, maybe Taste of Colorado isn't quite the best name for it. Besides that, we had fun scanning all the stalls with cool arts and crafts, as well as random knick knacks. There is also the carnival area with rides and games which we stayed far away from, as well as three stages with different music happening. On the main stage during the time we were there, Granger Smith was performing who is an up and coming country singer. Pretty cool to see him for free. Would I recommend this to everyone I know? Probably not; however, if you have some time to kill, you can't really beat hanging out in the beautiful Colorado sunshine with free music, funny people watching and some good eats (if you can find them).

    Photos
    Taste of Colorado
    Taste of Colorado
    Taste of Colorado - Where is all the FUN???

    See all

    Where is all the FUN???

    Great American Beer Festival

    Great American Beer Festival

    4.6(164 reviews)
    2.4 miCBD, Northwest

    This is the ultimate craft beer festival in the United States. I'm glad I finally got to complete…read morethis three-day pilgrimage. There were some 500 breweries pouring at this year's event. Initially, this volume was discouraging, because it didn't seem like I would be able to make a dent in it. However, this feeling soon gave way to the joy of adventure. No matter where I happened to land, I could find plenty of styles that interested me. Strong ales, in particular. The size of the convention floor is immense, so you can only go back and forth, from one end to the other, so many times. It helps to follow some sort of strategy. Early on, I completed a series of small missions. I tasted everything that interested me from the section featuring collaboration beers, followed by the section with medal-winning brews from previous years. Next, the section with international beers. From there, I treated my favorites from the most well-known regional brewers like an aircraft carrier. These included the likes of AleSmith, Dogfish Head, Firestone Walker, Pizza Port, Russian River, and Sierra Nevada. I sampled at random from the rest of the lot. I made sure not to overexert myself during the day, and to get adequate sleep each night. Also, to be well-fed and hydrated before, during, and after each of the three, four-day sessions. The entire convention floor is concrete, so my feet progressively tired from walking on it over the course of three days. This makes it important to wear shoes with optimal cushioning. The Thursday evening session is great, because it's not too crowded. The Friday and Saturday sessions, on the other hand, are dense with people. However, this is easily absorbed by the vast array of tasting stations. For certain breweries, the lines are ridiculous, so I never bothered with those. There is no re-entry after you leave the event. However, the four hours go by fast, and there are plenty of areas with seating to rest from walking. The food selection was nearly devoid of vegan options. I was able to get a vegan noodle and rice bowl from Cupbop, but they didn't have tofu or other plant-based protein to put in it.

    I'm surprised I haven't reviewed this event. I've been going every year (except for when it closed…read morefor Covid obv) since 2015, I think. It's been a great event each time. The organizers have done a good job organizing the event into unique sections with different ambiance. That seems hard to do with no walls, but they have managed it with surprising results. The beer has been great of course. The variety and also the option to try new stuff that I normally wouldn't have an opportunity to try. Fun crowd. Whenever someone drops a glass, it has gotten a fun reaction. They have had silent disco at some of the events and I've had fun with complete strangers doing that. The staff was efficient getting us in each time. But try to leave before close. It was easier to get an Uber or Lyft that way.

    Photos
    Great American Beer Festival
    Great American Beer Festival
    Great American Beer Festival

    See all

    The Denver Flea - South entrance

    The Denver Flea

    3.7(38 reviews)
    3.0 miNorthwest

    Denver Flea is taking on the holidays four weekends strong this year, with a Union Station setup…read moreuntil mid-December. $5 per person gets you admission Friday-Sunday, which is a very easy price point. Even if it's not the most expansive showing of vendors, you can't really argue with the low cost. Also, I appreciate the warming tents serving adult beverages like bourbon spiked cider. Even on a "warm" December day downtown, it gets chilly. If you arrive before noon, there's plenty of room to relax and enjoy mid-shopping moment. Yesterday I purchased some buffalo leather gloves for myself as well as an incense burning kit + 2019 lunar calendar for a holiday present. And I'm going back for the final weekend while my parents are visiting. A festive (and brisk) way to get into the holiday spirit!

    The Denver Flea was fabulous (and free admission!) when I first attended a couple of years ago…read more There were loads of interesting vendors with items I'd never seen anywhere else, live music, good food, busy but not overwhelming and loads of fun! Now the secret's out and the Flea busts at the seams. There's an admission fee, long lines, and impossible parking. Vendors and food trucks become redundant in that the same ones come to every Flea, and many carry similar goods- candles and soaps: CHECK. Colorado/Outdoorsy t-shirts: CHECK. Salsa and similar food items: CHECK. Jewelry made from rocks: CHECK. Succulent plants: CHECK. A Denver hipster's delight for sure! All of the his is super cool if you haven't seen all the very same makers before, but I have, so... I'm over it. The new space, Denver Rock and Drill, is pretty rad. It's an old warehouse that feels haunted by ghosts of the past. Old machinery and even metal and materials still lurk in some places, a liability issue waiting to happen I'm sure, but interesting none the less. My fave part about this Flea was the photo booth, Whoa Pony! Be sure to hunt them down as they wee wedged far in the corner, but they're free! Ultimately, I think I'll skip the next few fleas in hopes that fresh vendors and some new ideas and surprises may work their way in in the future.

    Photos
    The Denver Flea - This girl. Winning at life!

    This girl. Winning at life!

    The Denver Flea - Yep-there is alcohol-imagine that

    Yep-there is alcohol-imagine that

    The Denver Flea

    See all

    Denver Zoo Lights - festivals - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...