The zoo is a fun place to visit for people of all ages. And now that it's decorated with Christmas lights, it just makes it more festive! A great event for something a little different and best of all, it's FREE! read more

ZooLights - Zoos Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good stuff! Who doesn't enjoy walking around a holiday decorated zoo for free? I was blown away by the lights and activities and exhibits. From the moment you walk in on Connecticut Ave., you know the zoo takes their zoolights seriously. It is a beautiful place and a nice respite from the city. There's a gingerbread exhibit, model trains, and a lego built rendition of the Smithsonian. In terms of activities, there's the carousel, train ride, and zoo tubing, all for $3 each, and there are arcade games. My boyfriend and I were surprised and confused about the arcade games. I think he said it was $2 for 1 token, $5 for 3, but somehow we got 4 tokens. We played a few of the games, and it seems like everyone is a winner, but the fantastic thing is the prize. The prize selection was no wimpy, kitschy item. No sir, it was shot glasses (retail value $5), stuffed pandas ($15), and other items such as mugs, bags, other stuffed animals. These were surprisingly very nice items. We also were able to see some of the animals, and there are plenty of photo opportunities. Go and enjoy! Tip: the crowd seems to get a little more mature after 7 pm, but that's not to say that we didn't see many children and families running around past 8:15 pm. read more

For a free event, it's pretty great. It's a lovely change to get to see the animals that are typically nocturnal up and about. The lights are well organized, and there are a number of family-friendly Christmas attractions like carousels and toy train exhibits. I was there on a spectacularly rainy/cold/miserable evening, but still managed to have a lovely time with my date walking around looking at the lights. Two complaints: one, the elephant exhibit was only available to their higher-paying FONZ donors. This is always one of my favorite stops and while the kiosk manager at the front did mention there was a FONZ-only section, I wasn't informed it was the elephant house until I tried to walk in. And two, ALL of the food markets, schnapps stations, purveyors of funnel cake, and other carts of tasties were closed. I understand that a wet, dreary night may not be the most popular time to visit ZooLights, but there were still a fair number of people there. They seemed to be shutting down the other exhibits (carousel, etc) early, too - around 8:15. So maybe they have a partial closure rain policy that just isn't well-advertised. Still, final verdict: Go! It's always a great time. read more

Eh it's ok.... literally all you see are lights. You don't see animals..... at the zoo, which is a disappointment. All of the exhibits are closed. I saw a distant zebra at night time if that counts. So all you do is walk on a path with lit up trees and eat funnel cake, while it's cold. The basic $10 funnel cake was seriously the highlight of my night. I wouldn't go back or recommend it. Parking is tight and expensive. But at least entering the zoo is free! read more

Something free to do with the kids. You do have to pay $16 for parking and other little activities they have to offer (train ride and slide). The animal houses were also opened late. read more

We have been going to Zoolights for several years now and have enjoyed it every year -- except this year. The lights are very nice and make the main walk a magical place, especially for children. If all a visitor wants to do is walk along the path and experience the lights, then by all means do it. However, if it is cold or if a visitor wants to go to the zoo to see animals in addition to lights, the visitor will be greatly disappointed. This year, the only buildings that we could find that were open were those that sold things: food, drinks, toys, etc. We could find no building in which to sit down and warm up. In the past, even on very cold nights, going into the various animal houses along the walk made the evening pleasant and we were able to enjoy the lights when we went back out into the cold. Also, until this year, there had been a wonderful model railroad display and other displays in the visitor center. Hopefully this year's Zoolights is an aberration and next year it will be returned to a zoo event -- with animal displays along with the wonderful lights. We will attend next year in the hopes that the buildings will be open. But if they are not, that will be our last visit to Zoolights. read more

Always a great time and its free! This is the second time I've gone and it has gotten even better. More lights on more trees. You can even go inside some of the exhibits which is a good way to warm up. Be sure to dress warm and put on your walking shoes. read more

ZooLights - So many lights! - Zoos Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What a fun holiday tradition ZooLights is! Granted, it takes place at night, so most of the animals are asleep, and a good portion of the zoo is off-limits, but really the animals aren't the reason to come to this event. It's all about the outdoor festivities: sometimes beautiful and sometimes surprisingly funny animated light displays (I will admit I giggled over LED lizards sticking out their tongues, and frogs jumping into ponds), live music, and lighting gobbos that turn the paved walkways into starlit paths. I especially liked the waterfall lit up with tiny green lights that made it look like a magical lagoon. Some of the animal houses (reptile, small mammal, and ape) were open, and there were a few nocturnal creatures up and about. In the ape house, my friend and I mused over how the sleeping gorillas resembled humans as they slept in the fetal position, and curled up in a hammock. We also had a fun encounter with the mane wolf along an unlit-in-the-holiday-style path that happened to be open. It's a free event, and worth a trip out. Beware that there are many parents who keep their young and cranky children up at 8pm, so you will hear a lot of crying, and will get run into by kids who desperately want to see whatever exhibit you're viewing. Put on your fake smile and beam it at the parents who don't bother to apologize for their little brats' behavior, and you'll have a great time. If only there were an adults-only night! read more

Great Christmastime activity regardless if you are a tourist or a local. I enjoyed going with a group of friends. After metroing to Cleveland Park (NOT Woodley Park, that way you walk DOWN the big hill, not up it), we enjoyed an inexpensive activity that was a lot of fun! While definitely kid-driven, they had a great display of lights featuring different animals & a few choreographed light shows. Most of the animal exhibits were closed, but the few that were opened did have some great active animals. Since none of us had kids, we didn't spend an incredible time looking at any one particular item, but the experience was a fun outing. We paired it with dinner & drinks afterward to make for a good time. Only downside, once you get all the way through the park, you have to turn around and walk all the way back to the entrance - uphill. We didn't account for this & I reached my little kid quota, but it wasn't too bad. read more

Great Holiday activity for very little money. Off street parking can be had with some patience and the willingness to walk a bit. You could also opt for the Metro. *Tip * The National Zoo is about equal distance between two Metro stops. Coordinate your trip so that you are walking downhill from the Metro to the Zoo, and again from the Zoo back to the Metro. Speaking of hills, the Zoo from front to back is downhill. We find it less tiring to walk straight through to the end and then enjoy the exhibits, entertainment and rides as we make our way back up the hill. There are benches along the walkway if you tire out. The lights and displays are nice. Not spectacular, but nice enough to make this a great outing whether you have kids in tow, or as a different type of date night. Don't miss some of the special exhibits that are coordinated or synced to music. And, there are carolers and performers at different stations throughout the zoo. The train ride might be a bit over-priced considering the length of the ride, but if you have kids, you are almost obligated to go around at least once. I was a little worried about getting stuck getting in/out of one of those Lilliputian size train cars, but fortunately we got the first car which had no doors and was easy to access. There's also a sledding ride, but the lines were too long and the slopes too short to even bother paying to wait for such an uneventful ride. It would be awesome if they had an ice skating rink. Now, THAT would be fun. It's nice to be able to duck into an inside venue to warm up and be able to grab a quick snack and VERY adult beverage of hot chocolate or coffee spiked with a shot of spirits. After spending all my cash on the rides, I had to use a credit card, but felt bad because I had no cash to tip the barista/clerk. I ordered a hot chocolate with a shot of brandy and a coffee with Kahlua, or maybe it was the other way around. LOL . Whatever it was, by the time we finished, we were very well warmed up and singing Christmas carols as we merrily enjoyed the rest of the displays. read more

Not sure why all the bad reviews. Don't expect it to be like the lights at Disney World. It is great for families and I always go with my family each year and have a wonderful time. It's for all ages so be sure to take everyone with you to enjoy the sights. I think if you want to come see the zoo at night with beautiful bright lights it's worth it. Next time though I will for sure grab one of their delicious hot chocolate! read more

"I really want to go......." But baby It's cold outside "It should be a really nice light show....." But baby it's snow outside "Let's go today......" But baby it's cold.... out..... side.... So yes wife and I faced the chilled air and metroed it on down with about a 10 minute walk to the Zoolights on a very cold December evening 6 days before Crimmus. Luckily they are FREE this year as they should be every year. Our first stop however, was at the Starbucks across the street to get warmed up both inside and out with some tasty hot creamy smooth beverages and then on to the night lights. Well this is it? Hummmmm this is o..kay........but the Brookside Gardens in Wheaton or the Clopper Road drive through display in Gaithersberg is more impressive. However this is still nice to see and it makes a Ho humm Sunday evening into something nice for grown volks to get into the Crimmus mood and magical for little ones if you have any. There were enough screaming crying kiddies all over the place and frustrated parents rushing them out of there. Wife and I raced through the place pretty quickly only to stop for extended periods of time at the gorillas and reptile buildings just watching these near peoplelike apes and chilllax lounge lizards sleeping. That made for a interesting visit all by itself. As a matter of fact we were so caught up with the snakes, lizards and turtles we almost forgot about the darn lights outside. As soon as the frosty air hit us at the exit door did we remember about the light display. Again it was okay and nice for the little ones. Would I want to see this again maybe next year....? Sure.... but would I want to pay for it like people have in previous years....? Nein... methinks not. So keep it free and that makes it nice, charge for it and that makes it kind of naughty (in not such a nice way). If you have a chance this year go ahead go for it get outta the house on a Sunday check it out but bundle up if it's cold outside cause when those chiller artic winds blow through there, you will think you are in the North Pole along with Sinta Klaus and his reindeer. read more

i came here on a Sunday night to shoot some pictures with a friend. The Christmas lights here aren't that interesting, since most of the lights are monochromatic and just...there. But it's a free exhibit and it looks pretty on camera, plus the reptile house was open so we did see a few animals. We came an hour before closing and didn't other exhibits that some of the other yelpers have been mentioning, but we may have just been occupied by taking pictures. Overall, it's a fun place to burn an hour or two, although I wouldn't return in the future. read more

Fun, festive and different - would be a great date idea! Oh, and did I mention it's FREE! I'm not sure how you could rate it anything less than 5 stars when you consider the price. They've done a lovely job hanging colorful/themed lights and festive music plays in the background. They also offer a s'more station ($8 for 2), spiked hot chocolate and cider ($9 each), as well as other beverages. Just make sure to bundle up because it gets chilly! read more

I love ZooLights! What a whimsical Christmas tradition. The zoo is decorated beautifully and it is so fun to walk through and enjoy all the lights. Bonus: it's free! If you like Christmas lights make sure this is on your list of places to go this holiday season. read more

I think you need to temper expectations for what ZooLights is, but it definitely has its pluses. We went for ZooLights date night which included a plush animal, keychain, chocolates, cocoa and kettle corn for $20 each. The National Zoo is covered in animals shaped out of lights along with special lighting on the sidewalks. I was hoping it would be similar to what the San Diego Zoo does during the summer where all of the animal enclosures are open and you get a chance to see the animals behavior at night. Unfortunately, animal-wise, the zoo is pretty shut down. The exception is the small mammal house, the primate house, the pandas, and the reptile house. The small mammal house was good as many of the animals are nocturnal. The primates were mostly asleep, but it was exciting nonetheless to see them up close. The pandas were also asleep, but this was a real highlight. Since it was at night, they were brought indoors so you were mere feet away from them. It was nice to not have to search for them in the outdoor enclosure. Something about the cocoa was especially delicious, and on such a cold night, it really came in handy. Overall, it was a nice outing for a date. I wish there were more animals out for it, but the pandas made it worth it. It was also nice that it was so convenient for a pre-snow dinner at Dino! read more

Not worth the headache dealing with traffic. yes the event is free, but you have to pay $25 to park! The lights are underwhelming...much better display at Watkins Park and no animals are out! Such a disappointment. read more

Came to ZooLights on a weeknight around 6 pm. The exhibits were not crowded and everything was lit up! It was great to see the zoo so festive! Some animals that could withstand the cold were also out and about. The zoo sets up bars that serve fun spiked hot drinks as well as beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. There are also a few places to stop and get food as well as a s'more station set up outside! We will definitely return as our little one gets older and can enjoy it even more! read more

Lame, not worth the $. Not well-lit, not very much to see. The sights that were available were kind of sad, like the poor panda in a snow globe. Go during the day when the animals are out and it's FREE. read more

I've heard of Zoolights for a couple years but never made my way out to the zoo until this year. And a perk was that it is free this year. So we made our way out to the zoo on friday night around 6:30pm. The lights were all pretty and put me in the holiday spirit. My favorite was this arched walkway with blue lights. No scratch that, my favorite was the moving lights display that was coordinated with the nutcracker music. In addition to the lights, we got to go inside the great apes house and the reptile house. I wish we were able to see the red pandas as well, but I suppose they were sleeping. Overall, I really enjoyed Zoolights. It was worth the trek out to the Zoo in the chilly december weather! read more

The lights were cool... I guess but they were kind of just there. Just like another yelper mentioned I too came on a Sunday night about an hour before closing. I was surprised they actually stayed open later than what the hours said but nothing else was open. There are fun things for kids to do like the slides and train rides which cost money. There are also hot chocolate and warm candy almonds for the cold winter nights. It's a fun family thing to do. Even though I'll never grow up this was even too kiddy for me. I kind of expected more but it might have been the time I went. read more

We enjoyed this activity with our meetup group, fun times walking around, nothing too crazy. It's simply decorated and open at night, some of the exhibits were open and some were not, I was surprised that it was so small, I was expecting a much larger zoo, but it's great to see kids and adults enjoying the season. I enjoyed the visitor center exhibits with the gingerbread exhibits and paper animal cut outs. For free, well minus the metro ride in, it was a fun night, we had a good time, just don't expect a Walt Disney World orchestrated holiday extravaganza. read more

This event at the zoo was pretty lame. Some lights here and there, but nothing you haven't seen before. It's certainly not a destination for viewing lights, but it was free. I wouldn't recommend it unless you live in the area and have little kids who will be wowed by cheetahs, pandas, and shining lights. read more

This is not the best light show around in terms of 'lights', but it is more than that. Last year there was a skating rink and train. This year there's a tubing slide and carousel. You do alot of walking, and there are hot chocolate stands along the path. The farm, reptile, and monkey houses remain open so you don't completely forget that you're at the zoo. My favorite part is the model train show and gingerbread contest, which are both located indoors when you reach the end of the light show. You can buy alcoholic drinks and other warm beverages in there as well. Admission is free, but parking is $16 for non-FONZ members. read more

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I'm a sucker for the Zoo pretty much any day of the week. Add in Christmas lights and I can't image not loving it. I came here with a few friends for the first time every and we all really enjoyed strolling around the park. Only a portion of the zoo is actually lit up and the only exhibits you can get into are the reptile house, the ape house and the ape discovery center, so it's definitely more of an event to see the lights than the animals. Overall, though, the displays were really cute and a fun way to see the zoo at night, which you usually never get to do. Great for families or adults! read more

I went to go see the Zoo lights last night and I have to say it was a pleasant experience ... The path was all lit up with all sorts of animal and plant lights and in top of that I thought it was great that some of the exhibits were still open ... I would definitely recommend this show to anyone that wants to go for a walk and see some Christmas lights and also for any families that want something to do ... I will say tho dress warmly read more

ZooLights - Really Pretty - Zoos Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I have loved Zoolights and have gone every year! My husband got tickets for me the first year it opened so I was excited when it was free. Now, I miss the paid admission! There were so many people we couldn't really enjoy anything and with paid admission there seemed to be more to do and kiosks to visit. I wouldn't mind if they went back to selling tickets. It wasn't much and it's for a great cause and it could help manage the crowds. We literally could not walk anywhere! I am glad to see so many people supporting the zoo though! read more

Amazing place to go during the winter. The lights are beautifully set up and the event is totally free. The Woodley Park metro stop isn't too far from the zoo which makes this super convenient for anyone who doesn't have a car. I like that they still sell food/warm drinks at night for us to purchase as we walk around the zoo. It's not only family/kid friendly but also romantic for couples! read more

Zoo lights are SO Fun, prices for food at Zoo Lights are NOT Fun. Make sure to stop by the 7-11 on your way out and grad a slurpee.

It's like walking in a fairly tale...because of the cold weather, the zoo has been gracious enough to have some of the exhibits open so you can warm up during your walk. There are 2 separate sets of musical lights where the lights light up to different songs. Trees are lit up and there are lights shaped as different animals, all for free! The lights are only in the main zoo path, the open exhibits are the ones off the main path (reptiles, small mammals, etc) and the lights are on 5-9pm. So be prepared for the hill, you can get a good workout :-) There is a small train exhibit in the visitor center where there was also the contest entries for the gingerbread houses (the winner is great!) . All bathrooms are open. The food/drink selection is what is expected from a public event, there is hot cocoa that helps brave the cold. They have rides for kids: slide, train, carousel, all these you have to pay for but they are not too expensive for what they are. It is really worth it, something pretty and free to do in town. (P.S. This is my 3rd year at the ZooLights and I never had to pay. I believe all sections are sponsored by different companies so they are free to the public.) read more

Our family of 4 went to zoo lights, our kids are 10 and 13. There is not much to do there. Most of the animal habitats are closed. The ape house was open, but the apes are all asleep. Not many animals were out at all except a few monkeys. There was hardly any entertainment, and there was not any "seasonal food" except kettle corn, and the line was very long. The tubing was for little kids, and again the line was very long. The lights were pretty but nothing spectacular. Parking was $20. We will not be going again. read more

Let me start off by saying I love the zoo, but our ZooLights experience was pretty awful. We went on a Sunday and it was PACKED. it took an hour just to park, it was crazy busy and all though "free" all the things our kids wanted to do were not. Stand in line to buy tickets, stand in line to ride carousel, slide, bouncy house, etc.... Overall not worth it in my opinion. read more