Festive lights make December a spectacular time to get out on the town with the kids. Here are a handful that are bound to dazzle you:
SEATTLE AREA
Holiday Wonderland. Look for The Downtown Light Spectacular – 40 eight-foot light displays throughout downtown, and a light show at Westlake Park every half-hour, nightly through Dec. 31. FREE. Westlake Center, 400 Pine St., Seattle. 206-623-0340. www.downtownholidays.com.
Clam Lights. Renton’s holiday light display is on dusk-10pm nightly Dec. 5-Jan. 1. Gene Coulon Beach Park, 1201 Lake Washington Blvd. N, Renton. 425-430-6700. www.rentonwa.gov.
EASTSIDE
Garden D'Lights. Bellevue Botanical Garden creates a winter garden with thousands of mini-lights in three-dimensional plant and critter shapes. 5-9:30pm daily through Jan. 3. FREE, donations encouraged. $5 parking, free parking nearby. 12001 Main St., Bellevue. 425-452-2750. www.bellevuebotanical.org.
NORTH SOUND
The Lights of Christmas. Includes jaw-dropping light displays, live music and drama, pony rides, wagon rides, Bruce the (talking) Spruce and more, on five acres. 5-10pm Dec. 4-7, 11-14, 17-23 and 26-28. $12, $8 seniors and military, $7 ages 4-12, free ages 3 and younger, $35 family (2 adults, 2 children). Warm Beach Camp, 20800 Marine Dr., Stanwood. 800-228-6724. www.warmbeach.com.
SOUTH SOUND Zoolights. Nearly 600,000 holiday lights brighten Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium with depictions of animals, nursery rhyme characters, local landmarks and more. Warm up on the enclosed carousel or at the indoor aquarium. 5-9pm daily through Jan. 4 (closed Dec. 24). $7 ($5.50 at Bartell Drugs), free ages 2 and younger. 5400 N Pearl St., Tacoma. 253-404-3822. www.pdza.org/zoolights.
Fantasy Lights. Drive through 2.5 miles of animated displays at Spanaway Park. 5:30-9:30pm daily through Jan. 4. $13 per car. Spanaway Park, 14905 Gus G. Bresemann Rd. S, Spanaway. 253-798-4176. www.piercecountywa.org/parks.
