If you’re looking for a holiday field trip that all ages will enjoy, the Point Defiance Zoolights exhibit is a brilliant addition to your festive fun list between November 29 and January 5, 2025. A tradition that has lasted 37 years, the tour is a sparkling display of over a million Christmas lights that sets the zoo landscape awash in a holiday glow.
Add the bonus of taking beautiful family photos for your holiday cards, and you have an easy activity that gives everyone from your youngest child to your oldest a place to delight in the season’s merriment.
New attractions for 2024: Join the new and exciting Safari in Lights exhibit, showcasing illuminated tigers, elephants, giraffes, lions, and more! Plus, a special tribute to their sister zoo, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, featuring Northwest native animals like bears, moose, and wolves, all beautifully lit.
Photo credit: Amber Bell
Getting there, parking and ticket prices
Point Defiance Zoolights is located in Tacoma, and approximately a 1-hour drive south of Seattle. From I-5 you can take the 132 exit to SR 16 West. Then take the Pearl Street/Ruston exit and head north on Pearl Street. Follow the signs to the zoo parking lot from the entrance to Point Defiance Park. Parking is free!
Please purchase tickets online in advance. When you purchase your ticket, you can schedule your timed arrival. Remember to buy your tickets early, as space is limited. Ticket prices from November 29 to December 15 will be $7-$20. Non-members will be charged $14, and members will be charged $7 for tickets from Monday to Thursday. Non-members will be charged $20 and members will be charged $10 for tickets from Friday to Sunday. Children 2 and under can enter for free. Tickets increase between December 16 and January 5 and will be $20 for non-members, $10 for members every night. Visit the website to view and purchase various Premium Experience tickets.
Lights, bright displays and treats along the way
On my recent visit to the exhibit, my three children, ages 10, 15, and 17, joined me for a stroll along a glistening path illuminated from every corner. Our visit included walking the grounds at our own leisurely pace while sipping hot chocolate, taking advantage of the countless places for photos under a shower of vibrant color, making smores at the fire tables outside the cafe, and riding a historic carousel built in 1917. Along the tour, you’ll find an arctic pond with prowling polar bears, luminescent jellyfish that hover from above, an immense flame tree that provides the glow of 35,000 stunning lights, and our favorite – a colossal 100-foot octopus that presides over the festivities from atop the aquarium.
Photo credit: Amber Bell
Where to go first and our recommendations
The cafe and zoo store are located at the entrance of the exhibit. We recommend heading to the cafe for hot chocolate or cider to keep you cozy as you walk. You can buy festive treats like holiday kettle corn, fried apple fries topped with whipped cream, and an indulgent hot cocoa float. Not far from the Chameleon Cafe, you’ll find one of two tunnels of twinkling lights that are an excellent opportunity for photos. And to conclude your walk, we highly recommend hopping on the vintage carousel rides that have magical creatures like reindeer and polar bears.
Photo credit: Amber Bell
Know before you go
• Please purchase timed tickets in advance online. You can arrive anytime after your scheduled visit, but not before. Space is limited, so it is recommended to buy your tickets sooner rather than later.
• The tour is open from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• The Zoolights exhibit is a rain-or-shine experience. We happened to be there on a very rainy evening, which was still a delight. Rent umbrellas for $6 at the rental office near the Carousel.
• Walking the entire exhibit is possible even for younger children, but the numerous pathways make it very easy to accommodate a limited timeframe and still have a satisfying experience.
• Meals and treats can be purchased at the Plaza Cafe near the entrance or at various food stands along the path. Festive treats like holiday kettle corn, fried apple fries topped with whipped cream, and hot cocoa floats.
• While the aquarium and zoo animals are not open for viewing during the Zoolights hours, the goats are still awake and ready for petting.
• On the lookout for good family photo spots? Go to one of the two light tunnels or the purple and green flame tree to start.
• Purchase a Premium Experience, great for groups or a more intimate experience. The premium option includes entrance to zoolights, 30 minutes to groom the goats, give them treats, and add more fun picture opportunities for your holiday evening at the zoo. Great for groups of 5 or 8.
