Every year, Hogle Zoo puts on an amazing Christmas light adventure. At night, the zoo is all lit up with Christmas lights. ZooLights is fun and exciting for families, especially if you love animals. We love to visit Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo because you can see a few animals, Santa, and Christmas lights all in one.
Animals
Starting at 5 pm the zoo turns on an extravagant Christmas light display and has Santa visits and the carousel running. We like to arrive close to opening to try and catch as many animals as possible. Almost all of the buildings are closed and many of the animals are asleep, but we like to spot the few that are awake. In 2025, we saw porcupines, seals, zebras, lizards, and a few more.
Our boys are usually more excited to look at the animals than the lights. 😂 But we love that we can do both at the Zoo Lights at Hogle Zoo.
Santa
Santa is available for visits at ZooLights. You can find him and Mrs Claus in the gift shop near the entrance. There was a super short line, and visits are included with your admission. You are allowed to take your own pictures. It is fun to see Santa at the zoo.
The train and the carousel both run during Zoo Lights. If there is any ice or snow or bad weather, the train will not run, but the carousel is always going. We love to spend a few dollars on tickets and take a ride on the carousel.
Lights
The lights are all over the grounds. We wandered through the entire zoo checking out the different light displays. The boys loved seeing the different lights, and most of the lights moved in some way. There are fun light tunnels that change colors and move to the music. There are also quite a few spots that make for great photo spots, so come ready to take a bunch of pictures. While you enjoy the lights, you can peek in and see if any animals are moving.
Tips for Families
Make sure to dress warm and for young children, and don’t forget strollers because it is quite a walk. We tucked blankets around both our boys in the strollers and they seemed to stay plenty warm. There is hot chocolate and food for sale, too.
Watch for discount days. Sometimes they partner with different TV stations or companies to offer discounted days. For more information about hours, pricing, and possible discounts, check out the Hogle Zoo’s website.
For another fun Christmas event, check out Candlelight Christmas at This is the Place Heritage Park across the street from the Zoo.
