Wild Lights at the St. Louis Zoo

This is the 2^nd year I have went to Wild Lights and it was as fun as I remembered.
The one con which I will start with before I get into all the pros is that the price for entry for a zoo member is only a dollar less $ 9, vs $ 10 for a non-​member. It would seem that being a zoo member you would get a much better discount. Also most places do offer free admission for children 2 and under but here its only under 2 so that’s another $ 9 pop.
The pros for this event are endless, as you can find entertainment around every turn. Once you enter the zoo you will see a 10ft+ tall lit swan and equally tall and bright lit tree in a vivid white display. This sets up all the other amazing light displays you will see throughout, including what I call a light tunnel that you walk through and it’s really stunning. They have a great selection of kids activities including 4D Polar Express, s’more making areas, fireside storytelling, hot chocolate, ice sculpture, and many other exhibits. They even offer spiked hot chocolate for the adults, which is a nice surprise.
A few key items of note is that parking is free at night during wild lights, the zoo train is not running, and it can get very cold walking around for over an hour so dress warmly.

$ 8 to enter, walk through the zoo with the animals. What a great way to spend the evening. You get to view the penguins, polar bears and sea lions. They have adult and no adult beverages. I love the zoo, I love the zoo at night and I really love the zoo with Christmas lights.

If you are a non zoo member this will cost you $ 10 a person. This was my first time going to see the lights. I absolutely loved it. Each area of the zoo has a different theme of what the lights are. For example, in the Arctic area they are white and blue lights with light up animals. They do have some animals that you can see during the walk but not a lot. So if you are expecting to see lights and all the animals this event is not for you. My favorite thing since it was a cold night that they had a adult hot chocolate which you had an option of a shot of baileys or rum chutata. And they give you a good shot of it. We are going to make this annual thing.

Although the event seems to have scaled back some (perhaps in my memory only), Wild Lights is still a good bet as holiday destinations go. It gets even better when you factor in the price compared to many similar attractions.
The 2015 ticket includes access to outdoor lighting around many areas of the zoo, as well as a few of the indoor exhibits: Penguin & Puffin Coast (a definite «must» if you’ve not yet been), the Insectarium, and the Underwater Cove area where the sea lions live (a very close second to the penguins and puffins, in my opinion). Polar Bear Point was also open to guests and features one of the park’s biggest stars strolling around his enclosure, mesmerized (or annoyed…) by lights from the nearby carousel.
Depending on the night, plan on committing an hour to walk through the park (briskly) or more (for a casual experience). The crowds definitely ebb and flow here, depending on the weather and day of the week. Visiting on a chilly, overcast Wednesday this year, I found the park to be incredibly peaceful and intimate, though past experiences suggest that this isn’t always the case.
Hours this year are from 530p until 830p on select nights in December, through January 3^rd of 2016.
Notes:
* Especially if you’re visiting with younger guests or those who get cold easily, plan a route that alternates indoor and outdoor attractions using the Lakeside Café, with its ongoing musical light show, as a central point.
* Discounts may be available and are worth seeking out. Standard admission is $ 8 – 10 for non-​members, but only $ 9.50 for two admissions (Monday through Thursday) via Groupon. Members of the Zoo also save $ 1.

Great display for those who don’t want to pay 30 bucks to drive through Yogi Bears campground 30 minutes outside of St. Louis. Cost 5 bucks per adult but it is very much worth it. There are some internet deals that include credits for concessions so look out for those.

It’s a great place to go and just experience the Christmas mood. Admission is only $ 5 (at least that was the rate in 2012). They have some unique things like a craft station and a puppet show station. The Penguin coast and the insect house are the only animal portions that are open. I’m glad I went and would recommend that you go. I look forward to the zoo building on this in the years to come because it has great potential to be more wonderful.