The lights were set, the zoo was prepped, and a light dusting of snow made the the perfect WILD LIGHTS opening night; top all that off with a surprise visit from Fletcher Cox to officially light the tree & you couldn't ask for a better debut! I had the pleasure of attending WILD LIGHTS at Elmwood Park Zoo last Friday for the premiere of the new holiday event & a wonderful time was had by all!
As you walk through the gates into the zoo, the large illuminated tree is waiting to greet you and immediately puts a smile on your face and gets you into the holiday spirit. Be sure to grab a cup of hot chocolate in the gift shop so you can sip on it while wandering around marveling at the lights! Light installations have been set up throughout the 16 acres of the zoo transforming it into a holiday wonderland, uplighting in the trees completes the picture as you stroll down Candy Cane Lane or through Disco Ball Way! There zoo is dripping with spectacular lights both from above and even along the walkways illuminating your path.
My daughter was thrilled to ride the carousel, she's been on it before, but never at night! The entire ride is lit for a brand new experience as we spun around admiring the lights. The brave of heart can zip line through the lit trees & get a birds eye view of the lights. You may have been zip lining before, but probably not in the dark, surrounded by Christmas lights! If zip lining is for you, be sure to add this one to your bucket list!
Finally, it was time to visit the big guy himself, Santa! A quick stop to see his reindeer outside was a great treat before heading down to "Santa's Workshop". Santa's workshop is decorated from top to bottom impeccably, complete with tons of presents flanking him on either side to create a beautiful backdrop for those holiday pictures . The lights at the zoo must have put Santa in an extra festive mood because he is THE FRIENDLIEST Santa I've met in a very long time. My two year old is still afraid of Santa; he took a ton of time and effort to talk to her and show her it was safe to come over & see him. In the end, he was no match for my stubborn toddler & we left without a picture, but I was wildly impressed by is patience and kindness. She must have been too because I've heard all weekend how she went to see Santa, so thank you & BRAVO, Santa!
All in all we had a fantastic time at Montgomery County's newest holiday tradition! If you're looking to treat your family to a new holiday adventure this season, consider putting WILD LIGHTS at the top of your list! Buy your tickets here. Don't forget to enter our ticket give a way; we'll be pulling winners for family 4 pack tickets every Friday now through December 7th!
