There’s a bit of magic in the air every night of Zoo Lights! We anticipate selling out early for most weekend nights, as well as every night in the last two weeks of December. If your schedule allows, we recommend visiting on a weeknight in the first two weeks of December. Snowy nights may be cold, but they make for great photos and the Zoo has plenty of indoor buildings for a quick warm-up. 

No. Zoo Lights tickets are valid ONLY on the specific date and time for which you purchased your tickets. 

Timed entry tickets help us regulate how many people are at the Zoo during each time slot—this helps us provide a safe, enjoyable experience for everyone. Once inside the Zoo, visitors may stay until the event closes.

We’ve placed a limit on attendance each evening to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for everyone by preventing extremely large crowds on any given night.  

ASAP! We highly recommend purchasing tickets as far in advance as you can, as we anticipate selling out most nights of Zoo Lights. Tickets are available ONLINE ONLY, and will not be available at the gate.

No, there will not be tickets available for sale at the door.

Daytime admission, including membership, does NOT include Zoo Lights. Denver Zoo closes at 5:00 p.m. (entry gates close at 3:30 p.m.) and will reopen for Zoo Lights at 5:00 p.m.  

Free parking is available in our parking garage and surrounding City Park lots. However, due to the popularity of Zoo Lights, parking can become congested. We ask guests to consider alternate modes of transportation to avoid parking issues.

While every guest/visit is different, it typically takes approximately 45-­90 minutes to see the whole Zoo Lights display.

Yes, but keep in mind that the paths may be icy in spots. Please use caution. Wheelchair-accessible parking is available.

Starting at 5:00 p.m., a limited quantity of wheelchairs and strollers can be rented on a first­-come, first­-served basis. No reservations are accepted.

No. For the safety of our guests and animals, no pets of any kind are allowed on Denver Zoo grounds. Assistance animals are allowed, with some restrictions. Please check in with security at the main gate if you plan on bringing a service animal into the Zoo. 

Outdoor animal viewing during Zoo Lights is limited to cold-weather species such as Amur tiger, Bactrian camel, Przewaskli’s horse and most of our pachyderms. But our popular Tropical Discovery building will be open, offering access to 1,800 animals—including fish, frogs, snakes, lizards, capybaras and sloths—in a cozy indoor space.  

In addition, El Pomar Village Hall is home to fishing cats and Asian small-clawed otters, both of which are busy hunting and playing at night. And of course, you can always make your Zoo Lights experience unforgettable by adding one of our intimate Up-Close Looks to your evening.