ZooLights

Always a great time and its free! This is the second time I’ve gone and it has gotten even better. More lights on more trees. You can even go inside some of the exhibits which is a good way to warm up. Be sure to dress warm and put on your walking shoes.

The zoo Christmas lights look a lot prettier when you’ve had a couple of glasses of wine prior to your visit.
My friend and I came here tonight about 20 minutes before closing time. There are not as many kids at this time of evening, and because we were going the opposite direction of everyone else — it wasn’t as crowded in certain areas. It took awhile to get the people out of the zoo. We still managed to have a full hour inside of the zoo even though they shut down at 9 o’clock.
I was so happy there wasn’t a horde of children running around and that we could enjoy it without being hassled by dodging runaway strollers and frustrated moms whose children were up way past their bedtime. During the duration of our visit, I think there was only a couple of sugar high kids on the loose. Everyone else had their children in check.
Delight filled my heart as I looked at the Christmas lights. It definitely gave me and sense of the Christmas spirit. I love that it is free to come here. They did an exceptional job decorating the zoo and making it welcoming.
I look forward to returning next year, and enjoying the experience once again.

Zoo lights is such a nice, free (hence the 5 stars) way to spend a winter evening in the holiday season. The indoor exhibits were open and there are little activities and light shows along the main path of the zoo.
This is perfect for a family and is very child-​friendly. It is also great to attend as a group of friends or a date that will get everyone in the holiday spirit.
The highlights: Seeing children be silly and have a lot of fun I guarantee will make you laugh. Unexpectedly, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to adults talk to the animals in their various special animal voices. I didn’t notice this last time, so maybe we were just around some «interesting» spectators this go around. There were also a few light shows that were coordinated to holiday music which certainly attracted crowds.
In review, zoo lights is a fantastic event for people of all ages. So either get silly or bring your embarrassing animal voice A-​game.

Zoo Lights is a fun (and free!) way to spend an evening strolling through the National Zoo. From 5 — 9 PM, lights in the shapes of zebras, iguanas, and elephants illuminate the main path. The reptile, small mammal, and ape houses are all open if you want to spot some real animals or get a break from the cold, however these houses were extremely crowded. The reptile house was so packed we couldn’t see in any of the exhibits, so we decided to skip it. And in the ape house all of the monkeys were asleep. pretty cute :)
There are stands selling popcorn and other treats, music, and a «sled» ride to entertain. Other than those attractions, the lights, and a few animal houses, there’s not much to do at Zoo Lights, but I enjoyed taking a nice walk outside. Toward the end of the path, there was a light show timed to the Nutcracker, which I thought was pretty awesome and perfect for the holidays.
The only downside was the crowds of people and strollers. If you don’t mind spending your night with a few hundred other families, then I’d definitely pay Zoo Lights a visit!

Whether you are in the area for a romantic stroll during those chilly nights, a cheap first-​date (*wink* its free!), or a family outing Zoo Lights at the Smithsonian National Zoo will not let you down.
What they WILL do, however, is LEAD you down dimly lit paths through their vast gardens, lit only by the glowing light displays lining their trees, fields and sculptures. It does not stop there, my friend. As you continue you are invited to see their «Gin-​GRR-​Bread» house exhibit made by local schoolchildren. Caution: Some of these houses are works of future architects and will tempt you to disavow all of your own glorious attempts at creating a work of art VIA gingerbread molds. In this room are also massive train sets and city replicas.
Following along the trail, there will be various stands selling snacks, hot chocolates and adult libations. You can also see the reptile, primate, and small mammal exhibits before making your way back along the trail lit with christmas lights sculpted into lizards, tigers and horses.
Smithsonian never disappoints.