Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo

 Happy Holidays!

This month is another zoo activity, not to mention one of my favorites of the year, Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. There is just something so magical about the lights and music around the holidays that I feel transported to another world. While this year is obviously a bit different, it was still the beautiful evening that I love to share with family and friends. 

With everything going on in 2020, I was so excited that the event was still happening this year. The tickets are separate from the day-time zoo tickets, and they are limiting the number of people in one evening by having everyone schedule an "arrival" time. Even for zoo members you need to "order" a time on the ticket page (don't worry, it's still free). I believe  all tickets need to be ordered ahead of time because I didn't see any open kiosks for buying tickets at the gate. At the gates, the employees were having guests scan their own tickets/zoo memberships upon entry. 

We started over at Adventure Cove which is new this year. I didn't get over to the zoo this summer, so this was my first time experiencing it. The outdoor portion of the habitat for the sea lions and seals is so fun and the water is visible for when they swim by. The best part of Adventure Cove is that there is an overhead and underwater view as well. The walkthrough tunnel was my personal preference because you feel so immersed in the experience of being underwater with wildlife swimming around you. (The Polar Bear underwater view is still my absolute favorite in the zoo because who doesn't want to see Polar Bears swimming above them!?) There is a ramp walkway and stairs up to the overhead view of the habitats. The view is nice and it was cool to see the seals and sea lions hop up onto the rocks. Adventure Cove also includes Jack Hanna's Animal Encounter Village. The indoor exhibits were fascinating because each animal and exhibit gave facts and information that related to people's everyday lives. I think there's more animals to see during the day or possibly during the warmer months because some of the outdoor habitats were closed. 

Now to the lights! The lights are powered by AEP Ohio, and the big show is at The Watering Hole where the trees/decorations/effects in and around the water are timed along with the music. The show runs about every 10-15 minutes or so, which we felt was a lot more often than in previous years and the show ran a little shorter. Possibly to avoid the large gatherings of people around to watch. In my personal opinion, the last song is worth sticking around for because it is Trans Siberian Orchestra and obviously a game changer to the classic holiday music. There are lights throughout the rest of the zoo and themed according to their continent, so make sure to pay attention to details! 

Normally we don't get snacks while we are there because we stop for food on the way home, but I wanted to make it a little more special this time. We got a spiked hot cocoa and they only come in one size; a Starbucks venti (20 oz) for $10. The options were Kahlua, Baileys, vodka, and rum. We picked Kahlua and were disappointed. You couldn't taste the alcohol except as an aftertaste like they only put half a shot in it. The cocoa was not my favorite. It was slightly bitter in the beginning, but when you got to the bottom of the cup, it was too thick and sweet. For $10, I wanted to taste more Kahlua and better quality cocoa. We also ordered mini donuts and they weren't great either. They weren't fresh and had been sitting in the warmer for a while. They got cold quickly so they didn't melt in your mouth, but I enjoyed the amount of cinnamon sugar on them and they weren't greasy from the fryer. I should've went with my instinct and got the Barvarian soft pretzels with nacho cheese. If you're really hungry and willing to wait in lines, the front of the zoo also has Cinnabon and Auntie Anne's that always smells amazing.

We noticed with the COVID precautions that the crowd level was lower. Normally at Wildlights, you're elbow to elbow with people and trying to weave and dodge large groups. I think the arrival sign-up times really helped with that and I wish they'd keep it for the event every year. There were obviously the people who are unaware that their nose is part of their face and therefore needs covered with the mask, but we didn't see nearly the amount of disregard as we did in Cleveland. 

All in all, it was still the magical and festive event that I look forward to every year. While I don't think the food is worth it, the lights, music, and seeing the animals at night are delightful.  For more information on the hours, tickets, information, etc...visit the Columbus Zoo's website. (Wildlights runs until January 3rd, 2021.)