Sip hot chocolate as you stroll through the beautiful Houston Zoo grounds and take in the sights and sounds of the season. Interact with Candy the Zoo Lights Zebra presented by H-E-B, get a selfie on a giant ice throne, and take a socially distanced photo with Santa as he prepares for the holidays in his workshop!

Stroll through a 125-foot-long, Infinity Tunnel of Light, see dragons come to life in the 4-D Enchanted Forest presented by King & Spalding LLP, and experience “snow” in Texas! 

TXU Energy Presents Zoo Lights
November 14, 2020 – January 10, 2021
5:30-10:30 p.m., last entry at 9:30 p.m.
Buy early for the best price! Tickets will NOT be available for purchase at the gate.

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS

MEMBER RESERVATIONS

Note: Ticket prices are the same for adults and children. Children ages 1 and under are free. Members save $3 per ticket when you log in to purchase.

VIEW ZOO LIGHTS MAP

Find additional information in our Zoo Lights FAQ section below. 

For the safety of Houston Zoo staff, guests, and animals, visitors 10 years and older are required to wear facial coverings that cover their nose and mouth.

Find your center and practice meditation in the spacious and tranquil Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. Offered in collaboration with Pralaya Yoga Studio and Youniversoul Fest this meditation series will feature the use of singing bowls and wind chimes to encourage mindfulness and connectivity. Guests should bring their own cushion or mat.

Sound Healing Meditation takes place Wednesdays at 6pm at Saturdays at 9am.

Advance registration required; $15 per person. 24 person max.
https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/buffalobayou/items/246138/calendar/2020/07/?flow=404814&full-items=yes

**All guests are required to wear a face mask and use hand sanitizer before entering the Cistern. Markers will be placed throughout the space to indicate socially-distanced spots. Cleaning will take place between every Cistern tour and meditation session.**

You’re invited to join #RunBuffaloBayou, hosted by Buffalo Bayou Partnership! The group will be led by marathoners Monica Esqueda and Saurabh Chaugule every Thursday evening along the trails of Buffalo Bayou Park.

Take in the beauty of Houston’s award-winning green space while you learn helpful running tips from experts and meet other Buffalo Bayou runners. Two different routes will be offered, a 3-mile and 5-mile route, and everyone from beginner to experienced runners are welcome.

Meet in front of The Water Works Visitor Center (105 Sabine Street) at 6:45pm every Thursday. The group will take off at 7pm.

See you on the trails as we #RunBuffaloBayou!

Children of all ages are invited to skate with Santa Claus (through Dec. 24).
12—1pm

Visit www.discoverygreen.com/ice for more info

Safety protocols include increased sanitation and contactless ticket buying. A reduced number of tickets will be sold to maintain social distancing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists outdoor activity while wearing a mask as a less risky way of gathering. With that in mind, the following safety procedures and protocols will be followed to further minimize the risk associated with COVID-19:

Tickets for a specific time must be purchased in advance online to ensure contactless ticketing and to minimize overcrowding. Tickets are on sale now!

Skaters will be required to sign a waiver online after purchasing tickets. The E-tickets will not be sent until the waiver is completed.

All skaters must have a pre-purchased ticket to enter the venue. (Skating guests under the age of 12 may have one parent or guardian accompany them. This person will be asked to stay in a public viewing area while the minor skates.)

Staff and skaters will be required to wear a mask at all times within the venue. If a guest does not have a mask, one will be provided.

Ice rink capacity is restricted to 50 percent to allow for social distancing.

Expanded seating areas provide social distancing while changing shoes and skates.

Hand sanitizer will be available for guests. Equipment and touchpoints in the facility will be thoroughly sanitized at regularly scheduled intervals.

Ice rink staff procedures have been revised to allow for social distancing and monitoring.

Ticket sales support Discovery Green Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that depends on the generosity of park visitors and other friends to maintain the park and to fund free events held here every year.

The ice rink may be closed or delayed at times due to weather conditions. Call 713.434.RINK (7465) for updates and check discoverygreen.com for closures and other delays. Guests holding tickets will be notified via email and their tickets refunded if weather closures are necessary at their reserved times.

Each fall, thousands of sandhill cranes congregate along the Wisconsin River just behind Leopold’s Shack—and this year is no different. The cranes, free from 2020’s pandemic-induced barriers, are flocking to Leopold Country by the thousands, and the Aldo Leopold Foundation is committed to sharing the experience with you.

This December, Save Buffalo Bayou invite you to view the wildlife spectacle in a new way as Save Buffalo Bayou bring the sights and sounds of 10,000 cranes right to your living room through free, virtual programs!

Programs will be held on December 8th, 10th, and 15th at 7:00pm CT. Registrations are required and can be submitted through the link below.

Learn More and Register: https://bit.ly/3lFQu3O

Wildlife by Design Across Texas pairs Texas Wildlife Associate classroom presentations with distance learning, allowing Texas Wildlife Associate to share their educational presentations with you anywhere across Texas!
https://www.texas-wildlife.org/resources/events/investigating-life-cycles-wildlife-by-design-across-texas5

Investigating Life Cycles is an inquiry-based program that allows students to investigate and compare life cycle models and record their observations. Students will learn the characteristics that allow a plant or animal to grow into a mature adult and how each stage affects its habitat and other plant and animal populations. Students will learn the difference between complete and incomplete metamorphosis in insects, as well as exploring the varied life cycles and interdependence of other members of the animal and plant kingdoms.

The Memorial Park Conservancy has generously offered Katy Prairie Conservancy use of their greenhouse while the Native Seed Nursery at KPC’s field office in Waller is being renovated. Volunteers will help grow plants that will be used for various Katy Prairie Conservancy spring projects and for the Great Grow Out. The Memorial Park Conservancy Greenhouse is located in Memorial Park on the south side of Memorial Drive. All are welcome, no experience necessary.

Workdays are scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Wildlife by Design Across Texas pairs Texas Wildlife Associate classroom presentations with distance learning, allowing Texas Wildlife Associate to share their educational presentations with you anywhere across Texas!
https://www.texas-wildlife.org/resources/events/skins-and-skulls-wildlife-by-design-across-texas5

Skins & Skulls is a prepared discussion of the identification and specialized adaptations of native Texas wildlife with animal skulls and skins. Students will investigate the skulls of these animals and use field guides to identify their ‘mystery skulls’, all while learning about their animal’s habitat, food sources, and adaptations for survival.