L.A. Zoo Lights

Celebrating their 50th Anniversary, the Los Angeles Zoo shines a bit more brightly this year with its most brilliant holiday event: "L.A. Zoo Lights." With more lights and special evenings, including a '60s Themed Holiday Happy Hour, there is something beautiful and shiny for everyone young and old to see.

Some of the sights include candy cane lights wrapped around Palm trees, lit-up zoo animals that pop up throughout the park, dangling lighted trees, inventive water and light shows, a romantically-lit covered canopy walkway, a giant colorful spiderweb, a neon-infested reptile room, live reindeer, an operational carousel, and much more. And even though the animals in the zoo should be sleeping, we witnessed an alligator and two hyenas checking out the tourists.

My favorite area is a wooden walkway lit by green flecks of light that cover everything that walks through. It's almost like you and your friends magically disappear into the lights! There's also a variety of holiday treats and drinks to purchase as well as a number of Zoo shops that stay open at night.

The event certainly gives you the Christmas feel, but there are some puzzling designs. The path through the lights can get confusing and you oftentimes have to retrace your steps and walk back through areas you've already been to. There is also a festively lit up area of trees that inexplicably played modern day pop-rock music at full blast rather than the expected Christmas carols.

But if you're looking to get into the spirit of the holidays, a visit to the Zoo will certainly get you there. It might not match the heights of the previous light shows located within Griffith Park, but it does offer a decent job putting the jingle in your Kris Kringle.

L.A. Zoo Lights runs through January 8, 2017 at the Los Angeles Zoo located in Griffith Park at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA. For information and tickets, call 866-949-8007 or visit lazoolights.org.