Houston Zoo Lights is open 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. every night from 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with last entry at 9:30 p.m. A ticket for anyone age 3 and up costs $24.95 to $44.95, depending on the date. The zoo is closed on 9 December and Christmas Eve, and it opens on Christmas Day for the first time.
As of 5 November 2026, the Houston Zoo's Zoo Lights page lists 2026 dates of 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Tickets went on sale on 15 October 2026.
The 3 things to sort out before your night:
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A ticket for your date. Buy online in advance. Entry is only on the date on your ticket.
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Parking or the train. The zoo has no lot of its own, and the free Hermann Park lots can fill up.
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Your way home. Check the METRORail Red Line times for after 10:30 p.m.
Houston Zoo Lights 2026 at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | 19 Nov 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 |
| Hours | 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., last entry 9:30 p.m. |
| Closed | 9 Dec and 24 Dec 2026 |
| Ticket, ages 3 and up | $24.95 to $44.95, by date |
| Ages 2 and under | Free |
| Member Preview Nights | 17 and 18 Nov, $14.95 |
| Entrance | Main entrance, 6200 Hermann Park Drive |
| Train | Red Line to Memorial Hermann Hospital/Houston Zoo, $1.25 |
So, the season runs about 6 weeks, and one ticket price covers everyone age 3 and up.
When is Houston Zoo Lights 2026?
Hours: 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., last entry 9:30 p.m. Closed 9 December and Christmas Eve. "For the first time", the zoo opens for Zoo Lights on Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Zoo Lights is rain or shine (Houston Zoo, Zoo Lights page, read 4 Nov 2026)
Hours: Member Preview Nights are 17 and 18 November. On Zoo Lights days the zoo closes at 4 p.m. and reopens for Zoo Lights at 5:30 p.m. (Houston Zoo blog, 15 Oct 2026, read 4 Nov 2026)
Address: Main entrance, 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030. The Medical Center entrance is not open for Zoo Lights (Zoo Lights page, read 4 Nov 2026)
The special nights on the zoo's page:
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Wine Fest (21 and over): Friday 20 November, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.
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Sensory Inclusive Night: Monday 30 November, with lower music and fewer flashing lights.
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Community Appreciation Week: Senior Night 14 December, First Responders and Service Members Night 15 December, College Night 16 December, Educator Night 17 December.
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Fridays for Wildlife: the first 2,000 guests each Friday through 25 December get an ornament.
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Christmas night: the first 2,000 guests get an ornament and the first 1,500 get HoloSpex glasses.
Note: All five special nights above are listed on the Zoo Lights page, read 4 Nov 2026. A Thursday happy hour gives 50% off specialty cocktails at The Merry Mixer until 7:30 p.m. (same page)
So, Zoo Lights is open every night of the season except 9 December and Christmas Eve.
How much are Houston Zoo Lights tickets?
| Ticket | Price | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Zoo Lights admission | $24.95 to $44.95, by date | Ages 3 and up |
| Ages 2 and under | Free | No ticket needed |
| Member Preview Night | $14.95 per person, per night | Members, 17 and 18 Nov |
| Senior, 65 and older | Free | Seniors |
| Extra family ticket with a senior | $19.95 each, up to 6 | Family of a senior |
| Military, first responders, educators | 10% off | With ID |
| Choir spectator ticket | $29.95, 100-ticket minimum | Choir groups |
Price: Zoo Lights admission, ages 3 and up: $24.95 to $44.95, depending on the date. Ages 2 and under: $0. An Unlimited Carousel Package is $7.95. A ticket is good only on the date you pick, from its arrival time on (Houston Zoo ticket store, read 4 Nov 2026 and again in a browser on 5 Nov 2026)
Price: Member Preview Nights $14.95 per person, per night. Seniors 65 and older get in free, and extra family tickets with them are $19.95 each, up to six. Military, first responders and educators get 10% off all season. Choir performers get up to 40 free tickets, and spectator tickets are $29.95 with a 100-ticket minimum (Zoo Lights page, read 4 Nov 2026). Members get 20% off (Houston Zoo blog, 15 Oct 2026, read 4 Nov 2026)
Note: Entry is "only allowed on the selected date of your ticket purchase." You can enter any time after the arrival time on your ticket. All payments are non-refundable and non-transferable (Zoo Lights page, read 4 Nov 2026)
The zoo's page gives two rules for Community Appreciation Week. One part says the honored guest is free and each extra ticket is $25.95, up to six. The FAQ on the same page says extra tickets are 20% off. Check the price at checkout.
So, buy online for your date, and check if you qualify for a senior, member or 10% discount first.
Where do you park for Houston Zoo Lights?
Note: The zoo has no lot of its own. "Free parking is available in Hermann Park." Lots G, F, E, H and I are about a 5 to 10 minute walk to the entrance. Lot C at Centennial Gardens is a 15 to 20 minute walk and limited to three hours (Houston Zoo, Directions and Parking page, read 4 Nov 2026)
Price: Houston Museum of Natural Science garage, 5555 Hermann Park Drive: $30 general, $10 for HMNS members. METRORail Park and Ride at Fannin South Transit Center, 1604 West Bellfort St.: 1,440 spaces, $3 to park. Other paid garages nearby are on the ParkWhiz app (same page, read 4 Nov 2026)
Note: The Zoo Lights page says the free Hermann Park lots "can fill quickly" (Zoo Lights page, read 4 Nov 2026)
| Option | Cost | Walk to the gate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hermann Park lots G, F, E, H, I | Free | 5 to 10 min | Early arrivals |
| Lot C, Centennial Gardens | Free, 3-hour limit | 15 to 20 min | A short visit |
| HMNS garage | $30 | Not stated | A sure space |
| Fannin South Park and Ride | $3, plus the rail fare | Red Line, then about 10 min | Drivers from the south |
| METRORail Red Line | $1.25 | About 10 min | No car |
The 3-hour limit at Lot C matters if you arrive at 5:30 p.m. and stay to closing. The directions page does not say whether the HMNS garage rate is different at night.
So, arrive early for a free lot, or pay $30 for the museum garage.
How do you get to Houston Zoo Lights by METRORail?
Getting there: Take the Red Line to Memorial Hermann Hospital/Houston Zoo, then walk through The Commons in Hermann Park, about 10 minutes. Or exit at Hermann Park/Rice U and walk through the Japanese Gardens (Houston Zoo, Directions and Parking page, read 4 Nov 2026)
Getting there: METRO lists the Red Line every 6 to 12 minutes (approximate). It says you will be on board about 18 minutes. Bus 28 OST-Wayside runs about every 30 minutes and stops at Ben Taub Loop at Cambridge Street. Bus 56 Airline/Montrose runs every 20 to 30 minutes and stops at Main Street at Sunset Boulevard (METRO, Houston Zoo page, read 4 Nov 2026)
Price: Regular fare $1.25. Discounted fare 60 cents with a RideMETRO Discount Fare Card (students, seniors 65 to 69, riders with disabilities). Children five and under ride free with an adult, and so do seniors 70 and older with the card. Free transfers for up to 3 hours. Day Pass $3, good until 2 a.m. the next day. You can tap a credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay (METRO, All About Fares, read 4 Nov 2026)
METRO's page does not mention Zoo Lights or extra evening service. We did not check the last Red Line train times. Check the METRO trip planner for your ride home after 10:30 p.m.
So, the Red Line to Memorial Hermann Hospital/Houston Zoo costs $1.25 and is about a 10-minute walk from the gate.
What other holiday lights can you see in 2026?
Compare Houston with seven other zoos in our Zoo Lights 2026 guide. For a theme park, see Busch Gardens Christmas Town, which starts 13 November 2026.
So, use the zoo roundup to compare Houston's dates and prices with other shows.
What we checked and what can change
Read on 4 November 2026, with the ticket store re-read on 5 November:
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The Houston Zoo's Zoo Lights page: dates, hours, closed days, special nights, discounts, entry rules and the main entrance.
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The zoo's blog post of 15 October 2026: Member Preview Nights, the 4 p.m. day closing and the 20% member discount.
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The zoo's Zoo Lights ticket store: the $24.95 to $44.95 admission, the $7.95 carousel package, the date rule, the Christmas Day opening and the 9 and 24 December closures. Re-read in a browser on 5 November 2026.
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The zoo's Directions and Parking page: lots, walk times, garage prices and the Red Line stops.
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METRO's Houston Zoo page and fares page: train and bus frequency, ride time and fares.
Not confirmed: which dates cost the low or the high price, the Community Appreciation Week price (the page gives two), and late-night Red Line times. We have not been to Zoo Lights.
