Holiday Magic at Brookfield Zoo Chicago

About This Event

Brookfield Zoo Chicago turns its grounds into a 3.5-million-light display every winter, with themed areas, a light-up maze, and tunnels built specifically for the walk-through experience — not just trees strung with bulbs. It's the western suburbs' real answer to Lincoln Park Zoo's ZooLights, not a lesser backup option, and it's been running for over two decades now.

The animal-themed lights are the actual differentiator: displays built around the zoo's own residents, plus a Holiday Dolphin Show that gives you a reason to go indoors between light-viewing stretches. A dedicated sensory-friendly night (Wed, Dec 3) is a genuinely useful detail most holiday-lights events don't bother offering.

Worth knowing: tickets start at $29.95 and it's free for members, running select nights from 3 to 9 PM, Nov 19 through Jan 3 — book ahead for weekend dates close to Christmas, when it sells out.