Wild Holidays at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (Dates, Tips & What to Expect)

Wild Holidays is the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s annual holiday celebration, and it transforms the Escondido park into a glowing winter wonderland on select evenings from late November through early January.

Regular Safari Park admission or membership covers Wild Holidays, so there’s no separate ticket required. It’s a really nice way to experience the Safari Park after dark, which most visitors never get to do.

If you’re looking for info about the San Diego Zoo’s holiday event, that’s a separate celebration called Jungle Bells. I have a full guide to Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo covering everything you need to know.

Wild Holidays Dates & Hours

Wild Holidays 2026-2027 runs on select dates from November 27, 2026, through January 3, 2027. The Safari Park hasn’t named this season’s event nights yet. Its hours calendar already shows the park open until 8 p.m. on these dates:

• November 27–29, 2026
• December 18–23, 2026
• December 26–31, 2026

The calendar shows the park open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and January hours aren’t posted yet.

Last season, Wild Holidays ran on these dates, with the park open until 8 p.m. on each of them:

• November 28–30, 2025 (Thanksgiving weekend)
• December 19–23, 2025
• December 26, 2025, through January 4, 2026

Holiday festivities started at 4 p.m. on those nights. Santa also visited on a few days that weren’t event nights, and his schedule is in the Santa section below.

I’ll update this information with the exact 2026-2027 event nights once they’re announced. Check the official Wild Holidays page for the latest schedule.

Tickets & How to Save

Wild Holidays activities and entertainment are included with any Safari Park admission ticket or membership. You don’t need a separate event ticket.

I have a full guide to San Diego Zoo Safari Park discount tickets with my promo code for savings on 1-Day tickets through aRes Travel, an authorized ticket seller.

If you’re thinking about doing both Wild Holidays at the Safari Park and Jungle Bells at the Zoo on separate nights, the 2-Visit Pass is a great option. It includes one visit to each park (or two visits to the same park) and is valid for a full year from purchase. Both holiday events are included with admission, so there’s no extra cost beyond your pass.

What to See & Do

The event is spread across several areas of the park, so it’s less of a single show and more of an evening stroll through various light displays, entertainment, and food options.

Christmas Light Displays

The Bridge of Lights is a walk-through tunnel of light set to music, and the choreographed Light Up the Holidays show is the only display with set showtimes.

Display	Where	Last season
Bridge of Lights	Safari Walk Bridge	5–8 p.m.
Light Up the Holidays	Safari Base Camp	On the hour and half hour, 5–8 p.m.
Wild Holidays Celebration Tree	Safari Base Camp	4–8 p.m.
Nairobi Lantern Walk	Nairobi Village	5–8 p.m.
Enchanted Lagoon	Mombasa Lagoon	5–8 p.m.
Forest of Color	Arbor Walk, Condor Valley	5–8 p.m.
Baja Garden	World Gardens	5–8 p.m.
Spirit of the Season lighted trees	Tiger Trail, Walkabout Australia, World Gardens, and Condor Ridge	5–8 p.m.

Entertainment

Safari Parker’s reading of ’Twas the Night Before Wild Holidays is a fun one for families. It’s an interactive 20-minute storytelling session in Village Playground (Nairobi Village) at 4, 5, 6, and 7 p.m. that ends with a wintery finale.

Throughout the evening you’ll also find the Holiday Troubadour, an acoustic musician performing in Nairobi Village, and the Turtle Doves, a violin duo playing holiday favorites along Nairobi Walk. The Sweater Weather guitar duo roams through World Gardens and Walkabout Australia with their own spin on holiday classics.

Safari Park Radio 197.2, the park’s own holiday station, plays a mix of contemporary and traditional holiday music at Safari Base Camp from 4 to 8 p.m.

Santa

Last season, Santa was at Safari Base Camp for photos on these days:

• November 28–30 and December 19–23: Noon to 8 p.m.
• December 6–7 and 13–14: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

His schedule ended on Christmas Day, so the event nights after Christmas had no Santa visits. He also took scheduled breaks throughout the day (for things like “Zoom call with elves” and “toy inventory”), so check the posted times when you arrive.

Holiday Food & Drinks

Last season, the seasonal food and drink offerings throughout the park included cookie butter cinnamon rolls, peppermint bark, a variety of gourmet hot chocolates, and craft cocktails on tap for adults. The menu changes from year to year.

Tips for Visiting Wild Holidays

Dress warmly
The Safari Park is in Escondido, inland and at a slightly higher elevation than coastal San Diego. Temperatures drop noticeably after sunset, and since the whole event is outdoors with a lot of walking, layers are essential. Bring a jacket even if the daytime weather feels mild.

Arrive well before 4 p.m. if you want to see animals
Wildlife viewing is limited after 4 p.m. during Wild Holidays, and the last Africa Tram departs at 4 p.m. If seeing animals is part of your plan, get there early enough to ride the tram and walk the habitats before the holiday festivities take over.

Wear comfortable walking shoes
The park is 1,800 acres, and even though you won’t cover all of it during Wild Holidays, the event areas are spread out. You’ll be on your feet for a few hours on paths that include some hills.

Download the Safari Park app
Do this before you go, no matter when you visit. It usually has a Wild Holidays event map showing where all the displays, entertainment, and food options are located.

Plan for paid parking
General parking is charged per vehicle, and preferred parking costs more. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance adult members park free by showing their valid membership card at the parking booth.

Wild Holidays vs. Jungle Bells at the Zoo

Wild Holidays at the Safari Park is more spread out and nature-focused. The light displays wind through gardens, walking paths, and open spaces, and the entertainment has a quieter, more acoustic feel. It’s a nice evening stroll with stops along the way.

Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo is more compact with a different vibe. Last season, the Zoo featured a brass ensemble, the Painted Jungle and Rainbow Forest light trails, a laser trail, and other attractions packed into a smaller footprint.

Both are included with admission. With a 2-Visit Pass, you can do Wild Holidays one evening and Jungle Bells on another. My Jungle Bells guide has the details on the Zoo’s event.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wild Holidays free with Safari Park admission?

Yes. All Wild Holidays activities, entertainment, and light displays are included with any valid Safari Park admission ticket or membership. There is no additional fee.

Is the Safari Park open on Christmas Day?

Yes. The Safari Park is open every day of the year, including Christmas, with shorter hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in 2026). Last season, those two days weren’t Wild Holidays event nights, but Santa was at Safari Base Camp from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

What time does Wild Holidays start?

Last season, holiday festivities began at 4 p.m. on event nights, and most of the light displays ran from 5 p.m. until the park closed at 8 p.m.

Can you see animals during Wild Holidays?

Wildlife viewing is limited after 4 p.m. The last Africa Tram departs at 4 p.m. If you want to see animals, plan to arrive earlier in the day.

Is Wild Holidays the same as Jungle Bells?

No. Wild Holidays takes place at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido. Jungle Bells is the separate holiday event at the San Diego Zoo near downtown San Diego.

They are run by the same organization (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance) but feature different entertainment and light displays.