Wild Holidays is the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s annual vacation celebration, and it transforms the Escondido park right into a glowing winter wonderland on choose evenings from late November by means of early January. The 2026-2027 season runs on choose dates from November 27, 2026 by means of January 3, 2027.

Not like lots of vacation occasions round San Diego, Wild Holidays is included with common Safari Park admission or membership. There’s no separate ticket required. The park stays open till 8 p.m. on occasion nights, with vacation festivities kicking off round 4 p.m. It’s a very nice option to expertise the Safari Park after darkish, which most guests by no means get to do.

If you happen to’re on the lookout for information concerning the San Diego Zoo’s vacation occasion, that’s a separate celebration known as Jungle Bells. I’ve a full information to Jungle Bells on the San Diego Zoo overlaying the whole lot you should know. This put up is all about Wild Holidays on the Safari Park.

Wild Holidays Dates & Hours

Wild Holidays 2026-2027 runs on choose dates from November 27, 2026 by means of January 3, 2027. Particular occasion nights and hours haven’t been introduced but, however the Safari Park usually follows an analogous sample every year.

Primarily based on the 2025-2026 season, you may anticipate Wild Holidays on most of these dates:

• Thanksgiving weekend (Friday by means of Sunday)
• Choose weekends in early-to-mid December (daytime solely, no prolonged hours)
• Nightly from round December 19 by means of December 23
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (shortened hours, usually 10 a.m.-3 p.m.)
• Nightly from December 26 by means of early January

On the principle Wild Holidays evenings, the Safari Park stays open till 8 p.m. with festivities beginning at 4 p.m. On the early December weekends, the park closes at its common 5 p.m. time with vacation decorations up however no night programming.

I’ll replace this info with the precise 2026-2027 dates and hours as soon as they’re introduced, which is normally within the fall. Examine the official Wild Holidays web page for the most recent schedule.

Tickets & Methods to Save

Wild Holidays actions and leisure are included with any Safari Park admission ticket or membership. You don’t want a separate occasion ticket.

I’ve a full information to San Diego Zoo Safari Park low cost tickets with my promo code for financial savings on 1-Day tickets by means of aRes Journey, a certified ticket vendor.

If you happen to’re serious about doing each Wild Holidays on the Safari Park and Jungle Bells on the Zoo on separate nights, the 2-Go to Cross is a superb possibility. It contains one go to to every park (or two visits to the identical park) and is legitimate for a full yr from buy. Each vacation occasions are included with admission, so no additional price past your move.

What to See & Do

The leisure and lightweight show lineup can change from yr to yr, however Wild Holidays has adopted a constant format. Right here’s what to anticipate primarily based on the 2025-2026 season. We’ll replace it with 2026-2027 info as quickly because it’s obtainable.

The occasion is unfold throughout a number of areas of the park, so it’s much less of a single present and extra of a night stroll by means of numerous mild shows, leisure, and meals choices.

Gentle Shows

The spotlight for many guests is the sunshine shows scattered all through the park. The Bridge of Lights is a walk-through tunnel of sunshine set to music on the Safari Stroll Bridge. It runs constantly from 5 to eight p.m. and is a favourite photograph spot.

In Safari Base Camp, the Gentle Up the Holidays choreographed mild present runs a number of occasions per night. The Carol of the Bells Medley performs at 5, 6, 7, and eight p.m., with a Jingle Bells and Extra Medley at 5:30, 6:30, and seven:30 p.m. The Wild Holidays Celebration Tree can also be right here, a large Safari Park-themed tree with wildlife-inspired ornaments.

Over in Nairobi Village, the Nairobi Lantern Stroll is an illuminated path with lanterns that dance to a musical soundtrack. Close by, the Enchanted Lagoon at Mombasa Lagoon provides floating vacation lights and a lighted waterfall.

Additional into the park, the Forest of Coloration alongside Arbor Stroll illuminates Condor Valley in vacation lights. The Baja Backyard in World Gardens glows with vacation cheer by means of the Southwest-style plantings. A number of different areas are embellished with themed lighted bushes as a part of the Spirit of the Season shows, together with Tiger Path, Walkabout Australia, and Condor Ridge.

Leisure

Safari Parker’s studying of ‘Twas the Night time Earlier than Wild Holidays is a enjoyable one for households. It’s an interactive 20-minute storytelling session in Village Playground (Nairobi Village) at 4, 5, 6, and seven p.m. that ends with a wintery finale.

All through the night you’ll additionally discover the Vacation Troubadour, an acoustic musician performing in Nairobi Village, and the Turtle Doves, a violin duo taking part in vacation favorites alongside Nairobi Stroll. The Sweater Climate guitar duo roams by means of World Gardens and Walkabout Australia with their very own spin on vacation classics.

Tune your radio to Safari Park Radio 197.2 FM while you arrive for a mixture of vacation music that performs all through the park from 4 to eight p.m.

Santa

Santa is out there for pictures at Safari Base Camp on choose dates all through the Wild Holidays season. In 2025, his schedule assorted by date:

• Primary Wild Holidays evenings: Midday to eight p.m.
• Early December weekends: 10 a.m. to five p.m.
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: 10 a.m. to three p.m.

He takes scheduled breaks all through the day (for issues like “Zoom calls with elves” and “toy stock”), so examine the posted occasions while you arrive. Count on an analogous schedule for 2026-2027.

Vacation Meals & Drinks

There are seasonal food and drinks choices all through the park throughout Wild Holidays. The menu adjustments from yr to yr, however listed below are some highlights from the 2025 season to present you an thought of what to anticipate.

Standouts included the Cookie Butter Cinnamon Roll and Wild Vacation Churro Fry Sundae at Thorntree Terrace, the Arctic Blast frozen deal with at Kalahari Cabinet, peppermint bark at Macan Market, and a wide range of gourmand scorching candies.

For adults, the Cinnamon Apple Mule cocktail on faucet at Oasis on the Rocks was a well-liked decide, together with different craft cocktails obtainable at a number of areas.

Suggestions for Visiting Wild Holidays

Costume warmly
That is the tip that catches guests off guard probably the most. The Safari Park is in Escondido, inland and at a barely greater elevation than coastal San Diego. Temperatures drop noticeably after sundown, and because the complete occasion is outdoor with lots of strolling, layers are important. Convey a jacket even when the daytime climate feels delicate.

Arrive by 3-4 p.m. if you wish to see animals
Wildlife viewing is restricted after 4 p.m. throughout Wild Holidays, and the final Africa Tram departs at 4 p.m. If seeing animals is a part of your plan, get there early sufficient to trip the tram and stroll the habitats earlier than the vacation festivities take over.

Purpose for weeknights between Dec 26 and Jan 3
The nightly run after Christmas tends to be much less crowded than the pre-Christmas occasion dates. If you happen to can go on a Tuesday or Wednesday night throughout that stretch, you’ll have extra respiratory room on the mild shows and shorter waits for meals.

Put on snug strolling sneakers
The park is 1,800 acres, and regardless that you received’t cowl all of it throughout Wild Holidays, the occasion areas are unfold out. You’ll be in your ft for a couple of hours on paths that embody some hills.

Obtain the Safari Park app
Do that earlier than you go, irrespective of while you go to. It has a Wild Holidays occasion map exhibiting the place all of the shows, leisure, and meals choices are positioned.

Parking is $20 per automotive
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance members get complimentary parking by registering their car prematurely by means of the member portal. Most well-liked parking nearer to the doorway is out there for a further $25.

Wild Holidays vs. Jungle Bells on the Zoo

If you happen to’re attempting to determine between the 2 vacation occasions, or questioning in the event you ought to do each, right here’s how they examine.

Wild Holidays on the Safari Park is extra unfold out and nature-focused. The sunshine shows wind by means of gardens, strolling paths, and open areas, and the leisure has a quieter, extra acoustic really feel. It’s a pleasant night stroll with stops alongside the best way.

Jungle Bells on the San Diego Zoo is extra compact with a unique vibe. The Zoo contains a brass ensemble, the Painted Jungle and Rainbow Forest mild trails, a laser path, and different points of interest packed right into a smaller footprint.

Each are included with admission, and neither requires a separate occasion ticket. If in case you have a 2-Go to Cross, you are able to do Wild Holidays one night and Jungle Bells on one other. They’re totally different sufficient that doing each is worth it if in case you have the time. Take a look at my full Jungle Bells information for particulars on the Zoo’s occasion.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions