Zoo Lights at Point Defiance Zoo

Something that I have wanted to do for a long time was go to Zoo Lights at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma. It is funny though how different the zoo is from when I remember going as a kid. I remember that visit quite well, I must have been about 10 or 11 and had just gotten my first pair of roller blades but I was still struggling with those silly brakes...there was this really big hill and I think I sat on a ice pack and pillow for that long ride home :)

I had planned lots of fun activities for when Greg's parents were here and this was one that I saved as a fun family adventure. Unfortunately the weather did not play nicely with us but we still had a great time and didn't let that stop us. We stopped off on the way and picked up some poncho's and additional umbrellas and then headed in.  I love these pictures though of Hailey in her rain garb, it was a bit challenging to get these taken but they did turn out pretty quick.

We had to race through the zoo part pretty quickly as they close down for 45 minutes between the zoo and the lights but we made it through and got to see all the animals. I can't wait to go back another time in the spring or summer and spend a bit more time there as the animals are all different then The Woodland Park Zoo and it is much better suited for smaller kids. There are some hills but it is possible to not notice them as much if you take the sides and work your way up and down.

The lights were amazing! I had no idea what to expect and it definitely blew me away with awe of the intricate details of the animals and the Seattle landmarks that were all created out of lights.

The best part though was the carousel. Once the carousel is spotted, it is hard to forget it. With the quick zoo trip though, I decided that we would do the carousel after we saw the animals during our 45 minute break. Well, the zoo staff had different ideas. They closed the carousel so we went begrudgingly to have hot cocoa and check out the gift shop instead to warm up and dry off a bit. Lucky for me and the rest of the family in the car ride, they reopen the carousel when they turn the lights on so she got to ride it. It was the most beautiful carousel I had ever seen with each "horse" as a different zoo animal. Each one was just magnificent and I could hardly take my eyes off it. Hailey picked out the pig and has talked about ever since.

This is not something that I would do every year as a tradition but something fun to keep in mind for future years when Hailey is a bit older and can experience it from a new perspective.