If family flies in for the holidays and someone suggests WildLights, which night do you actually book? The Living Desert has put every 2026 WildLights night at the same price: $25 for general admission, $23 for members and $20 for ages 3 to 17. Children under 3 get in free. KESQ's coverage of the 2025 season listed ranges of $22 to $25 for adults, $18 to $20 for children and $20 to $22 for members. Since every night now costs the same, picking a quieter or cheaper night doesn't save money anymore.
There's also no changing your mind later. The official WildLights page says tickets are valid only for the date you buy, can't be refunded, and the event goes ahead in any weather. Once you buy, you're set for that night. For a Toscana household planning around houseguests, it makes sense to look at the full calendar before buying anything.
The calendar has gaps
WildLights runs from 6 to 9 p.m., and the last entry is at 8:30. Members get a preview night on Monday, November 23. After that, the zoo lists 22 public nights between November 24 and December 30, but they come in clusters with dark stretches in between.
| Week | Open nights | Dark nights to plan around |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week | Mon Nov 23 members only; Tue Nov 24, Wed Nov 25, Fri Nov 27, Sat Nov 28 | Thanksgiving, Thu Nov 26 |
| First week of December | Fri Dec 4, Sat Dec 5 | Tue Dec 1 to Thu Dec 3; Sun Dec 6 to Wed Dec 9 |
| Second week | Thu Dec 10 to Sat Dec 12 | Sun Dec 13 to Wed Dec 16 |
| Holiday run | Thu Dec 17 through Thu Dec 24, every night | None |
| After Christmas | Sat Dec 26 through Wed Dec 30 | Christmas Day, when the zoo is closed |
A few things in this table matter for anyone hosting guests. Thanksgiving night itself is dark, so if the visit is centered on the holiday, plan for the Tuesday or Wednesday before or the Friday or Saturday after. In early December, only a single weekend is open, December 4 and 5. December 17 through 24 is the only stretch where you can go any night without checking the calendar.
Who appears in the photo booth depends on the date too. Free photos with Santa run through December 24. The Grinch takes over from December 26 to 30. If the grandkids arrive after Christmas, they'll be lining up for the Grinch.
Three nights change who can come
The zoo has scheduled three special nights for 2026, and each one changes who in your group can go.
- Jingle Pups, Thursday, December 10. This is the only WildLights night when dogs are allowed. On every other main night, only service animals can come. Each dog needs its own event ticket, the same as each person.
- Adults Only, Thursday, December 17. Guests must be 18 or older. This is the first night of the holiday run, so if you go any other night that week, kids can come.
- Pride Night, Friday, December 18. It falls in the middle of the busiest stretch of the season.
A family that wants to bring the dog has exactly one night to choose. A group of adults hoping to skip the stroller crowd has exactly one night as well. Since no ticket can be moved to another date, pick the night by who's coming first, then buy.
What the day-and-night bundle actually saves
The Living Desert also sells a bundle that combines daytime admission with a WildLights ticket. It costs $64.95 per adult and $49.95 per child ages 3 to 17. As of late October 2026, the zoo's Plan Your Visit page lists daytime admission at $44.95 for adults and $34.95 for ages 3 to 17. It also notes that daytime prices can vary by date.
Using those posted prices, buying the two tickets separately costs $69.95 per adult and $54.95 per child. The bundle saves $5 per person, or $20 for two adults and two children. That's a real saving, but a small one. Whether the bundle makes sense mostly comes down to timing.
From October through May, the zoo is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the last daytime entry is at 4 p.m. Every daytime visitor has to be out by 5 p.m., including members and anyone holding a WildLights ticket. WildLights entry starts at 6 p.m. So a day-and-night visit means two separate trips through the gate with a required hour outside in between. For a household with young children or older guests, a long day split by a break in the parking lot may not be worth $5 a person. For visitors who want to see the whole zoo during their stay, the bundle covers both visits in one purchase.
Since last December, the daytime zoo has changed
If you're weighing the bundle, the daytime half has more to offer than it did a year ago. In a January 2026 story, Palm Springs Life reported that The Living Desert had opened its first primate exhibit that November. Four patas monkeys moved into a former leopard habitat, which was converted at a cost of $300,000 into a 3,700-square-foot space. The group includes a baby named Maisha, born May 3, 2025. The zoo says she's the third generation of females in the troop.
Construction is also underway now. In an October 13 update, the zoo said a previously unused area in the center of the park is being developed into Lion Ridge and the Connie and Bob Lurie Palm Pavilion. A crew of more than 100 is doing grading, earthwork and utility installation. Lions aren't expected before fall 2028. The zoo also says all current animal habitats and amenities will stay open during construction. The fenced-off center is the first stage of that project. It doesn't affect anything guests can currently see.
The nighttime route hasn't changed much. WildLights guests walk the African Safari pathways, where they may see rhinos, giraffes, zebras and African painted dogs. Returning displays include the Giant Present, the 30-foot-tall Christmas tree, the Tunnel of Lights and the holiday-decorated G-Scale model train. KESQ reported that the train runs on 3,300 feet of track. The zoo also promises some new exhibits and photo spots this year.
Planning the evening around the date
Once you've chosen a night, the rest of the plan follows from it. Bighorn Cafe opened in April 2025 with an outdoor patio that looks out on Bighorn Mountain. It's listed as a dinner option during WildLights. There's also a s'mores station at Pronghorn Picnic Place, and guests 21 and older can buy beer, wine and specialty cocktails.
Parking in the zoo lot is free, but the zoo warns it can fill quickly on busy nights. Overflow parking is on Portola Avenue, Haystack Avenue and Buckboard Avenue. The zoo asks guests not to block driveways or red zones on those neighborhood streets, and to keep drop-offs at the front gate quick. Rentals go first come, first served:
- Wagons and double strollers, $10 each
- Wheelchairs, $15
- Electric convenience vehicles, $30
All rental prices are plus tax. The paths are wide and paved, but the zoo says the event has amplified music and twinkling light displays. Guests with sensory concerns can call Guest Services at (760) 346-5694.
Two La Quinta dates that line up, and one that conflicts
Two of La Quinta's holiday events fall on WildLights dates. Old Town La Quinta's free Art on Main Street features more than 80 local and regional artists. Its remaining 2026 dates are Saturday, November 28, and Saturday, December 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Both are WildLights nights, so you could spend the morning on Main Street and the evening at the lights. Since the market wraps up at 3 p.m., that plan doesn't involve the 5-to-6 p.m. wait outside the zoo gate.
The conflict is Friday, December 4. The city's events calendar lists La Quinta's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony for Friday, December 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Civic Center Campus, so check that listing again as the date gets closer. Those are the same hours as WildLights, so you'll have to choose one. If your group wants both, pair the tree lighting with WildLights on Saturday, December 5.
If you're hosting guests from Toscana this season, I'm glad to share what I know about planning a full desert holiday week, from WildLights night to the dinner reservation afterward. And if part of that conversation turns to buying or selling here, Nyla Doering can help with that too.
