WILDLIGHTS, Columbus Zoo, Ohio

11 December 202122 September 2024

There is nothing that makes the holidays more festive than lights. And if you visit the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium during its Wildlights event, you will not be disappointed as millions of LED lights bring the zoo to life.

The exhibit runs from November 16^th, 2018 to January 6th, 2019. Hours of operation are from 5PM to 9PM from Sunday to Thursday and an extended hour until 10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. The Zoo will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Spreading holiday cheer for nearly 30 years, the Columbus Zoo has expanded its Wildlights exhibit to include a visit from Santa, Mrs. Claus and his reindeer. You can see him at the Santaland Zoo which is made of gingerbread. There are three animated musical shows to include Rudolph’s Remix and Holiday Magic Animated Musical Light Show. Many of the food stands will be open and additional offerings will include seasonal treats.

There is also a Holiday Skate Rink which offers skate rentals, $4 for zoo members and $5 for non-members. The Animals on Safari will be putting on a seasonal show called “Another Character Christmas” while animated bears will put on a Jingle Bear Jamboree at the Battelle Ice Bear Post.

And as if that is not enough holiday cheer for a day, there is also a tribute show which includes characters from holiday shows and movies.

Regular admission applies, so check out the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium’s website for up-to-date prices. And if you are a member of the zoo, there is no additional fee to enjoy Wildlights. Private tours are available for an additional cost.

The Carousel is also open during the event, so make sure you take some time to enjoy the ride. You can also board the Polar Bear Express Train Ride or a camel ride for an additional charge.

Some of the animal exhibits remain open during the Wildlights festivities, but make sure you arrive before 4PM so you can see the gorillas and polar bears before they turn in early.

An outing to the zoo is a wonderful way to experience the holiday season. Enjoy all of the activities and events the venue has to offer to maximize your trip.

Is a visit to the zoo over the holidays a tradition in your family? I would love to hear what keeps you coming back each year. Please leave a message in the comment section below. Happy Zoo Year!

What to See and What to Do:

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
4850 Powell Road
Powell, OH 53065
Telephone: 614 645 3400

Admission Fee: For non-zoo members, the entrance fee is $17.99 for adults and $12.99 for children. Parking is $8. You can purchase your tickets online and save $1 on admission. Franklin County residents will save $3 with valid identification.
Hours: Wildlights hours are from Sunday through Thursday from 5 PM to 9 PM and Friday and Saturday from 5 PM to 10 PM.
Amenities: Limited animal enclosures open, holiday events and exhibits, restaurants, restroom, some rides are open during this time
Scenic View: Beautiful holiday lights
Length of Visit: 1 – 2 hours
Tips for Your Visit: Come early as parking fills up quickly.

Where to Stay:

Cloverleaf Suites
4130 Tuller Road
Dublin, OH 43017
Telephone: 614 766 7762

Where to Eat:

Congo River Market Food Court at the Zoo

While visitors can choose from cheeseburgers, fresh salads, deli sandwiches and kids’ meals, we opted for the Donato’s Pizza.

Here are more of my favorite Columbus Classics:

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream: Known for her unique flavor combinations, Jeni Britton Bauer has made ice cream famous in C-Bus!
North Market: A one-stop shop for universal cuisine, Columbus’ North Market is worth a stop in the Short North District of the city.
The Thurman Cafe: The Thurmanator is the burger of all burgers at this longtime local cafe in German Village. There may be a wait all burgers are made to order.
Schmidt’s Sausage Haus and Restaurant: While the sausage at Schmidt’s is the official food of Columbus, it’s the amazing Cream Puffs that have the locals lining up at the door.

What to Read:

Columbus: The Story of a City, by Ed Lentz
Columbus, Ohio: A Photographic Portrait, by Randall L Schieber and Robin Smith
Ohio in Photographs: A Portrait of the Buckeye State, by Ian Adams
Secret Columbus, by Anietra Hamper

Photo Guide for Columbus:

Coffman Park: small ponds, bridges, white barn, pavilion, landscaping, public art
Columbus Museum of Art: the grounds, inside artwork and special exhibits
Everal Barn and Homestead: landscaping, white barn, beautiful lake
Frank Fetch Park: gardens, brick paths, beautiful trees and landscaping
Franklin Park Conservatory: beautiful gardens, artwork, flowers and special exhibits
Gantz Park: barn, beautiful trees,
German Village: brick streets, landscaping, parks, charming architecture, Old World charm, historical buildings
Grove City: brick roads, small town, shopping area
Hayden Falls: wooden walking path, waterfall
Historical Village of Hilliard: a small village to include a schoolhouse, train car, chapel, log cabin, covered bridge, gazebo and granary
Homestead Park in Hilliard: walking path, covered bridge, barns, trains, tractor, pond and pet park
Inniswood Metro Gardens: gardens, lily pond, herb garden, play area for children, secret garden
Ohio State House: rotunda and landscaping (photo permit required)
Ohio State University: campus, landscaping, Mirror Lake, Ohio Stadium (you can pay a small fee to take photos inside)
Park of Roses in Clintonville: various types of rose gardens
Riverfront Park: city view, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
Schiller Park: gardens, walking paths, stone columns, wooden bridge, small lake
Scioto Mile: city views, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
Scioto Park in Dublin: statue of Chief Leatherlips, river views, landscaping, and paths
Short North: restaurants, italian village, shops, city views, murals
Topiary Park: depiction of George Seurat’s 1884 painting, landscape, fountains, small pond, gazebo

Disclosure: Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

Carousel at the Zoo

Polar Bear Exhibit

Columbus Wildlights

The Clifton Mill Holiday Lights, Ohio

31 December 202022 September 2024

Sometimes I find myself lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and realize that there is so much more to Christmas than mall shopping for gifts. I decided to take an evening to escape the madness and planned a visit to Clifton Mill for their spectacular light show.

Each year, the Mill sponsors a legendary holiday event that takes place in Clifton, Ohio. From the day after Thanksgiving to December 31^st, visitors can experience this over-the-top display with more than 3.5 million lights.

For over 20 years, the mill has been lighting up the holiday season by illuminating the mill, the bridge, the gorge, and the riverbank. In preparation for the event, it takes six men approximately three months to put up the light display.

Located just outside of the mill is a miniature village that displays some of Clifton’s local, historic buildings as well as other structures that would be found in town. For example, there is a drive-in movie theater where a movie is actually playing on its “big screen” as well as the county fair with its moving ferris wheel. I watched the men working in the auto mechanics shop and firefighters climbing on a ladder to put out a fire at the village’s log cabin.

A 1950’s re-creation of Clifton Mill, and the Ohio State band creating its script Ohio as the Goodyear blimp hovers over the field are additional displays which are absolutely spectacular. Before Christmas, visitors can see Santa working out of his workshop. through the frosty glass, I stepped up to the window to see what kinds of toys he was making.

The Santa Claus Museum displays the Satariano family’s private collection of over 3,000 Santas. Some of the items date as far back as 1850 and has taken the family about 40 years to collect. You will find a wide variety of Santas from over the years that range from interesting, odd and elegant.

One of my favorite features was the 100 foot “waterfall” of red and white lights along the riverbank. From here I had a wonderful vantage point to view the synchronized light show that includes the covered bridge and gorge.

After perusing the fascinating holiday display, I strolled over to the mill where I had my choice of hot dogs, sandwiches, popcorn, soft drinks, cookies and pies. I just couldn’t resist a hot chocolate.

Have you made visiting the Clifton Mill’s Legendary Light Display a holiday tradition in your family? I would love to hear from you, so leave a message about your experience in the Comments section below! Happy Travels!

Disclosure: Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

What to See and What to Do:

Clifton Mill
75 Water Street
Clifton, OH 45316
Telephone: 937 767 5501

The light display begins the day after Thanksgiving and open nightly through December 31st. Gates open daily at 5PM and the light show starts at 6PM. Gates close at 9PM and the lights are turned off 30 minutes after the gates close. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, the gates close at 8PM.

Parking is free and there is an admission of $10 for guests, 7 years and older, while children 6 and under can enter at no charge.

Where to Stay:

Mills Park Hotel
321 Xenia Avenue
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Telephone: 937 319 0400

Where to Eat:

Clifton Mill
75 Water Street
Clifton, OH 45316
Telephone: 937 767 5501

Clifton Mill is open on New Year’s Eve with a full menu from 5PM to 8PM, and open daily for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is served all day.

One of my favorite meals at Clifton Mill is the order of pancakes. They are huge! Their pies are delish as well.

What to Read:

Not That I Could Tell, by Jessica Strawser

Photo Guide to Yellow Springs:

Clifton Gorge
Colorful, Artsy Streets
Glen Helen Nature Reserve
John Bryan State Park
Sunflower Field, located at 4625 US-68, Yellow Springs (The Tecumseh Sunflower Field)
Wall Murals
- Preparation for Life Work by Axel Horn hangs in the Yellow Springs Post Office
- Village Cyclery is the location of the oldest mural in Yellow Springs
- “Keith’s Alley” located behind the shops on the east side of Xenia Avenue between Cory and Glen Street showcases several murals
- Winds Cafe displays one of the largest murals in town
- Ohio Silver Co. displays a beautiful painting by Maxfield Parrish
- The patio of Sunrise Cafe
- The Smoking Octopus displays the works of Sarah Dickens
- The Xenia Avenue Shops’ painting was created by local Mandy Knaul (Mandy Sue)
- Corner Cone mural designed by Pierre Nagley
- Kings Yard murals

The beautiful Clifton Mill Holiday Light Display

The County Fair, Auto Mechanics Shop and Firefighters at the Scene

1950’s style diner

The Ohio State Football Game

A re-creation of the Clifton Mill

Santa and his reindeer

PNC Festival of Lights, Cincinnati, OH

22 December 201919 September 2024

As the year comes to a close, the spirit of Christmas continues into the New Year with the PNC Festival of Lights. From November 19^th, 2016 to January 4^th, 2017, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden displays close to 2 million lights during the holiday season.

For over 30 years, the Cincinnati Zoo’s lights have grown to become the largest holiday display in the city. There are several themed areas created for the event that include Frozen Wonderland, the Gingerbread Village, the Candy Cane Forest as well as Fairyland.

We stopped by the Frozen Wonderland exhibit to see Elsa and the rest of Walt Disney’s Frozen Characters then on to Gingerbread Village. Here we took in the various themes of each home and searched for the hidden mouse.

We strolled through the Candy Cane Forest and ventured out to Fairyland to find the five hidden fairies.

Although the focus for most visitors was the holiday lights, there were a small number of animal exhibits that remained open. We were so excited to see the giraffes.

A favorite stop for many of the children (and adults alike) is to catch a glimpse of Santa’s reindeer.

We enjoyed the new Wild Lights show that took place on Swan Lake. as they flickered to the tunes of ET, Harry Potter and Rocky. We couldn’t take our eyes off of the beautifully decorated 21-foot tree with its multitude of lights, putting us in the Christmas spirit.

We experienced the Winter Wonders for the Madcap Puppet’s Black Light Show, watched carolers sing familiar holiday tunes and attempted the PNC Festival of Lights Scavenger Hunt.

With so many activities, we worked up an appetite and ordered a hot dog and chips. The Cincinnati Zoo has over ten eateries, including stalls with options that are only available during the Christmas season. At S’Mores N More, we purchased the prepackaged ingredients for s’mores and roasted our marshmallows over the open fire pit.

Each year, Santa stops by for a visit and his last day to take toy orders is December 23^rd. If you happen to miss him, you can drop off your wish list at the Holiday Post office or put in a good word with Mrs. Claus.

Visiting the Cincinnati Zoo’s Festival of Lights was a wonderful way for us to enjoy the holiday season. We agreed that it was such a great experience, we decided to make it a part of our family’s holiday tradition.

Have you visited the Cincinnati Zoo during the Festival of Lights? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my visit to the Cincinnati Zoo and wishing you and your family a Happy Zoo Year!

What to See and What to Do:

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
3400 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45220
Telephone: 513 281 4700

Admission Fee: Basic package: $18 per adult, $12 for children; Unlimited ride package: $25 per adult, $19 for children; Ultimate holiday adventure package includes unlimited rides as well as the Holiday Polar Bear Express 4-D experience for $27 per adult, $21 for children. By purchasing your tickets ahead of time online, you can save a couple of dollars per ticket.
Hours: For the PNC Festival of Lights, the zoo is open from 10AM to 9PM (Sundays through Thursdays) 10AM – 10PM on Friday and Saturday. Visit the zoo’s website for hours at other times throughout the year.
Amenities: Gift shop, café and eateries, special events, wheelchair and stroller rentals, wheelchair accessible, animal encounters and experiences, rides and theater and educational programs
Length of the Tour: 2 – 3 hours
Tips for Your Visit: Check the zoo’s website for special events such as the Animal Encounters opportunities.

Where to Stay:

Graduate Cincinnati
151 Goodman Street
Cincinnati, OH 45219
Telephone: 513 487 3800

Where to Eat:

The Grove is the zoo’s food truck experience with four mobile options. Choose from Taco Caja, The Coop, Wild Burger and Sweet Retreat.
Base Camp Cafe
LaRosa’s Pizza
Tusker’s
The Outpost
Skyline Chili
Graeter’s Ice Cream
Dippin’ Dots
Savannah Soft Serve

What to Eat:

Skyline Chili: My go-to meal at Skyline is the 4-way chili with onion served with oyster crackers and hot sauce. I always pick up two York peppermint patties after cashing out. Cincinnati chili is a beef based sauce served over spaghetti noodles and cheese. Additional toppings include onions and beans.
LaRosa’s Pizza: A local chain pizzeria, this Sicilian style pie is made with a sweet crust and sauce. My favorite menu item is the Caprese pesto Flatbread Pizza.
Graeter’s Ice Cream: It’s the French Pot process that makes Graeter’s Ice Cream so decadent and rich. Towards the end of the process, they pour chocolate into the mix creating large chunks of yummy goodness.
Montgomery Inn BBQ: Visiting the original Montgomery Inn BBQ at the boathouse is a culinary and scenic experience. Their ribs are served with a sweet and tangy sauce that has since made them the “Ribs King” and a favorite among locals. Load up on their amazing BBQ flavored Saratoga chips,
Glier’s Goetta: While it looks like a slab of corn beef hash, this breakfast staple is made of sausage and oats, cooked until crispy. Most breakfast restaurants carry it as a side, especially the local cafes and diners.
BonBonerie: One of the most decadent pastry shops in Cincinnati, their rich confections are absolutely amazing.

Where to Drink:

Moerlein Lager House
115 Joe Nuxhall Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Telephone: 513 421 2337

Books to Read:

Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride & Prejudice, by Curtis Sittenfeld
Running, by J.T. Cooper
Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison
Beloved, by Toni Morrison
Double Dutch, by Sharon M. Draper
Romiette and Julio, by Sharon M. Draper

Photo Guide for Cincinnati (as provided by Chris Thompson on FourSquare):

The John A Roebling Suspension Bridge
- Pick a spot near the Covington pier and shoot north toward the Cincinnati skyline. Shoot at sunset and underexpose by a few stops to get the lights just right.
- The new lights on the bridge create excellent stars when you photograph them using a narrow aperture (~f/16 and above) on your camera. That means you’ll need a longer exposure (and thus a tripod).
General James Taylor Park
- Shoot from the top of the flag pole mound to get more building reflections in your shot. Shoot at sunset or sunrise for great lighting.
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
- Arrive first thing in the morning when the sun is coming up
The Fountain at Fountain Square
- For great photos of the fountain: set your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure (2-5 seconds) to capture the running water. Get Carew or the colored lights above Rock Bottom in the background.
Fountain Square (look for reflections in puddles)
Celestial Restaurant in Mount Adams – The restaurant is now closed, but you may still be able to use the parking lot.
Carew Tower Observation Deck
- Provides some neat photos of the highways snaking around the city. Set your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure to get moving car trails. It’s only open at sunset a few days each year.
Engine Company 46, 2733 Erie Avenue (at Michigan), Cincinnati
- One of the most beautiful historic firehouses in all of Cincinnati. The firefighters here are used to having their photo taken while they work. Ask nicely and you can get some cool shots.
Cincinnati Observatory Center
Krohn Conservatory
Great American Ball Park
- Shoot the front of the stadium around sunset to get a nice color blue in the sky. Get one of the player statues in your shot for extra effect.
Devou Park
- The overlook next to the Drees pavilion affords a great view of the Cincinnati skyline. Shoot at sunrise or sunset for the best lighting. Underexpose slightly to get the city lights just right.
Newport Central Catholic for fireworks
- Shoot the Riverfest fireworks from this location. Bring a long lens and a tripod. You’ll want a long-ish exposure (5-10 seconds) to capture the bursts, but make sure the skyline isn’t overexposed.
Riverfront Park
- The colorful fountains make a great subject, but you need to use a relatively fast shutter speed (>1/20 or so) to catch the lights before they change color, leaving your pic with plain white lights.
American Sign Museum
- Be sure to bring a tripod to capture all the signs. Manual white balance is the way to go, because there are so many crazy colors of lights that your camera won’t know how to react.

A Rainbow Tunnel of Lights

The Gingerbread House

Believe

Christmas Train

The Christmas Tree at Night

Disclosure: Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.

Alum Creek Lights is now Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights

22 December 201531 August 2024

For nearly twenty years, Alum Creek has hosted a spectacular light show for the Christmas holiday. Hundreds of cars arrive for the drive thru event which features piped in music and thousands of lights on display. Visitors are invited to stop by Cross Creek Camping Resort to visit Santa and enjoy free cookies and hot cocoa. The event, now known as Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights, begins on November 17, 2016 until January 1, 2017.

Fantasy of Lights

Rejoice!

Noel Display

Joy to the World

Santa’s Ship

Snowball Fight!

More Snowball Fun

Nativity Scene

Holiday Lights

God Bless the USA

Twelve Days of Christmas

Christmas Lights

Happy Holidays!

What to See and What to Do:

Butch Bando’s spectacular light show is open Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Weekend hours for Friday and Saturday are 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM. Entrance fees for the event are calculated per vehicle as follows: Cars (Monday – Thursday): $20; Cars (Friday – Sunday): $30; Limos, Large Vans and Motor Homes: $40 while Motor Coaches up to 30 people: $60; Buses and Large Motor Coaches: $100

Alum Creek State Park
Lewis Center, Ohio 43035
Telephone: 740 548 4631

Cross Creek Camping Resort
3190 S. Old State Road
Delaware, OH 43015
Telephone: 740 549 2267

Where to Stay:

Staybridge Suites Columbus Polaris
9090 Lyra Drive
Columbus, OH 43240
Telephone: 614 880 9080

Where to Eat:

House of Japan
8701 Sancus Blvd
Columbus, OH 43240
Telephone: 614 781 1776

This is my favorite restaurant close to home in Dublin and I love to stop here when shopping in Columbus because they have the freshest sushi.

Here are more of my favorite Columbus Classics:

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream: Known for her unique flavor combinations, Jeni Britton Bauer has made ice cream famous in C-Bus!
North Market: A one-stop shop for universal cuisine, Columbus’ North Market is worth a stop in the Short North District of the city.
The Thurman Cafe: The Thurmanator is the burger of all burgers at this longtime local cafe in German Village. There may be a wait all burgers are made to order.
Schmidt’s Sausage Haus and Restaurant: While the sausage at Schmidt’s is the official food of Columbus, it’s the amazing Cream Puffs that have the locals lining up at the door.

What to Read:

Columbus: The Story of a City, by Ed Lentz
Columbus, Ohio: A Photographic Portrait, by Randall L Schieber and Robin Smith
Ohio in Photographs: A Portrait of the Buckeye State, by Ian Adams
Secret Columbus, by Anietra Hamper

Photo Guide for Columbus:

Coffman Park: small ponds, bridges, white barn, pavilion, landscaping, public art
Columbus Museum of Art: the grounds, inside artwork and special exhibits
Everal Barn and Homestead: landscaping, white barn, beautiful lake
Frank Fetch Park: gardens, brick paths, beautiful trees and landscaping
Franklin Park Conservatory: beautiful gardens, artwork, flowers and special exhibits
Gantz Park: barn, beautiful trees,
German Village: brick streets, landscaping, parks, charming architecture, Old World charm, historical buildings
Grove City: brick roads, small town, shopping area
Hayden Falls: wooden walking path, waterfall
Historical Village of Hilliard: a small village to include a schoolhouse, train car, chapel, log cabin, covered bridge, gazebo and granary
Homestead Park in Hilliard: walking path, covered bridge, barns, trains, tractor, pond and pet park
Inniswood Metro Gardens: gardens, lily pond, herb garden, play area for children, secret garden
Ohio State House: rotunda and landscaping (photo permit required)
Ohio State University: campus, landscaping, Mirror Lake, Ohio Stadium (you can pay a small fee to take photos inside)
Park of Roses in Clintonville: various types of rose gardens
Riverfront Park: city view, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
Schiller Park: gardens, walking paths, stone columns, wooden bridge, small lake
Scioto Mile: city views, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
Scioto Park in Dublin: statue of Chief Leatherlips, river views, landscaping, and paths
Short North: restaurants, italian village, shops, city views, murals
Topiary Park: depiction of George Seurat’s 1884 painting, landscape, fountains, small pond, gazebo

Disclosure: Please refer to our blog disclaimer tab for more information.