While visiting Austin, Texas, I went to see the Trail of Lights in downtown Zilker Park. I think this is the first time in a couple of years that it is back to being a walk-through event, so let’s see what the experience is like.
Trail of Lights
Austin’s Trail of Lights is a 1.25-mile path through Zilker Park, right across the river from downtown Austin proper. 1.25 miles doesn’t seem like a lot but be prepared to do a lot of walking! There are four villages to walk around along the way and even the close-in parking isn’t super close. And it’s much more likely you’ll be parked or dropped off a good bit farther away.
The good news is that it’s not expensive, in and of itself. The weeknight I went was free, as are most weeknights (though it is closed on Mondays.) And even on the weekends, it’s only $5, or $7 if you take a shuttle. But parking is what will really get you. The on-site parking is $25. And even if you park farther away, be prepared to pay at least something. I ended up parking at Park Hills Baptist Church for $10 and walking almost a mile into Zilker Park. More on prices and parking below.
Overview
Overall, I was expecting more lights and fewer…dioramas? I had thought the focus would be on the Christmas lights. But instead, there are several scenes along the path, each sponsored by this or that company. Many, many of them were Disney/cartoon related. Some were even just plywood flats. More were 3-D figures, and some were really clever. I do not know why Maddie’s Tex-Mex created a jackalope with a light-up red nose, wearing a Christmas wreath, and ridden by a cowboy with a serape and a bag of toys, but I am here for it.
And while there are plenty of lights, they mostly seem to serve as a backdrop in the trees. There are five light tunnels along the trail, and several purposeful photo-op spots, like a lighted frame or a Texas flag. And groups stop and pose for photos all along the way, so be extra aware of photo lines and in the tunnels.
The four villages provide activities, like food and shopping, kid’s activities, making s’mores, and even some performance stages and carnival rides. Let’s take a closer look at each area.
Bonus: Zilker Tree
Before you even get into the Trail of Lights itself, there is a 155-foot tall tree made of string lights, topped with a 10-foot star. It’s even on a hill, making it a good landmark to orient yourself by, especially as you walk to and from your parking.
Standing under the Zilker Tree seems to induce spontaneous spinning, especially in children, so make sure to step in under the lights. And there are a few food trucks nearby if you want to eat before you start the official trail. (Plus, there are some picnic tables nearby.) I ended up eating a panini with melted brie, honey, pistachios, arugula, and prosciutto, which was really amazing. I also noted a super cute pancake truck selling whiskey-glazed cinnamon rolls, one with ice cream, and another selling kettle corn and corn dogs. Kettle corn/corn dogs spots are pretty ubiquitous, as are hot cocoa & s’mores-making spots. Don’t worry if you miss the first one, there are several. There are also plenty of portapotties near the Zilker Tree and in all the villages, so no worries about facilities when you need them.
Entrance Tunnel, Candy Cane Lane, & Candyland Tunnel
Once you walk down to the entrance gates and bag check, there’s an area with an “H-E-B Cafe,” for the Texas grocery chain and main sponsor of the event, an info desk, and small performance stage. Then you enter the gate with a big Trail of Lights sign at the top and a long, rainbow tunnel! It’s a great way to kick off the trail.
The displays along here include scenes from Where The Wild Things Are, The Little Mermaid, a holiday train, and my favorite, Santa in a spaceship. Off to the right is Candy Cane Lane with several food trucks, a hot cocoa & s’mores booth, and a long bar area (“Twinkle Tavern,” I think) along the back.
These s’mores places offer $5 hot cocoa from a dispenser (i.e. nothing gourmet) and $6 s’mores kits. The kits include two huge marshmallows, four squares of graham crackers, and four fun-size Hershey chocolate bars. Given a stick or two, you go around the corner to a fenced-in area with several fire tables, like the kind you’d put on your patio. It’s not quite the same as a real campfire, but it gets the job done. You can find several of these stations all along the trail. at least one per village.
After Candy Cane Lane, walk through one of the more themed tunnels, Candyland. The fun facade fronts a tunnel of white lights, hanging oversized candy, and smoke-filled bubbles! Kids really stop in their tracks for the bubbles, so watch out.
North Pole & Bat Cave
After the Candyland tunnel, you’re past more displays and straight into the North Pole. I *think* this is where you meet Santa, plus you can write him letters, and even pick up some free books. There is a glittering north pole to mark the area. And while there isn’t much food here, there is a cocoa & s’mores spot.
Scenes along this area include a LOT of cartoon characters, including one that seems to have every single cartoon from your childhood. It also includes a 3D poop emoji, so there’s that too… The prettiest tree in all the trail stands over a dinosaur scene with an event-favorite Christmas-o-saurus. (I think that’s what it was called??) The whole area ends with the Bat Cave tunnel of blue lights.
Zilker Square
Around Zilker Square are more scenes, like a nativity, the 12 Days of Christmas, a toy factory, and Winnie the Pooh. But the real draw is through the arch. Here there is the bulk of the event’s shopping, with several booths set up, even a pop-up jewelry truck. There are food trucks, and a stage area. I was there on movie night, so the stage was playing the live-action Grinch movie.
The biggest deal in Zilker Square is the carnival rides. The Ferris wheel is a full-size gondola model (i.e. no single riders, dangit) and a small carousel. Both require tickets to ride, which you can purchase at ticket booths nearby. More displays are back in here, including a Clash-of-the-Titans type and a group of upside-down Christmas trees. A model train zips around the city of Tiny Town. (The Trail of Light map shows a tunnel here, but I swear I don’t remember one…I certainly didn’t take any pictures of one.)
Holiday Village & Ending Tunnel
A lot of the last section is set apart for VIP guests and private parties. And their valet parking is near here – I’ll talk more about that below. But there are plenty of displays left, like a light-up Texas flag, a boot, and a teddy bear. A large, not super-well-defined heart hangs in a tree before the last light tunnel, and lots of couples stop to pose.
There is a Holiday Village back in here with a couple more food trucks. I noticed another kettle corn/corn dog place, only this one also sold fried candy bars and oreos and such. So if you’re really missing your fair foods, you can get your fix here. A huge “Yule Log” campfire in this area gives off a LOT of smoke. The “logs” are the size of trees!
Then once you are out of the last tunnel, you can head right toward the rideshare pick-up, or left toward the Zilker Tree, the parking lot, and points west. (Or, you can circle back through the trail one more time as I did!)
Tickets & Parking
Tickets and parking go hand-in-hand since most of your cost will be parking or upgraded experiences. Generally speaking, the Trail of Lights is closed on Mondays, and admission is free, except for Friday and Saturday nights when it is $5. Admission is also charged during the week of Christmas. Parking inside Zilker Park is $25, must be bought in advance, and sells out fast. Or you can park at, I imagine, several other places in the nearby neighborhood, as I did at that church for $10. I’m sure it’s not the only spot that offers something like that.
Shuttles & Rideshare
A shuttle runs on nights when admission is charged. You can park for free at the Toney Burger Activity Center or pay to park around Republic Square Park. The shuttle itself costs $7, which includes your admission for the lights. The shuttle also drops you off closer than any other option, on Barton Springs Road right near the Zilker Tree. The $25 parking is on this side too, but the shuttle will have the shortest walk. Rideshare pick up & drop off is on the north side of the park, down Stratford Drive.
ADA Accessibility
There is an ADA parking lot closer to the entrance, and the main trail is a paved road, so it’s mostly easy to navigate. Getting over the curb and into the grass for the villages is harder, but there are spots where they’ve put short ramps for ADA access. It doesn’t look like it would be super easy to get a wheelchair up over it, but it’s doable. I don’t think a motorized chair or scooter would work, nor are they allowed on the trail. Pets are also verboten unless they are certified service animals.
VIP Experiences
There are several levels of enhanced access to the Trail of Lights if you’re willing to pay for it.
A ZIP pass for $25 gets you in the door an hour early, a separate entrance, and a special ZIP lounge in Candy Cane Lane. There, you’ll find complimentary cocoa and cookies, nice seating near all the food trucks, a dedicated bar, and a nicer set of heated bathrooms.
A $90 Platinum Pass gets you valet parking near the end of the trail, a golf cart trip to the start of the trail, tickets for one drink and one carnival ride, 1-hour early access, and an exclusive lounge area at the end of the trail. 2- and 4-packs of passes are available for a slight discount. For instance, a 4-pack comes out to $80 per person.
General admission and shuttle tickets can be paid for on-site or online, but the $25 parking must be paid online in advance, printed, and placed on the dash of your car. ZIP passes can be paid for on-site but are limited and can sell out ahead of time. All Platinum passes look like they have to be paid in advance. All tickets are available for sale on the website, but there are some hefty fees involved.
Review
In all, I enjoyed my night and am glad I went. But I’m glad I went on a free night and only paid $10 for parking. It’s super fun, I love all the food, there are plenty of family activities, and the lights are very nicely done, there just weren’t as many as I was expecting! It’s less about the lights and more about those displays, like a static parade of floats that you walk past on your way to better things. Some of them are significantly better than others. So I guess the game is to find the ones your family likes best, take the pictures, and walk on.
BONUS: Peppermint Parkway
The biggest rival to the Trail of Lights in the Austin area is probably Peppermint Parkway, a drive-through experience on the Circuit of the Americas racetrack. The difference being that you sit in your car the whole time, so it’s much better for anyone with mobility issues. And it costs $40+ per car. It is a bit more high-tech; there are some impressive lighting effects, characters in costume, and a fun finale tunnel. But the whole thing (minus the wait to get in) takes only about 15 minutes. It seems hardly worth the $40 to me, but if you have a carload of kids, they’ll love seeing Ana & Elsa, the Grinch, the singing trees, and dancing peppermint candies.
At the end of Peppermint Parkway is a small carnival with a Ferris wheel, hot chocolate, and Santa Claus, so make sure you stop in there to get your money’s worth. Though I’m sure everything in there is extra – I didn’t manage to stop in myself.
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