WildLanterns Seattle & Atlanta Garden Lights 2026: Dates & Tips

2026-11-03 · The Hanaduul team

Holiday light season is almost here. WildLanterns opens at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo on November 13, 2026, and Garden Lights, Holiday Nights opens at the Atlanta Botanical Garden on November 14, 2026. Here's what's new this year, the dates and hours you need, and a few tips for getting great photos with your friends or your partner.

At a glance

Both shows run through the holidays into January, so you have plenty of nights to choose from. Here are the key facts for each.

• WildLanterns: Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle
• WildLanterns dates: Nov 13, 2026 – Jan 17, 2027, 4:00–9:00 p.m. (last entry 8:30 p.m.)
• WildLanterns tickets: standard admission, Flex Admission Passes and Season Passes; rain or shine, no refunds
• Garden Lights, Holiday Nights: Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Avenue NE, Midtown Atlanta
• Garden Lights dates: nightly Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027, 5 p.m. to midnight (last entry 11 p.m.)
• Garden Lights tickets: timed entry; 'Night Light' tickets after 9:30 p.m. start at $19.95 for adults

WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle

This year's WildLanterns promises all-new, larger-than-ever lantern displays on a journey across seven continents. You'll walk past glowing scenes inspired by Antarctica, South American rainforests, Asia, the African savanna, Australia, North America, Europe and coral reefs, and there's an Interactive Zone for kids of all ages. The tagline sums it up: 'One planet. Seven continents. Endless wonder.'

Plan around the closed evenings. The show is dark on Nov 16–18, 23, 26 (Thanksgiving) and 30, on Dec 7, 14 and 24–25, and on Jan 4–6 and 11–13. Low Sensory Nights are set for Nov 15 and Dec 1, 2026 and Jan 10, 2027. Early-bird pricing ended October 31, and members get 20% off.

• Tip: it's rain or shine with no refunds, so bring a hooded jacket in a bright color. It pops against the lanterns and keeps you dry for photos.
• Tip: arrive close to 4:00 p.m. so you can catch the lanterns as the sky goes from blue to dark.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights at Atlanta Botanical Garden

Atlanta's show is extra special this year because the Garden is celebrating its 50th anniversary. 'Nature's Wonders,' billed as the world's largest curtain of light and sound, gets new choreography, and there's a new light display inspired by lily of the valley. Displays along Flower Walk are expanded, and the light-wrapped mosaiculture dragon from 'Imaginary Worlds' returns to the Skyline Garden.

Tickets are timed. You can't go in before your slot, but once you're inside you can stay as long as you like, and most visits take about 1.5 to 2 hours. For a cozier upgrade, Premium Plus includes the new 'Holiday Hideaway' with s'mores kits and private fire pits, and it has no time restrictions. Holiday Model Trains are included with admission, and Ride-On Trains run on weekends Nov 14 – Jan 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ($6 per passenger, $4 for members).

• Tip: the 'Night Light' tickets for entry after 9:30 p.m. start at $19.95 and are a good pick if you want lighter crowds.
• Tip: stand a step in front of the curtain of light so your faces stay bright instead of turning into silhouettes.

Photo tips for any holiday light show

Holiday lights are gorgeous but tricky on a phone. The biggest mistake is standing right in front of a bright display with your back to it, which leaves your face dark. Turn slightly so the light falls across your face, and tap your face on the screen before you shoot.

Outfits matter too. Cream, white and soft knit textures reflect the glow nicely, while one bold color like red or emerald stands out against warm lights.

• Shoot during the first hour for a little leftover sky color
• Turn so the lights hit your face, not just the background
• Wear one light layer near your face to brighten it
• Take a few shots walking side by side for natural candids

Turn the night into a 4-cut photo strip

After a night of lights, one photo strip is a cute way to keep the whole evening in a single keepsake. Hanaduul is a free iPhone app (some features use in-app treats). On the way home, stop somewhere cozy, stand your phone up, tap [Shoot solo], pick a background and set the timer, and it takes all four shots in a row.

You can make a background that matches the night with [My BGs] by writing the scene: place + time or weather + mood or colors, like 'a lantern-lit garden path on a winter night, glowing gold and emerald.' And if your best friend couldn't make it because they live in another city, tap [Shoot together] to get a 6-digit [Room code] and send it to them. They open the app and enter it at [Join with room code]. You'll each shoot on your own phone, talk through the poses, and end up side by side on the same background in one strip, which lands in both of your [Together] albums.

• Cut 1: point up like you're still looking at the lanterns
• Cut 2: shoulder to shoulder, big smiles
• Cut 3: hands together in a heart
• Cut 4: pretend to shiver and laugh