Western Sydney rejoice! GLOW at Sydney Zoo has opened bringing light to our winter evenings and a whole lot of fun for the whole family.
GLOW at Sydney Zoo is the biggest and brightest light festival to ever launch in Western Sydney. The event features over 50 light sculptures, a GLOW ice rink, Food Trucks, numerous selfie spots, a tunnel of light, the KIIS Eye Ferris Wheel, a bunch of rides, Glowy Golf, and more!
When you arrive make sure you grab the FREE UV torch and map for each of your kids This will lead them through the GLOW Light Walk where they will discover a trail of hidden animals and artwork.
Psst…you may also like to check out Sydney Zoo with kids during the day where you can see a plethora of animals who love the daylight hours to play.
Winter in Western Sydney – Glow at Sydney Zoo
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Glow Zone
Upon arriving at GLOW Sydney Zoo we headed straight for the GLOW Zone which is likely to be your first stop too. It is right here where you can grab something to eat and enjoy the attractions ahead of your Glow Light Walk.
Eating at the Glow Zone
If you are looking for food you have plenty on offer at the GLOW Zone for both dinner, dessert or just a drink. On our visit, the girls made a beeline straight for the GLOW Lightbulb Drink stand and then the KISS Fairy Floss (it lights up and you can keep the centre stick to take home).
Other options we spotted included BlackBear BBQ, the 4 Pines Bar, Streets ice cream, a Vegan burger stand, and more.
Glow Zone Attractions
There was so much to engage within the GLOW Zone. Study the map so you know where to head to either before or after you take the GLOW Light Walk.
The first stop for us was the GLOW Ice Rink. The girls grabbed their size skate and hit the ice. It’s not a full-size rink and I could see it getting busy, but it is large enough to have a good skate and practice your moves. There are penguins available too for those kids (or adults) who are still learning but don’t want to be stuck on the side.
From here we headed to the Neon Garden and Swings for some selfies and insta-shots. The garden features a number of neon light installations that are ready for you to jump in for the perfect shot. Teens will love this space, especially the swings!
Further exploration saw my two play a little mini golf at Carnival Cruises Glowy Golf; hit the Space Jam ride which took them up into the clouds (from my perspective anyway – it seemed so high!) and to the Trumpet Flowers to create some beats.
Hot tip: make sure the kids have long socks on if you think they’ll enjoy the ice rink and perhaps leave it until after the GLOW Light Walk if you think they’re likely to fall a few times – no one likes exploring with a wet bum!
Glow Light Walk
Exploring a zoo at night is always exciting because it is after dark when many of the nocturnal animals become active. Add a UV torch, hidden images and an illuminated trail and you know you have quite an adventure ahead of you.
The Glow Light Walk takes you in a clockwise direction around Sydney Zoo. Along the way, you will discover numerous giant animal lanterns and sculptures. We loved stopping at the Angel Wings and fat frog for images.
The twinkling light tunnel was a favourite with the girls who took out their mobiles and were quick to take images together inside.
Next up was the KIIS Eye Ferris wheel which features glowing gondolas providing quite a view over Sydney Zoo and Western Sydney. I suspect that this will be a very popular spot each night, so be prepared for a wait (there’s some great stuff around it to look at while you are waiting).
As we continued our journey around the GLOW Light Walk we entered Australia’s largest reptile house and were super stoked to realise that numerous snakes, lizards and other reptiles LOVE it at night and were super active. There was even a glowing UV scorpion.
Another surprise on our visit was the pledge wall. Using their UV torch (which is also a pen), the kids were able to add their pledge for sustainability and conservation to the pledge wall. It was a great touchpoint to think about what we can do to help our future. Stop here!
As we moved towards the end of the circuit we came upon the Aboriginal education section of the zoo. It was here that we had our face painted by Aboriginal team members with UV paint (invisible until we shone our torch on our face) and learned about the different paint symbols for boys and girls. Stay a while here to listen to a Dreaming story or two.
Make sure you take the circuit slowly. It is worth appreciating and you may even spot more animals if you let your eyes adapt to the dark!
When does Glow Sydney Zoo run?
The GLOW Sydney Zoo festival runs from 13 May – 5 June 2022. It is open from 5:30 pm to 9.30 pm nightly.
The GLOW walk gates open at 5:30, 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30pm.
How much does Glow Sydney Zoo cost?
If you are yet to redeem your Service NSW vouchers you can use them at GLOW Sydney Zoo to receive free entry.
We recommend booking your GLOW Sydney Zoo tickets in advance where you wil save $5.00 per ticket and avoid disappointment (we’ve noted many days are already sold out!).
Tickets are $25.00 per person prebooked, or $30.00 if purchased at the gate. Children under 2 years receive FREE entry.
You can buy tickets here.
Can I park at Glow Sydney Zoo?
Parking is FREE and it is plentiful.
Glow Sydney Zoo Map
To help you prepare for your visit to GLOW Sydney Zoo, you can download the map in advance here.
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