The Austin Trail of Lights is back!
There is nothing quite like taking a stroll, hot cocoa warming your hands, under millions of twinkling lights, inside Zilker on a crisp winter's night. The Austin Trail of Lights, powered by H-E-B, has once again returned to its traditional layout as a walkable holiday light experience. Returning for its historic 60th year, from December 10th to the 23rd, guests will experience more than 2 million lights illuminating the park, 90 lighted holiday trees and more than 70 other holiday displays and lighted tunnels.
If it's your first time making a trip to the Austin Trail of Lights, or you'd like to finally get out of the habit of winging it the night of, we're here to show you how to do the trail right.
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GET THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
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Austin Trail of Lights offers many different ticket options with several free nights available to ensure everyone in our community can experience the magic, but if you ask us (which, if you're reading this, you are), we gotta say the Zip Pass is the way to go.
Zip Pass
This pass grants you early access to the Trail at 6:00 pm, plus an exclusive entrance so you can zip past the crowds.
Plus, you gain access to the Zip Lounge Area in Candy Cane Lane near the beginning of the trail. Inside, you'll find complimentary holiday cookies, hot cocoa, comfortable seating, a bar, heated washrooms, and close proximity to food trucks. A true treat before you make your way around the trail.
Zip Passes are $25, and with children under 5 receiving a free Zip ticket with a ticketed adult, the Zip Pass is one of the best ways to get the most out of the trail.
General Admission
For the cheapest option, go for General Admission: prices range from $0 -$8 per person depending on the night. Children 11 and under are free to enter with a ticketed adult. GA also includes free photos with Santa!
Free Nights are when no reserved tickets are needed. You can simply show up, walk in, and see the lights. Bare in mind, free nights tend to not be free of crowds.
The Trail is happy to offer FREE general admission to all guests on December 10-13 and 16-18 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. No advance ticket is required for GA entry, simply come on down, enter, and enjoy!
Treat yo' self
This year, like the past several years, has been exhausting. You deserve valet parking, concierge customer service onsite, a golf cart speeding you to the Trailhead, and a private, heated Platinum Lounge to escape the crowds & cold. All that plus early access, a drink ticket, and one expedited ride ticket comes with the Platinum Pass.
Ranging from $95 - $435 depending on your group size, treat yourself to an Austin Trail of Lights experience you'll never forget, and leave wanting to do it again. Children 5 and under receive free Platinum access with a ticketed Platinum adult.
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2024 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
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The public event will run from December 10-23, 2024, with special events, many of which are free and open to the public.
- Dec. 1: The 58th annual Zilker Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony; the holiday tree stands 155 feet tall and is built around one of Austin's historic moon towers.
- Dec. 2-4: The 11th Annual STARS at the Trail program, presented by Vista Equity Partners, hosts nonprofit organizations for private tours of the Trail. Since 2013, the STARS at the Trail program has benefited more than 15,000 children, families, veterans and seniors.
- Dec. 6: Night Lights, the 11th Annual Preview Party, presented by Broadway Bank, serves as the Trail of Lights Foundation's first look and fundraiser, with proceeds ensuring the Austin Trail of Lights is accessible for all in the community.
- Dec. 7: The 13th Annual Trail of Lights Fun Run, presented by Chuy’s, helps to keep Austin active for a night where thousands of participants run, jog or stroll a 2.0 mile course through Zilker Park and the Austin Trail of Lights ending in the Finish Line Festival.
- Dec. 8: Trail is Closed
- Dec. 9: Trail is Closed
- Dec. 10: Austin Trail of Lights Grand Opening kicks off the public run of show with a countdown ceremony, presentations by H-E-B, the Trail of Lights Foundation and community leaders. General admission on December 10th is free and open to the public.
- Dec. 11: UT Night, presented by The University of Texas at Austin, brings loads of Longhorn spirit to the Trail with special guests and programming along the Trail.
- Dec. 23: Closing Night
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FESTIVE FOOD TRUCKS
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Wandering through the lights, it's easy to forget that you're still doing a good bit of cardio. Sure, it's a leisurely pace and you'll be stopping often for pics, but your step trackers about to have a field day. Refuel those burned calories or skip doing dinner before by indulging in the variety of food trucks posting up for Austin Trail of Lights!
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GIVE AND GET GIFTS
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Hit two turtle doves with one stone by taking advantage of the Holiday Market in the Zilker Square! Cross off your gift list as you make your way around the square, popping into vendors.
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TRAIL ADVICE
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Wear Walkable Shoes
This should come as no surprise, but the Austin Trail of Lights is an actual walkable "trail", and that means you'll be on foot for the whole loop of lights. So wearing or at the very least bringing a pair of comfortable shoes will make the difference between feeling the cheer, or a bounty of blisters.
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Watch the Weather
Listen, we get it, you got that amazing ugly sweater you've been itching to bust out since January, but this is still Texas. Some nights might have a sweet chilly breeze to really sell the cozy season vibes, but it could just as easily be 90 at 9 pm.
Keep in mind you'll be out and about, walking for a good stretch, so festive layers during warm nights might make you glisten a bit more than you'd like in your photos. Also, even the warmest-blooded of us will want that jacket if we see cold fronts move into town for the holiday season.
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Ditch the parking anxiety and roll up to Close-in parking at the trail with a Pre-Paid Parking Pass for $25! Be sure to get your pass early as they tend to sell out quickly, and only a limited amount are available the day of. They also don't sell them on-site, so skip waiting in a pointless line and get the Pass!
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If you'd rather save a bit on gas and park further away, there are shuttles that will not only get you there but get you in without having to buy a GA ticket.
For $8, any Shuttle Pass includes General Admission, so on select nights, shuttle guests can enter thru the “prepaid” admission lines at the Trail with their shuttle wristband and do not need a separate admission ticket.
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Spin Under The Tree!
Seriously, don't be afraid to embrace this long-lasting Austin tradition of standing under the Moontower Light Tree and spinning your heart out as you watch the lights blur above you. Will you be dizzy? Yes. Will it be a silly magical moment you'll look forward to every year? Also yes!
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HOW TO HAVE EVEN MORE FUN
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The Austin Trail of Lights Fun Run is back on December 7th!
This year the Austin Trail of Lights Fun Run is back to being in person! Run, jog or stroll through the millions of lights and displays. Participants can choose to run in costume to add an extra level of festive to the fun run, and make their way to the end for the Finish Line Festival!
After crossing the finish line, fun runners will receive a free beer or cocoa, plus entry into the Finish Line Festival & Expo – where you’ll have a chance to show off those post-run dance moves.
With four waves set on their schedule, you have flexibility for when you want to show up
- Runner Wave: 5:45PM start time
- Wave 1: 6:00 PM start time
- Wave 2: 6:45 PM start time
- Wave 3: 7:45 PM start time
Want more flexibility for when you can show up, and access to the VIP Lounge? Go ahead and do the
VIP Fun Run so you can choose any wave you want, and relax more after you exert yourself on the trail
with two drink tickets and a nacho bar!__________________________________
From ages one to 92, Austin Trail of Lights evokes a sense of wonder unlike any other tradition in a city that's constantly changing. No matter how tall the towers downtown get, or how many new neighbors we welcome in, we know that at the end of the year, we'll all make our way to Zilker to embrace the nostalgic magic of walking under millions of twinkling lights.
Ready to plan your visit to the Austin Trail of Lights?
