Celebrate The Holidays With Exciting Events At Zoo Miami

This holiday season Zoo Miami is hosting a myriad of exciting and fun activities for everyone. Enjoy a Holiday Hoedown, eight nights of Zoo Lights, Dinner with Santa, and watch the animals open their special holiday gifts!


Zoo Miami is located at 12400 SW 152 Street, Miami. General zoo admission is $15.95/adult and $11.95/child (3 -12) plus tax. Children under 3, Zoo members and parking are free. Zoo Miami’s regular hours are 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; ticket booths close at 4 p.m.


The Holiday Hoedown, Zoo Lights, Dinner with Santa are special events with separate admission prices. To save time, buy tickets online at www.zoomiami.org.  

Holiday Hoedown

Alligator Ron's Holiday Hoedown is a fundraiser for Zoo Miami’s up-coming exhibit, Florida: Mission Everglades, set to open in 2014. It will take place on Dec. 3 at Green Glades Ranch (21111 SW 16 St., Weston) from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.


There will be live music from the country band Shadow Creek, an open bar, and great BBQ all to benefit the Florida: Mission Everglades. Since it is a hoedown in December, the attire requested is Holiday Western Wear. Light up cowboy boot mugs will be sold for a $20 donation.


Main event tickets are $150 each and VIP tickets are $250 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.holidayhoedown.com. 

The lighted giraffes at Zoo Lights

Zoo Lights

At Zoo Miami, guests can enjoy beautiful animal-shaped lights as they stroll zoo walkways during the 8 nights of Zoo Lights, have Dinner with Santa, and watch the animals open their specially-prepared gifts during Holiday Gifts for the Animals.


The zoo’s glorious grounds come to light for eight brilliant nights during Zoo Lights, Dec. 16-23 from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. (ticket booths close at 9:30 p.m.). Guests can enjoy dozens of bright animal-shaped lights along our walkways, listen to wonderful holiday music, sip hot chocolate, munch on delicious cookies, and take a ride on a camel, the wildlife carrousel or the hippo slide (the world’s largest inflatable slide). Included with admission is a pair of 3-D glasses, which will make the Zoo Lights experience even more engaging and amusing. 


General admission is only $5 per person plus tax. Food, beverages, camel rides, carrousel and hippo slide are all available at additional costs.

Dinner With Santa

Dinner with Santa will take place on Dec. 17, from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Bring the kids to meet him before he has to rush back to the North Pole!  Enjoy a delicious holiday dinner with the family, photos with Santa, a holiday plush gift and holiday craft-making for the little ones! 

Dinner with Santa admission includes parking, entry to Zoo Lights from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. and a classic holiday menu of fresh roasted turkey with homemade gravy, baked ham, candied sweet potatoes with melting marshmallows, herbed buttery carrots, homemade cranberry sauce, dinner rolls with butter, homemade seasonal pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing, strawberry-infused lemonade, and cranberry mint-infused water.


General admission is $39.95 per adult and $33.95 per child ages 3-12. Zoo members are $36.95 per adult and $30.95 per child ages 3-12. Children ages 2 and under are free. To make a reservation, please call 305-251-0400, Ext. 84941.

Gifts for the Animals

Another fun family activity is Holiday Gifts for the Animals!  Every weekend in December, including Christmas Day, watch the animals joyfully open holiday gifts prepared by zookeepers and volunteers. The animals enjoy opening up their enriching gifts and visitors will be entertained watching them! See schedule below for details.


Saturday December 3
10:30 a.m.: Great Indian hornbills at Wings of Asia will receive papier maché ornaments filled with meaty treats.
1:30 p.m.: Pygmy hippo will eat giant red and green popsicles.

Sunday December 4
10 a.m.: Jaguars will get their own holiday tree – an Australian pine tree with all of the trimmings including catnip!
2 p.m.: Asian bear will receive a gift box filled with treats.

Saturday December 10
10:30 a.m.
Great Indian hornbills at Wings of Asia will receive papier maché ornaments filled with meaty treats.
11:30 a.m.: Lions will get red and green ice treats.
3 p.m.: African elephants will get giant candy canes.

Sunday December 11
10:30 a.m.: Tigers will cool off with their holiday ice treats.
2 p.m.: Gorilla will receive their own holiday popsicles.

Saturday December 17
11:30 a.m.: Santa will deliver sacks filled with treats for the Orangutans.
1 p.m.: Asian elephants will get a giant holiday ribbon.

Sunday December 18
12:30 p.m.: Meerkats will receive a gift box filled with bugs!
2:30 p.m.: Great Indian hornbills at Wings of Asia will receive papier maché ornaments filled with meaty treats.

December 24, Saturday
10:30 a.m.: Great Indian hornbills at Wings of Asia will receive papier maché ornaments filled with meaty treats.
1 p.m.: Asian elephants will get edible holiday ornaments.
2 p.m.: A holiday tree with all of the trimmings will be delivered to Amazon & Beyond for the agouti, chestnut-mandibled toucan, great curassows and black-throated magpie jays.

Sunday December 25
1:45 p.m.: Chimpanzees will receive a holiday surprise!
3 p.m.: African elephants will receive their own giant holiday tree!

Saturday December 31
11:30 a.m.: New Guinea singing dogs will receive New Year’s ball treat dispensers.
1:30 p.m.: Warthogs will get New Year’s decorated treat boxes.

Sunday January 1
2 p.m.: Sun bear will receive treat boxes for the New Year.
3 p.m.: African elephants will get papier maché animals.


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Holiday Wishes & Aventura Mall Dreams! Shopping Centers Unveils Another Magical Holiday Season

 Aventura Mall, South Florida’s largest super regional shopping center, will welcome another exciting holiday season with the return of its sensational seasonal décor on November 1. Throughout the season, shoppers also will enjoy Santa’s arrival, attractions, events and the top gifts from Aventura Mall’s fashion retailers.

Santa Claus comes to town Saturday, Nov. 12 through Friday, Dec. 24 at Santa’s Village in Fountain Court. Kids (and grownups) can visit Jolly Old St. Nick, whisper their wishes to him and then pose for a photo  Monday through Friday, 11am-8pm, Saturday, 10am-8pm, and Sunday, noon-7pm. Santa will be feeding his reindeer daily at the posted time. Photos with Santa are an additional charge.

From October 31 through January 8, children will be delighted to ride through a magical landscape of make-believe on Aventura Mall’s Holiday Train in Center Court. Visitors can purchase one ticket for $2, four for $6, nine for $12 and 15 for $20.

Youngsters also enjoy “Aventura’s Model Train Station,” which includes a miniature town, amusement park, old time mill, and snow capped mountain ranges. Measuring 16' by 29', the display is built and designed by Smartt, Inc. and features MTH Electric Trains. Assistance is provided by Ready to Roll Train Store.  The Model Train station is located in the JCPenney Court.

In addition, Aventura Mall’s 300 retailers are getting in the holiday spirit from exclusive collections to cute stocking stuffers. Can’t decide on the perfect gift? The MasterCard Concierge Center sells Aventura Mall gift cards. Holiday hours begin November 25 through December 26. Visit www.aventuramall.com  or call 305-935-1110 for exact times.

Aventura Mall is South Florida's Number 1 shopping destination among locals and international visitors, Aventura Mall ranks as one of the top five highest grossing malls in the country in sales per square foot.  Anchored by Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom and Macy’s, Aventura Mall boasts 300 specialty stores, ranging from chic, internationally renowned names such as Louis Vuitton, Herve Leger by MaxAzria, Burberry, Faconnable, Henri Bendel, Michael Kors and Hugo Boss to many of the most popular and recognized retailers, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Apple, Calvin Klein, Forever XXI, True Religion and Diesel. Aventura Mall is also home to 10 full-service restaurants and an exclusive contemporary art collection featuring 10 installations positioned throughout the shopping center.

Located at 19501 Biscayne Boulevard, the mall is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. For more information call 305-935-1110, visit online at www.aventuramall.com, like the Facebook page or follow on Twitter.

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Symphony In Lights Premieres at The Village at Gulfstream Park Nov. 20

The Village at Gulfstream Park, South Florida's ultimate shopping, dining and entertainment destination, is proud to announce the arrival of Symphony in Lights, a spectacular, dancing light show choreographed to the holiday music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Beginning Saturday, November 20, the blinking, twinkling computer-animated extravaganza will run through December 31. Click on the video above for a similar light show at the Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, Florida. 

"We are extremely excited to bring this spectacularly unique holiday experience to South Florida," said Jeannie Roberts, Director of Marketing for The Village at Gulfstream Park. "This special showcase is sure to light up the season for South Floridians."

More than 250,000 LED lights will be affixed to buildings and trees in The Village at Gulfstream Park's Champions Plaza. These lights are programmed to blink in sync with recorded music by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The breathtaking show is created using 2,000 watts of sound, 47,000 feet of cable and 10 tons of holiday decorations. Symphony in Lights is choreographed by renowned light artist Carson Williams, who garnered famed after a home video of his Mason, Ohio home's holiday light and music show made its way to YouTube in 2005. His light display became so popular it created traffic jams in his neighborhood. The popular display was even featured in a Miller Lite beer commercial and Williams appeared on NBC's The Today Show.

Along with Williams, The Village at Gulfstream Park has commissioned New York artist John Carter to design the light show experience. Carter, a design director for Parker 3D, has designed sculptural interactive displays around the world as well as the design, fabrication and installation of major holiday windows in New York City for department stores such as Macy's, Lord & Taylor, Saks 5th Avenue and others. His work has appeared in countless international publications and he was chosen by New York Times Magazine as "one of 30 artists most likely to change culture."

Symphony in Lights will run every hour on the hour from 6pm-11pm, Nov. 20-Dec.31. In addition to Symphony in Lights, The Village at Gulfstream Park holiday experience will also feature complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides, Fridays through Sundays, from November 20 through December 26.

On Thursday, December, 2nd, The Village at Gulfstream Park, along with Chabad of South Broward, will host a Menorah Lighting Ceremony from 7:30pm to 9pm. Guests will enjoy light refreshments, a live musical performance and a chance to win a $500 shopping spree at Jacob's Classic Market.

• More than 250,000 LED lights strung on a 50 ft tree, two 22 ft trees and dozens of palm trees.
• Lights create such effects as: strobe, twinkle, fade, sparkle, burst, with horizontal, vertical and angular runs.
• The show is computer programmed and light effects are choreographed to the music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra (selected numbers include Christmas in Sarajevo and Wizards in Winter) as well as another holiday classic, Carol of the Bells.
• If you took the pine needles from all three trees and put them end-to-end, they would reach California.
• The show took more than 1,000 channels of computer programming.
• 58,000 mouse clicks were needed to program the show with the mouse "traveling" 3.5 miles across the programmer's desk.
• 10 tons of holiday decor will decorate the center.
• More than 2,000 watts of sound.
• 38 miles of copper wire (200,000 feet).
• High efficiency LED lights allow this show to use an electrical service similar to that of an average American home.
• More than 75 people working in 6 states help to produce this show.