One Christmas light display in and around Tampa has 2026 dates: 1 walk-through. None are free on their own, though some come with admission you may already have. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 10 p.m. at Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa. One more ran last season but hasn’t posted 2026 dates yet. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.
Last checked · How we choose
Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park · ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Tampa, FL
Checked Oct 18 on the official page
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It ran last season. We’ll add it when 2026 dates go up.
In early December the sun sets around 5:35 p.m. in Tampa (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.
10 p.m. start · plan about an hour
4–10pm
No drive-thru with 2026 dates in town yet.
Pick: Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa
Mittens on a stringLittle hands get cold fast after dark.
Warm drink in a thermosA treat to look forward to at the halfway point.
Hat and a blanketFor the stroller, or the car once the heat is off.
PJs before you goSo a car-seat nap can turn straight into bedtime.From each venue’s own page. Check whether a price is per car or per person before you book.
| Display | Price | Little kids | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa | Included with a ZooTampa membership or Zoo Fun ticket | See the venue | Walk-through |
See all 7 Santa outings in and around Tampa: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.
Santa in Tampa →
None of the light shows with 2026 dates that we found are free. The lowest prices are listed in “2026 prices at a glance”.
We didn’t find a drive-thru with 2026 dates yet. Walk-throughs (one here) are better for kids who want to run around.
The earliest evening starts: Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa at 10 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page, and links to it. We list dates, times and prices only when that page shows them for 2026; anything without posted dates goes in “Dates not posted yet” instead. These were last checked Oct 19, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.
Keep planning: This week in Tampa · Tampa city guide · Visiting Tampa
One short email every Friday morning with what works for ages 0–6 in Tampa that weekend, including the Santa and light-show dates worth knowing.