China Lights Wisconsin

This was my first time going to China Lights Wisconsin in Boerner Botanical Garden with my husband! Every year is a different theme with this year's theme being year of the dragon! We had the most incredible time mesmerized by the beautiful unique lantern displays such as the Dragon King, flower tunnel, and zodiac lanterns! China Lights highlights the beautiful art and traditions of traditional Chinese lantern festivals celebrated all over Asia for hundreds of years! This event is great for the whole family including kids! There are even performances of Chinese classical arts and fun performances mostly every hour before 8:30pm each night. They also have a fun interactive playground or play area that's fun for the kids and some food booths but I thought the prices were a little high. My husband and I were not familiar with the area or layout of the event but luckily we got there super early. We didn't have any issues with parking. If it is your first time going or you are not familiar with the area, I highly recommend getting there early or thoroughly researching the parking options on the China Lights Wisconsin website because the event can get extremely crowded as a popular event and parking maybe be super difficult. There is a close up paid parking lot options then other free multiple parking lots with shuttle bus also available.Once you get there, you will be so entranced by the beautiful lantern displays with vivid beautiful colors which is truly works of arts! I recommend planning for at least two hours to get through the event and going on weekday when it may be less crowded. When we went, it was very crowded and the different parking lots filled up very quickly but still very enjoyable!It is definitely worth it to visit China Lights Wisconsin but definitely plan out your visit and research well before going to make your experience the best possible!

This is our second year in a row going to China Lights. It is truly beautiful and stunning and each year adds new items so you're not repeating the same viewing. We always come early due to the children needing to get to bed at a certain time- BUT it is worth seeing even in the day light. Just lovely and nice for pictures if you want to see yourselves as well as the lights. Parking is always somewhat dramatic because it is a big busy venue. There is a lot of walking as well and weather can be for or against you- just be aware of that. I do enjoy this very much and hope you do too!! Make sure you can see it in the pitch dark if you are able to

Took advantage of the 1/2 priced tickets and saw the China Lights on Saturday evening. We were so happy we did as they were beautiful and nicely laid out. Being Saturday, it was quite busy, especially since the weather was gorgeous, but there was only one section where it was overwhelmingly crowded and hard to walk, other than that we were able to take our time and enjoy the beauty. Would highly recommend!

The China Lights are beautiful and worth an evening troll through the botanical gardens. I'm glad I took the trip to see them. Judging from previous Yelp reviews, this is kind of a "one and done" experience because there are not a lot of changes. However, I can see how some families would make this a yearly tradition. There are some things to be prepared for. I went on a Friday night ant the amount of people was kind of surprising (and the weather wasn't great, so it might have been way more if it was nicer). Trails through some areas were extremely populated and there were back ups. Mainly caused by people or groups stopping for pictures (which is totally expected when seeing the displays). Parking is not very well marked and many lots were full. I asked questions (from my car window) of the people holding the flashlights, but no one seemed too interested in answering... just keep moving. Handicapped or older people might have a rough time because it would be a tough walk through the un-level and slightly hilly grass fields. It was raining a bit that evening and it was a bit slippery too. Some food and drinks were available, but lines were pretty long. Wanted some hot chocolate, but decided that it's wasn't worth the wait. By 8:30 it did start to clear out. Maybe that would be the best time to come!

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this event; however, I was pleasantly surprised. I was not expecting this level of artisanship. I liked the different themed sections - my favorite was the underwater area where the puffer fish actually puffed lol. There was a cool animatronic creature that would awaken, talk and move - very cool.They did have some limited food options but I would eat somewhere else first. They had random different beers available for purchase from the beer gardens that had recently closed.The theme is different every year from what I gathered so it definitely worth seeing again. However, I would avoid a rainy day because it did get a bit slick in areas even thought it had stopped raining.

I am admittedly a regular for the China lights show. It is one of the fall events my son and I look forward to every year and we are never disappointed. I always purchase my tickets on line with ease and have never had to wait in line to get in. Normally arriving around 6:00 so we can catch the show in daylight and walk through again when it gets dark!The food vendors were just okay for me this year as everything was overpriced and the wait times were extensive. As for the display itself - WOW! It was beautifully done with all new lanterns this year. This is a great event for families, dates, or to quietly stroll through on your own. Highly recommend!

China Lights 2023 was fabulous. The creators returned the more traditional show this year. It was a beautiful tribute to the intent of the show -- to educate attendees about the craft of Chinese lantern making and Chinese culture. The lights were colorful, interactive, and educational. There were many that you could take photos inside or walk through. There were some that require you to interact with them in order to make the colors change. It's almost like an amusement park of lights. There was even a play area for kids that made me want to regress a few decades to fit in!Wait for a chilly evening and go see The China Lights. Take a friend, a loved one, a few rambunctious and curious kids (the kind who like to point and keep asking, "what's that"?). Go out for hot cocoa when you leave but take lots of photos, laugh, and have a well-lit fun time!My only warning is: Don't waste money on the food court! Most of it has nothing to do with Chinese culture. It's cheap quality, state-fair type food, beer, sodas, kettle corn, and very poorly constructed souvenirs that won't last very long!Take photos! Save your money and go out for a real authentic Chinese dinner (practice your chop stick skills) before or after. Buy really good hot cocoa bombs and go home and share your photos and memories with each other -- especially if you have kids! Make it a great night without wasting money on junk! The lights are magnificent! Keep it all about the lights and you'll have a fabulous time!

It was a wonderful experience. Truly magical, colorful and entertaining. Great way to spend the evening. Perfect for a date or family night. Food was really good, definitely worth it!

What a great time!! We didn't know what to expect but China lights didn't disappoint!! Only adjustments I would make is I would have gotten the later evening tickets. It was beautiful. They have tons of food, a shuttle to and from where we parked!! Worth the drive to see this amazing display!!

My fiancé and I had a great date here. We were able to have great conversation while walking through the lights. My favorite part was the flower bridge. There was decent options for food. We got boba tea and egg rolls. We also loved the show, my favorite act being the face changing!Parking was a little challenging to find in the dark, but we appreciated the shuttles from the farther parking lots. Definitely worth a visit whether for a date or with your family.