Wild Lights: The Best Place To Visit in Upstate New York During the Winter
Updated: April 5th, 2024 | By: Grace Kim
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Located in Tupper Lake, New York, in the heart of the Adirondacks, is where you’ll find one of the most beautiful places to visit in New York during the Winter.The Wild Center, an Upstate New York hidden gem, is open year-round but during the winter, its campus is covered by thousands of lights. You’ll be in awe of all the intricate artwork and craftsmanship that went into making Wild Lights and by the end of your visit, you’ll truly feel like you’ve walked through a winter wonderland.
There’s so many fun activities to do on campus, such as listening to a synchronized light and sound experience while walking in the woods, and finding the best photo opportunities through hexagonal light tunnels along paths and trails. Consider adding The Wild Center in Tupper Lake onto your New York bucket list this winter as it’s been a favorite for both locals and tourists alike.
Whether you’re visiting locally in the Adirondacks or you’re making a trip up from New York City, here’s everything you need to know before your visit:
How to get to The Wild Center?
While there is no direct public transportation and limited Uber and Lyft rides to get to The Wild Center, it’s recommended to rent a car and have full freedom driving to the site. If you’re planning on driving from New York City or Albany, the closest train will drop you off in Westport, but you’ll have to rent a car to drive to The Wild Center anyways.
Find full directions to The Wild Center from Lake Placid, Syracuse and Watertown, New York City and Albany, Plattsburgh and Vermont, Ontario, and Utica, NY can be found here.
Where is Wild Lights?
Wild Lights is located at The Wild Center. The full address is 45 Museum Dr, Tupper Lake, NY.
Dates and Hours of Operation
Wild Lights is open from 5pm to 8pm
Wild Lights Dates: Wild Lights are open Fridays and Saturdays from November 24th to February 24th. They are also open every day during Winter Week, Holiday Week, and President’s Week
Although Wild Lights starts at 5pm, I recommend getting there at least an hour earlier to get settled in, shop at the gift store, and snag a parking spot. It will be harder to find parking the later you go, so make sure to plan accordingly.
How much are Wild Lights tickets?
Non-members: Adults $10, Children $5, Kids under 4 are free
Members: Adults $5, free for children under 18.
Tickets are not required prior to arrival but due to high demand, it is likely that tickets will sell out. Get your tickets to Wild Lights here.
*Note that if you are planning on visiting The Wild Center during regular day hours (10am to 5pm), those tickets must be purchased separately.
What to do at Wild Lights?
From embracing the festive spirit to taking countless photos surrounding the campus, wandering through Wild Walk, Stickwork, and Forest Music, and relaxing indoors with hot cocoa.
*Note that since it could get slippery or rainy during the wintery months, to wear comfortable walking shoes.
Wild Walk
Once you’re parked and all settled in, start off your visit by taking a stroll at Wild Walk. I recommend getting there while there’s still daylight so you can walk around the woods and admire the sculptures and artwork. There was even a little pathway around the Wild Walk that led us to a viewpoint overlooking the Raquette River, where we spent some time relaxing and waiting for it to get dark.
With so many instagrammable photo spots, it was hard to not take photos at every corner, especially during blue hour! It makes every corner look that much more magical as you’ll find yourself revisiting every spot to retake your photos again. Depending on how long you take your photos for, you’ll find yourself exploring Wild Walk for about 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, you’ll want to head over to “Hopscotch,” Patrick Dougherty’s Stickwork sculpture, which is within the same area as Wild Walk.
Stickwork
Stickwork is iconic to Wild Lights as you’ll be walking into a weaved six foot tunnel made by saplings. The vision of this outdoors playground was brought to life by Patrick Dougherty and volunteers from The Wild Center. The team sourced out saplings from local, private land that took months weaving together to make Dougherty’s vision come to life.
Prior to my visit, I was the most excited to see this artwork as I’ve just been so amazed with how much thought, time, and skill it took to put together. You’ll find kids playing hide and seek in and out of Stickwork, and hundreds of phones out taking photos at every angle of Stickwork. It truly is a unique piece to Wild Lights as Stickwork was inspired by all the nature in the Adirondacks.
Hot Cocoa & Wild Supply Co.
As you’re finishing up taking your photos and exploring Stickwork, head back into The Wild Center for some hot cocoa or Wild Lights Light Lager! It’s a nice way to recoup from the cold as there is a standing area with a handful of tables, and a gift shop to purchase souvenirs at Wild Supply Co. to bring back home.
Forest Music
Finally, as the last and final stop of the night, head over to Forest Music. This is where you’ll find over 130+ trees playing across 24 different speakers covered in beautiful, colorful lights that will make you feel like you’re in an immersive lightshow. It’s a 2 minute walk from The Wild Center’s main hall that will take you to a different part of the woods. Once you’ve arrived at the entrance, walking around Forest Music will take about 15-20 minutes. You’ll hear 6-new musical compositions playing from Whatever Penny as this experience was designed to invoke solitude and wonder that came with appreciating the outdoors at night. This was the most peaceful and mesmerizing way to end the night as it feels like it felt like the trees were singing to you.
Overall Experience
From wandering into an interactive winter wonderland to exploring beautiful lights surrounding thousands of local saplings, visiting The Wild Center during the winter has been a favorite for both locals and tourists alike. Locals have made visiting Wild Lights a holiday tradition as there are endless events and sites to see that bring communities from all over together.
So whether you’re planning on visiting The Wild Center from New York City or from Ottawa, Ontario, get ready for one of the most wonderful immersive winter experiences. Come dressed warm and prepared with appropriate shoes, and enough storage on your phone as you’ll be snapping photos all throughout the night.
Save These Pins When Planning For Your Trip!
Frequenty Asked Questions
How long does it take to walk around Wild Lights?
Since Wild Walk and Stickwork are within the same area, it could take anywhere between 20-30 minutes to walk around. Then, walking past the parking lot and into The Wild Center could take another 10-20 minutes depending on bathroom breaks and if you’re planning on getting some hot cocoa. Then, walking to Forest Music from The Wild Center will take about 3-5 minutes, with another 20-30 minutes walking around the trail. In total, this could take anywhere between 60-90 minutes.
Are dogs allowed?
Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on campus unless they are service dogs.
Are there EV charging stations?
Yes. There are two electric vehicle charging stations located by The Wild Walk kiosk.
Are the trails accessible by wheelchairs?
Yes, the trails are accessible by wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, etc. However, since weather is so unpredictable, it’s not guaranteed that the trails will always be accessible for safety reasons.
Where to stay in Tupper Lake when visiting Wild Lights?
If you’re not coming locally, I recommend staying at Hotel Saranac, located about 20 minutes away from Wild Lights. There are a ton of restaurants, shops, and cafes to dine in before and after your visit, and souvenir shops in town.
Where to eat after visiting Wild Lights?
My absolute favorite restaurant to dine in at was The Woodshed on Park. All the dishes and specials were incredible, the staff was amazing, and the drinks were on par. And my favorite part was the hidden wine cellar behind the bookshelf!
