National Zoo
add photosThe National Zoo provides a free trip through the animal kingdom.
53 Reviews for National Zoo
10
10 families found this helpful
"Awesome!"
I love going to the Washington Zoo. With where I live, it is about an extra 30 minutes or so from the closest zoo (Baltimore) to here. However, it is worth every minute! The admission is FREE!!!!! You obviously cannot beat that. One downfall is that parking is $20 dollars, but there is usually some free 2 hour parking around the neighborhoods that is great if you are willing to walk a little bit. (Compared to the walking you have to do within the zoo, the walk to a free parking spot is nothing!) Bring a stroller for sure, even if you think your little one is a good walker. The hills are steep and long, but the animals you get to see are very worth it. The park always seems clean, and full of friendly help. One last note: Try to look up the feeding times, etc. as they are the best times to see active animals!
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'10, '11
1 family found this helpful
"Lions and Tigers and Panda Bears! Oh My!"
Let’s all go to the ZOO! Its fun and exciting for kids of all ages, including us grown up ones. I love zoos, and I have been to many of them. This one is in my top three of all time. You can see animals from all over the world, in well-kept habitats. Although the pandas are always a big draw, I find the big cats more interesting, and my daughters love the giraffes and elephants. Luckily, here we can enjoy them all. You should plan to spend the whole day, as it takes that long to see everything. Also, parking is not free, so if you can and you feel comfortable doing so, take the Metro. It is clean and safe. While the zoo is open year round, I recommend you avoid visiting in the summer (May-August) because it is ridiculously crowded and DC can get very hot during those months. I don’t know about you, but heat and crowds are two of my vacation pet peeves. And the winter (December-February) because many of the animals are inside because of the cold and you will not get the full experience during those months. Also, if your child will fit in a stroller, bring it! The zoo is on 163 acres of land, which means a lot of walking and little legs get tired fast. You can’t take them in all the buildings, but I felt completely safe leaving ours outside in the cart area while we enjoyed those exhibits. We were allowed to bring in bottled water and snacks, and I recommend you do the same. Snacks can be pricey here. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, you’ll walk a lot. Bring sunscreen and hats (especially during summer months) to ward off the sun.
0 families found this helpful
"Great place for all ages!"
This zoo is fantastic! Kids and adults will enjoy it. Parents will love the fact that's it's free. The National Zoo is famous for it's Panda Bear Exhibit, but there are so many other animals here, you could easily spend a whole day. Plan to do a lot of walking, so bring plenty of water if it's a hot day. We found the best way to go is by Metro and avoid the DC traffic. The station is within walking distance. We went here as part of a week long trip to all the places in DC. It is not within walking distance of the mall area so don't plan to visit the zoo while seeing the museums on the mall in DC. We found it best to plan this as a seperate day or half day excursion.
0 families found this helpful
"Loved it"
This Zoo was an unexpected stop on our honeymoon. My husband and I were strolling around D.C. just taking in the sights and happened upon it. Best of all, it was free admission. We got there right before closing, so we didn't get to stay long, but enjoyed what we did see. Very clean and well laid out! And family friendly!
0 families found this helpful
"LOVE this zoo"
First off, how can you go wrong with free right? This zoo has every animal to offer from A to Z. My favorite was the Panda Bears because they are so rare, but others loved the HUGE snakes at the snake house. I was personally scared of those but to each his own. I loved all the side displays and they even had carts to help get you around it was so big. It's definitely worth a full day attention.
0 families found this helpful
"Awesome Zoo!"
I love the Washington DC zoo. It is very ideal if you have a large family since you don't have to pay to get in, just to park. So if you have your car filled with people, it's a very good deal. The parking can be terrible though! There's lots of fun animals to look at, your children will love it!
0 families found this helpful
"So much fun"
The National Zoo is a wonderful place to take young kids. We love going any time we are in the area - and you can't beat that it is free too! There are all kinds of animals with neat exhibits. As one reviewer mentioned, there is definitely a lot of uphill walking. Overall this is a top notch zoo and we are looking forward to going back!
0 families found this helpful
"National Zoo"
The National Zoo was nice and very large. The park was neat and clean, but in need of updating. Several of the exhibits were closed or under constructions. Many of the exhibits appeared to be empty.
If you are planning to visit the National Zoo, be prepared to do a great deal of walking. There are quite a few hills within the park.
My family and I last visted the zoo in mid summer and it was quiet hot and quiet crowded. My favorite zoo exhibits were the panda & lion exhibits.
0 families found this helpful
"bring the stroller!"
There is a lot of uphill walking! My 3 year old daughter usually really enjoys walking when we go places. But thank goodness we brought the stroller in for this one! Also, some of the animals were hard to spot and went into hiding. It might have been the time of day or how hot it was, but we were a little disappointed with that.
0 families found this helpful
"National Zoo in Washington, DC"
My family and I had the best time visiting the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. We have a local zoo where we live and it's "nothing" compared to this zoo with all the animals they have on display. We specifically enjoyed watching the gorillas. They were so funny and walked the tight ropes above us where the people walked. They interacted with eachother much the way that people interact with one another.
The park was clean, the employees were friendly and we had a wonderful time and cannot wait to go back.
The only negative I had was that parking was a big issue but what isn't in Washington, D.C.
0 families found this helpful
"Loads of animals!"
Me and my Mom went here on a bus trip. I was looking forward to seeing the Panda bears because I absolutely love pandas! And I was in my glory watching the panda bears there. I watched for a good 30minutes not wanting to leave, lol. Ofcourse, its washington d.c., so the prices are pretty crazy. But there's loads of animals. Id say its best to go in spring when its not too hot.
0 families found this helpful
"great"
great fun for parents and kids, not good for kids who are afraid of large crowds and or loud noises as the zoo is always bustling. As with and destination in the district i would always recommend that the whole family bring comfy shoes and a light snack or drink
0 families found this helpful
"Great Zoo"
This was a really fun zoo to go to. They have a great variety of animals, including the two giant pandas, which were definitely a highlight for us. We also liked the Clouded Leopard. The exhibits were really spread apart, so plan on lots of walking. It was also a little dirty.
0 families found this helpful
"This place is Huge. Make sure what you want to see is open."
The National Zoo is right in the middle of DC, and its a bit of a walk from either of the nearest metro stations. When we went, the elephant exhibit, the panda exhibit, and the lion exhibit were all under construction or closed. We walked the entire zoo (which is enormous) without much to show for it.
If you're planning a trip to the National Zoo, you can check online at the Smithsonian's web site to make sure your "must see" attractions aren't under construction. Also, bring your own water bottles. The prices in the park are on the high side.
0 families found this helpful
"Free? Not parking."
Hard to find parking; very hilly. But okay walking distance to metro if you take the subway. Get off at the northern red line stop. Lots of displays are closed at different times. Very old zoo. But nice and historic. Bring sneakers and lots to drink. Again, lots of hill walking even from parking areas...
0 families found this helpful
"Great Zoo, Great Price! "
I Love that all things in DC are free! What a great way to spend the day with your family. Although it's not my favorite zoo, it certainly has a lot to offer. It is just few blocks from Metro, and easily accessible. Don't miss out on seeing the panda's. They are great.
0 families found this helpful
"Great way to spend an afternoon"
The National Zoo is awesome. They have a ton of great animal exhibits and the atmosphere is beautiful. The elephants are always our favorite and there is plenty of room for everyone to get a good look at them. The panda exhibit is also especially good. I think they are in the process of expanding the exhibit for next spring. I would recommend bringing a "hearty" stroller, because you will do some serious hill walking. The price of this activity is also right, FREE! If you want, you can become a "zoo member" and get free parking. It's $45 a year to be a member, but it's $20 each time for premium parking...so the membership would pay for itself in 3 visits. There is also free parking for anyone, it's just a little farther of a walk.
0 families found this helpful
"National Zoo"
The National Zoo was a fun place to visit, especially for the kids. Our two little kids began to get a little bored looking at all of the monuments and touring the museums, so this was a nice change of pace. Although admission to the zoo is free, parking is quite expensive. We paid $20 for a little over three hours. If possible, it is probably cheaper to ride the metro. Be sure to see the panda bears while at the zoo. I believe this is only one of a couple of zoos in the United States that actually has panda bears.
0 families found this helpful
"Kids love animals -- A must do in DC!"
If you live in DC or happen to come through it, the National Zoo is extremely worth visiting. My kids love it more than the local one in MD. The zoo is well-mapped out and you won't get lost. The pandas are always a site to see as well as the other animals. Good place to spend the day taking pictures and learning about animals your kids have never seen or heard of! Love how close you can get to the animal and each exhibit is educational.
10/10! Zoos are perfect for all kids of all ages. Stick to going in the cooler months.
0 families found this helpful
"Great Zoo!"
This is a great zoo, and an especially nice place for a walk. I believe it's the only zoo in the country with Pandas. The paths are covered with beautiful foliage, and there is lots to see and do. We especially loved going on the morning when the zoo was free!
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