Woodland Park Zoo
Hopefully this post will be my least viewed, because you are already regular visitors to the Woodland Park Zoo. If for some crazy reason you are not, it’s time to get to it! Seattle has a great zoo right near the Greenlake neighborhood. It’s not a huge place and can be experienced in a half day. But the exhibits are really well done and they have some great animals. If a visit to the zoo isn’t something you’ve done with your family (or if it’s just been awhile…), read on for how we take an adventure to the Woodland Park Zoo.
General Itinerary:
9:30 – Arrive at zoo and park in South/Hippo parking lot
9:45 – 11:45 Explore east half of the zoo: African Savannah, Assam Rhino Reserve, Komodo Dragon & Meerkats, Northern Trail, Australasia, Banyan Wilds, Penguins, ride Carousel
11:45 – Lunch either on the North Meadow or Rain Forest Pavilion
12:15 – 12:30 Indoor Zoomazium (skip this if it’s a beautiful day or you are with little ones under 3)
12:30 – 1:30 Finish zoo with Tropical Rain Forest, Habitat Discovery Loop, and Family Farm
Bring:
Stroller – as big or as little as you want. The zoo is super stroller friendly and there are a few areas (like the Northern Trail) that are a bit out of the way. Almost all the walkways in the park are paved, a few are packed dirt/gravel that most strollers could handle
Lunch – we always pack our lunches, but there are food options for purchase in the Rain Forest Pavilion and Gather & Graze Café. Make sure the lunches are packed away so the crows can’t get to them
Snacks – we’re not huge snackers, but my boys always see other kids with snacks and start asking for something. Again, be sure to pack in “crow proof” containers
Water bottles
Picnic blanket if the weather is nice and you want to eat lunch on the North Meadow
Extra change of clothes for any recently potty trained little ones – bathrooms are a bit spread out
paybyphone Parking App – Woodland Park Zoo parking lots use this App in their lots. You can definitely pay at the kiosk when you arrive, but download this App (which is used all over the city) and load it ahead of time with your license plate and credit card info to make your parking lot experience a bit easier
Before you go: by tickets and review the ‘today at the zoo‘ page to prepare for your visit
Don’t Bring:
Slippery shoes – there’s a lot of opportunities for climbing at the zoo. Also, considering all the walking we do, my kids always have on their sneakers
Open snack containers (like this) – the crows will literally stick their beaks right into them if left unattended!
Weather:
Any dry day is good for a visit to the zoo. But a randomly beautiful spring or fall weekend day will bring big crowds, so may actually be worth a skip.
With the indefinite closure of the Day Exhibit there are only a couple of indoor places to explore at the Zoo: Zoomazium and the indoor building within the Tropical Rain Forest. There’s just really not enough to keep you busy here on a rainy day.
Details:
I have been visiting the Woodland Park Zoo since I was a little girl. I have distinct memories of having picnic lunches on the lawn and watching the elephants play in their pool. My parents gifted my family a zoo membership when my oldest was 18 months old and we have kept the tradition alive! I’m a big fan of becoming a member of any local place that you either visit regularly or want to visit regularly. When we have an empty day, without plans, we immediately think of these places. And usually you only need to go 3-4 times a year to make the membership cost worth it. If you’re not sure about membership and want to just give the zoo a try, you can decide at the end of your visit if you’d like to become a member. They’ll apply the cost of your tickets to the membership fee.
I think the Woodland Park Zoo is a really well-done park – the exhibits feel like natural habitats, the animals seem really healthy, and we almost always have a number of great sightings. One time we were at the Gorilla exhibit on a quiet day and I swear my kids were playing tag with Yola, the adolescent gorilla. Another time we saw the Jaguar take multiple dives into it’s pool (it’s a cat!). And of course, watching swimming grizzly bears (that are separated from you by just a 2-inch thick glass wall) is a unique level of excitement.
I really like being at the zoo either first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon. I don’t think I’m a genius here – anyone will tell you that these are just natural times that the animals are more active. Another thing to consider, however is the weather/time of year. The Giraffes will only be in the Savanna if it has been dry (no rain) for a week (however, you will get to see them either way). The Grizzly Bear is going to be pretty boring during hibernation months (roughly late November – early March). The animals are just generally more active on nice sunny days.
But we’ve been all times of year and always had a good visit. Summer months can be better for the animals, but much worse in terms of crowds and camp kids. The end of the school year/late spring brings an obscene amount of field trips – so many that (if you asked me… but of course no one does) I really think the zoo should cut in half the amount of field trips they allow per day.
There are 2 main parking lots at Woodland Park Zoo – the south lot (or the Hippo Lot) or the west lot (or the Penguin/Otter Lots). We almost always can find parking in either of these main lots, but you will have to pay $6.00-12.00 for parking at the credit card kiosks. Use the paybyphone App to make your parking lot experience a bit quicker. The Hippo Lot is where we normally park, because I like the flow of the zoo from that entrance, but if you’re in the late spring “field trip season” this is also where the school buses park, so this lot can be really crowded. If you’re there early, however, you will probably beat the rush.
If zoo membership is not your thing you can expect to pay $26.25 per adult and $16.25 for kids 3 and up (0-2 year-olds are free). Tickets can be purchased ahead of time and do secure you a reservation for a specific day. But rest assured, not since the early Covid days have I had any issue with day-of admission. Memberships vary in options, but just to give you a basic idea, an annual membership for a single adult is $65 – so you can expect to need about 3 yearly trips to the zoo in order for the membership to make financial sense.
As I said earlier, I really like the flow of the zoo from the Hippo Lot. We get about 2/3 of the zoo in before lunch and what’s left after are mostly extras, for example: zoomazium, habitat discovery, and family farm. If my kids have just had enough we skip those, hit the gorillas and head home.
Instead of going through every little bit of our route, I have maps with the path we take, which hits all the highlights. Take a peek to get a general idea:
My favorite route from the Hippo Lot at the South Entrance:
Alternative route from the Penguin/Otter Lots at the West Entrance:
But here are some things we never miss:
Komodo Dragon – I actually think these guys are sort of boring, but my boys love it. Maybe it’s the “dragon” bit
Asian Small-clawed Otters – this family of otters (and it’s a huge family!) are so cute and usually really active. On a good day you’ll see them wrestling and swimming together
Secret Paths along Australasia near the Wallaroos – as you’re walking by these exhibits, look to the west and within the foliage are little trails that my boys like to sneak along. They meet back up with the main path after just a bit
Grizzly Bear – if they’re not hibernating (roughly late November – early March) they can be really exciting
River Otters – these Northern Trail Otters are fun as well. This is where I get some of my best shots during our trips to the zoo
Zoomazium – this indoor playground is a great spot for getting out some energy. However, I definitely DO NOT go here on a busy zoo day – as it can be very crazy. But there are separate areas for both big and little kids. And they often have live animal experiences while you’re there
Habitat Discovery Loop – this is sort of a hidden outdoor climbing area that my kids enjoy. It’s usually less crowded than the Zoomazium
Gorillas – these guys are a must see and if you can catch a glimpse of the babies that’s a plus
Visit the ‘Today at the Zoo‘ page to get more up-to-date information before your visit
Things we don’t mind if we miss:
Temperate Forest – mostly just birds, we hardly ever venture into this area
Trail of Vines and Orangutans (they are never doing anything and often inside)
Few other things to keep in mind:
Crows – The crows at the zoo are bold! If you leave an ounce of a snack open on your stroller they’ll pounce. I just try and keep things really put away
Potty – I actually feel like bathrooms at the zoo are spaced a little too far out. We always go first thing when we enter the park. Then we stop again at the Peacock Plaza near the Rhinos. Just make sure you keep this in mind – bathroom emergencies might not go well for you here…
Carousel – my kids LOVE the carousel, but normally it’s “closed” when we visit (wink, wink). If I’m there by myself I really can’t manage all 3 kids at once. But if your kids are older, or if you’ve got a second set of hands with you, then it’s definitely worth it! Each person needs a ticket at $3 per ride. They take cash or card, but normally it’s easier if you have cash
Lunch – I really love to eat on the North Meadow if the weather allows for it. I force the kids to eat as much of their lunch as possible then let them run around the grass for a bit. If it’s too wet or cold we’ll just bring our lunches to the Rain Forest Pavilion and eat either outside or inside. Here they have high chairs and it’s completely OK to bring outside food. If you’re outside, make sure you have lots of antibacterial wipes to clean the tables off with – the crows have been here!
Climbing – there are various rocks, statues, and play areas that my kids find to climb on at the zoo. Be sure to wear shoes that allow for this
This guide is very much for a morning/lunch visit to the zoo, but as I mentioned we’ve had great trips in the late afternoon. Sometimes we make a night out of it by hitting up the nearby Zeek’s Pizza and the West Woodland Park playground. Or since we live so far away (in Sammamish…) we’ll take advantage of the fact that we’re in this part of the city and go to one of our favorites: Wing Dome, Snappy Dragon, or good ole’ Dicks!
Hope this guide gets you excited to adventure to the Woodland Park Zoo!
Links:
Woodland Park Zoo: https://www.zoo.org/
Zeek’s Pizza: http://zeekspizza.com/locations-hours/zeeks-pizza-phinney-ridge/
West Woodland Park Playground: information
Wing Dome: https://thewingdome.com/
Snappy Dragon: http://www.snappydragon.com/
Dick’s: https://www.ddir.com/
Destination Address:
Hippo Lot: 4911 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Penguin Lot: 5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
