Secondly, the Los Angeles Zoo's ticket prices are reasonable, and cost more like what you'd expect from a much smaller zoo. Simply put, you can afford to take your family to the Los Angeles Zoo. The same thing can't be said for Southern California's most famous zoo...the San Diego Zoo (whose ticket prices are so hefty that it's a major financial sacrifice just for parents to take their kids to enjoy the animals!)
The Los Angeles Zoo also keeps up-to-date. In fact, when you visit, you'll notice that several expansion projects are underway that will make the zoo even more entertaining and endearing than it already is. Just recently finished being built is the Campo Gorilla Reserve which opened in early November, 2007. Also in the works is a new exhibit which will replace the current elephant exhibit----and be 7 times larger! Scheduled to open in late 2010, the Pachyderm Forest Exhibit will be one of the largest elephant-viewing exhibits in the USA. And, looking even further down the road, new reptile and bird viewing areas will be begun and completed by 2011. The zoo is constantly thinking of ways to serve both its animals and its visitors better!
Animal Displays at the Los Angeles Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo is particularly proud of its attractive exibit called "Sea Lion Cliffs" which opened in 2006. Located just inside the LA Zoo's main entrance, you'll be able to enjoy a close up view of these animals...which are California natives! Watch as they bask outside the water, or look through the clear viewing windows to watch them dive and swim! Throughout the zoo, you'll be able to see all of your favorite, "typical" zoo animals. You'll find the animals displayed in attractive, generously-sized settings. Special enclosures for certain animals, eg the World of Birds, the Reptile House, the Red Ape Rain Forest, and others, enhance guest viewing opportunities while creating a climate comfortable for the animals. (Note: Unfortunately, the Reptile House is temporarily closed for a zoo expansion project.)
Kids are sure to love the Children's Zoo, including the Muriel's Ranch area where petting is allowed. There's also a fun playground for kids at the zoo, as well as the kiddie-favorite "LA Choo Choo" train ride.
Los Angeles Zoo: Animal Shows & Other Special Features
Train lovers---you won't want your kids to miss the Los Angeles Zoo's cute little "LA Choo Choo" inside the zoo grounds at the "Zoopendous Center" (across from the World of Birds.) If you use the link in the final section of this page to download a PDF map of the Los Angeles Zoo, you'll find the LA Choo Choo and the World of Birds on the far RIGHT HAND SIDE of the map.Railroad enthusiasts must LOVE Griffith Park! Counting the LA Choo Choo, that makes 3 different places you can ride trains at Griffith Park! (The miniature train on Crystal Springs Drive is another, and the Travel Town Museum is the third!)
Speaking of the zoo's World of Birds area...the World of Birds has a fun show that you can see daily (except Tuesdays, when it's closed.) The World of Birds show schedule is: weekdays at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m; and weekends 11:30 a.m, 2 p.m, and 3:30 p.m.
Another popular LA Zoo "show" is the "Animals and You" animal close-up viewing program. One of the zoo's animal experts will present a rotating variety of animals daily at the Children's Zoo. Naturally, you may feel free to ask all the questions you can think of about the animal being spotlighted! Hours for the Animals & You program are weekdays at 10:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m; and weekends at 10:45 a.m,and 11:45 a.m, and 12:45 p.m.
Los Angeles Zoo phone number, hours and prices
*The Los Angeles Zoo phone number is 323/644-4200.*The Los Angeles Zoo hours of operation are: The LA Zoo opens at 10 am daily and closes at 5 pm. The last admission to the zoo is at 4 pm. The Los Angeles Zoo is open every day of the year except for Christmas Day, December 25.
*The ticket prices for the Los Angeles Zoo (in August, 2009) are: $13/adults; Seniors zoo tickets (age 62+) cost $10; kids tickets to the LA Zoo (ages 2 through 12) cost $8; and children under age 2 are FREE!
*Los Angeles zoo discounts: There are several ways to save money on your visit to the Los Angeles Zoo:
1.) Group discounts: The Los Angeles Zoo offers slightly discounted admission if you go in a group. The good news is that these group discount tickets are good for families as well as for clubs and organizations. And, you don't have to order them ahead; you can just get them right at the zoo's ticket window. The bad news is that to qualify for group rates, there needs to be 15 tickets purchased by your party. (In other words, kids age 2 and under---who enter free---don't count.) If you can get several of your friends and their families to go to the zoo as a group outing, then you'll all save money over going to the zoo separately.
3.) Los Angeles Go Cards: This is a multiple-attraction discount plan, so you'll ONLY want to use this if you're interested in visiting several LA area tourist attractions. If you purchase a 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 day Los Angeles Go Card, you can cram in as many attractions as you visit within that time period. About 5 dozen activities are on the list from which you may choose; you pick the things you wish to see & do, then skip the rest. Popular activities are the 6 Flags Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood & Legoland theme parks; the LA Zoo; the Long Beach Aquarium; several Hollywood tours and studio tours; several harbor tours; and various museums. To see a list of included attractions and discover the prices, you may visit the Go Los Angeles Card Los Angeles Go Card website.
4.) Los Angeles Zoo membership: An LA Zoo membership is equivalent to having an annual pass to a theme park. Once you pay the original fee, you can enter the zoo as many times as you like for one year. If you have a family of 5, you'll recover your money on only your 2nd visit to the zoo! AND you'll get 4 coupons for free Los Angeles zoo tickets for friends to use during the year (when they come with you.) On top of your zoo admission, you'll get a subscription to the zoo's newletter and magazine and invitations to members-only events. It's a good deal, especially for families with kids---because children never seem to get enough of the zoo! To check current Los Angeles Zoo membership prices, please see the Membership Information page of the LA Zoo's website.
LA Zoo's address, directions, maps and parking.
*LA Zoo Shuttle: If you'd like to ride the hop-on/hop-off zoo shuttle while you're touring the LA Zoo, the tickets for the "Safari Shuttle" cost as follows: Adult tickets $4; children (ages 2 thru 12) cost $2; seniors (ages 55 and above), $1.50; the physically disabled, $1.50; and kids ride free until they reach the age of 2 years old. The Safari Shuttle has 6 different boarding spots within the zoo; your shuttle ticket enables you to get on and off at whichever stops you'd like...and as many times as you'd like! The shuttle makes it much easier for families with young kids or seniors in their group to see the Los Angeles Zoo before they get worn out!
*LA Zoo Parking: The Los Angeles Zoo has a huge, FREE parking lot in front of it! The parking lot has a security patrol. From the Los Angeles Zoo parking lot, you could also easily walk to the National Autry Center (and see the Gene Autry Western Museum) without reparking. You could also walk to the Griffith Park Observatory Satellite Center and make your reservations for the newly-reopened Griffith Park Observatory! (Yes, you DO need reservations to the Griffith Park Observatory now! AND, you'll have to shuttle in from either the LA Zoo's parking lot OR the parking lot at the Hollywood and Highland Center!)
*The Los Angeles Zoo address is: 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
*Directions to the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park: The Los Angeles Zoo sits conveniently to the west side of the Interstate 5 Freeway. You may simply take the "Zoo Drive" exit from I-5 and follow the signs to the LA Zoo!
Nevertheless, the Zoo Drive entrance to Griffith Park is only one of SEVERAL park entrances by which you can get to the zoo! If you're coming from another direction, you may want to read the "Griffith Park Entrances" section of the "Griffith Park FAQs" page of this website. There, you'll find a discussion about the many Griffith Park entrances.
Or, if you've been to the zoo before, you may find that just a simple glance at a map will refresh your memory! You may use the following link to see a Yahoo map of the Los Angeles Zoo area of Los Angeles, California.
*LA Zoo Interior Map:Once you're inside of the Los Angeles Zoo, you'll need an entirely DIFFERENT map to get around! The upcoming link will take you to the PDF map of the Los Angeles Zoo from the LA Zoo's website. Be forewarned that this is a slow-loading map! Nevertheless, if you print it out at home, you'll be all set to head to your favorite exhibits before you even get to the park! (Naturally, you'll receive a map of the Los Angeles Zoo at the gate when you pay your entrance fee.)
Here's that link to the printable PDF map of the Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park.
One thing that the map DOESN'T SHOW is how hilly much of the Los Angeles Zoo is! Wear comfortable walking shoes! And, you might also want to consider paying for a shuttle ticket so that you can ride to the shuttle bording stops, walk around to view the animals in that section of the zoo, then re-board the shuttle before heading to another area.
