Exploring the National Zoo in Washington D.C.
The National Zoo, located in Washington DC, is the only zoo in the Smithsonian’s collection of 19 museums in Washington DC and New York City. The National Zoo is home to almost 400 species and 2,700 animals in a 163 acre park in the northwest section of Washington DC. The zoo was founded in 1889 and is free to visitors all year. This year we’re sharing the best things to see and do at the National Zoo:
Travel Tips:
Our Favorite Animal Exhibits:
1. The Rubenstein Family Panda Habitat is home to a pair of pandas, named Mei Xiang and Tian Tian and their cub Bei Bei, born in 2015. There are daily programs featuring the pandas.
2. Elephant Trails is a large exhibit home to a multi generational herd of Asian elephants. There are daily demonstrations featuring the elephants in their Community Center or Elephant Trek.
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3. The Cheetah Conservation Station is home to some of the most endangered species in the world, including cheetahs, Dama Gazelles, zebras, and scimitar-horned oryx.
4. The American Trail allows visitors to visit up close with everything from sea lions and North American Otters to Bald Eagles and Brown Pelicans. Kids will enjoy cooling off in the nearby splash area.
5. Kids’ Farm provides opportunities for kids (and adults) to meet and pet many types of farm animals including alpacas, cows, donkeys, goats, hogs, and chickens. There is in indoor barn and Me and the Bee Playground in the complex.
If you’re interested in some of the other zoos we have explored, check out our posts on the Roger Williams Zoo in Rhode Island, and zoos in Philadelphia, Memphis, Dallas, and Dutchess County New York.
Looking for other adventures in Washington DC? See our index of posts here, our full Washington DC City Guide here, and our posts featuring the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the National Zoo, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History & Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the International Spy Museum, the National Building Museum, the National Postal Museum, and Mount Vernon. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and X.
