Philadelphia Zoo
America's first zoo — with see-through mesh trails that let the animals roam overhead and around you.
The Quick Version
- • America's first zoo (1874) — a 42-acre classic with well over a thousand animals across 340+ species.
- • The signature feature is Zoo360: see-through mesh trails (overhead and at ground level) that let big cats, primates, and other animals travel over and around visitors.
- • KidZooU is the children's-zoo and barnyard area built for the youngest visitors.
- • Tickets are date-based — reserve online in advance, especially spring and summer. Children under 2 are free; parking is about $22.
- • Open year-round, 9:30 AM-5 PM (last entry 4 PM in spring/summer). Plan 3-4 hours.
Best Ages
All ages
Plan For
3-4 hours
Adults
Date-based (ages 2+) — varies by day, buy online
Kids
Same date-based price (ages 2+)
What to Expect
The Philadelphia Zoo is the classic family zoo day — and it has a genuine signature that sets it apart: Zoo360, a network of see-through mesh trails (some overhead, some at ground level) that let animals travel over walkways and around the zoo instead of staying penned in one habitat. Watching a big cat or a primate pad along a clear trail above your kid's head is the moment they'll talk about. Treetop Trail opened the system in 2011 and it's grown since.
It's America's first zoo, chartered in 1859 and opened in 1874, on a walkable 42 acres with well over a thousand animals across 340-plus species. KidZooU is the children's-zoo and education area built for the youngest visitors — barnyard animals, hands-on contact, scaled-down everything. Big Cat Falls houses lions, tigers, leopards, and cougars, and the recently reopened Francis J. Carey Bear Country pairs larger bear habitats with their own Zoo360 trail.
Go at opening: the animals are most active in the morning, parking is easiest, and you'll beat both the crowds and the midday heat. Plan 3-4 hours — enough to see the headliners without forcing a death march with little legs, and a stroller makes the difference on the 42-acre loop. In spring and summer you'll need an advance online reservation, so book your date.
One note for returning visitors: the old Channel 6 Zooballoon is gone (it was replaced in 2019), so don't promise the kids a balloon ride.
Who It's Best For
A zoo works for every age, and this one especially. Babies and toddlers ride happily in a stroller and light up at the big animals and the petting/barnyard area in KidZooU. Preschoolers and early-elementary kids are the sweet spot — the Zoo360 trails (animals moving overhead) genuinely delight them. Older kids and tweens get the conservation story, the big-cat and bear habitats, and the scale. Under 2 are free.
Highlights
Zoo360 see-through animal trails
All agesMesh trails (overhead and ground-level) that let animals roam over and around visitors — the zoo's signature. Started with Treetop Trail in 2011 and now winds through much of the zoo.
KidZooU
Ages 1-8The children's zoo and education center — barnyard animals, hands-on contact, and scaled-down everything for the youngest visitors. Opened 2013.
Big Cat Falls
All agesLions, an Amur tiger, leopards, snow leopards, and cougars in a multi-habitat area — with a Zoo360 cat trail overhead.
Francis J. Carey Bear Country
All agesRecently reopened with larger, upgraded bear habitats and its own Zoo360 trail.
America's first zoo
Ages 5+Opened in 1874, the zoo's Victorian gates and historic gardens are part of the experience — a sense of place older kids will notice.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • Arriving in the afternoon in spring/summer — last entry is 4 PM and animals slow down in the midday heat.
- • Forgetting the advance reservation in the busy season — it's required, not optional.
- • Promising a balloon ride — the Zooballoon was removed in 2019.
Logistics
Admission
Adults
Date-based (ages 2+) — varies by day, buy online
Kids
Same date-based price (ages 2+)
Under
Children under 2 are free
General admission is dynamic and varies by date, bought online in advance (advance reservations are required in spring/summer). Discounts exist for military, teachers, and groups of 15+. Through the ACCESS Cardholder Program, admission is $2 each for up to four people. Confirm your date's price at philadelphiazoo.org.
Membership tip: The zoo markets membership as paying for itself in two visits — and members skip the per-date pricing, get free parking, and can drop in for a short morning loop without it feeling wasteful. Worth it for a family within day-trip range who'll come a few times a year.
Getting There
Parking
On-site parking is about $22 (free for members), in the Giraffe Lot at 38th & Girard Avenue and a garage on Girard Avenue, first-come first-served.
Lots fill on warm-weather weekends — arrive near opening. Members park free, another point in the membership column. Street parking in the surrounding neighborhood is limited; the zoo lots are the simple option.
Entrance
Main entrance off Girard Avenue. Have your date-based reservation ready. Grab a map and check the day's animal-talk and feeding times on the way in.
Parent Logistics
Stroller-friendly throughout — paved, mostly gentle paths across the 42 acres (a few inclines). A stroller is strongly recommended for a full visit with young kids; stroller rentals are available on site if you didn't bring one (confirm at guest services).
Restrooms throughout the zoo, including near the entrance, KidZooU, and the main dining areas.
Changing tables are available in restrooms across the zoo; KidZooU and the family restrooms are easiest with a baby.
Mixed — tree-lined paths offer shade in much of the older zoo, but open habitat areas and queues are exposed. Bring hats, sunscreen, and water in summer, and plan indoor exhibits for the hottest part of the day.
Food & Snacks
Multiple on-site dining options across the zoo, from quick bites to fuller meals (a range of carnivore and herbivore options, as the zoo puts it).
Snack strategy: Pack water and snacks for the walk — zoo food is convenient but pricey. Outside food in a bag/stroller is generally fine; use the dining stops for a sit-down break and bathroom run.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Book your date online ahead — reservations are required spring and summer, and pricing varies by day.
- ✓ Arrive at 9:30 opening for active animals, easy parking, and cooler temperatures.
- ✓ Price out membership — it's pitched as paying for itself in two visits and includes free parking.
- ✓ Bring a stroller (or rent one) — it's 42 acres and a full morning of walking.
- ✓ Check the daily animal-talk and feeding schedule at the gate and build your loop around a couple of them.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Arrive at opening (9:30 AM) — animals are most active in the morning and parking is easiest. Weekdays beat weekends; spring and fall beat the summer heat. In spring and summer the zoo requires advance online reservations and last entry is 4 PM, so book your date and don't arrive late.
Seasonal Notes
Open year-round, 9:30 AM-5 PM, with last entry at 4 PM in spring and summer. Advance online reservations are required in the busier spring/summer season. Animals are liveliest in the morning and in cooler weather; midsummer afternoons are hot and some animals retreat. Confirm hours and any holiday schedule at philadelphiazoo.org.
Rainy Day?
A zoo is mostly outdoors — light rain thins the crowds and many animals stay active, but a steady rain day is better spent at the Franklin Institute or Please Touch Museum nearby. Save the zoo for a decent forecast.
While You're in the Area
The zoo is in Fairmount Park, minutes from the Please Touch Museum (a natural pairing on a longer day, though both in one day is ambitious with little kids) and Smith Memorial Playground. The Franklin Institute and the rest of the museum district are a short drive east.