Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo
4.5
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Animals are on the move like never before at Philadelphia Zoo with Zoo360, a first-in-the-world system of trails passing through treetops, crossing over pathways & connecting habitats, giving animals like amazing big cats, majestic primates & marvelous meerkats the opportunities to travel & explore. Visit our baby western lowland gorillas, giraffes, hippos, polar bear, white rhino, zebras, red pandas, Amur tigers & more at America’s first Zoo. Explore a 42 acre Victorian garden & enjoy award-winning exhibits like KeyBank Big Cat Falls, PECO Primate Reserve, McNeil Avian Center & KidZooU, a wildlife academy that offers dynamic displays, rare breeds & hands-on experiences. The Zoo is one of the region's foremost conservation organizations & home to nearly 1,300 animals, many rare & endangered. By connecting people with wildlife, Philadelphia Zoo creates joyful discovery & inspires action for animals & habitats. Philadelphia Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Philadelphia Zoo and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Fairmount Park
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
2,390 within 5 kms
Attractions
722 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Estelle Bret4 contributionsAn absolute blast for all ages!A wild adventure in the heart of the city that's an absolute blast for families and animal lovers! From the majestic big cats to the playful primates, there's an incredible variety of animals to see. The zoo's dedication to conservation and education is evident at every turn, and the chance to get up close to some animals is a real treat, especially for kids. But what really makes this place special is the lush landscaping and the historic architecture that adds a touch of nostalgia to the visit. It's not just a zoo; it's a day of excitement, learning, and appreciating the beauty of the animal kingdom.Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 6 November 2023
- JamesNew York City, New York29 contributionsAn enjoyable experience for all agesThis visit was great, and I would recommend it if you're looking for something to do when you're in Philadelphia and have run out of ideas. We saw everything and lasted from when we arrived at 11:00 am until 3:30 pm. So obviously be prepared to do a lot of walking and wear comfortable shoes.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 26 May 2024
- Bridget BWhitby, Canada10 contributionsImpressed!This zoo has a lot to offer for a 2-3 hour visit. We visited with friends, no kids, and enjoyed ourselves. The zoo is compact so you see a lot of animals without walking far. Exhibits looked well looked after. The animals seemed content and had appropriate enrichment. Staff could easily be found and were happy to share their knowledge. We didn’t eat there so can’t comment on that.Visited August 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 25 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,830 reviews
Excellent
906
Very good
616
Average
216
Poor
58
Terrible
34
Tom and Heather
Swedesboro, NJ918 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
As places begin to open I have been looking to Trip Advisor for updated reviews to navigate the new rules with the pandemic. Therefore, after visiting the zoo I wanted to do the same.
First, reserve your tickets online! Whether you are a member or not you just reserve your tickets. Then at 7 am on the morning of your visit you will receive an email or text with your tickets.
At that time you must fill out a health questionnaire for you and your group. In that, you just agree to wear a mask in its entirety and maintain a social distance of 6 feet.
I my was really nice to see that all but two of the visitors at the zoo followed what they agreed to. There was one woman who refused to wear her mask despite the fact that the kids and man that was with her wore them and then there was a couple who kept them under their chin.
Please, as one of those high risk citizens, please be courteous enough to help keep your fellow human safe and wear the mask!
After you have your tickets make sure you know where you will park. There are many options of lots and a parking garage. The handicap accessible lot is still a fair distance away from the entrance so you may want to spend some time online planning that if you need accessible options. I have limited mobility and use a walker and got the handicap spot closest to the entrance and it was a challenge for me. They do have a few van only spots that are a little closer and the vehicles in those spots were not vans but there are only a few.
Other than that there is a drop off location in the front that someone can be dropped off if needed.
Once you are in the zoo...
All of the buildings that you would normally be able to go in to see the animals are closed. Any place where the enclosure would require close quarters to see them, it’s blocked off. Although we didn’t get to see a lot of the animals it was still a very nice 5 hour visit. We are members and we will return.
Online it says that there are a number of food options available and that you can preorder. I didn’t see that. We did go there at 8:30 but it took until close to noon for the few food trucks to open and they had very limited selection.
One thing I was looking forward to was buying one of the wild animal face masks but by the tine I reached the kiosk they only had child sizes left. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that you can go in the gift shop in a limited fashion. Beware, they are not giving out bags to put the purchases in!
One last point, if your timed ticket is for 9:30, do not try to arrive at 8:30. They will not let you in until your scheduled time. Believe it or not there were people doing just that.
Get out and visit the zoo! The staff do their best to make it a good visit.
First, reserve your tickets online! Whether you are a member or not you just reserve your tickets. Then at 7 am on the morning of your visit you will receive an email or text with your tickets.
At that time you must fill out a health questionnaire for you and your group. In that, you just agree to wear a mask in its entirety and maintain a social distance of 6 feet.
I my was really nice to see that all but two of the visitors at the zoo followed what they agreed to. There was one woman who refused to wear her mask despite the fact that the kids and man that was with her wore them and then there was a couple who kept them under their chin.
Please, as one of those high risk citizens, please be courteous enough to help keep your fellow human safe and wear the mask!
After you have your tickets make sure you know where you will park. There are many options of lots and a parking garage. The handicap accessible lot is still a fair distance away from the entrance so you may want to spend some time online planning that if you need accessible options. I have limited mobility and use a walker and got the handicap spot closest to the entrance and it was a challenge for me. They do have a few van only spots that are a little closer and the vehicles in those spots were not vans but there are only a few.
Other than that there is a drop off location in the front that someone can be dropped off if needed.
Once you are in the zoo...
All of the buildings that you would normally be able to go in to see the animals are closed. Any place where the enclosure would require close quarters to see them, it’s blocked off. Although we didn’t get to see a lot of the animals it was still a very nice 5 hour visit. We are members and we will return.
Online it says that there are a number of food options available and that you can preorder. I didn’t see that. We did go there at 8:30 but it took until close to noon for the few food trucks to open and they had very limited selection.
One thing I was looking forward to was buying one of the wild animal face masks but by the tine I reached the kiosk they only had child sizes left. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that you can go in the gift shop in a limited fashion. Beware, they are not giving out bags to put the purchases in!
One last point, if your timed ticket is for 9:30, do not try to arrive at 8:30. They will not let you in until your scheduled time. Believe it or not there were people doing just that.
Get out and visit the zoo! The staff do their best to make it a good visit.
Written 26 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OICommando
Oak Island, NC135 contributions
Feb 2020
Despite the constraints imposed by a location in an urban area, the Philadelphia Zoo retains its distinction as the first zoo in America, a kind of pocket wildlife center downtown, and well worth a visit. The sixteen-dollar per person admission fee covers a thorough four-hour tour complete with dwarf crocodiles, hippos, bald eagles, rattlesnakes, giant otters, giraffes, lions tigers and bears. In some ways the limitations imposed by the surrounding city space have forced the zoo into the perfect pocket zoo. This may not be the largest zoo space in the world, but it is open year round with at least seven exhibit buildings to keep you warm in winter and a carousel and several outdoor areas especially strong for warm weather with a small waterfall, African plains with zebras and rhinos, cheetahs, and red pandas. There are standards like snack stands, picnic tables, and monkeys in overhead walkways, but a nearby parking garage and congenial welcoming volunteers, security guards, and caretakers will make your visit even better. Note that summer admission prices are higher.
Written 17 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saaraa79
Willow Grove, PA9 contributions
Sept 2020 • Family
The Philadelphia zoo is one of our favorites. We get memberships every year. We went in September 2020 and were happy to see capacity was cut in half to allow for more room. However there were long lines to see exhibits such as the big cats and a lot of exhibits were completely closed. Most people seemed to follow mandatory mask rules but definitely some who refused. There was absolutely no social distancing around some exhibits, even ones with significant room, but that's an issue with the guests. We ended up donating because I imagine with limited capacity and less attractions open they are probably operating on limited income. A lot of reviews are commenting about not being happy they paid full price but I think that's a bit unfair.
Written 2 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vlad
California11 contributions
Aug 2020
The zoo is normally a wonderful place. However during these covid times they might as well not be open or they need to adjust prices accordingly. You must wear a mask even though you are outdoors. Almost NONE of the exhibits are open. They manage to fill the exit with their overpriced souvenirs but cannot figure out a system to allow people to enter and exit safely through indoor exhibits. Even the outdoor walk ways around the big cats and childrens zoo are closed. Not even the open air bird walk throughs are open. You can traverse the actual open parts in less than an hour and will see about a dozen animals. They're closed on weekdays as of labor day and I felt very taken advantage of paying full price for less than half of the zoo accessible. Tickets and entry are regulated and timed. They can do better than this. Wait until this insanity is over to visit.
Written 28 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
G00dtimes55
Whitehall, PA2 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We took our 7 year old granddaughter to the zoo today. What a disappointment! Not only because the indoor exhibits were closed, but there was nothing extraordinary about the outdoor exhibits. Our granddaughter, who loves animals and has been to and enjoyed many other zoo's, was bored. It wasn't at all what we were expecting and I wouldn't recommend it, especially after paying $20 per ticket and $17 to park.
Written 20 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan P
4 contributions
Sept 2020
I visited the Philadelphia Zoo on Sunday September 27,2020. It was myself,my girlfriend and another couple. It was a fantastic trip! It was a great place for a trip because who doesn't like to see a variety of animals in their natural habitats? My favorites were the cheetah and the little penguins (eudyptula). The cheetah had awesome looking spots and the penguins were adorable!
I recommend the zoo during Covid 19 because it's outdoor, you can social distance, and it's a good way to keep yourself entertained. The zoo was very well maintained, the animals were happy, and my whole group enjoyed the visit. I will return someday in the future.
I recommend the zoo during Covid 19 because it's outdoor, you can social distance, and it's a good way to keep yourself entertained. The zoo was very well maintained, the animals were happy, and my whole group enjoyed the visit. I will return someday in the future.
Written 29 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
smyles58
Hartsdale, NY39 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Ok, so this is probably compounded by them dealing with the Covid19 rules and regs but this had to be worst and saddest zoo experiencewe've ever had.
We bought timed tickets online, easy. We were there and entered on time, easy. We bought lunch at Wawa and had a picnic there, wonderful. That's pretty much where the good experience ended.
You should know that more than half of the zoo is closed. All indoor exhibits are barricaded off for no entry. Even some outdoor exhibits are closed as they are to small to be able to social distance properly. So you are literally left with maybe 7 exhibits to view and that's if the animals are outside, which on the day we visited they were not.
Also, once we walked through the main gates we did not see one zoo employee near any of the exhibits for questions or educational talks.
For Americas so called "First Zoo" they have not done a good job of reopening. I say this with experience as we've been to one or two other animal parks during this time and they were far better. We feel we did not get the experience we paid for. A expensive day for just a walk in the park.
We bought timed tickets online, easy. We were there and entered on time, easy. We bought lunch at Wawa and had a picnic there, wonderful. That's pretty much where the good experience ended.
You should know that more than half of the zoo is closed. All indoor exhibits are barricaded off for no entry. Even some outdoor exhibits are closed as they are to small to be able to social distance properly. So you are literally left with maybe 7 exhibits to view and that's if the animals are outside, which on the day we visited they were not.
Also, once we walked through the main gates we did not see one zoo employee near any of the exhibits for questions or educational talks.
For Americas so called "First Zoo" they have not done a good job of reopening. I say this with experience as we've been to one or two other animal parks during this time and they were far better. We feel we did not get the experience we paid for. A expensive day for just a walk in the park.
Written 29 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jessica F
2 contributions
May 2022
It was my daughter's 11th birthday present for a girls weekend with herself, grandma , and I to take a road trip from Syracuse NY to Philadelphia. (About a 5 hour trip for us). My mom called a few days ahead of time to make sure everything was up and running and left a voicemail. No one got back to her. So we assumed with the zoo being open and the website saying the only exhibit that wasn't open were the birds. Well when we got there, Saturday May 14th. There were at least 5-7 exhibits that were closed, not counting a variety of other little buildings. There was no place to sit and eat in the pouring rain, we had to go hide with all the people in the tiger area. Food places , in the "Urban Garden" closed early because of the rain, so it was difficult to find a warm meal, it was $54. for 2 small fries, 3 non-alcoholic drinks, and two cold sandwiches that were supposed to be hot. The animals all seemed lethargic, there was hardly any action going on and defiantly not in all the cool tunnels. We came for the Wild Cats, and my daughter was terribly disappointed. The habitats are extremely small and most of the animals are on concrete!!! Two full grown hippos share a pool size smaller than the one at my mothers home. It was a terrible experience, hundreds of dollars wasted and my daughters birthday trip was basically a waste. Never Again.
Written 24 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SEHRITZ
1 contribution
Aug 2021
The timed tickets are a great idea for trying to manage the crowd. The parking $17 a car is outrageous. I saw other reviews they weren't charging for parking. But they did yesterday when we were there. The zoo is short staffed as expected like all other places anymore. The Tree House and Rope Course areas are closed. There were some exhibits closed. Mostly all food concessions are closed. We only saw two little places opened. One was selling fries and soda the other selling soda and cotton candy. Based on other previous reviews on Trip Advisor we packed our pull along cooler with drinks and sandwiches. We packed snacks in my backpack, paper plates, napkins, along with premade nuggets and mac n cheese in two little thermoses. I packed a plastic tablecloth from the $1 store and cut it in half to fit on two round tables. We had a great little picnic in the grove area by Dino Bites (which was also closed). There were many families there looking at us probably thinking what a great idea. The zoo is paved so pulling along the cooler was not an issue at all. We had a great day with our kids and grandkids. They enjoyed our little picnic lunch. The Big Time Dinosaur exhibit was nice. I expected more dinosaurs I guess but the kiddos love it. We went for 10 am time slot and they let us in at 9:30 am crowd. We did the zoo in 3 hours and had plenty of time to do another attraction in Philadelphia. Please note go earyl! Because the zoo did get quite packed around 12 pm when we were heading out. Also note..... they funnel you right to the exit at the end. Not sure if we would of been allowed to go back thru. We didn't ask and at that point the grandkids (one was sleeping) and the other ready for a nap.
Written 16 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shekeeta
1 contribution
Mar 2022 • Family
The Philadelphia Zoo has definitely changed since the last time I visited. On a nice spring day, there was barely any animals out to see. My family spent time walking around the zoo, looking and imagined what could have been in the enclosures. They also do not take cash for parking. The food area was not open. However, they had food cart on-site. The food carts sold over priced food. I was considering becoming a member. However, after my visit today. I have reconsidered membership with this zoo.
Adult admission $16x2= 32
Child admission $16
Parking $17
3 chicken fingers $10
Total: $75
Adult admission $16x2= 32
Child admission $16
Parking $17
3 chicken fingers $10
Total: $75
Written 21 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What if I can't get there by my ticketed admission time? Will I still be allowed in if I am "late"? I'm traveling with an infant and have to go by her sleep times.
Written 6 August 2022
You can take as short or long a time there. I would say at least a couple of hours.
Written 23 January 2021
Can we rent the scooter in advance
Written 13 September 2020
“Has anyone participated in the Behind the Scenes with the Penguins? I'm interested in getting the ticket for an adult (my husband) to get close to the penguins. Did you enjoy the time (20 minutes?) Kids and adults? Worth the extra money?
Is there a discounted price for members buying a BTS ticket?
I assume his love for them will make it great but I havent been myself.
Hoping to buy family passes and take advantage of the other admissions available.
Written 12 December 2019
We have. We went this summer with our nine year old grandson. It’s was an amazing experience. We would do it again. Of course the Keeper and the coordinator of the program go into the “beach” area with you (limit of 6 guests). You are given a bucket of small fish (and plastic gloves if you want them) to hand feed to the Penguins. Of course they know you are coining so they gather around right away. They swallow the fish whole. It was a hoot! Our grandson still talks about it. The zoo program coordinator will offer to take pictures for you so you don’t have to worry about that either. Wonderful experience - highly recommend it..
Written 13 December 2019
hi there,you can update it or renew online for $60 for individual and $90 for dual and $135 for family.
Written 5 July 2019
Is there certain feeding times for the big cats that visitors can observe? I can't find any kind of schedule or times on the website.
Written 26 June 2019
We have been there many times and have only seen the cat feeding once and that was mid morning but have no idea if they have a schedule. I am sure it is a hit or miss situation since they have many animals to feed and you will not be disappointed if you don't get to see them fed, just watching them and hearing them roar is exciting.
Written 26 June 2019
…
Showing results 1-10 of 47
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing