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National Zoo
Best time to visit
Weekday mornings right when gates open at 8am are the quietest, and animals are most active after their overnight rest. Spring and fall offer the most comfortable weather for walking the outdoor habitats.
Budget tips
Entry is always free, but parking costs $30 for non-members on weekdays and $35 on weekends if you reserve in advance. Take the Metro directly to the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan stop instead, saving money and avoiding parking hassles.
Recommended for
Families with kids, Wildlife photographers, Budget-conscious travelers, Animal lovers
Plan your visit
3-4 hours
About
Quick facts: Home to more than 2,100 animals across 390 species, many of them rare or endangered like the Sumatran tiger and golden lion tamarin. The zoo's giant pandas have been a major draw since 1972, and the zoo is completely free to enter every single day.
Highlights: The zoo runs a quiet behind-the-scenes conservation program that has successfully bred dozens of black-footed ferrets, one of North America's most endangered mammals, helping bring them back from the brink of extinction. You can watch these tiny ferrets zipping around their burrows during keeper talks, a sight most visitors walk right past.
Insider tips
- Skip the long midday panda queue and visit the Asia Trail first thing in the morning when the pandas are most active and eating breakfast.
- Bring a refillable water bottle and use the filling stations scattered throughout the zoo to stay hydrated without buying bottled water.
- The Kid's Farm area near the Connecticut Avenue entrance is rarely crowded and lets children pet friendly goats and donkeys up close.
- Arrive by 9am on weekends to secure one of the limited same-day panda viewing passes available at the Visitor Center.
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