Woodland Park Zoo

WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle is a magical nighttime experience with beautifully crafted illuminated lanterns of animals and nature scenes. The trail is immersive and fun for all ages, perfect for families or couples. It can get crowded on peak nights, but the festive atmosphere and stunning displays make it well worth a visit.

We recently visited WildLanterns, and it was absolutely breathtaking. The entire zoo is decorated with stunning illuminated displays — bright, detailed, and so whimsical that you feel like you’ve stepped into a different world. Each area has its own theme, and you just want to stop and admire everything. We absolutely loved it. The acrobatic shows were such a highlight — energetic, fun, and beautifully done. Both kids and adults will enjoy them. And the carousel 🎠 adds the perfect festive touch, making the experience feel even more magical and family-friendly. Everything was well organized, beautifully set up, and full of holiday spirit. It’s the perfect place to enjoy time with family, take amazing photos, and get into the winter mood.

Visited for my 6th time, but attended the Wild Lanterns event in the evening. A must see event! Magical and immersive experience. I have visited the zoo in the daytime and love it. My kids love going as well.

We visited Woodland Park Zoo for the holiday light show and it was amazing! The lights were beautiful and there’s a lot to see and explore throughout the zoo. There are also several activities available, so make sure to check the zoo calendar to see what’s happening each day. I also tried their warm apple cider while walking around and enjoying the lights — it was incredible! Such a cozy treat for a winter night. We went on a “low-volume night” when there’s no loud music with the decorations, but there are also nights with full sound, and even some 21+ nights for adults only. It’s great that they offer different options so everyone can pick the experience that fits them best! I highly recommend going to see the holiday lights. It’s a magical way to enjoy the season!

I was there for Wild lanterns. I bought flexible tickets ahead so I hopped in yesterday when there was no rain. I have been visiting this event over last 4 years and able to see how much it has improved over time. Now few exhibits are very realistic and I am wondering what to expect next year. I had struggle on parking spot around 5PM on Saturday but there was street parking close by and had to choose that. Exhibits are spread over 2 mile path inside and it fairly looks like you are part of Avatar movie. Just walking and enjoying these took almost 2 hours and if you go with kids/elderly parents it will take much longer. its visually stunning experience and pictures don't do justice. go there.. explore .. and get immersed. There is entry fee of $40+ for adults.

Since we went in January there were a lot of animals indoors, but we knew that. It was my boyfriend's first time ever at a zoo and he's almost 45, so we had a blast seeing any animals that we could possibly see! For one exhibit, my boyfriend got just as excited at the little kids hollering out in excitement and I ended up saying to another lady with kids "Please excuse my kid, he's just a bit bigger!" 😆 We walked around and saw what we could and had the best day and left with the best memories ❤️

Wild Lanterns was amazing. I attended adults only night which was amazing too. They had great light displays, interactive things to do and a few animal displays plus over 21 beverage hutches located around the park. Absolutely a favorite evening for our date night.

OK, maybe there were no animals because we came when it’s really cold but either way I was expecting at least a lot more animals but if you want to go for a stroll, this is the great place right now, but don’t expect it to be much of an experience. while I was there, I honestly only saw five. Most of them were locked up because it was possibly too cold outside or they had the option to be outside or inside and they definitely wasn’t outside.

Woodland Park Zoo isn't just a place to spot animals, it's where I found myself cheering for bears! I could've watched them play all day. Both were in the water playing with each other like children and eating mouth fulls of meat. A crowd gathered every time they moved! I basically video recorded their whole act cause I couldn't get enough of them! The giraffes were busy eating trees with their long necks. The lion was sound asleep with zero excitement. The penguins were getting fed and weighed right when we walked in so they were happy and I loved watching them! The gorillas were stoic and impressive. Couple of them were stretching like it was a yoga retreat. So cute. The other two playing with each other. I would like to have them as pets. The tiger was in full lounging mode. I respected its commitment to doing absolutely nothing with maximum majesty. I could go on and on cause I love the zoo so much. I'm trying to figure out why I don't go more often even though I'm a grown adult but a kid at heart. Check out Groupon for a deal! I saved myself over $10!

Woodland Park Zoo was part of my Seattle Pass on a recent trip. I don't think I would have gone out of my way to visit as a tourist if it wast included, but it was a nice experience. Everything here is very lush and green. It has a jungley type feel, so you end up getting to have a little adventure as you wander throughout the zoo. The signage is not always abundant or clear, but I was able to successfully navigate using the map on their website. There are lots of animals to be seen and I was impressed by the quality of the habitats. In the summer, the zoo was definitely overrun by summer camps and daycare groups who varied in levels of supervision, so that did often impact our ability to see into the exhibits. Overall, I had a nice time! It was a good break from being downtown.

It has been 12 years since I last updated my review - I am long overdue. Woodland Park Zoo is still a fantastic zoo. In the past decade it has grown and expanded with a seasonal butterfly exhibit, the addition of rhinos, more events, and a soon-to-be released area. A few animals have left - the elephants and hippos are both gone. Largely the zoo's layout and number of animals have remained the same. I typically come to the zoo for the events these days. Zoo Tunes - concerts during the summer - is a staple and there every year. They typically have a beer tasting every year as well. But then they have new additions they try. For example this year they're trying high tea in the garden. I tried it the opening day and I loved it. They had photo opportunities, a planting activity, and delicious teas and the typical high tea fun food. The food was really good too! They had these delicious little sconces, tasty cucumber sandwiches, and an assortment of fruit. I like supporting these events because I can enjoy the zoo before or after and they are fun. The Woodland Park Zoo puts a lot of care and detail in their activity plans. The zoo itself is delightful. There are many of the classic favorites from giraffes to lions. There are a few uncommon animals as well such as the maned wolves. All the exhibits are appropriately sized and spread out for an opportunity for a leisurely walk.

The zoo is tucked away in a lush, green part of the city, and it feels more like walking through a peaceful park than a typical tourist attraction. I loved how natural everything felt, with winding paths, tall trees, and little hidden viewing spots. We visted in January so just be aware that during the colder months not all the animals are out. It's still beautiful to walk around, however, you may be a little disappointed if you expect to see everything. It was a bummer but still an awesome visit!

One of the smallest zoos I have visited, but Woodland Park Zoo has a special charm! Once you are inside the zoo you almost feel completely secluded from the world! My favorite exhibit was where they have the bears. There is a part under water, so you get to see them swim! The Komodo dragon is also a really cool addition and definitely worth seeing when you are at the park! The zoo is also home to some unique wildlife, such as: snow leopard, red panda, python. One special feature is there are many nice picnic areas around the zoo to enjoy some lunch or a snack. The layout of the zoo made for easy navigation and I would allow for at least 3-4 hours to get through the zoo. When we were there they had many knowledgeable zoo staff walking around shared fun facts about the critters!!! Peep the photos and videos for up close and personal view of the 7 foot long Komodo dragon and bear.

We always need to stop at a zoo when we have the chance. Woodland is kind of expensive for what you see and get access to. The day was nice, and we strolled around for an hour or so. Unfortunately, some of the animals were shy. The zoo isn't huge, so be prepared to add additional plans to your day. The kids are annoying. Yes it's the zoo, but parents could take more accountability for their kids. For the animals we saw, there was a good variety.

Just a 3 for me. At first, I was super excited to see first exhibit with animals moving around. However others, there were not good views. The signage throughout the zoo was a little confusing. Some entryways were closed because of construction. As usual field trips at the zoo with chaperones not keeping their kids close by.

I was pretty disappointed to see a l good amount of the animals not there. I was however excited to see a new enclosure js underway. I can't wait to see what will be there. It appears to be one you can walk through so that will be epic to see when it's all done. We were also pleased to see a VR safari so we had to check it out. We loved it. Great addition. The Dino park looked pretty cool but we didn't have time to check it out but from what we could see over the fence it looked pretty cool. Food was nothing fancy but still yummy and good variety. Be advised they do not accept cash but do take electronic pay and plastic. The zoo brings back lots of memories as I spent my childhood going and have taken my own children many times through the years. In excited to see the new things coming.

The zoo is beautifully designed, with spacious and naturalistic habitats that make it feel like you're stepping into different parts of the world. Some of the highlights for me were the tiger, gorilla, and penguin exhibits! each one was well-maintained, and it was amazing to see the animals up close. You can tell the zoo puts a lot of care into conservation and animal welfare. Pro Tip: I booked my session using GetOutPass, where I get access to multiple local venues similar to GoCity. Use coupon code: sale1 for an extra $5 discount on top of existing promotions, if you end up getting the pass to explore more of Seattle. The Underground is also included and not far from here

Woodland Park Zoo is the largest zoo in the state (as far as I know) and possibly the best. The exhibits are stunning and so well done and the eateries are pretty solid in their offerings. My only wish is that they would let you carry adult beverages around the zoo like the Portland Zoo. I've been here a handful of times and have always had a great experience. The volunteers posted up at exhibits are always super helpful and knowledgeable as well. We went tonight for Wild Lanterns for the first time and it was STUNNING. I'm used to Zoo Lights at Pt Defiance which is rather meek in comparison. The setup at Woodland Park is insane. It takes a couple of hours to get through and is SO intricately and thoughtfully done. Overall such a great zoo in the Seattle area and we can't wait to come back for Wild Lanterns next year!

Very nice zoo to visit! Lots of cool animals and the enclosures are huge which is great for the animals. Not the largest overall so it is great for families looking for a couple hours of fun. Loved the otter exhibit.

Woodland Park Zoo continues to pour adventure, learning, and experiences into my family. The zoo is always clean, habitats enclosures well kept, and spacious walk ways for families of all sizes to easily navigate. I greatly appreciate the stops along the way butterfly garden,zoomazium, ambassador animal theater, auditorium , and insect zone. Woodland Park Zoo has reoccurring after hours adult only events, but our favorite is the Wild Lanterns. Every year we attend opening night of Wild Lanterns festival as a family, and each year thus far the lantern themes are beautifully done and keeps our children's curiosity peaked. The attendants are always extremely courteous, patient, and enjoy sharing zoo updates or upcoming events. Parking is really easy, and relatively secure. If you have little children or just enjoy being amongst wildlife Wood park zoo is the place for you; I highly recommend!

Had a bit of an underwhelming experience at the Woodland Park Zoo, if I'm being entirely honest. While I can appreciate that the zoo feels fairly expansive (for the location) and therefore allows more space for some of the animals on exhibit than might be expected, it also meant that the zoo was somewhat challenging to navigate. There's some signage, but there were no paper maps available when my mother and I visited... and even the signage that does exist isn't entirely helpful at finding the appropriate pathways that allow you to see all of the exhibit spaces (at least not without doubling back multiple times). In addition to the challenges with navigating around the zoo, I have to agree with some previous reviewers that it felt like so many of the exhibits just had no animals in them! This is a double-edged sword... because it can mean that there's enough room for the animals to enjoy their space, but it obviously means limited visibility as well. Some of the exhibits just seemed to be outright closed as well. In addition to the limited activity and various closed exhibits, there were NO programs on the day that my mother and I visited... and even the gift shop was closed! The hours during the time of our visit (mid-September 2024) were 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., but man... it seemed like so much of the place was shut down. The lack of offerings at the zoo was somewhat shocking. There was also quite a bit of construction happening during the time of our visit... so something to be aware of. I think the only thing louder than the construction when we visited were the siamangs! TL;DR I've been to Seattle probably 35x now... and this was my first time at the zoo. While I'm glad I visited and checked it off my "to see"-list (finally!), I think the one time is enough. Again, I was underwhelmed. So would I recommend it to others? Meh. You can definitely pass unless you have plenty of time in Seattle and need something else to do.

What a Fun Experience! Coming from California this Zoo is different than what we have back home. Reminded me a lot of the Wild Animal Park in San Diego.

I can't say enough about this zoo. Besides the animals having spacious enclosures which suit their needs and habitat, they seem very well cared for and content, which is the most important part of mine enjoyment of visiting a zoo. Besides that, the paths, design and layout feel like an adventure through a few different kinds of forests, with plenty of canopied trails which shade and delight the senses. I like that they do not force the animals into either their indoor or outdoor facilities, so that the animals themselves can decide where they want to, even though we observing humans may wish to see them in one versus the other, the contented animal is most important for me in the enjoyment of the zoo visit. They are currently working on improved habit for some of the animals and I'm so excited to see what they do. Some will include improved areas where birds can fly over head out doors, yet safe within netting above the pathways of visitors. Just when I thought something good couldn't get better. Woodland Park Zoo is a first class zoo and I'm glad to be a member. I visit sometimes just for a place to take a peaceful walk, get in some movement in a beautiful forest-like environment with the element of feeling safer as a woman alone, as opposed to opting for a public park with trails, for instance. I fully recommend a Woodland Park Zoo visit to all who visit Seattle and home town folk as well.

This place was so fun I will definitely be coming back! I was worried some animals like the lions or bears would be hiding during my visit but I was pleasantly surprised they were out and active! This zoo also has a carousel and a store.

I have to say this is one of my favorite zoos that I have seen so far in my lifetime. Woodland Park Zoo is so beautiful and considerate of all the living animals in here. The space that they give the animals is just pure joy when I see it. I love how much greenery is everywhere. It feels like you're walking into a magical forest that is a sanctuary for the ones that live here. I am glad I went here and I would recommend people to take a stop and see what they are doing. The amount of space is wild and the animals in here are all so adorable. A lot of walking but I think it is worth it.

What a day of fun! So much bigger then I thought it would be with it being in Seattle, but a great adventure for families.

My family loved our day at the zoo. We were there from open to close (only 3:00 pm in winter) and didn't manage to see all of the animals. It's a long trip from Portland, but I imagine we'll be back.

The animals were very interesting, we really enjoyed playing with otters. Seeing king of the jungle was cool. Watching the tiger clean itself was interesting. Komodo dragon lounging was very chill. Due to the rain today, most of the animals were not available at the zoo. Seeing all the smiling faces on the kids and adults is amazing!

We had a phenomenal time at the zoo! Truly you could spend the better part of a day here with the number of exhibits. We came as two adults and we were able to see everything in about 3 hours. It wasn't too busy on a chilly weekend but there were some exhibits that were incredibly crowded. They are arranged based on region with options in the Pacific Northwest, African grasslands, and more! There are lots of parking options and bus lines nearby. The zoo offers a few different food options but definitely bring your own water bottle - they were selling canned water for $6 a piece! Otherwise the pricing seemed pretty comparable. The time slots seemed to be flexible and this is a part of the city pass which can definitely be worth it if you're exploring other popular exhibits. I found the zoo way better than the aquarium and I would definitely recommend!

Visited all the exhibits today, as well as 2 zookeeper talks. To my untrained eye, all the animals have plenty of space to roam, and some enclosures are empty as the animals are out eating, in a different enclosure, or simply getting some privacy from the public. A nice contrast to some other institutions showcasing animals (cough cough, Seattle Aquarium). The zookeepers were really passionate about their work, and we got to see some awesome animals today (jaguar, rhino, ring-tailed lemur, gorillas, Asian otters, etc.) The rainforest aviary is a must-visit!

This zoo is really awesome. Each enclosure is HUGE! You can tell they really care for the animals here.

My first visit to this zoo was great. I liked that I was able to purchase a ticket the day of. Parking was easy to find. They have a ticket machine where you have to purchase a ticket for the amount of hours you will be at the park. The staff was friendly. I took a quick glance at the map they provided at the entrance and started making my way around the park. One of my favorite parts was the butterfly garden. It felt magical walking around and seeing so many different types of butterflies. You just have to be careful where you are stepping and making sure you don't accidentally take any with you as you exit. There's staff at the entry and exit that make sure they don't escape the garden. I also loved seeing all the different types of birds. The gorillas were so beautiful and strong. The tigers were having a snack when I made my way down to their area. Their coats are really pretty to see in person. This is definitely a great place to stop by with family to enjoy the day at the zoo. They also have places to get food and a gift shop. I would love to visit again when I am in town.

Surprisingly massive zoo with all the right critters: the heavy hitters like lions tigers bears gorillas and giraffes. The animals were very active and easy to spot, and the habitats that were empty (for cleaning or medical attention) were clearly marked. We went during a slow time and enjoyed the majority of the place to ourselves. I highly recommend visiting during the Zoo Lights exhibit, which makes the walkways that much more enjoyable. Minus one star because there was only one food plaza open for the entire zoo and the offerings were honestly really gross. Bring your own snacks or wait to eat out instead.

This zoo is amazing and we will definitely be going back. We arrived later in the day at around 1:45PM, they did have plenty of parking and it's only $12 for the whole day but they also have hourly options if you're only planning to stay there for a couple of hours. They do limit the capacity so make sure you reserve online if going on a holiday or possibly the weekend. The exhibits are clean and the animals look happy. You can follow a map on your phone or the traditional paper map route works too. You can easily find bathrooms throughout and they have a food area as well. There are also picnic tables close to the carousel. It's great place for all ages and worth a visit.

Not worth the price While the zoo has some interesting exhibits, the experience falls short overall. Parking is taxed at an outrageous 24%, which feels like a hidden fee that adds unnecessary cost. On top of that, the staff wasn't particularly warm or welcoming. For the price, you'd expect a better infrastructure, service and a more enjoyable atmosphere. Disappointing for what should be a fun family outing. Go to the Tacoma zoo, is a much better experience.

I was slightly underwhelmed when we entered the park from the Hippo Lot. But as we ventured through the zoo my impression vastly improved. Some wide open spaces, but mostly winding shaded paths lead guests through the different sections. I found the Northwest Trail to be the coolest and most impressive of the zones, but we really enjoyed the entire park. Much like our local zoo in Portland, I really appreciated how much the natural landscape and trees were utilized and maintained throughout. I'd be remiss if I didn't give kudos to the 1899 Grove for our lunch. We found the food surprisingly tasty. I never have the highest dining expectations for parks such as these, but our burger, soup, and sandwich were all quite good. The zoo was clean, and most importantly the animals looked healthy and happy and their enclosures looked nice & well-maintained.

This zoo was surprisingly so much fun, and there were so many cute animals. I went to this zoo for the first time last weekend, and it is way better than I expected. Using the Passport discount, it only costs $10 to get in. It is worth every penny of that. I wouldn't pay the regular $28.99 to go to this zoo. This zoo has many different types of animals. For example, they have zebras, hippos, lions, bears, an aquarium, a rainforest, and even local farm animals you can pet. The only downside to this place is that many animals were not there the day we went. Maybe they were sleeping inside somewhere, but there were many times when we were disappointed that we didn't see anything.

I came from 3 hours away to visit Woodland Park Zoo. The beginning of the visit was cool and we were excited to be there. We stopped by the cafeteria to get some drinks and ice cream, but it was honestly hotter inside the food building than it was outside--super uncomfortable. When we got to the animals, most of them were either sleeping or nowhere to be found. It seemed like many of their enclosures were dry and empty, with little to no water. It made us feel like the animals were probably just overheated and miserable. A lot of the animals we were most excited to see weren't even there. The hippos were completely gone, and I really hope they're okay and not dead--that part was honestly a little upsetting. Also, there weren't many trash cans around the zoo, so I had to carry trash with me for most of the time, which was annoying. That said, the zoo itself wasn't terrible. Some of the animals we did see were pretty cool, and the place has potential. But overall, it felt like a letdown after traveling so far.

For the size of this zoo, it's really quite worth the visit. The exhibits are excellent and everything is really well laid out, with signage and information. They seemed perhaps a bit understaffed with how loud and crowded some of the designated "quiet zones" were, so it might be nice if they could hire more zookeepers or perhaps recruit some volunteer docents to help. Other than that, the various habitats and the way they are structured so you have a fairly unobstructed view from almost every angle was fantastic! Loved the red panda and tapir exhibits especially. Yay zoo! Would definitely recommend to anyone and will be back to revisit some of our favorite exhibits.

Please improve better viewing areas for guest. I was told by an employee that remodeling was done for the benefit of the animals and it's more challenging to see them now. I think this was wise and a great idea, but either lower your prices or provide better viewing areas. It was very frustrating that we couldn't see a majority of any animals today. I brought my niece and nephew and they were bored because there was barely anything to see. So disappointing.

I loved the setup and the lighting. Even though I attended during the day to see the Red Panda. Which was so cute. It was a great fun day. Great park for a great price!

By far and away, one of the BEST zoos I have ever been too. Beautiful natural habitats and stunning animals. Cohesive signage throughout. Does not feel commercial like many zoos I've seen. Will DEFINITELY be back.

I was so disappointed during my last trip to the zoo over the weekend. None of the animals were out, the zoo was under construction and it was overall so disappointing. I kid you not, we walked to every exhibit and the only animals that were out were the birds, snakes, otters and penguins. It felt like a waste a money. The butterfly exhibit was cool though.

This is a large zoo and it's apparent that they are understaffed and in need of support. Several of the animals were not present. They either showed signs that they were hungry or they looked like they lacked energy and needed nourishment. Too many signs through the zoo said the animals weren't present and in hiding places. Why would a zoom allow the animals to be in hidden locations knowing people pay money to see them? They're in need of funding. Try to support the zoo people.

What a cute zoo! We visited June so the weather was perfect, warm with a light breeze. Purchased the city pass and choose the Woodland Zoo as one of our options. Our kids really enjoyed the experience, it's a smaller Zoo but looked to have a few areas of expansion coming in 2025. I absolutely appreciated the picnic areas scattered around the Zoo, restroom cleanliness and locations throughout. Was happy it was shaded with beautiful trees everywhere...CA here so appreciated this so much! The beauty of the trees and freshness in the air was enough for me. Our favorites were the bears as they were very active and playing which was so much fun fur the kiddos to experience. Food prices were reasonable as was the Zoo prices, their Zoo store had plenty of options to pick from. We had a great time & encountered many of the Zoo employees explaining the animals and providing visitors with education. It was great!

Such a great zoo! The animals look happy with the amount of space they have. All of the workers are super friendly. We signed up for the membership and are excited to go back!

I love this zoo! Very manageable in a short time span of time. Two hours is doable. It can get muddy in spots. We were able to see most animals despite the chilly weather.

A lot of the exhibits were overgrown with no animals in them very expensive for such a small experience out of all the exhibits we visited 50 to 60% were either unoccupied or overgrown so bad you couldn't see the animals. I remember going there as a child. It was great but this time around our experience was not good at all. Hopefully, they are able to bring it back to its former charm.

2/10/24 amazing destination for views and family. Friendly activities! My favorite exhibit was the red panda. Beautiful and so delicate, extravagant, and so rare. The penguins are awesome, lively and fun to see Would recommend coming early because symptoms it gets busy, they have drafts, rhinos, hippos, even some of the more rare, exotic animals from the Pacific Northwest like the grizzly bear. Awesome gift shop and café available. Lots of benches to sit down. The overall vibe here is extremely beautiful. It's urban, rustic and also you get a very strong sense of nature here. The animals have plenty of space to roam, and they have Komodo dragons! Doesn't get much better than that. . Pro tip: get the Seattle city pass, and it includes admission!

An adequately sized zoo for Seattle that's great for kids, but probably leaves adults wanting more. The environment is definitely park-like and allows people to casually walk from one exhibit to another with ample room. The layout and signage are not as straightforward at times especially if aiming to target specific areas to maximize timing with young toddlers that tire quickly. Strollers and wagons definitely speed up the experience, but it's tough to find "parking" room at crowded exhibits. Nevertheless there is just enough variety of animals. Timing is just key/luck as there's not much "action" for some of the more sought after ones. Food and refreshment-wise there's all the basic generic American food; better to bring your own packed lunch. The indoor dining area does not have good enough ventilation on a hot day, while outdoor tables are very crowded and limited at lunch hour. Overall quality is not bad, but the zoo can definitely kill half a day's time at least. Tip: No need to park in the paid lot when there's plenty of free street parking early in the AM near the south and west entrances.

The zoo has really changed in the year and a half since my last visit. Many of the exhibits looked neglected due to the overgrown plants and filthy glass making it difficult to impossible to see any animals. The new food service was extremely expensive (a soda and a can of water - 12$) and awful - our lunch was so bad it went into the garbage. They also do not take cash anywhere inside the zoo. The volunteers we came across were knowledgeable and helpful. The moral of the zookeepers was quite poor, seemed very unhappy there. I have noticed a steady decline across the board under the leadership of Alejandro Grajal.

I haven't been to the zoo for many years. In fact, not since my son was a small child, so it's been a few years. Decided to go on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Purchasing tickets online was easy and there were several large parking lots to choose from once I got there. Because we're still in cold-weather season here not all of the animals were out of their enclosures today. I did find the facility well-maintained, and the animal that I did see appeared to be in good health with a great variety of different different animals to see. Lots of children And activity throughout the day. The only reason I downgraded this experience by one star was food service. It could've been due to being a weekday and off-season, but there was only one large food service offering available. The lines were long and service was abysmal. There was one poor guy who was trying to keep the orders filled And things moved very slowly. The food overall was OK but they definitely need to improve the throughput. 30 minute waits for two hotdogs and pretzels should not be the norm. Great zoo and overall good experience

My husband and I brought our 8-month-old here a couple weeks ago (early Spring 2024). The trip was more for us than our baby as she wasn't really looking at the animals, but we had a great time and she had a fun outdoor walk. We were able to see lots of animals out and about (which is obviously variable/unpredictable since the animals do what they want lol). Our favorites were the bears swimming in right front of the glass wall, otters swimming around, and the monkeys (little ones hollering high up in a tree, adult gorillas lazing about watching the little ones chase each other). My personal favorites were the bird exhibits where you walk into the exhibit and the birds are loose flying around. It was amazing to be in the enclosure with them! The food court is AWFUL and I do not recommend eating there at all. Way overpriced and the food is disgusting. I only ate as much as I did since we hadn't eaten since breakfast and we walked around for 4+ hours. We threw away what was left in the photo. Overall, we had a good time and we will be visiting again in a few years when our baby is old enough to get excited about the animals.

I haven't been to the zoo since I was a kid and we spontaneously decided to head to Woodland Park Zoo for the first time on Saturday afternoon. We luckily got our tickets for $9.75 each due to my boyfriend having a Prime card. If you work at Microsoft, definitely check out the Passport app! There are so many awesome deals on there - normal pricing for an adult is $28.35. We weren't sure what to expect when we arrived but we were pleasantly surprised with how massive and clean the zoo was. There were many different areas and the walk around the zoo was absolutely beautiful surrounded by a multitude of trees and nature. It made me happy to see that many of the animals had a lot of opespace to roam around. Many animals that we wanted to see unfortunately weren't in their enclosures (probably because of the cold weather) which was a bummer, but other than that we had a great experience!

Hadn't been to Zoo for a regular visit but with the Wild Lanterns event going on I figured, it's a good enough time as any. Let me just say, it's a fantastic way to spend a couple hours on a winter evening. A great way to spend some family time particularly if you have youngsters you want to bring out or as a decent date night, you'll walk around the Zoo seeing all kinds of brightly lit zoo creatures, plants and other lantern builds. Our visit was about one and a half hours, give or take. It is a great experience that I would recommend and upon going I recommend taking a nice stroll and really take in the lanterns rather than rush from one spot to another. Some of my favorites were the porcupine lantern, clouded leopards, Komodo dragons and parrots (which really look like parakeets). They're really great. I also enjoyed chatting with Alan the Zookeeper who was managing a kiosk about Bats - one of my favorite animals. He spoke about the Fox faced bat which were sleeping when we arrived. He had photos and diagrams of their wingspan and more. Music is played throughout the zoo and on the paths to help with the ambience and sets up a nice mood as you move around the Zoo. There is an interactive area for kids that features light up seesaws, a bubble machine, electronic color tiles that light up when you step on them and a room that looks like you just stepped into Pandora from the Avatar movies. I'm sure the Zoo as is, is great, but the Wild Lanterns event is awesome and I'd recommend for anyone, but especially if you have kids you want to get out of the house for a little while.

Review for Wild Lantern light festival rather than the actual zoo! One random day, I decided to check out the website of Woodland Park for their well-known Wild Lantern lights as I've heard many great things about it! I noticed that the prices were going to increase the following week as it was going to be peak season, and that I wouldn't have time during the weekend to check it out... So I spontaneously bought tickets 2 hours before our time and dragged my boyfriend to go with me LOL. It's located south of Greek Lake. There was paid on-site parking for $6 with ample stalls. There were also residential parking all around the outskirts of the park too. There were two entrances to enter from: either from the West entrance (huge ant walkthrough; where we also entered and exited) and the South entrance (where the Wistoria Flower walkway was) I gotta hand it to the workers at the zoo for putting up all the lanterns! There were a LOT of different animal lanterns all around the zoo. I've never been to the zoo before and didn't realize how BIG the park was until I was walking around that night with my boyfriend. Really great workout, honestly! We both really enjoyed the lights around the park and took a ton of pictures. I especially loved how there were "walkway entrances" to the entirety of the zoo right as we entered. The fake wistoria flower walkway was BEAUTIFUL. You bet we got some nice couple pictures under there. Additionally, there was a cultural performance happening every hour when we went. My boyfriend and I were able to make it to one of their performances, showcasing live traditional Chinese artistic performances. Huge applaud to the performers! Definitely a great experience! Lots of exercising involved so wear comfortable shoes if you're planning a night with your significant other or family!

We took our daughter to Woodland Park zoo on her 3rd birthday and she enjoyed it thoroughly. She loved watching all animals and riding on the carousel. Watching bear playing in water was just so much fun and made our day! It's a must visit for families with kids.