Fall and winter hours and admission fees
2012-10-1 — /travelprnews.com/ — Hours October 1 -April 30: 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. daily.
Admission October 1-April 30: Adult (13-64) $11.75; Child (3-12) $8.50; Toddler (0-2) free. Active, retired, and veteran U.S. military and their families, seniors and people with physical disabilities receive an admission discount. Zoo members receive free zoo admission year round.
Discover the zoo’s “hot” and “cold” spots
Woodland Park Zoo is a beautiful kaleidoscope as summer changes to fall, and fall to winter. A number of indoor exhibits and covered areas provide an escape from the cold and wet weather. Seek warmth in a tropical rain forest and encounter plants and animals such as ocelots, snakes and birds. Get a slice of desert life in the heated Day Exhibit featuring a gallery of smaller-scale exhibits with amphibians and reptiles that have adapted to life in deserts or tropical forests. Covered areas let you go nose to nose with grizzlies and river otters. Enter the world of arthropods in the indoor Bug World. For a complete map of indoor exhibits and covered areas, ask for a Rainy Day Tour map at the gates or visit www.zoo.org. And, don’t forget to seek dry, warm shelter and sustenance in the Rain Forest Food Pavilion and the ZooStores for a global shopping expedition.
Penguin feeding experience
Here’s your chance to feed our tuxedo-clad birds! For $5, feed the zoo’s Humboldt penguins a handful of tasty fish and experience these endangered birds hand to beak. Feedings begin November 1, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. daily at an enclosed area of the penguin exhibit (while fish supply lasts). Feeding is subject to cancellation due to weather or penguins’ appetites.
Go behind the scenes with Real Close tours
See what goes on behind the scenes at Woodland Park Zoo with a new, 90-minute guided tour: a ride on the zoo’s historic carousel and a visit to the award-winning Northern Trail where you’ll learn about the wide variety of animal species that inhabit the cold, rugged regions of the far north Take a peek from the back areas of eagles, mountain goats and even the grizzly exhibits.
Top off your tour with an opportunity to take part in feeding the zoo’s Humboldt penguins (additional $5 fee)! Penguin feeding is available daily, November 1-April 1, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. or until fish supply is depleted. Feeding is subject to cancellation due to weather or penguins’ appetites.
Real Close tours are offered Fridays through Sundays, 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., through April 28. Non-member price: $32.75 adults (ages 13+), $18.75 children (ages 5-12). Member price: $20 adults, $10 children. For safety reasons, no children under 5 are permitted. Cost includes zoo admission. Space is limited; advance ticket purchase is recommended. Purchase tickets to Real Close tours at www.zoo.org/realclosetours. Tickets for Real Close tours may also be purchased at the zoo’s West Entrance on the day of the tour, subject to availability. For more information on Real Close tours call 206.545.2022 or email tours@zoo.org.
Programs: October 1-April 30
Programs are free with zoo admission, except as noted. Locations of programs are posted at zoo entrances. All programs are subject to cancellation due to weather or animal availability.
Creature Feature at Zoomazium – 10:30 a.m. daily. Get up close to live, furred, feathered or scaly animals. Meet the star from a puppet story. Practice observation skills to discover who’s in the Mystery Box. Design a play space for a curious creature and watch as it explores. Morning programs are geared toward toddlers and afternoon programs are suited for preschool and older.
Tipping Point Activity ‒ 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. daily, beginning Nov. 1. Measure your carbon footprint and see what it means for wildlife and our changing climate.
On Thin Ice! ‒ 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays. Play our giant Don’t Break the Ice game, and learn about our changing climate and how our actions matter.
Shake, Rattle & Roar at Zoomazium! – 11:30 a.m. daily. Toddlers and caregivers are invited to sing, dance, and play instruments to animal and nature-themed music.
Willawong Station Talk – 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, Sundays. How do zoo staff count and take care of all of the birds in Willawong Station? Here’s your chance to find out! Training the birds helps zoo staff and keeps the day interesting for the birds!
Nature Exchange at Zoomazium – 1:00-3:00 p.m. daily. Staff at Nature Exchange love to hear about the exciting things children see in nature and at the zoo. Bring in your drawings, photos, research or cool nature items and earn points to trade for natural history items in our ever-changing collection.
Raptor Flight Program – 1:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays beginning Nov. 1. Here’s your chance to learn more about birds of prey. Keepers will introduce you to our resident raptors while demonstrating their impressive flying and hunting skills.
Elephant Keeper Talk – 2:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays. Learn about the zoo’s magnificent elephants. Discover how Woodland Park Zoo helps elephants in the wild and what you can do to help.
Penguin Keeper Talk ‒ 2:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays. Encounter a colony of waddling penguins that aren’t from a land of ice, but from a desert by the sea at the Humboldt penguin exhibit where these desert penguins “fly” underwater, splash and dive.
Puppet Show at Zoomazium – 3:45 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, holidays. Animal puppets tell stories and sing songs. Children are invited up to dance and meet the puppets after the show.
Willawong Station – The Walk-through Bird Experience – 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. daily. Travel to the world of the Australian parrot and the Australian grasslands habitat. Willawong
Station is a fun opportunity for the whole family to get up close and feed birds in a controlled, safe environment while learning about responsible care for birds both in the wild and at home. The aviary includes approximately 150 free-flying birds, primarily small colorful Australian parrots. Free with zoo admission. Seed sticks are available weekends, holidays and school breaks for $1 each, cash only.
Zoomazium – 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. daily. Kids 8 and under and their caregivers love Zoomazium! The indoor, nature play space offers play and learning in a fun, safe and stimulating environment all year long. Here, kids can connect with animals, habitats and more through the natural language of childhood – play! Crawl through a hidden cave. Climb a giant strangler fig tree. Enjoy daily programs for toddlers and older children. Free with zoo admission.
Historic Carousel – 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. weekdays; 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. weekends, holidays. Enjoy rides on the classic, hand-carved wooden carousel horses. Cost: $2, in addition to zoo admission.
Animal Encounters
Want a close encounter with the animal kind? Here’s your chance to meet a lizard, snake, millipede or other small zoo animal up-close and personal. Look for the Animal Encounters cart!
Discover! – Hours vary depending on docent availability. The call of discovery beckons! Join docents in an exploration of nature’s balance and tools of survival. In these hands-on programs featuring exhibits, biofacts, and fun-filled games, you’ll have an opportunity to pursue questions and passions. Plus, discover how you can help save wildlife by taking some simple steps. Swing by a discovery station and indulge your scientific side!
Parents’ Night Out (fee based) – Dinner reservation? Check. Verified movie times? Check. Babysitter? Uh-oh. Don’t fret – let Woodland Park Zoo handle childcare for you. Kids ages 4-11 will enjoy a fun-filled evening with zoo staff inside Zoomazium while you enjoy a night out on the town. Supervised activities for kids include games, an educational film, and a live animal encounter, plus a tasty pizza dinner! For information or to register, go to www.zoo.org/family-programs or call 206.548.2424. All children must be fully potty trained.
Zoo Overnight and Evening Adventures (fee based) – The gates are locked, the visitors are gone and the animals are settling down for the night…but you can still prowl the grounds and discover the wonders of the zoo after hours. Bring your class, troop, group or family and join us for an “organized group” or “individuals and small groups” Zoo Adventure. Stay all night or just for an evening adventure. For more information and how to register, visit www.zoo.org/overnights or call 206.548.2424.
Bug Club (fee based)
Do you think crickets are cool and ants are outrageous? Then join Bug Club! Bug Club is for children 5-11 years old who love bugs! Bug Club meets one Sunday per month. For information or an application, call 206.548.2424 or see the website at www.zoo.org/education/bug-club.
Classes (fee based)
A wide variety of classes for adults and families with young children are offered throughout the year. From School’s Out Days of Fun for 5-9 year olds to Zoo Sprouts classes for 3-4 year olds and their caregivers, there are many exciting opportunities for individuals or the whole family! For information or an application, call 206.548.2554 or visit www.zoo.org/classes_programs
Day Camps (fee based)
Children ages 4-9 can come explore the zoo and learn about the animals in small groups with the zoo’s Zooper Day Camp programs. Camps are offered during school vacations, including statewide teacher in-service days and days between semesters, throughout the school year. For information or an application, call 206.548.2554 or visit
General information
Hours: October 1 -April 30: 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. daily.
Admission: October 1-April 30: Adult (13-64) $11.75; Child (3-12) $8.50; Toddler (0-2) free. Active and retired U.S. military and their families, seniors and people with physical disabilities receive an admission discount. Zoo members receive free zoo admission year round.
Parking: $5.25. Parking is limited. Consider taking the bus, biking, walking or carpooling. Conserving resources is one more way to help animals. For bus service to the zoo, visit: www.metro.kingcounty.gov.
Location: Enter through the West Entrance on Phinney Ave. N. between N. 55th & N. 56th Sts. or South Entrance at N. 50th St. & Fremont Ave. N.
Gifts/Food: Visit the ZooStores for extraordinary gifts and zoo souvenirs. Stop by the Rain Forest Food Pavilion or other concessionaire locations to quench your thirst or appetite. Open daily during regular zoo hours.
Info: For more information or to become a zoo member, call 206.548.2500 or 548.2599 (TTY), or visit the zoo’s website at www.zoo.org.
Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting international standards for zoos in animal care, conservation and education programs. Woodland Park Zoo is helping to save animals and their habitats in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. By inspiring people to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future. For more information, visit www.zoo.org.
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Woodland Park Zoo saves animals and their habitats through conservation leadership and engaging experiences, inspiring people to learn, care and act.
Gigi Allianic, Caileigh Robertson
206.548.2550 | woodlandparkzoopr@zoo.org
Indoor exhibits and covered areas, kid-friendly programs inside Zoomazium, keeper talks, and a variety of animals adapted to the cold, such as the arctic fox shown in photo, are among Woodland Park Zoo’s fall and winter offerings beginning Oct. 1.
Photo credit: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo