One thing we probably all have in common, no matter where we grew up is our love for animals and maybe our trips to the Zoo as a young child. Going to a Zoo is always a great, memorable time for any family, especially when it’s free. The National Zoo is located just a quick walk up Connecticut Avenue from our DC B&B. It has some of the best animal collections on the east coast and is a place you won’t want to miss when you’re visiting the Nation’s Capital, Washington DC. The National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States and is part of the Smithsonian and does not charge for admission. It was founded in 1889 and its mission has always been to “provide engaging experiences with animals and create and share knowledge to save wildlife and habitats.”
The National Zoo is opened everyday of the year, except on Christmas Day. The Zoo hosts about 1,800 animals of 300 different species, with bout one-fifth of them being endangered or threatened. The best-known residents are the giant pandas, but the zoo is also home to various types of birds, great apes, big cats, Asian elephants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic animals, small mammals and many more.
With world-class zoologists and conservationists on staff, every day offers an opportunity for visitors to learn even more about the National Zoo’s wild residents. Take a guided tour of the zoo with an animal expert (Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 9:45 a.m.); spend some time chatting with the animal keepers at the Great Ape House; or get up close and personal with the American farm animals at the Kids’ Farm.
The National Zoo is located at 3001 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, DC and its hours are as follows: March 15–September: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., October–March 14: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The animals and zookeepers are looking forward to seeing you!
