Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
The Maryland Zoo, Baltimore, MD

Photo: Noil Nivek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteOutdoor Adventure

The Maryland Zoo

1 Safari Pl · Baltimore, MD

Why you should go…

The Maryland Zoo sits inside historic Druid Hill Park and dates to 1876, making it one of the oldest zoos in the country. It is home to about 1,500 animals of 130 species, with areas like African Journey, Penguin Coast with its colony of African penguins, and Polar Bear Watch. Admission includes unlimited train and carousel rides, plus keeper chats, penguin feeding narrations and goat grooming in the farm area.

  • #zoo
  • #penguins
  • #polar bears
  • #druid hill park
  • #kids

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to The Maryland Zoo, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    Free

    Baltimore Museum of Art

    Free

    Browse an art museum known for its Cone Collection of Matisse, Picasso and Van Gogh, plus two sculpture gardens.

    1.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Miss Shirley's Café

    Under $25

    A Baltimore-born breakfast-and-brunch restaurant known for crab cake Benedicts and creative pancakes.

    1.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum

    Under $25

    Tour the small West Baltimore brick row house where Edgar Allan Poe lived with his aunt's family in the 1830s.

    2.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Oriole Park at Camden Yards

    Under $25

    Watch the Baltimore Orioles play in a retro ballpark backed by the old B&O Warehouse, with Eutaw Street running between them.

    3.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    M&T Bank Stadium

    Under $25

    Watch the Baltimore Ravens play or take a guided tour through the locker room, club level and sidelines of this downtown stadium.

    3.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    National Aquarium

    $25–$50

    See sharks, dolphins, jellies and a tropical rain forest at a large aquarium on Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

    3.5 mi awayMore like this