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Woodland Park Zoo

5500 Phinney Ave N · Seattle, WA

Why you should go…

Woodland Park Zoo opened in 1899 and was an early pioneer of naturalistic, immersive exhibit design. Highlights include the Trail of Vines gorilla habitat, a tropical rainforest house, and a savanna loop with giraffes and zebras.

  • #zoo
  • #animals
  • #kids
  • #gardens

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

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

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Woodland Park 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
    Iconic

    Seattle Art Museum

    $25–$50

    Downtown Seattle's encyclopedic art museum with collections spanning global cultures, plus a waterfront sculpture park.

    1.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Tours
    Date Night

    Waterways Cruises & Events

    $50+

    A family-run Seattle cruise company offering dining, brunch and event cruises on Lake Union, Lake Washington and Puget Sound.

    1.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Kerry Park

    Free

    The small Queen Anne hillside park behind that postcard skyline shot of Seattle and Mount Rainier.

    2.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Waterfront Adventures

    $50+

    Rents boats, jet skis and paddleboards from a Lake Washington marina in Kirkland.

    6.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Snoqualmie Falls

    Free

    A 268-foot waterfall taller than Niagara, with an easy viewing platform 30 miles east of Seattle.

    26 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Olympic Game Farm

    Under $25

    A drive-through wildlife park on the Olympic Peninsula, home to bears, bison, elk and other animals once used in Disney films.

    45 mi awayMore like this