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ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Tampa, FL

Photo: TampAGS , for AGS Media, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteOutdoor Adventure

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

1101 W Sligh Ave · Tampa, FL

Why you should go…

ZooTampa covers 63 acres and is home to more than 1,300 animals. Florida Waters, a new area, shows manatees, otters, jellyfish and reptiles, while the Africa section has elephants, giraffes and white rhinos. You can get in the water at Stingray Shores or book a behind-the-scenes rhino encounter. The zoo began in 1957 as Tampa Fairyland and runs a nonprofit hospital for injured, sick and orphaned manatees.

  • #zoo
  • #manatees
  • #family activities
  • #animal encounters

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 ZooTampa at Lowry Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

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    Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

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    Ybor City

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    Stroll 7th Avenue in Tampa's historic Latin Quarter for cigar shops, hand rollers, free-roaming chickens and the Columbia Restaurant.

    3.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

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    The Florida Aquarium

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    See a 500,000-gallon coral reef tank, loggerhead sea turtles, moon jellies, lemurs and stingrays in downtown Tampa.

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    The Dalí Museum

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    20 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

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    Clearwater Marine Aquarium

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    See rescued dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, sharks and sea lions at a working marine animal hospital.

    21 mi awayMore like this

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    Clearwater Beach

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    Spread out on 2.5 miles of white Gulf sand, then join the nightly sunset gathering of performers at Pier 60.

    22 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor