Sodexo - National Zoo

Alex Pierce

If you are a local or just visiting from out of town, the National zoo is a must go-to location. They have a wide array of animals to sight see and interactive learning activities throughout the park. Entrance is free for everyone, but you should note you do have to download tickets before entering. You can bring your own food in, no alcohol is allowed in from outside but is sold within the park. As a local, I come here for the experience and also to walk when it is warm outside. Parking is slightly a hassle as you have to find parallel parking on the narrow streets of DC, the zoo also has parking but it is $30 per car. The shows are now back, which i really enjoyed this interactive bird show hole I was there. My only suggestions are removing the lines for indoor exhibits. Masks are not required nor is social distancing within the park, but they limit the amount of people in some of the indoor exhibits causing extensive lines which took about 15-20 minutes to get inside. Also, the bathroom facilities were not clean and did not have paper towels. Additionally, there was hardly an security and no one checking bags at entrance. Just a heads up I also went on Memorial Day weekend, in the morning there wasn’t much of a crowd but after 12 there were so many people it was difficult to walk. I would recommend during the weekday or coming at opening if you want less crowd. Overall though I had a wonderful experience and will be back.

Sassy Sauce

The zoo is great and we really enjoyed the experience. You have to request tickets ahead of your visit. You can print them or it can be scanned on your phone/tablet. Not overly crowded when we arrived around 11 am. Some of the vendors were closed but for the most part everything was open and easily accessible. You have to walk a lot so I advise parent to bring strollers and any buggy/cart for the smaller kids. I overheard some younger people complaining about the strollers but it’s a lifesaver during the visit. There are carts you can rent as well but bring your own to save money. Also, bring your own food, drinks, snacks etc. The prices for food and souvenirs isn’t crazy expensive but we managed with our own snacks. We only bought ice cream for the kids and a small toy. Definitely recommend for young kids and all the young at heart. The animals were delightful to see.

Melissa C

You need to make reservations if you want to visit. I reserved my tickets a week in advance. I left my car parked in the parking garage and then took public transportation to the zoo. Street parking around the zoo is limited. Once in, I just took in the breathtaking environment. It was organized, clean and you can just walk around looking at the animals and the people. It was truly a lovely experience.