Washington, D.C. National Zoo
The Smithsonian National Zoo is located on 163 gorgeous acres at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW in Washington, D.C.’s beautiful Rock Creek Park. Our nation’s official collection of exotic animals call this place home. It is helpful to know that the North American exhibits are under reconstruction (the Beaver Valley section) with some areas reopening in 2010 and fully restored in 2012.
You can get to the Zoo by public transportation (best) or by car (limited parking for a fee, unless you are a Zoo member). Until April 30, the entrances from Rock Creek Parkway and Harvard Street are temporarily closed. The main entry off Connecticut Avenue allows you to start at the Visitors’ Center where you can obtain a map and plan your exciting journey. You don’t want to miss a thing.
The National Zoo is home to about 2,000 individual animals of nearly 400 different species. The best known residents are giant pandas, but great apes, big cats, Asian elephants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic animals, small mammals, even farm animals, can be found here.
The Smithsonian National Zoo is open every day of the year except December 25. It opens at 10am every day and closes at 4:30pm (November to March) and 6pm (April to October). The admission price is just right — free!
When visiting the Zoo, dress to impress — your body. Stock your hotel room with a good selection of seasonal attire and walking shoes. A check of the daily forecast is recommended. Several places to eat, serving snacks, assorted sandwiches, salads and an array of beverages, are on the grounds. Unless you are accompanying little ones with special needs, you won’t need to tote goodies. Just relax and stroll along the pathways of this somewhat hilly setting that houses unusual creatures from around the world. After your visit, you can choose from a vast selection of more formal eateries throughout D.C. before continuing your tour of the nation’s capital city.
Although Tai Shan has returned to China, there are still two pandas temporarily residing in the National Zoo. They are popular! The giant anteater Cyrano has returned to his home zoo in Nashville, Tennessee. But, a couple of other anteater “guys” are still working the D.C. zoo scene. These are just two of the many species that are well cared for and available to educate the public. Zoos are not static collections just for display. They offer preservation of species through scientific research and breeding programs to ensure the survival of these precious life forms.
So, when visiting D.C., take a break from your museum agenda to see some of nature’s finest and most entertaining inhabitants. Later, you can visit Congress.