Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Hands down, one of the best zoos I’ve visited in a long time! The Smithsonian National Zoo is located a bit north from downtown DC, but certainly one of the must-​sees in the DC area. All of the Smithsonian exhibits in DC are free of charge, so one of the major bonuses of visiting the area. The zoo is pretty large, expanding to five or so different areas to explore. I’m a big fan of the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, and this one seems to be larger with more exhibits. We spent a good four hours checking out the various attractions, and that was maybe 80% of everything they offered. The humidity got to us, so we decided to call it a day, but definitely an amazing time and tons of fun! Most of the animals were out and about, so plenty to see. My significant other had a blast as well and since I work out in the DC area, I’ll be brining her back very soon to check out more landmarks and tours. Thank you for a wonderful weekend!
Best,
Charlie

I love zoos, and I hate the fact that I love animals held in captivity. I won’t readily patronize them, but this one was on our tour docket. What I love about this zoo is exactly what I love about the entire Smithsonian Institute; it’s free for everyone. Free knowledge and education for all! I love it!!! The zoo itself is laid out beautifully with meandering paths through the different exhibits, offering multiple views of some of the larger enclosures. Sadly, there were a number of enclosures that were empty, leaving a lot to be desired. However, the enclosures that were open were well-​maintained and the animals were active. I especially liked the orangutan who was sitting right up against the glass interacting with the children. I also loved the animals made of trash they had throughout the zoo. Beautiful and impactful at the same time.

Pandas! Does anything more need to be said? Live pandas deserve 5 stars on their own. The big cat exhibit is pretty nice too but many zoos have nice cat displays. This zoo is FREE and, of course, has pandas! The layout is not intuitive and without a printed map, I got turned around more than once. Ordinarily, I’d take off a star for that but just can’t deduct anything because they have pandas!

Very nice zoo and it is free. You can take the Metro and a short walk to get there.
If you are only in Washington a short time (long weekend) I would probably skip this but I would definitely go for a longer trip. It seemed to be hard on our feet more than anything else. Not sure why maybe all the hills?
You will want to go as early as you can. We got there at 9 and it was nice, as we were leaving around 11:00 the crowds were much thicker.

This is a pretty great zoo, and it’s free! It’s located in a really nice part of DC, and a visit here would make for a great morning or afternoon (or whole day activity). Of course, you should go and see the pandas, but they also have a lot of other really great exhibits. I particularly enjoyed the small mammal house and their primate exhibit. There are large boards with maps around the zoo, otherwise you can pay a small donation fee for a paper map and more extensive brochure. This zoo was crowded on the weekend I went, lots of families and kids, with a lot of the more popular exhibits extremely crowded. If you’d rather have some quiet, I would come earlier in the morning or later in the evening.

THEY HAVE PANDAS. Nuff said. But thy have a little baby, which is the best part. I’ve had a great time coming here and relaxing with the pandas. A lot of the animals are really active here so it’s been fun to go watch them.

What a great place for date day!
I really wanted to see the Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, an art exhibit that uses plastic ocean trash to make sea creatures. It was stunning and sobering to see so many odd articles of plastic trash that have been polluting oceans and killing sea life.
We went on a Saturday, late afternoon to avoid midday screaming toddler crowds. (No offense to parents. I’m one too, but our toddler days are long gone.) We were pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t as crowded as we had expected.
I am not typically a fan of zoos unless they serve a rehabilitative or rescue purpose. But I was pleased to see that the Smithsonian makes a tremendous effort to educate even its youngest visitors. There is information everywhere you look about the importance of animals and the dangers they face at the hands of man.
The elephant section, rain forest and coral reef exhibit, in particular, seemed to exist solely for the purpose of drawing attention to the suffering – and possible extinction – these creatures and plants face if humans don’t wise up.
Especially since the zoo is free, there is no reason not to visit. The park is clean, the workers/​volunteers helpful and informative and for the most part, visitors were respectful. I did see one youngster poking at a bird while the parents just looked on and I had to say something. But fortunately it ended there and hopefully parents and child learned to be more considerate.
I was disappointed that at least some of the monkey exhibits were glass and metal enclosed structures that in no way resembled a natural habitat. And I swear that some of the frogs and salamanders were begging me with their eyes to free them from their glass cages. Hence the reason I’m not a fan of zoos overall…

One thing I was hoping to see was a giraffe and elephants. The elephants were not out that day, or at least during the time I was at the zoo. And there are no giraffes but that is okay because the zoo is free! The only thing you have to pay for is parking which is about $ 22. Not a bad deal! The zoo is actually clean. The only thing I wish they would offer was a guide pamphlet of the zoo. I found myself walking in circles & kept finding new walkways that sometimes led to nothing.

I came there at 5pm and they closed at 7pm but 6pm they closed everything, no animal to watch

I remember coming here when I was younger with my relatives in Virginia. I enjoyed looking at the animals here. Recently, we came on a Thursday Morning by MetroRail. Keep in mind that because there was somewhere else where I needed to be at late in the morning, I didn’t spend as much time as I did when I was younger.
We entered through the pedestrian entrance (no one’s allowed to walk on the roadway for parking). Before we looked at the animals, we stopped at the visitors center to use the restrooms. They were quite clean, and water fountains were available right next to the gift shop. For a very humid day, it was quite refreshing. After that, we started to look at the animals.
First, we saw the leopards. They were resting in their habitat, just looking on. Because of the position of where they were resting, we had to look closer for a good view. It would be nice if they were positioned a little closer for better views.
Then we saw a hog sniffing around in his habitat. That was fun to watch. Then we saw another animal habitat where an eagle was on top of a log and all of the other animals were either standing or simply walking around. Definitely some great views there.
After that, we saw a bison feed on some hay. That was interesting to watch. Then we saw an elephant just simply stand there with his back turned. Wished he would turn around to look at us. We did, however, see him from another angle who was just cleaning himself. That’s better, but a bit far away.
Now for the best part — PANDAS! The #1 reason why we came here was to look at the pandas. We had to enter a building to see them, and they were located in two separate habitats. In the first habitat, we saw one feeding on some bamboo. Too cute!
In another habitat, we saw the other panda just lying around with his face right in front of us. A perfect view right there. Then we saw a room where employees were monitoring the behavior of the pandas through a surveillance system. Quite interesting!
When we walked outside, we saw some red pandas just climbing around on the trees. Not a bad view. We tried to see some otters, but they were unfortunately hiding inside a log. Disappointing. Lastly, we walked through a bird house to look at the birds. An owl was in there too. You can definitely find some great views of the birds in here!
After that, my personal experience concluded since I had to leave in favor of Dupont Circle, but my parents continued through the zoo without me. However, I am docking a star because I was quite disappointed with some of the animals who just didn’t want to show themselves or come closer to us visitors for great views. I know this ain’t the zoo’s fault, but a lot of us would have loved to see a lot of great views and less hiding and «turned» backs. I also saw some empty habitats too, which wasn’t very appealing either…
If you came by car, you have to pay to park. When spending your day here, be prepared to deal with large groups of kids who are on field trips. Hey, I’m sure a lot of us went to zoos when we were kids on field trips, so just be patient when venturing through. But hey, there’s no admission fee to enter. Well, at least I saw the pandas and got great views of some of the other animals here. All of this makes myself a fan.
TIP FOR METRO USERS: Get off at Cleveland Park and walk. It’s less strenuous than getting off at the Woodley Park stop since you’re walking on a flat surface. You have to walk up a hill if you get off at Woodley Park.

I have been going to this zoo since I was a kid. I don’t even live in the U.S. anymore, and I still go back when I’m in town. I’m normally not a zoo-​lover, as they tend to make me sad, but this is one zoo I can recommend wholeheartedly. They do a lot of research and conservation work, which is incredible, especially since the zoo is free!
It’s a short walk from two metro stations: Cleveland Park station (great to walk from to avoid the crowds if you’re going during a busy time) and Woodley Park-​Zoo station. I visited this past summer right when the zoo opened (I think around 8) — I knew it was going to be a scorcher, I wanted to avoid the crowds, and, as a photographer, I wanted to get pictures of the animals without nine people’s heads in the foreground.
Walking onto the grounds that early was magical — it was misty, empty, except for the odd runner, and almost all of the animals were out and in full view. It wasn’t late or hot enough for them to be hiding in the shade like I would be later that day. A zoo employee came up to me as I neared the bear enclosure and enthusiastically told me that the «bear cub had been waiting for me to take some glamor shots» and told me all about the bears and their names (the dad’s name is Cisco, in case you were curious). I even got to see them feed the orangutan. GUYS. FEED the ORANGUTAN. It’s an animal lover’s dream. Some of the bigger animals weren’t out until later (the tigers and lions were let out once their enclosure was cleaned closer to 9 or 10), but I couldn’t have asked for a better visit. Summary: Go early, leave early!

I am continually amazed at how all of the museums and monuments are free in DC. The zoo is no exception. They have PANDAS for christ’s sake and the zoo is free??? Gahh this is a dream come true.
Walk to the very back of the park (they also have a free shuttle service) to see 4 of the cutest animals ever. Tian tian, Mei xiang, Bei bei, and Bao bao — all adorable, active, and eager to take photos!
It’s awesome how the zoo also does a lot of research… there’s a room where someone’s job is literally to watch the panda cam. How cool is that?
The zoo is located right next to the Red line Woodley Park-​Zoo station. It’s a little ways away from the National Mall but soooo worth it!

Wow this zoo is huge, and the best part is that it’s free to get in!!! We spent a few hours here and didn’t make it probably halfway in, lots to see and with it being hugely popular you might need to devote a whole day to see it all here. The giant pandas are such a treat to see and it was neat to see them eat their bamboo during feeding time. I have a love hate relationship with zoos in general and this zoo is really no different, however you can tell the zookeepers really care about these animals just by the things I heard the zookeepers saying out and about. The entrance and parking was difficult to find, don’t listen to your GPS to get there… will take you to the back entrance and not the main one. Food here was decent, the Italian Panini at the Panda Overlook was surprisingly really delicious! Overall had a great time and got some cute souvenirs for myself and family.

I am writing this review to also speak-​out about some of the zoo conditions for the animals. I’ve never been a huge animal-​lover, but returning to the Smithsonian National Zoo today, after nearly 10+ years, opened my eyes.
The exhibits were fine, but I wanted to bring awareness that there are many animals kept inside glass (especially in the small mammals house, or Great Ape area), in which I saw absolutely NO security guards, or zoo workers around… SO many kids running around, TAPPING on the glass and scaring the poor, innocent animals. ***Humans need to have RESPECT for other life forms, (and I blame largely their irresponsible parents who did not tell them to STOP tapping or making loud noises which frightened the animals).*** BUT, I also HOPE the zoo enforces these regulations FURTHER than just signs that state «Please Do Not Tap on the Glass»…
KIDS are rambunctious, and the animals here should be able to be left alone, and in peace. SOMEONE needs to restrain this from happening any further…

THIS ZOO IS FREE AND HAS PANDAS… end review.
I live in California so if I want to see pandas I have to go to the San Diego zoo where the cost for admission to the zoo is $ 50 hence my 5 star review for this zoo that has pandas and doesn’t charge people to see them. Although it was raining a little while we were in town, I insisted on going to the zoo anyway because I wanted to see Bao Bao and Bei Bei before they move to China. The rain worked to our advantage because the zoo wasn’t crowded at all.

I’m pretty sure I won’t say much that hasn’t been said. This is a very clean, professionally kept and FREE space. Even the bathrooms are cleaner than most malls.
The animals, when I’ve been there, seem to be pretty well maintained and happy. The pandas, at least in my eyes, are the stars though. The panda area is very informative and it seems that they have a lot of space to roam. Not to mention the areas, both indoor and out, are very clean.
This is a wonderful community resource, and I really appreciate what they do. Furthermore their social media efforts are fantastic!

Place is gigantic and is one of the best zoos I’ve ever been to. You can tell that your tax money is being put to good use!
Admission is free but parking is a flat $ 22. Loved seeing the pandas!

This Zoo is quite large. So if you’re like me and want to see all of which the zoo has to offer you’ll have to designate ALL DAY LONG. Even I spend most of the day and didn’t get to finish everything. You also want to be cognizant of the weather when at the zoo. Because there’s a lot of walking around. So hopefully your group has the stamina to last the day without turning on one another.
This zoo is a bit different than others such as that of the Bronx Zoo or San Diego Zoo. But it’s great especially when you have enough time. Best part is that it’s all free, all exhibits.
Onsite parking is $ 22. But if you’re willing to walk & spend time looking you can find parking a little ways away on the streets but may be a bit of a walk.
I found parking about a mile away which isn’t bad. There are many that look for parking. But if I’m going to visit often $ 22 a pop is pretty steep. But that is how they keep the park open so people should be mindful of that.

A Saturday visit to the zoo. So much to see here we had trouble seeing it all and we were there for 6 hours. The pandas were definitely the highlight and the cats were awesome to. Definitely bring the kids for a great day they will love it.

Made sure to stop by on our trip to DC. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was free! While we were there, we were rushed as the zoo was about to close, so we tried to fit in as much as we could before we needed to leave.
We saw elephants, cheetahs, tigers, lions, antelopes, and a few others. The lions and cheetahs were sleeping, sadly, along with the panda’s! We were able to see the panda’s on the video cameras they had, which kept track of their locations. We had hoped to see more of them. We did get a good experience with the ‘great ape’ house and the lions. We also enjoyed the walk in bird houses, both the inside and outside locations.

We had a wonderful time at the zoo. It is definitely a one day activity. Go early to get parking and to avoid the large crowds. Parking is a flat $ 22, which is not bad considering there is not admission fees. There is no other parking options close by so paid it and see enjoying the animals.
If you park in Lot A, then you will be closest to the panda bears and the visitor center. We got to see the Giant Panda Bear and the baby panda bear. So cute. At the visitor center or online, you can get a list of the events at the zoo. The Small Mammal house is the most comfortable house. Just the right temperature control and not smelly. Be sure to ask about when the apes traverse from one ape house to the other. It is amazing to see them traversing with the cable lines so high above.
Food is mainly burgers, chicken fingers, and hot dogs. The Lion’s Mane is a good place to get away from the heat and have a bite. Remember that you can substitute the fries with grain salad, and this is worth doing. Enough with the fries when you are on vacation.

We got to the zoo rather early on a Monday. the entrance we came in was right near the Asian trail. The group of us were rather excited to see some cute animals on the warmest day in march through that point — yet «no animals were home» in the majority of Asian trail exhibits BUT then we came upon the pandas and happiness was restored for the remainder of our time.
If you haven’t had a chance to see adorable pandas eating and rolling around then this zoo is a must for your trip to DC. Even if all you do is go in and see the pandas and leave. I’ve never wanted to roll around and play with an animal more!
The other exhibits were also really well done. From the bird house to the ape house and everything in between.
The zoo itself is rather large. Our Fitbit told us we had over 12,000 steps within 3 hours. At one point I felt like I was on an actual hike (those inclines though!) but there are bathrooms and food kiosks aplenty.
I just want to reiterate how awesome the pandas were. They had a hypeman sitting near the front of their exhibit making sure no one passed them up!

It’s hard to write a comprehensive review, let alone for a free zoo! I usually see one exhibit per visit, my small child would not have it any other way, but during the cold weather I love the indoor attractions. Some of the reptiles are nightmare fuel– I mean that in the best possible way, my daughter loves the small mammals and bird house, but Amazonia is hands down my favorite. The Amazonia exhibit is a two story attraction with HUGE fish on the first floor and monkeys and some rather ballsy birds on the second floor, with open air access to the tanks below.
For kids; they have a farm house with pigs, cows, goats and chickens with a pizza play ground next door and the sea lion exhibit has a tidal pool — splash zone thats open in the summer.
You can have this place to yourself on a weekday, obviously, especially if the weather is not so great. I will say, during all of my visits there was always maintenance which closed some areas or animals were out of sight or off exhibit so being flexible is key.
Parking seems kinda steep, $ 22, and I’ve seen it fill up completely on nice days, the early bird gets the spot! They also rent strollers and have membership options for those who want VIP treatment.

Small zoo just a short trip from the National Mall. If you take the metro system, you will need to walk a few blocks uphill to get to the entrance but it isn’t far. The best thing about this zoo is that it is free. Yes kids, I did say FREE. Of course there are many stores where you can spend lots of money and make donations. I went in January between a few inches snowfall and a major blizzard. Many of the animals were not on display due to the weather and the season. Of course the main reason for my trip was to see little Bei Bei who had just been put on display a few days prior. It is important to know what time to go, since Bei Bei still slept a lot of the day. It is also important to go early since there is typically a long line to see the cute little black and white fuzzy wuzzy panda cub.
I went the day before a major blizzard and the mayor had ordered the city to close down so the whole zoo was pretty much a ghost town. Luckily I was able to walk right up with no wait to see Bei Bei. Bei Bei was not allowed outside because snow is slippery and dangerous for the cub. It as cute watching Bei Bei play around and get on his mother’s nerves. I also spent a good amount of time watching Bao Bao (Bei Bei’s older sibling) play outside in the snow. It is mesmerizing to watch these beautiful creatures. There is also a great fan base for the pandas at the zoo. In addition to the zookeepers, there were many many many panda watchers who were quick to educate everyone on the personalities and family histories of the pandas at the zoo.
I also walked down to see the big cats. Only one cat was out, and he made it well known that he wanted to go back inside. There were nice buildings along the main path that housed reptiles, elephants and other beautiful creatures. Like many zoos, this one is on a deep incline. For those with health issues or mobility issues, please keep this in mind and take the shuttles available.

The park was clean and organized. They are doing some construction but that did not stop us to visit the zoo while it’s freezing cold.
We were able to visit the pandas and able to see some elephants in the cold. But the highlight of our visit was to see the panda playing outside the snow. Best part is this park is free and there a lot of stuff to do and see.

The Smithsonian Zoo is the perfect mid-​morning (post breakfast) adventure for any and all ages. The free park is located within the city, easy walking access to Adams Morgan or a in our case, a $ 12+change pool Über from Alexandria. We visited the day of Bei Bei’s (the newest baby panda) first viewing, and after a little over an hour wait, were able to enter the panda exhibit and see a the sleeping baby panda on a monitor (personally, not worth the wait). HOWEVER, I still loved visiting the zoo, the monkey house, elephant house and small mammal houses will remind you what you ate for breakfast (they are by far the stinkiest exhibits, in that order – friendly that I point that out, I know!) But, they are all fantastic! Be careful if you’re walking under the swinging orangoutang, I hear he pee’s on tourists for fun.
If you enjoy animals, have children or are possibly just looking for an excellent place to run with sites (yes, there were a surprisingly large amount of runners at the zoo) – this is the place for you! The FREE zoo is walkable (although it does run along a large hill, so try to start at the top unless you enjoy walking up hill, there is a shuttle at the bottom that can take you back around). And be warned, some small screaming animals (children) are not caged, and there are LOTS of them here!

It’s no San Diego or Bronx Zoo, but considering its FREE, I can’t be too critical. Be sure to check out the local celebs. The pandas (OBVI, this is DC) are fun to watch when they come out. But by far, my favorite animal to see is the red panda. He is small and looks more like a fox, but he is SO CUTE. He got (in)famous when he escaped his enclosure a few years ago, and to this day no one knows how he got out. However, he has a new, more secured home in the small mammal house so you must go visit. Other favorites at the zoo are the elephants and bird house.
In the winter, be sure to check out zoo lights! The zoo is adorned with loads of lights in the shapes of animals, snowflakes, etc. There is even a laser show projected on the side of one of the buildings.
Parking is a mess and expensive, so I recommend metro. It is about a 10 minute walk from the Woodley Park and the Cleveland Park metros (both on the red line).
Also note. This zoo is not just for animal viewing… you will see some of the oddest humans as well. It is an all around entertaining experience.

FREE. FAMILY-​FRIENDLY. FUN.
During the holiday season a lot of the Smithsonian exhibits were closed, so we were fortunate that the zoo was open and that weather was nice enough for us to enjoy it. We were staying in Dupont Circle, so it was a pleasant walk through the area to get here.
We saw so many amazing creatures: lions, cheetahs, elephants, bears, bison, orangutans, and other amazing primates. One of my favorite parts of the trip was when we got to test our strength against a real gorilla. They have interactive games where you can play tug of war (if the gorilla decides to engage you with a rope on his side of the glass).
They also have lots of other indoor and outdoor exhibits which make this a great destination anytime of the year. For refreshments, you can count on craft beer, espresso drinks, other meals/​snacks.

ZOOOOO! Who doesn’t love the zoo!
Of course one of the main attractions, or THE main attraction are the pandas. I came on a day off, and the zoo was empty! It was AWESOME!!! It was also December, but the temps were in the high 60s so it was perrrrfect! No crowds, got to see the panda up close and personal.
We spent about 3 hours here. It would have been longer but the American trail was closed :(
The only thing that gets me every time, is how sad some of the animals look. The gorillas in the gorilla house and outside all look really sad and bored… I really felt sad. :(

Ehhhh. I am so torn on visiting zoos, I really hate the concept but I really wanted to see pandas. One panda was out and laying out, we actually had a hard time seeing him. The panda house was closed off since the baby hasn’t been debuted yet. We actually enjoyed the otters the most.
The animals appeared well cared for but like the rest of the Smithsonian just seems really dated. We live in Pittsburgh which I really think is a much better zoo. I’m actually disappointed that we spent the majority of a day here. A great option if you have kids because they can stretch their legs and burn off some energy.
Based on the reviews we had read, we got off at the Cleveland Park Metro station which was an easier walk. We did really like looking around the Woodley Park neighborhood. We had planned on then going to the National Cathedral but we were exhausted so called it a short day.

Free and a variety of animals out and visible. Definitely worth a visit. It’s hard not to like a well maintained free zoo.
It felt weird walking in the main entrance off Connecticut Avenue because there’s no fee, no ticket taker, etc… The grounds are lush with lots of plants. There were plenty of zoo workers cleaning and maintaining both the grounds and the exhibits while we were there.
I enjoyed the zoo. It’s a bit of a maze but a fun maze to wind through. I loved the panda exhibit. The area that the pandas have is huge. They put out toys and we watched two pandas eat and play. I wish every animal enclosure was as big as the pandas. Some of the best animal exclosures were the elephants and orangutans. I wish we could have seen the orangutans move from platform to platform. The naked mole rats are pretty cool too.
Worst exhibits: why are the meercats inside and in a tiny space? It’s pretty miserable. Give the poor meercats some space! The clouded leopard and a few other big cats need more space. Lemurs shouldn’t be inside either. Give the animals more space!
I have a love hate relationship with zoos. They promote animal awareness and conservation BUT at the expense of some of the animals. We watched one of the big cats pace and take the same route over and over. That doesn’t show a healthy mental state.
As far as zoo go, this one if well maintained and they obviously care for their animals. It’s worth a visit, especially with children.
Location: If you get off the metro red line at the Woodley park/​zoo stop, realize that the walk isn’t far but it is completely uphill.

Bien para pasear con niños, pero se ven pocos animales, muchos de ellos dormían en horas de la tarde. El zoológico es grande, pero los hay mucho mejores. No pudimos ver a los osos panda.

Im März 2008 war ich dort. Mit einem bekennenden Zoo-​Spezialisten :)
Nach unserer Meinung ein wirklich schön gestalteter Zoo!
& da in den USA die Besuche dort kostenfrei sind, auch ein wundervolles Fleckchen Amerika um die Menschen (& Tiere) in Ruhe genießen zu können.
Hat man die Zeit, ist der Besuch im Zoo in D.C. mit Sicherheit ein schöner Punkt auf der Tagesordnung.

Bottom Line: The Smithsonian National Zoological Park affords visitors the opportunity to view a variety of animals and admission is prepaid by American tax-​payers.
After living in San Diego for over a decade and being a member of that truly world famous zoo I have had to rebaseline my expectations of what a zoo should be. Knowing that I have been spoiled by the San Diego Zoo (and Safari Park) I think the National Zoo earns four stars.
Some people say that the zoo is free; however, after taking five economics classes and paying federal taxes for two decades, I think admission is pre-​paid rather than «free.» Anyway, because there isn’t a distinct admission price or long lines to get in, I like that I can come and just see a select few interesting animals and then be on my way, guilt free. Some of my favorite animals include the pandas (of course), komodo dragon, bald eagle and beavers. On my most recent visit I was disappointed that Chipper was in his lodge rather than splashing around in his pool as I sure do love beavers and find them to be busy, industrious and fascinating creatures (kinda like me).
Another great thing about this National Zoo is that you can bring your own food and drink into the park. Not only is this a great cost savings mechanism, but the food options within the park also seem kinda bleak to me. In the summer months, water intake will be important so you can fill your own bottle at water fountains, buy a bottle of water for $ 3 or hydrate at the frozen yogurt store across the street for $ 0.69.
The bummer about the National Zoo is that there seem to be very few optimal zoo weather days. There is some shade throughout the park but on a warm August summer day, not enough! On cold days, the animals will go into hiding. Also, as is generally the nature of any zoo, it requires a lot of walking and it times it seems like there is a disproportionate amount of walking to animal viewing. Also, some of the enclosures seem a little old and sad.
If you want to be sure to see certain animals I highly recommend paying $ 5 for the guide because the other maps are not helpful which I think is intentional. Five-​dollars for a guide might seem pricey so I find it helps to think of it as a $ 0.50 guide and a $ 4.50 donation to a great cause.