Denver Zoo: What You Need To Know
From massive tigers to playful sea lions, the Denver Zoo pulls you in from the start. With about 80 acres of exhibits and attractions, it offers plenty to see without being overwhelming.
We explored the zoo in just over three hours at a relaxed pace, and loved every minute, though there is even more we would come back for on another visit.
What surprised us most? How active the animals were! While kids will absolutely love it, the adults in our group had just as much fun.
If you’re planning a trip to the Denver Zoo, this guide shares the best exhibits to prioritize, family-friendly extras worth considering, and tips for having the most engaging animal encounters.
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Things To Do
Truthfully you’ll probably have too much to do at the zoo if you want to do everything. So here is everything you can expect to find so you can make a plan!
Wander the Zoo Exhibits
You’ll have plenty to see in this 80 acre zoo. We thought their setup was really nice and easy to get around. They had all of the exhibits and animals you would expect to see in a typical zoo, and the animals seemed to be pretty active.
The Toyota Elephant Passage is especially impressive. It’s 10 acres and is one of the most complex elephant habits on the continent including both elephants and rhinos.
The sea lion exhibit was a great way to see them both above and below the water. They were very active when we visited and fun to watch.
We felt really close to the massive tigers. They even have an elevated cat walk to use.
There are primates, flamingos, penguins, grizzlies, lions, hyenas, rainforest creatures, an Australian exhibit, and so much more.
If your kids like the littlest of creatures, the best place to see butterflies in Denver is the Butterfly Pavilion just northwest of the downtown in Westmister, CO.
Ride the Train
Riding the Denver Zoo Railroad is a great way to get a tour of the zoo while resting your legs. This is great for little ones or their adults that may be weary after carrying the kids and all their things around. Our kids love trains and always beg to go on them so this is a fun add-on for them. Tickets are $4 per ride or $30 for 10 rides. Members will get a discount.
Take a Spin On The Carousel
The carousel has hand-carved wooden animals to ride. It’s super cute and fun for kids. Tickets are $4 per ride or $30 for 10 rides. Members will get a discount.
Watch an Animal Demonstration
There are multiple events like feedings and shows throughout the day. These include talks and demonstrations with the elephants, tigers, grizzlies, monkeys, penguins, sea lions and more. Downloading the app makes it really easy to keep track of available events and times.
Nature Play Trail
After seeing the exhibits and animal demonstrations, this might be the next best thing to do at the Denver Zoo. The Zofnass Barclay Family Nature Play Trail is open most mornings, and your kiddos can play in nature in ways that traditional playground play just doesn’t offer.
They can build a bird nest, make a collage out of natural materials, find wildlife, and go on a color hunt. Kids are free to leave the trail and let their imaginations run wild.
Pet a Stingray
If you’ve never pet a stingray, it’s definitely something you should do. It does cost extra here ($3, discounted for members), and since I’ve seen this offered for free at many other zoos and aquariums, I don’t know that I’d pay extra for it.
On the other hand, you can also feed these stingrays ($2/piece of food). That is something I would want to give a try!
Feed Lorikeets
Lorikeets are little colorful parrots. You can pay $3 for a cup of nectar to feed them as they sit on your arm. We had a similar experience when we fed parakeets at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, and our kids were just enamored by being so close to the birds.
Watch a Medical Procedure
Zoo animals receive veterinary care at the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital. You can watch a procedure from the lobby viewing windows in the Schlessman Family Foundation Visitor and Education Center. It’s open 9am to 4pm. Even if there isn’t any medical care going on, there may be videos and staff to provide more information.
The only other place we know of to do this is at the Veterinary Treatment Room in Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Rafiki’s Planet Watch Conservation Station. If it’s anything like Disney, then going first thing in the morning may be the best time to possibly catch a live procedure.
Attend A Special Zoo Event
Each year there are special events at the zoo that let you experience the animals in a whole new way. Brew at the Zoo is for the beer lovers out there, and we know there are a lot of those in Colorado! Boo at the Zoo happens around Halloween of course, for fun frights for all ages. Zoo Lights takes place at Christmastime and you can wander through the zoo lit by lots of colorful twinkling lights.
Where To Eat
We often try to bring our own snacks and a picnic lunch, but there are lots of options for a quick treat (ice cream is our go-to but there are also mini-donuts!), coffee pick-me-up, or a full meal.
Try Australian hand pies at Joey’s, orange chicken at Kamala Café, or a hot chicken sandwich with tater tots from Scratch.
Things To Know
Here are some more things to know about the logistics of visiting the Denver Zoo to make your day go smoothly.
Where Is The Denver Zoo?
The zoo is located in City Park in Denver, CO at 2300 Steele St, Denver, CO 80205. If you drive, there is free parking in the large lots but taking a bus is also an option.
How Much Does It Cost?
The zoo will cost you $26 for adults and $19 for kids to enter. Kids 2 and under are free. There are a few free days during the year.
The Denver Zoo doesn’t currently participate in the AZA reciprocity program, but if you enjoy visiting zoos, children’s museums, science and technology centers, and other museums with your family, and especially if you like to do this while you travel, consider a museum membership that could give you free or discounted entry at places around the country.
How Long Should You Plan For?
We went with some friends, and we were able to wander through the entire zoo in 3 hours or so. This seemed like a good amount of time to balance seeing plenty of animals and not completely wearing everyone out to the point of meltdowns.
Plenty To Do In The Area
You don’t have to go far to find more to do. Denver City Park has a really nice playground and paths to wander around the lake. You can rent a bike or a swan boat to take out on the lake.
There’s a great view of the Denver skyline and mountains over the park, especially from the glass windows on west side of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science or the Sky Terrace on the 4th floor as long as no special event is going on. This museum is located on the east end of the park and is one we also highly recommend for families.
