Can you spend the night at the St Louis Zoo?
You can come for just the evening or you can decide to spend the entire night at the Saint Louis Zoo. But no matter how long you decide to stay students are guaranteed to learn and experience something unforgettable.
If you take the time to visit each exhibit area, you could spend anywhere from 4 to 7 hours at the zoo, if you take the time to read the posted information and observe the animals. If you are visiting with small children, you can of course skip a lot of the reading time, dropping your visit to about 2-5 hours.
While the Zoo is located within the city of St Louis, there is a special taxing district in the city and the surrounding Saint Louis County called the Zoo Museum District which levees taxes on property to supply money to the zoo. Voters approved this district in the 1970's.
Do I need reservations at the Zoo? No.
An Adventure Pass gives you one-day access to all these attractions at the Zoo! The hours of operations for each attraction may vary. We highly suggest calling Guest Relations at 314-781-0900 for the current schedule.
A red panda at the Saint Louis Zoo
Avoid crowds in the spring and summer by visiting earlier in the day and on weekdays. Visit in the fall and winter.
With children, it could take a few hours to all day to see everything, go on rides, attend shows, etc. For adults just walking through exhibit areas, the full zoo can be seen in about 2-3 hours.
Tickets are $7.95 and include all day on-off privileges. Tickets expire at end of day. Children under age 2 are free. Purchase tickets at any of four stations for a tour of the Zoo.
Although general admission is not free, tickets to the St. Louis Aquarium are affordably priced. Further discounts are available to guests who purchase annual passes, group tickets, and combo packages. Please review and purchase aquarium tickets here.
Zoos are incredibly unique businesses, as they typically feature unique animals that have very distinct rules and regulations surrounding their captivity. For this reason, the economics of zoos is heavily muddied, as they involve major costs like park upkeep, national fees and more.
How long does it take to walk through the St Louis zoo?
If you visit all the exhibit areas at you are looking at 4-7 hours and that would be with much reflection and time spent reading all postings/information centers at all exhibits. You may of course easily skip much of that if you are visiting with small children and tailor your visit to be as little as 2-5 hours.
Coolers and picnic baskets are permitted on the Zoo grounds. (Glass bottles are prohibited.) There are picnic areas located in central areas at the Zoo.
Via the Saint Louis Zoo's website: "All-day parking is available on the Zoo's North Lot on Government Drive and South Lot on Wells Drive. Limited street parking is available in Forest Park. Parking is $15 per vehicle throughout the Zoo's peak season."
The St. Louis Zoo is big and fun to explore without being completely overwhelming. Pretty much all the expected animals are featured here, as well as some usually found in aquariums. Equally intriguing is the fact the zoo is free, yet never feels like anything was accomplished on a strict budget.
The Zoo is always free.
It is recognized as a leading zoo in animal management, research, conservation, and education. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska, took the No. 1 spot in the readers' poll. ST. LOUIS — The Saint Louis Zoo is one of the top 10 zoos in the United Stated in 2023, based on a readers' choice poll by USA Today.
Travel website TripAdvisor ranked the Saint Louis Zoo as the sixth best in the world, and the second best in the U.S., just behind the San Diego Zoo. The ranking is based on reviews from travelers, and is the third time the zoo has placed at the top of the list since it began in 2014, the zoo posted on Facebook.
Explore this 2.0-mile loop trail near St. Louis, Missouri. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 41 min to complete.
First, many animals in zoos have specific feeding and resting schedules, and closing early allows them to have uninterrupted time for these activities. Additionally, zoo staff need time after closing to clean and maintain the facilities, as well as to prepare for the next day.
What happens at zoos after hours?
Many animals have natural rhythms that include periods of activity and rest, so they may sleep or rest during the night. Some animals, such as nocturnal species, may become more active after dark. Keepers and staff also continue to monitor and care for the animals, ensuring they have everything they need.
In many cases, they work far more than forty hours a week, sometimes even sleeping in their zoos, ready to respond to any emergencies for animals that require special care.
A private terrace runs the length of the building, and a dramatic window into the Missouri River Aquarium at one end affords a spectacular view of paddlefish, gar and many other aquatic creatures.
Via the Saint Louis Zoo's website: "All-day parking is available on the Zoo's North Lot on Government Drive and South Lot on Wells Drive. Limited street parking is available in Forest Park. Parking is $15 per vehicle throughout the Zoo's peak season."
Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park features two completely different, but highly synergistic components. The first is what the public will experience, a unique outdoor adventure that sends guests on a safari through herds of animals roaming wild over gently rolling grassy meadows and through native forests.
