St. Louis Zoo

Welcome back, after a brief hiatus in this blog. Between dealing with the closure of so many places, having many of our summer plans change, and coming back from an injury, it has been a unique summer thus far, to say the least. But with places opening back up slowly and my ability to walk around normally again, we decided to visit one of our hometown favorites, the St. Louis Zoo, albeit with certain precautions in place. So without further ado, enjoy reading this post about this fantastic place.

Guide to Visiting the St. Louis Zoo

The Saint Louis Zoo is located at the southwestern corner of Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a wonderful place to visit for all ages, and will always be a place I highly recommend. I've been going here since I was young, yet I keep coming back, because it has so much to offer.

Zoo Admission

Admission to the zoo is always free, with the exception of special ticketed events. After reopening, to help regulate visitor traffic, they require reservations in the form of a free, timed ticket. This ticket holds your place for entering the zoo within the hour time-slot you sign up for. Once in the zoo, you can stay as long as you wish, until closing. In compliance with current regulations, they are requiring masks to be worn by all those attending, ages 9 and above. Additionally, the more hands-on, interactive exhibits are closed at this point, to avoid excessive surface contact among visitors.

There is a fee for parking, but there are often plenty of places to park for free within walking distance. Additionally, if you want to see one of the shows during your visit, you will have to purchase tickets for those. This includes the sea lion show, sting-ray exhibit, and more.

Animals at the Zoo

The St. Louis Zoo has a wide array of animals, from insects and arachnids, to reptiles, birds, mammals, and more. You can easily spend all day there, wandering from one exhibit to another, as you make your way around the zoo. However, if there are animals you desire to see above the rest, I suggest you plan your day around that. Do a little research before going, or even upon arrival, to determine which sections of the zoo you want to prioritize.

I'm personally a huge fan of River's Edge, where you will find animals such as elephants, hippos, rhinos, cheetahs, and more. Another popular area is Red Rocks where the big cats, like lions and tigers, reside, along with giraffes, zebras, and more. Honestly, you can't go wrong with any area you choose to visit.

More recently, the zoo has added a couple new exhibits featuring bears, including a polar bear and two grizzly bears. These can be found in The Wild section of the zoo, along with penguins and apes. The bears are very enjoyable to watch. If you need to cool down, step into the penguin exhibit, which is indoors and kept very chilly. Warning, though, it does smell pretty fishy. Currently, they are limiting capacity in this exhibit with additional timed tickets.

One of the best things about the zoo, is they are always adding new features. On this most recent trip, we learned the zoo is adding an outdoor, primate canopy trail onto the primate house in Historic Hill. Opening in 2021, the canopy trail will allow visitors to walk around and underneath monkeys and lemurs - and personally, I think this will be a really cool addition.

Other Attractions

Tired of walking around and need a break? The zoo has a railroad that runs throughout and has a narrated tour. You must purchase a ticket to ride, but it is good all-day, with unlimited on-off privileges.

Do you have young kids? The Discovery Corner is a great place for you. It is definitely the best place in the zoo for a hands-on experience, with interactive exhibits, petting areas, playgrounds, and education discovery area.

If you need a refreshment or a bite to eat, there are dining areas throughout the zoo. However, I will note, the Lakeside Crossing area is one of my favorite areas to take a break. Did you know you can get adult beverages at the zoo? Well, you sure can. Cool off with a local beer, or a nice cocktail before visiting more animals.

Don't forget to stop by one of the many stands or gift shops for your zoo-related souvenirs. I personally always look for patches as a souvenir when I visit new places, because I have a nice collection going, that I display in shadow boxes.

Overall, the Saint Louis Zoo is a wonderful place to visit, and to keep coming back. Whether you have kids, or you just want to go for a nice walk while seeing some animals you wouldn't otherwise see on a stroll in the Midwest, I recommend Saint Louis Zoo to everyone.