Does anyone have any experience with the zoos in the Seattle area? I am visiting the area and am located about halfway between Seattle and Portland. I would like to take my 3 year old daughter to a zoo. My MIL thinks the Portland zoo is kind of a PITA, but hasn’t been to the Seattle zoos. Anybody love/hate either of them?
Both Woodland Park (north Seattle) and Point Defiance (Tacoma) zoos are very nice.
Point Defiance is definitely my favorite. Despite living much closer to Woodland Park we usually took the kids to Point Defiance - they had spent some money on renovation - have a pretty cool tropical fish thing and a big shark tank, etc.
There is a Zoo in Tacoma at Port Defiance park. It’s kind of cool, and in a great location, but not a ton of animals.
Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo is great, imo. Spread out, lots of big exhibits for animals. (Don’t miss the Grizzly Bear area). Children’s zoo area, bat house, penguins, Rain Forest exhibit, African area, cool Orangutan area and some gorillas too. Can be busy on a nice weekend, otherwise, no complaints.
If you like zoos, and have time, see them both. If I only had time for one, it would be the Seattle one.
I haven’t been the the Port Defiance Zoo, but Portland and Seattle zoos are both really good fun for younger kids (I would say that the Portland Zoo wins simply due to the train!). One thing to look at is that membership at one zoo often lets you into a bunch of others including both the Seattle and Portland zoos. A membership is usually about the cost of two trips. One year we did 11 zoos in 8 states on our membership.
My biggest suggestion though is to go early to any zoo- especially on a weekend. Once the heat and/or crowds arrive in the afternoon, the animals disappear or at least fake sleep and the uncontrolled obnoxious 6 year-olds arrive in herds.
*The reciprocal science/children’s museums is even a better deal when you get to that age.
Thanks for the info… my 3 year old loves trains so we might have to take another look at Portland.
If you try the Woodland Park Zoo, don’t miss the raptor exhibit- they take the birds out and fly them periodically, which is lots of fun.
Not a zoo in the usual sense, but you might want to consider Northwest Trek. Sounds like it’s closer than Tacoma and Seattle, at least.
Just to eliminate any confusion: it’s “Point” Defiance
When I was a kid Point Defiance zoo was simply awful–classic tile-lined cages with half-insane animals padding back and forth endlessly.
Then they passed a bond issue or something and remodeled the whole place (in the late Seventies, maybe?) and it’s definitely world-class now. A very nice place.