Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Northeast corner of Griffith Park at the junction of the I-5 (Golden State) and the 134 (Ventura) freeways. Directly across from the Autry Museum of Western Heritage.
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-644-4200
http://www.lazoo.org/

Daily: 10a-5p
Closed December 25.
Please note that the Zoo starts putting animals in for the night at 4pm. Ticket sales cease one hour prior to closing time.

Adults (13+) $14
Seniors (62+) $11
Children (2-12) $9
Children <2 FREE
Parking: Free

Visit the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and the Los Angeles Zoo for one great price:
Adult: $31, Child: $19, Senior: $30.00. See website for details.


The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is 133 acres, and is home to more than 1,100 mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles representing more than 250 different species of which 29 are endangered. In addition, the Zoo’s botanical collection comprises several planted gardens and over 800 different plant species with over 7,400 individual plants. The Zoo receives over 1.5 million visitors per year and is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles. Highlights include:

Campo Gorilla Reserve is a new habitat that is home to seven western lowland gorillas. Zoo visitors walk along a forested pathway for views of two separate troops of gorillas, a family and a bachelor group, living among waterfalls and lush plants. Glassed viewing areas and planted moats are all that separates Zoo guests from the largest primate in the world.

Sea Life Cliffs is part of the new front entry complex. This replica of California’s rocky coast is home to a group of harbor seals. The habitat features two deep saltwater pools, rocky coves, above and below water viewing locations and a seating area for visitors to observe the seals.

Australia is home to the Zoo’s koalas. These marsupials (not bears) are displayed in the Australia section of the L.A. Zoo. The Zoo is fortunate in being one of only a handful that can provide an abundance of the appropriate eucalyptus tree species needed to feed the koalas. The koalas share two separate habitats with kangaroos, wallabies and echidnas.

Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains is lauded by world-renown primatologist Jane Goodall as one of the finest zoo habitats. This one-acre habitat is home to one of the largest troops of chimpanzees in the United States. It is designed to resemble the native environment of Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains in Africa and is unique in size and scope complete with mountainous rock formations, waterfalls and streams, palm trees and soft green grass. The facility also features a chimpanzee penthouse with heated bedrooms for the apes and an outdoor playground that has a jungle gym.

Red Ape Rain Forest is a multi-level tropical habitat where visitors can walk among orangutans and be immersed in a Southeast Asian rain forest of 20-foot-tall bamboo, fruit, and ficus trees. The main viewing area is a large platform that allows Zoo guests to view these arboreal apes as they climb to canopy level.

Dragons of Komodo is home to a pair of Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizard. The habitat design depicts the native environment on islands off the coast of Indonesia.

Winnick Family Children’s Zoo gives kids the opportunity to explore a cave, a desert trail or watch for prairie dogs through specially designed pop-up bubbles.

Unique Animals: Sumatran tiger, Visayan warty pigs, yellow footed rock wallaby, Cape griffon vulture, Chacoan peccary, snow leopard, mandrill, okapi, mountain tapir, Coquerel’s sifaka and one of the largest flocks of flamingos in any zoo in the world. Although not on display, the Zoo is also heavily involved with the conservation of California condors.

Contact the zoo for latest information.

Autry National Center, Los Angeles

Autry National Center
http://theautry.org/

The Autry National Center is a merger of the Autry Museum of Western Heritage with the Southwest Museum of the American Indian and the Women of the West Museum. It is an intercultural history center dedicated to exploring and sharing the stories, experiences, and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West.

Museum of the American West
Griffith Park
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-667-2000
Open: Tues-Fri: 10a-4p; Sat-Sun: 11a-5p [some extended hours in summer, closed certain holidays]
Admission: Adults $9, Students/Seniors 60+: $5, Children $3. Free on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.
Free parking.


Southwest Museum of the American Indian
Arroyo Campus
Currenty closed to the public due to ongoing conservation of the collection
Scheduled to reopen in 2013.


Contact the museum or visit its website for the latest info.