The Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri is one of the best in the country! On top of it having great animals and enclosures, it is absolutely FREE! Kids, Adults, stroller, coolers… it is all welcome to just walk right in for no charge. Zoos are typically so expensive, to just walk right in was so unexpected, that we waited in a line, just to have the confused attendant, point to the gate and tell us to walk in like we were complete idiots.
Since the zoo opens at 8 am, we started early to catch the cooler weather.
Parking:
Parking at the zoo was $15 a car. When we were leaving the zoo we saw people walking across the street presumably to cheaper or free residential parking, but we didn’t know that trick, so we paid to park in the lot.
TIP: My husband dropped the kids and me off at the front entrance. He then drove past the LONG line of cars waiting to get into the parking lot, flipped a U-turn and entered the parking lot from the other direction where the line was only 4-5 cars long.
We went on a Saturday to a free zoo so, understandably, it was crowded. But if we were patient, we were able to see all the animals we desired. The crowds moved freely and everyone at their own pace and agenda, so it all works out.
Favorite Exhibits:
I loved the smooth perfection of the Cheetah’s fur, the butterfly encounter fluttering all around us and the polar bear swimming right up against the glass. Seeing my 8-month-old laugh at the elephants and get splashed by a penguin was the best! My daughter loved the sea lions swimming right over our heads in a walk-through aquarium. My son loved the butt of a wild hog and monkey, of course (He’s 9 and he’s a boy, its inevitable). Giant tortoises, red pandas, prairie dogs and the small insect rooms were among the other favorites. We missed 2 HUGE sections of the zoo after 3 hours of animal viewing. We could definitely spend an entire day here.
TIP : Adults usually make kids keep their pace and their agenda. Why not let the kids decide which animals to see and how long to stay at each enclosure. We spent 20 minutes with the polar bear and could barely get them to look at the elephants. It’s ok. Let them take the lead for once!
Additional Costs:
The zoo had plenty of options to see things they were free. That being said there were several things we wanted to see that you had to pay to get into. The kids were very excited about the children’s zoo with animals to pet and otters. It was $4 a person and I would’ve paid it normally, but we had a few more venues we wanted to hit, so we opted to just see the free portion and there was plenty to see! There was also a sea lion show, wild west outpost (discovery room) and stingray encounter for $4 to see. The carousel, railroad, safari adventure, and theater we other pay-for attractions. We saw everything we desired for free and then move to a different venue, vowing to come again to the zoo on another trip.
Food:
Outside food and drinks (including coolers) are permitted inside the zoo. If we would’ve been more prepared we could’ve eaten at the zoo. There were several locations that sold food (at zoo prices) and had picnic tables to eat at. For our family, we needed a food break and recharge, so we went outside of the zoo to eat (lots of fast food nearby).
TIP: A Souvenir cup of soda costs $10.99. Outrageous! But after you buy it, a soda refill is $1 and water at any of the concession stands is free. Refilling with slushie was $2.50 We usually buy a flat of water as we start our trips, but couldn’t find a grocery store on the way, so we bought the souvenir cup. It kept a family of 6 hydrated in the hot temperature, so it was worth it to get refills constantly.
This will definitely be getting another visit from us! Thanks, City of St. Louis for offering such an amazing FREE zoo!
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