Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis

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One of the finest zoos in the country-in fact rated in top 10. It is free to the open areas, and nominal charges for kid's section, special attractions and train rides; all no more than $5. The zoo covers about 200 acres and been in operation over 100 years, when it started after the 1904 World's Fair. is laid out in a very nice manner where you go in circles to see the sites.
The butterfly house is especially good and has a number of species inside.

FREE
+Food
+Parking
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A fun day

Okay so the free zoo cost us about $75, but it was worth it. Parking was $11, but if you plan you can park for free. Safari passes, a must have if you have kids $10 each (we got a coupon from a travel center for BOGO). Food can gat pricey, but you are allowed to bring your own (we wanted to experience to whole outing so we purchased ours, Parmesan CHk sandwich, BBQ pork sand, drinks, 2 kids meals + $23, 2 rootbeer floats, and a funnel cake sundae = $12).
The exhibits are good. Best is penguin and Puffin Coast, up close and personal, we even got splashed by a penguin that was about 2 feet away (it is colder in this exhibit). The hippos were very close as well. If you get there during the first hour you can get into Stingrays at Carribean Cove free ($3 each otherwise) and pet live stingrays.
Alot of walking.

Go to the St. Louis Zoo! It is always ranked among the best in the country. I've been to many other zoos, including the famous San Diego Zoo. I thought ours was better. It's also FREE! That's right, you don't have to pay $16.50 per adult to get in.

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When it warms up just a bit in late winter, Steve and I often head to the Zoo for a winter picnic. We pack sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies in a paper bag, and either a thermos of hot coffee or buy some at Panera. The Zoo is free, and if you're willing to walk a bit to get there, you can park free, too along the side roads in Forest Park. We usually enter through the entrance near the Art Museum. There are tables on the outside of the Zoo Administration Building which also contains the Children's Zoo. We either turn left to see the bears or go across the railroad tracks and find a park bench in front of the lake with all the water birds. The seals are right there too. This time we just focused on going to the Bird House which is a great way to warm up if it is a little chilly. Also, the Zoo keeps a fantastic display of large and small birds in this house.

If you have children, I am sure they would love a visit to our zoo. There's so much to see and do here. I haven't see some of the newest areas yet. Or the upgraded outdoor bird aviary that is over a hundred years old. It is really big, the cage and the zoo. There's a zoo train ride, a guided tour bus "train, " a children's zoo, playground, indoor exhibits, a penguin & puffin indoor building and much more.

This map might be a little old, but will give you a good idea of how big the place is. Oh, I almost forgot!! Admission to the main zoo entrances is FREE. The rides cost money & there are plenty of places to eat. A variety of cafes & you can bring a picnic, too. There are two zoo parking lots but they are not free. You might be able to find a good, free spot along a street curb. If you have little kids, be sure to bring a stroller.

The St Louis Zoo is probably my favorite, although my first real life exposure to it probably cost me whatever chances I may have had with one of the prettiest young ladies that I ever dated. I had driven over from Omaha, NE for the weekend to meet the sister of one of my Air Force pals. I thought that we hit it off pretty well but apparently made the mistake of spending several hours at the zoo, which I enjoyed and thought would have been okay because she asked if I wanted to see it. When I returned to Omaha and work the following week, my buddy asked me if I took her to the zoo. When I said that I had, his face almost fell off. He immediately apologized and said that he had meant to warn me that she hated the zoo because "all of her first dates seem to end up there." After I left about a million messages on her answering machine, I told my pal that he should tell her not to suggest the zoo if she did not want to go there, but I never saw, nor even spoke to, her again. Nevertheless, I have been back to the zoo and always enjoy it even with the still haunting questions of "what might have been." The zoo is in a park-like setting in an even larger park. It doesn't have any particularly unique animals or displays but I suppose that I like it so much because it never seems crowded and you can travel through it at whatever pace you desire.

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The St. Louis Zoo is the best! Our family has been going here forever, just like our parents and grandparents did. It is a world renown zoo, and the people in the metropolitan area voted several times to pay a tax just to keep it free for everyone! Yep, that is right, no admission. What other zoo can say that?

The zoo is located on 77 acres in Forest Park, easy to find and easy to navigate. Because of the great citizen support, the zoo is always able to upgrade and improve. Although there are a lot of historical buildings in the park, plans are in the works to rework and improve the bear pits next. Add that to all the other newly renovated areas, and you have a very nice, family oriented zoo.

Open daily until dark, except closed Christmas Day.

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We went to the St. Louis Zoo in June and we loved it!! The zoo was large with a lot of exhibits. The animals seemed to be in a "natural" looking habitat with a lot of room for them to roam around. While the zoo was free, as was parking, there were a few things that was required to be paid for, but we had no problem buying lunch at the park with all of the free stuff that we had access to. Lunch at the zoo cafeteria was on average about $8 per person. Just do not go on a hot day, as shade is scarce! I would reccommend and most defiantly go back again!

The St. Louis Zoo is considered one of the best in the country. It is located in Forest Park about 10 min from downtown. I paticularly enjoy the Penguin and Puffin exhibit and the Big Cat Country. Admission is free. A great place to visit on a family vacation.

Took a tram and get off new this impressive zoo.

My usual favorites are the primates. Saw one of the best enclosures I have seen for gorillas. There are different walking levels and glass views for viewing to see the gorillas up close. Plenty of greenery and even artificial waterfalls within the enclosure.

The zoo is divided into different zones.
1) River's Edge - Elephants, hyenas, cheetahs.
2) The Wild - Penguins, bears, great apes.
3) Discovery Corner - Petting animals for children.
4) Historic Hill - Primates, birds, reptiles.
5) Red Rocks - Big cats, zebras, giraffes, antelopes.
6) Lakeside Crossing - Souvenir, refreshments.

Admission is free. A few optional attractions has admission fees.

Open daily 9am to 5pm. Closed for Christmas and New Year's Day.

If using the MetroLink, stop at Forest Park/DeBaliviere station and take connecting Metrobus.