7 Things I Liked at the Free St. Louis Zoo

I recently got a chance to revisit the St. Louis Zoo and there are a few things that I noticed that helped make the trip here special. If you are thinking about going, here are some of the great things about this zoo!

Free Entry

One of the best things about the St. Louis zoo is that it is FREE! This makes it a great activity for anyone to enjoy. One thing to remember here is that parking does cost so you will want to plan to pay for that on your visit. One thing you can do to help reduce the cost though is to carpool with family or friends so you can split the price of parking. When we attended it cost us $20 for parking because we were non zoo members. You can pay the parking fee before entering or as you leave the zoo at one of their kiosks or you can use your phone to pay online. You can find more info about parking on their website HERE.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised to find while parking was a helpful and kind parking attendant. While driving into the parking lot we were asked to grab a “ticket” that we would use to pay for parking. The attendant that was helping each car was very nice and started the day off on a good note. While I always expect workers to be pleasant, this worker had such a friendly attitude. In fact, all volunteers and staff we interacted with were great!

Lettered Parking Areas with Animal Pictures

Because the parking lot is quite large, it can be easy to forget where you parked! Thankfully the parking lot is easily marked with the letters of the alphabet as well as pictures of animals that go with that specific letter. We parked in section “T” or the “Tiger” section. I recommend taking a picture of the sign in your section so you can remember it easily when its time for you leave. We had no problems finding where we parked when we left the zoo, thanks to the unique signage! 

Maps

The St. Louis zoo covers about 90 acres making it a large area to explore. There are many habitats and sections to see. You are welcome to explore at your own pace but you may also want to pick up one of the free zoo maps near the entrance. These are so helpful to help you keep track of where you are and where you want to head next. They are available to take right after you walk in. 

Benches

While there is a lot of walking involved at the St. Louis zoo, they also have plenty of benches scattered around the park in case you need a break. Everywhere we went, there was always a place for people to sit. This helps make the zoo day more pleasant and restful. 

Food

Train

If you want a fun way to explore the zoo, you can hop on the train called the Emerson Zooline Railroad. While aboard this train you will get to see animals throughout the zoo. The ride is 20 minutes long and takes you a distance of 1.5 miles. You can purchase train tickets separately or together with other attractions in the Adventure Pass. You can learn more about that here: https://stlzoo.org/attractions/adventure-pass

Beautiful Habitats and Amazing Animals

Not only is the St. Louis zoo free but I was amazed at the beautifully built habitats and the various animals that you could see. From the indoor and outdoor primate habitats to the large cats and bears, I could spend days visiting this park. The primate house along with their outdoor habitats that they switched between was fun for the viewers to see the monkeys and other animals playing and having fun. In addition to this, each section of the park was special in its own way. The polar bear was not only neat to see but it looked like it was putting on a show for each of us watching! The Penguin habitat housed some of the large penguins you don’t get to see at most zoos and the variety of large cats was so fun to see. Needless to say, you will probably be able to find whatever animal you are looking for. 

If anyone asks me if I would recommend taking the time to visit the St. Louis zoo, my answer would be YES! We saw multiple animals that are not common at other zoos I usually visit and it is a great activity for the whole family to enjoy. – Pepper and Passports

If you want to make your visit to the St. Louis zoo part of a weekend trip, you can check out my 3 day itinerary suggestions here – https://pepperandpassports.com/if-i-had-3-days-to-spend-in-st-louis-heres-what-i-would-do/

If you are road-tripping through Missouri and find yourself near Sikeston, you have to stop in and visit Lamberts for a fun dining experience – https://suitcasesandsalt.com/missouri-has-own-of-the-most-unique-restaurants/

Check out all my ideas in the state of Missouri here – https://pepperandpassports.com/category/missouri/

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