How to Enjoy a Trip to the Oklahoma City Zoo

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is a great destination for your whole family. The zoo is home to nearly 2,000 animals and features dozens of special exhibits. Enjoying a day at the Oklahoma City Zoo is not difficult, considering all the zoo has to offer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Get to the Oklahoma City Zoo (2101 Northeast 50th Street) early in the day. The zoo opens at 9:00 a.m., and it is much less crowded in the morning than in the afternoon. Parking at the zoo is free, and admission rates are very reasonable.

2. Rent a stroller, wagon, wheelchair or electronic vehicle to get around the zoo, if you have young children, elderly or disabled people in your party. This will make your trip to the zoo much easier and more enjoyable.

3. Ride the Safari Tram, if this is your first time at the Oklahoma City Zoo. The tram is a narrated ride through the zoo with several stops along the way. The Safari Tram embarks near the main entrance and takes about 25 minutes. A trip on the tram will give you a better idea about all the zoo features and attractions.

4. Take a look at the big cats at the Cat Forest/Lion Overlook very early in the day. The lions and tigers sleep in the afternoon. So it's best to get to this Oklahoma City exhibit before 10:00 a.m., if you want to catch them prowling around.

5. Head to the Great EscApe area to see gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans in their beautiful $6.6 million habitat. Arrive at the Great EscApe around 11:30 a.m. daily to see the zoo keepers feeding the gorillas. You can watch close up through the thick, glass windows as the giant gorillas devour their lunch. Feeding times change, so call the zoo at [phone] to check the current schedule.

6. See the Fins and Feathers show at the Noble Aquatic Center area. Bird and sea lions entertain the crowd in shows at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday with an extra show at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

7. Sign your children up for one of the Oklahoma City Zoo's programs or summer camps. The zoo offers arts and crafts and storytime programs for toddlers, as well as summer day camps for kids ages 4 to 16. To register online, visit okczoo.com and click on "Programs" in the top navigation bar. Then select the program of your choice, and follow the simple registration instructions.

8. Join the Oklahoma City Zoological Society at zoofriends.org to get free admission to the zoo for an entire year, discounts on zoo merchandise and invitations to special invitation-only events.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't disturb the animals by tapping on glass windows or banging on cages.
• Don't feed the animals unless you are given the food by zoo personnel. The zoo animals are on special diets.