Los Angeles Zoo 🇺🇸

You can explore 133 acres of wildlife and lush flora at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, owned by the city of Los Angeles since 1966. Home to roughly 280 species across spacious, naturalistic enclosures, the zoo doubled as a certified botanical garden in 2002, boasting 15 plant collections with over 800 plant species. As you navigate the grounds, you will encounter diverse animal exhibits.

Walk through the Red Ape Rain Forest to see Bornean orangutans swinging from artificial sway poles, or observe western lowland gorillas within the Campo Gorilla Reserve. Head over to the Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains to spot troops near waterfalls and artificial termite mounds. For a fascinating indoor-outdoor look at reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, visit The LAIR, featuring species like poison dart frogs, Gila monsters, and false gharials.

In the Rainforest of the Americas, you can discover jaguars, giant river otters, and cotton-top tamarins. Younger guests will love the Winnick Family Children's Zoo, where kids can groom animals at Muriel's Ranch, or the accessible Neil Papiano Play Park with its climbing sculptures and water misters.

What to see at Los Angeles Zoo

• The LAIR featuring indoor-outdoor habitats for amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles
• Campo Gorilla Reserve housing western lowland gorillas in a 1.5-acre complex
• Red Ape Rain Forest mesh enclosure home to Bornean orangutans
• Rainforest of the Americas displaying jaguars, giant river otters, and howler monkeys
• Muriel's Ranch in the Winnick Family Children's Zoo with goats and sheep to pet and groom

Visiting tips

Pick up brushes at Muriel's Ranch inside the Winnick Family Children's Zoo to groom the domestic goats and sheep.

How long: 3-4 hours · Best time: Morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Los Angeles Zoo is easy to reach on Los Angeles’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Griffith Observatory and Santa Monica Pier. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Los Angeles travel guide.