Oregon Zoo

This is a standard zoo, and probably not on the upper end of quality as zoos go. We went on a holiday Sunday and so of course it was very crowded, and that was to be expected. We didn’t have any wait to get tickets or get in, and a reasonable wait to buy lunch. We also had the ability to simply get past the hoards of strollers when needed.
Overall it was a nice Sunday activity, and I am glad we went, though I would not go back. There are your basic zoo animals for the most part, and the habitats are decent. There is a lot of walking between some of the areas, though, so be ready for that. It is also extremely convenient to get to via the train and there is a discount on admission if you do so.

I live this zoo, first and foremost they have a lot of amazing conservation achievements and awards, and they’ve reintroduced multiple species into the wild. The facilities are also simply adorable. The staff are friendly and helpful, it’s safe, there’s no risk of your unmonitored child falling into anything, they have a petting zoo etc, the only bad thing about this zoo is the humans and their trash.

This was one of my favorite zoos I’ve visited. It’s not huge, but it’s built into the mountainside of Washington Park, which makes for a beautiful walk through the zoo. This was especially neat in the Pacific Northwest exhibit, which featured mountain goats, bears, condors, and cougars. We went on the second Tuesday of the month and rode the MAX to get there, so the admission cost for the three of us combined was $ 5; crazy great deal! Every animal came right up to see us, too; the condor spread its wings and held it for a few minutes, the cougar was sleeping right up against the glass, etc etc. don’t expect a mammoth zoo, but a great one!

We had a lot of fun, but might have all bee because of the train ride! It’s only 6 minutes but for a toddler, that’s just perfect! The animals are pretty spread out so put on good walking shoes.
Beware of major crowds… we got there 10 min before it opened and had to wait in line for 30 min just to buy tickets. And they had 4 lines open for ticket sales! Then inside, it was so packed I felt stressed out the whole time. I’d go again but not on a weekend.

This zoo puts CA zoos to shame. The way the habitats are designed and the size of the habitats are amazing. You almost feel like you are walking with these animals in the wild.
Also, all the animals seemed happy. None of them seemed stressed or depressed. A great experience overall.

The zoo was a fun start to our trip. They have zoo keys for $ 2.50 at admissions. The zoo itself wasn’t too huge and you can see everything in under 2 hours. The petting zoo wasn’t open when we were there so that was disappointing. Not many exotic animals.
Pay to park for their parking area. Around $ 4 for 2.5 hours.

A small, yet charming zoo.
Oregon zoo doesn’t have the same level of variety of animals as other zoos might but it is still a great place to visit. They have bats, elephants, a few bears, etc.
Every time I have been here, there are zookeepers present at nearly every exhibit, tending to the animals. I feel like they are well taken care of.
The layout of the zoo is nice. It is easy to find the exhibits you are looking for and the shops are nicely spaced out to give you easy access to anything you may need.
If you plan on going to the zoo often, check out their membership program. There are discounts and special offers available. The program pays for itself in just a few visits.

Love this place! It was so hot today but we found plenty of shade plus had a couple cold beers to help us stay cool hahaha some of the animals weren’t out but I don’t blame them it’s was like 96 degrees today My daughter & I ate at the restaurant right when u come in & the food was good… also friendly staff

The train is not worth your money. I thought we were going to see some of the animal exhibits, but all you see is a corner of the elephant area. There are no other animals to see, just trees and grass.
The train is old and is in need of paint. The floor of the train is very rusty.

Great zoo. Kids loved it! We enjoyed the shady sand play area to take a little break.
The train trip is super short but, again enjoyable
TIP: If you are trying to eat healthy the menu options are a little limited. Cross over to the children’s museum for super fresh lunch and amazing vegan options.

Bought a years pass, used it 7 times thus far… And this place is a total wreck. Why buy a pass if you can’t get priority parking? It’s simple, I spend extra money to not ride a fucking shuttle to get to the zoo.
The train. Wow. What was that… We wait and wait for the thing to reopen, then when it finally does, it’s worse??? we rode it on Saturday, it went in a 3 minute loop… Half the time was spent clearing the crossing! You see approximately ZERO animals. Special day out with the kid. Glad you have to pay extra to ride it!
Parking losers. You idiots are below the folks that clean up monkey shit. Your brain is unable to comprehend simple concepts like displacement… I feel sorry for the children that are forced to look to you as role models.

Our visit to the Oregon Zoo was a fun experience. The grounds are well kept and habitats are well designed. It is also very easy to navigate and get around.
My only complaint would be the food. Many of the vendor areas were closed and the few that were open had a very limited supply and fairly low quality. I would definitely recommend planning to eat prior to or after your visit.

Really beautiful zoo. Comparable to the San Diego Zoo. The animals don’t look as depressed and I didn’t have that instant «zoo guilt» that I do at the SF and Oaklands Zoos. Most were out and active, we spent the entire day there. Some animals I hadn’t seen at other zoos. Wow, I didn’t realize how large a porcupine actually is! The exhibits with the aquarium features are just so cool. Neat to see what’s going on underwater. This was my 3^rd time here, and I hope to return again soon.
I also appreciated the private area for breastfeeding moms. Just the cherry on top of the perfect day!

I should preface this review by letting you know that zoos tend to make me a bit sad. That’s said, the Oregon Zoo felt like a rather happy place! We visited on a beautifully sunny and warm day which made it decidedly most enjoyable. What the zoo lacks in size it more than makes up for in diversity and quality of habitats and information. I should note that many of the current habitats are either moving or being given a makeover. We found the design of the habitats to be both thoughtful and purposeful.
Elephant Lands is a new habitat that the kiddo very much enjoyed. This was far and away our favorite area of the zoo. While it’s great fun for kids to be able to be up close and personal with the elephants and other animals, my husband and I were impressed with the bounty of educational information and tons of facts. «Did you know?» Love those! The chimps are always a hit and the Oregon Zoo didn’t disappoint. We were fortunate to catch two of the Mandrills with their unique and «cool!» facial markings and Manic Panic-​esque crimped facial hair and goatee. These are strictly technical terms, of course.
I’m happy (oops, I mean devastated) to report that the insect zoo was closed temporarily. Fortunately, my little man is too little to be interested in bugs as of yet. I know it’s coming. I know, I know. Sadly, the zoo train was also closed which was a shame because what kid doesn’t love a train?! Or adult for that matter? An ice cream cone made up for that. Well, an ice cream cone for each of us of course. Let’s be real here.
There are so many outstanding animals and habitats, so I’ll stop here. Well, after I tell you how freaking cute the black howler monkeys are! Chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool. What a life! We’ll absolutely be returning to the Oregon Zoo to spend more time in other areas we didn’t fully explore. A great zoo in a great city.

Best zoo I’ve been to outside of San Diego. Better than Woodland in Seattle and just above Point Defiance.
Only thing is, they need to step up their game on the food and snacks. Better and more options and people will stick around and spend more money. Hot dogs and frozen pizza aren’t going to cut it.
Also, I drove around for 30 min looking for a parking spot. There just isn’t enough! My son fell asleep while looking for one and so our zoo trip was delayed by an hour as I let him sleep.

The Oregon Zoo may not be the best zoo I’ve visited, but it’s very close to the top. There is plenty of parking at the Zoo, but you need to arrive early. You park in a space, then pay for that specific space from a machine. No need to display a ticket, which was nice. When we went to the Zoo (April of 2016) it was $ 6.40 for the day. But, in addition to the Zoo you are close to the Children’s Museum and you could also walk to other attractions in Washington Park. So, given the scarcity of parking in crowded areas in Portland in general, I think it’s a fine deal.
We arrived around 10 on a Saturday. It was getting crowded, but wasn’t a madhouse. The Oregon Zoo is the first Zoo I’ve been to where I felt like a lot of the habitat and terrain wasn’t manufactured, they just built a zoo within a forest. It really was gorgeous, and the animals had a ton of room. The black bears and cougars in particular had a great deal of space. Right now, the Zoo has 2 bald eagles, and you can get quite close. Very impressive stuff.
I think the stars of our visit were the polar bear and otters. You get RIGHT up to the glass and they swim right past you. My son was mesmerized (and startled) by the otters. You really get a sense of how large the polar bear is. The elephants were another highlight, we saw one wading in the water. The enclosure is quite large.
There were plenty of places to get a snack or drink throughout the Zoo. Additionally, there were a fair amount of restrooms. As the day went on, the Zoo began to get crowded, so much so that when we left (around 1) we were greeted by a bunch of cars prowling the parking lot for a space. So, after one visit, my advice is if you plan on going to the Oregon Zoo, go as early as possible.
My son and I rode the carousel, which was $ 3 per person. Kids can ride alone if they are a certain height, but he wanted me to ride with him. He (as the other kids riding) had a blast. We walked by a couple of playgrounds as well. There is plenty to do here for kids.
Overall, I was struck by the beauty of this place, it was a fantastic location and atmosphere, really tailor-​made for a zoo. On future trips to Oregon we will absolutely return to the zoo. Highly recommended.

So I finally returned now that I have a kid and I remain incredibly impressed by the zoo. It’s beautiful, Eco conscious, and I love the new elephant space. I’m a reciprocal member of the Oakland zoo so the price was really reasonable. I would definitely come back. The only thing I didn’t like was that sometimes it’s hard to find a way out of some of the exhibits but I’m also somewhat direction impaired.

I love love love love the Oregon Zoo in Portland. So much better in every way than any zoo in CA.
The animals are healthy and active. You can get really close to them and see them in great detail. There is a wonderful array of animals from all parts of the world and a native Pacific Northwest section devoted to local wildlife.
It also has a ton of regular learning information and FUN colorful information at every exhibit.
Did I mention it’s ONLY $ 11 to get in??? What a deal for such a treat that you can wander around all day. It’s Fantastic for the kids, on a date or go by yourself. Heck why not?
This is a MUST DO if you are ever in Portland.

We made the colossal mistake of going on a Saturday. There are 4 different things (museums, park, zoo) using the same parking lot and it took forever to find a spot at 10am. Dumb of me, but most of the «open» spots were partially obstructed by peopel who couldn’t park between the lines.
The pricing on the tickets was great, and the zoo itself was outstanding. The new elephant enclosure is worth the ticket price alone.
I got really tired after all of that hiking around the park and literally couldn’t find the exit. It’s a little confusing because there is only one way to get out, but we had a great time.
We want to come back for a concert!

Though it’s not nearly the size of the San Diego zoo, it has all of the animals you’d expect to see and then some. The new elephant habitat it’s truly stunning. We went on a Tuesday in mid February so not many of the shops or food places were open but enough to find something if you really wanted to. The animals all seemed to be in good condition and healthy. And this was the first zoo I’ve ever been to that didn’t smell like zoo from the parking lot. As a matter of fact, the only time I smelled zoo was at the rhinos and hippos. We loved it and will be going back as our daughter gets older.

Awesome, even on a rainy day such as this. Though Unilocal has it wrong. The Zoo closes at 4pm until March.

Small zoo, but the song is gorgeous as is already afforded by the PNW! The current habitats are clean and animals all appear healthy and interactive. The zoo is, however, small, I suspect that it could use more support from the community.

For Zoo Lights only:
I’m downgrading my 5-​star rating of the Zoo to 4 stars to take into account my recent experience at Zoo lights. Long story short, it was a harrowing experience. We arrived to the overflow lot before sunset (yes, the main zoo lot was already full) and we had to wait in line for an hour before a bus arrived. After a short drive to the front gates, we had to wait in line again to get our member tickets. Then we walked past most of the non-​members who were in MUCH longer lines to go to the entrance, where we encountered yet another line. By the time we actually got into the zoo, a full 1.5 hours had passed from the time we parked the car. By then, we were tired and cold. Once in the zoo, we walked around the loop and enjoyed the lights, but the crowds were just insane. There were some neat animal lights and light tunnels. We wrapped up a mere 30 minutes later. Then we had to wait in another line to be bussed back to the parking lot. 2 hours of waiting + 30 minutes of actual Zoo lights = not going to return ever again. Go to Peacock Lane next time for lots of lights and no wait! :)

I always enjoy time at the Washinngton Park Zoo. Yeah I know the name has changed. I just like the old one better. It is best when you have kids with you. Their excitement is contagious. All the animals!
like most zoos it is split into areas, Most based on Geography, though Primates are all lumped together as are the bears and the humboldt penguins are all by themselfs as are the elephants.
The zoo is much better now that they have gotten rid of all the little cages. Most of the animals are now in enclosures which while still pens, have more for them to do.
My favorite area is the walk through aviery attached to the Africafe. In cold/​wet weather, it is always warm and dry!
I also really love to watch the penguins and especially the otters when they are playing. I can watch them for a very long time!
I am looking forward to the zoo train getting back to its full range down by the rose gardens again. It was always such a nice ride.
Christmastime dont miss the Zoo Lights! they always change a bit but are packed for a reason! They always have such a great display! (exelent for kids),
Summers bring the concert series, I am actually mixed on this, it is packed, there is no seating just a lawn if you can find space. Though the fact that it gets so packed proves many disagree with me!
Tip: zoo membership can be a great value. Members can come and go as they want. No need to see everything at once, you can see more next week!
Note, the zoo is spread out and has many slopes. I have seen people with mobility issues struggle.

I hadn’t been to the Oregon zoo since I was a kid in the 90s, but I can tell that they’ve made a lot of renovations since that time. This is a very beautiful zoo, however, I was unable to see most animals since we were there for the ZooLights. This was my first time to ZooLights at any zoo and it was very impressive. They had a lot of lights for different animals and also mythical animals. I really liked the lighted tunnel that you could go through and it afforded a fantastic photo opportunity. There were a couple stands selling elephant ears, which is a positively delicious bad health decision. Mike and I went with my cousin and their three kids and we really had a great time. We took the MAX to and from the zoo, which was very efficient. I’m hoping to visit the zoo again during the day on a different visit.

UGH!!! This is solely about zoo lights! HORRIBLE! So damn busy and tons, and tons and TONS of people everywhere!!! Every single person who lives in Portland had to of been there I swear! My poor 6 year old was trampled many times, she was in tears when we left. We spent 40+minutes in line to ride the train, and there were SO many people I felt like I couldn’t breath, you have to go through a zig zag of people like at the airport, AFTER you’ve already been in a super looooooong line forever. Honestly I think I had some serious sympathy for animals being herded into the slaughter house, that’s how it felt! It was so horrible!
Needless to say, the zoo?-cool. Zoo lights? — never, ever, ever again!!! SO not worth it!
If you enjoy spending almost all your time fighting just to walk around and getting ran over by massive strollers and love standing in long, looooong lines in the freezing cold then zoo lights is for you! And all this for only the small price of $ 50 for a family of four, and they will throw in paying to park too, at «holiday rates»

I haven’t been to the zoo during the day in years so this review is only about zoo lights.
I was so disappointed that I didn’t get to see any animals this year at zoo lights!!! In the past, I remember seeing the brown bears, polar bears and elephants while walking around at looking at the lights. So if you main reason to go to zoo lights is to see animals, you are out of luck.
Zoo lights gets very busy so the best time to go is during the week or right when they open on the weekends.
In my opinion, walking around in the cold for average Christmas lights and no animals is not worth the $ 15 per person.

In California, we don’t have nice Zoo’s as that of the Portland Zoo.
I’ve only been in town for 2 months now, and I’ve already been to this zoo 4 times!
The scenery is ＢＥＹＯＮＤ beautiful! All the animals look happy, healthy, and are close enough for all members of your family; big and small, to see!
The Lion & Bat Exhibit are amazing! I’ve never seen a pride of Lions before! At other zoos it’s always just one isolated, far from view and all alone. I’ve also never seen a Bat up close like they have, and so many of them!
Definite recommend!

I like it so far. Animals were lovely, but The tickets in my opinion is expensive $ 12 per person for public park is expensive. And Also u have to pay for parking!!!

Ok, way better Zoo lights this year and there is no better way to get on the train than buying the tickets online in advance. Waiting in a two hour line is the pits. We missed our 5 o’clock train; however we were able to stand in the standby line. Waited 15 minutes and the train adventure began. Enjoy and try and get there when the sun goes down after around 6:30 or so the Zoo becomes a zoo with crowds of people.

+
* Well-​designed and you don’t feel like you’re in the city anymore
* Nice array of animals and it’s neat to see a PNW section
* Tickets were not overly expensive
* Discount on your admission if you rode public transportation
* Easily burn a few hours here
+/​-​
* Looks like you can bring in your own food/​drinks
* All day parking for $ 4
* A decent number of the exhibits were closed or the animals not present
* Fall/​Winter many of the dining venues are closed
-
* Drinks were $ 3 out of the vending machine, way to gouge

I want to give our zoo all five stars but I am struggling to give it even 3.
I have been coming to the zoo since I was a kid. Then brought my kids. and hopefully will soon bring grandkids.
Parking has just gotten worse. You hope to find a spot buy the zoo and not take the suttle. With small kids, strollers, it adds another half hour. The parking lot seems to be getting smaller with a parking tab to the patrons. Tip. Get there as soon as they open.
The zoo started with a cup of decaf w/​soy espresso. It was literally water. I think the soy must of been diluted and not to mention the lack of any coffee. Outrageous prices. Total disappointment.
Off to the exhibits. The monkeys. Some still are in the concrete off white walls of the 70s. The penguins… hold your breath. You would think after all these years they could come up with a venting system that works.
The bears were the worse disappointment of all. I personally was embarrassed for the unsightly display of their homes. With what the zoo must call their toys look like garbage just dumped into their exhibits. I was appalled!
It wasn’t till we got to the new elephant exhibit that I felt like these animals had what they deserved.
From the rhinos to the lions, this area is being keep up nicely. The birds, cats, and black bears also have a nice home without the plastic garbage toys.

Tina said it best «it’s simply the best! Better than all the rest!»
Our family has bn a TON of zoos and wildlife parks. None compares to OR Zoo. It is in constant motion and expansion. Always in search of the who what when where and why and how can we make it even btr for the animals, the habitats, exhibits, environment and today’s visitor.
The elephants are probably the most talked abt and most popular of habitats to visit. These majestic beauties hv made their way onto world news a number of times.
Let’s not forget abt educational talks and lectures. Stage shows and varying entertainment offered throughout the year either! And the food! OMG… you must have an «elephant ear» w/​cinnamon & sugar — yums. The restaurants are reasonably priced and bringing in outside is OK, for now.
Stop off @ the gift shop for sure! In the left corner to the rear, handmade fudge is sold in a variety of flavors! It is melt-​in-​your-​mouth amazing! Once you eat all of yours — LOOK OUT whoever didn’t finish theirs fast enough!
O. And don’t be cheap. PAY for parking, I think it’s like $ 2. Slip in an extra $ or 2 whn you see a donation station. It’s the right thing to do.

Loved this place! The scenery was amazing all around and through out the zoo. They have the common animals that all of the zoos have so I didn’t notice a huge difference with the variety. But overall the place is beautiful. However, I went on a Sunday which was a big mistake because it was packed with kids running around everywhere (obviously). Since I don’t have kids it was annoying lol. Great place to take yours though.

We hiked down to the zoo from Pittock mansion which was a very beautiful but tiring hike. It was a bit confusing trying to find the zoo but we managed to find it eventually. We ate at the restaurant there and I ordered the chicken strip basket and my friend ordered the turkey sandwich. We both enjoyed our meals very much and the people there were very nice. The zoo was pretty clean and we enjoyed the variety of the animals and attractions. I actually enjoyed the fact that the foliage throughout the zoo was also labeled to identify each one. We both enjoyed our time there very much and would recommend it to others.

Peronally, I love the zoo! The Oregon zoo definitely did not disappoint. First off, the zoo is huge. It was nice being able to see animals not seen at our local zoos in Washington. The grounds are very well maintained and I enjoyed the layout, following one path which will take you through the whole zoo — no double-​backing.
Most their exhibits are all behind thick glass, and as someone who likes to take pictures of the animals, I would prefer less glass and more «open fence» type enclosures. The glare and dirty windows make for poor photos :(

Oh the zoo… What a love/​hate relationship I have w you.
On the one hand I love that my kids get to see actual living critters up close and personal… Most of which they would never have the opportunity to have if it weren’t for the zoo.
On the other the hand these animals seem so unhappy and lethargic. Many spend the day laying around in their pens, sometimes with no other animal companions.
I get that there are breeding programs that are helping as well to save endangered species. Also, some of these animals had been injured and were saved and now get to recover and live in cages or walls of thick plexiglass.
It’s this weird dichotomy that I experience each time we visit the zoo. Yet I still pay to take my kids as I feel it’s the lesser of these evils and my kids get to learn about animals that need saving.

We were pleasantly surprised by this zoo. We went in expecting it to be a short visit and doesn’t several hours here.
There are a lot of exhibits with great viewing spots. Several restaurants and snack vendors throughout and a decent gift shop too!
The big cat exhibit area was a personal favorite but the new elephant exhibit they are working on looks like it will be excellent as well.
We had to park off site due to the high volume of people, however they had convenient shuttle buses going back and forth so that was no big deal. Plus they didn’t charge for parking if you were in overflow.
Overall: A
Great zoo for the animal lovers out there.

Very nice zoo! We have been to larger and we have been to smaller. We took our two teenage kids and had a blast. Tried the Elephant Ears due to the recommendations. These things are large and have a L O T of sugar! We split two among the four of us, tasty… lots of sugar. The lay out of the zoo was very nice and with tress covering 90% of the walking areas… keeping us coolon a 90 degree day. The park was very clean.
The only complaint I have has nothing to do with the park. It has to do with strollers and the inconsiderate people (not all, a few) that use them to force their way in front of you while you are viewing the animals.

I liked this zoo. It was bigger than I expected with many exhibits. I was impressed with their apes, they had many different kinds. The cages were large enough, and it seemed like the animals were comfortable. They had these really cool otters. The trainers had thick plastic bottles that were full of ice and clams. The otters were banging the bottles against the rocks, trying to get the clams out. It was cool to watch. There were some cheetah, lions, and cougars. I love felines, so it was nice to be able to see them up close. There was also an Amur leopard and Amur tiger — two extremely rare animals. It pains my heart to think that these animals are being killed due to poaching and human encroachment. Why can’t we leave these animals alone?
It was easy to walk around and find the different animals. There was a lot of cool plants situated around the park. I kind of wish there were more interactive features, and there could’ve perhaps been more information posted about the animals, but on the whole this is a nice zoo. Great way to spend 3 – 4 hours.

Today my wife, son, and I came at 3pm on Memorial Day to enjoy the nice weather and a warm elephant ear as a snack. As any parent will tell you, save the elephant ear for last so your child does not bounce off the zoo walls… That said the attractions were nice, the facility was clean and in good order however 30 min prior to closing both elephant ear carts had closed with the lame excuse «we are running out of dough» really? Well if your running out then your NOT out and can make more but the teenage staffing that obviously cares little for the impact they have on other people’s lives saw my sons crying eyes and did nothing to correct the fact that they CLOSED EARLY.
One star, for a total lack of perspective… Our member ship will not be renewed next year if this is the service we experience EVER again.

We used to love to come to the zoo however there is far too much going on right now. A visit lasted last year we experienced watching one of the tigers have a heart attack, it was out there for people to see for awhile. There has been construction going on for over a year to where now you view one elephant from behind the fence that has cut into the larger grass seating area.
The train re opened and I don’t understand why! The ticked said short trip and it should say one small circle, we seriously rode the train one block around a loop and back! My son was just happy to be on a train but there should not be a cost for this ride!!!