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Visiting the Zoo Atlanta is one of our favorite attractions in Atlanta for kids and families. It is also a favorite thing to do when we have out of town grandparents visiting. Everyone gets a little exercise and usually everyone has a blast.
For two years running we had season passes to Zoo Atlanta. Yes, we have a lot of experience at the attraction.
We have been there on holiday weekends when the place is packed, but we also figured out the best time to visit, to avoid the large crowds.
For those unfamiliar, The Atlanta Zoo is located in the historic Grant Park neighborhood of Atlanta.
In this guide, we will share some tips and information to make your visit a little easier, especially if you are visiting the zoo for the first time.
Planning Your Visit To Zoo Atlanta
Major Zoo Atlanta Exhibits
- The Flamingo Plaza is the welcome plaza to the zoo. Here you can find bathrooms, maps and a gift shop. It’s a great spot to plan for your way around the Zoo. The flamingos are great too. Most people just head to the African Plains exhibit.
- African Plains is a renovated area that has a very large exhibit for elephants and rhinoceros. Previously it was very large to see these massive animals. Now they are very close. The other favorite exhibit is the giraffes, zebras and ostrich.
- African Rainforest is one of our favorites. The last time we visited there was a baby gorilla doing somersaults down the hill.
- Asian Forrest has a few fun exhibits to spend some time at. Our kids love watching the otters play in the water. Just down the path you can see the orangutans swinging from ropes. One of the biggest attractions is the panda exhibit. It’s usually one of the more crowded exhibits.
- World of Reptiles has all the best snakes and lizards. Kids really love getting up close to the animals.
- Kids Zone is toward the end of the zoo. There is plenty to do for kids of all ages. If your kid likes petting zoo’s, this is one of the best petting zoo’s near Atlanta. Ride the train, carousel or cool off in the splash park.
How Long Does It Take To Visit Zoo Atlanta?
Well this is a great question, but it really depends on you! It will take anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours. You may spend more than 3 hours if you stop at every exhibit, take a long lunch and then ride the train and play at every stop in the Kids Zone.
For us, usually to see most of the exhibits and stop at one attraction in the Kids Zone it takes between 90 minutes to 2 hours.
If we are with the grandparents, it usually takes a little over 2 hours, simply because the kids want to show them everything.
Best Time To Visit Zoo Atlanta
The best time to avoid the crowds at the zoo is on a weekday, just before the opening. Usually if you show up 15 minutes before opening, you can find a spot near the zoo entrance and have an enjoyable time.
If you choose to go on the weekend, mid day or on a holiday, expect crowds and having to wait a little to see the exhibits up close.
Usually, it is not bad anytime.
Zoo Atlanta Map
Here is the most up to date Zoo Atlanta map. Free maps are available upon entry to the park.
Getting To The Zoo Atlanta
Unfortunately the closest Marta stop is King Memorial which is over a mile and a half away. However you could stop the the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, pass by the Oakland cemetery and then make your way to the zoo. It would make for a long day, but you sure would be getting over 20,000 steps in!
However, most people drive and park at one of the two parking lots.
Parking at Zoo Atlanta
There are two main parking lots to access Zoo Atlanta. While parking used to be free, not anymore. Effective as of Saturday, January 2, 2021, the City of Atlanta has transitioned to a paid parking program in both lots.
Cherokee Ave parking – This lot is the closest lot to the zoo. If you arrived right before the zoo opens, you have a decent chance to secure a spot in this lot. If not, may luck be with you. It is usually busy with people trying to find a spot.
Grant Park Gateway Parking lot is located at 759 Boulevard SE, Atlanta, GA 30308. This is a newer lot that was created to help with overflow from Cherokee Ave.
Street parking is another option available to you. I highlighted an area where you have a decent chance of finding parking close by. If you don’t mind walking a few blocks, this is a great option.
Top 5 Favorite Zoo Atlanta Animals
1 – Zoo Atlanta Gorillas
The Gorilla habitat is very large. The Zoo Atlanta has one of the largest populations of gorilla’s. They have almost 2 acres of land to explore. My kids love the silverback males and of course the little baby gorillas.
When it is not crowded, we could spend a lot of time just watching them play.
2 – Zoo Atlanta Pandas
The giant pandas are a year round attraction even though these animals don’t love the heat. When it is warm outside, you can find them indoors through the glass.
While we love the pandas, this attraction usually is very crowded and therefore we never stay as long as we want.
3 – Elephants
The newer elephant exhibit at the Zoo Atlanta gives these large animals the room they deserve to roam. It also allows everyone to see these amazing creatures up close. You really get to see how massive they are.
4 – Reptile Exhibit
This is my kids favorite. They love seeing all the various species of snakes. Sometimes they move to fast bouncing from one to the next. Other times, they will play a game, who can find the snake first. Either way, they love it.
Their favorite is all the way the end of the exhibit. The little terrapins. Such a unique add, that you usually don’t find at other zoo’s.
5 – Giraffes
While this isn’t always available, sometimes for a small fee you can hand feed the giraffes a piece of lettuce. The kids love it because the encounter is up close and personal.
Zoo Atlanta or Aquarium?
If you had to choose one attraction, would you choose the Zoo Atlanta or the Georgia Aquarium?
This is obviously a hard choice because both are pretty amazing. If it was me, I would choose the aquarium on a rainy day and the zoo on a great weather day.
Let me know your thoughts on which you think is the better attraction in the comments.
Hotels Near Zoo Atlanta
Unfortunately, there are limited hotel options in the immediate area surrounding the Zoo and Grant Park. The neighborhood is mostly residential.
I would probably stay somewhere in the Centennial Park District and Uber or drive to the zoo.
Here are a few ideas for hotels that are more in Downtown Atlanta:
- Hyatt Place Atlanta / Centennial Park – This hotel is pet friendly! It also has a restaurant on site, offers free breakfast and has a fitness center and pool.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park – who doesn’t love the managers receptions at an Embassy? This hotel has a Ruth’s Chris.
- Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center is probably one of the nicest hotels in the district and the closest to Mercedes Benz Stadium.
- Hyatt House Atlanta/Downtown is the closest hotel to the Georgia Aquarium.