Fort Worth Zoo and kids

We love the Fort Worth Zoo.

Hours: 10-4.
Costs: Adults (13+) 9.75; Children (3-12) 7.25; Under 2 is free; Seniors 6.25. Oh, yeah, don't forget parking is 5.00 and Wednesdays are half price.


When going to the zoo, look at a map (they have them at the ticket booth) and choose a direction. We either choose Alligators (Texas exhibit) or Tigers (Asian area and Primates) or Birds and Reptiles (this includes the Australia exhibit.) You can usually cover one of these areas in about two hours.

The Texas exhibit is far more interesting than you might imagine. We have more wildlife in Texas than raccoons, armadillos and fire ants. The Texas exhibit is also the best direction to take if you are going to eat--there is a cafeteria style eating area offering BBQ, Pizza, etc. The Texas exhibit also offers your best chance for beating the Texas heat. There is a kids play area, petting zoo, and a couple of indoor exhibits.

Insider Tips:

• You can exit Forest Park Blvd. Off of I30, take a Right on Park Place Avenue, and another right on Colonial. This seems to be a less known travel route. All of the signage points to University Drive, but University can be very congested.
• Take the zoo train. Its cheap entertainment and it takes you past the Bison and Red Wolf. Its a long walk for not much otherwise. The train is the only way to access the wolf exhibit, but , honestly, I think they are bluffing--I've yet to see the wolf.
• The quesadillas are awful.
• Do not visit the monkeys in the afternoon. They start eating their feces. I know that sounds gross, but seeing it is worse. Go in the morning when they are eating carrots--for the first time.
• Go in the Alamo looking building in the Texas exhibit. They have great air conditioning and you can sit and watch a fairly entertaining "multimedia" (I use the term loosely) presentation about Texas wildlife. My four year old likes it.
• Don't take a stroller unless you have to. Go at the pace of your child. The zoo is a great place to let your child walk, provided it isn't overwhelmingly crowded. So what if you spend 30 min. watching the flamingos or the motionless alligator and never make it to the cool animals? BTW, I've never seen the alligator move except once when it became "dislodged" and bobbed around a bit. I think it's fake, but it is my sons favorite animal.
• The animals are more active on cooler days. During the summer you mind's well visit a stuffed animal museum--at least there is air conditioning.
• Between the Ibex and Raptor Canyon is a huge bird cage (It is new and not on the map as of yet) that you can enter and for $1.00 purchase food to feed the birds. The kids love it, and it is a great place to get pictures.