{"id":452,"date":"2017-04-25T15:26:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-25T15:26:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-08-13T02:11:23","modified_gmt":"2023-08-13T02:11:23","slug":"the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html","title":{"rendered":"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-453\" width=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/nationalzoo.si.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The National Zoo in Washington, D.C.<\/a> (also known as Smithsonian&#8217;s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute) is a large zoo spread out over 163 acres in the heart of Washington, D.C.&#8217;s Rock Creek Park. &nbsp;Open 364 days of the year and always free admission, it is definitely a &#8220;must-do&#8221; if you&#8217;re traveling to DC. &nbsp;After a recent visit, I put together a quick travel guide along with helpful tips and links to important information (metro, zoo maps, activity sheets for kids, and more!) &nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Happy traveling!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Getting There:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Parking around the zoo lot is extremely limited and fills up fast. &nbsp;However, you can pre-pay using an app I love called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parkingpanda.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Parking Panda<\/a>. &nbsp;Simply enter the address\/location and it will pull up available parking all around. &nbsp;You can compare costs and proximities then reserve and pre-pay to completely eliminate the hassle of trying to find a spot upon arrival.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmata.com\/service\/rail\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Metro Rail<\/a> has 2 stops within walking distance to the zoo, the Woodley Park stop and the Cleveland&nbsp;Park stop. &nbsp;Woodley Park is the stop where you have to walk slightly uphill to get to the zoo, but it isn&#8217;t too bad, especially because&nbsp;you be walking around the hill-filled zoo grounds anyway.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wmata.com\/service\/bus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Metro Bus<\/a> &#8211;&nbsp;The L1 and L2 buses stop in front of the Zoo&#8217;s main entrance on Connecticut Avenue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">The DC Circulator &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dccirculator.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here for schedule and interactive map<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BVisitor2BCenter.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BVisitor2BCenter.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-454\" width=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;\"><strong><u>Arrival:<\/u><\/strong>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">When you arrive, you have to go through a security line (if you have a bag) to have staff go through it.  After that, head to the visitor&#8217;s center on your left for maps, restrooms, a place to refill water bottles, and gift shop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">*Travel Tip:  the visitor&#8217;s center will charge you $5.00(!) for a map, but you can also see it <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalzoo.si.edu\/visit\/zoo-map\">online for free on the zoo website.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BDining.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BDining.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-455\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;\"><strong><u><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\">Dining Options:<\/span><\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">There are several dining options within the zoo, but also consider eating outside of the zoo too.  The National Zoo is located in the Woodley Park neighborhood, a lovely historic area of Washington with stately residences, high rise apartments, and tons of dining options.  <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtoneats.com\/guide.php\">Click here to check them all out!<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">*The zoo also allows visitors to bring their own picnic lunch to enjoy too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s on the zoo grounds (<a href=\"https:\/\/nationalzoo.si.edu\/visit\/food\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">check the Zoo site for hours and some are under renovation<\/a>):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Mane Grill (Lion &amp; Tiger Hill)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Heirloom Grill (Lion &amp; Tiger Hill)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Seal Rock Cake (American Trail)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Panda Overlook (Asia Trail)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Panda Grill (Panda Trail)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Hot Dog Diner (Across from the Small Mammal House)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Plus, catering for groups and various food kiosks and stands throughout the zoo<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><u><strong>Things To See:<\/strong><\/u> <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Note, not all animals are on view all of the time, in fact we were surprised at how many were not on view the day we traveled there. &nbsp;Different factors like hot\/cold weather, routine veterinary checkups, repairs, and renovations may affect the ability to see certain animals. &nbsp;Also nocturnal (active at night) animals may be hidden away and sleeping too. &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;\"><strong><u>Top 10 Animals To See:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"><strong><u><br \/>\n<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Note: I selected these items by how big the crowds were around the exhibits (popularity with the public)&nbsp;+ how excited my own family was to see them (popularity with us!) For the full directory, <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalzoo.si.edu\/animals\/list\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">click here<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalzoo.si.edu\/visit\/zoo-map\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">check out the map.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Panda Pavilion &#8211; huge area dedicated to panda viewing from many angles and up high and ground level too.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2Belephants.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2Belephants.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-456\" width=\"566\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Asian Elephants &#8211; So neat to observe and be sure to find Ambika, the zoo&#8217;s oldest elephant, born in 1948 and given to the zoo in 1961 as a gift from the children of India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BLion.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BLion.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-457\" width=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Lions &amp; Tigers &#8211; I put these two together because they are side by side and easy to see with a few steps of each other.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BAmazonia2B2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BAmazonia2B2.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-458\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Amazonia &#8211; OK I kind of lumped a lot together on this one, but this was more like an experience as you walk through an Amazon rain forest setting with the animals and lovely birds to see. &nbsp;Hanging over our heads was a monkey and a super friendly bird that came right up to say hello:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BBird.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BBird.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-459\" width=\"480\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Gorillas &#8211; very interactive with viewers (behind glass)&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Wolf &#8211; beautiful animal, just note that they are nocturnal and this one was taking an afternoon nap.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Reptile House &#8211; This was top on our list but sadly closed that day. &nbsp;Includes many reptiles like&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Porcupine &#8211; we were fortunate enough to catch feeding time and the zoo keeper actually climbed in and gave the porcupine a quick pet too!<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Sloth &#8211; the one we saw was laying around and snoozing, but still so neat to see.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Cheetah &#8211; At the time of our visit, these weren&#8217;t on view because&nbsp;there were a bunch of new baby cheetahs that were just born. &nbsp;However we could see a cheetah cam and learn a little more about these beautiful animals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/national2BZoo2BAmazonia.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/national2BZoo2BAmazonia.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-460\" width=\"640\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;\"><strong><u>Quick Tips:<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">The zoo gets super hot and crowded during the warmer spring and summer months. &nbsp;There are water mist stations that you can walk through throughout the zoo for a quick cool off.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">The zoo is also very large and quite hilly in some places&#8230;be sure to wear comfy shoes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">If you&#8217;re eating on the zoo grounds, try having lunch a bit early or later if you can. &nbsp;Getting a table can be difficult during peak times. &nbsp;We noticed as &#8220;lunch time&#8221; came and went, the crowds almost completely cleared out. &nbsp;There are also outside dining options for seating and some folks will choose to sit on the grass under a shade tree too.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">After your zoo visit, check out the many restaurants in the surrounding&nbsp;neighborhood, Woodley Park. &nbsp;You can also find ice cream and coffee shops too.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Keep the kiddos busy and engaged with <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalzoo.si.edu\/education\/plan-fieldtrip\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">several activity sheets available.<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Stroller and wheelchair rental is available. &nbsp;Visit any information kiosk for more info. &nbsp;When you arrive, the first one you&#8217;ll see is right across from the visitor center.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">Outside food\/drinks are allowed for visitors to bring in.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">A highlights tour is available on Saturdays and Sundays and must be scheduled ahead of time. &nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/nationalzoo.si.edu\/visit\/tours\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Check here for more info and times of the tours.<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BSign.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/National2BZoo2BSign.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-461\" width=\"438\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\">For more family fun, be sure to follow Sparkle &amp; Splatter&nbsp;for the latest projects and activities!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Sparkle-and-Splatter\/519567824724455\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/a9ZxIwlNoe7_aDnSGYsoJRrJ3YcfmPrpC2C_uqlAlGw=s224-p-no\" width=\"50\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sparksplatblog\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/d-6r7rE1WO9C66AP1VE2XsmISW3C-OC4qC_HoB1sOf8=w225-h224-p-no\" width=\"50\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/sparksplatblog\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/6nvv_Pg-SeISudwdW74cycTQGQ_YvYrvZ-nLmTAHDD0=w225-h224-p-no\" width=\"50\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/plus.google.com\/u\/0\/110339457360863953777\/posts\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/d8vmjPGw1Hr4eA-CXdFo3zn8zj7oKWcJA0_cPXg3Gco=s224-p-no\" width=\"50\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/SparkleAndSplatter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/BnDFYptkC4UN01sCq22Y5kAqQpF7njNBoxzuEHdiQk0=w225-h224-p-no\" width=\"50\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCdkTHO3-gLCi-pfYt2ojetQ\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/XR7PMPe9tPeuY9A6LMJ6QF9uKjlGbu2qPA1ZtYLUKT4=w225-h224-p-no\" width=\"50\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: large;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=611345&amp;u=974634&amp;m=46950&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.shareasale.com\/image\/46950\/83934_tinytrends_kidsapparel_300x250.jpg\" height=\"166\" width=\"200\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=458153&amp;u=974634&amp;m=29190&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Craftsy \" src=\"https:\/\/static.shareasale.com\/image\/29190\/BL_Valentine_300x250_FINAL.jpg\" height=\"166\" width=\"200\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=683571&amp;u=974634&amp;m=46239&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.shareasale.com\/image\/46239\/121714_1499AndUnder_300x250.jpg\" height=\"166\" width=\"200\"><\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: &quot;trebuchet ms&quot; , sans-serif;\"><em>(Affiliate links, enjoy these awesome products and thanks as always for your support!)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. (also known as Smithsonian&#8217;s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute) is a large zoo spread out over 163 acres<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":846,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,12,10],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC! - sparkleandsplatter.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC! - sparkleandsplatter.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. (also known as Smithsonian&#8217;s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute) is a large zoo spread out over 163 acres\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"sparkleandsplatter.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sparkleandsplatter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-04-25T15:26:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-08-13T02:11:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"480\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jennifer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@sparksplatblog\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@sparksplatblog\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jennifer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jennifer\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/person\/fe0e5e61be37628ee96bc22481040f80\"},\"headline\":\"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC!\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-04-25T15:26:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-13T02:11:23+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html\"},\"wordCount\":1092,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Family Travel\",\"Parent Articles\",\"Parenting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html\",\"name\":\"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC! - sparkleandsplatter.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-04-25T15:26:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-08-13T02:11:23+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg\",\"width\":480,\"height\":640},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC!\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/\",\"name\":\"Sparkle & Splatter\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Sparkle & Splatter\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/cropped-SS-Header-New-Gradient-and-shapes.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/cropped-SS-Header-New-Gradient-and-shapes.jpg\",\"width\":2448,\"height\":533,\"caption\":\"Sparkle & Splatter\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sparkleandsplatter\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sparksplatblog\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sparkleandsplatter\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCdkTHO3-gLCi-pfYt2ojetQ\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/sparksplatblog\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/person\/fe0e5e61be37628ee96bc22481040f80\",\"name\":\"Jennifer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/106d40a23459b85a3e5a24375bd5b10f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/106d40a23459b85a3e5a24375bd5b10f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jennifer\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/author\/jennifer\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC! - sparkleandsplatter.com","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC! - sparkleandsplatter.com","og_description":"The National Zoo in Washington, D.C. (also known as Smithsonian&#8217;s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute) is a large zoo spread out over 163 acres","og_url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html","og_site_name":"sparkleandsplatter.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sparkleandsplatter","article_published_time":"2017-04-25T15:26:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-08-13T02:11:23+00:00","og_image":[{"width":480,"height":640,"url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jennifer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@sparksplatblog","twitter_site":"@sparksplatblog","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jennifer","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html"},"author":{"name":"Jennifer","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/person\/fe0e5e61be37628ee96bc22481040f80"},"headline":"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC!","datePublished":"2017-04-25T15:26:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-13T02:11:23+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html"},"wordCount":1092,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg","articleSection":["Family Travel","Parent Articles","Parenting"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html","url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html","name":"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC! - sparkleandsplatter.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg","datePublished":"2017-04-25T15:26:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-08-13T02:11:23+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/National2BZoo2BCover2BImage.jpg","width":480,"height":640},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/2017\/04\/the-family-fun-guide-to-national-zoo-in.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Family Fun Guide to the National Zoo in Washington DC!"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/","name":"Sparkle & Splatter","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#organization","name":"Sparkle & Splatter","url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/cropped-SS-Header-New-Gradient-and-shapes.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/cropped-SS-Header-New-Gradient-and-shapes.jpg","width":2448,"height":533,"caption":"Sparkle & Splatter"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sparkleandsplatter","https:\/\/twitter.com\/sparksplatblog","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sparkleandsplatter\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCdkTHO3-gLCi-pfYt2ojetQ","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/sparksplatblog\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/person\/fe0e5e61be37628ee96bc22481040f80","name":"Jennifer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/106d40a23459b85a3e5a24375bd5b10f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/106d40a23459b85a3e5a24375bd5b10f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jennifer"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com"],"url":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/author\/jennifer"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=452"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":985,"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions\/985"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sparkleandsplatter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}