Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle: A Century-Old Treasure and a Great Place for Kids to Explore
Hidden in a 37-hectare forest in downtown Seattle, this long-established zoo opened in 1899. Home to over 300 animal species, including 35 endangered ones, it’s a must-visit for families and animal lovers alike✨
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Basic Information
· Address: Seattle, WA 98103 (near University of Seattle, accessible by bus/light rail)
· Area: 37 hectares, surrounded by forest with gentle trails, easy to stroll without getting tired
· Star Animals: Western Lowland Gorilla Bobo, plus jaguars, Humboldt penguins, giraffes, and more
· Opening Hours: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM (extended to 6:00 PM in some seasons, check official website)
· Tickets: About $28 for adults, discounts for children/seniors, recommend buying tickets online in advance to skip lines
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🐯 Must-Visit Exhibits & Star Animals
Humboldt Penguin Exhibit: The most popular right at the entrance! Round, waddling penguins swimming gracefully, highly interactive and super cute for photos.
Jaguar Bay: An immersive rainforest environment where you can see jaguars strolling and sunbathing up close. One of the few jaguar exhibits in North America, full of wild charm.
Living Northwest Trail: Recreates the Pacific Northwest ecosystem, featuring native animals like gray wolves, black bears, and beavers—experience the wild right at your doorstep.
Family Farm: A kid-friendly area where you can feed lambs and pet bunnies, perfect for young children to relax and enjoy.
Molbak’s Butterfly Garden (seasonal): Home to over 500 freely flying native butterflies!
Vintage Carousel: A century-old wooden carousel inside the park, perfect for family fun and nostalgia.
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🚶♂ Recommended Route (3-4 hours)
Enter through West Entrance → Humboldt Penguin Exhibit → Jaguar Bay → Tropical Asia Zone → Giraffe Barn → Living Northwest Trail → Family Farm → Temperate Forest Zone → Gift Shop / Exit (all trails are gentle and stroller-friendly)
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💡 Practical Tips
Don’t want to squeeze into public transport or carry a stroller? Choose a premium private car service for a hassle-free trip👇
✅ Point-to-point transfer: Direct from hotel/airbnb to zoo entrance, no transfers or walking needed
✅ Luxury vehicles: Spacious and comfortable for long rides, easier with kids or seniors
✅ Flexible itinerary: Combine with University of Washington and Green Lake Park for a full day exploring North Seattle
✅ Worry-free service: Drivers know the routes well, plan ahead to avoid traffic and parking issues
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✨ Unlike crowded city zoos, here animals are nestled in the forest, more like stepping into a nature reserve. You can see rare species while breathing fresh air in century-old woods—perfect for family outings, dates, or solo trips~
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Other visitors' reviews of University of Washington
Show More ReviewsWhen traveling, I always want to visit the local universities—it feels like living a different life for a moment. Especially when it’s such a famous public university like the University of Washington. Gary Locke, former Microsoft chairman… they all graduated from UW. Bill Gates’ father, a well-known lawyer, once taught at its law school. Bruce Lee also studied here, and it was where he met his wife. Later, I visited UW’s Suzzallo Library—often referred to as the real-life “Harry Potter Library.” It grandeur rivals that of the Boston Public Library. The UW School of Medicine also ranks extremely high, consistently alongside Harvard and Stanford. Its programs in clinical medicine and public health are also highly ranked. When traveling, I always want to visit the local universities; it feels like living a different life for a moment. Especially when it’s such a famous public university like the University of Washington. Gary Locke, former Microsoft chairman… they all graduated from UW. Bill Gates’ father, a well-known lawyer, once taught at its law school. Bruce Lee studied here too, and it was where he met his wife. Later, I visited UW’s Suzzallo Library—often referred to as the real-life “Harry Potter Library.” It’s a grandeur rival that of the Boston Public Library. The UW School of Medicine also ranks extremely high, consistently alongside Harvard and Stanford. Its programs in clinical medicine and public health are also highly ranked. Lee studied here before, and then met his wife... Afterwards, we visited the UW library, the Suzzallo Library, which is considered a real-life "Harry Potter library." Its grandeur rivals Boston's public library. Also, the University of Washington's medical school is highly ranked, consistently on par with Harvard and Stanford. Clinical medicine, public health, and nursing are all excellent. It's close to Amazon and Microsoft headquarters, and it collaborates closely with tech companies like Google and Meta, so its research funding is high.