Founded in 1888, the Dallas Zoo is the oldest zoo in Texas (actually, the Dallas Zoo was the first zoo in the Southwest United States). In addition to its history as Texas' longest running zoo, the Dallas Zoo has grown to be one of the most impressive zoos in the Lone Star State. And, although it is only one of the many things to do in Dallas, it is certainly a big 'to-do' and an attraction that takes an entire day to fully take in.
Encompassing over 100 acres, the Dallas Zoo is now the largest zoo in Texas in terms of area. The zoo is essentially divided into four sections: the Entry Plaza, Lercete Family Children's Zoo, Zoo North, and the Wilds of Africa.
Obviously, the Entry Plaza is the starting point of any visit to the Dallas Zoo. Upon arrival at the ticket gate, zoo visitors are greeted by a 67 1/2 - foot tall giraffe sculpture that is an indication of the 'big fun' inside the zoo. Within the Entry Plaza itself, visitors will find the first animals they will see on their zoo tour - lemurs contained in the Lemur Lookout exhibit. The Entry Plaza also features the Endangered Species Carousel, information station, elephant fountain and the Zoofari Market.
From Entry Plaza, zoo guests have two routes to take. To the right lies Zoo North and to the left is the Wilds of Africa. First up, Zoo North, which features a number of animal exhibits, as well as the Zoofari Food Court. Among the animal exhibits within Zoo North are Bug U!, Flamingo Pond, Wings of Wonder aviary display, Primate Place, Reptile Building, Endangered Tiger Habitat, Australian Outback, Galapagos Tortoise display, and the 'Snout Route,' which contains a variety of animals with "unusual and distinctive noses." One of the most unique exhibits of the Dallas Zoo is also found in Zoo North - Cat Green, which features the native cats of Texas, including bobcats, cougars and ocelots.
Adjacent to Zoo North is the Lercete Family Children's Zoo. Inside the Children's Zoo are several family-friendly entertaining and educational exhibits. Immediately inside the entrance is Travis & Zach's Bird Landing, an interactive bird exhibit featuring bird species from around the world. Next up is The Underzone - a subterranean habitat feature mole rats. Kids are able to crawl through an underground maize themselves and pop up in a bubble-protected hole to get a 'ground level' view of the mole rats. The largest exhibit in the Children's Zoo is The Kresge Foundation Farm. The Farm features a number of animals, including African pygmy goats, Old English baby doll sheep, and Sicilian miniature donkeys. As they continue around the circular path within the Children's Zoo, visitors will come upon the Discovery House, which features displays and exhibits of plants and animals found around most homes. Within the Discovery House are also plenty of games and crafts for kids, as well as a giant oak tree growing right in the center of the house!
By far the largest of the four quadrants in the Dallas Zoo, the Wilds of Africa also features the zoo's newest exhibit - the Giants of the Savannah display which features elephants, giraffes, lions, zebras and more. Penguin Cove, Chimpanzee Forest, and the Gorilla Trail are just a few of the exhibits within the Wilds of Africa. Animals on display include Gorillas, penguins, meerkats, okapi, chimpanzees, crocodiles, storks, ostriches, and more. Visitors wanting to take in all of the Wilds of Africa without walking should consider the Monorail Safari, a 20-minute long narrated monorail ride through the six African habitats contained within the Wilds of Africa.
The Dallas Zoo is located at 650 S RL Thornton Freeway in Dallas. The Dallas Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, year around with the exception of Christmas Day, when the zoo is closed.
