I am going to start this post by saying this place is near to my heart.  It was the first place we visited when we moved to Austin and we went there for my son’s 1st birthday when the Pandemic kept us from a big party.  The Austin Zoo is a small zoo with a lot of heart.  They have a variety of animals from lions, to bears, to goats, to pigs.  You can purchase tickets online or at the gate.  There is a small discount if you purchase the tickets online and here is a link to the prices: https://austinzoo.org/about/#admission.  We decided before even visiting the first time that we were going to purchase a membership for our family. We purchased the 4 person membership, and based on our family (2 adults and 2 kids) we only needed to visit the zoo 3 times to make the membership worth it and since it is such an easy place to visit and close by I knew we would be back.

As you will notice from many of my reviews I try to visit places during non peak times if possible.  However, as we all know based on many factors that is not always possible so I have visited this zoo during peak and non peak times.  To get there you have to drive down a few small two lane roads and it feels at times like you are just driving through trees, but there is adequate signage and we had no trouble finding the entrance.  The parking lot is large and parking is free (which is always a plus!).  I have never had trouble getting a parking spot, but sometimes it is a bit of a walk to the entrance on those busier days. The ticket booth is right by the entrance and checking in is a quick process. They have a sign out front with their Covid protocols, however they often change based on the most recent recommendations so if you have questions about those I recommend giving them a call or checking the website to get the most up to date information.

I prefer to go first thing in the morning because that is when we tend to see the animals the most active.  Also, it can get hot quickly during Texas summers so we like the milder morning weather.  I would say you can get through the entire zoo in 1.5 hours even if you take your time, but with that said you can rush and get through in 30 minutes or spend time with each animal and go much longer.  We have different experiences depending if we go with our 2 year old or our 8 year old or with both.  My 8 year old looks at all the animals pretty quickly and always likes feeding the animals at the end.  However, my 2 year old can spend a long time watching the large tortoises (I think because they are at his eye level) and really enjoys the birds as well so we are always taking our time at those stops and sometimes just going circles around them!  I personally am fascinated with the lions.  I have been to many zoos in different states and this is the closest I have ever been able to see the lions. When we go first thing in the morning they are usually active and walking around. Many times they will come right up to the fence which is so amazing to see.  After we check out all of the animals we stop by and feed the goats, llamas, and deer.  Feeding the animals and riding the train is a separate fee. My son loves feeding the deer and llamas because they are a little more calm than the goats.  When he tries to feed the goats they all run up with great excitement and he is not such a big fan of that.  If you purchase animal food you will feed them behind the fence and the zoo staff let you know which animals are ok to feed.

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After we feed the animals we always try to catch a train ride.  The train costs $5 per person for anyone 2 and older and usually runs on the hour starting at 11 a.m. (schedule varies depending on the day).  The train ride is approximately 20 minutes long. You get to see a few animals you may not be able to see during your walk in the zoo along with some amazing views of the hills.  The conductor says sometimes you see animals in the wild during the ride, however we have yet to have been that lucky.  Both of my kids love the train (and to be honest I do too!).  It is a nice way to end our day at the zoo because it is relaxing, we get to see some nice sights, we get to ride a train which is always fun, and see a few extra animals!  Unfortunately, when writing this review I noticed the Austin Zoo website states that effective July 12th, 2021 the train (Rawhide Rocket) will be closed for an undetermined period of time.  They mentioned they are working to improve the train experience and will update the website once it is back up in running.  With that in mind if the train is one of the main reasons you are looking to visit the zoo, contact them before you go to make sure it is up and running. Last time we went we saw them working on the tracks so I will be excited to see what comes next.

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There are a few different shaded areas in the zoo where you can sit down and have a break or give the kids a snack.  The only food for purchase at the zoo are snacks and drinks at the gift shop and a few vending machines. I definitely recommend bringing your own food and a lot of water because it does get hot!  The restrooms are located right before you exit the zoo along with a big hand washing station to wash up after feeding the animals.  There is only one set of restrooms, however since the zoo is not too big they are never too far away.

Overall, we always enjoy our time at the Austin Zoo.  My kids love all zoos and each one is unique in its own way. Oh and of course don’t forget to check out the nice little gift shop at the end with some unique (and some pretty standard) zoo souvenirs.  We will definitely continue to go back and enjoy exploring what Austin Zoo has to offer!