While technically the Austin Zoo is within city limits, at 25 minutes from home it’s kind of a trek. A trek that we think is totally worth it a few times per year.
The Austin Zoo is a rescue zoo and houses over 300 animals. That means, these animals aren’t being held captive purely for your enjoyment; rather, they are being cared for after injury, abandonment, and other similar scenarios. The zoo also places a large emphasis on education, so the live demonstrations have always been informative while being entertaining {we love when they feed the bears!}.
We’ve always arrived around 10am and have never experienced lines or over-crowding. And while the zoo is relatively shaded {hooray!}, 10am has also been a weather sweet spot whenever we’ve attended. You can cruise through the zoo between one and two hours, which is the perfect amount of time for both children and adults with short attention spans. And leaving the zoo around noon sets you up for the perfect lunch spot around the corner {more on that below}.
Ticket prices are super affordable at $11/adult and $8/child. And there seems to always be a Groupon with a sizable discount available.
And back to that perfect lunch spot – Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza {and Jester King Brewery if you’re a beer drinker} are close to 10 minutes away. Their pizza is ridiculously, and consistently, delicious. And the ambiance is everything you’d want after a trip to the zoo: casual, cozy, relaxing.
And if you’re traveling with kiddos, the giant sand box adjacent to the dining tables is the best thing. We love that Haven has the chance to get sweaty and dirty and feel like she has a little freedom while we’re a stone’s throw away.
But even if you don’t have children, I highly recommend a day of zoo and ‘za. It’s so nice to spend a day outside with lions, tigers, bears, and pizza!
What to bring?
- Comfy kid clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. A change of clothes may even be a good call, although we’ve never thought that far ahead.
- Water bottle. There are water fountains at the zoo and water jugs at Stanley’s. Stanley’s provides plastic cups, but after a morning at the zoo and playing in the dirt, we are in constant need of refills.
- Sunscreen. Regardless of the time of year, sunscreen is probably a good idea.
- A fun playlist. Fresh out of tunes?ย Click here for one of my go-to lists!
Click here for more day trip ideas from Austin, TX!
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