We had to this a quick trip but the Metro made that possible. We exited at Cleveland Park, walking downhill to the Zoo, which seemed to be a good idea. We returned to downtown via the Woodley Park station. Anyway, the Panda exhibit was worth the trek. They are so cute and fun to watch. When you're planning a trip, keep in mind that the zoo opens early and closes late, so you can fit in into most schedules.

We visied this year (2007) over Memoiral Day Weekend. Not the greatest zoo. Most of the animals were not even in their exhibits. We hardly saw any animals. The giant pandas were nice. Do not plan to eat there...not many food choices, and everything is way over priced. However, it is free. So, I would definately visit this zoo, just don't ...

Coming from a city that has one of the best zoos in the country, the National Zoo is pretty pathetic. Most of the cages sit empty, and the animals languish in outdated, inhumane and sterile concrete enclosures. The Washington Post detailed the poor conditions of the zoo which resulted in the dismissal of a former director. If you're from a ...

I was so excited to while planning this trip to be disappointed after I toured the park. The animals were beautiful; however, the atmosphere was boring. I admit, the animals were beautiful. I enjoyed the sea lions and the bears. I watched a panda give birth so that was pretty neat. But, overall...I wish I would not have driven 5 hours to DC ...

This zoo is very family friendly...good with have hours to spear. Try to walk out the entire zoo and see all the animals. The zoo is free and close to shopping centers, once you get outside.

Most people fawn over the panda house, but my favorite is the gorilla house.

Be sure to visit in the less busy early Fall Season to avoid the heat and the crowds.

The Gorilla's are incredible.

The Orange Line is also interesting and is a mass transit system from one end of the park to the other for Orangutans. Both a humorous pun on ...

This is one of the best zoos in the world. It's free and that makes it even better. You can spend a lot of time here. Try not to get too lost the neighborhood isn't great. The kids will love it!

Elephants, Pandas, and Orangatans. OH MY. Free is always good. And the early morning hours made the animals seem to be a little more lively before the hot sun came out. Its a short walk from the red metro line and was just busy enough to see everything and relax. Take the kids and work out walking around the grounds.

Grandma and 10 year old grandson had a wonderful day here. We got there early (6:30 AM) and were able to see the pandas really well in their outside habitat. None of the buildings open until 10:00 so don't count on getting into them early. The zoo staff were wonderfully helpful to answer all our questions. The hint given previously for the ...