Los Angeles · RedAwning

Los Angeles Zoo133 acres in Griffith Park, 1,400 animals, one easy LA day

A 133-acre zoo and botanical garden tucked into the northeast corner of Griffith Park — home to more than 1,400 animals across 270 species, including chimpanzees, elephants, Komodo dragons, and one of the country's most ambitious California condor recovery programs.

Hours today10:00 AM – 5:00 PMTuesday hours
TicketsFrom $26General Admission
LocationLos Angeles, California5333 Zoo Drive
Official sitelazoo.orgPlan your visit

1,400+Animals
270Species
133Acres
DailyOpen

The Los Angeles Zoo opened in 1966 on the eastern edge of Griffith Park and has grown into one of the most-visited cultural attractions in Southern California — 1.8 million visitors a year wander a 133-acre campus that doubles as an accredited botanical garden.

More than 1,400 animals from 270 species live here, including chimpanzees, Asian elephants, Komodo dragons, and a flock of California condors central to the species' recovery from twenty-two birds in 1982 to more than five hundred today. The zoo runs daily keeper talks, animal encounters, and the seasonal LA Zoo Lights immersive light experience after dark.

Plan three to four hours for a full loop — longer with kids. The hilly central path is stroller and wheelchair friendly, and a free shuttle runs between the main entrance and the lower exhibits on weekends.

Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains
One of the largest chimpanzee habitats in the western US — a multi-tiered, half-acre exhibit modeled after Tanzania's Mahale Mountains, home to a troop of more than a dozen chimps.
Elephants of Asia
A 3.8-acre habitat for the zoo's Asian elephant herd — the largest dedicated elephant space in the LA Zoo's history, with bathing pools, a sand wallow, and a covered viewing pavilion.
LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates & Reptiles)
An award-winning herpetology hall built around Komodo dragons, gharial crocodiles, and one of the most diverse amphibian collections on the West Coast.
California Condor Rescue Zone
An interactive exhibit dedicated to the LA Zoo's role in bringing the California condor back from the brink — twenty-two birds in 1982, more than five hundred today, with active breeding pairs on display.
Indian Rhino Encounter Tour
A behind-the-scenes encounter with the zoo's greater one-horned rhino. Limited daily slots, additional fee, recommended for ages 8 and up. Booking required.
Elephant Training Demonstration
Daily 11:30 AM keeper talk and training session at the Elephants of Asia habitat — fifteen minutes, free with admission, the easiest way to see the herd up close.
World of Birds Show
A free flight-show amphitheater with macaws, hawks, and owls flying inches over the audience. Two daily showtimes (12:30 PM and 2:30 PM, weather permitting).
Sea Life Cliffs
Harbor seals and California sea lions in a Pacific-coast-replica exhibit — feeding sessions at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM are the easiest crowd-pleaser of the day.