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Pt. Defiance Zoo is a hidden secret overshadowed by its Seattle attractions, Woodland Park Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium.
Although hilly a places, I liked the play area, the kids enjoyed the... More
Pt. Defiance Zoo is a hidden secret overshadowed by its Seattle attractions, Woodland Park Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium.
Although hilly a places, I liked the play area, the kids enjoyed the Beluga whales and the size of the zoo. It's manageable with plenty of open space. Plus the views and location of Pt. Defiance is breathtaking. When I went, it didn't seem too crowded.
Also, I believe there might be a 2-for-1 coupon in the Entertainment book.
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Coming from Seattle and having gone to Woodland Park Zoo many times as a child and now as a mother, I thought, that little Tacoma zoo can't be much. WRONG!
Not only is this nestled in the... More
Coming from Seattle and having gone to Woodland Park Zoo many times as a child and now as a mother, I thought, that little Tacoma zoo can't be much. WRONG!
Not only is this nestled in the beautiful Pt. Defiance Park, but it's built on a hillside that overlooks the water. The have pumped a lot of money into the zoo to make it world-class. I enjoy walking around, and it's super easy to get around. It's always clean too, which I appreciate. It's much more modern, open and clean than the dirty old Seattle zoo.
The amphitheatre is a great place for kids to learn new things about animals, and they have an aquarium right in the middle of the zoo! Granted, it's pretty small, but when you're small, you don't care.
The new KidsZone is FANTASTIC! My kids just love it there. I'm so glad that we have a membership there, since I feel that it's much more of a worthwhile investment than what we spent on the Seattle zoo. It's close, lots of FREE parking, easy to get around, stroller friendly (and they have great strollers to rent too), great exhibits, friendly staff, beautiful setting, and the biggest factor - my kids love it!
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Coming from Seattle and having gone to Woodland Park Zoo many times as a child and now as a mother, I thought, that little Tacoma zoo can't be much. WRONG!
Not only is this nestled in the... More
Coming from Seattle and having gone to Woodland Park Zoo many times as a child and now as a mother, I thought, that little Tacoma zoo can't be much. WRONG!
Not only is this nestled in the beautiful Pt. Defiance Park, but it's built on a hillside that overlooks the water. The have pumped a lot of money into the zoo to make it world-class. I enjoy walking around, and it's super easy to get around. It's always clean too, which I appreciate. It's much more modern, open and clean than the dirty old Seattle zoo.
The amphitheatre is a great place for kids to learn new things about animals, and they have an aquarium right in the middle of the zoo! Granted, it's pretty small, but when you're small, you don't care.
The new KidsZone is FANTASTIC! My kids just love it there. I'm so glad that we have a membership there, since I feel that it's much more of a worthwhile investment than what we spent on the Seattle zoo. It's close, lots of FREE parking, easy to get around, stroller friendly (and they have great strollers to rent too), great exhibits, friendly staff, beautiful setting, and the biggest factor - my kids love it!
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I've been going to Pt Defiance since I was a small child, and the Zoo as it is now has no resemblance to the way it was then. The improvements are amazing! My favorites are the underwater exhibits,... More
I've been going to Pt Defiance since I was a small child, and the Zoo as it is now has no resemblance to the way it was then. The improvements are amazing! My favorites are the underwater exhibits, especially the Shark and Beluga exhibits, but I also enjoy the others as well. The hills are steep, but pleasant walkways and benches have been installed to make it as painless as possible.
A really fantastic feature is the annual Zoolights exhibit during the holidays, when they outline the main Zoo area with strings of colored LED lights in the shapes of various zoo animals and Christmas images.
The little gift shop by the entrance has a huge variety of zoo-themed items and stuffed animals for sale, all of animals or fish that can actually be found in the Zoo.
While it's true that the Zoo lacks some exhibits that can be found in Woodland Park, it does have larger areas for the animals and a PNW theme.
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Coming from Seattle and having gone to Woodland Park Zoo many times as a child and now as a mother, I thought, that little Tacoma zoo can't be much. WRONG!
Not only is this nestled in the... More
Coming from Seattle and having gone to Woodland Park Zoo many times as a child and now as a mother, I thought, that little Tacoma zoo can't be much. WRONG!
Not only is this nestled in the beautiful Pt. Defiance Park, but it's built on a hillside that overlooks the water. The have pumped a lot of money into the zoo to make it world-class. I enjoy walking around, and it's super easy to get around. It's always clean too, which I appreciate. It's much more modern, open and clean than the dirty old Seattle zoo.
The amphitheatre is a great place for kids to learn new things about animals, and they have an aquarium right in the middle of the zoo! Granted, it's pretty small, but when you're small, you don't care.
The new KidsZone is FANTASTIC! My kids just love it there. I'm so glad that we have a membership there, since I feel that it's much more of a worthwhile investment than what we spent on the Seattle zoo. It's close, lots of FREE parking, easy to get around, stroller friendly (and they have great strollers to rent too), great exhibits, friendly staff, beautiful setting, and the biggest factor - my kids love it!
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This zoo and aquarium is the best of both worlds. It's not a huge zoo like Woodland Park or a big aquarium like the Seattle aquarium. You just get a taste of both. We're able to go as a family... More
This zoo and aquarium is the best of both worlds. It's not a huge zoo like Woodland Park or a big aquarium like the Seattle aquarium. You just get a taste of both. We're able to go as a family and not feel exhausted when we're done. Our favorite parts of the zoo are the underwater viewing areas. The aquarium has a neat place where you walk down hill and it looks like you went from the beach to underwater in the tropics. There's also a shark tank where the sharks are swimming right beside you through the glass. We also enjoy their wildlife show that they added last year. They have some zoo animals that are trained to do certain things on stage and "zoologist" teaches us about their habits and where they live. It's very fast paced and entertaining to kids.
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This is a nice zoo that is just a little bit south of Seattle in Tacoma. The animals are wonderful. They have a beluga whale, which is one of the white ones. They also have polar bears and when we... More
This is a nice zoo that is just a little bit south of Seattle in Tacoma. The animals are wonderful. They have a beluga whale, which is one of the white ones. They also have polar bears and when we were there, we got to see some Ocelots (or other big cats) being walked on leashes as they were taken from one place to another.
There's alot to see here, and Pierce Co. residents get a discount (sorry King County folks!). Very nice way to spend a day and drive down to Tacoma to see this lovely aquarium and zoo.
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This is a perfect place to take your kids! It's not too big or too small. You can see everything in a half day. They have a wide range of animals, including some marine - sharks, beluga whale,... More
This is a perfect place to take your kids! It's not too big or too small. You can see everything in a half day. They have a wide range of animals, including some marine - sharks, beluga whale, and dolphins! The Shark Exhibit is awesome! They have places to eat that are priced just right. Not too overwhelming for little ones either.
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Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is both a Zoo and Aquarium and consequently neither the Zoo nor Aquarium is on par with others that specialize in one area or the other. The grounds are rather hilly... More
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is both a Zoo and Aquarium and consequently neither the Zoo nor Aquarium is on par with others that specialize in one area or the other. The grounds are rather hilly and can be challenging with a stroller or small children. The exhibits are somewhat interesting but are limited – especially in comparison with Woodland Park Zoo or the Seattle Aquarium. I’d go to these instead unless you just need a change of pace.
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If you haven't been to Pt. Defiance lately, you haven't been. Thanks to voter-approved bonds, the zoo has made astonishing improvements as well as adding significant new features. Don't miss the... More
If you haven't been to Pt. Defiance lately, you haven't been. Thanks to voter-approved bonds, the zoo has made astonishing improvements as well as adding significant new features. Don't miss the show on the new main stage -- it's kind of cheesy, but you'll find yourself gasping as the birds fly right over your head. And, of course, if you have little ones, the new Kids Zone is a must-stop. On hot days, be sure to bring a change of clothing for your tot, as they will surely want to join in the fun at the water-spouting play area. There is dry fun to be had, too, but you can't blame them for wanting to get wet when the mercury is soaring!
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