Get up close and personal with lions, tigers, and chimpanzees all in Los Angeles! Take your Los Angeles car rental to the Los Angeles Zoo for a true safari experience! Located on 5333 Zoo Drive, be prepared to spend the entire day here. Whether you are taking a guided tour, eating in one of the zoo's own cafes or strolling among the beautiful plants in the botanical garden this zoo has something for everyone!
Before heading off this exciting zoo in your Los Angeles car rental, here a brief history! The Los Angeles Zoo opened in 1966 and was the 1st major zoo in the US to bar visitors from feeding the animals to ensure their health and safety! In 1974, the zoo welcomed Dr. Warren D. Thomas as the Zoo Director where he assembled one of the worlds most acclaimed animal collections during his 17 year tenure. In 1982, Ahmanson Koala House was created. This special project made the Los Angeles Zoo the only zoo in the world to exhibit nocturnal animals in a darkened setting. In the 1990's the zoo saw an increase in educational programs where the Wild about Science and Zoo Discovery Kit was created. Today, more than 1,200 animals and 7,500 plants make their home at the zoo and each year 1.4 million visitors pass through the zoo's gates!
Opened from 10am - 5pm everyday except Christmas Day (December 25th) there is plenty of time to explore! Attend the World of Birds Show at 11:30pm or 2pm daily, or the Sea Lion Training at 11L30am and 2:30pm at the Aquatics section! If you want to rest your legs from walking, take the Safari Shuttle! This shuttle takes you from one end of the zoo to another with 6 different shops where you can hop on and hop off throughout the day! Operating all day long, 7 days a week, this shuttle returns to the main Flamingo exhibit near the front entrance. Fees are as follows: Adult $4, Kids (2-12) $2, seniors (55+) $1.50 and kids (-2) free. You can also take a guided tour if you make advanced reservations for your group or family at 323-644-4211).
There are 5 cares scattered around the zoo grounds that offer a variety of refreshments. Instead of packing your Los Angeles car rental with snacks and lunch, check out the Safari Café where you can get a Starbucks coffee, fresh baked cookies and bagels. For more hungry tummies, go to The Grill at the Winnick Family Children's Zoo. Here you can have a charbroiled hamburger, Dole Whip, deli sandwich, salad or a cold beer. Mexican food lovers can check out La Casita. For really yummy fresh baked pastries, come to the Silverback's café where you can also get a nice sandwich or bread bowl. Other places for food include the Mahale Café and the Gorilla Grill.
Over the years, the zoo has gained recognition for its plant conservation. Before leaving the zoo in your Los Angeles car rental, check out some of the following collections. For indigenous plant life, come to the Geographical Collection. Then head over to the Distinctive Landscape Collection for some southern Californian terrain. Be impressed by the two beautiful Chilean Wine Palms at the South American Section! These palms are traditionally cut to the ground so that the sap can be harvested to make palm honey and palm wine. The Edible Garden is also an interesting visit! Here plant parts that are used for enrichment or nutritional supplement can be found. Animal keepers depend on these plants that grow here to feed certain animals at the zoo! Last but not least, check out the Special Collections where you will find poisonous, Medicinal, Culinary and Economic plants!
Before you head elsewhere in your Los Angeles car rental, don't forget to come to one of the zoo's gift shops. The International Market Place is a great place to find novelties, apparel, hats, souvenirs, music and much more! Or you can visit the Safari Station where you can find African artifacts, gifts, apparel and novelties!