Smithsonian National Zoological Park

About Smithsonian National Zoological Park

The National Zoo, located on 163 acres in Rock Creek Park, features an evolving array of animal exhibits that portray the natural world in all its glory and diversity.

How to Get There

The National Zoo is in northwest Washington, D.C., in the midst of quiet residential neighborhoods. There are several way to get to the National Zoo. The Zoo's mailing address is 3001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., and there are pedestrian and vehicle entrances here, at the west side of the Zoo. There are two entrances for pedestrians and vehicles at the east side of the Zoo, near Rock Creek. One is off of Rock Creek Parkway, the other is at Harvard Street and Adams Mill Road. The Zoo is just a few minutes by public transportation or car from the Capitol, the White House, and the Smithsonian museums on the Mall.

Plan Your Visit to Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Heading to Smithsonian National Zoological Park? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)