Home >> Travel >> Wild times at the Oregon Zoo

Wild times at the Oregon Zoo

By Adam Sparks in Travel on July 1st, 2010 | 0 comments

PORTLAND — Taking a trip to the Oregon Zoo is an annual summer activity for me and my wife.

We both love animals, and never tire of getting up close and personal with some of the world’s most amazing creatures.

You don’t have to be addicted to Animal Planet to enjoy the zoo, though. And you don’t have to break the bank to add a zoo trip to your summer To Do list.

Tickets cost $10.50 for those over 12-years old, $9 for seniors 65 and over and $7.50 for ages 3-11. Children under 3 get in free. Parking costs $2. And you’ll pay a pretty penny to dine at any of the zoo’s on-site eateries.

But, as I said, you don’t have to break the bank. Below are a few money-saving tips for your Oregon Zoo trip.

For more Oregon Zoo photographs, click here, and be sure to comment below with your favorite summer activity in Oregon.

MONEY-SAVING TIPS FOR THE OREGON ZOO

• Take MAX: Use Portland’s Metropolitan Area Express, or MAX, to get to the zoo. You’ll pay $4.75 for an all-day pass, but if you keep your ticket stubs and show them at the gate when buying your zoo ticket, you’ll get $1.50 off each ticket. You’ll save some money on parking and gas, you’ll get to see the city en route and, best of all, you won’t have to battle traffic.

• Take food: This is the biggest money-saving tip I’ve got — avoid paying $5 for a sandwich by packing your own food, then settle down for a picnic on the zoo’s concert lawn. Bring a water bottle, too; you’ll pay $2.50 for a bottle of water inside the gates, but the zoo has also placed orange water coolers throughout the grounds, so you can drink, and fill up, for free by bringing your own bottle. Note that the zoo does not allow you to carry in beverages, however, so make sure the bottle’s empty when you enter. I’m guessing this is their way of ensuring alcohol doesn’t get on the grounds.

• Buy online: Don’t do this if you’re going to take MAX, because then you can’t get the $1.50-per-ticket discount with your MAX stub. But if you are going to drive, purchase your tickets online and the zoo will waive the $2 parking fee.

• Bring a backpack: You’ll need one anyway for that picnic you’re packing, but you’ll also want to pack a few essentials inside, things like: sunscreen, a camera, extra camera batteries, extra snacks. If you find you need any of these things while inside the zoo, you’ll have to over-pay for ‘em.

DINOSAURS AT THE ZOO

In addition to modern wildlife, you can step back in time in the Dinosaurs at the Zoo exhibit, which runs through Sept. 6 and costs an additional $3.50. These mechanical dinosaurs placed along the 0.25-mile trail aren’t exactly Jurassic Park-quality creatures, but kids will enjoy the exhibit, particularly the interactive “discovery stations,” which include a fossil “dig.” The zoo has guides stationed throughout the exhibit, too, so you can learn a little something about dinosaurs as you go.