Zoo Atlanta is now selling timed tickets — essentially, you make a reservation for the time you enter the zoo. In this way, the zoo can manage capacity.
Zoo hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The zoo is estimating the average visitor will stay 90 minutes, an hour less than the previous average.
Mask exemptions include: any person younger than ten (10) years of age, though strongly recommended; any person with a medical condition or disability that prevents the wearing of a mask or face covering; any person while the person is consuming food or drink.
Masks are available for purchase at Zoo Atlanta.
Here’s our updated guide to visiting Zoo Atlanta on the cheap.
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Staying safe at Zoo Atlanta
As always, just because something is open doesn’t mean you have to go. We advise you to weigh your personal risks and make decisions based on what’s best for you and your family. For some of you, it may be better to delay excursions to places like the zoo.
Not sure if a trip to the zoo is right for you? Here’s a New York Times report on the relative risks of outdoor activities.
Please stay home if you have symptoms of illness, or have had an exposure to a person who became ill.
If you go to the Zoo this spring and summer:
♦ Masks are now required for anyone over the age of 10.
♦ Zoo Atlanta advises maintaining a reasonable distance from others, and steering clear of congested areas.
Here are the main safety measures now in place:
- Timed tickets will limit capacity (see below)
- Cashless, paperless transactions will be the norm
- Indoor venues and exhibits are still closed
- Rides, splash fountain, and playgrounds are still closed (restrooms are open)
- Pre-packaged food and merchandise will be sold from outdoor kiosks
- One-way flow through the zoo will promote social distancing
- Zoo staff will wear masks
- Hand sanitizing stations will be available in public areas
- Zoo staff will clean and sanitize restrooms and touchpoints frequently
- Paper maps will transition to all-digital maps guests may view on mobile devices
As reported by the AJC, zoo staff are screened for symptoms and may not report to work if ill. Staff has been specially trained in CDC-recommended cleaning and sanitation procedures.
Zoo admission prices for timed tickets
The timed ticketing system will limit the number of guests who are inside the Zoo at any given time.
You can only purchase tickets online now — ticket booths at the gate are closed, and all transactions within the Zoo will be paperless, with no cash transactions.
You may have to plan ahead, as only a limited number of tickets are sold each day.
If you have a zoo membership, you still must reserve your time slot online.
Interestingly enough, while the timed-ticket prices have dropped by $3 for adults (anyone 12+) and seniors, the price for children age 3-11 went up by $1.
Ticket prices:
- Adult (12+) — $24.99
- Child (3-11) — $18.99
- Children 2 and under — FREE
- Senior (65+) — $22.99
- Military — FREE
Go to the Zoo’s online ticketing page
The Groupon deal
Updated on 9/2/2020
A new Groupon deal lets you buy vouchers on line for 17% off current prices for one, two, or four people.
You have till October 11th, 2020 to use your voucher. After that, you can apply amount paid for the voucher to a full price admission ticket.
The deal lets you choose from these options:
- Admission for 1 person — $22.99 (down from $27.99)
- Admission for 2 people — $45.98 (down from $55.98)
- Admission for 4 people — $91.96 (down from $111.96)
As always, be sure you read the fine print and understand how the deal works.
Free admission for military
This applies to all active-duty, reserve, veterans, and retired members of the U.S. Armed Force — every day the zoo is open.
You’ll need to present a valid military ID at the ticket booth.
Regular admission rates apply to family members and other guests.
Preview the Zoo Atlanta experience:
Free admission through the Library Pass Program
NOTE that this info has not been updated for the pandemic. Most libraries are still closed.
If you have a library card, you can check out a family pass at Georgia’s public libraries. The pass is available at participating branches in all 159 counties. This pass gets you free admission to Zoo Atlanta for a family of four.
It works like this:
- Visit a public library with a valid library card
- Check out the Zoo Atlanta Library Pass DVD at the front desk
- Return the DVD within 7 days and receive a receipt
- Present the receipt plus your library card at Zoo Atlanta for free admission for a family of four (You have 14 days from the date on the receipt to use the pass)
So here’s the catch: There is only one pass per library. That means it may be difficult for you to get your hands on it. It may be easier to get the pass at libraries farther outside Atlanta, but remember that you have to return it within seven days.
Atlanta CityPASS
NOTE that this info has not been updated to reflect the current situation — CityPASS may not be a good deal until most venues have reopened and are operating under more normal conditions.
If you’re planning to visit multiple attractions in Atlanta, take advantage of the Atlanta CityPASS to save about 40% on admission to five Atlanta-area attractions.
The Atlanta CityPASS covers admission to The Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the Inside CNN Studio Tour, Zoo Atlanta OR the Center for Civil & Human Rights, and Fernbank Museum of Natural History OR the College Football Hall of Fame.
It’s valid for nine days, and if you plan it right, you’ll have two full weekends + the weekdays in between to get to all of the attractions.
Membership savings
If you plan to visit Zoo Atlanta many times during the year, an annual membership may save you a bundle of money.
For example, the Family Membership covers two adults and four kids — giving all of you unlimited FREE admission to Zoo Atlanta for a full year. Plus, you’ll get a 10% discount for guests’ admission, and a bargain price of $8 for unlimited ride wristbands. The cost for all this is just $139 — which is tax deductible if you itemize your expenses. To put this in perspective, consider that paying full price for just one visit for six people over the age of 12 would cost $156.
Don’t have kids? The Companion Membership covers two adults for $109. This also works well for families who have children under the age of three, for whom admission is always free.
There are several other membership options online.
Getting there and parking
Zoo Atlanta is located at 800 Cherokee Ave., in Southeast Atlanta near Grant Park.
Parking at the zoo is free, but there are currently limited options, due to construction. The parking lot off Boulevard is now closed, leaving only the limited number of spaces in the Cherokee Avenue lot. You may also be able to find parking on the street.
MARTA to the zoo
Zoo Atlanta is near the King Memorial Station, on the Blue and Green rail lines (east-west lines).
Once you exit the station, you have a few transportation options:
- Walk. It’s about a 30-minute walk from the station to the zoo. The walk is pleasant enough, through the Grant Park neighborhood. (Click for walking directions)
- Bike. There are Relay Bike Share hubs at both Zoo Atlanta and the King Memorial Station.
FREE Lyft offer. Use coupon code ZOOWINTER20 to get a free Lyft ride between Zoo Atlanta and either of two MARTA rail stations: Five Points or King Memorial. Note that this offer is limited to $10 per trip — in times of surge pricing, your ride may exceed that. PLEASE CHECK THE OFFER DETAILS CAREFULLY.
