If you have kids or love animals you’re probably looking for Philadelphia Zoo coupons and discounts and any other way to save on Philadelphia Zoo Tickets!
A general admission ticket to the Philadelphia Zoo will cost visitors $23.00 per person (children under 2 are FREE). You can wait until you visit and pay full price at the gate, or you can use any one of these methods to save as much as you can on your admission ticket!
1. Visit during the colder months
Admission prices are always lower from November—February. You’ll also find other savings available for the Zoo during this time, like the next savings tip idea!
2. Goldstar deals for Philadelphia Zoo
Goldstar is a deal site that will sometimes feature discounted tickets, in particular during the winter months. You will likely have to visit during a certain time period, like before March 16th.
Winter update >> There is a Goldstar being offered for just $10 per ticket! (no longer available as of summer 2019)
Occassionally you might also find Groupon deals for the Philadelphia Zoo. Search here to see if any are currently available.
There is also a Go Philadelphia Pass that available on Groupon. This is a great deal if you are visiting several locations, as it includes: Bus Tour, Adventure Aquarium, Philadelphia Zoo, Eastern State Penitentiary, and One Liberty Observation Deck and more.
There are 8 options available and include 2, 3 or 5 day passes for children and adults at a highly discounted rate.
Grab the deal here >> Go Philadelphia Pass
3. Military Discount
An Active Military discount at Philadelphia Zoo is offered with the proper ID.
4. Go City Card
A Go City Card (previously called the Philadelphia Pass) can be purchased and is valid for 30 days, so you don’t even need to visit everything in the same weekend! All-inclusive passes are not valid for 30 days.
5. Philadelphia Sightseeing Pass
One pass to 35+ Philadephia attractions. Save up to 52% on gate prices—just show your mobile as you visit. Watch for additional holiday sale discounts too!
6. Philadelphia CityPass
A CityPass also offers discounts for visiting a variety of places in Philadelphia, including The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia Trolley Works Tour & The Big Bus Company, as well as the One Liberty Observation Deck. The Philadelphia CityPass includes choice options of 3, 4, or 5 attractions ($49.00, $65.00, and $77.00 respectively). Kids passes are for ages 3-12.
7. Get a group together
Visiting as a group of 15 or more will allow you to be eligible for discounted group tickets. All group tickets must be ordered and paid for at least two weeks in advance.
8. Follow Social Media Accounts
The Philadelphia Zoo will occasionally offer special promotions on their Facebook and Twitter pages, so always check there before you go! You’ll also find special events listed there for various holidays and celebrations.
9. Philadelphia Zoo Email Newsletter
Sign up for the Philadephia Zoo Newsletter to receive special promotions in your inbox.
10. Philadelphia Zoo Membership
If you will be visiting the Zoo regularly, you might want to consider a family membership which will include free admission year-round, whenever you would like. You also get FREE parking for one vehicle, FREE admission to the Tree House and Lorikeet Encounter as well as other discounts on birthday parties, workshops and souvenirs.
Other Zoo Memberships. Sometimes other zoo memberships offer FREE admission to other zoos across the nation, so always double check your fine print.
11. Entertainment Book / Coupon Books
The Entertainment Book and other coupon books offer coupons or discounts. They are not the same every year, but check them to be sure. You can often get the Entertainment Book for just $5-10 if you don’t purchase it immediately when the new year is released.
Tips for visiting the Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo does allow food to be brought into the park, so packing a lunch is an excellent way to save on your family trip! However if you do decide to grab a quick bite, or even a snack, I suggest heading to the food stands early before the lines form. We loved this food stand because we could watch the tiger walking above us while we waited. He just paced back and forth constantly!
Parking for one vehicle is $16. We parked on the other side of the freeway and walked underneath the bridge to the entrance. This was completely safe and easy to do. Remember, parking is FREE if you have a season pass or membership.
Visit the lions when there is a special presentation. For us, this was in the very beginning of the day. The lady gave us excellent information about lions that we never knew, which spurred tons of questions from the kids. Then she proceeded to draw the lion cubs near to us by squirting some milk through a squirt bottle. So fun to watch!
The gorillas were our favorite. At least my favorite anyway. I could have sat and watched this gorilla for hours!! His human-like qualities fascinated me. And his SIZE! He was massive.
If there are baby gorillas when you visit, you will also spent countless minutes or even hours watching the little ones learn from their parents, look at you and ride the backs of their mom or dad. It’s quite the site!
The bird sanctuary is another absolute must-see. You can start by watching a bird show led by the zoo workers and then walk through the sanctuary. Kids love to use these handy guides to identify the birds and play a scavenger-hunt type game!
You’ll probably be surprised at how friendly the penguins are at the Philadelphia Zoo. Our kids were amazed and laughed hysterically at how this penguin played tag with them and swam right up to the window!
We chose to save the playground to last, but whenever you need a break this newer playground resembles the tiger walk and is a new adventure for all ages!
To learn more about the Philadelphia Zoo, visit their official website.
