Went to the zoo lights at Pt. Defiance. I was pleasantly surprised! They had one way arrows, tons of lights & Christmas music playing as you walked the paths. Not many restrooms, but they were located well. I would suggest that you go during the week & early if possible. But it wasn’t crowded at all & everyone wore masks.

My son had a post-op follow up appt at Seattle Childrens Hospital so we went out early to make a weekend of fun instead of just the hospital. We had never been to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium so that was our weekend fun. Ive been to a lot of zoos & aquariums over the years & this one didnt disappoint, it was interactive, educational & fun for all ages. We especially loved the polar bears & Zoo keeper talk and loved spending lots of time inside & outside with the walruses. Would definitely recommend even on a rainy drizzling day like we had.

Alright its not the same it was nice having set times to go in. As well as fewer people. You have to go in one direction and it is nice. The touch exhibit for kids is closed currently, but still plenty of exhibits open for kids to enjoy. The aquarium was great and was fun seeing the sharks and many types of jellyfish.

Weve been coming here for years and always enjoy being at the zoo. The attraction for PD Zoo is the aquariums. The zoo is small and will take 2-3 hours to see everything. They have done a good job controlling the crowd sizes during COVID but it does diminish the zoo experience because the concession stands are closed and some of the areas are no longer accessible. Most of the animal exhibits are well designed and maintained and you can see the zoo takes a lot of pride in conservation. The elephant exhibit needs some work though... Not sure what is going on with it but it looks quite sad.

Always love the zoo. They are really doing a great job with the social distancing and getting ready for zoo lights. We got a nice surprise heading to our car after. Hope my video will post

1. Plenty parking2. People maintained social distancing and masks are mandatory. There was sanitizer every now and then3. Nice kids area4. Great collection of animals. Saw elephant, tigers, penguins, walrus, fox, wolf, otters , to name a few5. Great collection of fish. Specially stingray and ray. Saw many amazing Sharks like leopard shark and hammerhead shark.Kids had a great time. Will come again. They also have great membership program.

We went during the pumpkin days so the zoo was festive for the halloween season. Most of the animals were sleeping but it was a good experience. Our favorite was the walrus. He was living his best life doing back flips. Love that guy! The Pacific aquarium was very nice. I think that one was my favorite. The zoo had a walking path for everyone. We made our reservations online. It wasnt crowded and everyone maintained social distance and kept their masks on. There no restaurants open so eat before you go or map out a place to eat after.

Very fun evening with the kids. Super excited I would say to see the wonderful sites.

The zoo was one of the best ones I’ve been to. They took great precautions for COVID stuff and were so accommodating. Loved exploring it all!

Point Defiance, breathtaking even in the rainy season. Beautiful, I love this place so much.

There werent too many animals out to see. We didnt even get to see the solar bears, which are one of our favoritesMy husband & I had a lot of fun. We wouldve liked to see more animals, but we understand Covid has had a big effect on many public/social activities such as this. A little disappointed we werent able to see the Polar Bears, but hopefully next time. We would definitely like to come back again in the near future.

Very clean. Staff was friendly and willing to talk, from a distance! The Pacific Seas Aquarium was phenomenal! The animals were not very active, even hiding! But the walrus and sea lions put on a show! Spent about 3 hours in the park. Well worth the time and money.

This is a beautiful zoo with all the usual exhibits, as well as both the old and new aquariums. Situated on a steep hillside with meandering paths, this involves a lot of walking and can be challenging for those with disabilities. There are places to relax and picnic, enjoy the views, and the gardens. Point Defiance has something for everyone, even if you dont pay to go into the zoo and aquarium. We love to visit the pond and stroll the gardens, hike the miles of trails in the beautiful, lush forest, drive the scenic loop and stop at the lookouts. Theres always lots of wildlife that can be seen. In the summer we play, swim, and kayak at the beach, BBQ at a picnic shelter, and cool off under the canopy of the forest. Even after years of coming to this park, we havent seen all that it has to offer such as Fort Nisqually or the off leash dog area.

The scheduled visiting make it easier to insure little to no lines to get in. Things are clean and friendly helpful employees helping guide and answer questions. Social distance is easy to maintain if you dont rush it. Above all this, the animals are beautiful and appear to be well cared for. Go and enjoy.

Always a wonderful place to be. Check out the stage show about animals whenever it is going on. If it is raining, spend time in the aquarium. My favorite place is to sit and watch the shark swim in a huge viewing tank.

The Zoo has done such a good job making the place safe to visit. The views of the area are stunning. It was a lovely afternoon.

The park is doing their best to handle the ongoing COVID crisis. They have a clearly marked one way path through the zoo and aquarium with optional shortcuts and cute green wolf paw prints to show 6ft apart. Masks are required and visits are spaced out by ticket times to make sure there arent too many people in any one area at a time. There are employees stationed around the park to help too.The exhibits and the rest of the zoo are all well maintained and the entire experience was both fun and comfortable. All of the employees are both friendly and helpful. My friend and I had no trouble viewing any of the animals and we never felt rushed. We will definitely be bringing friends here in the future.

Overall the zoo was nice. A lot of things were closed off due to the Covid circumstances. The staff was very friendly when being approached and interacted with. It was also nice seeing so many animals out and not hiding. Parking wasnt an issue, as there is tons of parking spots. There are also quite a bit of hills, so be prepared of you have strollers and little kids. Definitely a good place to visit and be outside.

Nice overall. Smaller than I expected but pretty and the one way foot traffic was nice. Definitely a couple of hours spent while in P. D. Park.

Awesome little Zoo and Aquarium and we had loads of fun there with friends and family! Just call and reserve your arrival time ahead of time!

This is one of our favorite zoos. It was a easy layout with all the animals you could want. I also like that it has two aquariums. We did go during the pandemic and they handle everything safely. I didnt not feel over crowded. Everyone work masks and the pathways were clearly marked with directions for walking.

What a beautiful zoo. The grounds are breathtaking and the one path arrows made the experience so easy. Im giving 4 starts because a lot of the animals looked quite sad. The polar bear and especially the elephant need a bigger enclosure. How is it that the red wolves have more space than an elephant? Also is the elephant all alone? They are very social creatures..please get her a friend.

Zoo lights this year was so nice with the timed tickets! It wasnt as crowded and was nice with the one way traffic throughout.

Im really glad that they made it available during covid-19, however even then it felt like there want that much to do. We walked the park in about 2 hours. All in all I really enjoyed getting out and being able to see the animals.

I love point defiance. Only giving it 3 stars today unfortunately because , for one, many animals were not out when we got there at 1230, and the ones that was out (Tiger,Porcupine,Polar bear) just to name a few was all sleeping. So you walk a long distance +pay alot of $ just for animals to be sleep/not even there.& the line for the aquariums was sooooo long, we waited about 35mins For one and decided not to wait for the other one. Overall , theyre doing a great job with dealing with the Pandemic and enforcing masks etc.will definitely return once covid is over. Its not much to see at the moment.

We visited this zoo for the first time and were very pleased. We purchased tickets online for a specific day and time. We really appreciated the timed entry, social distancing requirement, and mask requirement. We went right away when they opened and many animals were out and about. I would recommend reading the guidelines well before you go. I did not and we were late due to it. Luckily they were not busy and let us in anyway.

We enjoyed our time. The animals all seemed quiet and lounging in the warm sun. Not the most eventful trip. Love the new aquarium.

Small, things shut down for covid but it was still a fun day and always good to get out!

Really enjoyed the zoo it was a beautiful day. The jellyfish exhibit is amazing the Lions just a really cute zoo lot of animals very easy access. Real nice day

Better experience than Woodland Park Zoo. Point Defiance has am Elephant! They have sharks!! So much cooler because of the additional aquarium which puts the Seattle Aquarium to shame.

So much fun in the new aquarium with our little, they have wonderful precautionary measures in place due to covid.. it was not crowded at all we felt safe and had a great time

Although a lot was closed due to COVID, we still spent about 2 hours there. Great way to work off some energy for little ones.

Awesome facility! Even during COVID times they accommodated so well, with a regulated path through the park they make sure you don’t miss a single exhibit! They have spots along the way to stop for food/drink or the bathroom. Lots of pretty flowers and the aquarium is definitely worth the small wait on a busy day.

For the crazy time we are in the staff did an great job. Take your own food and water

Amazing place for the family. Have only been to woodland zoo in Seattle and never visited here so didnt expect too much. We ended up having a great time! Camel rides, centre stage shows, feeding birds. A great mix of northwest animals and exotic animals. Highly recommend it!

Great social distancing and mask requirements. The new Pacific Seas Aquarium was beautiful and we got to see the walruses be fed. Such a great zoo!

We had a great time. Well worth the trip.

Its been many years since Ive been here last. I really enjoy coming. Lots to look and helpful staff. Great for the whole family. There are a lot of steps to climb so be aware of that. Have fun and enjoy.

The PDZA has done a great job of making the zoo safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Completely amazing. The night was a minimaly drizzly during the visit. Loved the display of lights in the holiday season. The only cameras I brought with me was my 360° cameras. If you are here during the holiday season and it isnt too cold or rainy, I highly recommend this for the whole family. Very affordable for the whole family. Easily accessible parking while you are there.

Considering all that’s going on with the pandemic it was really fun. Kids got to see plenty and the marked path made it feel less busy. Not rushed at all. Timed tickets are very strict so get there before your time just to be safe. But very enjoyable. I went with 3 kids 4 and under and we had a blast.

Great time for the family even with the scheduled entry requirements. Earlier worked better for us to avoid the lines that form at the aquarium entrances. The Muskox was scratching himself on the rocks :-)

Absolutely Beautiful! Theres a path to follow and majority of the animals were awake & ready to put on a show.

Pretty busy on a Sunday morning but they did a great job of minimizing contact with other people and shared surfaces. The ticket purchase process forces you to decide on an arrival time before purchase, but it worked out fine. Not a lot to see though... we were in and out in an hour and forty five minutes but we saw everything!

Are you looking for animals? This place has em! Tons of exhibits and a huge variety of animals. We spent hours there and had a great time interacting with all the animals. Due to Covid you will have to booked a timed ticket to enter the park at a set time. The cost for the amount of fun we had was super reasonable.

Timed check ins wasnt so bad. People were spaced out. Didnt feel over crowded. Had to wait in line for about five to ten min for entrance into the aquariums. Overall had a good time without having to worry about being over crowded with people.

Really nice view of Mount Rainier! Membership is worth $145 if you are visiting more than 3 times a year. Compare to the zoo and aquarium that’s in Seattle this one is bit cleaner and has new aquarium that has the touchable ray and bamboo sharks. Not too big but good enough for 3 hours.

Most of the exhibits were closed because of Covid which was disappointing. The sea lions were engaging. It was nice to get out and do something new. The animals we did see seemed to enjoy our visit since there werent crowds of people.

Even with COVID restrictions we still had a great time!

Walruses stole the show. Definitely a solid zoo for the price, and the one-way directions were fairly easy to follow and got you to every area of the zoo and aquarium that was still open. We went during a cloudy and then rainy afternoon that kept most animals pretty subdued, but it was still fun.

Just went there yesterday. Really disappointing. Lots of empty space with NO animals. The elephant looked like it was in JAIL with just a branch on the floor it was picking at. Im SO glad I didnt bring my child. $40 to look at nothing or just sad sad animals caged up alone. I used to love the ZOO. Ill never be going back to THIS one for sure. Not ONE person who worked there asked if we enjoyed it or anything. All around waist of money and time.

For the money it wasnt the best especially since a lot of animals were gone. But it was still beautiful. The animals that were there either looked sad or agitated. Others looked like they didnt have a care in the world. So i had to give this a 3 star. I do have to admit the jelly fish ball was pretty awesome.

The zoo is not very big, and theres not a lot to see. Perfect for killing a couple of hours with young kids.

Beautiful Animals & Sea Life. Great Place For The Family To Enjoy!

It was a little cooler so more animals were out. The walrus were particularly playful. They are making the zoo experience stage and fun with timed entry, masking up, and social distancing.

The new aquarium is world class and the covid measures actually make for a better experience. Happy to be a member here. Its a great zoo.

Always a great place to visit. So many animals to see and the new addition to the zoo with more aquatic life and touch zones are great for families!

We went on a beautiful sunny day and we enjoyed how beautiful this zoo is with all the flowers and trees.The zoo is very pretty but the exhibits are lacking and need some updating. Also there arent very many animals to see here. My girls ages 10 and 12 loved the Aquarium. The jelly fish were displayed beautifully and they loved the glass ceiling and seeing the sealife swim by. I would go here again.

Absolutely love this place. We go here every year with my wife. Park is always clean, admission is fair, and they always have some good to eat. They just updated some areas and they look much better now. Definitely recommend everyone. They also offer a 2 hour dive with the sharks for a reasonable price. You do have to call like a few weeks in advance though.

This was a good trip. It was our first time going. The zoo has an absolutely gorgeous view of the sound and Rainier as you walk down the hill to it. They do some awesome conservation work like what theyve done with the red wolves, or the seal they saved from being put down when he kept eating endangered salmon in the wild. Its not the biggest zoo or aquarium Ive been to, but it was laid out well, had very attentive and knowledgeable staff, and well definitely come back. Great place to bring the kids.

I took my niece here for her 4th birthday and it was fabulous. I hadnt visited since I was a child and they had Beluga whales. No more whales, but they have an amazing aquarium where sharks swim overhead. They offer social distancing and masks must be worn while visiting the array of animals.

The pandemic setup was smooth. Limited admission, so by your tickets before hand and be on time. I think the format is what made traffic and parking the easiest I have seen here. Good adaptation by the zoo.

Wonderful time, the wolves were out and I have never been as close to the otters, puffins, and tiger

This time if year.. so many animals our and about.. Love the way they are keeping us separated and safe. Good open air venue. Make sure your make an appointment ahead. Love seeing the care they take for every animal in their care. A

Easy to social distance; very few people were around. Paths were well marked to keep moving in one direction. Didnt see as many animals as we would have liked due to closures for safety. Interactive touch kiosks and high touch areas were closed. However, some play areas were left open for kids; parents can sit, kids can run around and enjoy. Also, the view of Mt. Rainier when you enter/exit, flowering plants and grounds were still stunning!

Very nice zoo with ample animal exhibits. Beautiful landscaping & setting. Due to Covid, must buy Tix with a specific date & entry time. Went on a Sunday, & difficult to social distance due to crowding especially with the popular animals & the aquariums. Go on a weekday if you can.

Nice smaller Zoo. Great outing for children during the Covid-19 shutdowns.

Best zoo in Washington and its not even close. They enforce masks and are amazingly organized and accommodating. With a toddler that needs his outside time this is a very safe and friendly place to take him during the week!

Awesome place.... First to visit from Texas.

Nice little zoo, but not a lot of animals. The aquariums really are what make this place shine - great jellyfish display!

It was my first time. I went an whim with my 9 yr old niece and we were surprised at how much fun we had. They had a full schedule of of zookeepers on hand to explain pretty much all of the animal exhibits. It was a total shock considering that it was a Tuesday. They had an entertaining animal show. I was surprised that we filled out the whole day considering that it is such a small zoo and aquarium. I highly recommend for kids under 12 years of age.

Always my favorite. Such a beautiful place and the keepers are always on hands to answer questions. A MUST for any visitors.

An informative place of combination of both outdoor zoo and indoor aquariums, which also requires a lot of walking. We spent almost 3.5hrs visiting all the exhibition halls with our 2.5yr n 4.5yr. They fell asleep almost half way through, so better bring your own stroller. If not, you can also rent it at the carousel. My sons were really having fun at the bird garden, it was their first time feeding these cute little parakeets. They were a bit afraid but looking forward to interact with these birds.

Until it returns to normal, there is only one reason to visit: support the zoo. Many exhibits are closed, there are no shows nor demonstrations, nowhere to purchase food (drinks are available in overpriced vending machines...$2.50 for 12oz can), few staff members were available and overall, sadly, the place is in disrepair. We were highly disappointed. Were looking forward to PDZA returning to its prior glory.

An excellent zoo to explore with small children. Small enough to be completely doable in an hour and a half to two and a half hours, with great exhibits. COVID mitigation procedures are very family friendly and effective, leading to a feeling of a private zoo trip.

It is a nice small zoo. Was sad that some of the animals were pacing, a sign of boredom. I know zoos are necessary due to the brutality of humans and if we did not have them, more animals would be extinct. I know zoos work hard to do the best they can for the animals.

Visiting during covid. I did feel safe as far as their precautions that were in place. Loved the walruses!

Lots of safety measures put in place for social distancing. Great staff! Friendly and professional.

Great experience! Great practice of social distancing and lots of sanitizing stations. A lot of fun!

Great zoo, clean and very family friendly. Its right on the bay so its not as big as some other zoos but its a great local spot that we take our kids to all the time.

The best zoo I have ever been to! The Shark Tunnel is beyond finnomenal I rode an Elephant and saw the biggest Walrus doing tricks It was quite the experience and a must see! Good for all ages!

I love taking my daughter here. She ie interested different each time we visit.

They closed earlier then we thought. Plus the price was crazy! Over 100$ for 3 adults and 2 kids & a baby. I have never paid that much to get into the zoo before. Maybe its covid-19 and they need the $ to feed the animals; but still! Yeah; We turned around and went to pebble beach for a few hours. If I was spending a bill, i need to be there all day and have some good pictures. Hopefully next time we make it early and not run us groceries for 2days.

The staff has done a fantastic job setting the zoo up to accommodate viaitors during COVID. Everything was clear to understand and staff were friendly at every station. The zoo was clean and exhibits were well-maintained.

Great efforts on social distancing but no one was cleaning tables in the food courts after people ate at them. Could spread Covid very easily.Didnt get to see any Polar Bears, artic foxes, or Red Wolves.

It was ok. I had high expectations for the light display. I did enjoy seeing the pinguins swim in the water.

Love the setup they have during covid. Easy to follow the arrows laid out, masks required, and sanitizer all over. Happy we still get to see the animals!

Great experience. It was really nice being able to go during the week so it wasnt crowded. Staff is very friendly. We will definitely revisit in the future.

Decent zoo - great for kids. Only took about 90 minutes to walk through. Its a little expensive for what you get.

What a great zoo! There was plenty of parking, and the variety, quality and diversity of the exhibits are second to none. There are a large number of native animals as well. The staff were very friendly, and answered all of our questions. I enjoyed this zoo more than the Woodland Park zoo.

Absolutely fantastic!The park is kept clean, well maintained, exhibits are incredibly educational, the show is fantastic, the staff is crazy friendly and knowledgeable, and this park is FANTASTIC for kids! They have playgrounds, sand boxes, etc! You can tell that they truly care about the animals and educating the public. Family friendly and an absolutely great experience for a family!

This is a super small zoo. It can be completed in a couple of hours. Recommend going when it isnt so hot out. You will see more of the animals. The new aquarium is nice but youre only allowed to go through it once while there. You are given a separate ticket to get into it at the gate so make sure not to misplace it.

This zoo is very child friendly with short distances between exhibits and animals that are easily visible. Right now, social distancing and rules are clear and easy to follow.

My family and I went to the zoo last week for the first time since last summer. We were very excited to revisit after the closure and were comforted in our decision to do so based upon the advertised safety regulations.Although we enjoyed the exhibits very much, there was much discomfort from the amount of patrons not adhering to mask regulations and safe distancing. What was of greater concern was the fact that there was not a single staff member within the park aside from at the entrances to the aquariums enforcing any of the claimed procedures. That being said, we had to speak out to several other guests at points where we were cornered in certain exhibits while they removed their face coverings. We were met with a lot of hostile feedback on multiple occasions.We understand that there is an adherent risk with any public outing, however, I would think it would be in the zoos best interest to either source out more staff to enforce better safety measures, or offer a more true depiction or warning to patrons to know what we would have been exposing ourselves to prior to entering the park.Unfortunately, I would not plan to visit again or recommend visiting as a safe activity to anyone around me unless some serious adjustments are made. It’s saddening as we greatly enjoy the Point Defiance Zoo and had higher hopes. I reached out with this feedback on the day of our visit and never received a response.

Went for the zoolights it was awesome! Well worth the cost of admission.

Good day trip, Covid-19 precautions in place. The keepers were great about answering my 9yo sons questions.

Very fun Very safe and people are well spaced out

The animals are in exhibits as close to a natural habitat while still being in a zoo. You may have to search for the tiger if hes under the trees, but its worth it. The plants along the path are beautiful. If you go early while the weather is cool your chances are better to see the animals. The aquariums are now open!

Great zoo and fun for all ages! Very kid friendly zoo, with loads of animals and an aquarium, too! Theres staff on hand to talk about animals, timed talks and feedings, and even a petting area with goats.Theres adventure activities for the little ones, and plenty of green space to have a picnic. There are at least 3 concession stand/restaurants on site.Carousel rides are $2 and sure to please any age

Great Zoo, rude office staff. The zoo itself was terrific - diverse animals, helpful in-zoo staff, excellent adaptation to needs for social distancing and sanitizing. BRAVO! However, the “customer service” young lady I spoke to on the phone (prior to purchasing tickets) was rude and NOT AT ALL SERVICE CONSCIOUS. I have a membership at another facility that entitles me to 50% off at the Point Defiance Zoo. She said this would NOT be honored. “It’s policy,” she replied. When I inquired as to why, she said there was no way to check my membership card. This was garbage! A ticket checker scanned our bar codes upon entry. I feel ripped off by someone who just couldn’t be bothered with good service.