While we are lucky to live in Fort Worth for many reasons, a big one would have to be because of the Fort Worth Zoo. Routinely named in the top five zoos in America, the Fort Worth Zoo is a local attraction we head back to time and time again. Even Gary said he was “impressed,” (which is rare) when we took him with us. With over 7,000 native and exotic animals on site, it is hard not to be.
History of the Fort Worth Zoo
Founded in 1909, the Fort Worth Zoo originally had rabbits, a peacock, two bear cubs, an alligator, a coyote and one lion. Not exactly a high caliber zoo animal list! But it has steadily grown over the years and experienced a renaissance in the mid 90’s with an ownership change.
Why Visit the Fort Worth Zoo?
Home to such facilities as Asian Falls, World of Primates, Texas Wild! and the Great Barrier Reef, the Fort Worth Zoo takes pride in taking care of their animal charges while serving the many visitors they receive daily. Zookeepers are at specially designated points at posted times daily, and love to answer questions about the animals! My kids love to ask them about what the animals eat, how they live, and what makes the animals unique.
Our favorite facility is the relatively new (2010) Museum of Living Art (or MOLA). Home to snakes, lizards, spiders, and fish the MOLA is a great place to spend an hour in the hot summer months. There is usually an animal out in the petting area, that you can touch and discuss with the zoo volunteer in charge of the station.
There is also a great cafe on premises that you can sit in and observe the turtles, crocodiles, and fish in the tank outside via a large window wall. It is a fantastic experience for the kids – and I really love it too.
Fort Worth Zoo Admission Prices
The price might seem a little high for a zoo admission if you didn’t know how great an experience it was going to be – although I’ve paid much higher admission for far less impressive animal experiences. 2013 ticket prices are $12 for adults, $9 for children and $5 for parking. Wednesday’s are always half priced, but they are usually much busier than the other weekdays.
If you live local, check out membership passes as we have found them to be a great value. We’ve been members for several years, and plan to continue to buy them as a Christmas present to the family as long as the children enjoy the trip.
Fort Worth Zoo Details
Website : Fort Worth Zoo
Days open: 365 days a year.
Hours: Usually 10 – 5. Can vary slightly (stay open an hour later, close an hour earlier) so check this page to verify.
Zoo Location : Google Maps