ZooTampa at Lowry Park, One of the Top 10 Best Zoos.
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ZooTampa at Lowry Park is located in Tampa, Florida and is home to over 1,000 animals and a full medical staff on site for 24 hour care as needed. ZooTampa promises adventure in this immersive zoo, inviting visitors of all ages to discover the conservation and inspiring encounters with wildlife from all over the world. You will find giraffe’s, primates, large cats, and even Florida native alligators.
Creating a balance between captivity and conservation of the animals natural habitat is a responsibility that ZooTampa takes pride in as they prioritizing the well-being and natural environment and behavior of the animals. I agree, that captivity isn’t the best environment for the animals but their enrichment programs, spacious enclosures, and immersive experiences aim to provide the opportunities for visitors to observe the animals in the best environment with conservation efforts being of utmost importance. I do appreciate a zoo’s ability to take in animals that have been injured in some way and cannot return to the wild and provide them with the best environment they can to mimic their natural environment.
ZooTampa
ZooTampa is committed to protecting Florida wildlife. They use their facility to rehabilitate injured animals. They rescue animals such as manatees, panthers, snakes and more. While we were at ZooTampa we were able to see a manatee in their manatee critical care center that had been injured and was being treated for his injury before he could return back to his natural environment. It was great to see the care they take to protect the animals before they return to their natural habitat.
Flamingos
Carribean Flamingos from the Carribean Island grow to be 4-5 feet tall and can live up to 50 years in the wild. They are social birds and love to be together in groups.
Cost, Hours, and Parking at ZooTampa
Book your ZooTampa tickets online.
Cost: The online price for one person is $44.95 (online price includes $3 off per person) for ages 12 and up and for ages 3-11 is $34.95 (online price). Military and Senior discounts apply. (2024 prices)
For six of us that would cost $259.70! That is a lot just to visit the zoo for one day!
Other cost options
A yearly family membership is $259 for 4 people which includes two free guests at each visit. This gives us the opportunity to visit the zoo for a year without paying an additional fee to enter. It is definitely a splurge but going anywhere with a large family is expensive. With the pass we get discounts on food and in their shops as well. We also get preferred parking, are invited to special events and the pass gets us discounts at other zoos who participate in the same program.
They also have a Pay for a Day get the rest of the year FREE. The cost is $3 more per person for general admission for the day but then the rest of the calendar year is free. This is also a great deal. Our total we pay would be $277.70.
Parking: FREE for all guests. Members get preferred parking.
Address: 1101 W Sligh Ave, Tampa, Florida
Hours: 9:30am to 5pm 7 days a week. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Other programs at the zoo (add on fees)
animal encounters, feedings, & behind the scenes
giant tortoise encounter
manatee critical care center, behind the scenes
white rhino encounter
Indian rhino feeding
African elephant behind the scenes tour
African penguin backstage
giraffe encounter
koala behind the scenes tour
clouded leopard encounter
stingray encounter
Holiday events
Christmas in the Wild
Creatures of the Night
I love to carry a hip pack when we travel so I can carry my keys, money and other necessary items without having to worry about losing it if I set it down.
Penguin
The African Penguins are amazing animals to observe. Located on the southwestern coast of Africa, these warm weather penguins weigh between 5-9 pounds and live 10-20 years in the wild. There were staff there giving information on these gentle species and answering any questions you may have.
Elephant and Giraffe
The African Elephant lives to be 60 years old in the wild and weighs 6,000 (females) to 12,000 pounds (males). Amazing fact: the trunk of the elephant has over 100,000 muscles which they use to get bark off of a tree, greeting others, squirting water and more.
The Masai Giraffe get 14 (females) to 17 (males) feet tall. They are social animals and live in herds of 10-20 giraffes and can live up to 25 years in the wild. They use their 18-inch-long tongue to eat from tall branches.
Manatees
The West Indian Manatee can weigh up to 3,500 pounds and can live 50-60 years in the wild.
Play area & petting zoo for kids
There are plenty of benches to rest at throughout the park, and there is a nice area for toddlers to play in with a petting zoo and water sprinklers in the Wallaroo area.
There are plenty of signs to direct you to the different areas of the zoo but I also recommend you take the zoo map with you so you can quickly find restrooms, food areas and specific animal encounters. You can also download the ZooTampa at Lowry Park app for easy reference.
ZooTampa map (2022)
Bears and Orangutans
Sun bears typically found in Southern Asia can live up to 25 years in the wild. They prefer to be alone except for mating, and are omnivores so they eat mostly fruits, honey, berries, roots, insects, and birds.
Bornean Orangutans spend most of their day in trees and can live up to 25 years in the wild. ZooTampa has three generations of orangutans in their zoo program.
Dinos Alive Exhibit
Occasionally ZooTampa will have the Dinos Alive exhibit which is free with admission to the zoo. My then 4-year-old loves dinosaurs. I figured he would love the exhibit and he truly did. It was an amazing exhibit and was realistic to my son. Although he knows dinosaurs are extinct, he still kept questioning if the dinosaurs were real because they looked so life like to him and they even moved and made noise. He was nervous to get too close to the dinosaurs but really did enjoy it and was sad when we reached the end and had to leave. I would definitely recommend taking your child to this as soon as possible! Before you enter the exhibit, they will take your picture which can be purchased at the end.
The exhibits change every so often, so check online for their most up-to-date exhibits.
As you can see in this picture he is a little hesitant to get close to the dinosaur.
Roaring Springs
Roaring Springs is an area with a super fun water ride. This water ride is guaranteed to get you wet. If you prefer not to get on the ride, you can stand on the bridge as the ride goes down the hill and get soaked from the water. This ride is FREE with admission to the park. I love wearing my Teva sandals to places like this. They are comfortable and if they get wet it doesn’t ruin them.
Carousal and Tram
The Carousal and tram provide an additional way to relax after walking around the zoo. They are also included in your admission to the zoo. Although the Carousal ride was short it is part of the nostalgia of the zoo with zoo animal characters to ride on. A person aged 14 and older can stand next to their child on the Carousal for safety. The tram provides a nice view from behind some of the exhibits and an explanation of the animals from your guide. (Tram may be closed 2023)
Expedition Wild Africa takes you on a ride around Africa to learn about and discover more about the animals that live in that area.
This is a smaller zoo, and it is kept very clean. Zoo’s gives children the opportunity to learn more about the wild animals and how to protect them. This zoo has changed several of their habitats and entertainment throughout the zoo. Check their park map onsite for the most up-to-date natural habitats and activities.
Enjoy a unforgettable journey at ZooTampa as you make connections with the animals. Enjoy elephants, monkeys, tortoises, lemurs and more and you get a sense of appreciation for the natural wonder of these creatures. I hope this inspires you to take a day to enjoy your local zoo!
Enjoy the Journey,
Meet the author: Jennifer 💚
I’m just a girl who loves to travel. My favorite travels have been traveling across the US in a campervan, visiting all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, marking National Parks off my list, & many smaller trips. I love to share my adventures and tips to inspire more travel. If you can dream it, you can do it!
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