Zoo Miami is spread across 300 hectares (742 acres) of land and houses over 2,500 animals of 400 species representing different bioclimatic regions of the world.
The zoo has built animal habitats representing wildlife of Florida’s Everglades and forests of Amazon, Africa, Australia, and Asia.
Exhibits like Conservation Area Center, Mission Everglades, Wings of Asian Aviary, Critter Connection, and Amazon & Beyond make zoo tours more informative and interesting.
Activities like animal feeding, animal presentations, animal fun factories, rides, etc., keep kids engaged throughout their visits.
This article covers everything you must know before booking Miami Zoo tickets.
Top Tickets for Miami Zoo
# General Admission Ticket
# Zoo Miami + Superblue Miami
What to expect
At Zoo Miami, walk past a wide variety of flora and fauna and experience tranquility as you move forward from one exhibit to another.
The zoo is home to many amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles and has themed gardens.
Amphibians: Blue poison dart frog, dyeing poison dart frog, giant waxy monkey frog, Panamanian golden frog, Puerto Rican crested frog, red-eyed tree frog, and smokey jungle frog
Birds: American flamingos, American white pelican, bald eagle, chestnut mandible toucan, great egret, great Indian hornbill, southern cassowary, ostrich, king vulture, etc.
Mammals: Addax antelope, addra gazelle, Bornean orangutan, African elephant, Asian elephant, African lion, noa, clouded leopard, dromedary camel, grevy’s zebra, etc.
Reptiles: Green anaconda, Cuban crocodile, eyelash viper, komodo dragon, Orinoco crocodile, Galapagos crocodile, caiman lizard, etc.
Take a relaxing walk in Miami Zoo’s bountiful gardens, featuring a breathtaking collection of plants and flowers whose mere smell and sight will uplift your mind, body, and soul.
Spot a range of colorful flowers and trees like Cabada palm, Moreton Bay chestnut, Japanese fern tree, gumbo limbo tree, zebra plant, mangrove, plumeria, mahogany, and many more!
Where to buy Miami Zoo tickets
You can buy Miami Zoo tickets online and at the ticket booth at the main gate.
We strongly suggest you purchase online tickets to save money and time.
Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper than tickets at the venue.
When you buy online, you can avoid the long queues at the ticket counters.
Because some zoos sell a limited number of tickets, booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointment.
How online ticket works
Go to the Miami Zoo ticket booking page, select the number of tickets and date you wish to visit, and book your tickets right away!
Upon completing the payment, you will receive a confirmation email.
You don’t need to take ticket printouts. On the day of your visit, scan the ticket on your smartphone at the zoo entrance gate and walk in!
Remember to bring your official IDs.
Ticket Prices
The cost of tickets to Zoo Miami depends on the type of ticket you select.
A regular ticket granting access to the zoo costs US$22 for adults aged 13 years and above and US$20 for kids between three to 12 years.
The food & beverage package offers zoo entry and a lunch basket, and its tickets are priced at US$46 for guests over 13 years of age and US$42 for children aged three to 12 years.
Toddlers below two years old get free entry to the zoo.
Discount tickets
Zoo Miami offers reduced tickets for children, military, seniors, teachers, schools, and camps.
Group discounts of up to 25% are available based on the group size.
Seniors aged 65 years and above also receive 25% off.
Military personnel can reap discounts of 25% to 50%.
Remember that discounted tickets must be purchased onsite, i.e., from the ticket booth of the zoo.
Miami Zoo admission tickets
You can choose from two ticket variants of Zoo Miami–a regular ticket or a food and beverage package.
The regular ticket provides entry to the zoo and access to all the animal exhibits and other interactive exhibits.
Guests can also attend the wildlife presentations in the amphitheater and explore the botanical collection while children can enjoy water and jungle playground areas.
On the other hand, a food and beverage ticket grants admission to the zoo and gives you a food voucher.
With a food voucher, you get one lunch basket with fries, a souvenir cup, and a fountain drink.
Multiple food basket options are available, which include hot dogs, deli wraps, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, chicken tenders, handcrafted salad, etc.
However, animal feedings and encounters are not included in this ticket, and you must buy a separate ticket onsite to experience these activities.
Ticket Prices
Regular Ticket (Zoo Entry Only)
Adult Ticket (13+ years): US$22
Child Ticket (3 to 12 years): US$20
Infant Ticket (up to 2 years): Free
Food & Beverage Package + Zoo Entry
Adult Ticket (13+ years): US$46
Child Ticket (3 to 12 years): US$42
Infant Ticket (up to 2 years): Free
Combo tickets
The combo tickets are the best way to explore two attractions on the same day, as they are available at reduced pricing.
There are a few attractions and tours near the Miami Zoo, and to experience them, you can easily commute by car or public transport.
You can buy Melbourne Zoo tickets in combination with tickets for Superblue Miami and Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
Superblue Miami + Zoo Miami
Distance: 24 miles (38 km)
Time taken: 35 minutes by car
Buy this combo ticket and visit Miami’s most popular attractions, immersing yourself in experiential art at Super Blue Miami and taking a walking tour of the Miami Zoo.
Explore some amazing masterpieces of art at Superblue, like Meadow, Every Wall is a Door, AKHU, Forest of Us, and Cloud Room, and see the magic yourself upon touching the walls.
This ticket offers a discount of 5%.
Ticket Cost: US$57
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens + Zoo Miami
Distance: 18.5 miles (29.7 km)
Time taken: 30 minutes by car
Visit Miami Zoo and Vizcaya Museum and Gardens with this combo ticket and get up to 5% off.
See lions, tigers, elephants, hippos, etc., at the zoo, take a self-guided tour of Villa Vizcaya and its gardens, and soak in all the beauty of bountiful gardens.
Ticket Cost: US$101
How to reach
Zoo Miami is located in South Dade, Florida.
Address: Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152 St., Miami, FL, 33177. Get Directions
You can reach the zoo via bus or car.
By Bus
If you board bus 252, get down at Zoo Miami Main Entrance or SW 124 Av & Gold Coast RR Muse.
Those taking bus line 137 can get off at SW 184 St & SW 125 Av.
By Car
If you’re traveling by car, turn on Google Maps and get started.
There is an onsite car parking facility available at the zoo.
Timings
Miami Zoo runs from 10 am to 5 pm all days of the week.
The last ticket is sold at 4 pm.
On Christmas, the zoo opens at 12 pm and closes at 5 pm, while on Thanksgiving Day, it welcomes guests at 10 am and closes at 3 pm.
How long does the zoo take
It takes 6 hours to explore the Miami Zoo completely, including exhibits, wildlife presentations, botanical gardens, and lunch.
But when you’re here with kids, you may stay long as they never want to leave early.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Miami Zoo is as soon as they open at 9 am.
There are four benefits of starting early – the animals are very active early in the morning, the temperatures are still cool or moderate, the crowd is yet to pour in, and you have the whole day to spend at the attraction.
As the day gets hotter, animals prefer staying inside their shelters, and you may get disappointed when you don’t see them in their exhibit.
Weekdays are better for a peaceful visit, and the rush is at its peak on weekends and school holidays.
The zoo is most crowded on weekends, especially between 10 am and 2 pm.
If you are on a short holiday in Miami, starting early also allows you to add another attraction to the day’s itinerary.
Map of Miami Zoo
A map is a must when visiting the Miami Zoo, which has many animals, attractions, and activities.
With a map, you can easily navigate the zoo to spot exhibits, drinking facilities, washrooms, ATMs, gift shops, etc.
You can also download the Zoo Miami mobile app.
Download Mobile App: Android and ios
Animal feeding
Children love to feed animals at Miami Zoo as it gives them the opportunity to get up close to animals.
To feed animals, guests must buy a separate ticket.
Giraffe Feeding
Timings: 11 am to 4 pm
Location: Samburu Feeding Station
Cost: US$5 per feed or US$12 per basket of feed
Parrot Feeding
Timings: 11 am to 4 pm
Location: Wings Down Under
Cost: US$5 per cup of nectar
Animal encounters
At Zoo Miami, you should participate in animal encounter activities to get closer to animals.
But to experience this activity, guests must buy a separate ticket, and all check-in must be made at the Tours and Encounters booth.
Certain rules must be followed for animal encounters like all participants should wear closed-toe shoes, service animals shouldn’t be brought, and participants must be at least 42 inches.
Touching animals is strictly prohibited unless advised by the staff.
An adult aged 18 years or above must hold the hand of children below five years and over 42 inches.
| Animal Encounter | Timings | Cost |
| Greater one-horned rhino feeding and encounter | 1.30 pm (Monday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday) | US$35 per personUS$33 per person for members |
| Black bear encounter | 10.45 am (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday) | US$25 per personUS$23 per person for members |
| Pygmy hippo encounter | 2 pm (daily) | US$25 per personUS$23 per person for members |
| Tortoise encounters | 11.30 am (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday) | US$25 per personUS$23 per person for members |
Zoo keeper talks
Miami Zoo hosts a number of animal talks sharing fascinating facts about animals at the zoo.
The zookeepers are extremely knowledgeable and through stories, they communicate with the guests about the habitats of animals, their feeding habits, and the threats they face.
| Animal | Days | Timings | Location |
| Tiger | Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays | 11 am | Near Entrance |
| African Elephant | Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays | 1.30 pm | Africa |
| Orinoco Crocodile | Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays | 2 pm | Amazon and Beyond |
| Harpy Eagle | Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays | 3 pm | Amazon and Beyond |
| Sloth Bear | Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays | 11 am | Asia |
| Asian Elephant | Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays | 1.30 pm | Asia |
| Giant River Otter | Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays | 2 pm | Amazon and Beyond |
| Chimpanzee | Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays | 3 pm | Africa |
| Pelican | Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays | 3 pm | Florida: Mission Everglades |
Rides at Miami Zoo
Apart from animal exhibits, animal talks, feeding and encounters activities, the zoo has put in place some fun rides to make the Miami Zoo tour a lot more exciting.
If you wish to try these rides, you can buy a ticket at the zoo, as your general admission ticket does not give you access to the rides.
Safari Tram Tour
Take a narrated tour of Africa and Asia, and catch sights of animals along the trail from the comfort of your seats.
The tours take place only on weekends, and the tram departs at 12 pm, 1 pm, and 2 pm.
You can buy tickets from the tram booth located near the Conservation Action Center.
Ticket Cost: US$7 per person and US$6 per member
Lostman’s River Ride
Float through Florida’s Everglade on boats and witness the natural beauty of this ecosystem.
The boat rides run daily from 10.30 am to 4 pm, and there is no ride from 1.30 to 2 pm.
Ticket Cost: US$5 per person per ride, and members receive US$1 discount
Pedal Boats
Get on the swan and duck pedal boats and take a relaxing water tour on Amazon & Beyond Lake.
Children below two years of age can sit for free.
The rental boats are available only on weekends and holidays from 10 am to 5 pm, with the last rental provided at 4.30 pm.
Ticket Cost (4-seat pedal boat): US$25 plus tax
Wildlife Carousel
Let your kids enjoy the wildlife carousel at the zoo and scream their hearts out.
Ticket Prices
1 person +1 ride: US$3
1 person + 2 rides: US$5
Zoo members receive US$1 off.
Reviews for Zoo Miami
Check out the following Tripadvisor reviews on Miami Zoo and learn about visitors’ experiences.
Awesome day at the zoo
Beautiful, clean and easy to navigate. Saw every station, took all day but was well worth it. So many favorites!
Dorothy C, Tripadvisor
Thoroughly enjoyable
A beautiful, relaxing, environment. With the bonus of well kept animals in large and open habitats, many without cages and bars. The grounds are big enough that the 600 children there that day were hardly noticeable. Clean rest rooms, well placed. Some AC rooms when you need it. Food was very acceptable for all ages, from healthy to hot dogs.”
30yrtraveler Tripadvisor
FAQs about Miami Zoo
You can buy zoo tickets by clicking here.
Yes, all exhibits and pathways are handicap accessible.
Yes! The zoo offers free car parking facilities to all guests.
The zoo doesn’t allow outside food and if you bring it, you must leave it at the reception desk. There are some picnic tables outside the zoo entrance where you can eat.
Guests can feed animals by purchasing tickets from the zoo.