Virginia Zoo

Horrible, cramped living condtions for some reptiles (especially the Ball Python.) It's appalling. No room for some to move around at all. I left as soon as I saw this. Extremely depressing and dissapointing. I've contacted HSUS and the Virginia Zoo. There is no excuse for this cruelty.

The Virginia Zoo is one of the best zoos I have visited. It is located behind the beautiful Lafayette Park. There are over 100 different types of species, from the smallest frogs to the large elephants. The exhibits are very large and the animals have a lot of room to move around. It almost seems like they are in their natural habitat. The lions were in an open pen that had windows where you could view them. The layout was very nice and user friendly. The restaurant was great and had an climate controlled eat in area or you can eat outside. We spent almost the whole day at the park and enjoyed every moment. There are lots of events and you can even spend the night.

Adults: $7.00
Children: $5.00 (ages 2-11)
Senior Citizens: $6.00 (ages 62 and older)
The admission is free to Friends of the Zoo

I went to the Virginia Zoo on a cold gray day in the dead of winter, so there were hardly any people there, most of the foliage was still brown and some of the animals were still in hibernation. But, not having much else to do in Norfolk on a cold winter's day, my husband and I, both animal lovers decided it would be worth the $7 to get out of the house. Though the zoo was fairly small, it was well-kept and we spent several relaxing hours walking around the paths and looking at the animals. There were zoo keepers stationed around the major exhibits (giraffes, elephants, tigers) and were very informative not only on the different species, but about the individual animals themselves. The elephants seemed the most human-like, with their dumping station hidden behind huge rocks, and each seemingly having their own preference of food. The lioness was particularly creepy, watching everyone from her perch as if to say "come on and try me..." I found the snake house and the nocturnal animal exhibits to be particularly interesting, but my personal favorite was the petting zoo. Goats, sheep, cows and pigs... what more could a city girl ask for?

Unfortunately, I had been looking forward to seeing a hippo, but it had died recently from an intestinal obstruction. :( Someone

There is no food served during the winter, so I would recommend bringing a picnic lunch and enjoying it on one of the benches in the large butterfly garden.