Getting to the Zoo One of the easiest ways to get to the Zoo is via public transportation. The front entrance rests between two Red Line Metro Stations, Woodley Park Zoo/Adams Morgan and Cleveland Park. Each station is about a .4 mile walk from the front gates of the National Zoo on Connecticut Avenue. Meanwhile, the McPherson Square Circulator bus ends its route at the Woodley Park metro stop. Capital Bikeshare has two docks, one at the front entrance on Connecticut Avenue and another in the rear entrance at the Harvard Street gate. If you’re traveling in a car, you can park at the zoo—the first three hours costs $16.

 Fun Facts The Smithsonian’s National Zoo was founded in 1889 by an Act of Congress. There is a second campus of the National Zoo known as the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, which exists in Front Royal, Va. The majority of the zoo’s funding comes from the federal government, while donations from the FONZ total as much as $8 million annually. The Zoo’s zoological medicine residency training program and professional conservation and veterinary medicine courses have educated more than 2,000 people from 80 countries.

 The Last-Minute Details Familiarize yourself with the rules of the park. For instance, scooters, bicycles and wheelie shoes are prohibited on the grounds. Grilling is not allowed at the zoo, but there are plenty of food options and kiosks to keep hunger at bay. There is a free shuttle that operates on the hour between the Kids’ Farm and Panda Plaza/Bus Lot from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during summer. All exhibits are wheelchair-accessible, and non-motorized wheelchairs or electronic vehicles can be rented for a fee.