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| - I love the zoo. Even before I had kids, I visited several times, but now that I have children, we are there at least once a week over the summer.
If you plan on going more than two or three times a year, get a membership. It definitely pays for itself if you are a frequent visitor.
I enjoy that the zoo actually has free and ample parking. I think it is one of the few attractions in Pittsburgh that does. Even on the busiest days there usually isn't an issue. It can be a bit of a walk to the entrance, but that isn't an issue unless you have tired kids at the end of the trip.
When you purchase tickets, they are generally very efficient in processing. I feel they do a great job moving people in, even on unexpected days in the winter when it is warm. We went on a 70 degree day in February and while there was a line that seemed like it would be unbearably long, it took us less than 15 minutes to get through.
I like that the zoo is laid out in terms of regions the animals are from. The one exception is the Canadian Lynx, but that is because he replaced another animal at one point. Most of the exhibits have multiple viewing angles and except on the hottest days in the summer, most of the animals tend to be out and active. I enjoy how well the theme is continued through areas with additional information and sometimes funny signs related to what animals are in the area. For example, the sign warning about the possibility of failing antelope.
During the busier days in the summer, they have a lot of enhanced experiences. There are often snakes and other small animals that visitors are invited to get close with and touch. They also offer elephant and giraffe encounters on select days. There is a charge, but if you love the animal, it is worth it.
The zoo does require a lot of walking and a decent amount of hills, but during the summer months a tram service is available. I've never taken the tram, but I've seen it running through the zoo and it makes regular stops at some of the more popular areas.
The one down side to the zoo is that the food is expensive. There is one restaurant in the center of the zoo that is basically open as long as the zoo is, but you never really seem to know if the other locations will be open and serving food. I understand not having them open in the slower months, but I've been surprised to see the stand by the Polar bears and the stand by the kids area closed on busy summer weekends. I'm sure it is related to staffing, but when there aren't a lot of options, it would be nice to know if those locations were going to be open or not. I do enjoy the addition of a beer garden. It has about 5 draft and five bottle beer options and a menu of higher end foods. It is perfectly located at the center of the zoo, right about when you'd need a break. The positive to the fact that food prices are high is that you are permitted to bring your own food into the zoo. You can even eat it at the tables in the various food areas with no issue. A lot of places don't let you bring in outside food, so this is a nice plus.
I've seen other reviewers mention that sometimes cages or aquarium glass aren't perfectly clean. I actually asked one of the zookeepers in the aquarium about it once and they mentioned something that made a lot of sense. They do clean them fairly regularly. Some as often as once a day. But fish in the wild will have some algae around so for some of them, a totally sparkling clear tank could actually be detrimental.
Overall, the zoo is a wonderful place to spend the day, especially if you are a family. I highly recommend a visit.
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