Sorry, but the only other exhibit back there is the farm and no one cares about that (we see that everyday). It's on the back side of the zoo away from everything else and they make you walk all the way through this loop to get there and back. The bad part of Amazonia is the location. Little monkeys run free there and don't mind getting close to people - bring the camera. Note the plants you're seeing - again very interesting tropical plants all over the place. but they could use some more animals in there. Amazonia is one of the coolest places to visit, like walking through a rain forest. Most people seem to run through those places and don't stop to appreciate what they are seeing. The reptile house, birdhouse, and invertebrates are secret treasures - take your time going through those places because you're seeing very rare animals that few other zoos anywhere have. Even with the closures, there's plenty to see if you take your time and know where to look. Plan you day out on a map and mark off the closed places. They will tell you so you can avoid walking any distance to see something only to have it closed. Know what exhibits are closed in advance by visiting the website. Don't complain about the $2 for a map or the $20 for parking, That's cheap and is needed to run the place. Reptiles, small mammals, invertebrates, think tank, amazonia, birdhouse and the great apes are all indoors attractions all of which are awesome to see, but plan to see them in the heat of the day when the other animals are sleeping and hiding in the heat and you could use the A/C yourself. For instance, be at the outdoor oranguatan exhibit by 11 am in order to see them on the overhead o-line - very cool. Check the list of daily programs and select some key things so you can be there when it counts. Not only does that ensure your best visit with them, but it's at the top of the hill in terms of the zoo, so you begin to migrate your way around sequentially taking advantage of the downhill slope. The panda house gets packed early and if you want a shot at seeing them without a huge crowd, be there when they open the doors. Also, early is better for the outdoor animals where they love the cool of the day and are more energetic first thing in the morning. I spent all day once running back and forth every 1.5 hrs to feed the meter where my car was parked outside on Connecticut avenue (and that spot was tricky to land). If you drive, that's your ONLY hope of a parking space. The zoo is great and well worth your visit, but planning your trip in advance is key. It is about $9, comes with a burger or chicken nuggets, fries, fruit cup, drink/juice/milk and packed in a nice zoo lunch bag which makes for a very good souvenir and can be reused to bring lunch to school. The Junior Zookeeper Meal was very good value. We went right inside and had a window seat facing the kids farm. There was ample seating inside because many people tend to sit outside the restaurant. The line was right out the door when we left about 1245pm. We went to Mane Restaurant (more like a fast food joint) at about noon. Food: Bring your own water! Refreshment points are limited and lines are super long when you really need a drink. It would be an uphill walk of the same distance if you stopped at the "Zoo" stop. Thanks to a post in another website, we took the metro to Cleveland Park stop and walked DOWNHILL. It is about a 10-15min walk from each side. It is actually in the middle of the Woodley Park - Zoo/Adams Morgan metro stop and the Cleveland Park metro stop. We were wondering where all the people came from! there were lines everywhere! Metro: The entrance to the zoo is not really at the metro stop that says "Zoo" which we thought was pretty misleading. As a previous poster noted, go early! We reached at 1030am and enjoyed the park without much crowd. Unfortunately, we didn't make it for the 11am Giant Octopus feeding (note it was a BABY, don't expect a giant) and went to the 3pm session that was a totally claustrophobic experience. and at least the panda was awake when we were there. The reptile house was great! Primates were smelly. For a free zoo, we were impressed at the animals and upkeep of the park. Our family had a great time at the zoo on Thurs before Good Friday.
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