Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium

Set amid 31 hectares, just 10 kilometres from the centre of the city, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium offers visitors a unique chance to see a range of exotic creatures in enclosures which aim to imitate their natural environments as closely as possible. Come along and wander through the seven different exhibit areas to get close to some of the 4,000 animals who reside here.

Start your visit by taking the escalator up from the car park and making your way through the winding paths to the zoo. Your price of admission here includes entry to the aquarium so make sure to leave enough time to see both. Start by going on a mini safari in the African Savannah, where you’ll see zebras, lions and giraffes along the banks of the river.

The Asian Forest houses some of the zoo’s fiercest and most endangered species, including Amur tigers, snow leopards and fearsome Komodo dragons. The calls of primates echo through the trees, and make sure you keep an eye out for huge American bears moving through this indoor tropical rainforest. The US coastline is the focus of the Water’s Edge exhibit, which is designed to mimic a fishing village but also houses tiger sharks and even polar bears!

Younger visitors are catered for in the fun-filled Kid’s Kingdom, reputed to be one of the best children’s zoos in the country. Here, they’ll get the chance to interact with kangaroos, goats, deer and many other animals. There are also sea lion shows every day as well as a unique crawl-through tunnel, where children get the chance to experience life as a meerkat!

After you’ve seen all the zoo has to offer, step into the underwater world of the aquarium where you can marvel at the grace of the sharks in their two-storey tanks and crawl through the stingray tunnels before admiring thousands of fish in their revolving enclosures.

Situated in Highland Park, east of the city centre, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium has free parking and is served by a Port Authority Transit (PAT) bus which stops nearby. There is a small admission charge for the zoo which is open every day except Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.