Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Pacific Rim zoo and aquarium inside Point Defiance Park
Editorial IllustrationPoint Defiance Zoo & Aquarium occupies a shelf of forest inside Point Defiance Park, which is the first thing that distinguishes it: the walk between habitats passes under mature Douglas fir with saltwater visible through the trees. Its collection is organised around the Pacific Rim, so the sequence runs from Puget Sound species through the north Pacific to the tropics, and the aquarium halves of the site carry as much weight as the land habitats. Paths are wide, largely level and manageable with a pushchair, and the loop can be walked in a couple of hours or stretched across most of a day if you time keeper talks. Because it shares an entrance road with the wider park, it combines easily with Owen Beach, Five Mile Drive or the gardens rather than standing alone.
Planning your visit
The zoo sits inside Point Defiance Park at the northern tip of Tacoma, and the operator describes it as the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest, with more than 430 animal species across its habitats and two aquariums.
Arrival is the easy part: the zoo states that parking is free. The harder part is timing. Opening is 9 a.m. on the days the zoo is open, but the closing time moves with the season — roughly 3:30 p.m. through the winter and shoulder months and 5 p.m. at the height of summer — and during parts of the winter and autumn the zoo is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Because that calendar changes several times a year, we do not print a single set of hours here; check the operator's hours page for the day you are going.
Two practical notes from the zoo's own visitor information: it is a cashless site that takes cards and mobile payment, and tickets bought online are non-refundable, so commit to a date you are confident about.
Enjoy Tacoma's own guidance on time: treat the zoo as a half-day rather than an hour. The habitats and the two aquariums are spread across sloping grounds, and families with young children routinely spend longer than they planned. Going first thing also solves the park's summer parking crush.
In late autumn and December the zoo runs ZooLights, a separate evening event with its own hours and tickets. Dates and pricing move year to year, so confirm both with the zoo before building an evening around it.
The zoo is one ticketed attraction inside a much larger park. To combine it with Five Mile Drive, Owen Beach, the gardens or Fort Nisqually in the same day, read Point Defiance Park: the complete guide.
Common questions
- What time does Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium open?
- The zoo opens at 9 a.m. on the days it is open. Closing time changes with the season — about 3:30 p.m. in the winter and shoulder months and 5 p.m. in peak summer — and the zoo is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during parts of the winter and autumn. Check the operator's hours page for your date.
- Where do you park at Point Defiance Zoo?
- At the zoo entrance inside Point Defiance Park, 5400 North Pearl Street. The zoo states that parking is free. On warm weekends the park fills early, so a morning arrival is the reliable plan.
- Are dogs allowed at Point Defiance Zoo?
- No. The zoo does not permit pets or therapy and emotional-support animals. Service animals as defined by the ADA are welcome and must be leashed or otherwise under the handler's control. Point Defiance Park has a separate off-leash dog area reached from the Five Mile Drive inner loop.
- Do you need cash at Point Defiance Zoo?
- No. The zoo is a cashless facility and accepts major credit and debit cards as well as mobile payment. Tickets can be bought online in advance and are non-refundable.
- How long should you spend at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium?
- The zoo does not publish an official visit length. Our guidance is to plan a half day: with more than 430 species across the grounds and two aquariums, most visitors — especially families — stay longer than an hour or two.
- What else can you do at Point Defiance Park during the same visit?
- The surrounding park holds Five Mile Drive, old-growth forest trails, formal gardens, Owen Beach, a marina, Fort Nisqually Living History Museum and a ferry dock to Vashon Island. The park itself is free; the zoo and Fort Nisqually are separately ticketed.
Checked against the operator's own visitor information on 2026-08-23. Hours, ticketing and seasonal events change — confirm with the operator before you go.
Verified details
Only facts we have checked against a named source inside their freshness window appear here. Anything that lapses disappears rather than going stale.
Hours
Opens at 9 a.m. year-round. Closing time is seasonal — 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m. or 5 p.m. depending on the date — and the zoo is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays in parts of the winter and autumn. Check the operator's hours page for your date.
VerifiedVerified with Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Aug 23, 2026
Admission
Cashless facility. Online tickets cost less than front-gate tickets; U.S. military and Pierce County residents get the online-equivalent rate at the front gate with proof, and zoo members enter free. Parking is free. Current prices are on the operator's ticket page.
VerifiedVerified with Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Aug 23, 2026
Getting there
Pierce Transit Route 11 (Point Defiance) runs between Commerce Street Station and the Point Defiance ferry terminal
Contact
5400 North Pearl Street, Tacoma, WA 98407; 253-404-3800
VerifiedVerified with Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Aug 14, 2026
What to know
- The zoo sits inside Point Defiance Park, so the surrounding park roads and beach are free to visit even if you skip the zoo.
Editor's tips
- Arrive early on a summer weekend; the shared park entrance road backs up long before the zoo itself feels busy.
- Buy online rather than at the front gate — the operator prices the two differently and the site is cashless.
Nearby and getting there
Nearby places
Other published places within a short distance on the map, ordered by geographic proximity.
- Point Ruston Public MarketShopping
- Point Defiance ParkParks
Related guides
Every changing fact on this page is traceable to a dated source. See how we check things or send a fix to the corrections page.