Dublin Zoo
Dublin Zoo
4.5
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
About
One of the world's oldest zoos, Dublin Zoo is also modern in design and houses more than 600 animals. It has been redesigned in recent years to be a safe environment for people and the animals with gardens, lakes and natural habitats.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Neighborhood: Phoenix Park
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See what travelers are saying
- James MEdmonton, Canada4,642 contributionsAlways a fantastic place to come to for adults and kids alikeI came here on June 14/23, 7 years ago I last came here and enjoyed this place, the bus stop for the HOHO is about 500 feet or so from the entrance to the zoo, across the street from the Wellington monument, the zoo has many animals but a lot of them were hiding from the sun because of the heat. They have animals such as birds, elephants, foxes, monkeys, penguins, seals, giraffes, rhinos and tigers too. This place is a beautifully designed property and great layout of the land for the many areas for the type of animals, such as the elephant area, monkey area, gorilla area, the African Savannah and so on, most areas are named for the type of animals in that area.. There were some renovations going on near the main entrance about 100-150 feet or so down the walkway to the right as you walk into the zoo. I would come again if I ever come to Dublin in the future. 5 of 5 for a great place 4.5 of 5 for many cool animals 4.5 of 5 for an awesome layout of the place 4.5 of 5 for nice foliage and other nature 4.75 of 5 overall for an awesome place to come tooVisited June 2023Traveled soloWritten October 21, 2023
- Ian BBBellevue, Washington20 contributionsBest zoo everVery fun zoo, well worth half a day of wandering. Our highlights were the baby monkeys (newborns hanging off their mother), watching the gorillas play, and seeing the lemurs bounce around trees. We were very impressed with how animal friendly this zoo was - animals had significantly more space than most zoos while still making it so visitors could see them. No animal was alone (unless it was supposed to be a loner). The zoo was investing into breeding and family lines of the animals as well. The love was obvious. This doesn't have the variety that a lot of zoos have but every animal seemed active and happy in a way that other zoos don't have.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 30, 2023
- kgorman1999Northampton, United Kingdom180 contributionsWorth a visit but avoid the Meerkat restaurantWe enjoined a morning wondering round the zoo and managed to see the majority of animals they have here. Though a number of the enclosures are being refurbished, there is still a variety of animals to view. Our personal favourites being the giraffes, hippos and orangutans. The animals were very lively and interactive with visitors. We had the added bonus of capturing a glimpse of lions and hearing them roar. In terms of food, we wouldn’t return to the meerkat restaurant, as it was incredibly disappointing. They advertise a wide variety of food however it was flavourless and cold. The staff in there have no sense of urgency with any task they are carrying out, resulting in waiting 20 minuets for a tosted sandwich when the place was practically empty. We would advise skipping the eateries and taking a packed lunch.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 3, 2023
- mayccm2018Hong Kong, China1,061 contributionsEnjoyable experiencesWe visited the zoo that was one of the oldest zoos in the world in the afternoon. There were numerous animals including penguin, hippo, lion, etc., in their natural environments. Beautiful scenery. Enjoyable experiences. Not crowded. Recommendation.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 6, 2023
- DxolympicBarry, United Kingdom280 contributionsGreat zooI love a zoo and this is one of the best. Plenty of good and interesting animals, giraffe, rhino, elephant, snow leopard. The enclosures are big, which is good for the animals but sometimes makes them difficult to spot, take your time and wait. They were setting up the Christmas lights when we went and I wish we could go back when they're switched on, they looked magnificent.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 14, 2023
- Shawn WHalifax, Canada44 contributionsWe'll never look at our local zoo the sameDublin Zoo is amazing! The whole area is remarkably clean and well-kept, and the staff were all very friendly and helpful. There's a great selection of animals from all over the world, and they all seem to be well taken care of. Most of the enclosures are either open, or have areas with large glass viewing windows, so you can get great pictures of the animals without fences in the way, but there's just as much to see outside the enclosures. All of the zoo's walkways are lined with colorful decorations...we ended up taking almost as many pictures of those as of the animals themselves. There are food & drink areas and washrooms scattered throughout the grounds, so you're never far from anything you might need while you're there. One piece of advice - go early, as the "Africa" section of the zoo closes 30 minutes before the rest, and you definitely want to have time to see that.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 18, 2023
- trdirlamNew Smyrna Beach, Florida7 contributionsSuch a great experience!Someone told us on the bus to the zoo that this was a great place, and they were spot on! We had a lovely time and saw some unique animals that had not been seen in our US zoos before. The animals were very attentive as well, with many of them coming to interact at the window. Sadly we could not stay for the evening event, but it looked like it would have been so beautiful from all the lanterns we saw during the day. I would highly recommend this to anyone with children! My son have the best time and this was definitely a highlight of our trip for sure!Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten December 5, 2023
- C. JohnsonDublin, Ireland16 contributionsPerfect for couples: Romantic experience in magical Dublin ZooThis year was our first time going to the Wildlights experience in Dublin Zoo. Perfect for couples that want to have a romantic moment in a magical place. Even though we booked the latest slot at 19h, it was still very crowded but the installations made up for it 100%. I strongly recommend to book early in advance, so you can get the day and time you were looking for.Visited December 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten December 29, 2023
- Hayley SBallynahinch, United Kingdom9 contributionsGreat zoo, if you can find it.I always enjoy this spacious zoo. The weather was rubbish today but I was still able to see 90% of the animals who all looked happy and in clean environments. The staff were friendly and helpful. The only negative I have is that it was difficult to find when driving as there were zero signs on the road and the only signs for the car park were mentioning “lights” so we were not sure if it was the correct car park or not. We walked to the entrance but only really found it by chance following other people, as again there was no signs to say enter here. Without satnav there would have been no hope of finding it.Visited January 2024Traveled with friendsWritten January 2, 2024
- Brigitte EVienna, Austria166 contributionsGreat 1/2 day during our visit to DublinWinter is never a good time to visit a zoo. But this one is different. With the Wild lights figures around the zoo you have a splash of colour even in the grey time of the year. We were impressed by the care for the needs of the animals. The enclosures are fairly up to date and it does not show, that the zoo has been built a long time ago. The oldest zoo of the world, Vienna, is just really catching up on this. We were really surprised that there were so few people there, as this is a site that the Dubliners can really be very proud of. We took a couple of really wonderful pictures of the inhabitants as this is, thanks to the well designed enclosures, very easy to manage.Visited January 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten January 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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Rogue
Dublin, Ireland12 contributions
Jul 2020
We were hoping for a safe social distanced day out for the kids but what we got was an overcrowded, unsafe social experiment. How many people can follow the large yellow arrows and keep 2 metres apart? It turns out not many.
We booked the 9:30 am slot and were surprised at the huge queue to get into the park. Surely if you've booked a slot you shouldn't have to wait 30 mins to enter. There were markings on the ground to help people distance but not many people adhered to them. A staff member reminding people how to queue is badly needed.
In the park the staff were helpful when seen but there should have been more reminding people to stay at safe distances and maybe assisting flow to viewing areas. Where we did safely queue up with others there were always groups who wandered in front in ignorance of the queue.
Understandably the indoor areas were closed, which was a lot of the zoo, but the admission price did not reflect this.
Some of the viewing areas around the enclosures were sectioned off, probably in hopes of avoiding crowds, but people crowded each other none the less. It was difficult for small children to see anything while trying to maintain a safe distance with those who didn't.
Smoking is permitted so expect adults breathing smoke over you, your children, and the animals.
The shop was open and it was great to see hand sanitizer required before entry and masks all around. There were markings on the floor but while waiting to checkout a person trying to exit without purchasing anything nearly knocked me over.
Unless the zoo can improve the customer flow management, avoid.
We booked the 9:30 am slot and were surprised at the huge queue to get into the park. Surely if you've booked a slot you shouldn't have to wait 30 mins to enter. There were markings on the ground to help people distance but not many people adhered to them. A staff member reminding people how to queue is badly needed.
In the park the staff were helpful when seen but there should have been more reminding people to stay at safe distances and maybe assisting flow to viewing areas. Where we did safely queue up with others there were always groups who wandered in front in ignorance of the queue.
Understandably the indoor areas were closed, which was a lot of the zoo, but the admission price did not reflect this.
Some of the viewing areas around the enclosures were sectioned off, probably in hopes of avoiding crowds, but people crowded each other none the less. It was difficult for small children to see anything while trying to maintain a safe distance with those who didn't.
Smoking is permitted so expect adults breathing smoke over you, your children, and the animals.
The shop was open and it was great to see hand sanitizer required before entry and masks all around. There were markings on the floor but while waiting to checkout a person trying to exit without purchasing anything nearly knocked me over.
Unless the zoo can improve the customer flow management, avoid.
Written July 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wee pest
8 contributions
Aug 2020
Well what can I say, visited the zoo with family and to say it was a waste of money would be an understatement. From the minute we got inside I had a bad feeling things were not good everywhere was on lockdown. We hardly seen an animal everything was indoors with poor lighting so the kids were really disappointed. I am beginning to believe that some of the animals they are supposed to have are long gone there was no signs of life in most of the enclosures. As for the exhibitions none were open also very disappointing. I think Dublin zoo needs to rethink their prices because this zoo is definitely not value for money at the minute I think people should be prewarned that the zoo is not providing the service its advertising even with covid restrictions
Written August 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy
9 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Honestly I never ever write reviews but I think this has to be cleared for anyone thinking of going to the zoo.
We went yesterday, straight in no ques and not too busy. That was honestly the only good thing aswell as plenty of toilets.
One way system in place, could count on one hand the amount of animals we seen, no indoor attractions, all parks closed (don’t understand as every park in the country is back open) , no seating, no restaurants just ice cream stalls and one cafe that you can get a sambo in.
Full price which is ridiculous , I know it’s only €17.50 but they could at least drop it considering you get 40-50% of the experience you would of before lockdown.
I was really looking forward to it and I’m so disappointed. I know it’s not the staffs fault nor the zoo themselves BUT, just clarifying what’s in store for anyone thinking of booking!!
Last time we went to the zoo I took about 50 pics , I took 3 yesterday!
We went yesterday, straight in no ques and not too busy. That was honestly the only good thing aswell as plenty of toilets.
One way system in place, could count on one hand the amount of animals we seen, no indoor attractions, all parks closed (don’t understand as every park in the country is back open) , no seating, no restaurants just ice cream stalls and one cafe that you can get a sambo in.
Full price which is ridiculous , I know it’s only €17.50 but they could at least drop it considering you get 40-50% of the experience you would of before lockdown.
I was really looking forward to it and I’m so disappointed. I know it’s not the staffs fault nor the zoo themselves BUT, just clarifying what’s in store for anyone thinking of booking!!
Last time we went to the zoo I took about 50 pics , I took 3 yesterday!
Written August 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
graemeotley
Newtownards, UK13 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Well Dublin zoo is big attraction in the dublin area , and has Been as impacted by covid as everything else . All inside areas are closed , so the ability to have the full zoo experience is gone now unfortunately.
A one way system is in place now for everyone to follow which keeps everyone right and allows for social distancing
Hand sanitiser is spread about regularly through the zoo which supports covid protection
Only a few eating booths were opened
Overall the experience was good , however much restricted with the closure of the indoor parts of the zoo
I would have thought a price reduction would have been considered since the full attraction isn’t possible
Just over 2 hours is all it takes to see everything , and that’s with a fairly slow pace
One thing to consider is the lack of official parking at the zoo which is such a let down in today’s world for such a large attraction
Overall worthwhile doing
A one way system is in place now for everyone to follow which keeps everyone right and allows for social distancing
Hand sanitiser is spread about regularly through the zoo which supports covid protection
Only a few eating booths were opened
Overall the experience was good , however much restricted with the closure of the indoor parts of the zoo
I would have thought a price reduction would have been considered since the full attraction isn’t possible
Just over 2 hours is all it takes to see everything , and that’s with a fairly slow pace
One thing to consider is the lack of official parking at the zoo which is such a let down in today’s world for such a large attraction
Overall worthwhile doing
Written July 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aishling G
1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Family
13 of us travelled up from tipp. Walked for 40 before we saw anything few ducks. Rhino, turtle, gerafe seals that's it. Absolutely no social distancing disgrace. So disappointing should not charge 17.50 for this half the zoo closed off we had to sit on rocks no seats but yet people were shoulder to shoulder 🙈REALLY. pure waste of a day I have to say.
Written July 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jodie B
1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Family
Wouldn’t recommend going to Dublin Zoo, felt it was too packed, ZERO social distancing & there was no staff around directing and keeping people in check with the guidelines. Not to mention all the animals we didn’t get to see the way the route is.. Every bathroom I went into had really hot water to wash their hands even on the ‘cold’ taps nearly burning my 3yo hands. Very disappointing experience
Written July 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Denise O
4 contributions
Sep 2020 • Family
Very disappointed after a pricey enough trip to the zoo- e50 for 2 adults 2 kids. Quite a lot of the Zoo closed off. Very disappointed with how poor they are managing social distancing.
No staggered start times so absolutely huge crowds of people all arrive for the hourly slot. Ridiculous-should be giving staggered start times. Hence huge crowds of people trooping around a long the route together overtaking each other and stopping to all look at the animals at same time huge crowds gather at the tigers/elephants no social distancing and not a single staff member on sight to manage crowds.
Very disappointing. Dublin zoo need to review their covid policy and get on board. Will not be going back any time soon and wouldn't recommend to a family for a day out- unnecessarily stressful.
No staggered start times so absolutely huge crowds of people all arrive for the hourly slot. Ridiculous-should be giving staggered start times. Hence huge crowds of people trooping around a long the route together overtaking each other and stopping to all look at the animals at same time huge crowds gather at the tigers/elephants no social distancing and not a single staff member on sight to manage crowds.
Very disappointing. Dublin zoo need to review their covid policy and get on board. Will not be going back any time soon and wouldn't recommend to a family for a day out- unnecessarily stressful.
Written September 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura
Dublin, Ireland3 contributions
Jul 2020
I visited Dublin Zoo during the Summer earlier this year with my boyfriend. We booked and payed for our tickets online so when we arrived we had no waiting around and could go straight in. Due to Covid when when you are booking your tickets you choose a time to enter the Zoo for which best suits you. I think this was a very good idea as it helped control the number of people in each area at one time and made us feel very safe. We spent about 2-3 hours in the Zoo, this was a lot shorter compared to other visits as there wasn't anywhere to really sit down, it was more of an in and out visit but this is the rules they must follow to be allowed to open. But due to all the restrictions it was still a lovely day out and even better that we got to spend all the time outdoors and felt extremely safe as all measures had being reached. I would defiantly recommend family and friends to visit, it is a brilliant day out no matter what age you are!
Written November 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HTW46
Colchester, UK101 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
What a smashing zoo. Fantastic array of animals . Being a big cat lover was over the moon to see lions, tigers and snow leopards. The enclosures are great giving young and old the opportunity to see all the animals.
Love the way the zoo is divided into different areas with the animals in relevant area to where they are from In the world.
There are plenty of places to eat around the zoo and prices are quite expensive . Would recommend taking a picnic if visiting with a family.
Seeing the baby gorillas were a highlight and again due to the way the enclosures are set out easy to see by all.
There are gifts shops and I also like you have the option to visit where as most attractions these days make you walk through on exit .
We visited using the Dublin pass and travelled to the zoo using the Hop on Hop on bus which dropped us so close to the zoo. Go visit you will not be disappointed !
Love the way the zoo is divided into different areas with the animals in relevant area to where they are from In the world.
There are plenty of places to eat around the zoo and prices are quite expensive . Would recommend taking a picnic if visiting with a family.
Seeing the baby gorillas were a highlight and again due to the way the enclosures are set out easy to see by all.
There are gifts shops and I also like you have the option to visit where as most attractions these days make you walk through on exit .
We visited using the Dublin pass and travelled to the zoo using the Hop on Hop on bus which dropped us so close to the zoo. Go visit you will not be disappointed !
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Panoramic123
Ireland50 contributions
Jun 2020
We visited Dublin Zoo yesterday, and it was a wonderful positive experience.
It is a ticketed only entrance with two sessions. There is a one way system in place which I thought was great as children could run from one exciting viewing to the next without oncoming traffic. There were lots of picnic areas and facilities to buy coffee and icecream. I experienced no queues or overcrowding.
Also lots of toilets which were spotless. And of course the main attractions eslecially the orangutans did not disappoint.
I had issues booking online as I had a problem with tokens but an exceptional helpful girl called Sinead sorted me out,
I was a bit nervous going in the current environment but none my concerns were realised so can recommend a visit and a great day out!
It is a ticketed only entrance with two sessions. There is a one way system in place which I thought was great as children could run from one exciting viewing to the next without oncoming traffic. There were lots of picnic areas and facilities to buy coffee and icecream. I experienced no queues or overcrowding.
Also lots of toilets which were spotless. And of course the main attractions eslecially the orangutans did not disappoint.
I had issues booking online as I had a problem with tokens but an exceptional helpful girl called Sinead sorted me out,
I was a bit nervous going in the current environment but none my concerns were realised so can recommend a visit and a great day out!
Written July 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I think it’s a winter thing imagine be 24/25 Autumn coming …
Written August 13, 2024
What forms of student ID do they accept?
Written March 25, 2023
Traveling to Dublin zoo on Saturday and need to know if they accept cash will be using euro.Thanks
Written July 4, 2022
do i need to got trough Dublin
to go to the zoo
Written June 24, 2022
Exploration824600
Dublin, Ireland
Hi I have a annual pass to activate was wondering can I go on the day to reactivate it and go into the zoo on same day
Written May 4, 2021
What age is it for the senior citizen ticket ?
Written September 5, 2020
I’m booked to come here at the weekend, 18 of the one family. I’m strict now with reading the reviews, is it really that bad?? We go every year and it sounds like wel not be getting our moneys worth on this visit, going to be such a disappointment for all the kids 😢
Written August 10, 2020
Hi, I am travelling with a toddler and baby to the zoo from Connolly Train station. Recommendations needed for getting to the zoo from there? Would like to taxi but not sure how that works without car seats?
Written August 9, 2020
Hi sorry for the late reply you would be better getting the luas just across the road and that would drop you in to hustion Station and then it's about a 15, minutes walk to the zoo
Written November 17, 2020
The bus is the best way to get to zoo.
Written February 6, 2020
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