Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Category

Park, Playground, Zoo

Where

Hours

• Sunday: 09:00–15:30
• Monday: 09:00–15:30
• Tuesday: 09:00–15:30
• Wednesday: 09:00–15:30
• Thursday: 09:00–15:30
• Friday: 09:00–15:30
• Saturday: 09:00–15:30

Ages

0 mo+

Accessibility

Parking

Free · Parking lot · Parking is free; use the Mildred Street entrance (loop trail construction detours may apply). Bike racks on the south side of the Zoo; bus routes 10 and 11 stop near the entrance.

Restroom

Changing station

Rules

* We strive to provide a welcoming and inclusive space where guests can develop their appreciation of wildlife. * We respect and value our diverse guests, staff, and volunteers, and we ask that you help us by being courteous to all. * Discrimination, harassment, intimidation and other disruptive, dangerous, or abusive behaviors directed at guests, staff, volunteers, or animals will not be tolerated. * Please follow all staff and volunteer directions, including posted signage. * Always move at a walking pace and be alert to pathway conditions in our natural setting that include slopes, uneven terrain, surfaces that may be slippery when wet, and changes in elevation. * Follow all guidelines for animal interactions; only touch animals in areas that allow animal-human contact. Only feed animals in designated areas and with food provided by staff. * Do not bring skates, skateboards, wheelie-type shoes, scooters, balance bikes, bicycles, hover boards, or segways into the park. * No open fires or barbeques on park grounds, including parking lot areas. * You are welcome to bring a family picnic but no recreational equipment, such as net games, slingshots, projectile toys, frisbees or balls. * Check in all service animals at the admission gate. Pets, therapy, or emotional support animals are not permitted. * Ensure that all minor youths are accompanied by an adult. * Do not smoke on park grounds, including vape pens and e-cigarettes, or use chewing tobacco. * Alcohol may only be purchased and consumed in the designated area(s). * No drones or other flying aircraft. * Do not wear clothing with inappropriate messaging/images. * Remain fully clothed (including shoes and shirts) at all times. * Protect our grounds. Please stay on visitor paths and the public side of all guardrails. * Littering, graffiti, picking plants/flowers, interacting with or feeding park wildlife are prohibited. * Do not shout at animals or tap on exhibit windows or openings. * Do not use flash photography, or shine light sources/laser pointers in animal areas. * Do not throw or drop anything into animal habitats. If you observe a dropped item in a habitat, please alert a staff person immediately. * Do not feed the animals except in areas designated for this purpose. * Do not harass or tease animals. * No balloons. These are very dangerous to animals that might ingest them. * Firearms, ammunition, and similar Items: This includes, but is not limited to, open-carry firearms, concealed firearms without a valid permit, and any form of ammunition. * Weapons or items that may be used as weapons: This category encompasses knives, sharp tools, razors, box cutters, and any other sharp instruments or objects that could be used to inflict harm. * Chemical weapons: The possession or use of any chemical weapons, including mace, pepper spray, tear gas, or other similar devices, is forbidden. * Illegal drugs: The possession, use, or distribution of any illegal drugs or controlled substances is strictly prohibited. * Alcoholic beverages not purchased on-site: Outside alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Alcohol consumed on the premises must be purchased from authorized vendors and consumed only in designated areas. * Staking equipment: Items that require staking into the ground are prohibited. This includes, but isn't limited to, umbrellas with ground screws, lawn chairs with stakes, and games that require staking. * Animals (excluding service animals): Animals are not permitted, with the sole exception of service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). * Northwest Trek and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are ADA accessible. Public buildings, pathways, viewing areas and trams are designed and equipped to accommodate conventional and electric wheelchairs. * To ensure the safety of our visitors, Segways, gas-powered scooters, strider/balance bikes, and adult tricycles are not allowed in our facilities. * We reserve the right to address individuals or groups that are behaving inappropriately or are not following the Code of Conduct. Actions may range from a verbal warning and loss of membership to expulsion from the facility or involvement by local law enforcement. * Anyone engaging in behavior that is potentially harmful to visitors, property, staff or animals will be immediately expelled from the facility. Individuals and organizations will be liable for damage or injury resulting from disruptive behavior. * Adults escorting minors and youth groups will be held responsible for the behavior of minors. If a minor behaves inappropriately, an adult escort will be required to remove the minor from the park. An individual's misbehavior may result in the eviction of the entire group from park grounds. We reserve the right to prohibit disruptive, misbehaving groups from visiting the park again for an indefinite period. Disruptive, misbehaving groups also are subject to loss of discounted admission. If a misbehaving, disruptive group loses its discounted rate, the sponsoring organization will be billed for the difference between the discounted and full rates. * No refunds are given for cancellations made less than 14 days prior to the program date. * For cancellations made more than 14 days prior to the program date an 80% refund will be given. * A 20% rescheduling fee will be charged for program changes. * PDZA reserves the right to cancel any program due to animal care needs, inclement weather, or other factors. * In the event that PDZA cancels a program, we will attempt to reschedule or all program fees will be refunded. * Because late arrivals cannot be accommodated, we recommend that you plan to be at the designated meeting location 10 minutes before the scheduled tour time. * We are not able to accommodate specific requests for animal encounters or changes to the content of our tours; however, knowing more about your group can help us be prepared to give you the best experience possible. If you're celebrating a special event or have a favorite animal you're hoping to learn about, feel free to reach out to us at zooforyou@pdza.org to let us know! * Guests using service animals are required to check-in at the admission window where you'll be provided with information to plan your visit to our facilities.

Contact

Phone

(253) 404-3800

Email

comments@pdza.org

Website

https://www.parkstacoma.gov/place/point-defiance-park/