Overview

Summer of 2023, I visited Zoo Atlanta. I love getting a zoo map and immediately finding out where the elephants are. That quickly helps determine our zoo route for the day. Zoo Atlanta is a smaller zoo but still give yourself plenty of time to make your rounds. I always smile when I see the elephants and was surprised to find out that they had panda bears. I went on a scavenger hunt trying to find the red panda and was happy when I found it.

Getting There

Zoo Atlanta is near the downtown, Georgia Aquarium, and the Coca Cola Museum. While in your in the area I highly recommend visiting the Georgia Aquarium and Coca Cola Museum (a later article to come). There are two main parking lots. It is recommended to download the ParkMobile app to pay for parking. It’s good for iPhones and Android phones. You can buy your ticket online or in person. Kids age from 3-11 are $20.95-$26.95. Adults ages 12 and older are $26.20-$35.45. College students can get a discount if they show their student ID $24.20-$31.95. If we can buy our tickets in person we can, so that we can apply our AZA membership to our admission ticket easily.

Noteworthy Animals

The Panda Bear was my favorite animal since not all zoos have a panda bear. When I found out that Zoo Atlanta had one, I was excited to see it. Unfortunately, as of October 2024 the Panda Bear got sent back to China and no longer there. I’m glad I was able to see during my visit. Just as I enjoyed the Andean Bear in Nashville, I also enjoyed seeing the Malayan Sun Bear. It’s a black bear, but with different features than a regular black bear. A Malayan Sun Bear is the smallest of the bear species from Southeast Asia. They have golden- orange patch on their chest and are expert climbers. I couldn’t leave the zoo without seeing the Red Pandas. They like to play hide and go seek and I had fun trying to find them.

Experiences

While I was at the elephant exhibit, I was told that the elephant presentation was about to start, and we immediately found our seats. Lessons learned if you go during the summer make sure you find seats in the shade. It was a hotter day. They had one elephant to feature that was 40 years old. In elephant years that is geriatric. It was mostly behavior training and fun tricks, which is what I love. I even got a little trunk wave. I have seen a lot of elephants and none of them have given me a trunk wave. That was a highlight for me.

Facilities

Being in the middle of summer, Sips is the perfect stop to enjoy all kinds of drinks. Ranging from iced coffee, boba tea, blended drinks, and even snacks for on the go. They also have your hot coffees, teas, and hot chocolate during the cold and chiller months. I always enjoy going through the gift shop and seeing what treasures I can find. I make sure I leave with a zoo shirt and zoo mug.

Overall Impression

I love seeing animals that I don’t get to see regularly. It is what makes my zoo visit more enjoyable. As much as I love seeing the elephants and the elephant presentation, I loved getting to see the panda bear and the Malayan Sun Bear. I’m sad that the panda bear is no longer there, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the zoo. Pick up Sips and say hi to the red panda, elephants, and the otters.