Daily Activities

Please read carefully before planning your visit.

Regular Zoo Hours

Days Wednesday – Sunday

Time 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

• Birmingham Zoo is closed Monday and Tuesday
• Entry into the Zoo stops thirty (30) minutes before closing
• Holidays observed
  • Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, November 25, 2021, the Zoo will be CLOSED
  • Christmas Eve EARLY CLOSING at 1:00 pm on Thursday, December 23, 2021
  • Christmas Day on Friday, December 24, 2021, the Zoo will be CLOSED
• Early Closing Dates and Times
  • Thursday, December 23 at 1 pm

Special Holiday Hours

Open   Labor Day on September 6

Day  Monday

Time  9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Rides & Attractions

Red Diamond Express Train

Protective Life Carousel

• Weather Dependent
• OPEN  Wednesday – Sunday
• Time  10:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Cost Single tickets are $3.95 (plus tax) for ONE (1) RIDE, per person.
• Tickets  Sold and purchased onsite at each ride location ONLY.
  • Guests cannot purchase ride tickets at the front gate nor online.
  • Unlimited Ride Wristbands are not available for purchase.
  • One (1) ticket per person, per ride, for ages 2 years and up

• Family Plus Member Ride Wristbands cannot be reserved online
  • FPM wristbands but will be available onsite at the Zoo when you arrive.
  • Show Member card to receive wristbands onsite.

• Ride tickets are for daytime operation only and are not valid for special events.
  • One ticket per person per ride, ages 2 years and up.
  • Children under 2 years old must be accompanied by a paying adult on the train and carousel.
  • Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by a paying adult chaperone on the train.
• Limited Capacity & Cleaning
  • The train and carousel will be operating at limited capacity to ensure riders are at safe distance from one another.
  • In addition, the train and carousel will be thoroughly disinfected and cleaned after each ride.
• PLEASE NOTE
  • Ride tickets are non-refundable but are date-transferable up to one year after the purchase date.
  • Zoo Discounts for rides cannot be combined with any additional coupons, specials, or offers.

Splash Pads

• Weather Dependent
• OPEN  Wednesday – Sunday
• Time  9:00 am – 4:45 pm
  • No additional cost – Included with the general admission for the day

Encounters & Experiences 

Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter & Feedings

• • Weather Dependent 
  • OPEN  Friday – Sunday ONLY
  • Time  10:00 am – 12:00 pm OR until sold out
  • Cost  $3.95 (plus tax) per person entering the platform
  • Tickets  Sold and purchased onsite at the Giraffe Encounter Outpost Gift Shop ONLY
    • Guests cannot purchase feeding tickets online nor at the front gate
    • Face Masks  All visitors are required to wear face masks on the giraffe platform and to participate in giraffe feedings.

MyEyeDr. Lorikeet Feedings & Aviary

• • Weather Dependent 
  • OPEN  Saturday & Sunday ONLY
  • Time  10:00 am – 3:00 pm
  • Cost  $3.95 (plus tax) per feeder (not per person)
  • Tickets  Sold and purchased onsite at the MyEyeDr. Lorikeet Aviary Tiki Hut Gift Shop ONLY
    • Guests cannot purchase feeding tickets online nor at the front gat

Goat Walk 

• • Weather Dependent
  • Wednesday – Sunday 
  • Time 9:30 am
  • Included with the price of daily admission and Members receive free daily admission
  • The Goat Walk is an exciting experience and enrichment activity/exercise for our goats and is not interactive for guests, but is viewable from the walking paths around Alabama Wilds. Please note, the route of the goat walk varies and goats may be walked through certain areas restricted to guests.

OPEN Areas & Attractions

Animal Buildings & Areas

• Predators
• South America/Primates
• Children’s Zoo Barn

Animal Encounters & Experiences 

• Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter & Feedings
  • Weather Dependent 
  • OPEN  Friday – Sunday ONLY
  • Time  10:00am – 12:00pm OR until sold out
  • Cost  $3.95 (plus tax) per person entering the platform
  • Tickets  Sold and purchased onsite at the Giraffe Encounter Outpost Gift Shop ONLY
    • Guests cannot purchase feeding tickets online nor at the front gate
    • Face Masks  All visitors are required to wear face masks on the giraffe platform and to participate in giraffe feedings.

• MyEyeDr. Lorikeet Feedings & Aviary
  • Weather Dependent 
  • OPEN  Saturday & Sunday ONLY
  • Time  10:00am – 3:00pm
  • Cost  $3.95 (plus tax) per feeder (not per person)
  • Tickets  Sold and purchased onsite at the MyEyeDr. Lorikeet Aviary  Tiki Hut Gift Shop ONLY
    • Guests cannot purchase feeding tickets online nor at the front gate

• Goat Walk
  • Weather Dependent 
  • Wednesday – Sunday
  • Time  9:30am
  • Included with the price of daily admission and Members receive free daily admission
  • The Goat Walk is an exciting experience and enrichment activity/exercise for our goats and is not interactive for guests, but is viewable from the walking paths around Alabama Wilds. Please note, the route of the goat walk varies and goats may be walked through certain areas restricted to guests.

Gift Shops

• Front Entrance Gift Shop
  • Open  Wednesday-Sunday
  • Time  9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Tiki Hut at Lorikeet Aviary
  • Open  during lorikeet feeding operating hours
  • Time  10:00 am – 3:00 pm
• Giraffe Outpost
  • Open  during giraffe feeding operating hours
  • Time  10:00 am – 12:00 pm (or later)
• Online Gift Shop click HERE to visit

Food & Beverage

• Wild Burger outdoor dining in Trails of Africa
• Nourish 205 in Children’s Zoo – outside dining, walk-up window, and indoor dining area
  • View restaurant menus, click HERE
• Side Track concessions stand at the Train Depot
• TouCantina Bar & Funnel Cakes on Henley Lawn in front of the flamingo habitat
• Plaza Lemonade & Popcorn at the front entrance under the breezeway
• Dippin’Dots  Predator and Elephant areas
• Lemonade Stand  Trails of Africa

Outdoor Areas

• Henley Park Lawn
• Nature Play area on Henley Park Lawn

CLOSED Areas & Attractions

• Zoo Grounds and a majority of buildings/indoor animal areas are open, but some playgrounds and Full Moon Wild Slide are CLOSED
• Animal Experiences & Encounters including wildlife shows and demonstrations have been postponed

Rides & Attractions

• Full Moon Wild Slide

Buildings & Areas

• Reptile Building – Opening this fall!
• Junior League of Birmingham Playground (Parking Lot)
• Children’s Zoo Playground
• Trails of Africa Playground

Encounters & Experiences 

• Camel Rides
• Predator Zone Lion Training
• Sea Lion Show
• Wildlife Show
• Flamingo Feeding
• Ambassador Animals (Mammals)
• Chipangali Research Station