A Visit to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium | Summer 2021

 It had been a while since my family and I visited a zoo. The last time was in 2019, so we were excited to see some animals and aquarium exhibits again. I chose Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma since we hadn't seen the new aquarium they built a few years ago. They also have free parking and timed tickets. You reserve your time slot and purchase your tickets ahead of time. 

My sons rode the carousel first and then we had lunch in the cafe. The food is pretty pricey for what you get and isn't anything too impressive. We had Chicken Strips and Fries. They have a pretty nice kid's playground that my boys really liked. We saw some goats, penguins, tigers, and the back of a polar bear. That part was a little underwhelming. But I was cheered when I saw the soft serve ice cream stand. I got a cone with a cherry swirl and it was tasty. The ice cream was super creamy and refreshing. 

We really liked the aquariums. There are two there. The Jellyfish were so pretty to look at. There were a nice amount of colorful displays with them. My boys like sharks so it was really fun to see those. In the newer part you can watch them swim over your head. We really liked the Hammerhead Sharks. We had a fun few hours at the zoo. My highlights were the ice cream and the sharks!  

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

5400 N. Pearl St

Tacoma, WA