Last verified: June 1, 2026. Hours, prices, and event dates at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium change seasonally — always confirm time-sensitive details (especially ZooLights dates and ticket availability) at the official links before you drive out.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium at a glance
- Address: 5400 N Pearl St, Tacoma, WA 98407, inside Point Defiance Park — owned and operated by Metro Parks Tacoma.
- Hours: The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily; closing time shifts with the season (earlier in winter, later in summer). Confirm today’s closing time here.
- Daytime tickets (online): about $25 adult (13–64), $17 youth (3–12), $23 senior (65+), and free for children 2 and under. Gate prices run a few dollars higher — check live pricing and buy timed tickets.
- ZooLights: Tacoma’s winter tradition with 1.5+ million lights, running late November through early January, 4:30–10 p.m. on event nights. Check live dates & timed tickets.
- Parking: Free on-site, but lots fill on summer weekends and ZooLights nights — arrive early.
- Cashless: the zoo accepts cards and mobile pay only; no cash at the gate or inside.
Hours & seasonal schedule
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium opens at 9 a.m. every day it operates, which makes morning the easiest time to beat both the crowds and the parking crunch. The closing hour is the moving part: the zoo extends evening hours in summer and pulls them back in the cooler months (winter closing can be as early as mid-afternoon), and a handful of days each year (and the December holidays) carry special hours or closures. Because the schedule rotates seasonally, treat any printed closing time as a guideline and verify the day you plan to visit on the official visit page. The zoo and the Pacific Seas Aquarium are a single admission — you do not buy them separately — so plan on a half to full day to see both.
Tickets, prices & discounts
Daytime admission covers the entire zoo and aquarium. The zoo uses a cheaper-online, higher-at-the-gate model, so buying ahead almost always saves money and locks in entry. Online daytime tickets recently ran about $25 for adults (ages 13–64), $17 for youth (3–12), and $23 for seniors (65+), with children 2 and under free. Walk-up gate prices are a few dollars higher per ticket. Because Metro Parks adjusts pricing periodically and offers timed entry on busy days, check the official ticket store for live prices and availability rather than relying on a static number.
The zoo is completely cashless — bring a card or mobile wallet. Discounts that have been available include a BECU member discount (10% off walk-up daily admission and annual memberships in person), plus military and group rates; ask at purchase or confirm current offers on the official prices page. If you visit more than twice a year, a membership (below) usually pays for itself.
ZooLights: Tacoma’s holiday light walk
ZooLights is the South Sound’s signature winter event — more than 1.5 million lights strung across the zoo grounds, with the aquarium and many indoor habitats open along the route. The season typically runs from the Friday after Thanksgiving through early January, on event nights from 4:30 to 10 p.m., and the zoo is normally dark on December 24 and 25. Online timed tickets are required and sell out on peak nights, so book before you go. Some seasons add special evenings such as dog-friendly nights. Because exact dates and ticket tiers are set fresh each year, do not assume last year’s calendar — check the live ZooLights schedule and buy tickets here.
The headline animals
Point Defiance is the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest, and a few exhibits anchor most visits. The Pacific Seas Aquarium is the showpiece: its Baja Bay tank holds scalloped hammerhead sharks, spotted eagle rays, and green sea turtles, while the Outer Reef tank runs blacktip, grey, whitetip, zebra, and nurse sharks. Rocky Shores is home to Pacific walruses, polar bears with deep above- and underwater viewing, sea otters, and seals. The Arctic Tundra area features muskoxen and Arctic fox. The Asian Forest Sanctuary showcases Sumatran tigers, gibbons, and siamangs. The zoo is also a national leader in red wolf conservation, having helped pioneer breeding of this critically endangered species. Exhibits and individual animals change over time, so check the official animals pages for what’s currently on view.
Membership, parking & jobs
Membership pays off fast for repeat visitors and ZooLights fans: an annual pass typically covers unlimited daytime admission for a year plus ZooLights perks, with individual and household tiers. Compare options on the membership page.
Parking is free on-site. You reach the zoo via the entrance off N Pearl Street into Point Defiance Park; the same loop road serves Owen Beach, Fort Nisqually, and the gardens. On summer weekends and ZooLights nights the lots fill, so arrive early or carpool.
Jobs: the zoo hires seasonal, part-time, and year-round staff — from zookeepers and aquarists to visitor-services and ZooLights crew — through Metro Parks Tacoma. Browse current openings on the zoo’s jobs page or the Metro Parks Tacoma careers portal.
Frequently asked questions
What are Point Defiance Zoo hours?
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium opens at 9 a.m. daily. Closing time varies by season — later in summer, earlier in winter — and the zoo observes special holiday hours. Confirm the day you plan to visit on the official visit page.
How much are Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium tickets?
Online daytime tickets recently ran about $25 for adults (13–64), $17 for youth (3–12), and $23 for seniors (65+), with children 2 and under free. Gate prices are a few dollars higher. Buy ahead and check current pricing at the official ticket store.
When is ZooLights at Point Defiance?
ZooLights typically runs from the Friday after Thanksgiving through early January, 4:30–10 p.m. on event nights, with the zoo closed December 24–25. Online timed tickets are required and sell out on peak nights — confirm exact dates and buy tickets on the official ZooLights page.
Is parking free at Point Defiance Zoo?
Yes — parking at the zoo is free. Lots fill on summer weekends and ZooLights nights, so arrive early. The zoo sits inside Point Defiance Park at 5400 N Pearl St, Tacoma, accessed off N Pearl Street.
What animals can you see at Point Defiance Zoo?
Highlights include the Pacific Seas Aquarium (hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, rays), polar bears and Pacific walruses at Rocky Shores, muskoxen and Arctic fox on the Arctic Tundra, Sumatran tigers in the Asian Forest Sanctuary, and the zoo’s renowned red wolf conservation program. See current exhibits at pdza.org.
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