Good morning!
I recently traveled to Norfolk in southern Virginia, during which I visited two zoos, an aquarium, and a handful of museums. This post is on the Virginia Zoological Park, known more colloquially as the Virginia Zoo.
It is my first post on Virginia tourist attractions:
J1: Virginia Zoological Park (this post)
This is my backlog of other Virginia sites:
Virginia Living Museum
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Virginia Air & Space Science Center
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
All of the pictures in this post were taken by me except for the map of the zoo. If you want to use any of my photos, please contact me to first obtain permission.
VIRGINIA ZOOLOGICAL PARK
3500 Granby St
Norfolk, VA 23504
Website: https://virginiazoo.org/
Hours:
Open Daily, 9:30 AM - 4 PM.
Last admission is at 3 PM.
Cost (as of 2026):
Adults (Ages 12+): $20
Seniors (Ages 62+): $18
Children (Ages 2 - 11): $17
College Students: $12
Adults & Children through the Virginia PowerUp! Program for Medicaid: $7
(These prices include a $2.05 Conservation and Technology Fee so the base price is actually lower).
$2 discount for military, first responders, teachers, Norfolk residents, City of Norfolk employees and their dependents, and foster families.
Advance reservations are required for anyone attending during Sensory Friendly Morning.
Before Spring Break (April 4 - 12, 2026), there is a $2 discount to guests who book their tickets online in advance.
The Virginia Zoo participates in the AZA Reciprocity program at the 50% rate. Members of all other participating zoos (whether those zoos participate at 50% or 100%) get 50% off the admission rate at the Virginia Zoo. And Virginia Zoo members get 50% off the admission of all participating zoos (regardless of whether that zoo participates at 50% or 100%).
AZA Reciprocal tickets can be bought online or in person.
Since I was a member of Buttonwood Park Zoo, I got 50% off admission. However, the numbers are tricky because of the Conservation and Technology Fee. You would think that 50% off of $20 would be $10. But general admission is really a $17.95 base price + $2.05 fee, so with the AZA discount you have a $8.95 discounted price + $2.05 fee = $11 total.
Parking is free.
Estimated Time: 1 - 2 hours.
The Virginia Zoo is a medium-sized zoo that you can finish in 1 or 2 hours. I went to 3 of the free keeper/educator chats, visited the Asia and Africa sections three times each to try and see certain animals, and actively looked for employees to get trading cards so I actually spent 4.5 hours at the zoo, which is not typical.
SUMMARY
The Virginia Zoo is a medium-size zoo that I would normally rate as "average" (2 stars) but the fun and compelling trading card system is enough to boost the rating up to "good" (3 stars).
The trading cards are new, having only been implemented in the past year and there are only around 20 at the moment. In addition, a lot of employees have not made it a regular habit of carrying cards and the card distribution seems rather random as opposed to the specific criteria and locations listed on the website. The only other zoo I have found that has a trading card system is the Oakland Zoo, which has had trading cards for a numbers of years and have well over a 100 different cards. Oakland Zoo has developed their system over time and many employees are good about carrying them. It's the main draw of the zoo for me and is enough to take an average 2-star zoo (Oakland Zoo) to an excellent 4 stars in the case of Oakland Zoo. Similarly, Virginia is a 2-star zoo that is currently at 3 stars due to their trading cards but if they are able to refine their system they could be up there at 4 stars with Oakland.
Besides the trading cards, the highlights of the Virginia Zoo included a baby orangutan. I was able to get excellent views of rock hyraxes and Patagonia cavies, which are rarer inhabitants of U.S. zoos. And I got some great pictures of Malaysian tapirs and a Cape porcupine.
The biggest disappointment was not being able to see much of the red panda. While there is a nice red panda habitat, the red panda spent most of the time in an air-conditioned hut. A better designed habitat could make one side of the hut into a window (maybe even a one-way window if privacy is important) or install a video camera with an interior view.
Like with many other zoos, the map makes the Virginia Zoo appear bigger than it really is. The largest concentration of animals are in Asia: Trail of the Tiger, African Safari Trail, Zoo Farm, and World of Reptiles & Friends. Large sections of the map are bereft of animals. There are a handful of turtles in the Turtle Oasis, alpacas in Flora Point, and no critters in the Animal Wellness Campus. I took more pictures than normal in the reptile house. I'm not sure if it's because Virginia Zoo has more reptiles than normal or whether it was because there were fewer animals outside which let me spend more time and battery power with the reptiles!
While I got to see most of the zoo residents, I did not see the Asian small-clawed otters, binturong, or African painted dog. Some of the maps reference a bison in Flora Point but that habitat was empty - newer maps and the website omit mention of any bison. I didn't see the yellow-backed duiker but small deer are often elusive at zoos. There is also an exhibit that formerly hosted prairie dogs but is now occupied by some turtles. I only got to see the red panda for a short amount of time and got brief glimpses of the alpaca and lion.
The Virginia Zoo has a variety of free Guest Engagement Activities, usually spaced out every 30 - 60 minutes. While I would have loved to have attended the Zoo Tales event, unfortunately, my flight did not arrive early enough to accommodate that. I did, however, attend 2 keeper chats (bongo & perentie monitor) and 1 educator chat (cassowary). The bongo chat was underwhelming - there was no formal presentation, it was just an employee hanging around to answer any questions. I passed by the area several times wondering where the keeper chat was before finally finding the employee. They were able to point out the 2 female and 1 male bongos though. The cassowary educator chat provided basic facts about cassowaries and had some sample feathers to look at. It would mainly appeal to kids. Besides me, there were only 1 or 2 other people at the bongo and cassowary chats. The perentie monitor chat, on the other hand, was extremely crowded with a large group of summer camp kids. The chat started off slow with the keeper answering a bunch of basic questions from the children. Where it got interesting is when the keeper did a feeding session for the monitors.
Here is how the Virginia Zoo stacks up compared to other zoos:
5 stars:
4 stars:
3 stars:
2 stars:
1 star:
TRADING CARDS
In the past year, the Virginia Zoo has introduced trading cards to celebrate its 125th anniversary. You can read about it on their website:
https://virginiazoo.org/cards/
There are currently 20 cards:
2 cards are retired (African Elephant, Black Rat Snake)
3 cards are upcoming (Red Fox, Alligator Snapping Turtle, Bongo)
1 card is coming back soon (Bison)
4 cards are only available during special events (125th Anniversary Exclusive, King Cobra, Cinereous Vulture, Sea Lion)
And the elusive Red Panda card is member exclusive with different ways for members to obtain it throughout the year
On my visit, I was able to get 5 different cards (plus 6 duplicates):
1 Asian Small-Clawed Otter
1 Cape Porcupine
3 Virginia Possum
3 Monarch
3 Siamese Crocodile
ASIA: TRAIL OF THE TIGER
My visit to the Virginia Zoo happened to be on a hot July day, so the Red Panda was hard to find. The first two times I stopped by the habitat, it was not visible because it was in an enclosed air-conditioned house. On my final try at the end of my visit, I actually did get a wonderful look at the red panda - which made my day! However, by this point my phone was almost out of battery so I wasn't able to get many good pictures.
Red Panda
Ailurus fulgens
Red panda habitat
Glimpses of the red panda
Malayan Tiger
Panthera tigris jacksoni
There was a playful baby orangutan hanging around!
Bornean Orangutan
Pongo pygmaeus
Malayan Tapir
Tapirus indicus indicus
It's just sleeping!
Asiatic Black Bear
Ursus thibetanus
Siamang
Symphalangus syndactylus
White-Cheeked Gibbon
Nomascus leucogenys
Rhinoceros Hornbill
Buceros rhinoceros silvestrisus
Southern Cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
Sarus Crane
Grus antigone
White-Naped Crane
Grus vipio
White-Cheeked Turaco
Menelikornis leucotis
White-Crested Laughingthrush
Garrulax leucolophus
Chinese Hwamei
Garrulax canorus
Crested Oropendola
Psarocolius decumanus
Azure-Winged Magpie
Cyanopica cyanus
(Female)
Temminck's Tragopan
Tragopan temminckii
Tawny Frogmouth
Podargus strigoides
No binturong sighting this visit!
Otter photo op
This cave lets you view both the tiger and orangutan habitats
Asian-themed architecture
AFRICAN SAFARI TRAIL
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
African Lion
Panthera leo krugeri
Despite the size difference, the closest living relatives to the hyrax are elephants and manatees!
Rock Hyrax
Procavia capensis
Apparently the rock hyraxes like to wedge themselves into the corner of their habitat. They can easily climb walls due to their suction cup-like foot pads.
Slender-Tailed Meerkat
Suricata suricatta
Southern White Rhino
Ceratotherium simum
Eastern Mountain Bongo
Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci
Two female bongos
And one male
Masai Giraffe
Giraffa tippelskirchi
Hartmann鈥檚 Mountain Zebra
Equus zebra hartmannae
Red River Hog
Potamochoerus porcus
Snowy-Crowned Robin Chat
Parabuteo unicinctus
White-Headed Buffalo Weaver
Dinemellia dinemelli
Aldabra Tortoise
Aldabrachelys gigantea
Radiated Tortoise
Astrochelys radiata
Savannah Monitor
Varanus exanthematicus
Termite Mound
Funny sign!
ZOO FARM
The Patagonian Cavy (or Mara) is a South American rodent that shares physical similarities to both rabbits and deer. Although it is a fellow rodent and the cavy name may sound similar, this is not a capybara which is much larger and aquatic.
Patagonian Cavy (Patagonian Mara)
Dolichotis patagonum
Cape Porcupine
Hystrix cristata
Nigerian Dwarf Goat
Capra aegagrus hircus
Southdown Babydoll Sheep
Ovis aries
Miniature Zebu Cattle
Bos taurus indicus
Western Heritage Mini Cow
Bos taurus indicus
American Mini Pig
Sus scrofa domestticus
Common Peafowl
Pavo cristatus
Laughing Kookaburra
Dacelo novaeguineae
Kenya Crested Guineafowl
Guttera pucherani
WORLD OF REPTILES & FRIENDS
Friends
I guess these are the "friends" in "World of Reptiles & Friends":
The armadillo was hyper and constantly on the move, which made it difficult to get good non-blurry pictures of it!
Screaming Hairy Armadillo
Chaetophractus vellerosus
White-Faced Saki
Pithecia pithecia
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Goura victoria
Keeper Chat
Although this would normally go in the "Lizards" section, the perentie monitor gets a separate mention because there was a special keeper chat with a feeding session.
Perentie Monitor
Varanus giganteus
Crocodilians
Siamese Crocodile
Crocodylus siamensis
Turtles
These baby spotted turtles were hatched at Virginia Zoo in 2025.
Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata
McCord鈥檚 Box Turtle
Cuora mccordi
Wood Turtle
Glyptemys insculpta
Rote Island Snake-Necked Turtle
Chelodina mccordi
Egyptian Tortoise
Testudo kleinmanni
Home's Hinge-Back Tortoise
Kinixys homeana
Snakes
King Cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
Eyelash Viper
Bothriechis schlegelii
Aruba Island Rattlesnake
Crotalus durissus unicolor
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
Green Anaconda
Eunectes murinus
Green Tree Python
Morelia viridis
Barons Green Racer
Philodryas baroni
Amazon Basin Emerald Tree Boa
Corallus batesii
Annulated Boa (Ringed Tree Boa)
Corallus annulatus
Madagascar Hognose Snake
Leioheterodon madagascariensis
Speckled Rattlesnake
Crotalus pyrrhus
Red-Tailed Boa Constrictor
Boa constrictor
Angolan Python
Python anchietae
Timor Python
Python timoriensis
Reticulated Python
Python reticulatus
Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin)
Agkistrodon piscivorus
Mangrove Snake
Boiga dendrophila
Black Tailed Cribo
Drymarchon melanurus
Lizards
Chinese Crocodile Lizard
Shinisaurus crocodilurus
Philippine Sailfin Dragon
Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Frilled Dragon (Frilled Lizard)
Chlamydosaurus kingi
Giant Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma asio
Fiji Banded Iguana
Brachylophus bulabula
Jamaican Iguana
Cyclura collei
Shingleback Skink
Tiliqua rugosa
Prehensile-Tailed Skink
Corucia zebrata
Henkel鈥檚 Leaf-Tailed Gecko
Uroplatus henkeli
Smallwoods Anole
Anolis smallwoodi
Beaded Lizard
Heloderma exasperatum
Gila Monster
Heloderma suspectum
Arboreal Alligator Lizard
Abronia graminea
Northern Blue Tongue Skink
Tiliqua sciniodes
Blue Speckled Tree Monitor
Varanus macraei
Amphibians
Axolotl
Ambystoma mexicanum
Iranian Newt
Neurergus kaiseri
Splendid Tree Frog
Litoria splendida
Australian Red Eye Tree Frog
Litoria chloris
Green and Black Dart Frog
Dendrobates auratus
Golden Poison Dart Frog
Phyllobates terribilis
Golden Poison Dart Frog ("Mint Phase" variant)
Phyllobates terribilis
Panamanian Golden Frog
Atelopus zeteki
Strawberry Poison Dart Frog
Oophaga pumilio
Caecilian
Typhlonectes natans
Fish
Lined Seahorse
Hippocampus erectus
Invertebrates
Emperor Scorpion
Pandinus imperator
Brazilian Black Tarantula
Grammostola pulchra
Playground
Insect photo op
TURTLE OASIS
This turtle is well camouflaged!
Alligator Snapping Turtle
Macrochelys temminckii
Eastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
Wood Turtle
Glyptemys insculpta
FLORA POINT
Wedding Gazebo
I only got a brief and distant glimpse of an alpaca.
Huacaya Alpaca
Lama pacos
Run Wild! Nature Discovery Zone
ANIMAL WELLNESS CAMPUS
Let's see those chompers!
Veterinary building and enrichment playground
Zoo Live Stage
Probably a Pomegranate Tree
Punica granatum
Possibly Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)
Angelonia angustifolia
OTHER
Fountain Plaza
Train Station
Train
Event Pavilion
Future EdVenture & Exploration Campus under construction
Lake across from the Oyster Bed Restoration
Lafayette River in the Oyster Bed Restoration area
Probably a Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Cotton candy machine
This Hurricane Simulator in the Asia: Trail of the Tiger section is not worth the $3. Many science museums offer such a machine for free!
Zoo membership
ART
Elephant sculpture outside the entrance
Giraffe sculpture outside the entrance
Mermaid sculpture outside the entrance
Panda art displayed in one of the Asia: Trail of the Tiger pagoda bridges:
Religious art displayed in one of the Asia: Trail of the Tiger pagoda bridges:
Next comes the perfumed sky, filled with beautiful flowers and inhabited by Tjak, a bird with a human face; the serpent Taksaka; and a group of snakes collectively known as the Awan, who appear as falling stars. The ancestors live in a flame-filled heaven above the perfumed heaven, and finally beyond that is the abode of the gods.
Zebra painting in the African Safari Trail
Rhino sculpture along African Safari Trail
Sculpture in the African Village Restaurant
Mural in the African Village Restaurant
Mural near the Event Field
"Snavely" the Rhinocerous Viper climbable sculpture near the Zoo Farm
Donor wall mural in the World of Reptiles
Tortoise sculpture in Flora Point
FLORA
Probably a Hibiscus
Hibiscus moscheutos
Possibly a White Panicle Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata
Possibly Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica
Possibly some type of Ironweed
Vernonia
Probably some type of Lantana
Lantana
Possibly Rattlesnake Master
Eryngium yuccifolium
Probably a Celosia
Celosia
Possibly Plume Celosia (Cockscomb)
Celosia argentea
Probably African Marigold
Tagetes erecta
These next two flowers are probably Lisianthus
Eustoma grandiflorum
Probably a Zinnia, likely 'Purple Prince' or 'Benary's Giant Purple'
Zinnia elegans
Probably a Zinnia, possibly 'Holi Scarlet' or 'Giant Dahlia Flowered Deep Red'
Zinnia elegans
Probably a Zinnia
Zinnia elegans
Probably 'Zowie Yellow Flame' Zinnia
Zinnia elegans
Probably a Common Sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Possibly a Coleus plant
Coleus scutellarioides
Probably a Windmill Palm
Trachycarpus fortunei
GIFT SHOP
https://virginiazoogiftshop.com/
Nature Planet Red Panda Network Shoulder Bag
$18.95
Red Panda Footie
$29.95
Tied In Knots Sploot Red Panda
$14
Tied In Knots Tiny Tot Red Panda
$12
Assorted Red Panda Plushes
Wild Republic Cuddlekins Red Panda Plush
$24.95
Nature Planet Red Panda Network Plush with Cub
Aurora Red Panda Plush
$26.95
Fiesta Root Cuties Red Panda Plush
$18.95
Wild Republic Snuggleluvs Red Panda Plush
$49.95
Assorted Mermaid Dolls, Swaddle Babies, & Plushie Backpacks
Assorted Wilusz Way Wood Cuts
Wilusz Way Raccoon Wood Cut (incorrectly labeled as Red Panda! I think the company just uses the same pattern for Raccoon & Red Panda, with slightly different color variations)
$28.95
Wilusz Way Otter Wood Cut with 2 Babies
$26.95
Wilusz Way Axolotl Wood Cut
$32.95
U.S. 250th Anniversary Themed Merchandise
I bought the red panda magnet for $5.95.
The zoo had a dwindling supply of standard Litter Critterz porcelain miniatures. Most of them were the newer open format and unfortunately they were dirty. I paid $11.50 for the "Camelia" Ostrich figurine - I chose it mainly because it was the only figurine with the older enclosed plastic packaging which keeps it cleaner.
Assorted Little Critterz Northern Rose Miniatures
While the zoo seemed to be phasing out the smaller Little Critterz figurines, they had an expansive collection of the larger Little Critterz Northern Rose line of miniatures. I bought both of the red panda figurines for $12.95 each, which is a great price if you consider that the smaller figurines are nearly the same price!
