Smithsonian's National Zoo
The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute features 1,800 animals representing 360 species, as close as you can get to their native surroundings. Arrive between 11 and 2 (weather permitting), and you can catch orangutans traversing the "O" line, a series of cables and towers near the Great Ape House that allow the primates to swing hand over hand about 50 feet above your head. The famous pandas are leaving at the end of 2023, but there are plenty of other animals that beguile. The multigenerational herd of elephants—part of the zoo's conservation campaign to save this endangered species from extinction—is a perennial favorite. Along the Claws and Paws Pathway, the binturongs (also known as bearcats) smell like buttered popcorn, and petite Pallas's cats hide in plain sight. The zoo was designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York's Central Park. Try visiting early morning or late afternoon, since many animals sleep midday. Nighttime visits are especially fun during the Christmas holiday as the zoo sparkles with the annual ZooLights event.
