Philadelphia Zoo Announces Biggest Sale in 153 Years for America 250

Philadelphia Zoo, America’s first zoo, is offering locals and tourists to the region the chance to visit the Zoo at its best prices of the year to celebrate America 250 and the Zoo’s 153rd grand opening anniversary. For just five days, guests can enjoy 25% off all general admission tickets on Wednesday, July 1 through Sunday, July 5 with code 4JULY25. Ticket prices vary from $21-29.50 for adults and $17-24 for children. The sale starts Saturday, June 27.

Here are the 12 must-dos at the Zoo for Summer 2026:

#1 All-New Carey Bear Country
Carey Bear Country is the Zoo’s new state-of-the-art bear facility built with the highest standards for animal care in mind, making it one of the best in the country for endangered bears. The newly refreshed and upgraded spaces include the addition of a third bear habitat and a brand-new Zoo360 trail for the bears to explore. Not only does Carey Bear Country enhance the Zoo’s animal care program, it creates a dynamic, memorable and educational experience for guests of all ages and backgrounds. Carey Bear Country is home to two species of endangered bears: Andean bears and sloth bears. Carey Bear Country is open daily from 9:30am-5:00pm and is included in admission or membership.

#2 Upgraded Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point
Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point is the Zoo’s freshly upgraded penguin habitat, now home to a new colony of Magellanic penguins. This is the first time in over 75 years the Zoo has had this species. Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point features a brand-new indoor space and 5,500-gallon indoor pool. Their outdoor habitat features a rocky landscape for the birds to climb and jump, a 200,000-gallon outdoor pool for them to swim, dive and play in, and nesting burrows to support breeding programs.

#3 Destination Philadelphia
Open just in time for the start of all the celebrations in the city, the Zoo’s brand-new gift shop, Destination Philadelphia, has everything needed to cheer on Team USA for the World Cup and America 250. The inspiration for the store comes from the pride of not only the Zoo, but the great city of Philadelphia. Guests will be able to have an assortment of customized apparel from soccer scarves to T-shirts, plush animals including Andean and sloth bears for the 2026 opening of Carey Bear Country, toys, and souvenirs to choose from as they remember their visit to the Philadelphia Zoo. Zoo members receive a discount.

#4 Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel
Get the best views of the city and surrounding scenery from the top of the Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel this spring! This 110-foot tall ride features breathtaking views of the city skyline, Schuylkill River, Philadelphia Art Museum and beyond. The Pherris wheel is a part of the hundreds of events celebrating America's 250th anniversary in Philadelphia throughout 2026. Ride requires an additional ticket. Enjoy bundled Zoo Admission and Pherris Wheel tickets exclusively on the Zoo’s website. *Guests must be at least at least 32" tall to ride with a supervising adult. Each gondola can fit up to six guests.

#5 ZOOtopiaries: Nature’s Sculptures
Philadelphia Zoo has teamed up once again with the designers at Santoline Mosaïculture to bring back three new mosaic topiary animals for guests to marvel at this spring, summer and fall, only at Philadelphia Zoo. The new creations include a proud bald eagle for America’s 250th Anniversary (and our Philadelphia Eagles!), a larger-than-life Galapagos tortoise to celebrate the Zoo’s oldest resident and world-famous mom, Mommy, and playful mother and baby bear for the opening of Carey Bear Country. Spread out across the campus, these whimsical figures highlight the interconnection of art, plants and animals. Each is skillfully designed in meticulous patterns, creating likenesses of feathers, scales and fur. “ZooTopiaries: Nature’s Sculptures” is included in Zoo admission or membership.

#6 Giraffe Experience
Get up close and personal with the tallest animals on the planet! Feed our giraffe trio in this one-of-a-kind encounter. Giraffe Experience is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Giraffe Experience is weather and animal dependent. Additional ticket required. Zoo members receive a discount.

#7 Lemur Island
Step inside and share a space with the Zoo’s family of ring-tailed and mongoose lemurs! This walkthrough experience takes you inside their habitat located outside of PECO Primate Reserve. Lemur Island is included in Zoo admission or membership.

#8 Amazon Rainforest Carousel
Take a whimsical ride on your favorite Zoo animal! The Zoo’s enchanting all-wooden, hand-carved and hand-painted carousel was the first of its kind in the United States featuring endangered species found within the Amazon Rainforest. Riders of all ages have fun discovering and understanding the importance of preserving the Amazon Rainforest while being treated to sounds of the Amazon, gliding along on animals such as jaguars and anacondas right outside the Zoo’s historic Treehouse building. Additional ticket required. Zoo members receive a discount.

#9 SEPTA PZ Express Kiddie Train
Take a ride on our SEPTA® PZ Express Train, perfect for the little ones! Additional ticket required. Zoo members receive a discount.

#10 Wings of the World
Walk through and observe a variety of colorful birds at this fr ee-flight exhibit! Enjoy an up-close experience with some of the most beautiful birds on the planet. Feeding opportunity available for an additional ticket. Zoo members receive a discount.

#11 Immerse Yourself in New Worlds at Wild Explorer Virtual Reality Experience
Walk among the dinosaurs, travel to the arctic, explore the ocean’s depths, soar above the African plains or trek deep into the forest while visiting the Zoo this spring. Wild Explorer Virtual Reality is a 360° visual experience with an immersive VR headset, motion seats, and audio! Explore the wonders of wildlife like never before at Bird Lake Plaza. Choose from the following experiences:
·        Dinosaur Evolution
·        Polar Odyssey
·        Swimming with Humpbacks
·        Gorilla Trek
·        The Great Migration
·        Legend of Lusca
·        Shark Dive

#12 Add to our goal of 250,000 Actions for Animals
To celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary, guests are invited to visit the Zoo and contribute to our goal of 250,000 actions for animals in 2026! Part of the Zoo’s mission is to share its passion for conservation to save wildlife, and this challenge is designed to get people thinking differently about the ways they can thrive alongside the natural world. Actions for Animals include activities like cleaning up litter, planting native plants, participating in wildlife surveys, and much more, including opportunities to partner with the Zoo on projects around its 42-acre campus. This challenge is a part of the hundreds of events celebrating America's 250th anniversary in Philadelphia throughout 2026.

About Philadelphia Zoo
At Philadelphia Zoo, the Zoo moves around you! Pioneering Zoo360, a first-in-the-world system of animal exploration trails, Philadelphia Zoo has inspired more than 70 zoos around the globe to design new ways to invite animals to travel and roam through their own campuses. Passing through treetops, crossing over pathways and connecting habitats, Zoo360 provides Philadelphia Zoo’s beautiful big cats, playful lemurs, and lively monkeys innovative ways to explore and marvel at one another and our guests. Visit the all-new Carey Bear Country, the Zoo’s state-of-the-art facility for vulnerable bears, Mommy the Galapagos tortoise and her world-famous hatchlings at the Reptile & Amphibian House, our quickly-growing orangutan infant in PECO Primate Reserve, the Ankole cattle hillside, Amur tigers at Big Cat Falls, Victorian crown pigeons at McNeil Avian Center, and hippos, zebras and white rhino throughout African Plains. Share a space with critically endangered lemurs as you wander through Lemur Island, look up as you feed the world's tallest animal at Giraffe Experience, or get up-close as you hand-serve colorful birds their meals at Wings of Asia. Philadelphia Zoo is one of the region's foremost conservation and education organizations and home to endangered, and in some cases extinct, animals in the wild. At Philadelphia Zoo, our mission is to flourish as an urban oasis where people and animals thrive, transformative memories are made, and our passion for conservation helps save wildlife. Philadelphia Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is a non-smoking facility. For more information, visit philadelphiazoo.org. Facebook: PhiladelphiaZoo; Instagram: @philadelphiazoo; X (formerly Twitter): @phillyzoo; TikTok: @philadelphiazoo