If you’ve ever tried to do “the Zoo” as a half-day and wondered why the kids fell asleep in the car before you hit the 134, welcome to the corner of Griffith Park that quietly turns into a whole day. In one pocket along Zoo Drive you can watch orangutans swing before lunch, step across Western Heritage Way to see the stories of the American West in the afternoon, and cap it with miniature trains circling historic locomotives. I’ve walked this loop since before the Zoo got its current entrance, and it’s still the easiest place in the park to stack attractions without moving your car.
Gates at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., with most animals heading in by 4 p.m. and last entry at 3:45 p.m. The posted address is 5333 Zoo Drive, right where the I‑5 and 134 meet. Parking in the main surface lots is free, and the Metro stop closest to the front gate is currently Bus 296, which runs between downtown Burbank and Lincoln Heights/Cypress. If you want a detail you won’t glean from a generic search: the Zoo explicitly allows you to bring your own food and non‑alcoholic drinks inside, just skip the glass containers. That’s the move that turns a hot, hungry 2 p.m. into a bench-in-the-shade picnic instead of a meltdown in a concession line.
General admission as of this season reads as follows: $27 adult (ages 13–61), $24 senior (62+), $22 child (2–12), and free for infants under 2. The day’s rhythm rewards early birds. If you arrive near opening, cross to “Rainforest of the Americas” first, when it’s cooler and quieter. Then, around mid‑day, give your legs a break on the Zoo’s Safari Shuttle, which loops between six stops from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fares are tiered by age and need: $9 adult, $5 child, and $2 for seniors and visitors with physical disabilities, with children under 2 riding free. The last tram pulls out at 3:30, which is your cue to work back toward the front if you’re trying to squeeze one more keeper talk before 4.
Two more practicalities, learned the slow way. First, “open until 5” doesn’t mean all exhibits hum until 4:59. If a must‑see species is on your list, make it a before‑lunch stop. Second, the Zoo is only closed two days a year: Thanksgiving Day and December 25. If you’re trying to dodge bigger crowds, weekday mornings outside school breaks are the sweet spot, and winter’s cooler weather often coaxes more mid‑day animal activity than July’s heat.
Walk or drive across Western Heritage Way and you’re at the Autry Museum of the American West, the longstanding neighbor that balances the Zoo’s outdoor miles with galleries, film stills, and material culture. The Autry’s posted hours are Tuesday–Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Mondays. Admission tiers are straightforward: $20 adults, $15 students and seniors, $9 children 3–12, with children under 3 and Autry Members free. Parking in the museum lots is also free for visitors. If your trip lands on a First Wednesday, the Autry opens its galleries at no charge from morning through 4 p.m., which makes a Zoo-light morning plus Autry afternoon a budget-friendly combo.
Why pair the two? Because the Autry rewards an unhurried hour or two that tends to get crowded on rainy weekends and school holidays. On a normal weekday, you can linger with the “Imagined Wests” galleries, sit the kids for ten minutes in front of a looping film clip, and still be back at the Zoo before your parking spot cools. When the summer sun is high, I’ve steered many families to the Autry in the mid‑afternoon for precisely one reason: climate control. It’s a calmer, seated reset before the evening commute.
Getting between the two without fuss is part of the charm here. The Autry’s front entrance faces the Zoo across Western Heritage Way. If your group runs split speeds, one carload can peel off for gallery time while the others finish the Zoo’s front half and regroup at the end. For stroller and wheelchair users, both campuses have curb ramps and accessible entries, and the Autry keeps a small stock of wheelchairs to borrow on arrival.
Continue west along Zoo Drive and you hit the part of Griffith Park that every rail‑minded kid (and quite a few grandparents) remember: the Travel Town Museum, the Griffith Park Train Rides concession, and the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum. Travel Town’s other superpower is cost. Admission is free, parking is free, and the gates are open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. on weekends and holidays and Tuesday through Friday, with Mondays closed. The museum gift shop typically shutters at 4:45 p.m. The posted location is 5200 Zoo Drive, just off the 134 at Forest Lawn Drive.
On the east edge of the grounds, the Griffith Park Train Rides offer two miniature railways: the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad near the park center and a separate loop that circles part of Travel Town. The rides are as classic as they come and, crucially, priced for an impulse treat: $4 adults, $3 children 17 and under, and $3 seniors per ride, with a $5 aircraft T‑6 simulator at the Griffith Park & Southern location. Hours shift with the seasons and there’s a 45‑minute weekday lunch closure, so aim your ride before 12:30 p.m. or after 1:30 p.m. Both railways are open most days, but expect Thanksgiving and December 25 closures, and note the Travel Town loop follows the museum’s Monday closure.
Just beyond Travel Town is the volunteer‑run Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum (LALSRM). Their public ride days are narrow by design, which is part of the fun. The 7½‑inch‑gauge trains run for the public on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting, except the Sunday before Memorial Day and the first Sunday in October when the club hosts meets. Rides are a suggested donation of $4 per person, with practical safety rules you’ll want to know in advance: riders must be at least 34 inches tall, be able to sit straddle‑style for about 20 minutes, and weigh under 350 pounds. No infants, carriers, or animals are allowed on board. When they’re running, lines can form mid‑day; arriving right at 11 often means you’re on a train while everyone else is still finding parking.
Once a month, there’s also a piece of Disney history hiding in plain sight: Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn, a small museum inside the Live Steamers complex, opens to the public on the third Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free and donations support operations. If you’ve got a fan of the Disneyland Railroad in your family, the barn’s displays and docents connect the dots between Walt’s backyard “Carolwood Pacific” and the Park’s trains. It pairs well with a Live Steamers ride and a Travel Town wander, all without moving the car.
For groups that max out on exhibits but still want to stay in the Zoo‑Autry‑Travel Town orbit, detour to the Old Zoo Picnic Area, located off Griffith Park Drive just south of the merry-go-round. The concrete grottoes you’ll see are the remains of the City’s 1910s–1960s zoo. Today the site is a grassy bowl with picnic tables, BBQ grills, and modern restrooms. There’s no admission and no fencing, which makes it a low‑key way to give kids space to roam before a drive home. If you’re hosting more than a casual picnic, Griffith Park does require picnic permits to reserve tables in designated areas; check the City’s permit desk if you’re planning something structured.
On two wheels, this corner of the park connects neatly to the Los Angeles River Bike Path. The paved path picks up at the historic Riverside/Zoo Drive Bridge and runs for miles through the soft‑bottom Glendale Narrows. It’s common to see cyclists roll in from Atwater Village or Elysian Valley, cut across Ferraro Fields, and lock up near the Autry or the Zoo for a museum hour and a snack. As of this summer, the City added new bike lanes along portions of Zoo Drive and Crystal Springs Drive, making that last mile less of a white‑knuckle ride than it used to be.
One more piece locals lean on: on show nights at the Hollywood Bowl, the L.A. Zoo parking lot serves as a shuttle pickup location. If you’re visiting on a concert evening, you may see staging in portions of the lot toward late afternoon. It doesn’t affect daytime Zoo entry, but if you’re staying into the evening, consider where you park so you’re not boxed by a queue of buses at 5 p.m.
If you’ve got a child who wakes up with the sun, I like the “early Zoo, lunch in the shade, trains after” plan. Park at the Zoo by 9:45 a.m., hit two anchor exhibits before 11:30, eat your pack‑in lunch near a fountain, then hop the Safari Shuttle once before it stops at 3:30 p.m. Around 2:30 p.m., move the car to Travel Town’s free lot for a museum amble and a $4/$3 ride. If it’s the third Sunday, add Walt’s Barn and a Live Steamers loop before they wind down at 3 p.m.
For mixed‑age groups or on the hottest days, flip the middle. Do the Zoo from 10 to 1, cross to the Autry for a quiet, air‑conditioned stretch from 1:30 to 3, then walk back for a last look at the flamingos as the crowds thin and the shade hits the front plaza. With free parking on both sides and the Autry’s posted $20/$15/$9 admission, it’s a reasonable split that cuts outdoor fatigue without sacrificing the sense you “did the park.”
| Option | Typical Hours | Admission/Cost | Parking | Practical Note |
| Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens | Daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (animals start in at 4 p.m.; last entry 3:45 p.m.) | $27 adult; $24 senior; $22 child 2–12; under 2 free | Free surface lots | Bring your own food and non‑alcoholic drinks; closed Thanksgiving and Dec 25 |
| Safari Shuttle (inside the Zoo) | Daily 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. loop | $9 adult; $5 child; $2 senior/physically disabled; under 2 free | N/A | Six stops; last tram departs 3:30 p.m. |
| Autry Museum of the American West | Tue–Fri 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sat–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Mon closed | $20 adults; $15 students/seniors; $9 children 3–12; First Wednesday free | Free lots for visitors | Across Western Heritage Way from the Zoo; an easy mid‑day cool‑down |
| Travel Town Museum | Tue–Fri 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; weekends/holidays 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Mon closed | Free admission; gift shop closes 4:45 p.m. | Free | Address: 5200 Zoo Drive; Metro Line 96 stop is about a mile away |
| Griffith Park Train Rides | Seasonal daily schedules; weekday 45‑min lunch closure; closed Thanksgiving/Dec 25 | $4 adults; $3 children/seniors; $5 T‑6 simulator at GP&S RR | Free | Two locations (GP&S and Travel Town loop); Travel Town ride follows museum’s Monday closure |
| Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum | Sundays 11 a.m.–3 p.m. only; some Sundays excluded for meets | Public rides are a suggested $4 donation per person | Free | Height minimum 34 inches; no infants or pets; arrive near opening to avoid lines |
| Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn | Third Sunday each month, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. | Free, donations appreciated | Free | Inside the Live Steamers complex; small space with rich Walt history |
Yes. The Zoo permits outside food and non‑alcoholic drinks, with glass containers prohibited. That’s a budget‑saver for families and makes it easier to time a picnic between exhibits. The free parking and daylong hours support a full‑day visit even if you’re packing lunch.
Cross Western Heritage Way to the Autry Museum. It’s open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on weekdays and to 5 p.m. on weekends, with free parking and posted admission tiers. On the first Wednesday of the month, it’s free to enter, making a cool, quiet midday stop before you return to the Zoo.
Stack three in a row along Zoo Drive. Travel Town is free and open 10 a.m.–5 p.m., with a miniature ride at $4 for adults and $3 for kids/seniors. On Sundays from 11 a.m.–3 p.m., the Live Steamers run donation‑based rides with a 34‑inch height minimum. On the third Sunday, add Walt’s Barn from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. A relaxed loop takes 90 minutes to two hours.
On Bowl show nights, portions of the L.A. Zoo lot serve as a shuttle pickup. It doesn’t change daytime entry or the fact that parking is free, but you may see staging late afternoon. If you plan to stay until closing, park where exiting won’t thread you through a shuttle queue at 5 p.m.
When you’re choosing what to do in this corner, let the weather and the calendar decide. Cooler days favor longer Zoo laps and a late‑day Autry visit; Sundays make trains a priority; third Sundays bring Walt’s Barn into play. Everything here shares one advantage over the rest of Griffith Park: you can do more than one thing without moving your car, and that’s a tiny miracle in this town.
Published: September 9, 2026