LA Zoo set for another price hike as visitors vanish and crisis looms

LA Zoo visitors are about to get another hit to the wallet.A Los Angeles City Council committee voted this week to hike admission prices by another $2 — just a year after the zoo’s tickets already jumped $5.The latest increase comes after the city had left admission prices untouched since 2019, before approving last year’s hike as officials scrambled to help plug LA’s massive budget hole.Mayor Karen Bass defended the previous increase, saying the extra cash would help offset the city’s roughly $1 billion deficit.Now, it looks like the price of a day at the zoo is going up again.If the latest upcharge is approved by a full council vote, adults ages 13–61 can expect to pay $29 for zoo entry, while children ages 2-12 will be charged $24 and seniors, those 61 and up, will pay $26.Group rates would increase to $26 for adults and $23 for children.Children under two are allowed free entry to the zoo.
The LA Zoo is open every day from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m., save for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day The proposed ordinance will face another vote before the Budget and Finance Committee before it heads to the full City Council for final consideration.Last month, The California Post reported that a Los Angeles County civil grand jury concluded that the LA Zoo cannot continue operating as it has been, underscoring that deteriorating facilities, declining membership, and financial strain have put the future of the city-run attraction in peril.
California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.Please provide a valid email.
By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Unlike most major zoos in the United States, the Los Angeles Zoo remains fully operated by the city, requiring oversight and involvement from the zoo commission, neighborhood councils, the city attorney, city controller, multiple city departments, the mayor, and the City Cou...