Virginia Beach Attractions
Virginia Zoo
Being an animal lover, the Virginia Zoo is one of my favorite Virginia Beach Attractions. The Virginia Zoological Park sits on 53 acres along the Lafayette River in the Granby area of Norfolk, VA, but it's just a quick 20 minute drive from the Virginia Beach boardwalk. The zoo's proximity to Virginia Beach makes it a welcome addition to our list of Virginia Beach things to do.
For more than a century, the Virginia Zoological Park has been home to hundreds of animals. Current residents include Lions, Tigers, Giraffes, Elephants, Zebras, Rhinoceroses and my favorite, the Meerkats. Almost 400 zoo animals reside in the 53 acre facility which is landscaped to encourage natural activities for the animals while offering fantastic viewing areas and learning opportunities to the public.
The Virginia Zoo is a family friendly size and you can see all of the exhibits in a few hours. An overview of the map shows that the zoo is laid out in a nice circle and divided into nine areas that are called Gardens. It's easy to see all of the exhibits without worrying you are missing something.
Virginia Zoo Video
Take a quick visit to the Virginia Zoo with my nephews, Jack & Sam! They are super cool kids and it was a great day. I can't wait to take them to the zoo again the next time I am in town.
Norfolk Zoo
The history of the zoo begins in 1892 when the City of Norfolk purchased 65 acres of land with the intent of developing a park for the bustling community. It was a time of suburban growth for Norfolk, Virginia. Electric street cars replaced horse-drawn carriages and Norfolk's city limits increased from just 1.3 miles in 1880 to 9 square miles by 1911. The planned suburb of Ghent was the city's most noteworthy residential development and appealed to middle and upper-middle class residents. The 65 acre parcel of land that the city had purchased several years before opened as Lafayette Park in 1900.
By 1910, the Virginia Zoo had acquired hundreds of zoo animals and visitors could drive through the exhibits on paved roads. The zoo was known as both the Lafayette Park Zoo and the Norfolk Zoo to locals.
There were several upgrades to the Norfolk Zoo throughout the mid-to-late 1990's including the Mother Goose Barnyard where children could pet and play with barnyard animals, a pool area for sea lions and construction of the Mammal House for Elephants and Rhinoceroses.
In 1974, almost 75 years after the park began collecting animals, the city fenced off the animals from Lafayette Park and christened the area the Lafayette Zoological Park. Norfolk finally had an official zoo.
Zoo Animals
The Virginia Zoo is home to almost 400 different animals. For a list of current zoo residents, check out our Zoo Animals page! The zoo is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and participates in many of the AZA programs including Species Survival Programs (SSP). The animals in the SSP program are critically endangered and zoos work together to promote cooperative breeding programs, research, public education, fundraising, field projects, and reintroduction projects to ensure the long-range survivability of the species.
According to the Virginia Zoological Park's website, they are currently participating in Species Survival Programs for 12 species:
- African Elephants : Monica, Cita & Lisa
- African Lion : Mramba & Zola
- Eastern Bongos : Esi, Juni, Betty, Thunder, Baby Elka (born August 16, 2009), Baby Jade (born August 28, 2009) & Baby Baxter (born October 13, 2009)
- Fennec Fox : Kito & Akina
- Fiji Island Banded Iguana :
- Goeldi’s Monkey : Harlee, Nora & Wilbur
- Ground Hornbill : Jim & Jane
- Mandrill : Morgana, Morticia & Squiggy
- Ocelot : Xanica
- Red Panda : Oscar & Yin
- Siberian Tiger : Shaka Khan
- White Rhino : Alfred
In fact, the African Lions were the proud parents of four new cubs last year! What a wonderful addition to the zoo and to the world!
Virginia Beach Zoo
The zoo has many names:
- The Lafayette Zoo
- Lafayette Park
- Lafayette Park Zoo
- Norfolk Zoo
- Virginia Zoo
- Virginia Zoological Park
- Virginia Beach Zoo
- Virginia Zoological Park at Norfolk
Depending on who you speak with in the area, you may even hear it referenced by another name or two! Even though Virginia Beach, VA does not have a zoo within its city limits, there are 74 searches a day for Virginia Beach Zoo. People know there is a zoo in the area, but just don't know the name.
Norfolk Zoo, Virginia Zoo, Lafayette Zoo. It can be confusing to someone not familiar with the area, but be assured that all of the zoos listed above are one in the same!
Remember! When you are looking for things to do in Virginia Beach, the zoo is just a quick 20 minute drive. Support the animals and support the zoo. Your visit makes a difference!
Google Map Link to Virginia Beach Zoo
3500 Granby St, Norfolk, VA 23504
(757) 441-2374
Virginia Beach Attractions website has updated information on all the most popular activites and events in the area!
Kinkajou: While the Kinkajou looks like a primate, it is more closely related to a raccoon.
Ocelot: nocturnal and territorial, these tough cats are aggressive and will fight to the death if threatened.
African Lion: Simba, the Swahili word for lion means "king," "strong" and "aggressive."
Giraffe: a giraffe can clean it's own ears with its long 21 inch tongue!
Fennec Fox: these foxes weigh just 3-31/2 lbs and are the worlds smallest canid.
Bongo: it is estimated that less than 500 Bongos remain in the wild.
The Norfolk Zoo proudly participates in the AZA Bongo Species Survival Plan and three babies were born to the zoo in 2009.
Spider Monkey: observed hanging upside down from all four limbs and their tail gave these monkeys the appearance of a long-legged spider, hence the name Spider Monkey!
Hedgehog: these cute critters get their name from rooting through hedges and undergrowth while looking for tasty meals consisting of insects, snails, snakes, bird eggs, roots and berries. 
Meerkat: the dark patches around the Meerkat's eyes act like sunglasses and protect their eyes from the harsh glare of the sun.