The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

Baltimore, MD · 2 hours 19 minutes from Reading · $20 to $50 a person

marylandzoo.org|Day trips from Berks County
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

Plan the day

Drive2 hours 19 minutes from Reading, 103 miles2 hours 47 minutes from Boyertown · 2 hours 39 minutes from Hamburg · 2 hours 14 minutes from Morgantown
WhereOne Safari Place, Baltimore, MD 21217, Baltimore, MDOpen in maps →
OpenDaily 10 AM to 4 PM March through December; Friday through Monday 10 AM to 4 PM in January and February; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.10 AM to 4 PM; last entry 3:30 PM.
AdmissionGeneral admission (ages 2 to 64) $33, seniors 65 and over $28, each with unlimited train and carousel rides; members free; parking free (posted October 2026).
Good forlittle kids, big kids, adults, older adults

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is a zoo on a 135-plus acre campus in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, MD. It opened in 1876 and marks its 150th year in 2026.

Admission covers unlimited rides on the zoo train and carousel, and parking is free. Paid encounters put you beside penguins, otters, rhinos and giraffes, and you can feed the giraffes. ZooBOO fills October and is included with admission, and the zoo stays open daily through December before dropping to Friday through Monday in January and February.

Before you go

Buy tickets online; they expire 30 days after purchase and are not refunded, including for weather. Last entry is 3:30 PM. It is an outdoor zoo, so dress for the day, and animals can be off exhibit at times. Pets are not permitted.

Coming up

ZooBOO runs October 2 to 31, 2026, included with admission; OktoBEARfest (21 and over) is October 16 to 17; Trunk or Treat is October 23; Breakfast with the Animals runs on select days through November 14.

Official site →Tickets →

Checked October 8, 2026 on the official site. Hours, prices and seasons change, so confirm there before a long drive.

More zoos and animal parks worth the drive

Wolf Sanctuary of PA

Wolf Sanctuary of PA

Lititz, PA · 40 minutes from Reading · $20 to $50 a person

Wolf Sanctuary of PA is a refuge for gray wolves and wolf-dogs on Speedwell Forge Road in Lititz, PA. The only way to see the wolves is on a reserved guided tour or at an event.

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Schnecksville, PA · 57 minutes from Reading · Under $20 a person

Lehigh Valley Zoo is an AZA-accredited zoo inside the Trexler Nature Preserve in Schnecksville, PA, run by the nonprofit Lehigh Valley Zoological Society since 2004.

Brandywine Zoo

Brandywine Zoo

Wilmington, DE · 1 hour 19 minutes from Reading · Under $20 a person

The Brandywine Zoo is a zoo of under five acres in Brandywine Park along the Brandywine River in Wilmington, DE, run by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation with the Delaware Zoological Society.

See every one of the zoos and animal parks on the list →