Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Buy date-specific tickets for a Griffith Park zoo day with botanical gardens and animal exhibits at 5333 Zoo Drive. Ticket tiers run about $22 for adults, $19 for seniors, $17 for children ages 2 to 12, and free for infants.

Published hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 3:45 p.m. and animals beginning to head in around 4 p.m. An earlier arrival matters more here than at an all-indoor museum.

Pace for elementary ages and grandparents with strollers. Confirm current ticket prices online before you promise a full zoo-and-picnic day.