From Bunny Brunches, Easter Egg Hunts, a New Species of Penguin and More, the Zoo is a Must-Visit Destination for Spring Break
Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia Zoo is ready to welcome tens of thousands of guests to its 42-acre gardens as the region shakes off the harsh winter chill and enjoys time outside with friends and family this spring. Not only are the animals more active as the weather warms up, but the 42-acre campus and gardens come into full bloom. Here are the 10+ can’t- miss events and experiences at Philadelphia Zoo this spring. For egg-citing Easter happenings to get the family hopping, Philadelphia Zoo Bunny Brunch returns on Sunday, March 29 and Sunday, April 5, plus the Zoo will host three days of Easter Egg Hunts on April 3, 4 and 5, and the Egg-Cellent Egg Search is back between March 28 and April 12.
For the first time ever, ride 110 feet into the air to check out spring in full bloom from the top of the Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel – just in time for America 250. Penguins are coming back and the Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to announce Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point with the debut of a new species and colony of Magellanic penguins. For other new arrivals, spring break visitors are invited to visit the new baby Francois Langur, plus the new to the Zoo Eastern Hel lbender, the Pennsylvania State Amphibian. Giragge Experience opens in time for Spring Break on March 21st where you can get up close and personal by feeding one of the giraffes in a special ticketed experience. Also, don’t miss your chance to walk among the dinosaurs in the New Worlds at Wild Explorer Virtual Reality Experience, with new experiences loading just in time for Spring Break visitors.
Families have endless choices and things to do from Spring Break to Easter at America’s oldest Zoo in 2026. Here’s the full spring guide for the next three weeks:
#1 Bunny Brunch:
Guests are invited to hop into spring with a magical Bunny Brunch supported by Cadbury! Guests can choose from four seatings: Sunday, March 29, 10:00am-12:00pm or 1:00pm-3:00pm; Sunday, April 5, 10:00am-12:00pm or 1:00pm-3:00pm. Guests are invited for a festive event filled with delicious food, animal fun and special holiday surprises. Enjoy a seasonal brunch buffet featuring family favorites, take photos with the Easter Bunny and meet one of the Zoo’s ambassador animals.
Tickets include:
· Zoo admission for the day
· Full all-you-can-eat brunch buffet
· Meet-and-greet photo opportunity with the Easter Bunny
· Exclusive encounter with one of the Zoo’s ambassador animals
· Tickets are $69 for adults and $59 for children for 2-11, 2 and under are fr ee but still require a ticket. Zoo members receive a discount. Please note the entire party must reserve at the same time in order to sit together. Please contact events@phillyzoo.org with any questions.
Bunny Brunch Menu
· Fresh Fruit Salad
· Farm Green Salad
· Yogurt & Granola Parfait
· Buttermilk Pancakes with Assorted Toppings
· Mini Quiche
· Cage-Fr ee Scrambled Eggs
· Applewood Smoked Bacon
· Turkey Sausage
· Yukon Potato Hash
· Assorted Pastries
· Carrot Cake
· Cookies
· Coffee, tea, juice, and soft drinks
· Full Bar with alcoholic beverages available for purchase, including mimosas and bloody marys.
#2 Easter Egg Hunts
To celebrate Easter weekend, the Zoo will be holding a relaxed Easter Egg Hunt on Friday, April 3, Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5 from 11:00am-2:00pm for children ages 2-12, presented by Cadbury. The hunt will take place at the South End of the Zoo across from the SEPTA PZ Express Train and Backyard Kitchen. Children are welcome to bring a basket and find as many eggs as they can to turn them in for candy! Those that find a golden egg will receive a special prize. No registration required. Children must be accompanied by an adult while participating.
#3 Egg-cellent Egg Search
All guests who plan to visit the Zoo between Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, April 12, are invited on a self-guided Egg-cellent Egg Search to learn about 10 unique eggs in the animal kingdom. Many of us know reptiles, amphibians, birds, arachnids, and insects lay eggs, but what about the different sizes, shapes and textures they come in? Guests who find all 10 eggs and complete the accompanying entry form will receive a prize at the Guest Services Podium, courtesy of Cadbury. The self-guided Egg-cellent Egg Search is recommended for guests of all ages and included in admission or membership.
#4 First Spring Season for Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel
Get the best views of the city and surrounding scenery from the top of the Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel this spring! This 110-foot tall ride features breathtaking views of the city skyline, Schuylkill River, Philadelphia Art Museum and beyond. The Pherris wheel is a part of the hundreds of events celebrating America’s 250th anniversary in Philadelphia throughout 2026. Ride requires an additional ticket. Enjoy bundled Zoo Admission and Pherris Wheel tickets exclusively on the Zoo’s website. *Guests must be at least at least 32″ tall to ride with a supervising adult. Each gondola can fit up to six guests and the ride lasts about seven minutes.
#5 Penguins Return to Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point
As construction on Carey Bear Country completes, a new colony of Magellanic penguins will be moving into Hollenstein Ross Penguin Point. The upgraded habitat includes an indoor space with a 5,500-gallon pool. This will be the first time in over 75 years the Zoo will be home to this species of penguin. Guests can start to visit the new penguins this spring through their lower viewing area before the exhibit fully reopens to allow guests inside with the opening of Carey Bear Country. Magellanic penguins are named for the Straits of Magellan, a series of waterways at the southern tip of South America. They are classified as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
#6 Baby Francois langur!
The Zoo’s Francois langur family grew by one! Mom Mei Mei and dad Chester welcomed a baby girl in December who now can be seen at Primate Passage. She is the fifth Francois langur ever born at the Zoo. Infants are born with bright orange fur, making it easier for members of the family to see who has the baby.
#7 New to the Zoo: Eastern Hel lbender
Guests can now meet Pennsylvania’s State Amphibian on their next visit to the Reptile & Amphibian House. The Zoo is now home to an eastern hellbender, the largest salamander in North America. With their flattened head and body, four short, stout legs, long rudder-like tail and very small beady eyes, they are well adapted to their swift, flowing stream habitats. They vary in color from grayish to brown and black and can grow to be two feet long. This species might better be known by its various nick names include the snot-otter, Allegheny alligator, mud devil and mud dog.
#8 Giraffe Experience Reopens for the Season
Get up close and personal with the tallest animals on the planet! Feed our giraffe trio in this one-of-a-kind encounter. Giraffe Experience is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily starting March 21. Giraffe Experience is weather and animal dependent. Additional ticket required.
#9 Add to Our Goal of 250,000 Actions for Animals for America 250th
To celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary, guests are invited to visit the Zoo and contribute to our goal of 250,000 actions for animals in 2026! Part of the Zoo’s mission is to share its passion for conservation to save wildlife, and this challenge is designed to get people thinking differently about the ways they can thrive alongside the natural world. Actions for Animals include activities like cleaning up litter, planting native plants, participating in wildlife surveys, and much more, including opportunities to partner with the Zoo on projects around its 42-acre campus. This challenge is a part of the hundreds of events celebrating America’s 250th anniversary in Philadelphia throughout 2026.
#10 Immerse Yourself in New Worlds at Wild Explorer Virtual Reality Experience
Walk among the dinosaurs, travel to the arctic, explore the ocean’s depths, soar above the African plains or trek deep into the forest while visiting the Zoo this spring. Wild Explorer Virtual Reality is a 360° visual experience with an immersive VR headset, motion seats, and audio! Explore the wonders of wildlife like never before at Bird Lake Plaza.
Choose from the following experiences:
· Dinosaur Evolution
· Polar Odyssey
· Swimming with Humpbacks
· Gorilla Trek
· The Great Migration
Tickets for Spring Break and all Easter Events are now on the Zoo website: philadelphiazoo.org.
COMING SOON
Philadelphia Zoo is gearing up for a major opening just in time for America 250 and Philly 250th. Scheduled to open in late spring, Carey Bear Country is a state-of-the-art facility built with the highest standards for animal care in mind, making it one of the best in the country for endangered bears. The refreshed and upgraded spaces will include the addition of a third bear habitat, a dedicated indoor cubbing den to support breeding programs, and a brand-new Zoo360 trail for the bears to explore. Not only does Carey Bear Country enhance the Zoo’s animal care program, it creates a dynamic, memorable and educational experience for guests of all ages and backgrounds. Stay tuned to the Zoo’s website, social media or subscribe to its email newsletter for opening dates.
About Philadelphia Zoo
At Philadelphia Zoo, the Zoo moves around you! Pioneering Zoo360, a first-in-the-world system of animal exploration trails, Philadelphia Zoo has inspired more than 70 zoos around the globe to design new ways to invite animals to travel and roam through their own campuses. Passing through treetops, crossing over pathways and connecting habitats, Zoo360 provides Philadelphia Zoo’s beautiful big cats, playful lemurs, and lively monkeys innovative ways to explore and marvel at one another and our guests. Visit Mommy the Galapagos tortoise and her world-famous hatchlings at the Reptile & Amphibian House, our quickly-growing orangutan infant in PECO Primate Reserve, the Ankole cattle hillside, Amur tigers at Big Cat Falls, Victorian crown pigeons at McNeil Avian Center, and hippos, zebras and white rhino throughout African Plains. Share a space with critically endangered lemurs as you wander through Lemur Island, look up as you feed the world’s tallest animal at Giraffe Experience, or get up-close as you hand-serve colorful birds their meals at Wings of Asia. Philadelphia Zoo is one of the region’s foremost conservation and education organizations and home to endangered, and in some cases extinct, animals in the wild.
At Philadelphia Zoo, our mission is to flourish as an urban oasis where people and animals thrive, transformative memories are made, and our passion for conservation helps save wildlife. Philadelphia Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is a non-smoking facility. For more information, visit philadelphiazoo.org. Facebook: PhiladelphiaZoo; Instagram: @philadelphiazoo; X (formerly Twitter): @phillyzoo; TikTok: @philadelphiazoo