We admit, we’re *not* huge zoo people, typically favouring national parks and wilderness adventures to unnatural habitats. But, we’ve got to admit it. Australia does know how to make a great zoo. And Sydney’s home to more than a handful of them. Six, in fact.

From intimate set ups that let you feed kangaroos from the palm of your hand to world-class exhibits that get you an iconic snapshot of giraffes with the skyline as the backdrop, there’s a zoo in Sydney for everyone.

Taronga Zoo: The Classic

Where is it? Mosman, about 7.5km from Sydney’s CBD
When is it open? Daily from 9:30am to 5pm during summer (from September to April), and daily from 9:30am to 4:30pm during winter (from May to August)
Entry fee: $51.30 per adult, $38.70 per concession and $29.70 per child.
How to get there: Take either a bus from the city (route 100) or a ferry from Circular Quay. You can drive, but traffic can be busy and parking will set you back $24 (unless you stay 90 minutes or less, then it’s free)

✅ We’ve been here!

Sydney Zoo: The New Kid on the Block

Where is it? Eastern Creek, about 37.5km from Sydney’s CBD
When is it open? Daily from 9am to 4pm.
Entry fee: $50 per adult, $35 per concession and $20 per child.
How to get there: Driving is easiest and parking is free. You can also take a train from Central to Blacktown Station and then take a bus (route 729) to the zoo.

WILD LIFE Sydney: The Convenient Zoo

Where is it? Darling Harbour, in Sydney’s CBD
When is it open? Daily from 10am to 5pm, and open from 9:30am to 5pm during school holidays (except Christmas day, when it closes at 3pm)
Entry fee: $46 per adult, $42 per concession and $36 per child. (If you book at least four days in advance online, the prices are a bit lower.)
How to get there: Public transport is easiest as there is no on-site parking. You can take the train to Town Hall station and walk from there in about 10 minutes. If you do want to drive, paid parking is available nearby.

Featherdale Wildlife Centre: The Immersive Option

Where is it? Doonside, about 38km from Sydney’s CBD
When is it open? Daily from 8am to 5pm (except Christmas day, when it closes at 2pm)
Entry fee: It’s $49 per adult, $40 per concession and $29 per child. (You can save 10% online by using the code ONLINE10, but it’s actually only 5% as you need to pay a service fee)
How to get there: Driving is easiest and parking is free. You can take a train from Central Station to Doonside, and then walk from there in about 25 minutes or go to Blacktown and take a bus (route 729), which will take you right to Featherdale.

Symbio Wildlife Centre: The coastal adventure

Where is it? Helensburgh, about 53.5km from Sydney’s CBD
When is it open? Daily from 9:30am to 5pm
Entry fee: If you purchase online in advance, it’s $44 per adult, $40 per concession, $38 per senior and $29 per child. Prices at the door are a few dollars more.
How to get there: Driving is the easiest option, and parking is free. You can also take a train from Central Station to Helensburgh, then take a bus (route 2) to Symbio Wildlife Centre.

Walkabout Wildlife Centre

Where is it? Calga, about 60km from Sydney’s CBD
When is it open? Daily from 9:30am to 5pm (except Christmas day , when it closes at 3pm)
Entry fee: If you purchase online in advance, it’s $40 for adults, $30 for concessions, $25 for children
How to get there: Driving is easiest as there are no public transport options here. If you don’t have a car, it is 15 minutes’ drive from Gosford Station, which is more manageable in a taxi or rideshare than from Sydney’s CBD.