Entry No. 32 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: outdoor-weird

Old LA Zoo, Griffith Park

The original Los Angeles Zoo opened in 1912 and was simply abandoned in place when the new zoo opened in 1966. The crumbling concrete animal enclosures, faux-stone grottos, and barred cages still stand, and a few have their gates pulled open so you can walk inside. Picnic tables and grills now sit among the ruins, making it one of the few places you can eat lunch inside an old bear den.

The move: Pack a picnic and eat it inside a graffiti-free old animal grotto, then wander the open cages and pose behind the bars.

📍 Before you go Free, no reservations. Park closes at sunset; some cages are fenced off for safety.

• 📍 Griffith Park, Los Angeles
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Griffith Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (Old Zoo Picnic Area, north of the merry-go-round)

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-23