Located in the heart of D.C., the Smithsonian National Zoological Park is a 163-acre park that is home to over 2,000 animals from almost 400 different species from all over the globe. Most popular are the giant pandas, whose births always make national news. Endangered species make up one-fifth of the residents at the park.

The zoo is one of the country’s oldest and was designed by famous American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Admission is free and the park is open every day of the year except Christmas