The zoo's spectacular entrance is a sign of things to come, with this pagoda-rich area even more impressive. There is a feeling of a zoo building great exhibits and constantly improving, as almost everything is 20 years old or newer. The catch is that Virginia is probably a half-day zoo, much in the same vein as Nashville.
@snowleopard It is, a good thorough visit around 3-4 hours? Can't say for sure, as I don't keep track when I visit ahaha, but if you just go through, it could be an hour less I'd say. If you devote a day to zoos, you could include the nearby Virginia Aquarium (which is a great establishment, both collections are hidden gems of the area ) as well. Have you been to either on one of your epic trips?
On July 22nd, 2012, I spent 2.5 hours in the morning at Virginia Aquarium and then 3 hours in the afternoon at Virginia Zoo. Here's the thread with my reviews, @ZooBinh . Snowleopard's 2012 Road Trip