Lehigh Valley Zoo — Attraction in North Whitehall Township

We absolutely love this zoo! I cannot wrap my head around all of the negative reviews stating they are in and out within 20 minutes. On a typical visit it is usually just myself and my two daughters (4 years old and 1.5 years old) and we easily spend 3-4 hours here every single visit. Is it a smaller zoo, in physical size, compared to others? Sure. But they offer a multitude of different things to do inside that are engaging, thoughtful, and neat to experience. If I spent just a couple seconds looking into each enclosure and then moving onto the next, sure I could be done quick. But we take the time to read the informational bulletins on each animal to learn about them. We partake in all of the various "feeding times" for numerous animals. We play at the playground, we explore Preston's Pad, we feed the goats and fish, we either pack/order lunch and sit down to enjoy our meal and talk about everything we saw. If you actually interact and take advantage of the various other aspects offered here, it's an absolutely lovely afternoon and hours can be spent here.

As for the other negative comments, I have never experienced a single worker who wasn't willing to stop and talk with us/answer our questions. They are all very knowledgeable and are happy to share "fun facts" with us about every species, including the animal's names which my 4 year old loves.

If you've never been before, take the negative reviews with a grain of salt. Take advantage of all the different pieces the zoo offers and you'll...

The Lehigh Valley Zoo and Trexler Nature preserve are a staple in the community, so much so that reviewing it almost seemed redundant. But I realize there's a lot of people from out of town that visit, so for those of you: come check it out! There's more than just zoo animals there - it's a beautiful, shaded park with interactive pathways and so many ways to learn about nature for young and old. No matter how many times you've visited a zoo and seen penguins, you can't help but smile seeing them again. And the main reason I live LVZ so much? For less than a take out lunch I not only get to learn and see wildlife, but I'm supporting a local business & foundation. In a gorgeous setting with plenty of places to sit and have lunch or just people/animal watch.

That's just inside the zoo - the best part (and what us locals do) is the nature preserve and creek. Every summer you'll find countless families set up along the creek picnicking, splashing in the water and making memories. Make sure when you're leaving the zoo you take the back way out and drive across the creek, it's the one part of the trip your kids will definitely remember! Then pull off and take in the beauty of the area, the creek and the memories being built.

Clearly, LVZ is nostalgic for me and thousands of other families from the area. Is a fantastic place and something we are...

I just felt kinda scammed by the Red Pandas. Well that's not fair - it wasn't their fault, but turns out their natural habitat is temperate forests at high altitudes in the Himalayas and other mountains - in other words... not hot humid July days in Pennsylvania. This wouldn't be a problem except that the habit which was built for them doesn't have a functional way to view them when they are inside on a hot, humid day. If you walk through the mulch behind the exhibit, there is a small window the size of a kitchen window and you can stand behind a fence and TRY to see them through the window which of course reflects everything and makes it nearly impossible to view them. There is no signage that tells you this - we were fortunate that a Zoo guide told us. The Lehihg Valley Zoo is marketing the Red Pandas heavily and fails to mention that it is not likely they will be outside on a hot summer day. The guide told us that they spend most of hots days inside and will come out and play on cooler mornings or evenings. Beyond that - the Zoo is small - it took my wife and I along with a 10 year old and 6 year-old grand children about 50 minutes to see everything. The habitats are small. The staff was friendly and helpful, but overall if you want to visit a Zoo, it is worth the hours drive South to the...