Zoo Miami: A Guide for South Miami-Dade Homeowners

Zoo Miami is a huge zoo at 12400 SW 152nd Street in south Miami-Dade. The zoo says it covers almost 750 acres and holds more than 2,000 animals from over 375 species. It also calls itself the only sub-tropical zoo in the continental U.S. If you live at Breezewood, Zoo Miami is close enough to become a regular family outing, not a once-a-year trip.

What Is Zoo Miami?

Zoo Miami is also known by a longer name: the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens. It is listed among Miami-Dade County's parks in the county's Park Finder. The zoo opened at its current site on July 4, 1980. Back then, it was called Miami MetroZoo.

The zoo's own ""About"" page says it is the largest zoo in Florida. It also says it is the fifth largest zoo in the U.S. Those are the zoo's own claims, and they give you a sense of the size.

What does ""sub-tropical"" mean? It means a warm climate that sits just outside the tropics, like South Florida's. That is the climate the zoo's open-air exhibits sit in.

Walkway beside an open-air animal exhibit at Zoo Miami in south Miami-Dade.png

Zoo Miami by the Numbers

What	Details
Address	12400 SW 152nd St, Miami, FL 33177
Size	Almost 750 acres (the zoo's figure)
Walkways	About 4 miles
Animals	More than 2,000
Species	Over 375
Exhibit style	Open-air, grouped by part of the world
Accredited by AZA	Since 1984
Next door	Larry and Penny Thompson Park

A quick note on size: the county's page says the zoo has 340 developed acres on a 740-acre parcel. A parcel is one piece of land. The zoo itself says almost 750 acres. Either way, it is big. Wear good shoes.

AZA stands for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is a group that checks zoos against its standards. The zoo says on its accreditation page that it has held this since 1984.

What You Will See at Zoo Miami

The zoo groups its open-air exhibits by region. That means animals are set up by where they come from: Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas. You walk from one part of the world to the next.

The zoo's exhibits page names several big areas. Here are three to know:

Florida: Mission Everglades. It is named for the Everglades, the wide wetland right here in South Florida. It is a fun way for kids to connect a zoo visit with the wild land close to home.
Amazon & Beyond. As the name says, this area points you toward the Amazon, the giant rain forest region of South America.
Wings of Asia Aviary. An aviary is a large space built for birds, and this one carries Asia in its name.

Exhibits can change or close for work. Check the zoo's site before you go if you want to see one area in particular.

Wetland exhibit with water and plants in the Florida Mission Everglades area at Zoo Miami.png

Tickets, Hours and Events

We don't list prices or hours here. They change, and a wrong number on a page helps nobody. For today's tickets, hours, and events, go to zoomiami.org.

When you live nearby, the zoo becomes a place you can visit for one area at a time instead of trying to see it all at once.

Why Living Nearby Makes Zoo Miami an Easy Outing

Visitors on vacation often try to see a big zoo in one long day. When you live in south Miami-Dade, you don't have to rush.

Here is how that can look:

Short visits. Go for the morning, see one region, and be home for lunch.
Pick a region per trip. With about 4 miles of walkways, it is easier to enjoy one part of the zoo at a time.
Pair it with the park next door. Larry and Penny Thompson Park sits right beside the zoo, with trails, picnic shelters, and a lake beach that opens by season.
Bring visitors. When family comes to town, you already have a full day planned.

Getting to Zoo Miami from Breezewood

Breezewood is near SW 232nd Street and SW 112th Avenue in Princeton, an area of unincorporated Miami-Dade with a Miami mailing address. Zoo Miami is north of it, on SW 152nd Street.

From Breezewood, SW 112th Avenue (also called Allapattah Road) runs north to US-1, also known as South Dixie Highway. Florida's Turnpike Homestead Extension also runs just east of the community. Put the zoo's address into your map app, and it will pick the best route for that day.

We never give drive times. Traffic in Miami-Dade changes by the hour. For a full look at local roads and transit, read our guide to getting around from Breezewood.

Have a question about where the homes sit compared to the zoo? Call 561-704-0091.

More Things to Do in South Miami-Dade

Zoo Miami is just one stop. South Miami-Dade has more to see:

Homestead-Miami Speedway — the race track at 1 Ralph Sanchez Speedway Boulevard in Homestead.
Southland Mall in Cutler Bay — shopping, movies, and daily errands.

For a bigger picture of the neighborhood, read our Princeton, FL living guide.

Row of two-story Breezewood townhomes seen from the street on a sunny day.png

About Breezewood Townhomes Near Zoo Miami

Breezewood is a Lennar community of new two-story townhomes. Every plan has 3 bedrooms. There are nine plans in two groups, called collections:

Lennox Collection — four plans, each with a two-car garage at the back.
Ashton Collection — five plans with no garage, including the two largest plans.

Homes have recently started in the low $400,000s. Call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers. To see all nine plans side by side, read our Breezewood floor plans guide.

We are builder-neutral, so here is the honest view. If you want a bigger townhome, Lennar's Terra Sol in Homestead has plans of about 1,649 to 1,804 square feet, mostly with a one-car garage. It has also recently started in the low $400,000s. It is farther south. We can show you both.

Lennar also lists a swimming pool with a cabana and a park inside Breezewood. Lennar has not published opening dates for them. Call us for their current status.

Common Questions

Where is Zoo Miami?

Zoo Miami is at 12400 SW 152nd Street, Miami, FL 33177, in south Miami-Dade. It sits right next to Larry and Penny Thompson Park. From Breezewood, it is to the north. Take SW 112th Avenue north to US-1, then let your map app pick the route.

How big is Zoo Miami?

The zoo says it covers almost 750 acres, with about 4 miles of walkways. It holds more than 2,000 animals from over 375 species. The county's page lists 340 developed acres on a 740-acre parcel, so you will see both figures.

Is Zoo Miami really the only sub-tropical zoo?

That is how the zoo describes itself. It says it is the only sub-tropical zoo in the continental U.S. Sub-tropical means a warm climate just outside the tropics, like South Florida's. The zoo's exhibits are open-air and grouped by region.

What exhibits does Zoo Miami have?

The zoo groups open-air exhibits by region: Asia, Australia, Africa and the Americas. Named areas include Florida: Mission Everglades, Amazon and Beyond, and the Wings of Asia Aviary. Check the zoo's exhibits page before you go.

How much are Zoo Miami tickets?

We do not list ticket prices or hours because they change. Go to the zoo's own website, zoomiami.org, for today's prices, hours and events. The zoo's site is always the best place to check before you go.

What is next to Zoo Miami?

Larry and Penny Thompson Park is right next door. It has about 270 acres of woodland, bike trails, hiking paths, picnic shelters, a campground and a lake beach that opens by season. The two came to the county in the same 1974 land transfer.

What do Breezewood townhomes cost?

Breezewood homes have recently started in the low four hundred thousands. Prices and incentives change often, so call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers. Every plan has 3 bedrooms, and four of the nine plans have a two-car garage.

Call 561-704-0091 or See Breezewood Townhomes Near Zoo Miami — Schedule a Visit.