You can drive through the Phoenix Zoo again this summer: How to get tickets

PHOENIX — Following its inaugural run last year during the pandemic, the Phoenix Zoo is bringing back its popular "Cruise the Zoo" drive-thru experience for the summer.

On Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday mornings from 7 a.m. to noon, between June 6 and August 10, 2021, people will be able to drive along some of the zoo's pathways to see some of the animal exhibits from inside their vehicles.

Reservations have to be made online and in advance through the Phoenix Zoo's website, www.phoenixzoo.org/cruisethezoo. Admission is $50 per vehicle for members and $65 per vehicle for non-members, plus add-ons, such as snacks, drinks, and souvenirs.

The Phoenix Zoo is open for in-person visits now and will remain open Wednesday - Sunday over the summer months.

Last year, the Phoenix Zoo closed in March and briefly reopened over the summer before closing again due to an increase in COVID-19 cases across the state. It reopened again in September.

Between March 2020 and May 2020, the Phoenix Zoo had lost more than $4.5 million in revenue, funds that support the care of the zoo's 3,000 animals, the daily maintenance, the zookeepers and caretakers, and the zoo's future projects, spokesperson Linda Hardwick told ABC15.

So, to try and bridge that gap while also giving families an activity to do, they came up with the logistics to open the gates to the zoo and allow vehicles to drive around a set course.

Not every pathway is accessible to vehicles, which means not every animal can be viewed during "Cruise the Zoo" days. The pathway does circle the Tropics Trail and the Africa Trail, which are home to the flamingos, giraffes, elephants, and orangutan habitats. View map.

Visit hwww.phoenixzoo.org/cruisethezoo to purchase tickets, safety information, and other information about the experience.