I rather dislike zoos.  I am still refining my viewpoint on animals in captivity, but a zoo is currently at the top of my do-not-patronize list.  When I was a kid, I looked forward to field trips to the zoo because I enjoyed seeing and learning about the animals, but ever since I was an older child, I've had particularly negative feelings towards zoos because I disliked seeing animals behind bars, spending all day in cages and being pointed at by spectators.

But an abandoned zoo without any animals... that sounds like a zoo worth exploring!



I first learned about this abandoned attraction after watching a Tom Explore's Los Angeles's video of the Old L.A. Zoo (Tom Explores Los Angeles is a great resource for tourists and Angelenos who want to learn a bit of history and discover cool sites in L.A.).  The Griffith Park Zoo opened in 1912 with fifteen animals.  In 1966, Griffith Park Zoo closed, and the animals were transferred to the new Los Angeles Zoo (which is also located in Griffith Park).  The old animal enclosures were left as ruins in what is now a hiking and picnic area.