What To Do In Alaska: Zoo Boo 2026
Here at Alaska Air Forwarding, air freight to Alaska is what we do, and Alaska itself is what we love. So we always keep an eye out for fun things happening around the state. Not long ago, we told you about Oxtoberfest, the musk ox farm party in Palmer. This time, we heard about something fun for the family on Halloween. Get your costumes ready for a little spooky fun, plenty of candy, and a zoo full of animals.
What Is Zoo Boo?
On Saturday, October 31, the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage hosts Zoo Boo from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The zoo calls it one of the leading and longest-running trick-or-treat events in Anchorage. Kids head to the zoo in their Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat along decorated trails, stopping at candy stations hosted by local business partners and zoo volunteers. Zoo staff and volunteers dress up too, so you might as well come in full costume.
The animals get in on the fun, too. Their zookeepers create spooky-themed enrichment activities for them to enjoy during the event.
Things to See and Do
There is plenty happening throughout the zoo during Zoo Boo. Families will find spooky decorations along the zoo trails and at the crossing points, while older kids and adults looking for more of a scare can check out the extra-scary trail.
The south lawn near the Coffee Shop hosts a Fall Carnival with games for younger kids. At the Discovery Center, zoo educators will have skull and bone biofacts on display, along with an opportunity to see the zoo’s reptiles.
You’ll also find bio-glitter face painting, a photo booth, music on the lawn, and a bonfire where you can warm up. When you need a break, food trucks from Cuban Craving and Yeti Dogs will be on hand. The Kape Espresso Tayo Zoo Coffee Shop will offer extra seating in the greenhouse, and the Zoo Gift Shop will be open, too.
Get Your Tickets Now
Tickets are sold online only, and they are selling fast. Zoo Boo uses timed arrival tickets, so when you buy your tickets, you choose the window when you plan to arrive. Once you’re inside, you can stay as long as you like until closing.
The timed arrivals help keep the parking lots from becoming too crowded. Capacity is limited, and the zoo says Zoo Boo sells out every year. If you want the best selection of arrival times, it’s worth getting your tickets early.
Admission is:
- Ages 3 and up, non-member: $25 per person
- Ages 2 and under: Free
- Note: Zoo members: $10 off at checkout when logged in to a current membership account
Tickets and full event details are available at alaskazoo.org. The Alaska Zoo is located at 4731 O’Malley Road in Anchorage.
Zoo Boo is one of the Alaska Zoo’s biggest annual events, but there’s much more to this Anchorage attraction than Halloween. The zoo has been part of the community for more than 50 years, and its story is a fun one.
How the Alaska Zoo Got Started
The zoo’s origin story is very Alaskan. In 1966, a Fairbanks grocer won a tissue sales contest that offered a prize of $3,000 or a baby elephant. He chose the elephant.
Annabelle, a young Asian elephant, found a home in a heated horse stall at Sammye Seawell’s Diamond H Horse Ranch in Anchorage. Word got around, people came by to visit, and wildlife officials soon brought Sammye an orphaned black bear and an orphaned Arctic fox.
The visitors kept coming, and the idea for a zoo began to take shape. The Alaska Children’s Zoo officially opened its gates on August 2, 1969.
The Alaska Zoo Today
Today, the Alaska Zoo is the only zoo in Alaska. Its trails wind through 30 acres of natural forest in the lower foothills of the Chugach Mountains. In 2024, the zoo cared for 94 mammals, 15 birds, 8 reptiles, and 1 amphibian, and welcomed more than 170,000 visitors.
Many of the residents are Alaska animals, including brown and black bears, moose, caribou, wolverines, and muskox. Yes, muskox, for those who read our Oxtoberfest post. Other residents are cold-climate species from farther away, including polar bears, Amur tigers, snow leopards, Bactrian camels, and Tibetan yaks.
The Alaska Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on the conservation of Arctic, sub-Arctic, and like-climate species. Since it opened, the zoo has also cared for orphaned and injured wildlife. It receives no city, state, or federal funding for operations, so events like Zoo Boo help support its work.
So grab a costume, pick your arrival time, and go say boo to the animals. And of course, if you have freight headed to Alaska, reach out to Alaska Air Forwarding for a quote. We have decades of experience shipping door-to-door throughout Alaska.
