Pandamonium in Washington
It was a family rite of Spring for many years in the Washington, DC area. A trip to the National Zoo to see the pandas. But like much in Washington, politics eventually got in the way. China clawed back the zoo’s resident pandas in 2023. That action created a crisis of disappointed children, and uneaten bamboo.
Happier times returned to DC in January 2025. Wait…did we really write that sentence? To clarify: happier times returned to DC’s zoo in January 2025 with the arrival of two new giant pandas. Bao Li and Qing Bao have brought back a big dose of cuteness and joy to the National Zoo.
Will panda tourism once again become a major Washington economic factor? Is there still a market for stuffed toy pandas, panda t-shirts, and endless other panda-related souvenirs? Based on our recent visit, we suspect the answer is “maybe.”
On an almost warm, midweek day in March, moderate crowds strolled past the Panda Overlook Cafe and Panda Plaza. Parents pushing strollers, children running and skipping, tourists both foreign and domestic, had one goal: to see the pandas. We joined the procession.
And the pandas did not disappoint. In the outdoor enclosure, Bao Li tumbled, ate bamboo, ran, ate bamboo, climbed, and ate more bamboo. Or was it Qing Bao? Who can tell—other than another panda? Inside the zoo’s panda cave, the action was a little more sedate, but closeup and personal. “Look at all that panda poo,” said a little boy ahead of us.
Can’t get to Washington to see the pandas? The zoo has a convenient Panda Cam for virtual visitors. It’s almost like being there, minus the panda poo, excited children, and black-and-white souvenirs.
Deb Hosey White is an executive management consultant with over thirty years experience working for Fortune 1000 companies. She is the author of Pink Slips and Parting Gifts, a workplace novel based upon those experiences. With English ancestors on both sides of her family, Deb is a serious Anglophile and an avid traveler.
David Stewart White began his adventures in family travel as a child when he lived in Paris and traveled throughout Europe. He is the author of Let's Take the Kids to London His travel articles have appeared in the Washington Post, the Charlotte Observer, Examiner.com, AAA World Magazine, and in numerous travel websites and online magazines.
Beyond Downton Abbey — A Guide to 25 Great Houses was their first collaborative travel writing effort. They followed up with Beyond Downton Abbey Volume 2 to tell the stories of another group of great homes in Britain.
www.beyonddowntonabbey.com/
