America's Best Zoos
Many Americans love going to the zoo. It's particularly fun for kids—especially if they're just learning about the different animals of the world. Zoos can provide a great opportunity to observe those animals, despite regrettably not being in their natural habitat. Did you know that America's first zoo opened in 1874? Let's take a look at some of the best zoos in America to take your family for a fun day out!
San Diego Zoo: San Diego, CA
The San Diego Zoo opened in 1916 and is home to more than 12,000 animals, including red pandas, bonobo apes, and giant African elephants. There are also adorable koalas! If you want a bird's eye view of the zoo, take the Skyfari aerial tram. The San Diego Zoo offers kids' activities and much more year-round.
Andrewjames954, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Henry Doorly Zoo: Omaha, NE
The Henry Doorly Zoo is home to the largest glazed geodesic dome in the world, housing reptile species, bobcats and desert plants. Also housed under the 84,000 square-foot dome are sand dunes and recreations of deserts like Australia's Red Center Desert. The lower-level of the dome is made of a permanent "Kingdom of the Night" exhibit, featuring the world's largest nocturnal exhibit.
Denver Zoo: Denver, CO
Offering much to do for both kids and adults, Denver's Zoo is not to be missed on a visit to Colorado. You can interact with the zoo's two llamas, Jorge and Fernando, or you can leave your kids overnight in the "Bunk With The Beasts" event—an opportunity for the kids to get up close to the animals and have pizza dinner, snacks, and breakfast. The Denver Zoo also operates a conservation and wildlife emergency response team to protect animals from harm and offer emergency care to those in danger.
Donlammers, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium: Pittsburgh, PA
Set on 77 acres, the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium is home to over 4,000 animals—including 20 endangered species. There's a Kids Kingdom featuring interactive exhibits and you can find two new Amur leopard cubs in the South Asian Forest. For the aquatic lovers, there's a 45,000 square foot aquarium on-site and the indoor Tropic Forest hosts plenty of primates.
Daderot, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Dallas Zoological Park: Dallas, TX
This is the largest and oldest zoo in Texas, opening in 1888. When it opened, it housed just two deer and two mountain lions. Now, it houses over 2,000 animals. The major exhibits of the zoo are the Koala Walkabout, the Gorilla Research Center, and the Endangered Tiger Habitat. If you've got a budding zoologist in your family, then a trip to the Dallas Zoological Park is a must.
Kevin1086, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Bronx Zoo: New York City, NY
The Bronx Zoo in New York City is home to 6,000 animals, including okapis, lowland gorillas, and mandrills housed in the Congo Gorilla Forest. Much of the rest of the Bronx Zoo also features other painstakingly recreated habitats for the animals. For the adventurous ones, there's a zipline through the trees. On the ground, you can also visit the Butterfly Gardens, featuring a dozen species of butterfly.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: Cincinnati, OH
Opening in September of 1875, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is one of the oldest zoos in America. Today, it is a sprawling 75 acres and houses 1,896 animals. As part of conservation efforts, it breeds California sea lions, Sumatran rhinos, Masai giraffes, and Malayan tigers.
Oregon Zoo: Portland, OR
Spread across 640 acres, the Oregon Zoo is one of Portland's most sought-after attractions. Home to more than 2,500 animals, its highlights include six elephants, a polar bear area, and the opportunity for the young and old to feed a giraffe. Having just undergone a major renovation project, the zoo is proud to welcome a new exhibit featuring California condors.
DJ Cane, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Brookfield Zoo: Brookfield, IL
One of the best-connected zoos in America, the Brookfield Zoo is a conservation-focused zoo with national and international partnerships supporting conservation research and education, including hosting many educational exhibits at the zoo every year. It's home to the stunning Tropical World exhibit, featuring three continents' worth of animals, including spider monkeys, orangutans, and lowland gorillas. You can't leave without the adorable Humboldt penguins, either.
Oakland Zoo: Oakland, CA
As a registered non-profit, the Oakland Zoo is a special place. Home to more than 850 animals, the zoo has a stunning array of exhibits, as well as a 17,000 square-foot veterinary hospital. Its award-winning veterinary care is evident in how well looked-after the animals are. There's an extensive play area for children, including interactive exhibits featuring pot-bellied pigs, ring-tailed lemurs, and bugs aplenty in the Bug House.
Todd Dailey, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Alaska Zoo: Anchorage, AK
As climate change leaves permanent effects on our Arctic, its wildlife will begin to lose much of their natural habitat. This preservation is what makes the Alaska Zoo special: It's one of the few places in the non-contiguous United States that you'll see Arctic animals in as close to their natural habitat as possible. Think Canadian lynx, snow leopards, muskoxen, and reindeer. The center also serves as a rescue and rehab for injured animals in the north like moose and black bear.
Blank Park Zoo: Des Moines, IA
Despite being one of the country's smaller zoos at just 50 acres, it has the advantage of not exhausting you at the end of your visit. Although, you won't be short on things to do: There's a reptile exhibit, an aquarium, a petting zoo, and a Discovery Center, filled with interactive experiences for the young ones.
Houston Zoo: Houston, TX
If you love ornithology, you'll love the Houston Zoo! It boasts more than 200 species between three large exhibits. There's a $70 million Galapagos Islands exhibit, along with an underwater tunnel and a huge aquarium. The Houston Zoo also offers ticketed sleepovers at the zoo, where every ticket sold goes to help conservation efforts around the world. Stay at the zoo with your kids, while helping animals at the same time.
Artistic Operations, Shutterstock
San Francisco Zoo: San Francisco, CA
This 100-acre site is home to over 1,000 wild animals and was the birthplace of Koko the gorilla, who was born in the zoo in 1971 and passed away in 2018. A few major exhibits feature African giraffes, black howler monkeys, and chimpanzees at the Primate Discovery Center. You can also find any big cat at the Cat Kingdom, which features snow leopards, Sumatran tigers, and African lions.
Woodland Park Zoo: Seattle WA
With exhibits featuring animals from around the world, the Woodland Park Zoo has it all. The African Savannah features African lions, giraffes, and zebras, while the "Northwest Trail" features snowy owls, brown bears, and gray wolves. There's also a Brew At The Zoo craft beer and cider tasting on offer on select dates and behind-the-scenes tours available, where all profits go back into protecting wildlife and conservation efforts.
Lincoln Park Zoo: Chicago, IL
One of the best things about Lincoln Park Zoo—apart from its abundance of animals to see—is that admission is free! The Lincoln Park Zoo is located on just 35 acres of land, but hosts hundreds of animals from every corner of the globe. It also boasts one of the largest animal science centers in the United States.
Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Memphis Zoo: Memphis, TN
With over 3,500 animals from over 500 different species, the Memphis Zoo doesn't disappoint! It has 19 major exhibits including Cat Country, Dragon's Lair, Animals Of The Night, and many more. Whatever your favorite animal is, chances are the Memphis Zoo has it! If you don't want to conquer its 76 acres on foot, there's a hop-off and hop-on tram service available.
Unicurse, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Animal Kingdom: Bay Lake, FL
One of the biggest attractions at Disneyland is Disney's Animal Kingdom in Bay Lake. It's an incredible 580 acres in size and features animals from every corner of the globe. There are guided tours aplenty including a tropical jungle trek, kids' rides, and a huge restaurant. Animal life here includes Asian and African tigers, lowland gorillas, giraffes, and elephants. A white rhinoceros was once born at Animal Kingdom and has since been released to the wild in Uganda.
St Louis Zoo: St Louis, MO
Located within Forest Park, the St Louis Zoo is home to an impressive 12,000 animals covering 500 species, including many that are endangered. The St Louis Zoo tries to be as naturalistic as possible with its exhibits—its newest one is a $13-million 35,000-square foot expansion which offers eight new homes for the zoo's primates.
Columbus Zoo & Aquarium: Liberty Township, OH
If you watched Jack Hanna on the TV as a kid in the '90s, you may have heard of the Columbus Zoo already. For the uninitiated: it has a 100,000 gallon coral reef aquarium, filled with tropical fish. The kids will be able to visit the reindeer on-site and bathe an elephant in an unforgettable experience.
Smithsonian National Zoo: Washington, DC
If you're interested in conservation and wildlife protection, then a visit to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC is a must. Located inside DC's Rock Creek Park, the Smithsonian Zoo covers 163 acres and is home to 2,700 animals representing over 390 species. Extensive conservation research takes place on-site at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute—you can even watch conservation cameras online 24/7, or pay a visit to the Institute to learn more.
Smithsonian's National Zoo, Flickr
Phoenix Zoo: Phoenix, AZ
The Phoenix Zoo is the largest non-profit zoo in the United States, offering refuge to more than 1,400 animals and features over 2.5 miles of walking trails stretching between four themed areas: The Children's Trail (complete with a petting zoo), the Arizona Trail (featuring mountain lions, coyotes, and many more), Africa Trail (with southern white rhinos, African painted dogs, lions, hyenas, and more), and the Tropics Trail (featuring many species of birds). This zoo spearheaded the reintroduction of the Arabian oryx into the wild after they had been considered an endangered species.
Zoo Miami: Miami, FL
If you love exploring large zoos, then the 750-acre Zoo Miami is the place for you. With over 100 exhibits of 3,000 animals, this zoo is enormous. It's so big that they've built a monorail that allows you to ride between exhibits. See the Komodo dragon, Malayan sun bear, clouded leopard, and Asian elephant, who seems to love the Floridian climate. Feed an Indian white rhino, or a camel, giraffe, or parrot at the Zoo Miami. If you don't want to go to Disneyland while in Florida, but still want to see wild animals, then a trip to Zoo Miami is on the cards.
Jedi94, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Living Desert Zoo: Palm Desert, CA
More than 1,400 species of animals can be found at the Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert, California. This desert-themed specialized zoo is home to giraffes, gazelles, cheetahs, and camels, along with many other species who prefer the scorching heat. Despite it being in the desert, there's a wide variety of flora available for the horticulturalists out there: Explore Coachella Valley's creosote, white sage, or desert lavender. Or check out the Madagascar Garden's baobabs, elephant trees, and triangle palms.
Kansas City Zoo: Kansas City, MO
Want to see orangutans swinging from tree to tree? How about adorable Helzberg penguins hopping about? Yes? Then pay a visit to the extraordinary Kansas City Zoo in Kansas City. A vast 202-acre site covers 1,300 animals divided into five zones: Australia, Africa, Tiger Trail, The Valley, and the KidZone.
Wirestock Creators, Shutterstock
Indianapolis Zoo: Indianapolis, IN
If you've always wanted to swim with dolphins, then the Indianapolis Zoo is the place to go! They offer this unique and special experience, alongside interacting with 3,800 animals of more than 320 species. The Indianapolis Zoo also offers "Animal Art Adventures" , giving the young ones a chance to create paintings with animal artists like dolphins, elephants, rhinos, seals, and penguins.
Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The NEW Zoo: Suamico, WI
Named after the non-profit organization that stepped in and kept the zoo alive after the county stopped providing funding, the NEW Zoo is home to more than 200 animals from all over the world. There's a feeding tower to feed giraffes from and many other animals to observe. If you're interested in butterflies, the zoo is a waystation for monarch butterflies that migrate back to Mexico every year. There's also a connected adventure park with ziplines that's open every summer.
Zoo Knoxville: Knoxville, TN
Beginning as an animal sanctuary dedicated to saving animals from extinction, Zoo Knoxville started out with a single donated alligator, purchased by a local resident on a Florida vacation. Since then, more red pandas have been born in Zoo Knoxville than anywhere else in the world. If you want to see tigers at play, then the two-acre Asian Trek exhibit is a brand-new addition.
Fort Wayne Children's Zoo: Fort Wayne, IN
If you want to bring your kids to an immersive zoo experience, then the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is the perfect place! Focusing on hands-on experiences, your kids can brush a goat for free, or pay a small fee to feed the goat or a chicken, giraffe, or even a stingray! There's a carousel, a sky safari, and a Crocodile Creek adventure ride. A recently opened exhibit is the Red Panda Ridge, featuring Himalayan red pandas, Chinese muntjac (small deer), and Asian birds.
UrbanAvenue, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Philadelphia Zoo: Philadelphia, PA
The first zoo in the United States, the Philadelphia Zoo opened its doors in 1864. Inside the zoo, you'll find more than 1,900 rare and endangered species of animals, including a section of the zoo that's all about dinosaurs. This features a multi-sensory experience with state-of-the-art animatronics of Giganotosaurus and gigantic insects. It's an immersive experience for all the dino-lovers in your life.
Jim, the Photographer, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Alaska SeaLife Center: Seward, AK
For those interested in everything under the sea, the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska offers fantastic opportunities to interact with seals, sea lions, king crabs, puffins, and giant octopuses. There's also a great deal of information and interactive activities available for children, and education on the center's rehabilitation programs.
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Picryl
Fort Worth Zoo: Fort Worth, TX
The Fort Worth Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the state of Texas and one of only a handful of zoos in the United States to house bonobos (a large African ape) and two species of rhinos. It's also home to ostriches, giraffes, and the largest breeding colony of lesser flamingos in the world.
Brevard Zoo: Melbourne, FL
Sitting 60 miles west of Orlando's theme parks, visitors can peruse the Brevard Zoo's open-air exhibits of alligators, giraffes, and zebras. Impressively, the Brevard Zoo has put together a guided kayak tour to see lemurs and rhinos on the water, or you can take a train to experience camels, antelope, and African cattle in the Expedition Africa exhibit.
Henry Forson, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota Zoo: Apple Valley, MN
The stunning Minnesota Zoo is located on 500 acres of freshwater pond and gorgeous woodlands, just 20 miles south of downtown Minneapolis. With over 500 species of animals in the zoo, you can experience river otters, brown bears, Amur tigers, and Komodo dragons, along with buffalo and many other animals.
Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
Here's one of the best zoo destinations for traveling families who want a taste of the unusual, from the Louisiana Swamp exhibit which tells the story of Cajun inhabitants using Native American conservation techniques to the Jaguar Jungle, which features the elusive cat, along with spiders and other jungle inhabitants. There's even a five-story treehouse at Monkey Hill, which is the highest point in New Orleans.
Zoo Atlanta: Atlanta, GA
One of the oldest zoos in the country, opening in 1889, Zoo Atlanta is a huge tourist attraction for the city, housing Sumatran tigers, western lowland gorillas, white rhinos, giraffes, and elephants—as well as hundreds of other animals. Zoo Atlanta is also heavily involved in conservation efforts around the world and offers zookeeper talks and kids' rides.
Tim, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Animal Haven? More Like Animal Nightmare
The Animal Haven Zoo in Weyauwega, Wisconsin was once a popular petting zoo. That is, until a shocking investigation by the United States Department of Agriculture (following complaints by PETA), found that animals were being kept in broken enclosures and deprived of necessary veterinary care. In 2023, the zoo was cited 17 times for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
Whether you're searching for the perfect zoo to take a keen scientist in your family, or enjoy animal life yourself, you simply cannot pass up an opportunity to see these incredible zoos throughout the United States. Which is your favorite zoo? Let us know in the comments!
