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Best Zoos to visit in the United States
From institutions on each coast … to facilities from the midwest to the southwest … Here are 12 of the best zoos to visit in the United States
#12 ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Located in Tampa Bay, Florida, this nonprofit zoo is recognized as a vital component of Florida’s wildlife and biodiversity. And it’s a popular destination as well. The park receives around a million visitors each year. More than 1,300 animals are displayed over some 65 acres (25 hectares). They include many zoo favorites like giraffes, hippos, and rhinos. Animals native to Florida like the Florida panther are featured, along with certain species of crocodiles and alligators. A lot of visitors think the primate section features some of the zoo’s best designs. Great apes like chimps and orangutans are featured in a running system of waterways that seem to connect each exhibit. Judging from the accolades, locals and tourists really like this zoo. In addition to other awards Parents Magazine named it the number-one family friendly zoo in the US!
#11 Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Opening in 1875, this is one of the oldest zoos in the US. It started off in the middle of Cincinnati with about 65 acres (27 hectares). It now sprawls into neighboring blocks with special reserves in the outer suburbs with more than 75 acres (30 hectares). In addition to containing 500 animals and 3,000 plant species, the zoo is respected for its breeding programs. It was the first institution to successfully breed California sea lions. It’s also one of the few zoos in North America that houses and breeds endangered Bonobos, also called pygmy chimpanzees. The Africa exhibit is the largest animal exhibit there and features white lions, a bat-eared fox, and cheetahs among other animals. A good way to get around is the Safari Train, which takes you past various habitats. If the temperature is below 50-degrees F (10 C) when you visit, you can participate in the Penguin Parade. Regularly ranked as one of the nation’s top zoos, this establishment did even better in 2019. Readers of USA Today named it the best zoo in North America!
#10 Lion Country Safari
If you’d rather see a variety of wild animals from the comfort of your car, then visit this operation.
Located across 600 acres (243 hectares) near West Palm Beach in Florida, it opened in 1967 and bills itself as a ‘cageless zoo’. Cageless or not, it is often cited as one of the country’s best zoos, period. Creatures from six continents can be seen, including zebras, rhinos, and of course lions. More than 1,000 animals are on display while taking the 4-mile drive (6.4 km). After finishing the tour, many visitors opt to see the adjacent theme park which features an amusement park, an animal theater, and a petting zoo. Although it’s called a ‘safari’, not all the animals are allowed to roam free. Lions and chimpanzees are kept behind barriers. But giraffes and zebras will often cross the road in front of vehicles. A reason for the segregation is because too many visitors ignored the warnings against opening their car doors and windows.
#9 Denver Zoo
According to our sources, this is the most popular paid attraction in the Denver metro area. Not surprising since it received more than 2 million visitors each year. It all started in 1896 with the donation of one orphaned American black bear. There was only a motley assortment of animals until 1918. But that’s when the Bear Mountain exhibit opened. It transformed the zoo into the first institution that featured naturalistic habitats that helped promote animal welfare. The attraction is still a favorite with visitors, as is Primate Panorama which covers some 7 acres (3 hectares) and features tree-dwelling apes and monkeys. Predator Ridge represents the African savannah and contains spotted hyenas and African wild dogs. The Toyota Elephant Passage houses Asian elephants, clouded leopards, and rhinos among other creatures. When it opened it was the world’s largest habitat for bull elephants. And The Edge is a newer exhibit modeled after Russian pine forests. That one offers you the chance to see Amur tigers from a viewing area as they roam across bridges overhead. Overall, the zoo contains some 3,500 animals across 550 species.