Aaron Sarfatti

Review of The Kansas City Zoo

I visited a few days after the re-opening followin...

I visited a few days after the re-opening following the COVID closure. Overall one of the better zoos I've visited:
1- Cost: $18 for adults is entirely reasonable. Only the Washington DC zoo (free / thanks taxpayers) is a comparable quality zoo for less money
2- Breadth: all the "Big five" animals, seals, sea otters, polar bears, gorillas, orangutans, etc. I can't name a major animal I didn't see
3- Quality habitat: Aside from the polar bear exhibit, and the narrow tiger / lion habitat, the habitat were great. Notable was the (a) Australia exhibit in which you literally walk with the kangaroo in an open exhibit and (b) an African savannah style habitat with rhinos, zebra, giraffe, etc. (no carnivore predators in there...). My son loved hopping alongside kangaroo!
4- Transport: various ways to traverse the zoo at De minimis cost ($1 per ride or so), including a gondola car and train

I grew up in Washington DC and, while it's not quite as extensive as the DC zoo, it was still well worth the visit