Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Reviews

Loved it! Went there for the day and had so much fun seeing all the exhibits..took I believe 4 hours to walk through it and see everything.

It was great and clean, even the public restrooms were clean, very clean. Great place to visit with the family.

Great zoo, it seems like they take great care of the animals. Love the half price admission in winter

Awesome time at the Fiona Fun K! Finally got to see Fiona and Bibi.

Beautiful grounds! Fabulously knowledgeable staff! Fantastic exhibits too. Great walking paths.

I love this place were not from Cincinnati but we come every two weeks.....

A very educational and fun place to take family and friends. Kids will love it their because of the lights in the winter. Also the train ride is fun because you get to look at the animals and get shown around the park and get to know the place. They have good food and have local restaurants have little shops to eat. Parking is good they most probably will have a spot for you to park and have more than one entrance and exit. My favorite thing to do is to read the little articles placed by each animal.

I'm from Cleveland and I love our zoo, but I was a little jealous of this place. We only went for 3 hrs (on Tues night it was 1/2 price after 5) and got to see most of the zoo. I loved the Jungle area and the Africa area. It was also very cool to see the baby hippo playing with her mom, in the water.

I loved all the beautiful lights and the train ride was a nice way to see them. It was also nice to go in doors and sit at a table to eat.
And of course we loved the animals

Son loved it. We visit at least 2-3 times a year. Festival of lights a must.

Wonderful 4D movie, and train. All the plants throughout the zoo are labeled for students and adults.

Under normal circumstances we love the zoo, but their pandemic modifications weren't enough to keep everyone safe given the number of people they still let in at a time.

Out Cincinnati zoo is a local treasure. I love the history of it and the constant enhancements and improvements being made. The space is large and you can spend a good amount of time wandering around - but also compact enough that if you are trying to get somewhere specific it won t take too long. Clearly marked signs and the maps provided are helpful, and the variety of animals (in both inside and outside habitats) is expansive. There are additional non-animal features great for kids - poles to climb like a panda, rope bridges to cross like a monkey. This zoo is a wonderful visit for all ages!

Great zoo with plenty of shade to stay cool and see all the animals.

Located near the University of Cincinnati campus. It's a nice get away from all the urban living. It's hilly so wear a good pair of sneakers. You'll traverse through Africa where our beloved Fiona lives, a tropical rainforest, and through the safari. There are several indoor exhibits to visit along the way. Also, there are plenty of food and drink options throughout the zoo. It's a great experience for young and old.

The animals are great and seem to look healthy and happy. However the zoo itself is a hot mess. It s unorganized and when you go see an exhibit or two there is no through path that takes you around the entire zoo. You have to back track a ton.

Very nice Zoo, but like most zoo's there are many animals not available. Love the Red Panda's.

I highly recommend this zoo for young and old! Plenty of shade, awesome exhibits, and learning along the way.

It was really nice. The lights and the figures were great

We had a wonderful time. Park was clean, employees courteous. The animals awesome as always

Had a wonderful time with family. The bird show was entertaining.

I love the Cincinnati Zoo but this trip was a little disappointing. Several exhibits were closed. There was a significant amount of construction. There were too many animals that we could not see. We walked down a lot of dead ends to find closed exhibit signs. In fact, there was so much missing I think the zoo should have charged less admission.

Great zoo. Good place to go with the family. If you are from Cincinnati would recommend getting an Membership. You cannot cover entire Zoo and Garden in a day, it might take 3 visits. Getting Membership is worth a try. Overall enjoyed the Ambiance, Zoo, Animals, Train journey and Carousel.

Had an awesome time at the zoo! Be prepared to take long walks if you'd like to check out all the animals and take some pictures at the botanical garden! The place is clean and the animals look happy lol They have an annual pass for families, students and individuals if you'd like to come back all year round! You'll definitely get the bang for your buck!

The animals are beautiful! be careful not to miss any place! I would definitely go back again love it!

Been going here since I was a kid. My girlfriend and I went last week and had a blast..... Until people's kids just up and push you out of the way. I have never seen a place where you could go and just let your kids rip and run with hell of people that nobody knows. Be careful out there and watch your kids

Fun time I liked the cougar I saw today it came out and it was very interesting learning about it along with the other animals.

Beautiful Christmas lights, still saw elephants, monkeys, and reptiles/fish. The fiona show was very cute too! Hot chocolate was yummy and good idea for the smores! Also, we went to watcj the 4d polar express such a great movie for the holidays thank you Cincinnati!
Also hit up the gift store on the way out to pick up my sloth memorabilia!

We love the Cincinnati Zoo! We are annual pass members and visit at least once a month but usually twice or even three times a month! There s always something new to see and we love the Halloween and Christmas events!

The snakes and lizards were awesome I say this because ive always just loved snakes.

I've always loved the Zoo, and love coming every chance I get. I went to see the Festival of Lights this year, and the last time I came (2014 or 2015) was blown entirely out of the water by this year. It was beautiful, it was busy, and it was fun. My only complaint was about the weather itself, but you can't expect much when it's December in Ohio! I've attached a couple pictures my girlfriend's family and I took while there (I know they don't show much of the lights themselves, but they show a general sense of the atmosphere), and will definitely be making an effort to attend the Festival of Lights 2019!

Great zoo! A lot of attractions were closed but there was still plenty to see.

Always a good time. I understand the disease guidelines being in effect. But I couldn't understand why some indoor exhibits were open and others weren't. Night life exhibit is my favorite and it wasn't open.

Put on your walking shoes and plot a course with your zoo map! There's so much to see! The staff were very friendly and the shows are well done and informative. The membership covers admission and parking and is worth the cost.

We have a family membership here and honestly if you can only afford one membership a year this one is the best. Between the zoo itself, educational programs, Tunes and Blooms we are happy to support this local icon.

Very Big Zoo, but I enjoyed it with the fact of a lot of animals.

I always have the best time at the zoo. My son loves it just as much as I do. He loves getting to pet snakes which he loves! We even bought a snake stuffed animal that he sleeps with every night now!

This place was one big maze....... great place for family......

I was pretty impressed with it not being overly crowded. Was able to see what we wanted and not feel like we were ontop of ppl.

Always a fun time. HallZOOeen was great Seems to have a yellow jacket infestation at the moment though. Very annoying and invasive when you're family is trying to eat.

I have been to 20+ zoos and this is my favorite. Due to it's nature as part botanical garden it is very well landscaped and just beautiful to be in. There is a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes.

The animal enclosures are large, include many enrichment activities, and provide a great view for guests to observe. I love coming here and sometimes wish I lived closer just so I could come more frequently.

Parking was convenient and ample. You also get a discount on entry if you have a membership with other AZA associated zoos.

There's also a little theater section that has movies geared toward small children if you need a break.

We went without the kids! Lots of hills and walking but the animals seemed happy and well cared for. Lots to see. We enjoyed the food and atmosphere. It was very crowed but not uncomfortable. Plenty of room for everyone.

The blend of botanical beauty with the exotic animals was great for sight seeing and photos. There were also many informative exhibits and plenty of places to get refreshments.

Feels like the exhibits are a lot smaller than say, Columbus, but they seem to really take care of the animals, which is fantastic. Very educational location, both in terms of the animals and on conservation. Really enjoyed the fact that 1) parking lot is covered, kept my car cooler and 2) the covers appear to be solar panels! Prices are fair, food was delicious at the BBQ place, highly recommend it. Will always have a weak spot for the animals, will return for sure.

This zoo is amazing. One of the best in the country/world. And very reasonable annual membership. The zoo is very well kept and easy to navigate. The exhibits are wonderful, with large glass "encounter" areas to get up close to the animals. They also have great YouTube videos to watch with the kids at home. Overall an outstanding zoo.

Wonderful zoo with great "themed" surroundings to enhance the experience. This however is not a good place to visit with a mobility issue. Many hills, uneven pavement and rough terrain. Difficult for wheelchairs and other mobility helpers.

We love the Cincinnati Zoo! Seems there always something new or coming to keep things interesting. Several large indoor attractions and habitats - including the Bug House which is my favorite! Plentiful food and souvenir vendors discreetly placed throughout the grounds. Our season family pass pays for itself with the multiple visits each year.

One of the best zoo s we ve been to in the country. If you get there when they open there is always a special guest to roll out the red carpet for you.

Wonderful zoo. Be prepared for quite a bit of walking around to see all of the exhibits. You can pack in snacks. There are places to buy snacks and food. We really enjoyed all the beautiful flowers!

Such a wonderful zoo! Definitely family friendly. The workers are kind people and well educated.

One of the best zoos I've ever been to, we went to see Cincinnati's "lil Sebastian" Fiona the hippo, she was pretty cute. This zoo is huge, the cat section was closed when we were there, but the zoo still had a ton to see, we could have spent 2 days there if we tried. 10/10 would visit again.

Had a great time at the zoo. Went early and avoided the crowd. Many of the exhibits were closed or no animals were present.

I was face to face, through the glass, with gorillas, manatees, a polar bear, a magnificent male lion, and Fiona the hippopotamus. The grounds are beautiful which is why the zoo is also a botanic garden.we rode a little red train and an endangered animal themed carousel. There are lots of animals, all over this zoo- some over every hillside and around every corner. I even saw the elephants get their daily bath. The insect house is home to naked- mole rats, leaf- cutter ants and humongous cockroaches. I won t tell you my weight on the Insect scale. A flock of flamingos toddled down a path next to us. There were convenient places to get a bite to eat and enjoy a cool drink. We had a wonderful time and learned a few facts about many animals.

Cincinnati has one of the best Zoo's. Fiona is so adorable

I love the zoo. I love the reservations now less crowded

We always love our trips to the zoo, but our latest trip was so great! The bird show was wonderful, crowds were light, and we had plenty of space to eat our packed lunch. We also loved the Night Hunters house and the insect house! The train is always a favorite and we got up close and personal with some flamingoes and other birds. It was a great day!

Great place. Love the environment. Saw the Gorillas as they were coming in which was extremely cool to see.

Most of the animals were put away, all day. Alot of the food stalls were closed. It was nice, though, and not too crowded. The animals in the night hunters and cat cove exhibits seemed unhappy. Flowers were pretty, though!

Nice zoo. Alot was closed due to covid. But it was a good day trip. We stayed for about 3 hours.

The Crown Jewel of Cincinnati. It s clean and beautiful. The blueberry ice cream is the best soft served ice cream you will find anywhere.

I d suggest taking the train, even if you haven t taken it in years and even if you are childless on this trip. The train is worth the extra few bucks.

Take the time to look at the beautiful plants and flowers all around the zoo that make up the Botanical Garden, I feel people just gloss over that part.

TIP: Make a note if where you park.

Great zoo, very walkable. The zoo lights at Christmas and the spring flowers are well with attending for. One of the best area attractions.

Beautiful zoo with a lot to see!! Fun for all ages! The nursing room available near the middle of the park for new moms was one of the best I have ever seen. Great place for my little one and I to be comfy and have privacy. The covered parking was fantastic while getting kiddos in/out of the vehicles.

If you're into wildlife zoo and Botanical Gardens this place is for you. Unfortunately I went to this place in the evenings so I could barely see any of the wild life. Fortunately I went to this place during the time of Lights Festival. It's a magical world out there. Definitely must visit PNC Festival. Price is kind of costly. The ticket is only valid for one day although it says it is valid throughout the season. I wish the prices for a bit lower so I could visit this place more often.

It was pretty and I loved all the animals but it was very hot and some of the animals I couldn't see but that's okay they work hard and I appreciate it

Beautiful zoo. It was way more crowded than I expected it to be. Went to see Fiona and only got to see her back she was sleeping in the rocks. Would love to go again.

Okay keep in mind it is the time of Covid-19. Getting to the zoo and getting in the zoo was fine. However once in the zoo it's a very different story. There are areas marked to wear masks however they have no one in theses area, minus the kangaroo/blue penguin exhibit, to hold people accountable. Therefore you are 50/50 at BEST of people following any protocol in the park. I'm being generous here. As for the park it was nice. I'd suggest either early morning to go when it is slightly cooler. More animals will be active unlike when we went around 2pm and it got hot 80+. Most animals were either sleeping or in the shade. Also you pay for parking as you leave. Since this was our first time and I pre-paid I was a bit confused. All in all a good time. Really would have been tough with more people though.

Beautiful zoo, clean, well cared for animals. I would go every week if I lived closer.

I had so much fun with my son. I look forward coming again.

There is a reason it s constantly voted best zoo lights, year after year. It s now a tradition for us. The lights are beautiful, hot chocolate is delicious, and there are plenty of fun characters for your kids to interact with. If you haven t been, make it happen.

Good place. Great staff, clean, altogether a good experience.

Loved it! One of the best Zoo/Gardens I've seen yet!

My boyfriend and I took my daughter to the zoo yesterday. When the zoo closed and we were walking out, he was giving her a piggyback ride & unfortunately tripped & both of them hit the concrete. The women in the gift shop and their medic were extremely kind and helpful. Even though the zoo was closed they stayed & helped clean up my daughter & bf's wounds. They gave my daughter a stuffed animal & cupcakes & made sure we were all taken care of. I can't thank them enough for their kindness & compassion!

We got a yearly pass for $156
Free train & carousel rides, 20% off food, & 10% off gift shop.
SO WORTH IT!

People were nice and zoo was good. When I went many of the animals weren't out like the tigars and orangutans. Nothing is close together and it's really easy to get lost. Food court is nice, but has no bathroom inside. Insect and cat house is really nice.

What a great place for a family adventure. The zoo was well maintained, clean, and friendly. Not too crowded due to COVID restrictions on attendance. The food was overpriced and nothing to write home about, but the animals looked healthy and their habitats were spotless. A little challenging to find our way to the specific exhibits we wanted to see as there were some closed exhibits and no paper maps, but overall a very satisfying family trip.

I love this place. The giraffes, kamodo dragon, hippos are all my favorites. Such a nice gem almost hidden in Cincinnati. The festival of lights are amazing. If you have a chance hang out at the lake to watch the lights dance to the music.

Fantastic My children love it. But it was a rainy day and i couldn't See all the species.

It's the zoo! Animals galore! Love winter time too. Especially with all the lights my family and I went tonight 12/15/19 and it snowed! So it added the perfect touch!

Great layout - unbelievable light show during Christmas season

Being a lover of nature , I've never seen such a beautiful place. This park has so much of beauty , all in one place. I was lost in the beauty of this amazingly beautiful place. The colorful butterflies leave it's traces in one's mind even after one has left the place.

Had an awesome experience with my kids. The staff answered all questions I had, helped me get my member ship set up and didn't make me feel like a bother. Kids loved it. Buy your tickets online though so you don't have to wait in line.

Our favorite zoo in the midwest always enjoy our visits