Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Reviews

Go all the time. Bring a lunch and it's awesome. Cloudy days are best

The animals were all sleeping, I guess I came at the wrong time. I did enjoy the show.

This is a great zoo with a lot of awesome animal exhibits, including the famed Fiona the hippo. I highly recommend making it to at least one of the animal talks. The zoo was very clean and there were many options for food and snacks. I am giving this zoo 4 stars, however, because even with a map, the layout of the park makes little sense and the signage is poor. We circled back time and time again trying to locate exhibits we had missed.

Very nice zoo with lots of options and pretty exhibits.

As always a good zoo visit. Hot day but the gibbons were swinging, the ants were active, the carousel was in the shade, and there were some large tortoises we were able to see and touch. Always recommend this zoo!

Awesome exhibits and variety of animals to see. Loved the sunflower/water sprinklers that were around to help beat the heat. Also loved that there was a lot of enrichments/zoo keepers/shows throughput the day to learn more about the animals

This is a FANTASTIC zoo, it's easy to understand why it's rated in the top five US zoos. The exhibits are beautiful and well maintained, and every animal looked happy and taken care of. The zoo staff were extremely friendly and knowledgable, always willing to stop and talk about the animals.

It was very nice. We not only share our food with one another but also the squirrels. They are so funny. I am disabled and I used to rent a motorized scooter which is 30 for the day until god blessed me with a new one. Its usually crazy packed but were used to that. Have a blessed day

Always have a good time when I go...lots of upgrades coming...I got a pass...could use water fountains throughout the zoo because it does get really hot...

Attended Festival of Lights. Very disappointing. Many of the light lights and displays were only partially working or not working. This has been an ongoing attraction for many years and draws a large crowd. I would think that with the interest this attraction brings, they would try harder to keep the displays working and up to date. Also, the photographers taking photos during the Santa visit were sub-par at best. Definitely not capturing the moments. Misleading during the purchase of the Santa photos too. Purchased the best package and it was explained that we would be able to download all poses. Not the case. Only able to see/download the 3 poses that were purchased. Poor value over all.

Great outdoor fun for the family! Not as large/spread out as the Columbus Zoo, but still has plenty of animals to see. My kids love the new walk-through kangaroo pen, the reptile house, and the African animals area.

I love the zoo! I would recommend going at 9 or at 230 . If you dont have small kids go on a light rain day . The parking is 10.00 but if you get a pass it is free. If you receive food stamps you can get in at a discont price on membership for 35.00.

Such a nice place to take your family for a day out. The kids loved seeing Fiona as well as the polar bears.You can get good prices when you buy tickets online ahead of time. You can bring your own food, coolers and wagons into the zoo if you want to save some cash.

I grew up in Cincinnati and have always treasured the Cincinnati Zoo. Don't know if it qualifies among zoo experts as world-class, but I've been to zoos around the US and in Europe and, for the size of Cincinnati, the zoo is remarkable.
I no longer live in Cincinnati, and this was my first visit in a few years. I couldn't even find the entrance! The reason is wonderful: They've incorporated former parking areas into the zoo, so it's less cramped for space and that much better.

One (minor) complaint: I was there on the day of a Halloween eventm when there were tables/booths giving out things for kids, adult and young patrons in costumes, etc. That would have been fine, but there was Halloween music BLARING from the loudspeaker system, playing a small rotation of songs over and over. You couldn't escape it and It really detracted from the experience.

Very interesting this zoo, but I it's still more interesting the botanical garden.

This zoo is fantastic! We have a membership and go often. It's on the small side, which makes it a manageable trip and feels like the animals are up close to you. We love it. The zoo light are great too

This place is beautiful!! Great selection of animals!! We loved everything about it!!

Fun to see the animals, but poor Social distancing

Had a great time walking around looking at animals with the family

I've been to quite a few zoos all over the country and our Cincinnati Zoo is by far the best. The fact that is doubles as a botanical garden is even better. We're getting to spring which is the best season of the whole year. The Tunes and Blooms is a wonderful experience!

Went to Tunes and Bloom event at Cincinnati Zoo.. it s an event with music, food, beer and variety of colorful Tulip across zoo, and it was free entry..

Great zoo, animals were very active...very clean and organized

Very nice and big zoo for family time and friends time

The zoo people are incredibly friendly. They put away almost all the animals though before the rain so a bit disappointed especially since they don't offer to give you a free ticket for another day after. Do they care about how kids feel? After all kids are the future.

This place is beautiful and cool. So glad I went! This is an all day adventure! So closr to the lions chimps ape and giraffes and the kids loved it! 10 for parking stinks. Get here early or you will wait in a long enough line... buy tickets online for a discount or at Kroger. Haha then the traffic at 6pm close is a battle when trying to get home 5 hrs away. Bring your camera and walking shoes! Great zoo!

We get passes every yr. Great value. So fun! Food truck area has great food. Only complaint is some of the young employees are not as friendly and professional as should be.

The zoo in general is always an awesome experience and a must do. The only reason i didn't give a 5 was because of all the empty exhibits in jungle trails ( my fave btw) and the wait at the food court. We ordered from Wild Burgers and they dont even give out your drink while you wait....still waiting to see if the food is as good as I hope for.

Went for the lights which were good! However had issues with the food service (larosas) while there they were not organized very well. And also the fact I had to purchase a ticket for myself and husband to the carousel to stand next to our toddlers who were too small to ride alone. The Columbus zoo does not require that and the ride lasted less than 1 minute! Crazy to me! Overall had a good time though

The zoo is always fun, but none or the animals were out, most of the exhibits were closed, the advertised price online for today was all together (including parking) supposed to be 10 bucks cheaper but we ended up paying 46 dollars for the two of us (one senior, one adult) we were forced to farther away when we clearly have handicapped plates and my mom is in a wheelchair. Overall it was extremely disappointing and seeing children run and scream in the cat house, obviously upsetting some of the animals that WERE available to see made us so mad. These are things that need to be taken into more consideration.

This Zoo is awful. Half of the exibits were empty, and the exibits that did have animals were disgusting. There was no water in the exibits, and the animals all looked miserable. Please dont let this 4.6 star full you. YOU WILL REGRET IT. And a 1 star is being graceful.

Cool place, enjoyable, family friendly and a great place to enjoy both wildlife and plants. The zoo has is labeled pretty well if all the trails were labbled it would be easier to read the map and find friends and family if you get split. But over all it was a great experience would definitely recommend especially if you need an even to occupy family or friends for an entire day.

Needs to make some of the animal enclosures bigger. We have been going for years and always make it a day trip.

Great zoo with lots of animals! Many of the exhibits were closed due to COVID. Masks were required in certain areas of the park, but for the most part we didn t have to wear them which was nice since we were mostly outside.
I was really excited to see that this is the zoo that houses Fiona! I have followed her on Facebook since she was born, and it was really cool to see her in person.
They had areas where you could normally feed certain animals like giraffes, and animals in the petting zoo. But those were all closed off due to COVID as well. Props to the park for keeping everyone safe during this time.
There was a brand new baby rhino that did not have a name yet.
Manatee exhibit was closed, and that was disappointing. We were hoping to see that.
We only had a couple of hours to get through the entire zoo before they closed. We made a last minute decision to stop here on our way to Gatlinburg from Michigan.
When you re driving to the zoo, it doesn t feel like you re in the best area of town. But once you pull in to the parking lot and walk in to the park it s fine. 5/5 rating for this zoo!

I love seeing the animals and spending time with my grandchildren.

This is one of the best zoos in the US. expect to spend the entire day here. I like the face for the most part this is a cageless zoo.

There is no question that this is the best zoo in the North East and possibly the country. This zoo is beautifully landscaped well maintained and all the exhibits are incredibly well managed and natural. All of the animals are active alert healthy and comfortable. Many of them interacting with guests. I love the educational information at each exhibit and credit to donations. Due To the pandemic a few small areas are closed or have barriers but they do not inhibit the over all experience. You can easily spend the whole day here and is safe for young children. I got there early and also like how they are only selling so many tickets per hour and you must book ahead on line it really cuts down on the crowds and I hope that they continue to sell tickets this way. It makes for a much more enjoyable time not having to battle crowds

Absolutely wonderful place to visit, my family has had a pass for the last 9 years straight and we always get our money worth, you can pack a cooler for lunch or eat in the zoo. There is an excellent barbecue place at the bottom of the hill.

They really upgraded this place. I love the reptile house but I wish there were more reptiles.

A great zoo. Plan to be there for 2-3 hours if you want to see a lot. There's lots of parking. Definitely get you tickets online ahead if time or you'll be waiting forever to get tickets when you get there.

What an awesome zoo! They have a lot of really cool animals. Fiona the baby hippo and her mom were really cool to see. When a girl got way too close they were super gentile with her and brought her to safety. Check out the picture I got... Crazy!

One of the best zoos in the US. Apparently one of the largest and well maintained zoos in the entire US. A good full day is needed to visit the complete zoo. There are options to take a toy train ride within the zoo to go over all the place, for those who cannot walk for long! Not to be missed if you are visiting Cincinnati.

I love our local zoo! It s never the same day twice. Don t miss Giraffe feeding 12:30-2:30!

Loved it, been to many and this is always our favorite

The zoo itself is fine. I had two problems

1. We got a later reservation around 2:30. I called ahead and asked a lady if that was enough time to get through the zoo and she said that should be more than enough time. We could only see most of the outside exhibits and had to skip ALL of the indoor exhibits. By the time we were done with that it was closing.

2. I have had to file a claim with PayPal because they offer prepaid parking on their website but upon entrance and exit they don't scan QR codes so basically your parking is free and I never saw payment taken from anyone else. Their excuse is "well you parked in our lot so your payment is valid" yea.... But why should I have to pay when others don't?

Will we visit again? Probably.. will I pay for advance parking again? Absolutely not. Probably won't visit until COVID is over. And it's not even about the masks, I don't like having late reservations because I'm not guaranteed to see what I want and their reservations fill up quick.

Had an overnight Adventure, the staff was great, the facilities were clean and kids had a great time

I love the zoo! My daughter loves it too. I bought a family membership shortly after my daughter was born. Even though our daughter wasn't old enough to be aware of any of the animals yet, this was a great place to go to get out of the house. Now she's a year old and loves seeing all the animals. The price of membership has gone up around $50 from last year, but it's still worth it to us. The number of times we visit per year more than covers the cost of membership. Plus, with the gold membership we've been able to take a lot of friends for free throughout the year.
Of course food and drinks inside the zoo are pretty expensive. It's great that you can buy a souvenir plastic cup for around $6 and then, with the membership discount, refill the cup for $.89 whenever you want. The zoo has soft serve ice cream at several locations. I wish they'd offer a souvenir ice cream dish that you could get refilled whenever you visit for a discounted price. I and all the other parents I go here with would really appreciate that.

The Cincinnati Zoo is simply one of the best zoos in the nation. They are constantly improving habitats and bringing you closer to amazing new animal species. Fun for anyone and everyone.

Great family day out, well cared for animals and plenty to see

Wonderful place to visit. Be prepared to walk and take lots of pictures of animals and plants.

Very clean and well maintained. Social distancing was maintained during COVID and all employees were polite and helpful. Good variety of animals especially the Komodo Dragon.

Great like always for membership night for the Grand open of Festival of Lights

So nice and fun for all ages but do not go in 80-90 degree weather. Lots of walking to do. If you are going with a baby bring a stroller.

We went for the Christmas lights. It was a hassle getting down there, parking and getting into the park. The lights were awesome though and my daughter had a great time. Not sure I'd go again though.

very clean, fun and active place for all ages. my son loved it. a new zoo to visit is always fun. with friendly and helpful staff

We love Cincinnati Zoo. I took my kiddos in May, it was their first time. We all ABSOLUTELY loved our trip!! I would definitely recommend Cincinnati Zoo for all families!!

Best place ever. We all had a blast. Already planning another trip there. The workers were all so very nice.

Very nice Zoo, walking with the kangaroos a bit underwhelming so visit when less crowded. Went late afternoon and all the animals were out and about. Great place for kids.

My kids loved it. Great service and staying safe with mask and other procedures thank u.

Always a great time. Although, every time I go, whether during the week or on the weekend, all of the food places are closed except for the main building. We have passes and go as often as we can. I can't wait for the spring and summer!

Very fun. We weren't there on the right day for the penguin parade (also remember that if it's above 50 degrees the penguins don't go out), but we still got to see them and lots of other animals. Great exhibits.

A lot of things were under construction but still takes a whole day to do 70% of the things.
Buying online tickets saves time rather than staying in long lines but with convenience fee added doesn t really make a difference (maybe expensive if you are by yourself)
Easy parking and public transportation nearby

This is our go-to place when we have time for a family outing. I learn something new every time I come here! My favorite exhibits include the insect house, red pandas, african painted dogs, and of course, Fiona and Bibi!

One of my favorite places. Animals are healthy and well cared for. Habits are interesting. Buy the drink refills...you ll need them! Gift shop was surprisingly affordable.

Best zoo I've been to yet if you love cats!! So many cat varieties and good sightings. A little tight and crowded however

The festival of lights is always a great time and perfect for date nights. So many great animals and critters to look at and learn about. My only suggestion is to bring your own snacks and drinks as the zoos are like movie theatre prices.

Wonderful zoo! I know right now some areas are under construction but there is still a lot to see and it has some very good views! The new tortoise enclosure was a highlight and at designated times you can have encounters with the animals, many of which don't cost extra! We pet the tortoises, fed the giraffe ($3) and were pleasantly surprised that we could see all the big cats. At our zoo back home the cats are usually somewhere out of view, so I think the enclosures here are designed well. Even as a couple of thirty-somethings we had fun spending most of the day here. Lots of variety and some species you don't see a lot of at other places.

Very disappointed most of the animals looked like they weren t being taken care of they all looked so skinny and poorly cared for. A lot of the animals weren t even out and there was only one restaurant opened we bought a chicken sandwich and some chicken tenders, the chicken tenders were so expansive and they taste HORRIBLE they tasted like gas and smoke ! Everything was closed idk why but so not worth the money. I give it a two stars because at least the bathrooms and the park was actually clean.

My wife and I have been members for several years. I continue to feel we get new value every year. Members nights, great discounts, and an always improving Park makes it one of our favorite places to spend our weekends. Great new exhibits always coming and expanding. Plus, Fionna!

One of the best zoos in the country. Love the lights for festival of lights. The animals have terrific well thought out exhibits. Great for families, a lot of interactive stuff.

I have visited many Zoos in the Midwest and this is definitely one of the best. Lots of animals and exhibits. Busy but not overly crowded for a perfect temperature Saturday.

Great zoo! It is very big, you will definitely need the whole day to go around it.

Visited the zoo during the festival of lights. This was the first time we had went to this event. It was great, however a lot of the lights weren't on. We could see many trees and plants that were wrapped in lights, but was not lit. It had rained all day, then tapered off just before dark, so we figured it was because of that.

The light show was good, however, for the price that we paid to see just the lights was honestly not worth going back. We paid $50 (zoo tickets and parking) for my husband and I to get in. We will not be returning.

I love this zoo. I make it a habit to visit every few years. The amount of animals they have is stunning and well worth the drive if you're coming from out of state. It makes our local zoo look like a side attraction.

Even with everything going on currently, it was still an enjoyable experience.

My girls had the best time! It was very clean and and attractive! The animals were very active and fun to watch, it was pretty awesome! Made some of my best memories at the Zoo!

Google's AI/ML algorithms keep telling me my reviews are popular and to review my recent visit to the Cincinnati Zoo.

This is entirely unnecessary because: the Cincinnati Zoo is consistently recognized as one of the nation's best zoos every year. It does not need reviews because it's self-evident that the zoo is a five-star kind of place.

It is excellent for kids and families. We have a membership this year and will go many times. It never gets old. It will be a lifetime landmark for me as a Cincinnatian.

Good enough for you, Google?

Very crowded on nice days early in the year. The design has no flow to it but there is still plenty to keep one entertained. I still prefer the Fort Wayne Zoo due to how easy it is to navigate.

kids were so excited to see white tiger,, great place for kids as well as adults,,,

Beautiful ride, and great deal with kids riding free through the holidays

An amazing zoo. Not only does it have the famous Fiona, but a ton of other zoo babies, including Fenessy, a baby giraffe. Misting facilities and indoor AC exhibits help on hot days. Really cool food truck area for lunches. Kids will love this place because of it's interactive exhibits.

Festival of lights is so awesome! Beautifully decorated with lights and festive holiday music. The have the coolest "balloon" animals. I highly recommend this holiday attraction at the Cincinnati Zoo!

all the animals werent in the exhibits at 4:00 pm in the afternoon. their water is super expensive which is mandatory to use because the walk around the park is a mile and a half. other than that it was fun

Awesome place for everyone. Flowers, music, food and drinks etc., best place.

We love the zoo! We always buy passes, which are completely worth it. The festival of lights are great! This is a very nice zoo compared to many other zoo's I have been too.

Fascinating place to go visit and if you have kids they will be amazed. If you can t stand bad order don t go by the flamingos, have warned you...lol, they are the cutest thing ever though.

several enclosures about half were closed. but we still paid full price maybe a discount should be offered for 1/2 day with only 1/2 enclosures open. most food courts were also closed. animals were well cared for with clean enclosures.

Beautiful place every one kept distant even the animals lol