Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Reviews

Been to a couple of zoos all over the country and Cincinnati is one of my favorite. Great variety of animals and nice facilities. A good bit of value in the membership for a family!!!

I absolutely loved it, but be prepared for a lot of walking and try to take your own water, unless you wanna pay almost $4 for 1 bottle

Adorable place. Fun for all. Try the 4-D movie theather, it is real fun.

Amazing! They are working on a lot of new cool stuff but the zoo is still very accesible even covid19 restrictions. Support your local zoo!

Can't say enough good things about our Cincinnati Zoo. Very family friendly with so many good interactive experiences for kids and adults alike. Love the food options as well.

Always a great time. Festival of Lights gets absolutely crazy but is still worth it. You can always find deals online, so you shouldn't ever have to pay full price. Tons of different animals to see and hear. We've been fortunate enough to hear the male lions roar during visits, which instantly sends chills down your spine. Also, don't miss the giraffes and the cheetah run. Extremely cool.

Great trip to the Cincinnati Zoo last week! At Gorilla World one of the silverbacks was chilling with his feet on the glass. Wonder what he was thinking about!! Then first time seeing Cat Canyon. Glad to have a membership this year. Planning my next trip!

I love our Zoo it's amazing my 2 year-old gets so excited when pull into the parking lot

It was a nice zoo. Just seemed like it was lacking, could have been the heat so I definitely want to see it again in the fall

One of the very best zoos I've ever been to. We went to see Fiona the hippo, she is Cincinnati's version of lil' Sebastian, she was really cute, this zoo is huge, food prices are fair, tons of exhibits, a nice train. We seen an alligator feeding, I work we could have seen the cheetah run. Would go back again.

Beautiful zoo my wife grew up going to. The botanical gardens aspect adds a nice twist to it. Will definitely recommend. Our two year old loved it!

It was crowded an hour wait time to see the kangaroos, long line for Fiona, not enough chairs at the cafe for lunch, long line for the train, the funnel fries were hard, the ones on the bottom, people were rude and did not follow the 6 ft distancing, the bathrooms needed cleaning trying to get out of the parking lot was backed up as well.We are zoo members and go regularly most of the time we have a great day with no complaints, but today unfortunately was not one of them. Every other time I'd give it a 4 but today sorry to say I give it a 1.

I can't wait to go back to the zoo we didn't get to see the whole zoo. It's definitely one of the better ones we have gone to.

Cincinnati Zoo is one of the outstanding Zoos in the country.It is one of the best places for family outings as well as to take kids along. The place in itself is a knowledge hub and the various exhibits depict the features of natural environment.Last week , i went here with my family and the kids in the family had a lot of fun along with learning. The best place for kids.you will find more than adequate restrooms, snack shacks, an indoor cafe, gift shops.

Animals seemd well taken care of and most of them had really nice habitats to live in. The train, gorillas, kangaroos and hippos were our favorites, just wish we could have seen the baby rhino and manatees. Overall a very pretty and enjoyable zoo!

Very expensive and the foot traffic seeing the animal exhibits doesn't flow very well. It feels very crowded and tight. Don't waste your money on the train..totally not worth the extra money.

To walk is zoo is like a stroll through the jungle. It's peaceful relaxing and when really hot shaded.

Festival of lights was amazing. Definitely a great family time

I loved thos place because it was so beautiful and I loved how close the animals were. I can't wait to go back!

Love it and loved seeing the new baby giraff. Seeing Fiona and the orangutan was out this time. The gorillas were not out but Ndume was hiding in the opening....I'm glad he is back and getting used to the habitats.

Overall the zoo is pretty nice, but there are few things I'll mentioned below of why I can't give it 5 stars.
They give a really good price on membership, so I opted to get a membership and all I have to do is visit two times with friend and I cover the cost of the membership.
The people at member services were really nice and friendly and answered all my questions. Unfortunately they make you come to membership services to pick up your membership card.
The gatekeeper was really friendly and so with customer service people and all of the locations we visited.
We went on the carousel and the operators were super nice, we wanted to go on the train, but it wasn't running till 4 and it was on the other side of the zoo, so we didn't make it this time.
Now for the reasons for the lower rating. If most all of the exhibit buildings would have had automatic doors I would have rated it 4 stars, but the only building with automatic doors we found was the manatee. This is not acceptable, all buildings should have a handicap electric door opener. We had a wheelchair and getting into buildings was very difficult.
With the current layout, it is not possible for me to rate it five star. The hills are way too steep, they are very difficult to get a wheelchair or stroller up and almost impossible to control going down I had to walk in front of the wheelchair pushing it back to keep it from rolling down the hill out of control.
This is a major safety issue that they need to find a way to address, if they could fix the doors I would give them a 4 star, but at this point I cannot give a 5-star due to safety.

The is no better zoo in my opinion. I have always enjoyed taking my family and will continue to be a supporter of their conservation efforts.

This was the most fun I've ever had at a zoo. Very interactive! We got to feed the giraffes, there were flamingoes hanging out in a wading pool and we got to pet goats that were being taken for a walk. And of course, this zoo is the home of the world famous Fiona the hippo! Hope to get back there again soon.

Wonderful zoo. Lots of fun, made it to every exhibit within a three hour window.

This place is huge lol had a ton of fun and got some cheap tickets on Groupon

Amazing zoo! I love the exhibits here because they are so informative and you can interact with some of the animals. In the winter, even though some of the animals have to go in so they don't suffer from the cold temperatures, the festival of lights at night is incredible and so beautiful! This zoo is great for events like birthdays for the animal lover in your family with the ability to schedule keepers bring some of the animals to the rooms there for personal interaction!

Our family had a great time, enjoyed every minute of it, even after we had gone. Good memories were made even amidst the COVID "panicdemic". It has been a few weeks ago we went but moments and memories keep coming up. A very good day.

The zoo was a great experience. My family was able to go and see many cute animals before dark. After dark we were amazed by the beautiful zoo lights.

Okay, so I have followed Fiona since she was born. I flew into Cincinnati for graduation and a made a stop to the zoo to see her. They told us at the gate that she may be inside due to the cold weather and we may not see her swimming . They did not tell us that 1. there was no indoor viewing area and 2. that literally all animals were inside with no viewing areas.

The only animal out was the polar bear. I m not joking. If the majority of animals are kept inside with no indoor viewing areas, please offer a discounted ticket rate or warn people before they spend $56 for two people to walk around and see 1 animal.

I was EXTREMELY bummed and very disappointed.

I love the zoo. For many people it's the only way they'll ever see the animals there. Currently, the Cincinnati Zoo is undergoing lots of renovations so there are multiple exhibits that are closed. However, there's still plenty to keep you occupied. I have a membership, which I highly recommend for anyone with younger kids since it allows you to visit multiple times and leave when they get tired instead of feeling like you need to stay all day to get your money's worth. A membership also allows you to enter the zoo 1 hour before the general public which helps with parking as well. Parking is fairly limited there. I love that you can take in food and drinks as it makes the day much more affordable. With a membership your food is discounted, though, so that helps. Definitely a fun place to spend a day. Grateful for abundant shade there, too, especially mid-summer.

Beautiful zoo and friendly, super informative staff. Just a great day to spend for anyone!

Love the train rides and you get to feed the giraffes

There seemed to be absolutely no security in the crowded zoo today. My two year old and I had a terrible experience. Will not ever return.

Love this zoo. However when. We visited had issues with places out of food. Plus the security people need to not use profanity while around children

Best zoo in the country, best zoo in the world, my favorite place to take any visitor to

We had a fantastic time on our visit! There is plenty of walking here so everyone in your party should wear comfy shoes. We came on a cooler fall day so some animals weren't out or as active but it was still a great time. Buy tickets online in advance, they are cheaper. We liked that we could being a wagon in for gear/kiddos and it was easy to get around. If we lived here we would totally get a year members pass.

Very good zoo
I ve been here tons of times and it s always been very fun

Really fantastic zoo with a focus on research and conservation. I've been to most of the best zoos in the country, and this is still my favorite.

I really enjoyed the zoo today. Limiting the number of people in attendance enabled us to be able to see all the animals without crowds.

$12.50 for adults, $7 for kids. Many animals were off exhibit. At many other zoos we have been to there were staff members who talked with us about the animals. We arrived about 2:00. In the 3 hours we were there, no one interacted with us or the few animals that were on display. There were lots of signs that had fun facts about each animal. There were multiple viewing areas for most animals, which is nice.

A fantastic zoo experience amidst a well maintained botanical paradise. The animals are in natural settings and seem truly content, even playful. The 3-month old baby black rhino was adorable. The paths between exhibits are an attraction all their own. Lots of pleasant scenery and shade. Plenty of good choices available for food and snacks -- I highly recommend the pub style soft pretzels available only at The Watering Hole near the main entrance! Be sure and arrive at the zoo early, especially on weekends. You'll miss some of the crowds and the animals will be more active.

Surprisingly fun, had many more interesting animals than I thought a downtown zoo would have

Always wonderful. This time was better. No screaming kids and wasn't crowded at all.

Lot was shut down and off exhibit amd prices were still a little high considering.

Our first time at this Zoo and I can say it was a trek! If you are looking to get a workout this is for you. Strollers and wheelchairs beware there are some steep slopes. I am from Columbus so I may be spoiled but it appeared there was a low volume of animals and a low quantity of each species. This could be a result to it being the winter offseasons but I believe they would benefit from more indoor viewing areas for the warm weather animals.

Been coming here for years. If you're having issues while here maybe you're to sensitive. If the animal you wanted isn't out there is a reason they're not out and its usually a safety issue for the animal. Plan your trip better. The zoo staff is always really friendly, as a pass holder being able to bring a friend with me every time makes this trip even more fun. Making date night easy.

I love the Cincinnati Zoo, has a little bit of something for everybody!

Great zoo and holiday Zoo Lights. The parking is a bit of a pain though... they have two undersized lots that fill up quickly on any remotely busy day. Otherwise the displays and activities, including a carousel and train, are great for the whole family.

The place is incredibly big and full of so many different types of life. Some things there need to be a little updated but I can tell the keep up with everything there to make sure it all looks nice. I was absolutely fascinated by all the animals and insects. The wide variety of animals will please anyone who goes and even the little shops are very nice. Its always a treat to go here.

We love the Cincinnati zoo! Such a wonderful selection of animals and a place that seems to continue to help animals and research them as well. Great place for kids and adults. It is hilly so be prepared for that as you walk around.

Had a great time despite mother nature best attempt with the rain. Stephanie did a wonderful job painting the kids face. People go the extra mile to find something to complain about but in all honesty we walked 5 miles and spent less then what it would cost to go see a movie. I rather take kids and spend money on an experience rather than a movie or things. All in all great time great zoo great staff. Will definitely be back.

The zoo was fun to visit. Family enjoyed it. The drive from downtown Cincinnati to the zoo was very eventful. Drove through lots of Slum areas of Cincinnati to get to the zoo.

Nice zoo but not that impressive. I however loved the cats exhibit as it was in the dark so that you could see these nocturnal animals at their most active.

Liked it, great experience. Animals in summer and light shows in winter. Only thing is the crowds and parking.

Somewhat silly that you have to make a reservation (supposedly to help reduce crowding) only to have to stand in a long, crowded line to get in.
The only place that I encountered anyone asking guests to wear a face mask was in the line for the train.

The zoo is one of our kids favorite places, we have toddlers. The zoo staff is always friendly, the place is clean and nice. I love the new parking! The area has really improved over the last 10 years. We are members now and go as often as possible!

The Cincinnati zoo is wonderful. We went out for grandparents day today and it was so much fun. The kids and even we adults had the best time.

One of the oldest zoos in the US (next to Philly). It s home to Fiona the baby hippo

Havent been to a zoo in years- kinda have found them depressing. This one was really nice- animals didnt looked distressed and enrichment toys were usually in evidence. Caretakers were informative and just generally showed genuine love for animals.We were there when there was a big event happening in Cinci, so I think it was less crowded allowing us to have a couple of up- close interactions with animals. Fed a giraffe! Petted a Galapagos Tortoise! Enjoyed the Nighthunters exhibit. Really cool water bottle filling stations. Fairly easy to navigate but could have used more directional signs and maybe some color coding on the map- or colored paw prints leading to exhibits? We had a great time and spent the whole day there.

We were excited to see all of the zoo. However signage was a bit confusing as to the exact way to that exhibit. Also the map made things look farther apart. Other than that it was nice oh you pay 10.00 dollars to park.

love the zoo and especially the festival of lights! family tradition we never want to miss!

Well, this zoo USED to be great.
It almost feels like the animals are a side attraction with all the new restaurants and other moneymakers that have invaded it.
Moreover, there were too many of the animals closed or not there.
I understand renovation and pursuit of better habitats, but , after this trip, I also feel that the admission fees ought to be adjusted to the number of popular exhibits closed.
There were: no Siberian TIGERS, no male lion, no red pandas, no black bears, no polar bears, no koalas, no kangaroo, no otters, no okapi, no cougar, no leopard, and entire "gorilla world" was closed off for the day. So no monkeys or apes for us at all.
The North American section consisted of one, MEXICAN wolf and a bobcat.... No deer, elk, moose, bear,...ect.
Pretty disappointing really.

I visit this zoo pretty often to get some steps in for the day. Beautiful flowers throughout and nice variety of animals. Great for all ages.

A few animals were missing due to covid but it was still nice for.my first time

Had a great time, the kids really enjoyed it! So many awesome things to see!

Great experience, so close to the animals. Glad we stopped on our vacation

So much fun. The ticket prices were reasonable. We were able to walk the whole zoo in one day. We had to see Fiona twice. We watched the cheetah experience and wow to those girls fly. The botanical garden and woods made the experience that much better.

Always a relaxing and fun adventure. You really can't do much about the animals. The people in blue that come around and make sure everyone is out of the areas that are closing. Could be more people friendly and try to understand that some people come from far away, or some poeple do not always come to the zoo. So seeing the otters, and or "animals" play is magical.

Love this place. The animals are beautiful and seem to be well cared for. Enclosures are large giving them lots of room. Fun and fascinating place to explore.

I have not planned a trip to the CINCINNATI Zoo and Botanical gardens as of yet. What I can see from a street view point it looks to me really beautiful, if you and your love ones are planning day of animal name games, or flower to plants search games, I suggest going to the zoo. This place is so nostalgic to me I must go as well.

Enjoyed it. Lots of plants and shaded areas. The hippo exhibit was fantastic. The cobra had his head sticking out from under a big leaf (scary!) and the meerkats were all snuggled up in their den. And Gabriel gladly answered questions at the giraffe exhibit.

My family absolutely love the Zoo. This is the third year in a row we've been members. Incredible place to see animals from around the world!

I met my wife in Cincinnati and this was consistently place we would go on dates. Lots of room to walk around, and certainly plenty for a person of any age to enjoy. We recently came back to visit and because we have an Akron Zoo membership we got half off our admission!

It was a busy day, but people seemed to be more respectful of moving along (compared to Newport aquarium) so eveyone could see the animals. Even the animals like Fiona and the new baby giraffe were viewed within minutes of entering the exhibit.

Always a great place to visit. Loved all the exhibits.

Grateful for this modern ark, though they are landlocked in the city they have done very well with their limited space. The animals are very well taken care of and the gardens are beautiful. The management is keen on sustainability issues and always working to reduce the footprint.

Amazing zoo even tho it's still winter and a few of the animals weren't out. We got to see the Penguin Parade! Likely the last time this year. There is so much to enjoy I couldn't possibly list it all but my family had a wonderful time at the United States second oldest zoo (second to Philadelphia) and we will be returning!

Love it here! I feel like I'm in another world here. I just wish everything wasn't so pricey. I would recommend eating before or after visiting.

Terrible experience with our zoo membership and the staff! We were looking at going to the Cincinnati Zoo on Saturday of Fathers Day weekend as we had some guests coming over with children. Looked at their website, which says that we have to book a time for the visit. As an essential worker, I completely understand this. Everything is crazy right now with COVID. The time slot we wanted had 89 slots available, and the total cost would have been something around 160$ for everyone. After some discussion, we decided it may be more cost effective to buy a membership, as we have young children and could see ourselves coming often. After paying 280$ for the membership we were able to get to the reservation portal for members(you couldn't see it without a member ID number) to find that there were no times available for members on that day. When I called to determine our options, the woman was VERY rude. She offered a refund after telling me that the spots available were for PAYING members. After speaking with the head of membership services I was finally granted my refund, even though she made sure to tell me that memberships are non-refundable. We were so excited to visit the zoo, but this experience has really killed that for us. We will not be going back. Please be careful before spending your money here.

Fiona and Bibi are amazing!! Great zoo but many of the animal exhibits were under renovation so the animals were not there.

Excellent zoo! Very clean, well laid out, and a good variety of animals. Be ready to walk since it is fairly hilly. Parking is convenient with solar panel shading structures are great too!

So much fun to visit. We really enjoyed seeing all the animals. Be prepared for a lot of walking, but it is worth it. The grounds look really nice, and the animals look happy and healthy.

Great zoo! Love that it's green and cares for the animals too. Cheetah encounter very cool getting to see them at max speed!

Beautiful zoo! I agree with it being voted #1. The zoo is very clean, the staff were very nice, and I was pleased with all of the Covid protocols in place.

I love the Cincinnati zoo. Always a great experience. It's shaped a bit like a figure eight do you never have to walk too far back to the entrance. Highlights for me are always the manatees, rhinos, and polar bears. The gorilla exhibit is fantastic. Don't forget to check out the sloths in the p and g exhibit. The lights in the winter are a fantastic time as well.

It was AMAZING!! The grounds were very clean and well kept. The animals are so close to you its really nice. Prices for drinks/food and souvenirs are expensive but zoo is amazing

Wonderful. Got to see the baby which is not much a baby anymore. We were also able to see her and BB get hand feed, very cool. The up close with the kangaroos was a great addition! Only sad part was how little the snake tanks are. My pregnant wife was crying for those poor snakes. Feeding the giraffes was pretty cool as well. The elephant looked so bored and sad. But it is captivity so it is what is expected. Over all had a great day. Thank you to all the amazing staff members during this time.

The zoo was wonderful! If you are worried about the crowds and guests not wearing masks, then you might want to wait.

The zoo was amazing! So much to see and the while staff was so helpful! It was a great way to end our family vacation.