Houston Zoo Reviews

Students get FREE access with recent school I.D.!!!

Their family premium membership is a great deal. The experience of watching them train and feed the sea lions this time was a real bonus.

Thank you to the zoo for having free tickets available! We really enjoyed the seal show, monkeys, apes, elephants, giraffes, and the aquarium! So fun and there was too much to see for one day, so we are coming back:)

We went for Zoo lights and they were great this year!

Great zoo! They might want to consider making it an indoor zoo, or holding evening hours. They did an outstanding job of identifying cool spots within the zoo. However it was still to hot to enjoy the zoo. All the animals were in their shelters, except the Elephants. The baby elephants were playing in water.

Going to the zoo means preparing in advance. Always be sure to bring a cooler with drinks, snacks, or some sort of food to eat if you plan on being there for a while. Doing this will save you a lot of money rather than spending a huge amount of money on ordinary food. Have patience with parking and be cautious as people will try cutting others off to get a parking spot. Finding parking in the zoo is difficult so always be on the lookout for people leaving and patiently wait for them to leave. The zoo is a beautiful place to spend the day with family and the little ones. Always try to attend the different activities they have at different times to have a more enjoyable experience. I highly recommend looking into the memberships they have if you're someone who comes often as it will save you money and a lot of time when entering the zoo. Nothing bad to say about it, restrooms are always clean and the employees are very friendly and helpful.

Love the zoo..we always have an amazing time when we go..today the weather was nice and the animals were out.

We completely enjoyed the Lights and we have done Moody Gardens and the Santa Wonderland Attractions and although it was a lot of Monies for 5 tickets it was by far the best Bang for your Buck!!! The walk was not that long and there were lots of Photo Spots. Add to that, they have Stroller and Handicap Carts to Rent. Enjoyment all the way around!!!! We have the Free Holiday Walk-Through so we are grateful for the Zoo Lights staying Open after the Holiday Season. That way we were able to enjoy!! See y'all Next Year!!!!

It seems like every time my family and I are in town and come to the zoo, it's under construction. I'm sure that's a good thing, but we've never had a chance to see all the exhibits for the construction being in the way. Now, one thing that worries me is the zoo's way to deal with the heat. Texas is known for its heat and although there is sitting areas around, it doesn't seem to be much of shading throughout the zoo. Beautiful areas for the animals, especially the gorilla exhibit! As myself and some of the kids mentioned, can this zoo PLEASE get more kid-friendly snacks. We walked the entire zoo looking for pickles

The weather was perfect during our visit on 12/6 and not very crowded. The zoo has a good layout and nice exhibits. My favorite part was the sitting area in front of the reptile house, with water and goose statue. Beautiful and serene.

I was amazed at how clean the restrooms were. The zoo was well maintained there were groundskeepers floating around quickly picking up litter. Overall my student and I had a nice time.

Hey! Its a great place to take your children although I would recomend taking lots of cold water it is extremely hot. Also the prices on some of the items are outrages. Has some parts under construction. The zoo should really consider offering lower prices or discounts for zoo member and people on daily basis. Also where are the pandas?

It's always Amazing to see all the beautifulanimals on a beautifulsunny day!! Wear comfy shoes it's a lot of walking. Refreshments are good!

It was good we went on a Friday night way to many people there for me. So many people couldn't really enjoy the experience. Cause the lights are pretty and everyone wants to take pictures in front of the displays which they should. (It was just really to crowded.) Zoo personal (the workers) was really helpful they would ask to take your phone and take pictures for you. Plenty of places to get food or drink. Complaints I have to many people on a Friday night I would suggest on going probably during the week. Traffic was horrible getting there. They need more direction on parking because they are other parking lots right beside the zoo that says two hours parking only or you will be towed. So if you never been you will spend time trying to figure out where to park. Remember if you go on a weekend a lot of people and some people are rude.

Always a fan of the zoo even at night when it's freezing. The kids loved this special exhibit & the lights and the Coca-Cola polar bears. We went on the carousel before enjoying some hot chocolate. I love special family nights like that.

Zoo lights are alright, but having to even pay for doing smores seems a bit much.

Was a great time except for the fact we forgot that it was Zoo Boo and the parking situation was awful.
Some kind of park and shuttle set-up would have been great.
We ended up having to park over a mile from the Zoo.

This is a great place to take kids of all ages. There is plenty of shading throughout the facility so going in the summer is not miserable like other outdoor places. Also they have events throughout the year like Zoo Lights that are also fun to attend.

AWESOME! We were 6 adults and had a terrific time visiting. Nice, Clean, and Educational.

Silent Disco had me grooving to some classics. Couldn't tell if it was the howler monkeys or the drunk college girls making noise but I was all about it. BBQ was good, just had to fight my girlfriend for the whole plate. 10/10 would risk mosquitoes to dance again.

Went to zoo lights finally after being here for 3 years. Kinda pricey $25 bucks. But the lights the music and great friends...let's you feel and sing "#itsbeginningtolookalotlikechristmas

Visited Zoo end of July. What an amazing zoo, animal enclosures all well kept. Definitely worth a visit, would advise that if your in the area for a few days to buy a city pass, you can gain entry for up to 5 places great purchase

I absolutely loved my experience here. I bought tickets online for my best friend, her husband, and my goddaughter. Got through to get in so fast!!! The staff was so kind and knowledgeable. Of course we went during spring break, so it was wild. We got to see everything we could imagine, and then some. The animals all seem very happy and well taken care of. Their keepers seem to have great bonds with them, and it was very enjoyable.
The best part for us adults were the food trucks/stands in different areas. I grabbed some of the street tacos and fell in absolute love! I would go back for those any day.
Best zoo I've visited, hands down. There's so much more to see around it, as well.
Will be coming back soon!!

Veterans get a discount and the exhibits are beautifully done.

Not exactly what I was expecting. I guess I expected too much. The splash pad was a hit tho and my 2 year old loved watching the elephants bathe. Some of the animal enclosures made me sad tho. Those cats in such small enclosures really got to me. In all honesty we left soon after that so not much else to comment on. The grounds were clean and there was adequate cool down areas. Not bad at all.

This is a great place to visit for anyone, especially kids. It's huge and it's easy to wander around for hours exploring new things. The exhibits are nicely kept, many animals to be seen. The dinosaur exhibit is extremely life like and its shown that they put a lot of effort into creating it. Definitely check that out, it's an amazing experience. There are facts about each animal listed next to its exhibit and many places to cool off, eat, drink water, take a restroom break etc. The parking isn't too great but it's possible after a bit of searching, and luck, to find a spot. I'm just a little bit biased against the zoo because its truly saddening to see these animals that should be roaming about, just laying there (especially the wild cats) because their enclosure isn't big enough or they have nothing to do. Other than that, they do a pretty good job of giving information with talks with the keeper or during feedings. It's a great place to go and if you do go, be prepared to have a lot of fun!

We are members of the zoo so our opinions are biased. We enjoy the zoo and go about once every six weeks. Early morning is always better when the animals are active and it's less crowded.

Beware the is a lot of construction going on and it's taken away a little from the zoo till it's complete.

Great family fun. Times just seems to slow down. We love all the exhibits, never gets old.

Social distancing actually makes it easier and faster to get through the Zoo

Im excited about new things opening up next year. I wish they add more animals to petting zoo as its my favorite spot.

I absolutely love bringing the kids here. Every time they experience something new and wondrous.

Beautiful place fun for the whole family lots of animals must see but night lights not worth it though

Excelente place to see som real wild life in the city. Amazing exhibits and all the amenities for the family.

I always love coming here stuff can be a bit pricey but you can always bring your own ice chest of sandwiches and snacks. But it's all worth it it's so much fun

Under some construction, so we missed a few exhibits, but the exhibit space for the animals were well-kept and quite accessible to the public viewing. One comment is that otters aren't just for kids...need to move them out of the children's zoo section!

Pretty good for little kids and all the animals were out and about!

Friendly and helpful staff. A bit overpriced, but still very enjoyable for a family trip.

The decoration was outstanding and such a thrill to experience. Great for families and every age. Handled well with such high crowds. A must for all who love the holidays.

I may be biased since I have lived in Houston all of my life, but the Houston Zoo is a one of a kind experience. Don't forget to visit Zoo Lights during the holidays!

Enjoyable experience for all ages. Very nice animal enclosures. Fall-winter-early spring is the best time to visit on a cool day. Animals were very active today. We enjoyed the animal talks with zoo personnel that are knowledgeable and friendly. We also encountered many helpful volunteers that were excited to share information and were great with the kids.

I recommend going in the morning to beat the heat. There is alot to do on a daily basis and plenty of interactive rooms to quiz yourself on the lifes and habitats of the animals. This is a great place to take any little ones and the staff are always very helpful and willing to show you how to maneuver through the zoo due to the construction going on.

Nice zoo but it's a bit challenging to find a parking spot if you are late.

Very nice zoo! The animals are actually mostly awake and making sounds and running around. I like the little ports for the children to peak in with the fish in the aquarium.

I remember when the zoo was free back in the days, then it went up a little, now the prices are just outrageous, you would think the food inside was reasonable prices but nope, it's expensive so make sure you take your own ice chest and drinks!!!! You can picnic at the park... It's beautiful outside the zoo also. Other then that, the zoo is very clean, organized and the animals are beautiful. Lots of walking...

I had fun, and I was not eaten by an animal. Overall, I think that is what one would expect. The zoo exhibits are a bit short on animal quantity, but the zoo itself was nice, with plenty of seating and shade.

Nice place to go there with the family. You will see various wild and domestic animals. Lots of birds as well. It was great to see how these animals have been taken care and they have been given enough space to feel at home and express their freedom . Basic quick bite food stalls are available there with decent amount of parking. It you don't go early you would have to search for aprking fo a long time. So just go there with family and enjoy a great time.

Beautiful day to go to the zoo. My son did not want to go back home.

Great place, however I would recommend going in the winter time, because 1. The parking is terrible during summer or spring, 2.honestly way to many people, those are actually the animals you'll see the most! 3. Even though you won't be able to see the bears, you still have a surplus of animals you can still see

It is a hugeeeee zoo with a ton of variety of animals. The kids loved getting their faced painted as well. They even have a petting zoo area and a splash pad. Only downside I would say is the parking. It is ridiculous. Takes about 30 minutes if you're lucky to find a spot. May have to park blocks away and just walk.

Spent time indoors in Natural Encounters and Reptile house. Good keeper talk!

My kids had a blast. They saw something completely different around every corner

Great zoo but parking is really limited. Better to get there early.

I didn't get to see everything when I visited but I loved seeing the shoebill and the sea lions! Though I was very concerned about the male tiger I saw: he was pacing excessively and looked very uncomfortable, even angry.

Very peaceful walks in the park on a Sunday. Gift shopping Price's are to HIGH need to be reasonable

The zoo lights were beautiful! Parking was easy to find and it wasn t too crowded when my husband and I went. The only reason I took a star away was that the first hot cocoa I had was super delicious but the second tasted old or weird, it just wasn t good and I couldn t finish it. Perhaps a silly thing to take a star away, but when hot cocoa is a part of the experience for me and my family it was pretty disappointing.

This place is great. It has a little aquarium inside with fishes and stuffs. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain when we were there so we didnt get to see big animals outside. Great place for kids and adults.

Great place for any occasion kids or no kids. Parking is tough during peak hours.

Good place to hang out at the zoo lights with friends and family

Great looking zoo. A little on the smaller side but lots of animals.

Went to the Zoo on a 70 degree day in Houston, that alone was a major plus. Saw a lot of beautiful and fascinating creatures. Only downside was the sealions and a few other animals we're not out to see.

Interactive and big! It's cool how they all have events, too. Also an eye opener, you learn a little about how you can make a big difference!

Zoo lights is a fun and awesome thing to do for kids and adults alike. The parking isn t the best because of the volume of people but it is a fun time and have really cool lights. A lot closer than Santa s wonderland too.

I also like the staff that hooked it up with some baileys and hot chocolate.. makes for the time go by and enjoy it just a little more. But that s just my opinion. Go check it out your self!

The Houston Zoo is a must have experience for anyone from or visiting the city. There are exhibits for all types of animals from primates, to aquatic life, to big cats, and more. The zoo is expansive and many of the animals are housed outside, but there are special buildings for the reptiles, aquarium, and even a walk through tropical bird area. It has many interactive areas like a giraffe feeding platform, a petting zoo, and a children's water park. The place is pricy in terms of things like food or sunblock so be well prepared as you can even bring a cooler full of food and drinks. The attractions are mostly included in the entrance fee, with only things like the giraffe feeding and carousel requiring extra payment, but the cost is reasonable and well worth it. There is a large problem with coming to the Zoo though and that's parking. You can either get there extremely early, fight for a space, or use the park and ride system. It costs $10 cash, but I highly recommend using the park and ride if you aren't arriving at or before opening time as it prevents a ton of frustration. This is a great experience to have and is possibly the biggest must see place for tourists in Houston.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Even though we went on a hot summer Saturday there is plenty of shade from the direct sun all through the zoo. The inside exhibits are placed in good places to give you a break from the heat. They have so many unique animals in addition to the regular zoo animals you expect to see. The sea lions and the tropical birds were my favorite exhibits. Overall Houston zoo is amazing!

Was disappointed to see Houston Zoo price sign. Children ages 2-11 cost of ticket is $15.00 and Adults ages 12+ cost of ticket is $19.00. How can they consider a 12-year old an adult. Why when it comes to money, our social standards change. Are they so disperate financially to act this way.

Me and my kids went to this zoo. has lot of kinds of animals. and easy to see and learn about.

very lovely place, clean, organized, itis amaizing, my kids and I love it very much

Only thing is they need a bigger parking lot but besides that it's an awesome zoo

Love that the money goes to a great cause. We stayed for 3 hours and had an amazing time.

My kids love it. There are a good variety of animals

This place is amazing. It is so much bigger than what it looks I'm the outside. Plenty of places to get drinks and rehydrate! The animals all look well cared for and happy. Grounds were clean too which was a nice change from most of Houston. I cant wait to go back and see their new additions!

Waw a some great experience the best my bby girl enjoy it at the best thanks everyone

It was a good time, not too busy but also most of the beverage and snack type shops were closed. They let you bring some drinks I'm not sure what all is allowed but we just had a couple eaters. I'm a sucker for the big cats and smaller primates but overall it's a pretty nice place and pretty clean. I'd take my family back on a later date maybe during peak season or something