Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Reviews

Family Vacation and everyone loved it! Ride on scooters for the grandparents. Plenty of running and playing for the little kids. And interesting facts for the older kids. Overall great trip!

Beautiful day at the Zoo. Great place for a walk with the animals!

Even though we're not from Pittsburgh we often camp in the area and visit family. We made it a point to join as members because this zoo is great! Everything is a good distance away so you can get your steps. The giraffe you can get close enough to feed and we saw bathing elephants in water (not being hosed down). Food is pretty good with a few different places to eat and reasonably priced. We've seen something new each time we've went and we've gone 3 times in one year! Highly recommended for families!

We really appreciate that this is still a place we can go to during this time of COVID.

However, I do wish that they would work a little harder at reminding customers to utilize their masks when indoors or in crowds. We had two separate incidents where this really could have been addressed by their staff. Once in the aquarium where a group of men were walking through without any masks and once when there was a crowd around the sea lions at feeding time with a staff member right there.

Like most parts of pittsburgh a lot of hills, so prepare for that. The aquarium areas were excellent, watching polar bears swim over us and different species of fish. Our entire family enjoyed the experience. My children loved the little log water ride. A bit expensive but worth it for a day trip.

12/02 Perfect weather not too crowded wear comfortable shoes.

Needs a thorough cleaning especially in the bathrooms. Also, exhibits close too early. Need more time slots for animal encounters. Also missing the fun they had when I was a kid: peacocks, snakes and iguanas, kangaroos and deer, and other animals to pet or take pics with.

Very clean, nice , cheap prices, very informant!! I personally feel bad for the caged animals and , feel guilty every time I go!! But I love to be able to see all of them in one place!! They gorgeous the park is gorgeous!! Nice place to get a lot of home grown good old fashion exercise!! Train available for the handicap accessible!! Which gets you as up close and personal as is safely can!! It can be used by every one not just the handicap!! Very nice place over all

I enjoyed this zoo very much. A good variety of animals to see. Nice shady paths to walk. With a heart problem I rented a scooter. Thank goodness I did, there was alot of up and down paths. All employees were nice and friendly. The aquarium was better then expected. My favorite was the polar bear. Will return again.

We love the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. This is our second year being members. We can go for a few hours or spend the whole day there. You are allowed to take your own snacks and food, or enjoy food from the food court or snack stands there. There are plenty of seating options, from tables where you are able to watch the giraffes and zebras, to a large outdoor patio, as well as seating inside. There are a few play areas for children along with a petting zoo. The zoo offers many special events throughout the year from zoo camps for kids to over 21 nights. They have member only nights where there are special activities for kids. My little one loves the information shows where he is able too pet some of the animals following the show. So many up close experiences.

The Zoo is always a good experience. It's fun and educational. Parking was easy, too.

The drive thru zoofari was amazing! Very organized and everyone was so friendly. Thank you Pgh zoo for giving us the opportunity to go to the zoo in this way. We missed you guys. We can't wait till the zoo opens in full capacity. It's one of our favorite things to do.

Perfect. Even for a 93 deg day. The water spray by the aquarium was just what was needed.

I was a little disappointed with the zoo it was pretty small. They don t have any animals compared to other zoos I ve been to. I felt like the animals don t have a lot of space from what I could see. Some of the animals they did have were either asleep or not there at the time we passed their enclosure. I really wanted to see the Polar bear but he wasn t there. The one tiger at the zoo was beautiful and the Red Pandas were really cute.

We went during the week, while it was t crowded which was nice, everything in the zoo was closed. Even the carousel was closed and that's all my 6 yr old wanted to do. The elephants were my favorite! Beautiful animals.

Always fun and interesting, especially the aquarium.

The zoo lights were a little pricey even as a member. They were nice but for 30 minutes not alot to offer for $60 and 40 if you have a membership.

Who doesn't love the zoo? The animals have been lively the last few times we've gone. Its only $10 for the family to take a pic with an elephant and pet it! I really appreciate their $5 kiosk upon exit - everyone can get a piece of the zoo to take home. A membership was a wonderful investment.

Great Zoo! My family loves it! It doesn't seem big from the outside as you don't see much, but being that it borders a neighborhood it's pretty sizeable. Great clean facilities, easy paved trails for strollers, and seemingly happy animals. We went frequently and will continue to!

I really enjoyed going here. They have lot of animals on display. I wish their aquarium had some more bigger fish like sharks and whales. Definitely a go to place for families with kids. Do check their website for aninals off exhibit. I didn't see a lion since it was off exhibit. Love for them to have more food options available, especially vegetarian.

I LOVE it. My grandson had such a wonderful time seeing the different animals. It was wonderful to see his face light up in amazement.

We went on a Saturday afternoon and felt very uncomfortable with the COVID precautions that were being taken. Many visitors were not wearing a mask at all (not even tucked under their chin) and zoo staff once inside the park were not enforcing masks, social distancing, etc at all. I felt very uncomfortable being there, and did not enter any of the indoor exhibits like the aquarium or monkey house out of concern for COVID exposure.

This is really nice zoo some of the wildlife animals where not there but the price of admission was really good to get in

Wonderful experience you will learn a lot about sea creatures

Rather sad zoo... Extremely small enclosures for some of the animals. If you don't have the room, don't get more animals. Love zoos (the only reason it's two stars) but heartbreaking to see some of the animals. The photo attached was a small circle of dirt, then urine and mud, then rock... It's the view at lunch.

Come on guys, the animals quality of life depends on you.

A sad zoo honestly. Most animals were in enclosures by themselves and appeared depressed. The tigers and elephants were pacing back and forth which is a sign of boredom and can lead to emotional distress on the animal, causing them to basically go crazy. Most exhibits were sad and small and the orangutan enclosure was straight up depressing. I'd hate to live here for the rest of my days if I were one of them. Not to mention, the place was gross and the indoor places smelled like human pee for some reason??

Kids love seeing all the animals everytime we are here. The aquarium is amazing as well!

I really like the layout of the zoo. As you stroll through the zoo, various exhibits come into view. There are also places in the zoo where you can see multiple exhibits.

Love the Zoo it's got the best animals I love animals more than people

Don't let the size mislead you. There is plenty to see. I've never been as close to a giraffe before until now.

Amazing zoo. Beautiful exhibits, animals seem well taken care of, yummy food, great place for children. The aquarium is large and great way to cool off from the heat.

Spent yesterday at the Pittsburgh Zoo with family from out-of-town. To get from the parking lot to the zoo you must take a very long and steep escalator (or elevator), to get to the plateau where the zoo is located. Once there the paths to the exhibits can be sloping as it winds the "not flat" terrain. This is fine as long as you know you will be getting a level of exercise with you zoo experience. The Pittsburgh Zoo has lots of animals in well-thought habitats. I really like zoo photography and especially loved photographing the cheetahs and Amur Leopards. The Aquarium is large and very well done. Great Zoo staff.

This was my first trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo and my family and I had a fabulous time! I had no idea they had an aquarium at the end, how wonderful. We were able to capture so many great photos and the memories of this amazing day will be etched in our minds for quite some time. We had lunch at Jambo Grill (near giraffe exhibit) & you can overlook the mini savanna while dining. It s cafeteria style. The prices were SUPER reasonable & the food was fine. Lots of great photo opportunities all thru!! Definitely reserve a day for the visit - well worth it!

I love this place. a childhood favorite of mine. everybody working there is so so nice.

The place had an amazing aquarium. The penguins are adorable, and the fish in one of the ponds all gather up to see people and beg for food. Reminds me of my dog.

A family favorite. There are 2 parts to the zoo. It's a lot to do in one day. We like to ride the tram to the top of one side and take our time on that side. Then the next time we visit the other side. The tram is worth it but make sure you get your band at the gift shop area when you first get there.

Decent zoo, but you were far away from a lot of the animals. The layout also made it tough if you wanted to go back and revisit an animal without walking through the entire zoo again. I also did not like having to use escalator/elevator to enter and leave the zoo. There was a long line with people like us who had strollers. Our kids enjoyed the zoo though.

Could use updating or cleaned toledo so much better

Good variety of animals, and great habitats that allow them too be seen from most parts of the viewing area, something often overlooked by zoos. I wish it were a little easier to get around, however. Because parts of the zoo are built on large loops, missing one branch of the zoo on the way around will force you to backtrack quite a ways in order to cover everything. However, I was able to see just about every exhibit in the span of 3.5 or so hours, so it's very doable in a single afternoon. One major issue is the parking situation. If you close-out the zoo, which I was unfortunate enough to do, expect to wait anywhere from 25 min-1 hour to get out of the parking lot.

We live an hour north of the zoo, but we have a family membership, so we try to get down as often as possible. The zoo is best during mid-late autumn or mid-spring when's the temperature is between 50 and 70. The animals seem to be more active.

It's changed quite a bit since the last time I've been there. We didn't get to see a lot if the animals. I like the new layout and i think is smart to add something fun like zip lines. But where are the bears

The Most wonderful event experience with the Red Pandas. The informative fun facts by HENRY were interesting, Terri was so friendly,both completely made us feel welcome. We fed the delightful Red Pandas, interaction was awesome. Highly recommend this. Great day,so worth it!!

Had a wonderful time! Dino exhibit was life like and a real treat! Clean exhibits, friendly staff...can't wait to return!

We came to the zoo for the penguin parade. And the admission was free! The event began at 11:30, as we peacefully watched the penguins skipping down and up the slope, it is a great experience for your family. I would recommend, if you would like to come to this event, to first, wear warm clothing, it is cold, and bring tissues, and second, get a good place near the aquarium exit or entrance, doing so will require you to come early, about 30 minutes earlier. Overall, this is a great zoo, with lively animals that will excite you! I found a super cool clam. I hope when you come you have a good experience, have fun!

Loved it! All the animal exhibits were fairly close and we got to see so many things. Very easy to navigate the exhibits/grounds. Really enjoyable way to spend an afternoon with my little one.

Very big zoo! We didn't get to finish the tour because place is so big.. Very family friendly place, clean and well looked after. I especially loved the dinosaur exhibit. Definitely recommend for family day out.

Love the animals! Very clean, nice staff. Easy to get to. Good for handicap people.

loved the setups and atmosphere there and employees were all really nice. animals on display look to be cared for really well at this zoo.

A well maintained park and widely diverse number of animals makes this zoo a blast to visit any time. With a variety of events throughout the year you can plan on a simple visit or adding to the fun with one of their events or experiences.

Went on a weekday afternoon every was wearing masks lion exhibit was closed but all the other animals were out.

Admission is decently priced and was speedy. There were a lot of animals out for how cold it was. The aquarium was nice and warm and had what I wanted in the gift shop. We went to see the Penguin March, and we were not disappointed. The down escalator is still broke down and the elevator door started shaking while we were leaving. (It made me a little anxious.)

Top notch zoo.. So much stuff to see and plenty of information to educate.. plus, military and veterans get in free.

Love the Pittsburgh zoo. Best to go when temps are not too high. Be prepared to walk a lot. I hadn't been to the zoo in quite a while. Nice to return for a day with family. Food was better than I remember. Overall fun experience.

Welcome to Pittsburgh, home of MANY steep hills. Aside from that it was decent. I was just a little disappointed with the aquarium. To me it came off with a feel like it was added as an afterthought. Many animals very lethargic or some seemed nervous literally going around in circles. Which to an extent is to be expected. So overall it was pretty good. Another perk, we didn't go or use it, but 1/2 thru, there is a food court and spray mist stations. REALLY nice on a hot day and convenient for grabbing lunch (tho remember you're in a tourist trap, expect to pay $4 for a small drink.)

I went to the Pittsburgh Zoo last year all the habitats for the animals where nice. It was easy to get to by city bus the bus dropped off right in front of the zoo. The aquarium at the Pittsburgh Zoo was nice and had a lot of aquatic animals ive never seen before. The tropical forest building had nice exhibit for the primates at the zoo. The Gorillas had a niice outdoor and indoor habitat. Over all will go the pittsburgh zoo.

The animals were comfortable and friendly, and their habitats well kept. The aquarium has lots of various sea life, including more than just fish.

Nice experience even heat waves and Covid restrictions can't push it down.
It's great to mix up aquarium and Zoo together.
Overall it's not big place but very cozy. They have a lot of big spices like giraffes, elephants, tigers, gorillas and even polar bear!
In the aquarium they have small shark exibitions.
Sad that Jumbo restaurant was closed and your can just order online and pick up.
Take a lot of water or be ready to buy $4 bottle and enjoy!

Even though there was a lot of people it really wasn't crowded. It's not expensive either.

My family had an excellent visit today! We were very pleased with the mask usage and the availability of hand sanitizer. We saw so many animals we had not seen before! Wonderful experience!

Next to no animals not like it was years ago they definitely need more

I was weary because it was almost $75 for 4 people. After over 4 hours, 4 miles walked, and 10000+ steps I am happy to say it is definitely worth the price. Be prepared to walk, A LOT. The enclosures are up close and personal. Animals were very active. Food needs to be ordered ahead of time which we passed up on. Sorry, but $37 for a pizza is too much, even for zoo pricing. Souvenir cups are available to purchase for $5 and are cute. Otherwise you pay $4 for a medium sized soda with no lid or straw.
We are from NY and were in Pa for the weekend. Definitely was a nice side trip for us.

Great zoo ,great aquarium , good price. Few things are closed due to coronavirus.

The zoo is a wonderful place with so many awesome animals and fun facts. On crowded days it's a bit unbearable. I love the new editions they are making with The Islands and I hope they continue to build up the zoo.

Our "hometown" big city zoo. We love the animals and the aquarium. They try to provide hand sanitizer around every corner.

Nice layout, animals look healthy. Didn't see lions, polar bear, nor wolves!

Great Zoo and aquarium. Lots of inclines and exhibits

I haven t been to the Pittsburgh Zoo since I was a kid, I just decided to go back and enjoy a day out with my family during these crazy COVID times. It was a blast and the animals seemed to be enjoying their time! I was really impressed by the aquarium as well. They have a decent number of food options at the food court area and plenty of fun things to do for kids. I would definitely recommend going here, especially during these times!

Nice zoo we went late so didn't get to enjoy aquarium. Love there are multiple views and pic opportunities for each animal!

It's not a bad zoo. It just needs some more of the continuing improvements.

Its a really fun zoo to visit. Parking is a breeze. The exhibits are well maintained and all of the animals seem healthy. There s always some kind of construction or renovations happening which can be a little frustrating. Zoo brew was an absolute joy to attend as well.

The zoo itself is great and I really like being able to see all the animals for something to do right now however they advertise that the park has been under 50% capacity but when we went there it was as busy as ever. also over half the people we encountered either took their masks off immediately after entering or were wearing them incorrectly.

The Pittsburgh zoo was pretty nice. It was low 70's and rainy when we went but most of the animals were out and active. The zoo is very clean and well kept. Not sure if I would visit again but it was nice to visit one time.

This is my favorite spot in the park. I get such clarity here. Get out and take a walk, your mind and body will thank you!

Great zoo, very hilly, get motorized cart if you are older or cannot walk up hills all day. Aquarium is a great feature to add to the zoo. Would defiantly go again. Going in the winter makes you feel you have the whole zoo to yourself only a few animals aren't there but you can enjoy the rest

Very hard to see a lot of the animals in the newer animal friendly enclosures and it is better to go in the late afternoon they come out to be fed. But still a great place to take the family and have wonderful photos from all the trips.

This was my first time there. What a great little zoo! Got there when they opened, so not crowded and cool out still. Lots of the animals were out and about. A very pleasurable day! :-)

At the food venues, all tables were visibly dirty. We sat for almost half hour and not one table was cleaned between guests. Most visitors didn't wear masks throughout the park, yet crowded around the animal displays, touching everything as evidenced by the hundreds of handprints on the enclosures' windows. Social distancing and sanitary cleaning measures were not evident on this day. The only reason I'm rating 3 stars is that my family loved the zebras. (Sorry, inside joke. They don't have zebras).

It's a fun zoo to visit, I would definitely recommend if you need something to do and need a place to walk around. The elephants are beautiful and the giraffe loves to be in photos.

Great place for kids to get out and run. Amazing play area and great exhibits! I enjoyed it a bunch with my family!

Love the zoo. The leopard seemed very stressed, but overall a fun day. I went in a manual wheelchair and with a companion to help with the particularly steep hills its was fairly accessible.

I love the Pittsburgh Zoo! Great staff, great animals... you'll always have an all around super day anytime you visit the zoo and PPG aquarium.

Clean and friendly zoo. Would recommend this for a fun day.

First time I visited the zoo in over 10 years. Wow! Things have changed and it is better than ever. Had a great time and will visit again!

Great place even though some areas are under construction