The Oregon Zoo Reviews

I would give it more stars but it is just so expensive. That is quite limiting for some of us.

Zoo lights is great! Santa was so nice, and had authentic holiday smiles. My 3 year old will always remember this =]

They are doing major renovations on everything so you see vert little

Traditional zoo that has a little grit and grime. The exhibits are challenging to see at times and I've been disappointed by lack of moral when it comes to tending to park goers. It shows in the animals.

Being said, I do love some of the activities that take place at this zoo. The lights during the winter is amazing and much fun! I've also devoured one too many elephant ears.

Lots of creatures... wish eagles had a larger exhibit... appreciated all the lights.. had really been looking forward to chimps.. not yet though... great expansion going on.. insects.. not overly impressed.. expensive food and drink prices... not overly crowded on a Sunday.. thanks for letting us in.. parking, affordable. (But small spaces)

Fair prices and a lot of fun. The elephants were amazing to see and the zoo does a good job of making it seem like you're very close to the animals. Saw everything in just under an hour so it's not too crazy of a commitment.

I've always loved the Oregon zoo since I was a kid. My bestfriend and I visited last September and it was alright. I felt like there were a lot of empty exhibits which was disappointing for the price you're paying

This is one of the best places in Portland. Everything in Washington Park rocks! My boyfriend & I just bought annual membership at a way better price than the normal admission (the cost of two adults going twice covers the whole year of unlimited visits for two adults + a guest).

My daughter & I have always had so much fun when we go.. Especially to see the bats (her favorite).

Love all the amenities the zoo has, can't wait to explore it even more!

Lots of elevation changes. Anyone w mobility problems it may be better to rent a wheel chair or scooter through the gift shop. Several attractions had no animals or were closed for construction.

Disappointed with everything being shut down at same time and no discounted admissions

Unfortunately they chose not to inform families that most of the animal attractions were closed.

Great place to take the family, especially the animal lovers in the and kids!!! They have lots of animals to see!! A cute 6 min. train ride through the zoo. Pics taken as you come in the zoo. Which you have options to buy. Lots of interactive things for kids to do and learn about the different animals. Lego land was at the zoo the day we went. Food is a bit expensive. Recommend you eat before entering. Cute little petting zoo area for those who want to touch the animals.

What makes the Oregon Zoo unique among zoos? Its done a beautiful job intergrating the native plant & animal life of Oregon into the zoo experience. Native flora is denoted with plaques and captions along trail routes. The elephant enclosure is the best I've seen. Some of the African animals could definitely be bigger (reason for a 4, not a 5).

Very good zoo, nice layout and a lot of interactive exhibits. Great for a day trip especially for a family.

It's the Zoo!! Didn't disappoint the kids. A little pricey but what isn't these days

Great time! Bought my 2 year old the fox hood in the gift shop. The lionesses were stalking him the whole time they could see him.

I like the northwest exhibit with the bears and eagles. I'm excited for when the polar bears come back

Cool zoo. Lots of animals that are cool to see. However, many of the vendors were not open and the train was not running yet at the time so we were not able to enjoy it 100%

Awful time. I appreciate that you are working to better animal conditions but don't charge full rate when half the exhibits were closed. Parking cost is ridiculous. No food or drink available at 10:30. Train ride was lousy. Do yourself a favor. Skip the zoo. Kids were disappointed, other parents were mad.

Beautiful. The exhibits were easy to find and made the trip with a toddler painless.

To many exhibits were closed. Rides and food open to late. Should open with the park.

Had a really great time at the Oregon Zoo. Lots of animals, a great layout and plenty of food and drink options.

Good old Portland Zoo. It's a good way to spend the day. I was surprised by how many things were broken or it of service though.

Good if you get the whole day in. 40.bucks for me and my daughter to go. Expensive but nice!

Another great place to take the kids. It'll be even better when construction is done.

Great place for wandering and letting kids run off energy. Take advantage of discount days and special events to get your money's worth. Small zoo for the cost, esp if you are bringing a family. Nearly $80 for a family of 4 and seeing everything only takes a couple hours. Petting zoo was open, but no animals available for petting. Hand washing station for the petting zoo closes in the winter time leaving only hand sanitizer available.

Fun and great atmosphere! I went for the zoo lights. I have been several years and I must say. I would encourage the zoo the design some new displays or update some of their current.

The Oregon zoo is awesome. The way they go above and beyond for the care of there animals is amazing!

It's plenty of zoo, clearly educationally & conservationaly oriented. Had a great day

Enjoyed seeing the baby elephant go through its routine.

Fun nice weather but alot under construction as always the train is kinda a disappointment now cause they dont know if repairs will ever be in place and doesnt go out to wash park no more otherwise everything else was fun and exciting as always...............thankz oregon zoo!

The Oregon Zoo is a place not only for the entertainment of kids, but also for the entertainment of adults. The exhibits were so informative and the kids get so into watching the animals perform. My 3 year old LOVED it there and never wanted to leave. If you re looking for something to do on a Saturday and can t figure out what to do, the Zoo is the place to go to!

A beautiful zoo with amazing staff who not only care about your experience, but they all clearly love the animals! Can't wait to go again!!!

Side note: about 40% of the zoo is currently under construction for upcoming exhibits in 2020- polar bears, black rhinos, and chimpanzees. These areas are fenced off and safe, but the construction can be loud.

Kiddos had fun. It was the younger one little bday and first time there he had a blast.

The animals are all fantastically cared for, healthy, happy, and their enclosures are natural and do a good job of mimicing native habitats. The elephants breeding program is the best in the country and rivals many worldwide. There are lots of resources and ideas for how to help environmentally near a lot of the exhibits. It's a great place for field trips, concerts, is ADA accessable, and super fun for adults as well!

Despite the crowds and the construction, a really nice zoo. They have a good flow setup so that you can see everything once without back-tracking.

Super fun with great access to restrooms and water, perfect for familes

Would really like to see better enclosures for the animals. Really happy about their go green services.

My wife had a emotional bond with one of the animals there, that grew as she worked there, we hadn't been for awhile and wanted to go see her favorite animals and introduce them to our son. The animals had passed as everything does, but they just put tarps over the exhibit with no sign. My wife asked some of the employees what had happened and they crassly told her it 'died' and proceeded to ignore her as she was in tears. Awful experience! Never going back

Only the grab and gos are open right now. No sit down dining such as the grills. None of the convenience stands were open. Just the coffee shop up front. We were just relying on grabbing food there. But it does have huge enclosures for the animals and the park is very clean. We will for sure come back.

So glad Oregon Zoo has teamed up with Kulture City! I'm constantly looking for places to take my children that are all inclusive and my kids love visiting the zoo. Would love to see more sensory events in the future!

I love the zoo but there is not a lot to see because of covid. It is a shame. I was disappointed.

Always under construction ever since I was a kid. (26) now. Animals are hit and miss due to always under construction. COVID has a lot of exhibits closed off. Prices still full ($50) for two adults, a two year old and a six year old. Make sure you see what you want because you can't go back around to see them because of one way walkways.

The Oregon Zoo is the best of its size in the country. One of my absolute favorite places to "staycation" in the city. From the minute you walk in and see the enormous mountain goat to the sea lions, otters, and the BIG CATS, it just keeps getting better and better. Proud that my tax dollars go to support this amazing institution.

After being closed for 4 months, the Oregon Zoo has reopened, with some modifications.
For starters, you need to make reservations, which you can do on their website. This staggers the number of visitors so everyone can be socially distant.
The Zoo has cleverly laid out a one-way trail that will allow you to see 90% of the zoo. Some indoor exhibits are closed.
Overall, the zoo is as beautiful as ever. And new attractions are coming in 2021.

Very cool zoo. It's got the feel of being in a little forest. During the holidays lights are put up. The evening visit is best, the lights will be lit. Any time after 5pm is great for the Christmas lights. Parking cost $ not free but hopefully that goes to the zoo up keep. Would highly recommend this zoo for families. Oh yeah also they have a little train the runs it's $4/ticket very cool.

Zoo lights is great, but parking on weekends or weekdays near Christmas is horrible, so either arrive early or be prepared to park in the overflow lot. Today (Saturday, Dec 16) the main lot was filled by 4:30. Three days ago, at 4:15, the main lot was about half full.

The train ride is fun, but fairly short. We prefer the steam locomotive pictured in this review.

The elephant house is a nice place to warm up a bit, about half way through the lights.

We love the Oregon Zoo! We just renewed our membership for the third year in a row, and are excited to be able to visit anytime we want! Members also get great benefits, including discounts on food when visiting, early access to concert and event tickets, free entry to Zoo Lights, discounted rides on the train and carousel, and more! After two visits to the zoo, the membership pays for itself, so it's definitely worth it.

The zoo itself is always such a great experience, with interactive exhibits and activities throughout the day, a very smart and well thought out map, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and lots to do for kids of all ages.

Another thing we love is that we can visit even when it is raining, which is all too common in the PNW. Many of the exhibits are covered, indoors, or setup in a way that a little rain won't ruin your trip to the zoo!

Be prepared to pay for parking, but it isn't too expensive, and you can even use your phone to add time to your parking if you're having a blast and not ready to leave!

We love this zoo, and are excited to enjoy another year as members!

It is on the smaller side but you feel closer to nature. The trails are mostly lined with greenery and air feels fresher. Hubs and I finished it in two hours in a semi slow walk pace. There is a train station right outside the zoo gate that will bring you to downtown and vice versa.

Small zoo. Exhibit look cramped for animals but none looking like they were suffering.

Lions, tigers, and bears..oh my!
Where are they?
The Oregon Zoo is engaging in a few major upgrades to habitats. In the mean time it's still a great walk. I just miss it a bit. I think the Zoo could step up their game. No pun intended.
Get creative. Ticket prices high and for what? Conservation. Saving a species. All for it. Just let us patents help bring folks in and not walking away starving and like huh?

This is my favorite zoo. The trees and walkways are beautiful. Interesting animals and educational activities that keeps the kids intrigued.

Slightly disappointed with my experience. $18 per person and half the place was under construction and blocked off. It was hard to see a lot of the animals due to overgrown vegetation and viewing areas that were only about 5 feet wide. The place was busy so everyone was crowded in at all the open exhibits.

They were also setting up extensive set pieces for a movie they were filming on the Monday I visited.

They've put a lot of work into the elephant area but other areas of the zoo were just dirt and gravel, like around the carousel. Would be nice if they put a little more love into the other areas as well.

This zoo is a huge part of my childhood. 20 years ago when I was an elementary school student I had very fond memories of this zoo, and remember it having many more animals and elaborate displays. I miss the polar bears, monkeys, a big snake exhibits from back then. Maybe when the construction is complete, the visit will be worth the cost. Looks like that will be sometime in 2019.

Best zoo I have ever been to. Clean, well maintained and lots to look at.

It really is a nice zoo. Plenty of places to eat, restrooms and shade if you happen to go in the summer. Kids love the carousel and are free with an adult fare of $3 if under 48 inches tall. Very friendly staff.

One of my top #1 best places in oregon to see if you are a tourists!

Amazing zoo, I've been to LA Zoo which sucks, and I've been to San Diego Zoo which is amazing, and the Wild Animal park right next to it is awesome as well, but this zoo is a must and well worth the admission

Awesome place for kids to enjoy all the animals they get to read in books.