The Oregon Zoo Reviews

Great zoo. Lots to see! Went during a lot of construction though, lots of exhibits shut down to prepare for new ones. Still had a great time, definitely easy to spend a few hours there unlike other zoos I've been to.

We would at the start a cold and most of the exhibit are shut down but that's no excuse to give anything a bad review ZooLights was cool though

Was a great day. Not so busy or too hot. Lots of active animals. In the morning.

This is one of the better zoos that we've been to. Had a great time.

Beautiful lights but bitterly cold and no animals insight except aquarium animals and the new elephant enclosure which was bittersweet since Lily the baby elephant passed away all the elephants still look sad...

I'm not a huge fan of captive animals kept for our pleasure--but the Oregon Zoo is a cut above most other zoos. The railroad that runs through the park and the very pleasant employees along with the annual zoo lights festival bump my review to this place up to 5 stars. And you can easily take Max (public transportation) here and to the Children's Museum right next door!

This zoo was wonderful- animal habitats were nice and spacious and all the areas were super informative and engaging! I'll have to come back when all the new exhibits are open next year!

I ve been a member at this Zoo for years, and I will keep coming back for as long as I live here! They are constantly striving to improve the environment, especially for the animals. It s a treat to come here during all the different seasons of the year!

Its over priced for what they have. Half the animal exhibits were closed or didnt have animals in them. My kids were really disappointed that there really wasnt a petting zoo. Also many of the snack places were closed, the bird show never changes. Seems like the zoo is better to just go see concerts at rather than the actual zoo.

The most natural zoo I have ever experienced. Great experience even during Covid.

Very friendly vibe great for kids. Wish it was bigger

Elephants were awesome, but we found it hard to get around because the map and path signs were confusing.

Not impressed! They make you register in the office if you have a service dog. It's a pain and actually not legal. Areas are off limits to service dogs because they are perceived as "natural prey". I've heard of more people being killed by Lions in Africa than Labrador Retrievers, and not sure how many labs are naturally found in Africa. The problem is with fake service animals and possibly faulty securement of zoo animals. The zoo requires you to pass through some areas fast. They have obviously never tried to push through a large crowd in wheelchair. You miss more than half of the zoo with their ridiculous restrictions. We have a disabled child with an actual service dog. He is not a pet with a vest.

Our great zoo in Portland constantly has new things to see: zoo lights, concerts, new exhibits, and good pricing options.

Parking is sometimes a pain but they do have an overflow shuttle.

Love the zoo, super expensive though. Glad we have a membership! It pays for itself!

I always enjoy the zoo, I am a member there so I go frequently and my kid loves the shows, especially the one where they take some of the birds out to fly. I wish the member discount was a little bit better, but it's still nice to get a little bit off all of the stands and eateries. The setup is done really well, for a lot of the animals that are typically harder to see such as tigers, they have a little Nest setup with a window so you can see them even when they're sleeping. They also have a petting zoo with goats and a train that is fun for kids of all ages.

Well done exhibits. Great zoo. Many parts are under renovation but still worth the visit

Had a lot of fun here. They had a lot of active animals and a really pretty pathway around the zoo. My only complaint would be that there was a lot of construction going on to several of the animal houses, we missed a lot for the same price, but it was still very nice.

A lot of fun for the whole family,train ride, ,that was epic,elephants,lions,

Lots of construction, which will be great when the new habitats are done, but kinda lame now.

Always so much fun no matter your age. Would recommend a zoo membership to anyone who goes more than a couple times a year as it will save you lots of money. Only draw back right now is the zoo train to Washington park is still closed and they really need to reopen it soon.

Great place for a family outing! Prices are a bit extreme for food, drinks, ect. Overall a great place to view the scenery and animals!

The Oregon Zoon is shifting focus from a large variety of animals to fewer variety with better and larger habitat enclosures. The new substantially expanded elephant exhibit it a dramatic shift in that direction.

Great way to spend an afternoon. Elephant area is huge and the staff is very knowledgeable

I have been a zip member for my adult life and based on the yearly vs. Daily ticket office's its a HUGE savings if you go with family. RIP Lilly the Elephant.

What a great zoo! Half the time I barely could tell I was in a zoo. The way the paths are made makes it seem like a very natural environment. The food was very overpriced so bring your own. The elephant enclosure was awesome and massive. They obviously take very good care of their animals. If you are in town with a family or by yourself this is a great place to go!

A well run zoo, clean restrooms, lots of places to get good street food, plus lots of activities related to conservation efforts

To much closed or not in use. I think i'll wait another 10 years before going back. They should reduce the fees for all the exhibit closures and construction

Fun to go on a field trip with kids. The lion feeding is a must-see but go there at around 30 minutes early to have a seat just in case since it is a popular event.

The Oregon Zoo is great! Just wish more of the animals were in their pens in view of the public. It seemed as if 1/3 of the pens were empty.

Most of points closed over winter... I would recommend visits during summer time...

We drove down for the day. Totally worth the drive! As soon as we got to the exit we saw the parking lot was full and to take a different exit. Panic set in. Not only did we get free parking but they offered shuttle service with buses, strollers and all. There were so many operating it was a short wait. Awesome service!

The zoo itself was awesome. Most zoos you walk miles between animals and wait for crowds. The layout of this zoo is amazing. There's always something to see along the trail, no crazy back and forth dead ends, the animals have bigger and more beautiful habitats then we're used to seeing so that made us happy. We did buy the frozen fruit ice cream, it was delicious! We took the train ride, I heard mixed reviews on it. It was short but it's not a kid thing than for adults so I wouldn't say it was awful, they plan on expanding it I believe.

My favorite was giraffes. I'm obsessed, and they had two kinds together with other animals. So so happy! We plan to make this an annual summer trip with all the additions coming. This zoo was amazing, you can tell they really care about the animals and their needs just by the quality and space of habitats, their elephant enclosure was at least 5 times bigger than ours! So disappointed in our zoo now.

We love going to the zoo!! Always a good time for both adults and little ones!!

Customer service is severely lacking at the zoo.

It might be due to understaffing or not having a proper admittance process.

Went later on in the day and most of the animals were sleeping. Still lots to do and see.

Great place to visit if you love zoos or are visiting the city of Portland, OR.

Great zoo we saw a lot of the animal. Out of the cages. That's the best to actually see most animals out roaming around

A truly excellent Zoo where you feel the animals are well cared for and accessible. There is more to see than what you can do in one visit. They are continually investing in the property. If there is one area they need help with is in the food and rest activities.

We were here for the zoo lights at Christmas time. We had a great time. The lights were truly well done.

Spendy at almost twenty bucks a person but overall satisfying and fun. Elephants and bird show were the best parts in my opinion.

Zoo lights were Awesome, Every body enjoyed themselves.

This is a great zoo. All the animals seem to be peaceful and well kept. The grounds are clean and the restrooms are tidy!

Everything was nice but most of the Zoo was closed for construction. Overall experience was great and the animals looked well kept.

We had a lot of fun we got to see a lot of animals. The kids really liked seeing The penguins swim and Waddle around. They also Took to The otters quite well since they were doing lots of tricks.They had little stands that you could buy food and drink sat throughout the zoo

They had this souvenir cup that you could buy for $5.00. After you pay full price for the cup you can get refills for $1.00. Every time you bring your special souvenir cup in. They have delicious elephant ears to. Say put on Different shows throughout the day. The shows are free to attend after you pay to get into the. On certain days you can go to the section that is filled with little tiny birds. You can pay a small fee for some bird food and you can feed it to the birds. Sometimes the birds will land on your shoulder on your hand.

They have restrooms located towards the center of the zoo. They're kept In good Shape.

When you 1st enter the zoo there is a huge store where you can buy different sorts of plushes for your children. If you buy a toy and notice a defect on it later On that day you're allowed to come in and exchange it. Make sure you bring your receipt.

My child bought a toy Penguin that you squeezed and he was really soft. His head popped off After he squeezed it 3 times due to no fault of my child. The head was just simply too large for the size of the body and when he squeezed the body it cause the head to the To detach. When I went into the store and explain What happened they offered me a new one. And when I explain I didn't want to exchange it for the same item Because I feared the exact same thing would happen. they let me swap it out for it item of equal value.

There's plenty of animals to see and they look like they're treated her well. We usually buy the year passes for the zoo. If you visit the zoo 4 or more times within that year the pass pays for itself.

Amazing Zoo, we took my daughter and her friends. They had a great time, so did I.

The zoo is such an amazing experience. The animals are very happy and well taken care of. This has to be one of the best zoos I've ever seen!

It's a great zoo, but there is a lot of construction right now. Many exhibits are closed. If you are choosing between activities in Portland, or trying to plan a trip, you might want to wait until the new exhibits open (summer 2020). The already completed elephant habitat is great, and promises good things to come!

Went on community free day November 19th and had fun. Really miss the polar bear exhibit that was there a few years ago but they have a lot of animals to see. I learned that the animals are more out and about in the fall and winter months and avoid the summer heat. So to see them at their most active, go in the fall.

I loved it here and the whole family had a blast. Its awesome to see how great they are taking care of the animals. They are constantly expanding something or working on a new animal project. This zoo is worth the drive and is never a dissapointment. There is plenty to see, the only downside is the zoo rail is much smaller than it used to be.

Coming from tacoma, this hands down 100% better tha. The Pointe defiance zoo in tacoma!!! I would drive all the way to Portland again just to go.

One of the best zoo's you can visit! Friendly staff, great prices, and of course awesome scenery. If you get a chance to be here during the holidays zoo lights is a must see!

Wonderful place to take the family my son had a great time.

Loved it! Went on one of the hottest days, so many of the big game animals were hiding in the shade, and the other half of the Serengeti display was under construction. Thankfully my kids are only 2 and 4 so they loved it all. They really loved the elephants, mingo's (flamingos), and giraffes. My son loved the black bears and the baby mountain goat.

Must also go to the children's museum that is on the other side of the parking lot. Closest to lot A. Ages 2 to 5 will love it and plan on spending 2 hours there alone.

We really like this Zoo compared to the zoo in Seattle (woodland). This zoo had easy parking right ar the front gate. The walking paths were large and kept very clean. They had a lot of beautiful landscape. This Zoo is for all ages.

Great place, only real issue, parking is horrible, if zoo busy at all absolutely not enough parking.

Absolutely love taking my Daughter here!! Very big place but maps everywhere so you don t get lost and they give you one when you pay. Food and drinks are a bit pricey but I didn t go there for the food. I was sad that a couple of the exhibits where under construction and also that giraffe was not out.

Clean updated but should have free handicap use strollers or wagons for long periods of walking my daughter had a hard time due to medicine for her cancer and when she needed a stroller it was really expensive and members dont get a discount on rentals.

Great place to spend the day looking at all the animals and beautiful scenery

It is apparent a great deal of thought has gone into creating habitats for resident animals. The grounds are beautiful! I can't wait to see the new Polar and Primate exhibits when they are complete. Educational presentations are held at the various exhibits throughout the day. There are many options for food, a carosal for children and, of course, the Zoo train for everyone!

Really unique displays despite half of the zoo being under construction.

Had an amazing day even though it rained a little the paths has been de-iced which was a big plus! Some animals were out and about. I'm excited for the new exhibits coming in 2020. Elephants, polar bears etc. Should be fun!

It's ok I'm not a zoo fan but it was fun to go to in a long while

My son is just over 2 years old and loves animals and trains. This was a great adventure and we had a wonderful time as a family. Very friendly staff and lots of animals to see, the train ride was very short but none the less my son loved it. He rode the carosel twice (good amount of ride time). We will definitely be going back in the near future and very excited to experience zoo lights for the first time this winter.

Two words: loved it. What a zoo. It was one of the best days ever. Although it was winter and cold, we were able to see almost all of the animals. The tickets were only $10 and the whole thing took about 3 hours . One of the ones was the rhino. it was my first time seeing one and it was just perfect. Loved every minute of my time here and it was money well spent

Zoo lights was nice but I think that the price is a little high for what you get. Since it's at night, you can't see any of the animals. So all you see is the lights and they are good but not amazing.

Nice zoo and worth a visit unfortunately the polar bear and rhino were not there when I went due to construction until 2021. Lions, tigers, elephants, chimps, eagles, giraffes, cheetahs cougars and a black bear to see here. If your living in or visiting Portland it's worth a visit.