The Philadelphia Zoo Reviews

I love zoos. My wife and I have visited the zoo in nearly every city we visited, and this is one of the best. We're particularly impressed with the zoo360 stuff, with them rotating animals between exhibits, and spotting monkeys in the treetop trail.

The entire place seems run down, quite a few of the exhibits were closed or lacking animals. Although it was a holiday, many of the concessions were closed yet we paid peak season prices. Very much overpriced compared to other large East coast City zoos. Very disappointed, wish I skipped it and did something else.

Have always brought my children here, loved it growing up. hopefully my kids' kids will also be coming here! (my grand kids in the future)

Pretty and cute animals and has very informative values in the creatures

Loved the LumiNature experience! We went later in the evening so we were able to enjoy and take pictures. We parked in the lot adjacent to the zoo. Anna the manager on duty was friendly and extremely helpful in assisting us when needed- she made our visit even better! She is awesome! Glad we got to visit while in town. Got to see a few animals, most of them were inside during LumiNature.

One of my favorite places!! I love spending a day here!!

A little expensive and the animals were not in 360 today but it was nice.

Fairmount Park is one of the most beautiful parks in the US. Very clean and breath taking views. Great trails where I end up near the Art Museum.

Love the zoo overall and during the cooler weather it's even better but a few issues that were experienced cause the zoo to lose a 5 star rating. First, there was only one food area open that could not handle the volume of all the guests. It was dirty at times and the employees weren't even wiping down the tables. Unacceptable to me especially when a dirty table was brought to their attention. The women who were working the front ticket counters looked mad anytime someone walked up and we're not friendly at all. Not a good first impression. The majority of employees for the record are friendly.

We went to Fairmount Park at 10.00 in the morning, and it was a five hour park real fun for us. Month of April is always the best time to go to Shofuso Japanese House; especially when the Japanese traditional Tea Preparation event is available on its list of events. To complete the extravaganza, the annual Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival (once a year only) is always held in the middle of April. Here we can see the unique Tamagawa Univ. Taiko Drum and Japanese Dance Performance. Sushi preparation was also shown and we can try to have it for free. Lots of lots of many kinds if foods available on this very specific date, such as beef & chicken satay, teriyaki and teppan yaki; cheese steaks. We also watched the samurai fight showcase (with wooden swords). The.children enjoyed the games where they could get gifts. So many people (I'd say hundreds, if not a thousand) attended this mid of April event. The $15 admission fee per person was definitely worth it.

This light show was disappointing, especially considering the price. The lights are nice, but nothing spectacular. I'm not sure why it's being referred to as a 'holiday light show' because the light show has no connection to Christmas or any other holiday. This light show could be held any time of year and it would not have to be changed. If you're looking for Christmas spirit or Holiday spirit, this light show is not it.

I love the zoo. I have a membership i love. This review is about the three women working at the Dairy Barn on june 9th 2018 at 12:30. My friends and I ordered a Sundae to split. The girls behind the counter mocked us and openly said "there's always one" while rolling their eyes. If they don't like their job, fire them. No one needs their attitude during a fun day out.

Had a great time good pictures loved hot air balloon

The baby giraffe is adorable. And the hippos are huge!

Enjoyed the show at the Mann music center. Saw Harry Potter prisoner... with the Philadelphia philharmonic orchestra doing the music...Great evening.

The Philadelphia Zoo is definately worth the money. With the amazing animals and unique environment, it is definately worth the visit if you are questioning. Some of the enclosures ars rather small and may sadden some people to see the animals looking cramped, but many of the enclosures have been redone to make it a much more enjoyable experience for both the animals and the observers. The mane wolf alone is a good reason to pay this zoo a visit! I have never seen an animal like it in my life. The other great thing about this zoo is theur aviary section. As a bird lover, it definatelu provided everything I wanted to see from the caretaking, to the staffs knowledge of the species.

It was a circus that I want to and I had a nice time it was the Universal Soul Circus

Super fun Halloween event called GLOW. Very low key and perfect for our 6 year old who is adverse to loud noises and large crowds.

Holy awesome zoo!!! We spent around 4 hours meandering through albeit backwards. Favorite spot was sitting with the gorillas. So beautiful and humbling chilling with them. Thanks Philly Zoo

Very peaceful and quiet place to hide from the noise in Philly.

Really good upgrades, haben't been for a while. We liked the walkways for the catz and monkeys. New otter display was awesome. Came back 3 times to see them running and swimming around. Had to drag my wife away from the gorilla display. We were bery disappointed that the polar bears had passed. But all didplays were very nice and a lot of staff around to explain and answer questions. We ended the day at the Watering Hole, everyone ordered cans of beer, but I ordered a draft beer, it was horrible ! I don't think they clean the beer lines. All else wS great, wanna come back when it's cooler.

Theres always something going on here, so it's a great place to bring your kids or yourselves. There are numerous special events and behind the scenes opportunities. The oldest zoo in America is also a conservation location for rare or endangered species, so there are creatures here that you truly won't see anywhere else. The zoo grounds are enormous, so you can plan an entire day for a visit without repeating yourself. Employees are everpresent, pleasant, kid friendly and knowledgeable. If you're more or less local to Philadelphia or planning multiple visits, membership is very worthwhile, as the cost for parking and entry can be a bit pricey.

Been to this zoo several times. It's always a great experience.

I've been coming here for over 4 decades, so this is not an easy review to write. How do you jam hundreds of visits worth of feedback into a short, readable review?

I'll start with it's America's first zoo and the feeling of tradition and heritage is not lost. Like most places in Philadelphia, the historical value alone is enough to make me want to come here. From the original John Penn mansion that you can occasionally tour, to craggly old oak trees that tower over you and take you out of the busy city, the places oozes history and has an endless supply of "fun facts". That said, it's not just an old place to learn about the past. The zoo is constantly evolving and introducing modern comforts like a beer garden and food truck courtyard. My most recent visit was for Luminature. The Zoo is adorned with holiday lighting and features a 5 minute light show every half hour. It's a wonderful place to just hang out and take in some nature. Speaking of nature, the Philadelphia Zoo could hold it's own against some of the most beautiful parks in the world. It's a word class garden where you can just stroll for hours and not even consider you're in a zoo...but you are!
Which brings me to the animals. It's understandable that people can be turned off by the thought of a zoo. Wild animals in cages with everyone staring at them. The Philadelphia Zoo is more than that. The breeding program directly benefits endangered species like orangutans, lemurs, and the Guam Kingfisher, to name a few. Everywhere you turn in the zoo, the message of conservation, environment, and human impact on the planet is made clear in fun and educational ways. Unlike some zoos, this zoo is not a prison, but a sanctuary for these animals that deserve a chance at survival. Zoo360 is a perfect example of this. It's a series of enclosed walkways that have been built all around the zoo that allows the animals to casually stroll the grounds. There's nothing like having a lounging tiger stare at you from a "catwalk" 10 feet above your head. It's breathtaking.
In closing, if you're questioning whether you should visit, don't! The Philadelphia Zoo is a national treasure, as far as I'm concerned.

Great time with family! Easy check in process and with membership, lots of great perks. Highly recommended!!

Laid out well, modernized since I was last there in 1980

Such a beautiful zoo, kids loved it!! The new otter exhibit is so fun to watch.

Always a great place. If we have nice weather during the fall or winter it's a great time to visit.

Never have anything new and is ashame to have them poor big tigers in them tiny glass things animal cruelty

It was an incredible experience .. my daughter and I had a lot of fun

Great place to bring my kids! The membership benefits are excellent!

I've been here a few times and so far it's been great!!! The zoo is a nice size with a good variety of animals.

There are a lot of new exhibits and places to visit. Even if you've been within the last few years you can go again and it's a totally different experience. This is a great place to spend the whole day with your family.

The outdoor concerts during the summer is the best feeling listening to the live band with the breeze under the trees lady b basement party,Kool n the Gang,neyo,maze and Frankie Bev and a few I forgot 2018

Baby chimp is ADORABLE! Worth the entire visit. Great for kids!

Love this zoo, prefer it better than the Bronx zoo, which nickles and dimes visitors.

i really miss the elephants but otherwise for a small zoo they have everything and even a play area for the kids

Nice zoo. Good presentation of animals. However it looks like they are reducing the variety and number of animals to make space for consessions.

Lots of new and renovated historic structures
Staff are very knowledgeable, personable, friendly, and caring.
Huge too for a city zoo, will take a least 2 or 3 times to do the whole thing.
You can bring a backpack with snacks and drinks for the little ones

Zoo has always been great. With new parking area eliminating much of the hassle! Great family day trip.

Fun place lots of animals great to take kids and whole family

The Philly Zoo is awesome. What a great place to take the kids and entire family for that matter. Very clean, friendly and knowledgeable staff and great animal exhibits. The cat tunnels are the best!!! And if you dare you can go up in the ballon ride!!!

The Philadelphia Zoo has never looked better! It would be hard to describe the excitement of both the zoo staff and it's visitors this morning. Spring was in the air, the sun was bright, kids were excited about the zoo keys, and a score of new food venues that looked truly appetizing had appeared. They seem to be taking things to another level. I hope it stays that way.

Everything was good. My husband bought the tickets online so it was pretty fast going inside. The parking was good it wasn't a long walk. We had an awesome time my son loved seeing the animals. But The food and drinks are very expensive. I suggest packing food and drinks if you plan on going.

Beautiful section of the park in spring for beautiful flowering trees in fall the foliage changing what can I say picturesque. If you're looking for a quiet place to get away with you lady away from all the hustle and bustle that comes along with life check it out

Many exhibits closed due to distancing precautions but a fun day for family all around.

Lovely new concept for enclosures. Loads of rare species.

I didn't feel incredibly comfortable walking into the zoo from their closest parking garage. I was approached several times for money and I also was witness to a hit and run accident directly in front of the zoo.

Polar bear exhibit was pretty and well maintained .

The giraffe exhibit is too small for them to run freely.
The grounds didn't seem that well maintained and could use some paint and power washing.

Friendly and Helpful Staff. Very clean and well kept environment

Very Entertaining and friendly animals to amuse yourself with

It has changed since I was last there. Seeing the animals in the tunnels above was awesome. Kids loved seeing animals. Can't wait to go back.

It's a small zoo, although well organized and we'll shaded.. well managed.

Amazing visit loved the ability to see all the animals. Easy 4 hr day but the more you want to spend with animals the longer your day can be. My whole family loved our visit and plan on doing it it again.