Reviews of Gladys Porter Zoo (Tourist Attraction)

Marilyn Brodeur

Adding my 5 star review. What a fabulous zoo. YOU CAN FEED GIRAFEES HERE!!! The monkeys were all very active, the staff were all very engaging with my curious kids. We also loved the splash pad and the playground. It's very smartly placed halfway through the zoo. A very enjoyable day.

Raymundo Mendoza

Amazing place to be and look at animals and feed the animals and touch them too

knowl richardson

My wife and I had a great time, we went early on a weekday so we had the whole place to ourselves. Most, if not all of the food vendors were closed so I cant speak to any of that. We really enjoyed seeing the variety of animals, especially being able to pet the manta rays. They were so friendly, they instantly swam up to you once they saw your hand near the water. Overall we had a great experience.

Rey Ramirez

Very awesome day. Always a fun time here with the family

Samantha Olvera

Really nice zoo! I used to come when i was younger almost every year amd towards the end it was very uncared for. I went for the first time in years and it is so much better! There is many exhibits so I recommend to seperate a couple of hours at least. This isnt a zoo that you can rush through. And bring comfy shoes since it's a lot of walking. Amazing overall!!

Ryan Schwitzer

Great zoo. Other than looking at animals, you pay extra for any feeding or exhibits. Just a small bait and switch to get people in the door. Overall, the zoo is very well put together and staff are friendly. Lots of animals and excellent vegetation.

Michelle K

This is such a hidden gem in Texas. I had not been in 15 years, but had fond memories of the reptile house. We love our visit in April and have made plans to visit again in the winter.

Joe Deleon

Amazing the reptile section was beyond cool had all types of lizards monitors Crocs all in all good

Jacob Rosas

Large zoo and interesting exhibits. I can remember going there every year for school field trips. Glad we have a zoo pass now so we can enjoy it whenever we're in town

Dulce Galvan

Great great great! Lots of walking but it’s a zoo so be ready. Great zoo

Sarah Guerrero

Always love going to the zoo but it was my daughter's first time ever and my first time in a long time and I remember why I love it. It is a great walk and new exhibits are being added so that's exciting. We will be going again soon. And I lost my phone but someone was nice enough to return it to the front office where I picked it up after answering a few questions asked by the clerk to ensure that it was my phone which was comforting.

Norma Cavazos

Great for the family. Lots of shade and places to rest everywhere. Lots of changes happening, but we had fun.

pedro flores

Good but it started to rain. Plus side of things animals were playing in the rain. That was something nice and different to see.

Katrina Thomas-Jimbo

This place is great!! Very affordable entrance fee, workers are so welcoming and great! There is a playground that was absolutely AMAZING! Gift shop was very reasonably priced as well.

Regino Rodriguez

Awesome zoo, they have really improved compared to when I was a kid, my children really enjoyed it here

Roberto Zuniga

I love going here with my little kids. There is a small water park to cool off in. I only wish there were more seats to rest during the trek around the zoo. Food and drinks are obviously overpriced.

Caricias D Chocolate

It's been over 10 years that I've come here and my kids loved it!! It has way more exhibits than from what I remember.

Bob Massey

If you are ever near Brownsville TX, you will be amazed with what this zoo has been able to accomplish. We think the zoo is a MUST visit place.

Vanessa Borgia

Very nice, but pretty expensive (food wise). Recommended to take sunscreen, and the little ones with swimming shorts or suits. General admission is fairly priced, and the zoo in general is pretty clean! Will surely go back again!

Jose Salinas

It was awesome. it can get hot but it's worth it.

Ashley Meyers

A really neat zoo with many open-air exhibits and fun trails to walk! It was a little rainy the day we went, so some of the animals weren't out, but we were surprised by how many we still saw. We loved all the flowering vines and trees that gave the zoo a "jungle" feel! Would definitely come back here again!

Sarah Morales

Decent price and a large variety of animals; park kept clean is a plus.

Seymour Lumang

GPZ is a great place to visit. The variety of species is amazing. There is adequate shade and even a playground/water park for children. Parking and crowds can be tricky during peak hours, but almost no people during opening and closing hours

Claudi Gonzalez

It's an amazing place for the entire family! Plus it brings back memories from when I was a kid, even with all of the new renovations.

James Burt

We've visited over 30 zoos worldwide and Gladys Porter is our favorite. The setting is very well laid out and a lot of thought goes into the animals surroundings and protection. There are plenty of plants that offer shading when you want to take a break. We saw the new baby gorilla, white lion, dinosaur exhibit (probably gone now), and many other great exhibits. If you're in Brownsville, this is definitely worth a visit. Weekends can get crowded. Weather during the summer is hot.

Karina Hdez

Great place. Educational camps and overall experience for family to do during vacation or off time. A must if you are in the rgv

RaeAnn Gonzales

I Love❤️The Gladys porter zoo I enjoyed all the Animals plus my favorite Animals is the Flamingos and

Yesenia Galvan

Was perfect windy day for Zoo, I record videos of my kids, watching the animals, their expressions, and funny things they say. They love watching 'em.

Veronica Quintero

Unfortunately, the Dinosaur exhibit was kind of lacking. The dinosaurs moved, which was interesting and the facts were informative but since the space was limited, the exhibit was small. The small water parks help with the heat, they are refreshing. Yet to see the butterfly exhibit but overall, my kids love coming to the zoo!

Alex R.

I only have been in two zoo complex in Texas, and this is the best, well organize, clean and the people who work there are very friendly

Rogelio Bustos

The Greatest Gladys Porter Zoo in South TEXAS BownVille Tx.

Mark Bensley

Very good zoo. They have excellent gorilla and chimpanzee sections. They understand their limitations and don't try to do too much beyond their capabilities. Very visitor-friendly, good signage.

Jody

Wonderful zoo. One of the best I've been to. Great job zoo staff!!!! My favorite had to be the kangaroos. Joeys in there Mama's pouches. Too cute for words.

Jose Reyna

It’s been years since my last visit. Enjoyed it very much! Brought back memories!! Very large zoo!

Cynthia Anderson

It is so clean, just a comfortable place to walk and enjoy the animals.

Anastasia Klemm

Love coming here with my friends. The adults can enjoy this place as much as the kids with plenty of exciting activities and special exhibits. Food and drinks are fairly priced. And they typical have deals if you check before going! We always love going to their aquatic exhibit ❤️

Battle Dragoon

They are adding new exhibits so it will be even better in the future. Had lots of fun!

sarah inserra

Super fun and clean. Not a huge zoo but really the perfect size for a day trip. Really pretty inside with lots of natural foliage. There is a really nice playground for the kids too. It has a little water spraying water park. If you think you might go, bring a change of clothes for kids. Mine gets soaked.

jose

Good place for the fam. Entrance not to bad i price. But they should be cleaning the park more. Lots of weeds on grounds. To many cages looked broken or outdated. To many cages empty. Some of the animals just looked out of place not natural. Small took less then 2 hrs to walk.

Teresa Garcia

Entertaining,lots of beautiful animals in quite nice enclosures, no elephants or polar bears, some animal pens were being remodeled when we visited. Also lots of new things since our last visit.Clean, well maintained, totally well worth the entrance fee.

Magaly Rodriguez

Kids really enjoy learning about animals and interacting with some of them . Great for summer vacations weekends

Javier Castellano

It was a good family day. Took 2.5 hrs to complete.

CESAR MARTINEZ

Great place... but really needs upkeeping! Could be a lot better... a lot of potential. That being said, my kids (4 and 2) loved it.

Melissa Canales

It was great and beautiful. My mother who is 90 years old enjoyed it so much, it was the first time she had gone. My little nephew enjoyed it also, especially the robotic dinosaurs. Lots of shade and the misters keep you cool it's near the palapa and it's so cool there. The exhibits with air condition are great. The lion was my favorite.

Angelica Mejia

Excellent place to take your children to explore all kinds of animals. Highly recomended. Safe environment too as well.

Leo Barrera

Clean, and awesome visit. All animals seemed well fed and calm.

Terra

This is such an incredible zoo - I am truly amazed! I was not expecting this zoo to be as extraordinary as it was. I’ve been to zoos all over the country, and I was certainly surprised to discover how magnificent this little zoo in Brownsville, TX is! What a treasure for the RGV.

Lisandra B

Very easy to navigate. Loved seeing all the babies. Bathrooms where clean and there was food available. Make sure to bring a hat because there is not a lot of shade. Also there are no food or drinks allowed so plan on buying drinks at the zoo

Bruno Sanchez

Gladys Porter Zoo has been part of my life. Sharp elementary used to walk us over in classes when I was there. Greatest memories. Now I have kids and I bring them quite pften with the family membership. Sometimes my wife and I just gake afternoon walks. It is great. I love how it has always been kept up.

John Saenz

Looking to have a kid friendly "wild time"?? This is your place to come in Brownsville during the week, while school is in-session, making for a very enjoyable day. Consider the VIP Tour that gets you a behind the scenes access with a catered lunch to wrap up your guided visit of this non-profit organization's mission to preserving endangered animals.

Ana G

Me and MK son had a Field trip day . It’s very hot and the animals need more water. They looked sad.but other than that we had fun.

J Woo

This zoo is a gem in the Rio Grand Valley. I was not expecting it to be as large with so many different animals. Family especially enjoyed the kangaroo nursery. Some animal enclosures were showing signs of age and in need of updating.

V3loc17y _9

They got rid of the foot massage machine...or moved it idk ...the point is I can't find it....sad

Sarah Bear

Great place for the family. My kids love going there. The dinosaur exhibit was awesome! So many activities and learning opportunities. Not to mention getting to feed some of the animals.

Samantha Garza

This place is bigger than what you might think. And you can truly appreciate that the caretakers do care about the place and the animals. Strongly recommended. Bring fresh clothes and a hat because it is usually quite sunny.

Analisa Davila

Really fun despite the heat! I love the water park the kids have! I ran through a sprinkler myself. So did other parents. Some parts are lacking like the butterfly sanctuary. Feeding the animals was so fun for my boy(for a small fee). There were no tours the day we went. Remember to take cash because not all concession stands take card.

bigcat leo

Beautiful zoo, and it makes family's happy seeing these other animals enjoying themselves, i just recommended there's other animal's that need a bigger area for them to roam around with, but it's understandable. Other than Great zoo!

Neal Bryant

I brought my family here while on vacation. This is a great zoo. The animals are active and appear heathy. The enclosures are clean and the whole place seems well maintained. If you visit go to the butterfly area, it costs a couple bucks, but really neat. There is a really cool play area too(free). The only negative was feeding the giraffe. They sell you this twig for 3 dollars which the animal takes from you instantly ( I don’t know, was hoping for a little more I guess). Parking is free, but beware of homicidal drivers. My daughter was almost hit twice before we left the lot.

Joe tx76

Great place for a family outing. Prices are accessible and has different food and snack stations throughout the zoo. Has lots of animals and I enjoyed the giraffe feeding and galapagos turtle feeding. Definitely recommended

Amy Russell

Nice facilities. Kind of a circular route for the general layout. Separate areas for specific for reptiles, aquarium, botanical gardens, ect. Opportunities to feed varying animals available. Nice activiti for all ages.

Benjamin Boom

This is a wonderful small zoo that has everything you could want. The orangutans are fun and the young ones seemed to enjoy interacting with people. We saw rhinos wrestling for a mud hole. The last time at the zoo we saw a baby giraffe born. They don't allow food in but the do sell decent food inside the zoo. You can get pretty close to most of the exhibits and see the animals great. The parking lot is small but i have never had a problem finding a spot. The have a wonderful playground in the back of the park the water effects in the summer.

Michelle Martinez

Great zoo! Always working on new exhibits. The playground with the water area is must for the kiddos in the summer. Excellent way to spend the day.

jay ke

Great place for kids to learn about animals, reptiles, and insects, and thay will see there favorite animals

Rosa Gomez

Love coming to the Zoo since I was little. My kids and I enjoy Gladys Porter Zoo very much. It's fun, enjoyable, family friendly and full of adventures.

Gil Bozeman

The Gladys Porter Zoo is a very special place to me and my family. My grandfather was the specialty contractor that built all of the lava rock construction that you see as you walk thru this property. I have been going there all my life and can't say enough about the staff and operators of this facility. I have been to the San Diego Zoo, the Houston Zoo, and many others, but none are as beautiful the Gladys Porter! Support this fine Zoo with your patronage and financial donations. THEIR WORK MATTERS TO ALL OF US! Thank you and enjoy!

Josefina Garcia

Always love our time spent at the zoo. It's the best place to relax and enjoy the view. As locals, we are so lucky to to have this wonderful place in our hometown. A big thank you to the zoo staff and volunteers because regardless of the weather, they are there working hard and taking care of our zoo.

David Benavides

Loved it.... did not expect it to be so cool... everything very clean and very child friendly.... if you don't care about the whole animals in captivity I definitely recommend making a stop at Gladys Porter Zoo...

Shera Esquivel

The experience, as always, has been fun and engaging! We all (children and adults alike) learn so much with every visit, and this time of year (October) has nice temperatures!

Christian_ Senpai_

First time to the zoo was here so it was pretty great wish I could have saw more but it was amazing. They had a petting area and near the reptile area & fish you was able to touch some rays.

Cindy Jasso

The zoo would benefit from more sitting areas and a little more cleanliness. The bathroom lacked up keep and the vending machines were not stocked with water on a hot humid day.

Ruth Guajardo

Nice zoo. Small zoo , you really have to take your time admiring the animals or you’ll be done with zoo too fast. They have a nice/fun kids area. Were they can get wet.

Joel Ruiz

The zoo is very well kept. Several new displays with several more being worked on. The aquatics display is great for kids. There is also a park for the kids.

Eric B.

Great great zoo. Must go. A++

Joe Medellin

They had a entree special 3 dollars a person. The zoo personal very helpful to me being disabled and my family. The kids loved it!

Lost Soul

One of the best zoos I’ve ever been too. My daughters love it and can’t wait to go back. They just need to lower the prices on the drinks and snacks

Aidehn G

This is a beautiful zoo! Very large and you could easily spend hours in here. The thing that makes it earn a 5 star rating is that this place is ALWAYS improving. This is the first time I've been here in about a year and since them they've added a new exhibit, new areas, and they are going to open a new exhibit in the near future. I'm really happy that they are putting in a lot of work to make this place awesome.

Valerie Fehr

Great small zoo! Most of the animals seemed to be out and about. One thing though, don’t lose your ticket they give you into the parking lot, they take your drivers license and write down your information which happened to us, which is a little suspicious? We paid the $5 so why did they need out information?

Ashley Castillo

I wish I could give this place more than 2 stars but the truth is I feel bad for these poor animals. It was nearly 100 degrees when we visited and the animals had no clean water and some no water at all. The enclosures were very dirty. One in particular looked as though it hasn't been cleaned in about a year. We got to see them feed the gorillas which was very cool but some of the staff I feel like was being cruel by throwing the tomatoes right at their heads. Luckily they caught them which may be the reason being for them throwing it at their heads but still. The touch tank for the rays were very cool and well kept but most of the other enclosures weren't. Good to say I've been here but I won't be back. Maybe it was this way because it being off season, but taking care of animals is a year round job.

Bryan Villarreal

I've been going to the Gladys Porter Zoo Since I was in elementary school

Danielle Saldana

We came on a cloudy, breezy and cool day so I recommend coming BEFORE the hot days come because all the animals were chilling and active. Lovely animals, cute fruit bats and an impatient hungry bear. Affordable entry, 20/10 !!

Miguel U

Had a great time with my family it was very clean there was always someone around to help if you needed it

Michael Donald Pietrzak

I like the zoo, but I feel kinda bad for the kangaroos, they need more space, and some of the other animals... Some of them can't survive in the wild so they are better off in the zoo but still. The bathrooms need some maintenance, but it's alright it if means more money for the animals... Thanks! Keep it up .

Ernesto Ybarra

My family enjoyed the zoo. It was a great day, not too hot nor cold. Food was reasonably priced. Overall our trip to the zoo was great! The dinosaur exhibit was an awesome tour and a good introduction to other types of animals.

luis villaseñor

Good place for children ages 3+, the animals seem to be pretty well, the zoo is clean and have good diversity of animals. You can eat there but it was expensive from my perspective. The entrance is $13 adults and $8 kids and the parking $5 dlls.

Barbara Carroll

Friendly and informative people! George was very helpful and knowledgeable about what's coming to GPZ. Thanks to the young lady at the stingray area and the young man with the giraffes. People like them make the zoo experience a whole lot better.

maddmaxjack67

I grew up going to this zoo all my life, but I never get tired of going here. I most recently went here with some family and we had a blast. I have not been here since the newer exhibits had been built including all of the feeding locations and the sting-ray exhibit. Seeing all of the animals was a blast and it was extra special because my young nieces had a great experience. We fed giraffes and since the feeding time was bout to end the zoo keepers let the girls feed them a bit extra. Touching sting rays in the open tank was a great experience. We had the opportunity to visit the whole zoo, except for the dinosaur exhibit. This is probably the best zoo I have ever been to and I look forward to visiting in the coming years.

Robert Hernandez

For a hot day it was good lots of shade cooling fans and the best lemonade

MUSCLES WOLF THE BIG DOG

It was so fun to see the animals my favorite animal is the kangaroo the lion even the Tigers