Reviews of Philadelphia zoo (Zoo)

Steve Kelly

Beautiful park. Huge so there are lots of spaces to get away from everyone else to he alone with just tou or your family. All kinds of events all year long take place here. Big huge goldfish like type fish in the ponds that I let my daughter catch than release back in to pond to teach her fishing. Been to the roots annual festival here that was a great time.

Legendary Reek

Philadelphia zoo is best considering my love for history and it's the first zoo in America. I will always love Philadelphia zoo.

Sandra Rodriguez

Its was nice there was some staff wit good concern

Christine Simpson

Great place to visot, really clean they take.good care of their animals!!! I had a great experience in the gift shop with a supervisor or manager named Lindsey, very helpful, very knowledgeable and extremely and kind.

Frank Wozniak

Fun, relaxing time for adults and children. Good layout. Easy to get around. Lots to learn.

ColieDee Kenzo

Having a yearly pass is worth it, I like to take my two little people when we don't have plans, or we plan a day with family& friends! We love the animals! Good times!

Lee Roberts

Excellent zoo! Well laid out with some great enclosures. Membership perks are very good too and the activity areas keep the kids happy.

Gregg Olmstead

Have been members of the Zoo for more than 20 years. It is incredible what you can learn on a visit. Staff and docents are helpful.

Kira M.

Great place for a day with the family. The earlier you go the better it is. Later in the day,especially during nice weather, it gets very crowded.

Andrew Katz

Growing up as a kid my parents and grandparents took me to the zoo. Now I am taking my family and it is better than I remember it. Buying a zoo key for my daughter to turn the boxs. Having the friendly staff show us all the neat parts of the zoo. It is so worth the visit.

Maria Daly

Best walk in the park in Philadelphia, not only do you get to see all of the beautiful animals, but the landscaping makes the walk even more relaxed. Check out the food trucks for an excellent place to lunch!

Denise Flanagan

It was great kids loved it but missed the elephants and polar bears

Lydia C

Perfect place for the family and kids to have some fun

Derrick Clark

Fairmount Park is one of the best parks in Philadelphia. You have a lot of activities that you could do out there like playing tennis, picnic and they have this new rock climbing thing across the street from the tennis courts. Check it out when you guys get the chance

Samee Ali

Philadelphia zoo is definitely rated as one of the nicest zoos to visit for a few different reasons. I have visited zoos in different countries including UK and Canada and I was Impressed by the high level of care about the welfare of the animals. This is evident from the attention that has gone into recreating the natural habitat even though they are obviously restricted by the size of the enclosures. Most of the animals do not seem to exhibit signs of a lot of stress which I have seen at other zoos. The diversity of animal species is excellent with bothersome small animals from reptiles, Invertebrates, small mammals to the much larger species such as rhinos, hippos, giraffes. You can also see big cats here including lions and tigers and the avian selection has a good cross section of bird species from colourful parakeets to eagles. The primate house is one of the most popular and one of our favourites. There is also a petting zoo with goats and other tame animals for children to pet.There are plenty of foods available at the cafe, with ice cream, pretzels etc as well as other kid friendly options. The bathrooms are generally clean and there are helpful zoo staff usually visible to answer questions. I would highly recommend this zoo for an enjoyable day out, plan on at least 3-4 hours to get around most of the exhibits.

Tawana Howard

My children had a great time completing the 1k walk

alda mecaj

Wonderful, we had a lot of fun with our daughter 18 months old, put the sunscreen.

Benoit Kim

First time visiting but it was a great date spot. Although not the largest zoos that I've been to, it has enough animals and activites to help occupy about half the day. All day parking is $16 at the garage.

Heather Hulsey

Love it here! I've been coming here my whole life and I've always loved it there! Now I bring my kids and they feel the same way. Its changed alot since 90s in a good way but it's still familiar. I absolutely love that they brought back the animal shaped keys they had when I was a kid,you be surprised how many parents I saw with the "original" keys from childhood

Anni Piscitelli-Russo

We're love the zoo. We are members, go in first thing, finish half before grabbing lunch, and we're are usually leaving between 1-2pm as the crowds are getting larger. It is always clean, stag is helpful and friendly.

Jackie Chew

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

JTS SAS

Great place for the kids. Lots of interesting animals.

Alrealon Musique

This is a great place for kids and adults. You can pet goats and see turtles, lions, gorillas, giraffes, etc. The staff is really helpful and you can ask anything to the animal keepers.

Laura Birks-Reinert

As the 1st zoo in the United States it is a wonderful combination of history and modern exhibits. Our favorite is the skywalk. You never know what animal will be walking over head!

Manish Dave

Always love the zoo. Rick Dewan and the entire team at the Philadelphia Zoo have done a great job. Always new attractions, great cat walk overhead and lots of activities for both the young kids and the parents. Love the new zoo keys program

Ashlei Michael

The updates are amazing. I really enjoy the activities aside from the animals on exhibition

Joseph Spencer

BOY U GET to see all the amazing things that the ZOO HAVE 2 OFFER.

Dave Evers

There is lots to see and do, it keeps the kids busy and entertained! Plus it's engaging for the grownups too.

Angel Monkey World

I love animals. The people are very polite also.

R Frey

Good selection of exhibits but could use some remodeling. Also some of the animals cages looked too small so felt bad for them.

Saumya Srivastava

It's nice. I enjoyed my visit to this zoo.

sabrina kelsey

I think this is a great zoo! A great variety of animals! Clean and a fun time for the kids!

Nicole

It's an okay place if you like lizards. Just make sure you aren't going to see Bears and monkeys! They have neither!

Danielle Gower

Love the Philadelphia Zoo! They do a great job updating the exhibits and keeping the place clean. It was of course a bit more crowded on a Saturday but great trip!

Andy Molina

Great ZOO to take the family but entrance is too much how the economy issss..my wife,3 unde613 and I 135.00 the is to much for just couple hrs walking l...

Jasmin Berry

Love it not a fan of the prices but it’s great

Lava Light

Love this zoo. Its even better than the national zoo.

Erinn Bean

Love the Member perks!! Morning Strolls and Member Evenings. Just wish they had more variety with the Morning Strolls. Most have been on a holiday or Sunday and we are not able to go. Have been really enjoying the evening activities though!!

Ryan Wojcik

I love this zoo. Its great for the fam

Adam Wan

Overall a very nice park. Lots to see. Can stroll around for hours. It is located in a somewhat unsafe area so stay vigilant. But the park grounds are very nicely maintained and parking can be somewhat hard to find.

von 0

Always an amazing day.. great customer service. Staff are always helpful and pleasant. Always a pleasure

Joseph Alfonsi

The Zoo is really great again. They have worked very hard to scale up the environment. Of course the animals are the star and there are so many amazing ones that are for sure worth the trip.

Dan Buckley

By far my favorite zoo. Everyone is friendly, passionate and educational. Lots of activities for kids, but was also very enjoyable for my wife and I as adults

Gnanasabapathy Kumarasamy

Membership is surely a worthy option. Nice place for family trip.

Dean Marino

Grand daughter loves it everytime. She loves the penguins

Bill Maurer

Only the first as well as the best zoo in our nation. Plenty to do and see. Price not too bad for what you get to see. Parking seems plentiful. Plenty of snacks to go around. Tons of kids as you would expect, crowded at times. Their exhibits are beautiful. A must see if you visit Philly. Just don't venture from the zoo area.

Elinea Smith

Neat place to visit with helpful staff. Not all beverages stations were open and it was extremely hot. It would have been helpful for closure info to be available.

Chae Chong

The first zoo in America. Many great animals and programs for children and adults. It is small but entertaining. It is always a good idea to get a membership.

Deena Mezzasalma

We love the zoo! There's always something new. You can stay as long or short as you want and see plenty.

Rahul Bhardwaj

Great place to bring kids. Awesome animal collection and food service is great. Kids love the keys ..

Brad Sciullo

Really different type of zoo they maintain the old architecture and have some brand new inclusions and its really fun walking through the tunnels the animals can use to run around the whole zoo.

Rick Purvis

Absolutely love the Philadelphia Zoo! Easy to get to (right off the Schuylkill Expressway), plenty of parking (free for members) and the animals are amazing. You can feel the history and tradition of the place everywhere you go. Some of the exhibits have changed and gone, but it is still an amazing family experience.

Alayna Kemery

I've always loved the Philadelphia Zoo. My students loved all the exhibits (and there are PLENTY of them). Plus, there are quite a few interactive activities they enjoyed, too. Everything is well marked so we knew exactly where we were going. And if I needed help finding a restroom or anything the staff was so helpful. The property is clean and well kept. We will definitely be going back for a field trip next year!

Mrudula Deore

Its the first zoo of the united states and I enjoyed my visit. Entry is $24 for adults and i was a little skeptical if it would be a good idea to take my parents here. But its a good spot even if you dont have little kids. The place is clean and you can see animals pretty closely. There are places to eat inside the zoo but plan to go early since the place closes at 5pm.

actual god

It's a great zoo with many animals to explore. Great for groups, tours and hikes are great. Many animals that will surprise you. Sections where you can watch certain animals be fed. Food court has some pretty good food that can feed you as a meal. Many videos you can watch. However, I would give you 5 stars if you had air conditioning in rooms where there are no animals so it does not impact their body temperature, and also if the gift shop prices decreased. 10 dollars for a hippo hand puppet is quite a lot.

Angelique Connell

I loved it there!!! So many amimals to see and the bridges that they have so they can walk above you makes the experience so much cooler!

Bill Andrews

The USA's first Zoo is always a great place to go for all ages!

James Reilly

Right sized for small children, picnic tables between the food selling area and pond allow eating with ducks and geese but watch out! Almost nothing was disappointing, tiger walkways overhead were particularly exciting.

Carissa Casella

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.

Jacqueline Johnson

Always fun. They keep the tables clean. Lots of new displays!

Tyrone Aguillard

Great night experience...CHOP did its once a year event and I rediscovered the zoo!

Sylvia Gruber

Always fun to see animals, they also run cool mist stations which on hot days feels great. They were willing to refill my ice and water.

J Mora

Largest city park in the USA. Offers beautiful views of Philadelphia. Also there are several tours and events that discuss the historical significance of the park and the surrounding areas. Be sure to visit Laurel hill cemetery as well for it is close by.

Jamie Dixon

Philly landmark not just the animals but a feel of being in a real life Rocky film or Split love my city's rich history

Alessia Carangella

I wish some of the big animals and the big cats had more space. The Lions and tigers look like they are suffering and don't have enough space. The zoo is nice but too small probably

Mark Mancil

Visited in April. Many of the areas were closed. Probably great when operating at full capacity. Parking is a challenge

Sheryn Laub

Remember visiting as a child and they have done so much to improve the experience. Went on a whim in May and ended up purchasing a membership. Will so enjoy going again and again.

Ivan Perez

A great variety of animals and attractions. Definitely recommend going.

Joette Callan

What a wonderful we had here.

Karen Sketchley

Just the BEST zoo ever ! I've never been to any other major zoos but I've had no reason to !! I've gone with my daughter who's in her 30's and now I have a grandson I can't wait to go with !! The "cat walk" overhead there always has some incredible animal in there.

Jet Eckleberry

Don't remember going there but if I did and is one of the best places in the world. Great family fun.

Kevin Sharkey

This park is HUGE. So much space for activities or just relaxing. There are tables, gazebos and other amenities as well. Perfect spot to lay out on a sunny day and take in the nice weather.

Vanessa Wood

Neat place to visit with helpful staff. Not all beverages stations were open and it was extremely hot. It would have been helpful for closure info to be available.

Pedro Franco

Great place alot of animals everything you can think off

Tamika Mann

This event did not take place at the zoo. The "West Fest" is an event that take place every year, the First Sunday in August rain or Shine for West PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI'S*( NO matter what year you came out!) George's Hill, behind the Mann Music Center together and show our school spirit in unity(Orange n Blue) cooking ,eating, dacing, sharing old memories, games n raffles, reuniting with teachers, collecting scholarship funds for the future graduates. The soul purpose is just planting some seeds that was planted for us and enjoying the day without Any negativity in the park for the greater cause!

Lillian Tapps

Fun place for all ages but no free parking

carla levy

Beautiful day with the animals. They were active and wonderful!

Anthony Lattanzio

the zoo isn't a zoo any longer.its an amusement park..main attraction.. otters..sad..love them..but sad.no polar bears big lie.."you cant import polar bears into the u.s"..alaska is full of polar bears..its part of the u.s..no elephants..how about we stop thinking African animals and think American animals..elk..buffalo..white tail deer.musk ox..etc all which do well in captivity..soon all we will have is rides and pictures..oh.theres a beginning and an end...

joseph clark

One of Philly's best restaurants but unknown to most tourists and residents, their menu is not 5 pages long but they have a great selection and the steaks are perfect. Also fabulous desserts. And of course great cocktails.

John Ortega

Amazing place to bring your child. Big area to spend time together with family

Jackie Bonilla

I always come back here when I visit family in Jersey. This is America's first zoo after all. I like to visit zoos in different states I visit.

Dhwani Kapoor

Visited during the cherry blossom time. Perfect place for a little peace near the hustling and bustling Philly downtown. The trail is good for a short hike.

jose sanders journeys Blog site

The maps are up high kinda have to look very closely

Ant Tran

Great place to bring the family. Has parking

Wanda Drake

My grandchildren loved the animals. I still wish they had,the monorail.

Khufu Mentuhotep

Zoo is great for Children, just remember it's mostly outdoors so be prepared to have cool drinks and possibly an umbrella on a hot and sunny day.

C Foley

I love it here because of the way they give the animals outdoor enclosures to run through. They rotate which animals go out and it gives them more places to "stretch their legs". I enjoy the variety of foods and the new rope lines to climb on.

Steve Robert Bucks

City Recycling center is a great resource to get quality compost and mulch. All for free. Limit to 35 gal per visit. Awesome staff. Helpful and courteous . Bring your own shovel and containters.

Lorraine Pai

Compact zoo. Read accessibility map as some paths are pretty steep. Primates exhibit was great gorrillas and monkeys. Red pandas were cute, but at 3pm during summer many animals were sleeping or seeking shade...smart

Joseph Tutolo

A local ice dealer donates giant blocks of ice for the polar bears to play with in the summer. Great exhibit for the people and bears. Watching the bears wrestle with the ice blocks and accidentally flip over is hilarious.

Daniel Latini

Best Zoo around! My wife and i take the kids here often using our membership. The kids love it so much. The courses they have for the animals all over the Zoo are an amazing feature. We love seeing all the animals there and have so much fun together. There is so much history in this zoo and so many amazing things to see. Guarantee you will see and learn something new everytime. Get the membership though. For a family of 4 we paid i think $115 once but now go for free whenever we want. Free parking, discounts on all merch amd food and early access and member only park events. Great deal!

Alexander Kaplitz

Very fun. Especially with your kids. But not much to do for just adults.

Marquita Parker

I love that my grandson got the chance to see different animals and he enjoyed it.

Jocelyn Israel

Cherry Blossom Festival was BOMB. SO MANY DOGS!! Great food. Beautiful trees. So many people dressed up in cosplay. Ugh it was such a great day. Go if you get the chance!

James Ruhlen

Always pleased with this place. Been a member for 3 years now, and they always seem to have something fun and exciting going on. Doesn't matter what time of day I go, animals always seem to be up and active. Can't wait to find something new on my next visit. The Lego exhibits were pretty cool.

MeeLaura Mee

I enjoyed this zoo so much. Me and my family had a great afternoon seeing a lot of different animals. Employees were nice and informative. They don t have elephants or Panthers. They need to clean a little bit better the restrooms and also I saw some of the animals too skinny and I would like to know the reason. Besides that is ok

Michael Booth

Great zoo. Plenty of animals to see. Allow a full day to explore. The icing on the cake was the balloon ride (not included in ticket price). Something we’d never seen before but gave great views of Philadelphia.

Ann Antanavage

Hiked the entire Trolley Trail ... Really fun and interesting to see the old parts of the trolley route ... Definitely keep the map on your phone for reference, there are allot of side trails for running and biking and it can get confusing. But overall, it's hard to get lost with the landmarks and road nearby. Easy trail, very little elevation change and very few rocks. I'd recommend it and can't wait to hike it again!

Eleanor Turner

I will give the Philadelphia zoo fivestars although I never go I cannot stand the smell or the crowds! But it is a wonderful place for family outings and is very educational!

Jessica Chaban

Fun and great animals to see. Could have more variety of foods around the park but a good experience for the whole family.

Lauren Grey

Love the zoo! Always a nice time when I take the kids. However the cost of food is kind of high.

Shannon Stanish Wynne

I live the Philadelphia Zoo. It's the oldest zoo in the United States. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and they keep the zoo clean. There is a wonderful little beer garden. So much to do at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Matt Jennings

Such a great experience. The staff was very helpful and informative. The zoo has so many great animals that you can see up close.

Kelsey Taylor

Fun & clean zoo. Good food and plenty of things for little kids to do. I’m so happy they brought the Zoo Keys back!

Artsy Lilly

This place is nice for all. If you're a Philadelphia student and hate paying for tickets to parks and stuff, down load this app called STAMP and you can get in for free during the summer!

Kala Gorman

Perfect place for family fun. Loved the exhibits. The animals seem to be well cared for. Definitely recommend buying a "key" when you visit. You can turn a key at each exhibit and a speaker comes on telling you more about the animals and their habitats.

Bhargav Khambholja

Easily accessible and great facilities. I use my 3 year old as the gauge to measure it against and he loved it!!! Highly recommended for out of towners. The tigers even have over head paths they can walk through. Very cool!!!

Erin Davis

Zoo has put a lot of effort into their "Big Cats" and petting zoo areas. Great for getting in a lot of walking!

EK Lucas

As a kindergarten classroom chaperone, I found it to be totally different than I remembered; clean, bright, interactive and full of happy engaged children.

Paul Kyle

Always had a great day out here with the family. The children love it.

Bruce Jay Gould

Iconic place to visit especially with children. Highly recommend.

Feddo van der Pluijm

Beutifull zoo, love the tunnel above our heads.

Lois Silver

I had not been to the zoo in many years and I was so pleased with the updates. Though the zoo is old (1874) and trapped in limited space in a major city, the enclosures are much more spacious and natural than before. Many of the animals are rescues and endangered animals in species recovery programs. The above ground path for the animals to be able to wander and explore is genius! The zoo staff is very available to discuss conditions and care of the animals. Tickets are not cheap and parking is $16 in the covered garage or one of several other zoo lots, but I was happy to pay after learning about the programs I was helping to fund. (Try the GoCity pass program to see more sights and save on visiting Philadelphia.)

Daryl Nitz

This is a decent zoo with a lot to see. It is very well organized. Lots of shade to walk in. The staff is very friendly.

Gavin DeBonte

It's small takes about about a half a day to go through. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable

Amber Scott

The zoo was okay. The prices were pretty high to visit the zoo. I spend about two to three hours. The gift shop price is very high. The volunteer workers were more knowledgeable than paid workers. It was just okay. The playgrounds were hot, and no we're a parent can seat. The birds are very aggressive. It's located downtown in Philadelphia.

Luciana Ramirez

All types of animals for the family to see and you definitely hiking here.

Jacque Fisher

Just driving past the zoo before when I seen was very nice

Queen Kia

I haven't been here in a while but it's family friendly and educational for the kids

Daisy Brooks

Really nice, enjoyable park to stroll through. Parking can be a pain, but has something for everyone from leisurely strolls to a little bit of hiking (not much) and a playground. Looks like there are snack places but they weren't open when I went.

Sarah Sherrill

The Philadelphia Zoo is a great place to have a fun day. You can take kids or go just as adults, there's enough that both options are fun. Best part is you can bring your own food in so you can make it a relatively cheap day.

Ramesh Gurjar

Spacious park full of greenery Nice to spend time with family

Joyce McKeough

The zoo is wonderful! I came with my 2 grandsons, 10 & 6 and they loved it. They especially liked watching the animals walk above them.

Dawn Andrews

The best place to go through generations

Nicki N

Fantastic, absolutely love visiting this zoo. It's really well maintained. Good casual food choices. Worth a visit for sure!!!

Elizabeth Clark

I love the changes and the interactions they have with the children. It is well worth the trip with your family. I miss the sky balloon though and bee glad when they bring that back. The sky ride/zip line my grandson loved.

Michael Richardson

Such a nice zoo and a great size to spend the day at with the kids. Take a look at memberships too. It's over of the more affordable options for a family.

Maria Stathoudakis

I don't have kids, and I still go to this zoo 3 times per year! I always enjoy it. And now they've just started adding more food options--like nachos! Don't forget to stop by the lemonade stand!

Kathy Gregg

Very family friendly and you can bring your own food which is a great option for families. The food options in the zoo are great too.

Bonnie Bullock

I had a great time! It was clean the staff was very nice abd well educated about the animals. They were very willing to stop and answer questions whuch was wonderful. I will definitely go back.

Janice Ryan

We love to visit the Philadelphia Zoo every summer. There's a wide variety of animals and always some new touches to the exhibits. Spotting animals in the Zoo360 trails overhead is fun and unique. There are staff and volunteers all around to answer questions. We like to take our time, so it's a full day experience for us with 9 and 11 year old animal lovers. When my kids were little and we lived nearby with a membership, we would go for just a couple hours and only see part of the zoo each time - parking in the back Frog lot is good for a short, partial visit - just leave when you get back close to the car. Nowadays we like the highway accessibility of the parking garage.

Donna Keane

This was a great day of exploring and seeing the history of the area. Our route was long, but our 5 year old made it. He is used to longer hikes, so I wouldn't expect all young children to make it without being carried or a few rests. We'll definitely do it again!

Peggy Payne

As i am a nature lover so i like to visited here. The place was very fresh and attractive also there's lot of greenery. The food courts were also amazing and serve delicious food. According to me it's a perfect place to go out with your friends and family for outing

Barry Shapiro

Always a great time love seeing the animals. Fun for entire family

Dean Chia

Awesome place to take children or just adults. Haha! Love the thoughtful exhibits. I hear the birdhouse is super fun. I loved the flamingos. Clean park and lots of food options inside. It's only improved as a zoo since I went as a kid years/decades ago. Happy to be a member this year!

Matthew Miller

Monkey exhibit superb. Bird aviary great for kids especially. Watch the 15 minute movie in nice air conditioning. Cat tunnels was inventive seeing puma walk directly above you a little chilling.

Ismail Dalbani

It's a nice place to go for a walk and check out the nature in the area. It's pretty clean compared to some other parks in Philadelphia. Theres plenty of greenery to enjoy and the trees in the spring look wonderful. It especially nice to experience the cherry blossoms flying all around you. You can sometimes catch a glimpse of deer here and you'll often see duck on the size of the ponds. It's a peaceful place for a picnic or stroll

Robert Hernande

Great place to go with ur children to learn info on animals

Kevin Pastine

Great zoo! Membership is worth every penny! Parking plus free rides and discounts on food and other great benefits at over 100 other zoos? I'll take it! Great selection of animals in good, clean enclosures. Events, food vendors, kid entertainment. All at a reasonable price and not that far! This isn't your small zoo, plan to be there a few hours. We typically bring lunch and picnic, they have a great deal of picnic areas!

Donna Miller

I love the zoo and seeing all of the animals. The 360 cages are very unique and adds to the experience. I really loved the video in the aviary; it really stuck out to me. Great place for all of the family at any age.

Thomas Scheibener

Very well laid out zoo and very informative staff. I would highly recommend even if you have a few hours to spare.

Jon Skvir

The new food truck area has exciting new food options and my kids love the new sky course. Our family always enjoys are time here.

Evgueni StOnge

Was really cool definitely worth checking out.

Jack L

Beautiful park where you can really take in nature. Definitely a great photo spot. I attended this place during the cherry blossom festival and was amazed by how large the venue was. Without the event though, I can see how one would get quite bored.

Robin Mattero

Great for kids and adults! Lots of different animals to see. Good for a Sunday afternoon visit.

Liam McGovern

Beautiful, great place for family and children. There are so many fun and interactive things to do there. You can look at the animals, buy amazing souvenirs in the gift shop, and learn about animals and their habitats and what we can do to help them stay alive.

Cirithungul

This is one of the many reasons to visit Philadelphia. Sprawling gardens with a Japanese tea house and horticultural building and greenhouse. In spring, dozens of cherry trees are in bloom and many fun events take place here year round.

Javad Mehrmashhadi

Toddlers would love to play here. It is better to go to another place for older kids.