Zoos in United States
Zoos across United States
Showing 24 of 54 activities
Kovler Seal Pool
📍 Chicago, IL
Kovler Seal Pool is an open-air exhibit at Lincoln Park Zoo where families can watch grey seals and harbor seals in a naturalistic habitat with underwater viewing areas. Children can observe daily positive reinforcement training sessions narrated by learning interpreters, providing an educational experience about animal care and wildlife conservation.
Kovler Lion House and Pepper Family Wildlife Center
📍 Chicago, IL
Part of the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Kovler Lion House and Pepper Family Wildlife Center offers children and families the opportunity to view lions and other wildlife in a professional zoo setting. This facility is an excellent destination for families interested in animal education and outdoor exploration in Chicago.
Main Barn
📍 Chicago, IL
Lincoln Park Zoo offers a wildlife experience in the heart of Chicago with free admission and family-friendly activities year-round. Kids can explore diverse animal exhibits, meet newly arrived animals like red panda Qi, participate in seasonal events like the Spring Egg-Stravaganza, and learn about conservation through educational programs. The zoo has been free and accessible to the public for 150 years and includes interactive features like a web app to navigate the grounds.
Central Park
📍 New York, NY
Central Park offers families a vast green space with numerous attractions including the Central Park Zoo, vintage carousel, boat rentals on the lake, and dedicated playgrounds. The park features scenic walking paths, open fields for recreation, and hosts community events throughout the year, making it an ideal destination for families to enjoy outdoor activities together.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
📍 Tucson, AZ
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson combines a zoo, botanical garden, natural history museum, art gallery, and aquarium in one venue. Children can explore live animal exhibits, demonstrations, and desert plants while learning about the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. The museum offers family camps, school programs, and various educational activities designed for kids of all ages.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
📍 Colorado Springs, AZ
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers a premier family experience with over 700 animals, interactive keeper talks, and unique hands-on activities like giraffe feeding ($3-$5), penguin encounters, and animal demonstrations throughout the day. The zoo features multiple family-friendly zones including My Big Backyard, water features, and special experiences suitable for children ages 5 and up, making it an educational and engaging destination for families.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
📍 Omaha, IL
Domed indoor habitats, including desert & rainforest ecosystems, plus open-air animal exhibits.
Chicago Botanic Garden
📍 Glencoe, IL
Explore 385 acres of beautiful landscaped gardens featuring millions of plants and flowers across diverse settings. The garden offers family camp programs, educational classes, seasonal events like orchid shows, and interactive learning opportunities through the Regenstein School, making it an engaging destination for children of all ages to discover nature and gardening.
Desert Botanical Garden
📍 Phoenix, AZ
Desert Botanical Garden spans 140 acres featuring 50,000 plants with stroller-friendly paths perfect for families with young children. Kids can explore the Cohn Family Butterfly Pavilion, enjoy interactive exhibits like Desert Pulse, and participate in seasonal activities such as the Spring Plant Sale, while parents appreciate dining options and evening Garden: After Dark experiences.
World of Birds
📍 The Bronx, NY
World of Birds is a 30,000-square-foot exhibit at the Bronx Zoo featuring exotic birds from around the world in naturalistic habitats including deserts, rainforests, and alpine forests. The exhibit includes interactive touch exhibits, open-air viewing spaces with no glass barriers, and beautifully recreated environments that transport visitors to wild habitats globally. It's wheelchair accessible and open year-round, making it an engaging destination for families interested in wildlife and nature.
Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo
📍 Chicago, IL
Nature Boardwalk offers families a scenic half-mile boardwalk trail through a restored Midwestern prairie ecosystem where children can observe native wildlife including birds, turtles, and dragonflies. The free outdoor attraction features beautiful pond views, the iconic Lester E. Fisher Bridge with Chicago skyline views, and seasonal educational programs, making it an ideal nature-based activity for families of all ages.
Bearizona Wildlife Park
📍 Williams, AZ
Bearizona Wildlife Park offers a unique 160-acre drive-thru safari experience where families can view North American wildlife including bears, wolves, bison, and mountain goats in natural habitats. The park also features a 20-acre walk-thru area called Fort Bearizona with hands-on animal encounters, dining, and optional VIP backstage experiences that appeal to children of all ages.
San Diego Zoo
📍 San Diego, IL
San Diego Zoo is a world-class zoo in Balboa Park featuring over 3,700 animals including giant pandas, koalas, giraffes, and apes. Families can enjoy interactive nature play areas, wildlife encounters, educational programs, and special experiences designed specifically for children through their Youth Programs and Wildlife Explorers Basecamp.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
📍 Powell, IL
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium offers an engaging experience with diverse land and sea animals, interactive attractions like a hands-on tide pool and kangaroo walkabout, and special family experiences. The venue supports its mission through educational programs, tours, and seasonal events designed to inspire visitors of all ages to connect with wildlife.
Chicago Zoological Society
📍 Brookfield, IL
Brookfield Zoo Chicago features hundreds of animals across multiple habitats including big cats, reptiles, birds, bears, primates, and insects, with hands-on experiences like Dolphin Discovery. The zoo also offers family-friendly rides including a carousel and ferris wheel, making it an engaging destination for children to learn about wildlife and conservation while enjoying outdoor recreation.
Children's Zoo
📍 The Bronx, NY
The Bronx Zoo is one of the premier zoos in the United States, featuring a diverse animal collection with interactive experiences like wild animal encounters with penguins, cheetahs, and sloths. The zoo offers family-specific programs, feeding demonstrations throughout the day, and virtual experiences, making it an engaging destination for children of all ages to learn about wildlife conservation.
Papago Park
📍 Phoenix, AZ
Papago Park is a expansive recreation area just minutes from downtown Phoenix featuring easy-to-moderate hiking trails with scenic sandstone buttes, picnicking facilities, and access to major family attractions like the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden. The park offers diverse activities including fishing at Papago Ponds, an archery range, orienteering course, and sports complexes, making it ideal for families seeking outdoor recreation. With free entry and trails open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., it's an excellent destination for families of all activity levels.
Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary
📍 Prescott, AZ
Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary is a 10-acre zoo in Prescott featuring a diverse collection of animals across multiple categories including mammals, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates. Families can enjoy picnic areas, a playground, splash pad, and children's zoo section, making it an ideal destination for a full day of wildlife discovery and outdoor fun.
Ghost Ranch Exotics
📍 Marana, AZ
Ghost Ranch Exotics offers unique up-close encounters with exotic animals including capybaras, porcupines, warthogs, emus, and more through guided, supervised tours. Families can choose from various experiences like the Capybara Experience or All-Inclusive Animal Encounter, which include feeding, petting, and learning about the animals. All experiences are designed for all ages and provide safe, educational interactions with animals you won't find at typical petting zoos.
Houston Zoo
📍 Houston, TX
Houston Zoo offers visitors the chance to see over 6,000 animals in naturalistic habitat exhibits, including giraffes, sea lions, and birds from around the world. The zoo features daily keeper chats, interactive experiences like giraffe feeding, and special family-friendly events throughout the year, making it an engaging educational destination for children of all ages.
Essex County Turtle Back Zoo
📍 West Orange, NY
Turtle Back Zoo offers a full day of family fun with wild animal exhibits across themed areas, a custom-built endangered species carousel, mini-train rides through South Mountain Reservation, and a prehistoric playground for young children. The zoo features keeper talks included with admission, educational programs for various age groups, and seasonal activities like face painting, making it an engaging destination for families with children of all ages.
Brookfield Zoo
📍 Brookfield, NY
Brookfield Zoo features a wide variety of animals including lions, tigers, dolphins, and more in naturalistic indoor and outdoor settings. It's an excellent destination for families to learn about wildlife and observe animals in environments designed to mimic their natural habitats. The zoo offers educational experiences suitable for children of all ages.
Woodland Park Zoo
📍 Seattle, NY
Woodland Park Zoo offers a full day of family fun with nearly 300 animal species across 92 acres, including interactive exhibits and wildlife viewing. The venue features a vintage carousel, indoor play space for younger children, and seasonal ZooTunes concerts. With daily hours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., it's an ideal destination for families looking to connect with nature and learn about animal conservation.
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
📍 Washington, NY
The Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. features over 2,200 animals from around the world with free admission for all visitors. The zoo offers live animal cams, interactive exhibits, educational programs, and special events like the recent debut of a baby Asian elephant, making it an engaging destination for families with children of all ages.