From an impressive children’s zoo in Boston to a safari tour that gets you up close and personal with kangaroos in San Diego, these 15 zoos across the country offer exhibits and experiences you can’t find anywhere else! If you’re lucky enough to live near one of these amazing zoos, plan a visit ASAP. Otherwise, we hope you’ll road trip your way to say hello to some new animal friends. Plus, you and your kids will also learn about the important conservation efforts happening worldwide, as many of them are endangered species. Read on for the coolest zoo exhibits in the United States for families.
1. Land of the Tiger at Jacksonville Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens
Where: 370 Zoo Parkway, Jacksonville, FL
Big cat exhibits are always a zoo visitor favorite, and unless you journey to remote parts of Africa and Asia, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see these regal creatures in the wild. Land of the Tiger at this northern Florida zoo is truly special, though. Three Malayan and two Sumatran tigers are free to roam all around and above onlookers in a way that mimics their natural behaviors. This means the whole time you are exploring the 2.5-acre exhibit, you may spot a tiger on the move above you!
2. Gorillas in the African Forest at Houston Zoo
Stephanie Adams/Houston Zoo
Where: 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX
It’s easy to feel like you’re in the jungle thanks to Houston’s heat and humidity. But if you’re ready to take it to the next level, pay a visit to the seven Western Lowland gorillas that call the Bayou City home. Hidden in the back corner of the Houston Zoo within the African Forest is this relatively new habitat, which returned in 2015 after an 11-year hiatus. You’ll find both indoor and outdoor viewing areas to watch the gorillas exploring their lush outdoor landscape complete with a dry river gorge, as well as a multi-story night house and a 23-foot-tall climbing tree.
3. Walkabout Australia at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Where: 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd, Escondido, CA
The San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park lets families get up close and personal with herd animals in wide open field enclosures. You can walk through the exhibits or take one of the park’s eight safari tours. But, it’s the newest addition, Walkabout Australia, that’s unlike anything we’ve seen. You’ll feel like you’ve ventured Down Under as you wander with kangaroos, cassowaries, wallabies and other Australian critters. The climate changes from rainforest to grasslands to desert in order to support the variety of animal and plant life. Most exciting of all, the barriers come down between humans and kangaroos and wallabies (you’re asked to stay on the path, but the animals may want to say hi!).
4. Florida: Mission Everglades at Zoo Miami
Ron Magill/Zoo Miami
Where: 12400 Southwest 152nd Street, Miami, FL
While families usually trek to the zoo for a glimpse at animals they would never otherwise see, Zoo Miami’s exhibit about the local ecosystem rivals any experience with elephants or lions. Opened at the end of 2016, visitors can see animals that are native to South Florida habitats, including panthers, black bears, crocodiles, alligators and turtles. Highlighting conservation efforts is a huge part of the exhibit, as at least 60 of the represented species are endangered. But what really keeps kids at this exhibit for hours on end are all of the interactive aspects. Crawl through a tunnel beneath the alligators, slide through the otter exhibit, go on the Lostman’s River boat ride and play at the new Cypress Landing Playground, which has a fountain for hot summer days.
5. Meerkat Maze at Philadelphia Zoo
Where: 3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Big Cat Falls used to be this zoo’s biggest attraction, and while it’s still awesome to see a jaguar walking above you, the new Meerkat Maze is an unforgettable experience for kids. Meerkat Maze is a part of Philly’s Zoo360 trails, which allow animals more movement around the zoo via mesh covered pathways. Here, kids can enjoy a parallel maze letting them up close to the playful meerkats, and they can run and climb together. If you visit soon, you can also see newborn baby giraffe Beau playing in the African Plains habitat, and watch otters zoom down their new water slide in Water Is Life.
6. Nature’s Neighborhoods Children’s Zoo at Franklin Park Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo
Where: 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston, MA
If the words “children’s zoo” brings to mind posing your kid by a tractor and pulling them away from smelly petting zoos, you’re in for a pleasant surprise when you visit this Boston destination. At this new exhibit, visitors walk through different ecosystems or “neighborhoods,” including Grasslands, Woodlands, Wetlands and Thicket. Kid favorites are definitely the Prairie Dog Pop Up, where you can come face-to-face with these little animals, and the climbable “bamboo” poles (to play like the red pandas, which you can also see here!). Don’t miss the Eagles Nest, which gives a birds-eye view of the zoo and a little thrill when you have to slide back down to the ground.
7. Nature Trek + Treetop Adventures at Bronx Zoo
Where: 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY
If what you’ve been missing from your zoo visits are thrills and a sense of adventure, you’ll want to plan an excursion to the Bronx in New York City. The newly opened Nature Trek and Treetop Adventures let kids and adults climb, slide and explore the zoo from a whole new perspective. Nature Trek includes a tree-top village with tunnels, bridges and a life-size bird’s nest, as well as an on-the-ground nature playground. Treetop Adventures (for ages seven and up) takes it up a notch with a challenging obstacle course nestled in the trees and a 400-foot-long zipline over the Bronx River.
8. Asia Trail at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Smithsonian National Zoo
Where: 3001 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC
The D.C. zoo is free to visit, which already earns it some major points in our book. But the most famous tenants—Giant Pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and the cub Bei Bei—might just be some of the most famous zoo animals, making them a must-visit when in the nation’s capital. If the pandas are out to play, you’ll know it quickly as other guests crowd around to see these cuddly-looking creatures snacking on bamboo. The Asia Trail is also home to the adorable red pandas, a sloth bear and a few playful Asian small-clawed otters—all threatened species whose habitats scientists are working to protect.
9. Sea Lion Sound at St. Louis Zoo
Amanda Lovell/St. Louis Zoo
Where: 1 Government Drive, St. Louis, MO
The St. Louis Zoo just won the best zoo of the year in USA Today’s reader’s choice awards, and our favorite exhibit there, Sea Lion Sound, was also voted best of the year. The highlight is easily the 35-foot-long underwater tunnel, where nine California sea lions and three harbor seals swim around their excited visitors, but there’s also an underwater viewing window and amphitheater where you can watch the zoo’s impressive sea lion show.
10.Museum of Living Art at Fort Worth Zoo
Flickr/Meagan
Where: 1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX
Chances are you’ve never visited an award-winning herpetarium. Reptile exhibits are almost never a zoo’s most popular, but somehow the Fort Worth Zoo has made amphibians and reptiles exciting—even beautiful! The 30,000-square-foot exhibit is decorated with incredibly life-like murals, and houses more than 5,700 animals including a 15-foot-long saltwater crocodile, 15.5-foot Burmese python, turtles, Komodo dragons and yellow-spotted climbing toads. The exhibit is indoor/outdoor and includes a window for underwater viewing of crocs and turtles.
11. Polk Penguin Conservation Center at Detroit Zoo
Joshua Hanford
Where: 8450 W 10 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI
Approaching this iceberg-like structure already makes you feel as if you’re on an Antarctic adventure. But as soon as you step through the doors, you are truly on an immersive “boat ride” to the southernmost continent, complete with blasts of cold air and sea mist. The main attraction is the 326,000-gallon, 25-foot-deep aquatic penguin habitat, which gives you plenty of views of the 75 penguins that call this spot home. The large, acrylic windows and tunnels get you below, above and all around these beloved little birds swimming and playing.
12. Simmons Hippo Outpost at Dallas Zoo
Dallas Zoo
Where: 650 S R L Thornton Fwy, Dallas, TX
This African watering hole habitat is home to two hippos as well as a herd of their okapi friends. The stunning 24-foot by 8-foot underwater viewing window makes for incredible photographs and really up close interactions with these “river horses.” You can also see them from above, learn about conservation efforts in the hippo hut and hear hippo keeper chats daily.
13. Lied Jungle at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo
Nebraska Tourism
Where: 3701 South 10th Street, Omaha, NE
America’s largest indoor rainforest (and one of the largest in the world!) is in Nebraska, and an absolute can’t-miss for any plant-and-animal enthusiast. Transport yourself to the jungles of South America, Asia and Africa all in one 80-foot-tall, 1.5-acre space, complete with thundering waterfalls, swinging gibbons and exotic plant life. Kids love crossing the rope bridge, visiting the adorable pygmy hippos and getting to step behind a 50-foot waterfall for views of this one-of-a-kind jungle.
14. Oceans at Indianapolis Zoo
VisitIndy.com
Where: 1200 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN
If you’re a Midwesterner, it usually takes a flight, or serious road trip, to reach the crystal blue waters of the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans. But if you’re not ready for a big beach vacation, the Oceans exhibit at the Indianapolis Zoo will get you pretty close. See a huge variety of colorful fish, playful sea lions, penguins, sharks and even dolphins. The underwater dolphin viewing dome and shark touch tank provide the kind of interactive experiences kids are guaranteed to love.
15. Polar Plunge at San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo
Where: 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA
The Polar Bear Plunge is one of the most impressive and interactive habitats at this famous southern California zoo. The focal point is the pool where the zoo’s three resident bears frequently go for swims to cool off. The underwater and above ground viewing areas give visitors plenty of chances to get up close with these creatures. As part of its 2010 updates, the exhibit added tons of interactive elements, like a snowy den for kids to crawl through, life-size statues of bears and cubs (so you can see how you measure up), and an arctic helicopter to climb on. Insider tip: If you’re visiting soon, Africa Rocks is the zoo’s newest exhibit, which features incredibly immersive and naturalistic design to help guests better understand conservation efforts around the world. Plus, there are cute penguins!
