Days to see a Zoo (USA forum)

SwampDonkey

SwampDonkey

In the Swamp
Premium Member
5+ year member
Inspired by a recent thread, I am interested in people's opinions on how long it takes to see any given zoo. Are there in fact any 3 day zoos or are they all 1, 2, or less?

Let's keep this primarily about zoos in the USA.

In my opinion there are not really any three day zoos at this time, I am not sure we will ever get to that point. There are a few solid 2 day zoos, a few zoos that are around 2 days, and then the rest would be a day or less.

Some zoos have added attractions that can take it into 3 days, for example Columbus has their water park and golf course.

I am not going to comment on zoos that I have not been to, but I would like to hear opinions on other zoos, such as Omaha and Bronx.

Solid 2 days:
  • San Diego Zoo. My first time here was a solid 2 days. My list visit was the better part of a day, so it can be done quickly, but if you want to see everything and get a little lost (which is easy here), 2 days may be a better idea. But it can be done in a single day as well.

Can be 2 days:
  • Columbus Zoo. I only had one full day, and I had to cut out some parts. One could stretch this to a 2 day zoo pretty easily. If you add the attached water park or/and golf course this could be a three day zoo.
  • Wildlife World. I had one full day, from opening to close, and I still had to cut out some parts. A full 2 days may be overkill, but one could stretch to 2 days if you wanted to do everything.
  • San Diego Safari Park. Maybe...but it is still a one long day zoo IMO. Maybe a day and 1/2 is better.

I think that is about it for me. I am not including places like SeaWorld, DAK, or Busch because a lot of your time spent is in lines or at rides. So, while one could stretch them to 2 days, if you were just doing the animal parts these parks are really one long day, IMO.
 
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Omaha is definitely a two-day zoo. Toledo is very close and could be a tight one-day zoo or a more comfortable two-day zoo.

I don't think Columbus needs more than one day, without the water park.
 
birdsandbats said:
I don't think Columbus needs more than one day, without the water park.
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Interesting. I found that I had to cut out Asia Quest and the Aquarium nearly entirely and parts of Adventure Cove when I only had one day. We arrived at opening, but had to leave around 4PM. Also, mind you I rode (with my 5 year old son) the dinosaur ride a couple of times and the train. So, if you are doing any of the extra rides, it can be 2 days pretty easily. We used another 1/2 day at the water park.
 
SwampDonkey said:
Interesting. I found that I had to cut out Asia Quest and the Aquarium nearly entirely and parts of Adventure Cove when I only had one day. We arrived at opening, but had to leave around 4PM. Also, mind you I rode (with my 5 year old son) the dinosaur ride a couple of times and the train. So, if you are doing any of the extra rides, it can be 2 days pretty easily. We used another 1/2 day at the water park.
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What time of year did you go? I visited during the summer hours so they were open until 7PM, in which time it was easy to see everything.
 
birdsandbats said:
What time of year did you go? I visited during the summer hours so they were open until 7PM, in which time it was easy to see everything.
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Late summer, you are correct, if you stayed open to 7 you could do the whole zoo in one long day. But IMO that is a really long day, I would rather do it in 2 days and add the water park for the balance.

Is Toledo really 2 days? I have not been, but it seems a bit long based on the map and acreage.
 
SwampDonkey said:
Late summer, you are correct, if you stayed open to 7 you could do the whole zoo in one long day. But IMO that is a really long day, I would rather do it in 2 days and add the water park for the balance.

Is Toledo really 2 days? I have not been, but it seems a bit long based on the map and acreage.
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I could probably be done is one day but it would be tight, two days would be easier. I know based on the size of the zoo that seems strange, but the exhibit buildings all have really big collections and would take up most of your day - probably three full hours are required to see the ProMedica Museum of Natural History, for example.
 
Before I get to my own thoughts, it's worth noting that people's time needs vary wildly for a variety of reasons. Some take lots of photographs; some walk right past more common animals; some can't walk very well or fast, especially with steep inclines; some don't like feeling rushed and time-crunched. I think there's probably an average, but also a good number of people on the tail ends of the curve.

I consider myself to be in the middle when I know I can finish in enough time: I like strolling and taking photos and watching animals, but I can also keep a solid pace and don't need to stop for much. I don't like speedrunning zoos, but when I have to it usually comes out pretty efficient.

For specific zoos: I was only able to do 3 or 4 hours at Omaha and I saw half the zoo or more, so that's definitely a 1-day zoo for me - but a full day for sure. San Diego Zoo is legitimately hard to do in a day, but it's possible for some people with the 12 hour summer days. I did everything except EO in 9 hours; it was difficult, but there were only a couple areas that I wish I could've been at longer. The safari park took me about a day, and that included a leisurely lunch; it's a large area to walk, but there's a lot fewer exhibits to see than at SDZ. Every other zoo or aquarium I've been to was easily done in a day or less.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Before I get to my own thoughts, it's worth noting that people's time needs vary wildly for a variety of reasons. Some take lots of photographs; some walk right past more common animals; some can't walk very well or fast, especially with steep inclines; some don't like feeling rushed and time-crunched. I think there's probably an average, but also a good number of people on the tail ends of the curve.
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I agree 100%. I don't think this thread should devolve into poor conversation - these are all opinions and I don't think there is or should be a "wrong" one. Some people could stretch any zoo into a full day or longer, some people could not do that. People with younger kids can't stay as long and likely won't linger anywhere...so a zoo could be two shorter days or less.
I consider myself to be in the middle when I know I can finish in enough time: I like strolling and taking photos and watching animals, but I can also keep a solid pace and don't need to stop for much. I don't like speedrunning zoos, but when I have to it usually comes out pretty efficient.
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I consider myself in this camp too. My only difference would be that if there are rides....I am going to have to allocate some time for them due to my 5 year old. That said, sometimes that works out - the dinosaur boat in Columbus actually goes along several exhibits including the Orangutans, small clawed otters, komodo dragon, gibbon, geese, etc. many people might skip this ride and not realize.
 
Bronx Zoo is definitely a two-day zoo. It's the biggest one I've been to (factoring in both species and area, even bigger than DAK) and I've been twice and still have not seen the whole thing.

Going abroad, I tried banging out Pairi Daiza in one day and got to see most of it, but didn't have enough time for the aquarium. Plus, if you are someone who likes to watch the critters for a while it's definitely a two day zoo.

I was able to basically see all of Whipsnade (all the parts I could see) in one day.

Tierpark Berlin and SDSF, while I haven't been to either, might take three days.
 
For me Bronx is probably 1.5 or 2 days. I always arrive when the zoo opens, but when I go for only one day I inevitably end up having to cut some sections. As a reference, I remember visiting last December when the aquatic bird house and most of the cold-intolerant exhibits were closed. With fewer exhibits open I thought I surely would be able to squeeze everything into one day with time to spare, but I still only finished getting through the entire zoo 15 minutes before closing!
 
I was at San Diego Zoo two and a half days and this set the standard for me for a first visit in a huge zoo with big and diverse collection. I am a fast walker, but like to revised the exhibits, make pictures from different directions and see the animals during different parts of days. The habits of many species depends on the weather or their preferred natural behaviour - nocturnal, crepuscular exc.
Bronx, Prague and Pairi Daisa could well fit the 2.5 day standard.

Tierpark Berlin it's in a league of their own and when they finish all the ongoing projects ( Savanna, Elephant House, Asian Area) could set a new three day standard :)
 
As others wrote everybody has a different speed, interest in details and also interest to revist exhibits - I like spending long hours and if possible also multiple days at a zoo - however from pure size and diversity I'd consider the following European zoos as 'suitable' for multiple days (the ones that I've visited):
  • Pairi Daiza - already now but even more in a few years when the new Sanctury (4ha tropical hall) and the other new 'worlds' are open
  • Beauval - same as Pairi Daiza with the constant expansion (latest the almost 2ha South American aviary from April on) and when aiming to see the bird and the sea lion show
  • Zoo Berlin incl. Aquarium - I've never spent more than a day in a row at the zoo - however I lived for many years in Berlin and always thought that if I couldn't revisit regularly I wouldn't be able to see all in 1 day
  • Tierpark Berlin - similar to Zoo Berlin
 
Agreed.

When factoring in both species diversity and area, Bronx Zoo is probably the biggest traditional zoo in the US.

With both factors, Tierpark Berlin is probably the biggest in Europe (traditional zoo that is).
 
ZooElephantsMan said:
For me Bronx is probably 1.5 or 2 days. I always arrive when the zoo opens, but when I go for only one day I inevitably end up having to cut some sections. As a reference, I remember visiting last December when the aquatic bird house and most of the cold-intolerant exhibits were closed. With fewer exhibits open I thought I surely would be able to squeeze everything into one day with time to spare, but I still only finished getting through the entire zoo 15 minutes before closing!
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Once went to Bronx in a snowstorm and half of the exhibits were closed. The parts of the zoo open still took me the whole day to visit.
 
Tierpark Berlin is the only zoo I have been to which I would 100% say is impossible to do in a day. I had one day there and missed a lot of the interior.

Berlin Zoo, Chester, and Whipsnade I think all probably need a full day but 2 days might be easier for some. Chester right now is probably easily a 1 day zoo as a huge portion is closed for construction purposes.
 
Not to throw water on this, but can we keep it about US zoos? While I am interested in opinions in general, I would rather keep the thread about US zoos specifically as we are in the US forum. :)
 
SwampDonkey said:
Not to throw water on this, but can we keep it about US zoos? While I am interested in opinions in general, I would rather keep the thread about US zoos specifically as we are in the US forum. :)
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Perhaps you could clarify that in the title? (I believe you still can edit by reporting it to a mod), as someone just scrolling through new posts probably doesn't see the bit where it says United States forum.
 
WalkingAgnatha said:
Perhaps you could clarify that in the title? (I believe you still can edit by reporting it to a mod), as someone just scrolling through new posts probably doesn't see the bit where it says United States forum.
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Good idea, I made the change.
 
In general, it are the zoo houses which are the most time-consuming.

Although Tierpark Berlin is large, with the closing of the Reptile house and the downturn of the Pheasantry, it is doable in 1 (hard) day. There's only 1 really covered section (ABH) and that's where you lose time. The large enclosures for ungulates can be viewed while passing.

Berlin Zoo is something else, with its vast collections in the Aquarium-Reptile & Insecthouse, the Pheasantry and the Birdhouse. You can easily spend more than half a day in the first one. .

I was last year in Stuttgart during a zoo road trip through southern Germany. I managed to do the whole zoo twice but I had actually needed an extra half day for the gigantic Reptile & Fish Building. And if you are a plant lover, it is probably a 2 day zoo.

Pairi Daiza : there's a lot of (imo) kitsch which I skipp very quick and with very few indoor animal houses (apart from the BoaReptileHouse and the Oasis greenhouse).

Praque zoo could be a very difficult one, but it's 9 am - 9 pm open in summer.

Bronx Zoo (and other American zoos) Well, I mentioned it here before, with those crazy short opening hours it is indeed not possible to view everything on 1 day. For my American trip next year, I take Omaha and NY as a 2 days visit, for the others I will have to do it with 1 day each.
 
The North Carolina Zoo is a 2-day zoo for me, even with the loss of the Aviary. So zoos like Bronx, San Diego, and Omaha, would definitely be 2-day trips for me, no questions asked. Many zoos and even aquariums I have visited are usually full day experiences for me (Zoo Tampa, Tennessee Aquarium, Florida Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, and even Greensboro now that they are expanding like crazy).
 
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