Here are what I think are the top zoos in the midwest. Which one is the best?
Best Zoo in Midwest
- Thread starter TropicWorld54
- Start date
I am a little jealous of anyone living in the vicinity of so many top-notch zoos. I think that 9 of the zoos on the list would potentially qualify for placement in America's top 30 zoos, with Binder Park being the exception as that zoo is only open half the year and has only one brilliant area (Wild Africa).
I voted for columbus zoo because they have one of the best amur tiger exhibits and red panda exhibit in Asia Quest. The second best polar bear exhibit and the third best grizzly bear exhibit in polar frontier. The best bonobo exhibit in the african forest section. A good Asian elephant exhibit. They also have a very good north america exhibit. Also the zoo is growing rapidly they opened polar frontier in 2010 and are already adding on with a african section that might be over 100 acres.
KCZooFan
Well-Known Member
My favorite, though I've only been to five of these zoos, is Saint Louis. With the exception of bear pits and a monkey house that is adequate, all exhibits are among the best of their type in the US. River's Edge has top-notch pachyderm exhibits, they have massive insect, reptile, and bird collections, all housed excellently. The hoofstock area has great collection in simple but very good exhibits. The penguin exhibit is probably the best on the continent, and the great ape complex is pretty decent.
Omaha is a close second, with the amazing Lied Jungle, Kingdoms of the Night, and Desert Dome, as well as an outstanding collection and several others good exhibits. However, the bear and cat exhibits severly deminish the overall experience, as do poor exhibits for hummingbirds, hyraxes, and tapirs in the main complexes.
Brookfield is also up there mainly due to its sheer size, and the many interesting animals and indoor exhibit complexes. It doesn't really have the "best of its kind" exhibit, and has some rather poor exhibits, as is expected with so much indoor space. But still top-notch.
I haven't been, but I think Detroit and Columbus would also be up there pretty high. After that is a gap, followed by the others, with Binder Park coming in last (though far from a bad zoo).
Omaha is a close second, with the amazing Lied Jungle, Kingdoms of the Night, and Desert Dome, as well as an outstanding collection and several others good exhibits. However, the bear and cat exhibits severly deminish the overall experience, as do poor exhibits for hummingbirds, hyraxes, and tapirs in the main complexes.
Brookfield is also up there mainly due to its sheer size, and the many interesting animals and indoor exhibit complexes. It doesn't really have the "best of its kind" exhibit, and has some rather poor exhibits, as is expected with so much indoor space. But still top-notch.
I haven't been, but I think Detroit and Columbus would also be up there pretty high. After that is a gap, followed by the others, with Binder Park coming in last (though far from a bad zoo).
Here is my list:
1. Columbus Zoo
2. St. Louis Zoo
3. Henry Doorly Zoo
4. Minnesota Zoo
5. Brookfield Zoo
6. Kansas City Zoo
7. Detroit Zoo
8. Indianapolis Zoo
9. Binder Park Zoo
10. Cicinnati Zoo
1. Columbus Zoo
2. St. Louis Zoo
3. Henry Doorly Zoo
4. Minnesota Zoo
5. Brookfield Zoo
6. Kansas City Zoo
7. Detroit Zoo
8. Indianapolis Zoo
9. Binder Park Zoo
10. Cicinnati Zoo
Omaha is the only one I've been able to visit on a regular basis as it's right off of Interstate 80 which I take to visit relatives. It is a great zoo but I agree with what others have said, the Cat Complex is awful, the bear grottos are outdated, and the tapirs don't have much room in the Lied Jungle. The hyrax exhibit didn't seem that bad though. I haven't seen the Minnesota Zoo since 1989 or the Brookfield Zoo since 1993 but those seemed nice at the time I saw them.
7 out of the ten l will visiting over the next month,
At this point not planing on visiting Brookfield, Binder Park or Minnesota.
I last visited Brookfield a few years back it was in winter so missed allot of it l feel, so l may make it??
Otherwise incredibly excited to see all of these other zoos for the first time l leave Melbourne in 10 sleeps! First stop Cleveland Ohio. Then off for my road trip.
If anyone may be around for a catch up please feel free to pvt me, it would really add to my experience to catch up with more zoochaters .
At this point not planing on visiting Brookfield, Binder Park or Minnesota.
I last visited Brookfield a few years back it was in winter so missed allot of it l feel, so l may make it??
Otherwise incredibly excited to see all of these other zoos for the first time l leave Melbourne in 10 sleeps! First stop Cleveland Ohio. Then off for my road trip.
If anyone may be around for a catch up please feel free to pvt me, it would really add to my experience to catch up with more zoochaters .
WhiteTiger
Active Member
I've been to over 110 zoological facilities around the world and in my opinion, the Midwest is surprisingly the best region of America for zoos. I've visited all of the zoos on the list except for Binder Park, and visited Omaha, Kansas City, Saint Louis, Cincinnati, and Columbus again 2 weeks ago, as well as Louisville Zoo. My 3 favorite zoos in the world are on this list - Cincinnati, Omaha, and Saint Louis. My other favorite, Memphis, is not too far away either. I like Cincinnati for its conservation efforts and large collection of rare species, Omaha for its large number of innovative and unique exhibit facilities, and Saint Louis because in my opinion it has the largest number of over-all high quality exhibits of any zoo, especially the bird, reptile, and primate houses and the Red Rocks hoofstock area. The bear grottoes at Saint Louis are the next exhibits planned to be updated there. Not as important, but I also like these 3 the best because they generally group animals taxonomically and ecologically rather than what most zoos do nowadays which is grouping geographically, which in my opinion has become overdone.
All the other facilities on this list that I have visited are also top notch. It’s a great zoo region. Ohio in particular is full of great zoo facilities.
All the other facilities on this list that I have visited are also top notch. It’s a great zoo region. Ohio in particular is full of great zoo facilities.
KCZooFan
Well-Known Member
I was going to say the same thing, but I am not sure if central Kansas would be considered Midwest?
I would have put that in but the zoo was not in my mind when I created this. The sedgwick county zoo would probally replace the Binder park zoo on this list.
You guys have a very expansive definition of "Mid west".
Why? The midwest states are South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska (Henry Doorly Zoo), Kansas (Sedgwick County Zoo should be on the list), Minnesota (Minnesota Zoo), Iowa, Missouri (St. Louis Zoo and Kansas City Zoo), Wisconsin, Illinois (Brookfield Zoo), Indiana (Indianapolis Zoo), Michigan (Binder Park Zoo and Detroit Zoo), Ohio (Columbus Zoo and Cincinnati Zoo).
I actually do prefer the geographical arrangement. Have zoos started to go back to this arrangement?
wyldjaguar
Well-Known Member
Given the group listed, Columbus is extremely nice; with the incorporation of the adjacent amusement park and water park, they are certainly going for the "Disney Destination" effect. That said, there are some very nice exhibits worth visiting, #1 in my mind, being the manatee exhibit. The zoo historian in me loves the Passenger Pigeon (and Carolina parakeet) memorial at that the Cincy Zoo, along with the Sumatran rhinos. I think the Toledo Zoo is a great facility; again the historian in me loves the central food plaza, which is their old carnivore house, where visitors eat at tables within old iron cages. Akron is small, but has turned over virtually their entire facility in the past twenty years. Must give a thumbs-up to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, as well.
cloudedleopard
Well-Known Member
1. Columbus
2. Detroit
3. Brookfield
4. Cincy
5. Toledo
6. Cleveland
7. Lincoln Park
8. Akron
9. Stearns Homestead
10. Lake Farmpark
The latter two are "farm zoos" or "petting zoos" in Northeast OH.
2. Detroit
3. Brookfield
4. Cincy
5. Toledo
6. Cleveland
7. Lincoln Park
8. Akron
9. Stearns Homestead
10. Lake Farmpark
The latter two are "farm zoos" or "petting zoos" in Northeast OH.