Sea Life Minnesota is not AZA-accredited but is significantly different from other Sea Life aquariums and I would say actually worth a visit when you get to the Twin Cities area.
List and Rank The North American Zoos You Have Visited!
- Thread starter geomorph
- Start date
The zoo addresses their history. They are built on an old plantation, and enslaved individuals were kept there. They maintain the old plantation house to the side of the main zoo (grounds are accessible via the zoo) along with an old family cemetery, a slave cemetery, and old slave quarters. They also have lots of signage which gives a detailed breakdown of the plantation's history. While a bit grim of course due to the history of slavery on the property, I find it unique and appreciate that the zoo highlights and educates on the mixed history of the grounds.
~Thylo
Note: most places of these places I've been to only once, a long time ago, or both. I will declare if this is the case for a place.
Atrocious
29. Pocono Snake & Animal Farm (haven't been in several years, but so far in my life, the only zoo I'd actually call "bad," "horrible" even. Roadside kind of place with lousy outdoor exhibits [emu, bobcat or lynx, black bear] as well as classic roadside zoo primates like ringtail lemurs.)
Mediocre (almost bad or just meh)
28. Bird Kingdom (Niagara Falls, Canada. Went once years ago. Don't remember much, but it was alright I suppose)
27. Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Tanglewood Preserve [CSTL] (I volunteer at this small preserve on Long Island with owls, goats, and small exotic-pet type far. Not impressive, but I promise it isn't actually bad. They have since opened new exhibits for emu and other animals, but I have not seen them yet.)
26. Holtsville Ecology Center (more of a rescue place than an actual zoo. Haven't bene in years, but they have some unique creatures for a long Island attraction: black bear, puma, binturong, and [I think they still have] a genet [most likely common, but I forgot])
25. Long Island Game Farm (meh, a kiddie kind of place with meh spaces for their animals)
24. Seneca Park Zoo (it's cool that they have the only African elephants in New York, but I swear those girls are on borrowed time. I think an expanded savannah habitat was not a great welfare decision, putting giraffes indoors for most of the year ala Buffalo. They should phase out elephants one day and focus on rhinos or even pygmy hippos. The zoo is small and narrowly shaped, so it's difficult to give any large animal a lot of space, but they really ought to consider paring down their large mammal collection. Thank god they nixed gorillas from their tropics exhibit.)
23. Staten Island Zoo (I've only been there once a long time ago so I cannot judge it fairly, but I recall the otter exhibit not being good. Amur leopards were the only animal young-teen me thought was impressive. I want very much to go back one day, perhaps this summer, but going there from Long Island is hassle, and now the city and subways are so unsafe I don't feel ready to do that yet.)
22. Buffalo Zoo (It pains me to put Buffalo in this category, but the zoo showing its age and has a lot of warm-weather fauna in just adequate spaces, not to mention the gorillas)
Good/okay (nice places, but not necessarily outstanding)
21. Philadelphia Zoo (America's first zoo [arguably] needs some reorganizing, particularly Africa. Zoo360 is an impressive innovation and I hope they expand it to include hoofstock etc. like the planned to do for years.)
20. Prospect Park Zoo (haven't been in a while, but hoping to go again one day. Although the zoo has nice highlights in hamadryas baboons, dingoes, Pallas' cats, and tufted deer, I think the zoo ought to have a central theme like Queens does to make its collection seem more coherent and organized)
19. Franklin Park Zoo (nice African hoofstock yards, big cat exhibits [in my opinion], and Australia section, but I think FPZ is squandering its potential to turn its empty space into Boston's answer lauded zoos like Bronx, Washington, or Atlanta.)
18. Toledo Zoo (lots of ABCs- and warm-weather ones at that- hodgepodged into their bisected space. Still, plenty of unique creatures, especially a wide array of Australian fauna)
17. Cincinnati Zoo (the pessimist in me wants to say "overrated", but that is largely due to my opinion of the direction the zoo is going with its master plan as well as some of the spaces for its current animals and declining of rare species)
16. Akron (only went once while they built the new Africa exhibit. Nice midsized zoo with some nice exhibits for large carnivores, North American avians, and a nice herptile house. An up and comer in America's zoos)
15. Rosamond Gifford (only went once several years ago. Home to arguably America's most successful Asian elephant breeding program and impressive exhibits for cold-weather fauna, particularly rare ones like white-lipped deer. They released a master plan in 2014 advertising an even larger elephant habitat as well as an Africa exhibit. These additions would put RGZ among America's top-tier zoos)
14. Central Park (New York City proper's zoo is tiny but mighty. Japanese macaques, penguins, tropical birds, and rare ducks feature prominently at this storied zoo)
13. Brookfield (Chicago's storied second zoo is significantly larger than that in Chicago proper, but budget cuts have kept Brookfield from tapping into its potential for huge spaces for many creatures. Their Australia, swamp, bear, wolf, and Africa exhibits are wonderful. I have never seen okapis indoors before or since Brookfield.)
12. Louisville Zoo (Kentucky's premiere zoo boasts a large size, innovative rotation exhibits, and the only oriental stork in America. It's South America exhibit is bad except for the guanaco exhibit and Africa could use some solid organization. It's elephant program seems up in the air to me. They renovated their space and AI'd the female African, but they still have 1.1 African and 0.1 Asian. What do they want to do with them? Their 2016 master plan is impressive and I hope they complete it as intended)
11. Queens Zoo (an all outdoor zoo with a clear focus and wonderful faunal variety such as pudu, spectacled bear, and coyote)
Great
10. San Diego Zoo (I do not think I can judge SDZ fairly. I went once at least a decade ago and much has changed since then. I don't remember a lot, but 13-year-old me was impressed for sure. I think I recall the giraffe and rhino exhibits being small for my taste, though)
9. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Their Rainforest and Primate, Cat, and Aquatics buildings show great potential. It's also odd that the Rainforest is separate from the entrance. The rest of the zoo is solid by itself due to its mammal variety and large spaces)
8. Bronx Zoo (Bronx has a long history of breeding endangered animals and is particularly known rare hoofstock like gaur, rhim gazelles, and barasingha deer. Although budget cuts have prevented the zoo from updating its old facilities, most of the spaces are perfectly fine for most of their animals presently)
7. Smithsonian National Zoo (rightly treasured as one of America's most treasured zoos. Great Asia, reptile, and ape exhibits. Great cat exhibits are solid but maybe long in tooth. Think Tank is a good idea, but might go over the head of the average zoo-goer)
6. Fort Worth Zoo (where it hits, it hits hard. Where it misses, it misses hard. I felt horrible about their penguin exhibit. I feel like it's trying too hard to copy its neighbor to the east while it has plenty for space to forge its own identity)
5. ZooTampa (*trying hard to hide my bias as I interned there* Fantastic Africa and manatee exhibits, nice rhino and Australian exhibits, not a fan of the sun bear and tiger exhibits. The reptile and aquatics building [with the manatees] is also good. The new Florida wildlife exhibit was under construction during my time in Tampa, but judging by member photos, I cannot say I like them much)
A+ top tier
4. Detroit Zoo (welfare drives all zoos' decisions, but none more than Detroit. Huge spaces for their animals as well as an impressive variety make this a top-tier zoo in a place few laypeople would expect. I only don't rank it higher due to its large focus on warm-weather fauna, particularly since they made such a big deal over phasing out elephants due to climate)
3. Dallas Zoo (hands down the best elephant exhibit in any American zoo. Weaknesses: the zoo seems hyper-Africa-focused with other parts of the zoo being less organized)
2. Columbus Zoo & Aquarium (this huge zoo has large immersive spaces for its many diverse species. I can't pic a favorite because most of its areas (Heart of Africa, North America, Asia, Polar Frontier, Manatee Coast) are very strong. Moose, African leopard, manatee, wolverine, and wildebeest are some less-represented species that the zoo cares for. Apparent animal privacy and the exhibits for penguins, gorillas, and bonobos were issues in my opinion)
1. St. Louis Zoo (they have just about everything under the sun. A two-level reptile house, impressive large mammal habitats, and a wide array of less-represented hoofstock make St. Louis a great place)
29. Pocono Snake & Animal Farm (haven't been in several years, but so far in my life, the only zoo I'd actually call "bad," "horrible" even. Roadside kind of place with lousy outdoor exhibits [emu, bobcat or lynx, black bear] as well as classic roadside zoo primates like ringtail lemurs.)
Mediocre (almost bad or just meh)
28. Bird Kingdom (Niagara Falls, Canada. Went once years ago. Don't remember much, but it was alright I suppose)
27. Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Tanglewood Preserve [CSTL] (I volunteer at this small preserve on Long Island with owls, goats, and small exotic-pet type far. Not impressive, but I promise it isn't actually bad. They have since opened new exhibits for emu and other animals, but I have not seen them yet.)
26. Holtsville Ecology Center (more of a rescue place than an actual zoo. Haven't bene in years, but they have some unique creatures for a long Island attraction: black bear, puma, binturong, and [I think they still have] a genet [most likely common, but I forgot])
25. Long Island Game Farm (meh, a kiddie kind of place with meh spaces for their animals)
24. Seneca Park Zoo (it's cool that they have the only African elephants in New York, but I swear those girls are on borrowed time. I think an expanded savannah habitat was not a great welfare decision, putting giraffes indoors for most of the year ala Buffalo. They should phase out elephants one day and focus on rhinos or even pygmy hippos. The zoo is small and narrowly shaped, so it's difficult to give any large animal a lot of space, but they really ought to consider paring down their large mammal collection. Thank god they nixed gorillas from their tropics exhibit.)
23. Staten Island Zoo (I've only been there once a long time ago so I cannot judge it fairly, but I recall the otter exhibit not being good. Amur leopards were the only animal young-teen me thought was impressive. I want very much to go back one day, perhaps this summer, but going there from Long Island is hassle, and now the city and subways are so unsafe I don't feel ready to do that yet.)
22. Buffalo Zoo (It pains me to put Buffalo in this category, but the zoo showing its age and has a lot of warm-weather fauna in just adequate spaces, not to mention the gorillas)
Good/okay (nice places, but not necessarily outstanding)
21. Philadelphia Zoo (America's first zoo [arguably] needs some reorganizing, particularly Africa. Zoo360 is an impressive innovation and I hope they expand it to include hoofstock etc. like the planned to do for years.)
20. Prospect Park Zoo (haven't been in a while, but hoping to go again one day. Although the zoo has nice highlights in hamadryas baboons, dingoes, Pallas' cats, and tufted deer, I think the zoo ought to have a central theme like Queens does to make its collection seem more coherent and organized)
19. Franklin Park Zoo (nice African hoofstock yards, big cat exhibits [in my opinion], and Australia section, but I think FPZ is squandering its potential to turn its empty space into Boston's answer lauded zoos like Bronx, Washington, or Atlanta.)
18. Toledo Zoo (lots of ABCs- and warm-weather ones at that- hodgepodged into their bisected space. Still, plenty of unique creatures, especially a wide array of Australian fauna)
17. Cincinnati Zoo (the pessimist in me wants to say "overrated", but that is largely due to my opinion of the direction the zoo is going with its master plan as well as some of the spaces for its current animals and declining of rare species)
16. Akron (only went once while they built the new Africa exhibit. Nice midsized zoo with some nice exhibits for large carnivores, North American avians, and a nice herptile house. An up and comer in America's zoos)
15. Rosamond Gifford (only went once several years ago. Home to arguably America's most successful Asian elephant breeding program and impressive exhibits for cold-weather fauna, particularly rare ones like white-lipped deer. They released a master plan in 2014 advertising an even larger elephant habitat as well as an Africa exhibit. These additions would put RGZ among America's top-tier zoos)
14. Central Park (New York City proper's zoo is tiny but mighty. Japanese macaques, penguins, tropical birds, and rare ducks feature prominently at this storied zoo)
13. Brookfield (Chicago's storied second zoo is significantly larger than that in Chicago proper, but budget cuts have kept Brookfield from tapping into its potential for huge spaces for many creatures. Their Australia, swamp, bear, wolf, and Africa exhibits are wonderful. I have never seen okapis indoors before or since Brookfield.)
12. Louisville Zoo (Kentucky's premiere zoo boasts a large size, innovative rotation exhibits, and the only oriental stork in America. It's South America exhibit is bad except for the guanaco exhibit and Africa could use some solid organization. It's elephant program seems up in the air to me. They renovated their space and AI'd the female African, but they still have 1.1 African and 0.1 Asian. What do they want to do with them? Their 2016 master plan is impressive and I hope they complete it as intended)
11. Queens Zoo (an all outdoor zoo with a clear focus and wonderful faunal variety such as pudu, spectacled bear, and coyote)
Great
10. San Diego Zoo (I do not think I can judge SDZ fairly. I went once at least a decade ago and much has changed since then. I don't remember a lot, but 13-year-old me was impressed for sure. I think I recall the giraffe and rhino exhibits being small for my taste, though)
9. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Their Rainforest and Primate, Cat, and Aquatics buildings show great potential. It's also odd that the Rainforest is separate from the entrance. The rest of the zoo is solid by itself due to its mammal variety and large spaces)
8. Bronx Zoo (Bronx has a long history of breeding endangered animals and is particularly known rare hoofstock like gaur, rhim gazelles, and barasingha deer. Although budget cuts have prevented the zoo from updating its old facilities, most of the spaces are perfectly fine for most of their animals presently)
7. Smithsonian National Zoo (rightly treasured as one of America's most treasured zoos. Great Asia, reptile, and ape exhibits. Great cat exhibits are solid but maybe long in tooth. Think Tank is a good idea, but might go over the head of the average zoo-goer)
6. Fort Worth Zoo (where it hits, it hits hard. Where it misses, it misses hard. I felt horrible about their penguin exhibit. I feel like it's trying too hard to copy its neighbor to the east while it has plenty for space to forge its own identity)
5. ZooTampa (*trying hard to hide my bias as I interned there* Fantastic Africa and manatee exhibits, nice rhino and Australian exhibits, not a fan of the sun bear and tiger exhibits. The reptile and aquatics building [with the manatees] is also good. The new Florida wildlife exhibit was under construction during my time in Tampa, but judging by member photos, I cannot say I like them much)
A+ top tier
4. Detroit Zoo (welfare drives all zoos' decisions, but none more than Detroit. Huge spaces for their animals as well as an impressive variety make this a top-tier zoo in a place few laypeople would expect. I only don't rank it higher due to its large focus on warm-weather fauna, particularly since they made such a big deal over phasing out elephants due to climate)
3. Dallas Zoo (hands down the best elephant exhibit in any American zoo. Weaknesses: the zoo seems hyper-Africa-focused with other parts of the zoo being less organized)
2. Columbus Zoo & Aquarium (this huge zoo has large immersive spaces for its many diverse species. I can't pic a favorite because most of its areas (Heart of Africa, North America, Asia, Polar Frontier, Manatee Coast) are very strong. Moose, African leopard, manatee, wolverine, and wildebeest are some less-represented species that the zoo cares for. Apparent animal privacy and the exhibits for penguins, gorillas, and bonobos were issues in my opinion)
1. St. Louis Zoo (they have just about everything under the sun. A two-level reptile house, impressive large mammal habitats, and a wide array of less-represented hoofstock make St. Louis a great place)
Aquariums
11. Aquarium of Niagara (how did they get AZA-accredited? They are in the process of improving their facilities, expanding their footprint even, but they still have small spaces and ugly pinniped exhibits. I hope if I visit in five years that I walk into a much better place)
10. Long Island Aquarium (the actual aquatic animal exhibits are nice. The pinniped and random terrestrial mammal [Japanese macaque, sloth] are vanilla. The visitor amenities are okay at best, an atrocious submarine simulator)
9. Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium (went once long ago. Native New York fish and herptiles in this tiny place on Long Island. You can feed and catch your own trout on grounds, so that's cool)
8. National Aquarium (long closed. Nice enough displays for such a small place. One of my most prized possessions is a cat shark t-shirt from that place [accidently ruined it by using bleach instead of detergent])
7. New England Aquarium (for me personally, it didn't live up to the hype. The marine mammal complex didn't appeal to me, the indoor exhibits didn't seem particularly organized, and the penguin exhibits seemed like it was too easy to drop things into them.)
6. New York Aquarium (The last time I went was I think before Hurricane Sandy almost wiped this place off the map. NYA has slowly made an impressive comeback with a lauded shark exhibit that I cannot wait to see. It's marine mammal and penguin exhibits make this aquarium popular as well.)
5. Dallas World Zoo & Aquarium (Dallas' major aquarium is also known for its birds and monkeys. Zoochaters love it for it being the only place to hold yapok and many bird species. The penguin and mammal species' exhibits are lacking in size, but the many rare species [e.g. Antillean manatee], immersive habitats, and location in the heart of downtown Dallas make DWZA underrated in my opinion)
4. Florida Aquarium (solid marine life exhibits, but I think the shark tank should have more numerous and more immersive viewing opportunities. I did a dolphin watching tour there and I saw some bottlenoses. Can't wait for the new penguin exhibit)
3. Shedd Aquarium (marine mammals are the stars of Chicago's aquarium. They enjoy lovely spaces, and the other marine creatures are also diverse in variety. Weaknesses: the shark exhibit can only be accessed via elevator, a lot of the exhibits seem to run together and not have a high visitor retention time [although I think this about a lot of aquariums TBH], and the signs at the main central tank are too high for children to read)
2. Mystic Aquarium (Across from a quaint shopping village in a small Connecticut town, Mystic Aquarium's stars are belugas and myriad pinnipeds
1. Newport Aquarium (probably my favorite shark tank in any aquarium of been to, diverse fish species, and good exhibits for penguins and amphibians)
11. Aquarium of Niagara (how did they get AZA-accredited? They are in the process of improving their facilities, expanding their footprint even, but they still have small spaces and ugly pinniped exhibits. I hope if I visit in five years that I walk into a much better place)
10. Long Island Aquarium (the actual aquatic animal exhibits are nice. The pinniped and random terrestrial mammal [Japanese macaque, sloth] are vanilla. The visitor amenities are okay at best, an atrocious submarine simulator)
9. Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery and Aquarium (went once long ago. Native New York fish and herptiles in this tiny place on Long Island. You can feed and catch your own trout on grounds, so that's cool)
8. National Aquarium (long closed. Nice enough displays for such a small place. One of my most prized possessions is a cat shark t-shirt from that place [accidently ruined it by using bleach instead of detergent])
7. New England Aquarium (for me personally, it didn't live up to the hype. The marine mammal complex didn't appeal to me, the indoor exhibits didn't seem particularly organized, and the penguin exhibits seemed like it was too easy to drop things into them.)
6. New York Aquarium (The last time I went was I think before Hurricane Sandy almost wiped this place off the map. NYA has slowly made an impressive comeback with a lauded shark exhibit that I cannot wait to see. It's marine mammal and penguin exhibits make this aquarium popular as well.)
5. Dallas World Zoo & Aquarium (Dallas' major aquarium is also known for its birds and monkeys. Zoochaters love it for it being the only place to hold yapok and many bird species. The penguin and mammal species' exhibits are lacking in size, but the many rare species [e.g. Antillean manatee], immersive habitats, and location in the heart of downtown Dallas make DWZA underrated in my opinion)
4. Florida Aquarium (solid marine life exhibits, but I think the shark tank should have more numerous and more immersive viewing opportunities. I did a dolphin watching tour there and I saw some bottlenoses. Can't wait for the new penguin exhibit)
3. Shedd Aquarium (marine mammals are the stars of Chicago's aquarium. They enjoy lovely spaces, and the other marine creatures are also diverse in variety. Weaknesses: the shark exhibit can only be accessed via elevator, a lot of the exhibits seem to run together and not have a high visitor retention time [although I think this about a lot of aquariums TBH], and the signs at the main central tank are too high for children to read)
2. Mystic Aquarium (Across from a quaint shopping village in a small Connecticut town, Mystic Aquarium's stars are belugas and myriad pinnipeds
1. Newport Aquarium (probably my favorite shark tank in any aquarium of been to, diverse fish species, and good exhibits for penguins and amphibians)
Animal theme parks and safari parks
6. Disney's Animal Kingdom (wide open spaces for African fauna, America's best African elephant and hippo breeding center, and rides and experiences out the wazoo. No viewing opportunities for half of the animals [Kilimanjaro Safaris] other than the ride count against DAK)
5. The Wilds (The wide open spaces for this lauded Ohio breeding center for endangered hoofstock and carnivores provides an immersive drive-through experience for visitors. I wouldn't recommend it for children though due to A. bumpy, and B. little close-up views. I wasn't fond of the walkthrough exhibits, especially the painted dogs)
4. African Lion Safari (a drive-through safari park in Canada known for its Asian elephants. Breeding, walking, and swimming is what ALS does best with their eles. The closest I've ever been to an elephant. As controversial as free contact and bullhooks are, I maintain that these elephant get more exercise in one day than most zoo elephants get in a week. The drive-though exhibit are wonderful, but the species selection seems random. The walkthough exhibits-including the elephant exhibit-, however, are largely mediocre)
3. San Diego Safari Park (went once at least a decade ago, but I still have fond memories of the vista from the observation tower, golf cart tour around the huge yards, and baby elephants. This was the first place I ever saw a cheetah)
2. SeaWorld San Diego (*puts on helmet* Been there at least a decade ago. SeaWorld is a household name for its controversies, attractions, and conservation and rescue initiatives. San Diego has the only emperor penguins in North America and of course cetaceans galore)
1. Busch Gardens Tampa (all of their exhibits [that I've seen] were solid, their coasters were intense. Only rode Montu and Sheikra but, that was all I needed. Large spaces for elephants, hippos, and hoofstock galore more make Busch-Tampa an animal paradise. Visitors can enjoy plenty of viewing opportunities for these animals)
6. Disney's Animal Kingdom (wide open spaces for African fauna, America's best African elephant and hippo breeding center, and rides and experiences out the wazoo. No viewing opportunities for half of the animals [Kilimanjaro Safaris] other than the ride count against DAK)
5. The Wilds (The wide open spaces for this lauded Ohio breeding center for endangered hoofstock and carnivores provides an immersive drive-through experience for visitors. I wouldn't recommend it for children though due to A. bumpy, and B. little close-up views. I wasn't fond of the walkthrough exhibits, especially the painted dogs)
4. African Lion Safari (a drive-through safari park in Canada known for its Asian elephants. Breeding, walking, and swimming is what ALS does best with their eles. The closest I've ever been to an elephant. As controversial as free contact and bullhooks are, I maintain that these elephant get more exercise in one day than most zoo elephants get in a week. The drive-though exhibit are wonderful, but the species selection seems random. The walkthough exhibits-including the elephant exhibit-, however, are largely mediocre)
3. San Diego Safari Park (went once at least a decade ago, but I still have fond memories of the vista from the observation tower, golf cart tour around the huge yards, and baby elephants. This was the first place I ever saw a cheetah)
2. SeaWorld San Diego (*puts on helmet* Been there at least a decade ago. SeaWorld is a household name for its controversies, attractions, and conservation and rescue initiatives. San Diego has the only emperor penguins in North America and of course cetaceans galore)
1. Busch Gardens Tampa (all of their exhibits [that I've seen] were solid, their coasters were intense. Only rode Montu and Sheikra but, that was all I needed. Large spaces for elephants, hippos, and hoofstock galore more make Busch-Tampa an animal paradise. Visitors can enjoy plenty of viewing opportunities for these animals)
Persephone
Well-Known Member
I can see why people would love Toledo. Most of its facilities are arguably rustic or nostalgic more than outdated, they have some very interesting species, and it’s a good sized facility with some fun staples. I just… don’t? If the big cat and primate facilities were expanded / modernized it would bring it up a few places. It just doesn’t click for me, I guess.
I mean I’ll probably visit Mall of America like a stereotypical tourist when I’m there, so I might make the stop.
I get it. And, like, I put Brookgreen Gardens up high on its list despite being very clearly on former plantation grounds. I was actually sort of impressed that they put that much of the zoo aside for explaining its history. Made for a much better farm area experience than normal if nothing else. But some part of me remembers watching Poltergeist while a little too young and was low key freaking out.
I don’t really have any critiques of the zoo that stood out. It was good. I enjoyed it. The bear, tiger, and spider monkey exhibits were great. Cassowaries are always fun.
Sorry, but ranking Newport and Mystic ahead of Shedd and putting Detroit in top tier are both wrong.
I agree that for the most part Toledo's outdoor complexes (especially the big cat and primate areas) are just super generic and bland. But the indoor areas are what sells to the zoo to me. The Aviary, aquarium, and reptile buildings are some the best of their kinds in North America. ProMedica is a massive zoo-within-a-zoo and is one the best exhibits in any zoo, period. Was ProMedica open when you visited? If not, you should visit Toledo again and see it. I guarantee it will get much higher on your list then.
Persephone
Well-Known Member
ProMedica was under construction at the time. I was under the impression it was just going to be a small natural history museum with Komodo dragons. I take it I’m mistaken?
EDIT: I forgot the reptile building. Tuatara alone might’ve been enough to move Toledo up a ranking or two lol.
Nope. It's now one of the best exhibit buildings in North America. It's a natural history museum/reptile house/invertebrate house/rainforest pavillion. The whole things contained over 100 live animals species (and lots of other non-live-animals exhibits) and takes a couple hours (or more) to see by itself. I highly recommend you get back to Toledo to see it, it's probably enough to push it to top tier on your list.
I redid my list with all of the new Texas & Florida zoos I have visited 
Zoos:
1. Bronx Zoo
2. San Diego Zoo
3. Fort Worth Zoo
4. San Diego Zoo Safari Park
5. Zoo Miami
6. North Carolina Zoo
7. Houston Zoo
8. Denver Zoo
9. Riverbanks Zoo
10. National Zoo
11. Dallas Zoo
12. San Antonio Zoo
13. Lincoln Park Zoo
14. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
15. Cameron Park Zoo
16. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
17. Philadelphia Zoo
18. Roger Williams Park Zoo
19. Greensboro Science Center
20. Gladys Porter Zoo
21. Queens Zoo
22. Naples Zoo
23. Central Park Zoo
24. Prospect Park Zoo
25. Cape May County Zoo
26. Metro Richmond Zoo
27. Franklin Park Zoo
28. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
29. Western North Carolina Nature Center
30. Staten Island Zoo
31. Museum of Life and Science
32. Ross Park Zoo
33. Zoo America
34. Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo
35. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo
36. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
37. Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
38. Long Island Game Farm
39. Claws N’ Paws Wild Animal Park
40. Southern Nevada Zoological Park (Now Closed…Thankfully)
Aquariums:
1. Shedd Aquarium
2. National Aquarium
3. Moody Gardens
4. Georgia Aquarium
5. Mystic Aquarium
6. Dallas World Aquarium
7. Adventure Aquarium
8. Texas State Aquarium
9. New England Aquarium
10. New York Aquarium (haven’t visited since before Hurricane Sandy)
11. North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
12. Long Island Aquarium
13. South Carolina Aquarium
14. The Maritime Aquarium
15. Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
16. North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Special Collections:
1. Sylvan Heights Bird Park
2. SeaWorld San Diego
3. NC Museum of Natural Sciences
4. Duke Lemur Center
5. Six Flags Wild Safari
6. Reptile Lagoon
7. Busch Gardens Williamsburg
8. Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium
9. Austin Nature and Science Center
10. Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary
11. The Meadows Center, San Marcos
12. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (not bad, just a building of basic terrariums)
Zoos:
1. Bronx Zoo
2. San Diego Zoo
3. Fort Worth Zoo
4. San Diego Zoo Safari Park
5. Zoo Miami
6. North Carolina Zoo
7. Houston Zoo
8. Denver Zoo
9. Riverbanks Zoo
10. National Zoo
11. Dallas Zoo
12. San Antonio Zoo
13. Lincoln Park Zoo
14. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
15. Cameron Park Zoo
16. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
17. Philadelphia Zoo
18. Roger Williams Park Zoo
19. Greensboro Science Center
20. Gladys Porter Zoo
21. Queens Zoo
22. Naples Zoo
23. Central Park Zoo
24. Prospect Park Zoo
25. Cape May County Zoo
26. Metro Richmond Zoo
27. Franklin Park Zoo
28. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
29. Western North Carolina Nature Center
30. Staten Island Zoo
31. Museum of Life and Science
32. Ross Park Zoo
33. Zoo America
34. Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo
35. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo
36. Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
37. Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
38. Long Island Game Farm
39. Claws N’ Paws Wild Animal Park
40. Southern Nevada Zoological Park (Now Closed…Thankfully)
Aquariums:
1. Shedd Aquarium
2. National Aquarium
3. Moody Gardens
4. Georgia Aquarium
5. Mystic Aquarium
6. Dallas World Aquarium
7. Adventure Aquarium
8. Texas State Aquarium
9. New England Aquarium
10. New York Aquarium (haven’t visited since before Hurricane Sandy)
11. North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
12. Long Island Aquarium
13. South Carolina Aquarium
14. The Maritime Aquarium
15. Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
16. North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Special Collections:
1. Sylvan Heights Bird Park
2. SeaWorld San Diego
3. NC Museum of Natural Sciences
4. Duke Lemur Center
5. Six Flags Wild Safari
6. Reptile Lagoon
7. Busch Gardens Williamsburg
8. Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium
9. Austin Nature and Science Center
10. Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary
11. The Meadows Center, San Marcos
12. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (not bad, just a building of basic terrariums)
SusScrofa
Well-Known Member
I visited a number of new zoos over the last 2 months or so and have decided to make some adjustments to my previous list. I'll also try to rank them in an actual order instead of just tiers. Here is my new, updated rankings, bold is zoos I visited since my last ranking. I'm still debating the exact placement of the last 3-5 zoos so those are subject to change:
1. San Diego Zoo
2. Zoo Miami
3. Bronx Zoo
4. Smithsonian National Zoo
5. San Diego Safari Park
6. Los Angeles Zoo
7. Phoenix Zoo
8. Zoo Atlanta
9. Out of Africa Wildlife Park
10. Lion Country Safari
11. Brevard Zoo
12. Audubon Zoo
13. Palm Beach Zoo
14. Philadelphia Zoo
15. Central Florida Zoo
16. Naples Zoo
17. Staten Island Zoo
18. Queens Zoo
19. Elmwood Park Zoo
20. Prospect Park Zoo
21. Central Park Zoo
I've also added some reviews of my top 10 zoos. Perhaps I'll add the rest in a later post.
1. San Diego Zoo
A huge zoo with a ton of species, so big in fact that its almost impossible to see entirely in a day; I came before it even opened and still didn't have time to see the aviaries, and Explorers Basecamp wasn't even open. Most exhibits were good to excellent, the worst was probably Urban Jungle but it wasn't actually bad or anything, just kinda had a hodgepodge of animals without any real theme. It was the most expensive zoo I've been to (I bought a bundled ticket to SDZ and Safari Park at around $100), but its offering made it worth it.
2. Zoo Miami
A very large zoo with a great ungulate collection (Anoa, Giant Eland, etc) and both captive elephant species. Very good aviary and a very nice SA themed exhibit in Amazon & Beyond. Also a great deal as its only around $24 (includes free parking) and they are part of AZA reciprocal program so its even less if you're a member of an AZA zoo. Definitely the best bang for your buck.
3. Bronx Zoo
Very large zoo that while missing some of the "standards" of other major zoos (orangutan, more than one bear species) still has a great list of rarities and very good exhibits. Stronger focus on smaller animals compared to the above two, with the caveat that Explorers Basecamp was closed at SD when I went. The Asia Monorail is an enjoyable experience where (unlike say SDSP) you can actually see most of the animals and still get a more naturalistic feel. Standard admission is a bit expensive at around $42, though they do offer a discounted ticket (though most exhibits can't be entered). They haven't added any new exhibits in years which I think holds it at #3, especially since I've been here dozens of times over the years as an ex-NYer.
4. Smithsonian National Zoo
Extensive amphibian collection... Giant Pandas.... and its FREE! Smithsonian is a really good institution. Loved the small mammal house and all those knifefish. One weakness is that it can be really hard to find all exhibits because the map kinda sucks and doesn't show all the intricate loops that have exhibits nestled within very clearly. Also very few birds if you're into that.
5. San Diego Safari Park
The zoos at #5-7 are pretty much neck-to-neck as far as exact rankings go. I decided to put SDSP at the top because of the vast, beautiful landscape that houses various ungulates (though I think a lot less species compared to a decade ago or so). The basic safari ride, while good, I felt could definitely be a lot better. They basically rush through it without really taking the time to stop and let riders view the scenery and the animals. A private safari will cost around $100 extra which imo is too much. Even with the somewhat disappointing safari, the zoo portion is very good and seeing the only Platypus in North America was a real treat.
6. Los Angeles Zoo
LA Zoo has a very extensive collection that perhaps is overlooked especially when it shares the state with SD Zoo. The animal enclosures and exhibit themes are not as good as they are by SD, though the elephant habitat stood out as excellent. There's also a Short-beaked Echidna, various Wallabies, Bald Uakari and Goral among the rarities. LA had really stringent COVID rules that other zoos didn't have when I went (Feb 2022), including most cats off exhibit and primate exhibits gated off with only far away viewing. I tried to not let it effect my score too much, but I feel it would probably overtake SDSP if it didn't have those inconveniences. Apparently the zoo has been losing many mainstay animals of the years, including their Hippopotamus and Uakari which I was fortunate to see on my visit. Perhaps it may drop in the future.
7. Phoenix Zoo
I went in 2020 and enjoyed this zoo, though I feel that if I came a few months later, I would have enjoyed it more. During my visit I think they were in the process of getting a rhinoceros, or at least it was off-exhibit, as were the lions. In terms of exhibits, the Arizona Trail was wonderful and there was also a touch tank with stingrays, not something you'd expect at a zoo. The Red Brocket was a rarity that stood out as well. Worst part was the Shuttle Tour; its a waste of over a half an hour where you wait on a long line only to get on a shuttle that just rides you along the main path of the zoo and point out enclosures with animals that you aren't even able to see over the regular crowd.
8. Zoo Atlanta
I went here back in 2019. I never got to see the Bush Dogs since they were off-exhibit at the time, but I did get to see the Giant Pandas (my first time), Drill and Raccoon Dogs. The zoo was still in the process of adding some animals like a rhinoceros, so it probably got better over time. Atlanta was smaller compared to the previous listed zoos and I wasn't blown away by any enclosures or exhibits, but the number of rare species made for a very enjoyable experience.
9. Out of Africa Wildlife Park
The safari experience was very enjoyable. Many ungulates roam a vast desert landscape and some get super close; one huge male giraffe stuck his head into the truck begging for a treat, it was amazing seeing his huge head so close. The walking area is extensive, and while most exhibits look somewhat amateur compared to major zoos, they are very spacious and the animals seem quite happy. Nothing stands out as super-rare from my visit, but the amount of predators here is extensive. The tiger show was awesome.
10. Lion Country Safari
This safari actually allows you to take your own car on the safari ride, and you can stop for as long as you want to view the animals. Very extensive antelope herds and large amount of white rhinoceros roaming the area. Rarities I got to see include the Hartebeest (which sadly passed away a couple of months ago I believe) and the Brazilian Tapir (only a single female, Amy, is left so if you haven't seen this species and live in the area I suggest you visit soon). Lion Country Safari falls to #10 on the list because as awesome as the safari section is, the walkthrough section is meh. They have a nice Giraffe feeding section and a petting zoo (as well as other kiddy stuff), but none of the animals or exhibits really shine here. They're also lacking any other predators besides lions, which kind of weakens the full safari experience.
1. San Diego Zoo
2. Zoo Miami
3. Bronx Zoo
4. Smithsonian National Zoo
5. San Diego Safari Park
6. Los Angeles Zoo
7. Phoenix Zoo
8. Zoo Atlanta
9. Out of Africa Wildlife Park
10. Lion Country Safari
11. Brevard Zoo
12. Audubon Zoo
13. Palm Beach Zoo
14. Philadelphia Zoo
15. Central Florida Zoo
16. Naples Zoo
17. Staten Island Zoo
18. Queens Zoo
19. Elmwood Park Zoo
20. Prospect Park Zoo
21. Central Park Zoo
I've also added some reviews of my top 10 zoos. Perhaps I'll add the rest in a later post.
1. San Diego Zoo
A huge zoo with a ton of species, so big in fact that its almost impossible to see entirely in a day; I came before it even opened and still didn't have time to see the aviaries, and Explorers Basecamp wasn't even open. Most exhibits were good to excellent, the worst was probably Urban Jungle but it wasn't actually bad or anything, just kinda had a hodgepodge of animals without any real theme. It was the most expensive zoo I've been to (I bought a bundled ticket to SDZ and Safari Park at around $100), but its offering made it worth it.
2. Zoo Miami
A very large zoo with a great ungulate collection (Anoa, Giant Eland, etc) and both captive elephant species. Very good aviary and a very nice SA themed exhibit in Amazon & Beyond. Also a great deal as its only around $24 (includes free parking) and they are part of AZA reciprocal program so its even less if you're a member of an AZA zoo. Definitely the best bang for your buck.
3. Bronx Zoo
Very large zoo that while missing some of the "standards" of other major zoos (orangutan, more than one bear species) still has a great list of rarities and very good exhibits. Stronger focus on smaller animals compared to the above two, with the caveat that Explorers Basecamp was closed at SD when I went. The Asia Monorail is an enjoyable experience where (unlike say SDSP) you can actually see most of the animals and still get a more naturalistic feel. Standard admission is a bit expensive at around $42, though they do offer a discounted ticket (though most exhibits can't be entered). They haven't added any new exhibits in years which I think holds it at #3, especially since I've been here dozens of times over the years as an ex-NYer.
4. Smithsonian National Zoo
Extensive amphibian collection... Giant Pandas.... and its FREE! Smithsonian is a really good institution. Loved the small mammal house and all those knifefish. One weakness is that it can be really hard to find all exhibits because the map kinda sucks and doesn't show all the intricate loops that have exhibits nestled within very clearly. Also very few birds if you're into that.
5. San Diego Safari Park
The zoos at #5-7 are pretty much neck-to-neck as far as exact rankings go. I decided to put SDSP at the top because of the vast, beautiful landscape that houses various ungulates (though I think a lot less species compared to a decade ago or so). The basic safari ride, while good, I felt could definitely be a lot better. They basically rush through it without really taking the time to stop and let riders view the scenery and the animals. A private safari will cost around $100 extra which imo is too much. Even with the somewhat disappointing safari, the zoo portion is very good and seeing the only Platypus in North America was a real treat.
6. Los Angeles Zoo
LA Zoo has a very extensive collection that perhaps is overlooked especially when it shares the state with SD Zoo. The animal enclosures and exhibit themes are not as good as they are by SD, though the elephant habitat stood out as excellent. There's also a Short-beaked Echidna, various Wallabies, Bald Uakari and Goral among the rarities. LA had really stringent COVID rules that other zoos didn't have when I went (Feb 2022), including most cats off exhibit and primate exhibits gated off with only far away viewing. I tried to not let it effect my score too much, but I feel it would probably overtake SDSP if it didn't have those inconveniences. Apparently the zoo has been losing many mainstay animals of the years, including their Hippopotamus and Uakari which I was fortunate to see on my visit. Perhaps it may drop in the future.
7. Phoenix Zoo
I went in 2020 and enjoyed this zoo, though I feel that if I came a few months later, I would have enjoyed it more. During my visit I think they were in the process of getting a rhinoceros, or at least it was off-exhibit, as were the lions. In terms of exhibits, the Arizona Trail was wonderful and there was also a touch tank with stingrays, not something you'd expect at a zoo. The Red Brocket was a rarity that stood out as well. Worst part was the Shuttle Tour; its a waste of over a half an hour where you wait on a long line only to get on a shuttle that just rides you along the main path of the zoo and point out enclosures with animals that you aren't even able to see over the regular crowd.
8. Zoo Atlanta
I went here back in 2019. I never got to see the Bush Dogs since they were off-exhibit at the time, but I did get to see the Giant Pandas (my first time), Drill and Raccoon Dogs. The zoo was still in the process of adding some animals like a rhinoceros, so it probably got better over time. Atlanta was smaller compared to the previous listed zoos and I wasn't blown away by any enclosures or exhibits, but the number of rare species made for a very enjoyable experience.
9. Out of Africa Wildlife Park
The safari experience was very enjoyable. Many ungulates roam a vast desert landscape and some get super close; one huge male giraffe stuck his head into the truck begging for a treat, it was amazing seeing his huge head so close. The walking area is extensive, and while most exhibits look somewhat amateur compared to major zoos, they are very spacious and the animals seem quite happy. Nothing stands out as super-rare from my visit, but the amount of predators here is extensive. The tiger show was awesome.
10. Lion Country Safari
This safari actually allows you to take your own car on the safari ride, and you can stop for as long as you want to view the animals. Very extensive antelope herds and large amount of white rhinoceros roaming the area. Rarities I got to see include the Hartebeest (which sadly passed away a couple of months ago I believe) and the Brazilian Tapir (only a single female, Amy, is left so if you haven't seen this species and live in the area I suggest you visit soon). Lion Country Safari falls to #10 on the list because as awesome as the safari section is, the walkthrough section is meh. They have a nice Giraffe feeding section and a petting zoo (as well as other kiddy stuff), but none of the animals or exhibits really shine here. They're also lacking any other predators besides lions, which kind of weakens the full safari experience.
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I am going to list my top 10 and the full list below it. My list would probably be different if I visited these places again. For example Miami, I went around 7 months after Hurricane Andrew, so it was still a mess (and that was a long time ago).
1. San Diego Wild Animal Park
2. San Diego Zoo
3. NC Zoo
4. National Zoo
5. Disney's Animal Kingdom
6. Busch Gardens Tampa
7. Zoo Tampa
8. Audubon Zoo
9. Phoenix Zoo
10. Jacksonville Zoo
1. Georgia Aquarium
2. Monterey Bay Aquarium
3. Florida Aquarium
4. OdySea Aquarium
5. New England Aquarium
6. Seattle Aquarium
7. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
8. Dallas World Aquarium
9. Alaska Sea life Center
10. Adventure Aquarium
Full list of North American zoos that I have been to:
1. San Diego Wild Animal Park
2. San Diego Zoo
3. NC Zoo
4. National Zoo
5. Disney's Animal Kingdom
6. Busch Gardens Tampa
7. Zoo Tampa
8. Audubon Zoo
9. Phoenix Zoo
10. Jacksonville Zoo
1. Georgia Aquarium
2. Monterey Bay Aquarium
3. Florida Aquarium
4. OdySea Aquarium
5. New England Aquarium
6. Seattle Aquarium
7. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
8. Dallas World Aquarium
9. Alaska Sea life Center
10. Adventure Aquarium
Full list of North American zoos that I have been to:
USA:
Arizona -
Arizona -
- Odysea Aquarium
- Phoenix Zoo
Alaska - - Alaska Sea life Center
California - - San Diego Zoo
- San Diego Wild Animal Park
- Birch Aquarium
- Long Beach Aquarium
- San Francisco Zoo
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
Florida - - Zoo Tampa
- Safari Wilderness
- Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Gulf Breeze Zoo
- Gatorland
- Gatorama
- Wild Florida
- Jacksonville Zoo
- Zoo Miami (it was Miami Metro Zoo at the time)
- Seaworld Orlando
- Discovery Cove
- Florida Aquarium
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium
- Tarpon Springs Aquarium (the old location)
- Sarasota Jungle Gardens
- Central Florida Zoo
- Key West Aquarium
- Lion Country Safari
- Busch Gardens Tampa
- Marineland Florida
Georgia - - Georgia Aquarium
Illinois - - Lincoln Park Zoo
Louisiana - - Audubon Zoo
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Massachusetts - - New England Aquarium
Maine - - Maine State Aquarium
New Jersey - - Adventure Aquarium
North Carolina - - North Carolina Zoo
- Grandfather Mountain
Pennsylvania -
- Philadelphia Zoo
New York - - Long Island Aquarium
- Central Park Zoo
Tennessee - - Rainforest Adventures
Texas - - Downtown Houston Aquarium
- Dallas World Aquarium
- Austin Nature and Science Center
Washington - - Seattle Aquarium
Washington DC - - National Zoo
Canada: - Vancouver Aquarium
Sorry, but ranking Newport and Mystic ahead of Shedd and putting Detroit in top tier are both wrong.
I know you're poking a certain amount of fun (hense the tongue out emoji), but I'll say your critique is fair. I initially had Shedd as number one, but the elevators to the sharks and other fish exhibits blurring together put me off it.
Your critique about Detroit, however, confuses me. What makes you say that?
I think Detroit just doesn't have enough to see personally, and far too many "repeat" animals for my taste. There's lots of great things to be found at Detroit but it really isn't top tier (at least, not anymore).
I last went in 2019, so maybe some things have changed since then, or they've changed before then in ways I had no idea about or caused repercussions that I had no idea about.
I just realized I forgot to add two places to my zoo ranking. Below is an updated ranking with the new zoos listed in bold.
Atrocious
31. Pocono Snake & Animal Farm (haven't been in several years, but so far in my life, the only zoo I'd actually call "bad," "horrible" even. Roadside kind of place with lousy outdoor exhibits [emu, bobcat or lynx, black bear] as well as classic roadside zoo primates like ringtail lemurs.)
Mediocre (almost bad or just meh)
30. Bird Kingdom (Niagara Falls, Canada. Went once years ago. Don't remember much, but it was alright I suppose)
29. Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Tanglewood Preserve [CSTL] (I volunteered at this small preserve on Long Island with owls, goats, and small exotic-pet type far. Not impressive, but I promise it isn't actually bad. They have since opened new exhibits for emu and other animals, but I have not seen them yet.)
28. Holtsville Ecology Center (more of a rescue place than an actual zoo. Haven't been in years, but they have some unique creatures for a Long Island attraction [hoping they still have these]: black bear, puma, binturong, and a genet [most likely common, but I forgot])
27. Long Island Game Farm (meh, a kiddie kind of place with meh spaces for their animals)
26. Seneca Park Zoo (it's cool that they have the only African elephants in New York, but I swear those girls are on borrowed time. I think an expanded savannah habitat was not a good idea, putting giraffes indoors for most of the year ala Buffalo. They should phase out elephants one day and focus on rhinos or even pygmy hippos. The zoo is small and narrowly shaped, so it's difficult to give any large animal a lot of space, but they really ought to consider paring down their large mammal collection. Thank god they nixed gorillas from their tropics exhibit.)
25. Staten Island Zoo (I've only been there once a long time ago so I cannot judge it fairly, but I recall the otter exhibit not being good. Amur leopards were the only animal young-teen me thought was impressive. I want very much to go back one day, perhaps this summer, but going there from Long Island is hassle, and now the city and subways are so unsafe I don't feel ready to do that yet.)
24. Buffalo Zoo (It pains me to put Buffalo in this category, but the zoo showing its age and has a lot of warm-weather fauna in just adequate spaces, not to mention the gorillas)
23. ZooAmerica (only been once. Hershey Park's itty bitty hidden zoo about American wildlife has a surprising array of rare and less-represented fauna such as thick-billed parrots, black-footed ferrets, and ringtails as well as elk, pronghorn, wolves, and bears. This much packed into a small space leads to what I perceive to be unaesthetically pleasing facilities. The indoor spaces, however, were alright. The desert exhibit was probably my favorite exhibit.)
Good/okay (nice places, but not necessarily outstanding)
22. Philadelphia Zoo (only been once several years ago. America's [arguably] first zoo needs some reorganizing, particularly Africa. Zoo360 is an impressive innovation and I hope they expand it to include hoofstock etc. like they planned to do for years.)
21. Prospect Park Zoo (haven't been in a while, but hoping to go again one day. Although the zoo has nice highlights in hamadryas baboons, dingoes, Pallas' cats, and tufted deer, I think the zoo ought to have a central theme like Queens does to make its collection seem more coherent and organized)
20. Franklin Park Zoo (nice African hoofstock yards, big cat exhibits [in my opinion], and Australia section, but I think FPZ is squandering its potential to turn its empty space into Boston's answer lauded zoos like Bronx, Washington, or Atlanta.)
19. Toledo Zoo (lots of ABCs- and warm-weather ones at that- hodgepodged into their bisected space. Still, plenty of unique creatures, especially a wide array of Australian fauna)
18. Cincinnati Zoo (the pessimist in me wants to say "overrated", but that is largely due to my opinion of the direction the zoo is going with its master plan as well as some of the spaces for its current animals and declining of rare species)
17. Akron (only went once while they built the new Africa exhibit. Nice midsized zoo with some nice exhibits for large carnivores, North American avians, and a nice herptile house. An up and comer in America's zoos)
16. Rosamond Gifford (only went once several years ago. Home to arguably America's most successful Asian elephant breeding program and impressive exhibits for cold-weather fauna, particularly rare ones like white-lipped deer. They released a master plan in 2014 advertising an even larger elephant habitat as well as an Africa exhibit. These additions would put RGZ among America's top-tier zoos)
15. Central Park (New York City proper's zoo is tiny but mighty. Japanese macaques, penguins, tropical birds, and rare ducks feature prominently at this storied zoo)
14. Brookfield (Chicago's storied second zoo is significantly larger than that in Chicago proper, but budget cuts have kept Brookfield from tapping into its potential for huge spaces for many creatures. Their Australia, swamp, bear, wolf, and Africa exhibits are wonderful. I have never seen okapis indoors before or since Brookfield.)
13. Louisville Zoo (Kentucky's premiere zoo boasts a large size, innovative rotation exhibits, and the only oriental stork in America. It's South America exhibit is bad except for the guanaco exhibit and Africa could use some solid organization. It's elephant program seems up in the air to me. They renovated their space and AI'd the female African, but they still have 1.1 African and 0.1 Asian. What do they want to do with them? Their 2016 master plan is impressive and I hope they complete it as intended)
12. Queens Zoo (an all outdoor zoo with a clear focus and wonderful faunal variety such as pudu, spectacled bear, and coyote)
Great
11. Houston Zoo (only been once, and a rushed visit at that. A mid-sized zoo in America's fourth-largest city, the lushly-planted Houston Zoo boasts a platinum-tier Asian elephant breeding program in a silver to gold-tier exhibit, although it feels out of place in the presence of the lovely Africa exhibit and primate area [the latter of which I did not see]. The red panda exhibit also felt out of place, and the sea lion exhibit didn't strike me as great. I visited while the Texas Wetlands exhibit was being constructed, so I cannot judge that or the new Pantanal exhibit. I know sea lion exhibit changes are slated to happen as well.)
10. San Diego Zoo (I do not think I can judge SDZ fairly. I went once at least a decade ago and much has changed since then. I don't remember a lot, but 13-year-old me was impressed for sure. I think I recall the giraffe and rhino exhibits being small for my taste, though)
9. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Their Rainforest and Primate, Cat, and Aquatics buildings show great potential. It's also odd that the Rainforest is separate from the entrance. The rest of the zoo is solid by itself due to its mammal variety and large spaces)
8. Bronx Zoo (Bronx has a long history of breeding endangered animals and is particularly known rare hoofstock like gaur, rhim gazelles, and barasingha deer. Although budget cuts have prevented the zoo from updating its old facilities, most of the spaces are perfectly fine for most of their animals presently)
7. Smithsonian National Zoo (rightly treasured as one of America's most treasured zoos. Great Asia, reptile, and ape exhibits. Great cat exhibits are solid but maybe long in tooth. Think Tank is a good idea, but might go over the head of the average zoo-goer)
6. Fort Worth Zoo (where it hits, it hits hard. Where it misses, it misses hard. I felt horrible about their penguin exhibit. I feel like it's trying too hard to copy its neighbor to the east while it has plenty for space to forge its own identity)
5. ZooTampa (*trying hard to hide my bias as I interned there* Fantastic Africa and manatee exhibits, nice rhino and Australian exhibits, not a fan of the sun bear and tiger exhibits. The reptile and aquatics building [with the manatees] is also good. The new Florida wildlife exhibit was under construction during my time in Tampa, but judging by member photos, I cannot say I like them much)
A+ top tier
4. Detroit Zoo (welfare drives all zoos' decisions, but none more than Detroit. Huge spaces for their animals as well as an impressive variety make this a top-tier zoo in a place few laypeople would expect. I only don't rank it higher due to its large focus on warm-weather fauna, particularly since they made such a big deal over phasing out elephants due to climate)
3. Dallas Zoo (hands down the best elephant exhibit in any American zoo. Weaknesses: the zoo seems hyper-Africa-focused with other parts of the zoo being less organized)
2. Columbus Zoo & Aquarium (this huge zoo has large immersive spaces for its many diverse species. I can't pic a favorite because most of its areas (Heart of Africa, North America, Asia, Polar Frontier, Manatee Coast) are very strong. Moose, African leopard, manatee, wolverine, and wildebeest are some less-represented species that the zoo cares for. Apparent animal privacy and the exhibits for penguins, gorillas, and bonobos were issues in my opinion)
1. St. Louis Zoo (they have just about everything under the sun. A two-level reptile house, impressive large mammal habitats, and a wide array of less-represented hoofstock make St. Louis a great place)
31. Pocono Snake & Animal Farm (haven't been in several years, but so far in my life, the only zoo I'd actually call "bad," "horrible" even. Roadside kind of place with lousy outdoor exhibits [emu, bobcat or lynx, black bear] as well as classic roadside zoo primates like ringtail lemurs.)
Mediocre (almost bad or just meh)
30. Bird Kingdom (Niagara Falls, Canada. Went once years ago. Don't remember much, but it was alright I suppose)
29. Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Tanglewood Preserve [CSTL] (I volunteered at this small preserve on Long Island with owls, goats, and small exotic-pet type far. Not impressive, but I promise it isn't actually bad. They have since opened new exhibits for emu and other animals, but I have not seen them yet.)
28. Holtsville Ecology Center (more of a rescue place than an actual zoo. Haven't been in years, but they have some unique creatures for a Long Island attraction [hoping they still have these]: black bear, puma, binturong, and a genet [most likely common, but I forgot])
27. Long Island Game Farm (meh, a kiddie kind of place with meh spaces for their animals)
26. Seneca Park Zoo (it's cool that they have the only African elephants in New York, but I swear those girls are on borrowed time. I think an expanded savannah habitat was not a good idea, putting giraffes indoors for most of the year ala Buffalo. They should phase out elephants one day and focus on rhinos or even pygmy hippos. The zoo is small and narrowly shaped, so it's difficult to give any large animal a lot of space, but they really ought to consider paring down their large mammal collection. Thank god they nixed gorillas from their tropics exhibit.)
25. Staten Island Zoo (I've only been there once a long time ago so I cannot judge it fairly, but I recall the otter exhibit not being good. Amur leopards were the only animal young-teen me thought was impressive. I want very much to go back one day, perhaps this summer, but going there from Long Island is hassle, and now the city and subways are so unsafe I don't feel ready to do that yet.)
24. Buffalo Zoo (It pains me to put Buffalo in this category, but the zoo showing its age and has a lot of warm-weather fauna in just adequate spaces, not to mention the gorillas)
23. ZooAmerica (only been once. Hershey Park's itty bitty hidden zoo about American wildlife has a surprising array of rare and less-represented fauna such as thick-billed parrots, black-footed ferrets, and ringtails as well as elk, pronghorn, wolves, and bears. This much packed into a small space leads to what I perceive to be unaesthetically pleasing facilities. The indoor spaces, however, were alright. The desert exhibit was probably my favorite exhibit.)
Good/okay (nice places, but not necessarily outstanding)
22. Philadelphia Zoo (only been once several years ago. America's [arguably] first zoo needs some reorganizing, particularly Africa. Zoo360 is an impressive innovation and I hope they expand it to include hoofstock etc. like they planned to do for years.)
21. Prospect Park Zoo (haven't been in a while, but hoping to go again one day. Although the zoo has nice highlights in hamadryas baboons, dingoes, Pallas' cats, and tufted deer, I think the zoo ought to have a central theme like Queens does to make its collection seem more coherent and organized)
20. Franklin Park Zoo (nice African hoofstock yards, big cat exhibits [in my opinion], and Australia section, but I think FPZ is squandering its potential to turn its empty space into Boston's answer lauded zoos like Bronx, Washington, or Atlanta.)
19. Toledo Zoo (lots of ABCs- and warm-weather ones at that- hodgepodged into their bisected space. Still, plenty of unique creatures, especially a wide array of Australian fauna)
18. Cincinnati Zoo (the pessimist in me wants to say "overrated", but that is largely due to my opinion of the direction the zoo is going with its master plan as well as some of the spaces for its current animals and declining of rare species)
17. Akron (only went once while they built the new Africa exhibit. Nice midsized zoo with some nice exhibits for large carnivores, North American avians, and a nice herptile house. An up and comer in America's zoos)
16. Rosamond Gifford (only went once several years ago. Home to arguably America's most successful Asian elephant breeding program and impressive exhibits for cold-weather fauna, particularly rare ones like white-lipped deer. They released a master plan in 2014 advertising an even larger elephant habitat as well as an Africa exhibit. These additions would put RGZ among America's top-tier zoos)
15. Central Park (New York City proper's zoo is tiny but mighty. Japanese macaques, penguins, tropical birds, and rare ducks feature prominently at this storied zoo)
14. Brookfield (Chicago's storied second zoo is significantly larger than that in Chicago proper, but budget cuts have kept Brookfield from tapping into its potential for huge spaces for many creatures. Their Australia, swamp, bear, wolf, and Africa exhibits are wonderful. I have never seen okapis indoors before or since Brookfield.)
13. Louisville Zoo (Kentucky's premiere zoo boasts a large size, innovative rotation exhibits, and the only oriental stork in America. It's South America exhibit is bad except for the guanaco exhibit and Africa could use some solid organization. It's elephant program seems up in the air to me. They renovated their space and AI'd the female African, but they still have 1.1 African and 0.1 Asian. What do they want to do with them? Their 2016 master plan is impressive and I hope they complete it as intended)
12. Queens Zoo (an all outdoor zoo with a clear focus and wonderful faunal variety such as pudu, spectacled bear, and coyote)
Great
11. Houston Zoo (only been once, and a rushed visit at that. A mid-sized zoo in America's fourth-largest city, the lushly-planted Houston Zoo boasts a platinum-tier Asian elephant breeding program in a silver to gold-tier exhibit, although it feels out of place in the presence of the lovely Africa exhibit and primate area [the latter of which I did not see]. The red panda exhibit also felt out of place, and the sea lion exhibit didn't strike me as great. I visited while the Texas Wetlands exhibit was being constructed, so I cannot judge that or the new Pantanal exhibit. I know sea lion exhibit changes are slated to happen as well.)
10. San Diego Zoo (I do not think I can judge SDZ fairly. I went once at least a decade ago and much has changed since then. I don't remember a lot, but 13-year-old me was impressed for sure. I think I recall the giraffe and rhino exhibits being small for my taste, though)
9. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Their Rainforest and Primate, Cat, and Aquatics buildings show great potential. It's also odd that the Rainforest is separate from the entrance. The rest of the zoo is solid by itself due to its mammal variety and large spaces)
8. Bronx Zoo (Bronx has a long history of breeding endangered animals and is particularly known rare hoofstock like gaur, rhim gazelles, and barasingha deer. Although budget cuts have prevented the zoo from updating its old facilities, most of the spaces are perfectly fine for most of their animals presently)
7. Smithsonian National Zoo (rightly treasured as one of America's most treasured zoos. Great Asia, reptile, and ape exhibits. Great cat exhibits are solid but maybe long in tooth. Think Tank is a good idea, but might go over the head of the average zoo-goer)
6. Fort Worth Zoo (where it hits, it hits hard. Where it misses, it misses hard. I felt horrible about their penguin exhibit. I feel like it's trying too hard to copy its neighbor to the east while it has plenty for space to forge its own identity)
5. ZooTampa (*trying hard to hide my bias as I interned there* Fantastic Africa and manatee exhibits, nice rhino and Australian exhibits, not a fan of the sun bear and tiger exhibits. The reptile and aquatics building [with the manatees] is also good. The new Florida wildlife exhibit was under construction during my time in Tampa, but judging by member photos, I cannot say I like them much)
A+ top tier
4. Detroit Zoo (welfare drives all zoos' decisions, but none more than Detroit. Huge spaces for their animals as well as an impressive variety make this a top-tier zoo in a place few laypeople would expect. I only don't rank it higher due to its large focus on warm-weather fauna, particularly since they made such a big deal over phasing out elephants due to climate)
3. Dallas Zoo (hands down the best elephant exhibit in any American zoo. Weaknesses: the zoo seems hyper-Africa-focused with other parts of the zoo being less organized)
2. Columbus Zoo & Aquarium (this huge zoo has large immersive spaces for its many diverse species. I can't pic a favorite because most of its areas (Heart of Africa, North America, Asia, Polar Frontier, Manatee Coast) are very strong. Moose, African leopard, manatee, wolverine, and wildebeest are some less-represented species that the zoo cares for. Apparent animal privacy and the exhibits for penguins, gorillas, and bonobos were issues in my opinion)
1. St. Louis Zoo (they have just about everything under the sun. A two-level reptile house, impressive large mammal habitats, and a wide array of less-represented hoofstock make St. Louis a great place)
SusScrofa
Well-Known Member
Here are some rankings and reviews of non-zoo animal holding facilities I visited in the last couple of years (no farms or petting zoos, or aquariums):
SANCTUARIES
1. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (Jupiter, FL - 2022)
This is as good a sanctuary as you can get. Most places are underfunded and may have smaller enclosures, but I was impressed by the relative size of the ones at this place. The sanctuary is home to a variety of native wildlife, including Florida Panther and Florida Black Bear. The bird of prey aviary hosts quite a collection of natives as well. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and there is a show where they introduce you to several rescue animals up-close. This sanctuary is free to enter so I recommend anyone in the South Florida area to check this place out.
2. Arnold's Wildlife Rehabilitation (Okeechobee, FL - 2021 CLOSED)
This sanctuary kept many rescued exotic pets in addition to abused farm animals, injured natives etc. Actually hosted some rarities as far as sanctuaries go, like Brown Lemur, Fennec Fox, Fishing Cat, Muntjac etc. The enclosures weren't as good as Busch, but they are out of the way and probably have less visitors and funding. Even so most enclosures were adequate and they seemed to try their best; there was only really bad enclosure with a capuchin that stood out (I think it was only a temporary enclosure anyways). They allowed visitors to feed some of the animals. Too bad this one closed. Was free to enter.
3. Adirondack Animal Refuge (Wilmington, NY - 2021)
The owners apparently have had some legal troubles with this place, but on my visit I found the animals well-taken care of and with ample room to wonder. I think the legal issues are more to do with some animals escaping and with taxes. This place featured mostly NY natives like Black Bear and Wolves but there was a beautiful Eurasian Lynx as well (my first and only time seeing one). They were doing construction on expanding some of the enclosures as well. Free to enter.
4. Panther Ridge Conservation Center (Loxahatchee, FL - 2021)
This was a sanctuary that only allowed paid group tours. Around $30 a person. The tour was alright but kind of short. Saw various felines including Jaguar, Amur Leopard, Clouded Leopard and others. Enclosures were alright, but if you're monetizing the place I think they could be better (CL enclosure especially). Not a bad place, but wouldn't visit again.
OTHER PLACES WITH ZOO-STYLE EXHIBITS
1. Everglades Alligator Farm (Homestead, FL - most recently 2021)
Definitely recommend this place for the boat ride and entertaining alligator shows and feedings. They have a variety of other reptiles besides the American Alligator, including a number of crocodiles, many snakes and monitor lizards, porcupine, emu, bobcat and kinkajou (which I never actually saw any time I visited).
2. Goldfield Ghost Town & Mine Tours (Apache Junction, AZ - 2020)
I would recommend the visit for the mine tour and the wild west reenactments and exhibits. They also have a small venom house that holds various reptiles (mostly venomous snakes) and arthropods. Mostly commonly seen species, but a nice collection nonetheless that enhances the overall visit.
3.Smithsonian Natural History Museum Insect Zoo - (Washington DC - 2022)
I'll start by saying that the Natural History Museum as a whole is an amazing place that everyone should visit. Amazing collection of gemstones, skeletons, and great natural history exhibits. The Insect Zoo however is one of the weaker exhibitions imo, and I'm strictly ranking just this. Most of the "insects" in terrariums are actually just fake models. They had some butterflies that were close to hatching, which was cool. But the exhibit as a whole was kind of small and didn't really wow me. Once again, the museum itself is absolutely phenomenal and this is just the Insect Zoo being ranked.
SANCTUARIES
1. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (Jupiter, FL - 2022)
This is as good a sanctuary as you can get. Most places are underfunded and may have smaller enclosures, but I was impressed by the relative size of the ones at this place. The sanctuary is home to a variety of native wildlife, including Florida Panther and Florida Black Bear. The bird of prey aviary hosts quite a collection of natives as well. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and there is a show where they introduce you to several rescue animals up-close. This sanctuary is free to enter so I recommend anyone in the South Florida area to check this place out.
2. Arnold's Wildlife Rehabilitation (Okeechobee, FL - 2021 CLOSED)
This sanctuary kept many rescued exotic pets in addition to abused farm animals, injured natives etc. Actually hosted some rarities as far as sanctuaries go, like Brown Lemur, Fennec Fox, Fishing Cat, Muntjac etc. The enclosures weren't as good as Busch, but they are out of the way and probably have less visitors and funding. Even so most enclosures were adequate and they seemed to try their best; there was only really bad enclosure with a capuchin that stood out (I think it was only a temporary enclosure anyways). They allowed visitors to feed some of the animals. Too bad this one closed. Was free to enter.
3. Adirondack Animal Refuge (Wilmington, NY - 2021)
The owners apparently have had some legal troubles with this place, but on my visit I found the animals well-taken care of and with ample room to wonder. I think the legal issues are more to do with some animals escaping and with taxes. This place featured mostly NY natives like Black Bear and Wolves but there was a beautiful Eurasian Lynx as well (my first and only time seeing one). They were doing construction on expanding some of the enclosures as well. Free to enter.
4. Panther Ridge Conservation Center (Loxahatchee, FL - 2021)
This was a sanctuary that only allowed paid group tours. Around $30 a person. The tour was alright but kind of short. Saw various felines including Jaguar, Amur Leopard, Clouded Leopard and others. Enclosures were alright, but if you're monetizing the place I think they could be better (CL enclosure especially). Not a bad place, but wouldn't visit again.
OTHER PLACES WITH ZOO-STYLE EXHIBITS
1. Everglades Alligator Farm (Homestead, FL - most recently 2021)
Definitely recommend this place for the boat ride and entertaining alligator shows and feedings. They have a variety of other reptiles besides the American Alligator, including a number of crocodiles, many snakes and monitor lizards, porcupine, emu, bobcat and kinkajou (which I never actually saw any time I visited).
2. Goldfield Ghost Town & Mine Tours (Apache Junction, AZ - 2020)
I would recommend the visit for the mine tour and the wild west reenactments and exhibits. They also have a small venom house that holds various reptiles (mostly venomous snakes) and arthropods. Mostly commonly seen species, but a nice collection nonetheless that enhances the overall visit.
3.Smithsonian Natural History Museum Insect Zoo - (Washington DC - 2022)
I'll start by saying that the Natural History Museum as a whole is an amazing place that everyone should visit. Amazing collection of gemstones, skeletons, and great natural history exhibits. The Insect Zoo however is one of the weaker exhibitions imo, and I'm strictly ranking just this. Most of the "insects" in terrariums are actually just fake models. They had some butterflies that were close to hatching, which was cool. But the exhibit as a whole was kind of small and didn't really wow me. Once again, the museum itself is absolutely phenomenal and this is just the Insect Zoo being ranked.
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It's been over a year since I last updated my ratings, and I've nearly tripled my list since then, so I figured I'd go ahead and make this post.
Zoos:
1. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
2. San Diego Zoo
3. Columbus Zoo
4. San Diego Safari Park
5. Disney's Animal Kingdom
6. Saint Louis Zoo
7. Memphis Zoo
8. Dallas Zoo
9. Minnesota Zoo
10. Fort Worth Zoo
11. Zoo Tampa
12. Cincinnati Zoo
13. Nashville Zoo
14. Brookfield Zoo
15. Louisville Zoo
16. Zoo Atlanta
17. Detroit Zoo
18. Indianapolis Zoo
19. Toledo Zoo
20. Lincoln Park Zoo
21. Milwaukee Zoo
22. Peoria Zoo
23. Miller Park Zoo
24. Phillips Park Zoo
25. Cosley Zoo
Aquariums:
1. Georgia Aquarium
2. SeaWorld Orlando
3. SeaWorld San Diego
4. Shedd Aquarium
5. Tennesse Aquarium
6. Florida Aquarium
7. Saint Louis Aquarium
8. SeaLife Aquarium at the Mall of America
Other (unranked):
- Field Museum
- Morton Arboretum
- Gator Land Florida
- Blackberry Farm
Zoos:
1. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
2. San Diego Zoo
3. Columbus Zoo
4. San Diego Safari Park
5. Disney's Animal Kingdom
6. Saint Louis Zoo
7. Memphis Zoo
8. Dallas Zoo
9. Minnesota Zoo
10. Fort Worth Zoo
11. Zoo Tampa
12. Cincinnati Zoo
13. Nashville Zoo
14. Brookfield Zoo
15. Louisville Zoo
16. Zoo Atlanta
17. Detroit Zoo
18. Indianapolis Zoo
19. Toledo Zoo
20. Lincoln Park Zoo
21. Milwaukee Zoo
22. Peoria Zoo
23. Miller Park Zoo
24. Phillips Park Zoo
25. Cosley Zoo
Aquariums:
1. Georgia Aquarium
2. SeaWorld Orlando
3. SeaWorld San Diego
4. Shedd Aquarium
5. Tennesse Aquarium
6. Florida Aquarium
7. Saint Louis Aquarium
8. SeaLife Aquarium at the Mall of America
Other (unranked):
- Field Museum
- Morton Arboretum
- Gator Land Florida
- Blackberry Farm
John the Lion
Member
Hello! Here is my list:
Zoos
1. Columbus Zoo
2. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
3. ZooTampa at Lowry Park
4. Indianapolis Zoo
5. Louisville Zoo
Aquariums
1. Mote Marine Aquarium
2. Ripely’s Aquarium of the Smokies
3. Newport Aquarium
Safari Parks
1. The Wilds
I hope now that everything has opened back, even though I will have to wait for gas prices to go down, I will be able to visit more zoos and expand my list. In the meantime, sorry for how short it is.
Zoos
1. Columbus Zoo
2. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
3. ZooTampa at Lowry Park
4. Indianapolis Zoo
5. Louisville Zoo
Aquariums
1. Mote Marine Aquarium
2. Ripely’s Aquarium of the Smokies
3. Newport Aquarium
Safari Parks
1. The Wilds
I hope now that everything has opened back, even though I will have to wait for gas prices to go down, I will be able to visit more zoos and expand my list. In the meantime, sorry for how short it is.
Mote is an interesting choice, I forgot to add them to my list. I have not been down there since the late 90s, I need to make it back there. What makes it rank so highly, in your opinion? Did you make it to the Florida Aquarium when you were here, for a comparison of a more traditional aquarium in the area.
John the Lion
Member
I personally ranked it so high because the Mote puts such a large emphasis on education, research, and conservation compared to any other facility I have ever been to. The Mote Aquarium also has a special charm to it. Rather then focusing on big aquarium megafauna, they focus on smaller native species which I find very interesting. Unfortunately, I have not been to the Florida Aquarium.
Great reasons to rank it highly. As I mentioned, I have not been there for quite some time, I really like that they share a parking lot with the seabird sanctuary, it makes a nice 1/2 day visit with both places. Maybe longer now, but back then it was about a 1/2 day place.