List and Rank The North American Zoos You Have Visited!

[SwampDonkey]

Interesting list, it is not often that one sees an aquarium on someone's top. That said, the Georgia Aquarium is a solid pick, IMO.

May I ask why Disney's Animal Kingdom is so low on your list?

1. Georgia Aquarium
2. San Diego Zoo Safari Park
3. Bronx Zoo
4. San Diego Zoo
5. Smithsonian’s National Zoo
6. Columbus Zoo
7. Zoo Atlanta
8. Shedd Aquarium
9. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
10. St. Louis Zoo
11. Memphis Zoo
12. Cincinnati Zoo
13. Woodland Park Zoo
14. Indianapolis Zoo
15. Clearwater Aquarium
16. Nashville Zoo
17. Franklin Park Zoo
18. New England Aquarium
19. Seattle Aquarium
20. Disney’s Animal Kingdom
21. Utah’s Hogle Zoo
22. Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
23. Lincoln Park Zoo
24. Newport Aquarium
25. Ripely Believe It or Not Aquarium Gatlinburg
26. Mesker Park Zoo
27. Exotic Feline Rescue Zoo

 

[Spike]

The Georgia Aquarium is my number 1 because when I went during covid the place was an absolute ghost town and I was 1 of maybe 7 people at Ocean Voyager’s big viewing window

I haven’t visited Disney since I was a little child who wasn’t really into zoos/aquariums so I can’t remember it that well.

 

[SwampDonkey]

The Georgia Aquarium is my number 1 because when I went during covid the place was an absolute ghost town and I was 1 of maybe 7 people at Ocean Voyager’s big viewing window

Wow, that sounds fantastic. I went this past summer and it was pretty crowded, but still a top facility. It is definitely one of the top two aquariums in the USA with Monterey and Georgia battling it out for the top spot on my list of aquariums (I list zoos and aquariums separately).

I haven’t visited Disney since I was a little child who wasn’t really into zoos/aquariums so I can’t remember it that well.

That is reasonable. I also have a few that I went to as a kid that I list lower than they probably should be (Miami Metrozoo for example).

 

[NNM.]

26. York’s Wild Kingdom
25. Atlantic City Aquarium
24. Woods Hole Science Aquarium
23. Miami Seaquarium
22. Bear Mountain State Park
21. Stone Zoo
20. Southwick’s Zoo
19. Cape May County Park and Zoo
18. Downtown Aquarium Denver
17. Maritime Aquarium
16. SEA LIFE Aquarium Orlando
15. Adventure Aquarium
14. Franklin Park Zoo
13. Central Park Zoo
12. Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach
11. New York Aquarium
10. Roger Williams Park Zoo
9. Mystic Aquarium
8. Memphis Zoo
7. New England Aquarium
6. National Aquarium
5. San Diego Zoo Safari Park
4. San Diego Zoo
3. Georgia Aquarium
2. Bronx Zoo
1. Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Yes, there are very many big-name zoos missing from this list (Omaha, Saint Louis, Columbus, Miami, Houston), and to a lesser extent aquariums (Monterey Bay, Shedd), but sooner or later, I will see to it that is this is rectified.

I have also been to SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa, but they are too morally-confusing for me to put them in one specific spot.

 

[Brayden Delashmutt]

Here’s my updated top 10 - though I doubt it will remain the same, as I’m visiting Chicago later this year.

1. San Diego Zoo - Was lower on my previous list, since I hadn’t visited for over ten years and only remembered the rather outdated exhibits from my previous trips. Just visited last July, and IMO no other zoos come close
2. Bronx Zoo - I’d probably rank my experience lower than Fort Worth, Miami, and Omaha, however that’s not really fair since the zoo was partially closed and even the animals on exhibit were almost all no shows. From what I’ve seen, however, I absolutely adored the exhibit style and was absolutely enamored by the sheer amount of new species I had never seen before. The amount of unique species really blew me away.
3. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo - My home zoo, and probably my favorite zoo in the states. It’s absolutely phenomenal, and the biome recreations really do take my breath away every time I visit. The exhibits here are truly phenomenal, and the Lied Jungle and Desert Dome/KON are some of the most unique exhibits in the world. Definitely one of the nations top zoos, but the combination of me visiting my entire life and seeing the enormous crash in the zoo’s collection, and the rather lackluster large mammal roster, I think it fits right about here.
4. Fort Worth Zoo - An absolutely fantastic facility and one of my favorite zoo going experiences yet. I particularly enjoyed their Texas Wild exhibit. I can’t wait to visit again someday, and see their new African/Asian area! However, there are too many outdated areas to rank it much higher
5. ZWF Miami - Another one of my favorite zoo experiences ever. Their South American and Everglades exhibits blew me away, and if the zoo kept up this consistent quality it’d definitely be at the top of my list. Their African and Asian exhibits were okay, but their Australian exhibit was absolutely abysmal as far as animal welfare goes.
6. Pittsburgh Zoo - Another great facility. Not much to say besides the fact that the PPG aquarium was pretty impressive, as well as their African and Asian Forest areas. I’d love to see a NA section at Pittsburgh, that’d move it much higher on my list.
7. Smithsonian’s National Zoo - Overall, the exhibit quality and zoo as a whole were great. Elephant Trails is easily the best elephant exhibit I’ve seen, and the same applies for their panda facility. The zoo did extremely well for not having giraffes, rhinos, or hippopotamus
8. San Diego Zoo Safari Park - Easily the best safari park in the nation. I simply cannot rank it higher tho, as for all of its excellent exhibits, their most species rich areas like the Asian Plains have been made inaccessible except for by train, which takes several hours to wait in line for
9. SeaWorld San Diego - Wouldn’t be on this list if it wasn’t for the childhood memories I have here, as well as seeing orcas up close in person.
10. Kansas City Zoo - One of the better zoos in the Midwest, but TBH I don’t have much to say on it. Their African area is pretty good, but it’s an exhausting walk.

 

[NNM.]

I feel as though I need to provide more detail on the ranking I just posted, which doesn't really convey much. In parentheses is the year in which I last visited.

26. York’s Wild Kingdom (2009)
One of the two zoological facilities I've been too that I can actually describe as "bad," and most certainly the worst zoo I've ever been to. Looking it up on ZooChat, it hasn't gotten much better.
25. Atlantic City Aquarium (2015)
The worst aquarium I've ever been to. It all looks very haphazard and honestly kind of cheap, and is most certainly too small for half of the animals inside.
24. Woods Hole Science Aquarium (2010)
This one hardly counts as an aquarium, but for what it is, it isn't awful. That seal exhibit is, though.
23. Miami Seaquarium (2007)
I believe it's improved since I visited, as when I did they still had an orca show, but it still just reeks of SeaWorld, which is clearly what it wanted to be.
22. Bear Mountain State Park (2013)
I keep forgetting I went here. There's really not much to talk about.
21. Stone Zoo (2024)
I've said my piece on Stone before. I think it has some really great exhibits and some really awful exhibits. It's a very strange combination, but on the visit that prompted me to review it, I do think that there is an odd sort of charm to it, that even despite the handful of utter trash pits, I can't bring myself to hate it.
20. Southwick’s Zoo (2012)
The lack of AZA accreditation is very apparent, especially in the quality of most of the exhibits, but it is slowly improving.
19. Cape May County Park and Zoo (2015)
My thoughts on this are basically the same as Southwick's, but despite being ranked higher, this one has the worst bear exhibit I've ever seen.
18. Downtown Aquarium Denver (2010)
This was a strange one, and not just because of the indoor tiger exhibit. It was fine, but nothing special.
17. Maritime Aquarium (2017)
This is a nice little aquarium that I've been to a handle of times, although the seal exhibit is kind of terrible.
16. SEA LIFE Aquarium Orlando (2022)
Size isn't normally a problem for me, but I walked through this aquarium in less than a half-hour. And I can't explain why, but the fact that this entire place is an attraction in a mall left an unpleasant taste in my mouth, it's weird.
15. Adventure Aquarium (2018)
I enjoyed this aquarium, but I mostly remember the experience just being strange. The overall feel of the place kind of felt kid-oriented in a way I can't put my finger on. Also I'm not a fan of keeping hippos indoors.
14. Franklin Park Zoo (2024)
I've more or less made this zoo my ZooChat personality, but my nostalgia goggles don't block out the fact that this zoo is nothing special. But even without them, it's still a perfectly good establishment with many sufficient exhibits and even a few great ones.
13. Central Park Zoo (2014)
This was about even with Franklin Park, but I think I put it higher just because the exhibits are generally higher-quality. Franklin Park has the better rainforest, though.
12. Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach (2016)
I really enjoyed this place and especially liked their tunnel, and it was the highlight of my trip to Myrtle Beach.
11. New York Aquarium (2016)
I was lucky enough to go here before it was utterly decimated by Hurricane Sandy. I haven't been since they got back on their feet, but it looks to be doing quite well.
10. Roger Williams Park Zoo (2023)
The best zoo in New England, and still only barely in the top ten of someone who hasn't been to many of the supposed "best" zoos in the country. It is a very nice zoo, still, with many quality exhibits.
9. Mystic Aquarium (2022)
My most recent visit made me like this otherwise personal favorite somewhat less. As fun as beluga whales are, cetaceans in aquariums is something I've grown to dislike, and many other exhibits could use retooling throughout. Also, why was an alligator exhibit removed for an animatronic dinosaur attraction?
8. Memphis Zoo (2018)
I was surprised to learn that this zoo isn't exceptionally popular on ZooChat, with many saying the exhibits are basic and unmemorable. Looking back, I can kind of see why, but even if they aren't the most exceptional works in the world, they still more often than not get the job done. It also has my favorite collection of any zoo I've been to.
7. New England Aquarium (2024)
I feel a similar way about NEAQ as I do Memphis Zoo, but I admit to certain areas showing their age.
6. National Aquarium (2010)
This won out over NEAQ because it feels a bit more modern, if that makes any sense. It honestly sometimes feels like an improved version of it, as the layout is quite similar. I don't like how it has a dolphin show, however.
5. San Diego Zoo Safari Park (2017)
I'm glad people on ZooChat give the Safari Park lots of recognition, as with its extremely high-quality enclosures, it deserves to be seen as more than an extension of the more popular zoo.
4. San Diego Zoo (2017)
Okay, look. I completely understand why this is widely considered the best zoo in the world. But honestly, looking at it now, many of the exhibits aren't all that noteworthy. Some of them are even kind of lacking, and the actual collection does most of the heavy lifting. But even then, there is still plenty more there for it to be noteworthy overall, and the best exhibits there are as good as zoo exhibits get. I'd still gladly visit again, but I don't quite think it's "the best zoo in the world."
3. Georgia Aquarium (2019)
Yes, there's a dolphin show. Yes, the sea lion exhibit is awful. But sometimes when there are bad qualities, the good qualities can be so good and so abundant that it can almost compensate for it. Almost.
2. Bronx Zoo (2022)
My favorite "traditional" zoo I've been to. It's just like no other. When you visit, you truly feel as though you've been transported to the wilds of Africa and Asia, and certainly not in New York City.
1. Disney’s Animal Kingdom (2022)
And honestly, it wasn't really even close. Almost everything is fantastic, and frankly, I don't care about the viewing issues, because the way I see it, zoos aren't about the people.

 

[SwampDonkey]

23. Miami Seaquarium (2007)
I believe it's improved since I visited, as when I did they still had an orca show, but it still just reeks of SeaWorld, which is clearly what it wanted to be.

Oh man, it is worse. They are barely fighting back to stay open. It is pretty much a s*it show over there. They don't have the orca, but it is in a sad state right now with the county fighting to evict the whole thing and the USDA confiscating the manatees at the end of last year. thread

 

[NNM.]

I said SeaWorld and Busch Gardens "morally confuse" me because I just don't know how to overall judge them. Especially with the latter, their actual animal exhibits are surprisingly good most of the time. Busch Gardens has a legitimately great enclosure for chimpanzees. But how much does that really mean when they're surrounded by intrusive rides that disrupt the immersion? Not to mention all of the controversy regarding SeaWorld, which I'd rather not get into...

 

[Tigeanderson]

I feel as though I need to provide more detail on the ranking I just posted, which doesn't really convey much. In parentheses is the year in which I last visited.

26. York’s Wild Kingdom (2009)
One of the two zoological facilities I've been too that I can actually describe as "bad," and most certainly the worst zoo I've ever been to. Looking it up on ZooChat, it hasn't gotten much better.
25. Atlantic City Aquarium (2015)
The worst aquarium I've ever been to. It all looks very haphazard and honestly kind of cheap, and is most certainly too small for half of the animals inside.
24. Woods Hole Science Aquarium (2010)
This one hardly counts as an aquarium, but for what it is, it isn't awful. That seal exhibit is, though.
23. Miami Seaquarium (2007)
I believe it's improved since I visited, as when I did they still had an orca show, but it still just reeks of SeaWorld, which is clearly what it wanted to be.
22. Bear Mountain State Park (2013)
I keep forgetting I went here. There's really not much to talk about.
21. Stone Zoo (2024)
I've said my piece on Stone before. I think it has some really great exhibits and some really awful exhibits. It's a very strange combination, but on the visit that prompted me to review it, I do think that there is an odd sort of charm to it, that even despite the handful of utter trash pits, I can't bring myself to hate it.
20. Southwick’s Zoo (2012)
The lack of AZA accreditation is very apparent, especially in the quality of most of the exhibits, but it is slowly improving.
19. Cape May County Park and Zoo (2015)
My thoughts on this are basically the same as Southwick's, but despite being ranked higher, this one has the worst bear exhibit I've ever seen.
18. Downtown Aquarium Denver (2010)
This was a strange one, and not just because of the indoor tiger exhibit. It was fine, but nothing special.
17. Maritime Aquarium (2017)
This is a nice little aquarium that I've been to a handle of times, although the seal exhibit is kind of terrible.
16. SEA LIFE Aquarium Orlando (2022)
Size isn't normally a problem for me, but I walked through this aquarium in less than a half-hour. And I can't explain why, but the fact that this entire place is an attraction in a mall left an unpleasant taste in my mouth, it's weird.
15. Adventure Aquarium (2018)
I enjoyed this aquarium, but I mostly remember the experience just being strange. The overall feel of the place kind of felt kid-oriented in a way I can't put my finger on. Also I'm not a fan of keeping hippos indoors.
14. Franklin Park Zoo (2024)
I've more or less made this zoo my ZooChat personality, but my nostalgia goggles don't block out the fact that this zoo is nothing special. But even without them, it's still a perfectly good establishment with many sufficient exhibits and even a few great ones.
13. Central Park Zoo (2014)
This was about even with Franklin Park, but I think I put it higher just because the exhibits are generally higher-quality. Franklin Park has the better rainforest, though.
12. Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach (2016)
I really enjoyed this place and especially liked their tunnel, and it was the highlight of my trip to Myrtle Beach.
11. New York Aquarium (2016)
I was lucky enough to go here before it was utterly decimated by Hurricane Sandy. I haven't been since they got back on their feet, but it looks to be doing quite well.
10. Roger Williams Park Zoo (2023)
The best zoo in New England, and still only barely in the top ten of someone who hasn't been to many of the supposed "best" zoos in the country. It is a very nice zoo, still, with many quality exhibits.
9. Mystic Aquarium (2022)
My most recent visit made me like this otherwise personal favorite somewhat less. As fun as beluga whales are, cetaceans in aquariums is something I've grown to dislike, and many other exhibits could use retooling throughout. Also, why was an alligator exhibit removed for an animatronic dinosaur attraction?
8. Memphis Zoo (2018)
I was surprised to learn that this zoo isn't exceptionally popular on ZooChat, with many saying the exhibits are basic and unmemorable. Looking back, I can kind of see why, but even if they aren't the most exceptional works in the world, they still more often than not get the job done. It also has my favorite collection of any zoo I've been to.
7. New England Aquarium (2024)
I feel a similar way about NEAQ as I do Memphis Zoo, but I admit to certain areas showing their age.
6. National Aquarium (2010)
This won out over NEAQ because it feels a bit more modern, if that makes any sense. It honestly sometimes feels like an improved version of it, as the layout is quite similar. I don't like how it has a dolphin show, however.
5. San Diego Zoo Safari Park (2017)
I'm glad people on ZooChat give the Safari Park lots of recognition, as with its extremely high-quality enclosures, it deserves to be seen as more than an extension of the more popular zoo.
4. San Diego Zoo (2017)
Okay, look. I completely understand why this is widely considered the best zoo in the world. But honestly, looking at it now, many of the exhibits aren't all that noteworthy. Some of them are even kind of lacking, and the actual collection does most of the heavy lifting. But even then, there is still plenty more there for it to be noteworthy overall, and the best exhibits there are as good as zoo exhibits get. I'd still gladly visit again, but I don't quite think it's "the best zoo in the world."
3. Georgia Aquarium (2019)
Yes, there's a dolphin show. Yes, the sea lion exhibit is awful. But sometimes when there are bad qualities, the good qualities can be so good and so abundant that it can almost compensate for it. Almost.
2. Bronx Zoo (2022)
My favorite "traditional" zoo I've been to. It's just like no other. When you visit, you truly feel as though you've been transported to the wilds of Africa and Asia, and certainly not in New York City.
1. Disney’s Animal Kingdom (2022)
And honestly, it wasn't really even close. Almost everything is fantastic, and frankly, I don't care about the viewing issues, because the way I see it, zoos aren't about the people.

I like how you described the Bronx zoo because that’s how I feel with the Omaha zoo when I visited it back during Covid.

 

[NNM.]

I like how you described the Bronx zoo because that’s how I feel with the Omaha zoo when I visited it back during Covid.

I've never been to Omaha. Is it really that good? I was aware it was a well-received zoo, but ever since joining ZooChat, I've been seeing so many people call it one of, if not the best zoo in America. I even see people refer to a "big three" of sorts, with San Diego and Bronx. The more I keep hearing, as well as seeing, the more curious I become.

 

[Tigeanderson]

I've never been to Omaha. Is it really that good? I was aware it was a well-received zoo, but ever since joining ZooChat, I've been seeing so many people call it one of, if not the best zoo in America. I even see people refer to a "big three" of sorts, with San Diego and Bronx. The more I keep hearing, as well as seeing, the more curious I become.

Yes it is that really good like I really enjoyed it since it brought back some memories of my childhood of seeing Indian rhinos, okapis and red pandas but I also really enjoyed it because I got to see species I have never seen before in person like African wildcat, Klipspringer, Pygmy Hippo, Foosa, Takin, goral and bat eared fox and like for me the zoo ranks number two out of the best zoos I have been to like that’s how amazing it is and it’s totally worth going to especially since it feels like your in the rainforests and deserts of the world and also being out at nighttime in various habitats and being in the highlands of Asia.

 

[birdsandbats]

I've never been to Omaha. Is it really that good? I was aware it was a well-received zoo, but ever since joining ZooChat, I've been seeing so many people call it one of, if not the best zoo in America. I even see people refer to a "big three" of sorts, with San Diego and Bronx. The more I keep hearing, as well as seeing, the more curious I become.

Omaha is easily a contender for the best zoo in the US.

 

[Brayden Delashmutt]

I've never been to Omaha. Is it really that good? I was aware it was a well-received zoo, but ever since joining ZooChat, I've been seeing so many people call it one of, if not the best zoo in America. I even see people refer to a "big three" of sorts, with San Diego and Bronx. The more I keep hearing, as well as seeing, the more curious I become.

Omaha Zoo's exhibits are like no other in the USA tbh. The collection has taken a pretty big dive recently tho, that's the only reason I ranked it below San Diego and the Bronx

 

[NNM.]

The collection has taken a pretty big dive recently

How so? I know they used to have bears, and no longer do.

And to be fair, while I do value the animal collection, I view exhibit quality as more important in judging the overall quality of a zoo. It’s why I ranked Bronx above San Diego, ultimately.

 

[Brayden Delashmutt]

How so? I know they used to have bears, and no longer do.

And to be fair, while I do value the animal collection, I view exhibit quality as more important in judging the overall quality of a zoo. It’s why I ranked Bronx above San Diego, ultimately.

Not the whole collection, but definitely the large mammal collection took a dive because of some unfortunate events. For example, a lot of the species from the cat complex and Bear Canyon were to be integrated into the zoo's masterplan (as well as older ones like African wild dogs/maned wolves) but that didn't end up happening. There's also a decent amount of empty exhibits indoors/ones occupied by species kept in several other places in the zoo because the zoo hasn't bothered to bring back their original species

 

[Dhole dude]

Not the whole collection, but definitely the large mammal collection took a dive because of some unfortunate events. For example, a lot of the species from the cat complex and Bear Canyon were to be integrated into the zoo's masterplan (as well as older ones like African wild dogs/maned wolves) but that didn't end up happening. There's also a decent amount of empty exhibits indoors/ones occupied by species kept in several other places in the zoo because the zoo hasn't bothered to bring back their original species

I don’t remember there being any empty exhibits when I visited in 2021, but things could have changed since then. I think the biggest issue at Omaha is the repeat enclosures in the Lied Jungle, Desert Dome/KotN, and the Wild Kingdom Pavilion, as well as the gradual dissolution of the geographic theming. The Lied Jungle has Black Howler Monkeys in the African section and Malayan Tapirs in the South American Section, the Desert Dome has multiple repeat reptile enclosures which used to be home to hummingbirds and Wildcats in the Sonoran Desert section of the building, and KotN also has a Two-Toed Sloth in an African mixed exhibit. All of these are pretty minor nitpicks on their own, but when combined could cause quite a lot of confusion for the average visitor on where certain animals come from.
Overall though, Omaha is still an excellent zoo which still has a very large collection and an exemplary exhibit quality. I personally rank in 2nd of the zoos I’ve visited, below Bronx but just slightly above San Diego (keep in mind I last visited in 2019, and have yet to see the Wildlife Explorers Base Camp, which may change my rankings).

 

[Brayden Delashmutt]

I don’t remember there being any empty exhibits when I visited in 2021, but things could have changed since then. I think the biggest issue at Omaha is the repeat enclosures in the Lied Jungle, Desert Dome/KotN, and the Wild Kingdom Pavilion, as well as the gradual dissolution of the geographic theming. The Lied Jungle has Black Howler Monkeys in the African section and Malayan Tapirs in the South American Section, the Desert Dome has multiple repeat reptile enclosures which used to be home to hummingbirds and Wildcats in the Sonoran Desert section of the building, and KotN also has a Two-Toed Sloth in an African mixed exhibit. All of these are pretty minor nitpicks on their own, but when combined could cause quite a lot of confusion for the average visitor on where certain animals come from.
Overall though, Omaha is still an excellent zoo which still has a very large collection and an exemplary exhibit quality. I personally rank in 2nd of the zoos I’ve visited, below Bronx but just slightly above San Diego (keep in mind I last visited in 2019, and have yet to see the Wildlife Explorers Base Camp, which may change my rankings).

I 100% agree. A lot of exhibits being filled with filler species (such as Madagascar filling the exhibit of basically every dead/phase out animal with ring tailed lemurs) is definitely not great

The dissipation of the geographic theming is also an issue, and tbh I do feel the desert dome needs some serious changes to be made

 

[Kudu21]

I have been seeing the recent posts in the "Your Top 10 Zoos" thread, and it reminded me that I have not updated my rankings since my visit to the Phoenix metro back in March! I figured that now is a better time than any to do an updated ranking of the North American facilities I have visited ahead of my trip to Europe in a few weeks to better compare those facilities to the ones I have previously visited! Maybe I'll post another update to this thread with the European (and three South African) facilities I will have visited when I return, just for comparison

As I have discussed before, being an animal care professional, it is incredibly difficult to rank zoos, even just as a fun little exercise and discussion amongst enthusiasts. There are so many more factors and nuances and considerations when you know the inner workings of what it is like to keep a zoo running, and it definitely muddies the water. I have tried my best to balance personal enjoyment with overall quality, but that can be hard to do -- especially when you are comparing facilities of vastly different sizes and or financial capacities. For example, I know for a fact that Nashville, Abilene, Orange County, Children's Aquarium Dallas, etc. would rank higher if they were just larger, and Frank Buck ranks higher than Wildlife World even though I probably enjoyed the better parts of Wildlife World more than the entirety of Frank Buck because I cannot excuse the absolutely abhorrent primate, bird, and small mammal exhibits at Wildlife World, which obviously is better funded than Frank Buck is. As such, I have considered further breaking down my rankings by the size of the facility, but that is a project for another time

Traditional Zoos:
1. San Diego Zoo - San Diego, CA - July 2024
2. St. Louis Zoo - St. Louis, MO - March 2022
3. The Living Desert - Palm Desert, CA - December 2023
4. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium - Powell, OH - May 2022
5. Sedgwick County Zoo - Wichita, KS - February 2023
6. Kansas City Zoo - Kansas City, MO - March 2022
7. Dallas Zoo - Dallas, TX - March 2023
8. Houston Zoo - Houston, TX - March 2021
9. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere - Nashville, TN - May 2022
10. Fort Worth Zoo - Fort Worth, TX - January 2023
11. Oklahoma City Zoo - Oklahoma City, OK - September 2022
12. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden - Cincinnati, OH - February 2024
13. Phoenix Zoo - Phoenix, AZ - March 2024
14. Memphis Zoo - Memphis, TN - May 2022
15. Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR - August 2023
16. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo - Cleveland, OH - February 2024
17. Los Angeles Zoo - Los Angeles, CA - May 2024
18. Caldwell Zoo - Tyler, TX - March 2022
19. Louisville Zoo - Louisville, KY - May 2022
20. Cameron Park Zoo - Waco, TX - January 2023
21. Tulsa Zoo - Tulsa, OK - July 2021
22. San Antonio Zoo - San Antonio, TX - February 2023
23. Abilene Zoo - Abilene, TX - March 2023
24. El Paso Zoo - El Paso, TX - March 2023
25. Reid Park Zoo - Tucson, AZ - March 2023
26. Audubon Zoo - New Orleans, LA - August 2021
27. Gladys Porter Zoo - Brownsville, TX - January 2023
28. Topeka Zoo - Topeka, KS - May 2022
29. Little Rock Zoo - Little Rock, AR - February 2023
30. Baton Rouge Zoo - Baton Rouge, LA - July 2021
31. Orange County Zoo - Orange, CA - February 2024
32. Ellen Trout Zoo - Lufkin, TX - March 2022
33. Hattiesburg Zoo - Hattiesburg, MS - January 2021
34. Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park - Santa Ana, CA - February 2024
35. Frank Buck Zoo - Gainesville, TX - March 2022
36. Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium, and Safari - Litchfield, AZ - March 2024

Safari Parks:
1. San Diego Zoo Safari Park - Escondido, CA - July 2024
2. The Wilds - Cumberland, OH - May 2016
3. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center - Glen Rose, TX - October 2022
4. Wildlife Safari - Winston, OR - August 2023
5. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch - San Antonio, TX - December 2021
6. Aggieland Safari - Bryan, TX - January 2023

Aquariums:
1. Monterey Bay Aquarium - Monterey, CA - August 2023
2. Aquarium of the Pacific - Long Beach, CA - May 2024
3. Birch Aquarium at Scripps - La Jolla, CA - January 2024
4. Newport Aquarium - Newport, KY - September 2018
5. OdySea Aquarium - Scottsdale, AZ - March 2024
6. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas - New Orleans, LA - March 2021
7. Children’s Aquarium Dallas at Fair Park - Dallas, TX - January 2023
8. Mississippi Aquarium - Gulfport, MS - June 2021
X. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies - Gatlinburg, TN - November 2009 (Unranked)
X. Ripley’s Aquarium at Myrtle Beach - Myrtle Beach, SC - September 2000 (Unranked)

Other (Specialist Collections, Amusement Parks, Nature Centers, etc.):
1. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Tucson, AZ - March 2023
2. Dallas World Aquarium - Dallas, TX - February 2023
3. Reptilandia Reptile Lagoon - Johnson City, TX - February 2023
4. SeaWorld San Diego - San Diego, CA - January 2024
5. Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium (Closed) - New Orleans, LA - July 2018
6. Living Coast Discovery Center - Chula Vista, CA - April 2023
7. San Diego Natural History Museum - San Diego, CA - January 2024
8. Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park - Dallas, TX - February 2023
9. Glen Helen Raptor Center - Yellow Springs, OH - April 2018
10. Chiricahua High Desert Museum - Rodeo, NM - March 2023
11. Las Cruces Museum of Nature & Science - Las Cruces, NM - March 2023
X. Boonshoft Museum of Discovery - Dayton, OH - April 2006 (Unranked)

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

5. Sedgwick County Zoo - Wichita, KS - February 2023

I completely agree with you putting Sedgwick County at #5 because it is actually a really good zoo but it doesn’t get the respect it deserves probably because of it being in an out of the way location, but really, it is an amazing zoo and I would consider it a top 10 (or at the very least a top 20) zoo in the country. I would consider it the most underrated zoo in the US.

 

[15399]

There are so many more factors and nuances and considerations when you know the inner workings of what it is like to keep a zoo running, and it definitely muddies the water. I have tried my best to balance personal enjoyment with overall quality, but that can be hard to do -- especially when you are comparing facilities of vastly different sizes and or financial capacities.

I also find this to be a struggle when comparing facilities that I've visited once with facilities that I've visited hundreds of times. Given that there are zoos I've seen behind-the-scenes sections of and know the inner workings of, this has inevitably changed my views of these facilities I know extremely well, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. Similarly, I'd imagine for facilities that you've worked at your views are different now than they were on your first time stepping through the front gate, simply due to information you've learned about the zoo's inner workings since.

I know full well that the fact I am on a research team working with the Buffalo Zoo's gorillas makes me look at their gorilla program much more highly than many other Zoo Chatters who have visited the zoo, for example.