The Best American City For Zoos

[pachyderm pro]

I think one could read the question to mean which is the best city to visit for zoos, in which case having great zoos in proximate cities is an advantage. To give a non-US example, when zoo nerds visit Tokyo they always visit Zoorasia even though that is actually in Yokohama. So Zoorasia makes Tokyo better for zoos. Also, because the Tokyo and Yokohama subway systems are integrated it 'feels' like one city.

That is what I was intentionally thinking with the opening post. Though of course it has to reasonable. A scenario like the zoo and safari park is one thing, but if someone said, say going to Tampa to visit Disney that would be a different story.

 

[Great Argus]

San Diego, California
This ones a no-brainer. It goes without saying that the city home to the worlds most famous zoo is on this list, and there is no denying that the San Diego zoo is one of the greatest zoos out there. Half of the zoo is enclosed within a natural tropical rainforest environment with countless species in (mostly) high quality exhibit areas. What other zoo can you experience that? The Safari Park also is equally brilliant with its multi-acre field exhibits and and up close encounters. This duo of zoological powerhouses alone could make San Diego the premiere zoological destination. SeaWorld San Diego, as controversial as it may be is also an extremely popular park and when it comes to rare species, is a must see for many zoo enthusiasts. Where else can you find killer whales, pilot whales, emperor penguins and pacific walruses all at the same park, not to mention some of the only Guadalupe fur seals anywhere in captivity. Other smaller locations include the hidden gems of the Living Coast Discovery Center and Birch Aquarium in Chula Vista and La Jolla respectively. Overall, San Diego is of course a fantastic city for zoo nerds for the two big parks alone and the rest of the additional facilities are just the cherry on top of it all.

One could also argue for Emerald Forest Bird Gardens to be included as well.

 

[MurphyFox]

Boston is also a very good one. They have the Franklin Park Zoo, Stone Zoo, New England Aquarium, and Museum of Science (which is accredited by the AZA). The EcoTarium, Capron Park Zoo, and Roger Williams Park Zoo are also nearby (And maybe the Buttonwood Park Zoo)

 

[Pleistohorse]

Boston is also a very good one. They have the Franklin Park Zoo, Stone Zoo, New England Aquarium, and Museum of Science (which is accredited by the AZA). The EcoTarium, Capron Park Zoo, and Roger Williams Park Zoo are also nearby (And maybe the Buttonwood Park Zoo)

I’ve been messing around with a map site, being inspired by this thread. I pick a Zoo and place a circle with a radius of 60 miles from the center. I tried Stone Zoo and got a pretty good collection of other zoos within the circle. But then I placed it over Southwicks Zoo in Mendon, Massachusetts...we end up with the following:

Southwicks Zoo
Stone Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo
Capron Park Zoo
Buttonwood Park Zoo
Roger Williams Park Zoo
New England Aquarium
Mystic Aquarium
Lupa Zoo
The Zoo in Forest Park
The Ecotarium
And the Woods Hole Science Aquarium (just outside the circle). You also end up with a couple farm/petting zoos, and three small city Parks and Rec Zoos (mostly farm animals, Fallow Deer, Emus, and Peacocks). Plus three zoos that have closed in the last 40 years of so...mercifully the New London Bates Park Zoo and Norwich’s Mohegan Park Zoo...and sadly....Benson’s Wild Animal Park. The Boston area is not bad for Zoo buffs. The zoos are smaller, the Aquariums world class, and Roger Williams and Southwicks each have pretty nice collections. You also end up with four Natural History and two Whaling Museums (of differing quality).

 

[Arizona Docent]

What about San Francisco?
San Francisco Zoo
Oakland Zoo
California Academy of Sciences
Aquarium of the Bay
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
CuriOdyssey

 

[Great Argus]

What about San Francisco?
San Francisco Zoo
Oakland Zoo
California Academy of Sciences
Aquarium of the Bay
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
CuriOdyssey

While maybe not as prominent as some others listed, I think it presents a good case. I'm not sure I consider Six Flags to be San Francisco, they're across the bay and up. Their collection has been slowly spiraling downwards as it is.