Columbian Park Zoo Reviews

Took all the grandkids to the park and Zoo that day. Enjoyed to day lots of fun with everything. For the price pf two dollars a head, you can not beat it. We will come back again and again.

I live about an hour from this zoo, but had never heard of it until two years ago. Now, we are hooked! Columbian Park is a great place to spend the day. The zoo is impeccably clean and the animals are well cared for. The staff is friendly and the gift shop is nice, too.
My kids (ages 2, 4, and 10) always have a great time. I love that the zoo is small enough to enjoy without a stroller. The otters are so cute, we could watch them for hours! The petting zoo (mostly goats) is VERY clean. The wallabies are a special favorite with my kids.
After we've walked around the zoo, we usually have lunch in the park (either a packed picnic, or from the nearby Sonic- yum!) The playground is huge and nicely laid out. The small lake is especially pretty in the fall. We haven't ridden the train yet, but hope to next time.
Best of all, admission is free! I'm always on the lookout for fun educational activities for the kids, and this is one of my favorites. Sure, you could fight traffic and spend an arm and a leg to visit the Indy zoo. Of course they have a lot more animals. But I'd rather spend a relaxing day at Columbian Park, where my kids can wander at their own pace and we don't feel pressure to "get our money's worth." My kids actually prefer it too! We can't wait for our first visit of the season.

I live one block from Columbian Park. If you have never visited , it is definitely a day trip with the kids. They have a very nice playground area separated by age groups, nice pond that the kids can fish in. Water park , you must pay admission. Zoo, absolutely free! There are a few rides for the little ones. Train rides that the kids will enjoy. Baseball diamond. Gazebos for cookouts. Also there is a frozen custard, Arni's Pizza and snocone right across the street.

Our family was back in town due to a funeral and needed some time to do something different. What a great place to take kids! Must see

I love how up close you can get at this zoo! It even has a beautiful butterfly exhibit you can walk through. I was very impressed how nice and long the train ride was. Feeding the goats was amazing! The babies will sit in your lap and let you pet them. My fiance and I spend easily 45 minutes with them. Even an adult goat tried to sit on him lol

This zoo is very cute, but very small. (The zoo is free of charge.) It was perfect for something to do. My 19 year old daughter and I went through the zoo in about 45 mins. There is a nice park area for walking around. They also have a train ride. (We did not do this so I do not know the price.) There is a water park that looked fun. (Again, we did not do this so I do not know the price.)

It's not the biggest zoo but they have some cool animals and it's free, cant beat that. If you are looking for someting to do on a sunny day, Columbian Park is a great choice.

If you are close and have an hour or so to use up, please consider visiting this little gem. The butterfly garden was cool, the monkeys are always fun to watch, and the wallabies were jumping around. It's free! It's free!

This is an excellent zoo for small children. We recently took our 2 year-old son and had a fantastic time. There were a few walk-through areas that he really enjoyed. The train was broken while we were there (much to our son's disappointment), but we still enjoyed our time at this FREE attraction in Lafayette. Next to the zoo is a water park, so you could really make a day out of stopping at this great location.

This zoo was a great place to take kids...not too big and a lot of hands on stuff. We spent about 1 1/2-2 hrs. there. There is a gift shop, they have nice bathrooms, and there are plenty of benches to sit on all throughout the zoo.

We walked through the butterfly house and it was delightful. We also had a picnic lunch that was great on one of the shelters. I also went to the Tropicanoe Cove and had a great time floating down the lazy river.

This turned out to be the perfect stop on our journey from NC to Chicago. It was enjoyed by all ages: parents, 15, 12, and 5 year olds. The zoo is small, but the exhibits are well kept and amazingly interactive. They didn't want to leave the goats or the otters or the butterfly house! The train ride is longer than most small trains we been on and is worth it to see the park. The playground was fun too and we wish we had time for the water activities. This would definitely be on our list of places to stop again!

Visited with kids/grandkids in August 2015. Many attactions, mini-train, animals behind glass, outdoors, and right-in-your-face if you offer food (goats). Quite well done. Then walk next door to the playground equipment, where grandkids can burn off energy, and that caps a nice Sunday afternoon in the park!

The two oldest grandsons did not want to go tongue Columbian Park Zoo because they felt it would be boring. The three younger grandsons wanted to go...so we went. Happy to say everyone enjoyed themselves. This is not a big zoo but there was enough to keep the boys occupied for about an hour and a half. Best part...it was free!

I have been to this park hundreds of times. I love walking around this park while talking to friends. I have seen plays performed here as well as concerts. It's always enjoyable to visit The Park.

Our little one (3 y/o) enjoyed everything here- animals, playground, water fountain, and small train. It is not a big zoo but kids can closely watch wallaby, butterflies, pigs...etc. and pat/feed goats. My son loves the train which will take you go through a small tunnel, pond, and around the park. A good place for kids under 5 to spend 1-2 hours. The nice thing is - it is free!! You can also visit the playground and small water park within few steps.

We took the kids and grandparents, everybody loved the the little train that takes you around the perimeter of the park, the zoo doesn't have a lot of animals, but the enclosures for the ones they do have are interactive and spacious, we got to see walabees up close, in the enclosure with them, what a fun place

The train ride was great and fun. They have some animals like monkeys,goats, kangaroo etc... not much of a variety like a big zoo down in indy but is still fun to go.

The park Zoo on Columbia is free for all.
Beware the water attractions at the entrance. It's fun to play with the little spouts of water, but children love to get soaked. Bring towels!

It's a small zoo but great value for the price.

There is a butterfly enclosure that is beautiful to be surrounded by the delicate creatures.
They have a petting zoo area and a barn to walk through and see some other farm animals.

The monkey area to the right when you enter is small and a little stinky, but overall the zoo does not smell badly.

I took the two grandboys the 4th July weekend. Weather was really nice. Staff does a great job with the animals they have. Place is price fantastic for families small and large. Great place to roll a few couple of hours by. You should come here if you can.

Such a surprise! Great small zoo right in the middle of town. Lots of interactive displays for kids of all sizes. My daughter takes her kids every week. I love to go along.

there are lots of thing to see and do. We take the grand kids 4-7 years old and have a great day. watch the monkeys and the other animals in exhibits, petting zoo area, otters. Then off to the playground to swing and climb.

Zoo has been a fixture of Columbia park since 1908. Zoo has been totally rebuilt since the early 2000s. All the facilities are new and well kept up.

This is a really nice zoo! Admission and parking is free. It's a little small, but it's well cared for. There's no trash lying around and the staff is always friendly. I greatly enjoy the petting zoo. They always have many goats that love to be fed. The butterfly house is beautiful when it's open. I enjoy coming here and I think it's a great way to spend an afternoon.
I especially recommend Boo at the Zoo in October!

It's for free, it's a pretty interesting zoo, and the park is lovely too. We enjoyed the visit, the zoo is lovely! We took a long walk around the park and it was fun. Really good for young kids (1-11).

The zoo is very small but my 8 year old loved it, especially the petting zoo. There are also several playgrounds for the kids and a short train (which want working during our visit).

Depending on the weather, sometimes you will catch some of the animals out playing in their cages. Monkeys are always fun. They have tried to add more things for this kids to do there and I think they have done a great job.

One of my favorite places to go in Lafayette! Its a small zoo but it is more interactive than most zoos. I love the wallaby exhibit because you can see them jumping right in front of you as you walk on the path. They have bald eagles too. So much fun!

For a free zoo Columbian is definitely the best I've been too. The staff are friendly, a lot of animals and the kids always enjoy it.

I attended Purdue University in the 1980s and remember the old zoo. A few years back, Lafayette literally leveled the old zoo and started replacing it. with far superior exhibits They still have a lot of unbuilt exhibits awaiting funding, but what is there is worth the trip and is free to all.

The zoo has several exhibits including a petting zoo/farm (the chickens like to roam the entire zoo), butterflies, prairie dogs, bald eagles, wallabies and my personal favorite, otters.

Realistically, this is not a full day trip. Two to three hours is more than enough for most people. However, as mentioned above, it is free, and you have the rest of Columbian Park to explore as well.

We are not talking the San Diego Animal Park here. Columbian Park Zoo is a great place to spend an hour or so with young children. The fountains are always a big hit with little ones. (We always take extra dry clothes!). The animal displays are engaging and interesting, but the zoo is not overwhelming for little kids or parents. Columbian park also has a train ride, expansive playground, picnic tables, and swimming pools with several slides, lazy river, and toddler areas. Highly recommend!

My grandchildren and I visit the park and zoo at least once a week. They are 2 year old girl and a 6 month old boy. We love playing on the playground! We then head to the zoo where the 2 year old plays in the water features. Followed by a visit to the animals and the petting zoo. Kamrys fav is the Emu's !! Last year they were called the Mumu's :) Followed by a ride on the train! A few times we have had a picnic.
The only cost for all of this is a train ticket for Gigi! (We bought 10 to get the discount price)
The staff at the zoo is very friendly and always greet you with a smile. No matter the temperature!
Take the time to go visit!! You will be glad you did

For a small town this is a very impressive little park and zoo. The kids will love it. This is a must if you are in the area.

Lots of animals, wonderful butterfly area, places to sit and watch the animals. Prairie dog exhibit is awesome

Lovely butterfly garden, fun observation domes within the prairie dog exhibit, nice shaded areas to view free-roaming animals, petting zoo area with a lot of "barn" animals to love on, bubbling water areas for the kiddos to play in, ride the train ($), water tunnel to crawl through and watch the river otters, and much more, all this for free!? Very nice. Exceptionally friendly staff. 5 STARS!!!

Columbia park is just special in every way.
From nice family picnic areas to a small zoo.
It is a beautiful setting with the wonders of nature surrounding it.
They have a band shell that has great local entertainment as well.
A great area for all ages

Columbian Park is older than my Dad and he's 85 years old. Although neglected for many decades, right up through the 80s, the park has undergone a renaissance in recent year with updated play areas, a water park, and an expanded zoo. It's the most family fun you can have for free. There is a train ride that takes you all around the park. Several picnic shelters of various sizes are located around the park, but you may have to reserve one. Yes, the zoo really is free and it's fun. You do have to pay for the water park. And the park surrounds a lagoon for evening walks. Memorial Island often hosts musical events. In every regard the park is the heart of Lafayette and a jewel not often seen in small cities like Lafayette. If you have a family, you owe it to yourself to visit Columbian Park.

It's a small zoo but the admission is free and the train ride and souvenir shop are reasonable. Good way to get exercise outside.

fun spot to visit with small children and a for a short walk. Animals are easy to see. Great ice cream place nearby. Would visit again.

Excellent place to take out kids from home to learn about animals. Good as it Instill the feeling and love for other creatures in kids. They enjoyed and had fun. All it takes is to be there no entry fee. Although there aren't much animals in zoo but still a very good place to visit with kids if you are nearby. There are other options of play area and water park adjacent to zoo.

Beautifully located in central Lafayette with numerous shelter houses and picnic tables with grills for cookouts, the Columbian Park Zoo has a petting zoo along with a train that runs through and around the zoo. It is a small, intimate family experience but great fun for the little ones.
Located in the same area is the city pool with a lazy river and water slide (This is a different area attraction and cost)
Ample parking is available and it is easily accessed from a main road.

Always fun at the Park! Zoo is nice to go through and the park is nice as well. My kids love it. Parking isn't bad.

We were actually looking for places to hunt Pokémon for the game and saw this zoo had a bunch of pokestops. So we went in because it was free.
It was quite the nice visit. We didn't even play the game and spent time enjoying the animals. It's a small zoo but great for families or couples. They had great interactions with the animals, like a petting zoo, walking through a butterfly exhibit, and walking next to the wallabies. Even thought it doesn't take a long time to walk through, it is definitely worth the taking the time to walk through all the exhibits. Would definitely come back.

Columbian Park in Lafayette, IN is a wonderful park, with a zoo, playground, ride-on train for all ages, picnic shelters, and small lake. The water park (Tropicanoe Cove) and the train are only open during warm weather.... the train (April - October). There is a small fee for the train and the water park, so check the website. Everything else is FREE! The kids will love it all and especially the prairie dog village at the zoo.

A great little city zoo located inside a nice city park. Free admission too! All the kids in my group (ages 10, 8, 6) enjoyed it! Good attraction for families with young children. The wallaby babies were adorable!

I have loved this zoo for years! Nice renovation but I do miss the old carousel, monkey island, the jump house, the auto cars, and the putt putt course. The new zoo is very fun with a cute gift shop. The water park is fun but lacks a large pool to actually swim. I also think it is too expensive for families.

No complaints for a free Municipal park. We enjoyed the small group of animals this place offers. We also enjoyed the plants that were all well maintained and identified. This zoo offers gibbons, monkeys, eagles, chickens, goats, a lama, a pig, a pony, prairie dogs, otters, emus, wallabies, laughing dogs, a couple of bird species and an ancient tortoise. It also has an interesting butterfly exhibit. The park itself has nice ponds and plenty of places to picnic. There are numerous places for the kiddos to play on all different kinds of swings, slides and climbing sets. It is certainly a good way to spend a few hours of getting fresh air and some exercise.

It is nice small place, the children enjoyed watching some animals such us goats, penguins, butterflies, and some other animals. The park is small, you need about an hour .
Next to the park water park and Columbia park is very beautiful for spend some time with the family.

Beautiful well kept zoo in central Lafayette! It's free which is great! Lots of animals and the playground nearby is large and a lot of fun!!!

The butterfly garden was closed, so we almost didn't go, but this zoo was great. The petting zoo with the goats was fun. Seeing a live eagle close up was really cool. Didn't know they look like they're wearing fancy pants. The wallaby walk-about was super neat. I wish I'd have heard the singing dogs sing. My son did some research on them afterwards and they have an interesting story. Great visit.

For a little Free Zoo, it has friendly staff and cute animals.... my son loves it;) We visit this Zoo very frequently, I love the fact that Lafayette provides free places like this to enjoy with the little ones. And although the train isn’t free, it’s cheap and it is a great little train ride around the park where my son enjoys spotting the ducks in the water and the painted statue animals scattered around.

Always enjoy walking around and seeing the animals, even just my husband and I go. The goats are fun to pet and see and I love the butterflies.

Worst zoo ever. Help is rude! Girl in goat section grabbed my kids arm They should be closed down. Will never go back. Will be filing charges with BBB

Small but nice zoo. Can't beat it because it's free. The staff was very nice. Would recommend everyone who has younger kids to go. They have a gift shop. Right outside of the zoo, they have a train for the kids, it cost $2. They have a petting area for the kids.

It was a small but nice park zoo. They set everything up in a way that made you feel really close to the animals there was even a petting zoo of goats. Everyone had a smile on their face and the whole placed seemed peaceful.

i had read reviews so I expected a small, but nice little zoo. I was quite impressed with what they have packed in this city block. there is something for everyone. the landscaping makes you wonder what is around the next corner. windows in the walls are at various heights for kids and adults, staff is around to answer questions and to keep animals and visitors safe. in combination to the adjacent stadium, water park and playground, this place is a must stop for families and will appeal to all others.

Of the many things in Lafayette, Columbian Park Zoo has to be one of my favorites. First off, yes it is small and the animal selection is fairly limited compared to large-scale zoos. However, the benefits to this are that you can get MUCH closer to the animals and I've found the staff to be far more friendly and accessible (and I am an avid zoo-goer). Columbian Park Zoo has a very good petting area for the size of the zoo, even if the animals in that particular part are not overly exotic. They also have a Wallaby walk-through area which can be lots of fun, as are the tropical birds that are near the entrance to it. The animals run the range from Gibbons to Singing Dogs, with pretty much every major chunk in between represented. The best thing of all, its located within Columbian Park itself and is entirely free. Yes, I kindly request you donate if you are able, I always do, but if not then there is zero cost to you or your family. I think the only drawback is that they actually have a fair number more animals than you can readily see, but they keep them inside the main building for private or schedule public events. Fortunately, those are often free as well. Its a great place for kids and I've volunteered for several of their events. If you want a very low cost (or zero cost) short trip on a nice day, this zoo is definitely worth it.

Great day at the zoo, we took our grandchild and she loved it. You can walk around with the wallaby's or within the butterfly exhibit. The monkeys were all out swinging and playing with each other. So much fun for the little ones.

Lafayette's best visit see with kids. The zoo is free and accessible for everyone. We visit often. Kids love to play in water features at front entrance and feed the goats in the petting zoo.

Not alot to do anymore. It really used to be a great place to go when I was younger. Used to have rides. It doesn't anymore. It seems to have got small. There's not really alot to do in or around Lafayette though.

I live in Noblesville but make the drive to this zoo/park combo as often as I can. Often stopping by on my way to northern INDIANA or Chicago. The zoo here is free and although it is small it is also beautiful and has quite a variety of animals. It is a good stop for an hour or so of relaxation and animal admiration.

Columbian Park Zoo, which is completely free, has much more than one would expect! There are bald eagles, emus, wallabys that come quite close, lots of goats that interact with visitors, a prairie dog exhibit allowing close-up viewing, river otters that can swim under a "people tunnel", spider monkeys, and more! There is also a water feature that kids (and some adults) love to play in! I would definitely recommend it for young children, but college-age students seem to love it, too. And in the same park one can find a small water park and a very nice playground. My 3- and 4-year-old grandsons had a very good time there this summer!

We took a group of 6 kids here, ages 6-11, not knowing what to expect and were pleasantly surprised. The zoo is small, but very interesting and well kept. The kids loved being able to interact with and be so close to the wallabies, river otters, and prairie dogs. The butterfly exhibit was really beautiful.
This is in a big complex that includes a baseball stadium, water park, huge playground, and train (just be sure to buy your tickets at the zoo visitor desk, $2 each) ride. We spent a couple of hours here and had a lot of fun.

Took our 15 month old. She enjoyed petting the goats. Free zoo With so much to see, it took us about 2.5 hours to see everything.

Always good to come and visit the zoo. Took the train ride. Zoo is much better compared to 30 years ago. But I miss the old park with all the different rides for the kids

Colombian Park is very nice for leisurely walks while in Lafayette and there are many things for children to do as well if they are accompanying you. It is very relaxing and cost nothing but your time spent there.

The zoo has been pared down in population from it's former times, but upgraded in layout and facilities. It is great for little children, featuring both a petting zoo with small herd of pygmy goats that usually have kids and nannies as well as other penned animals, and a set of ground fountains and animal sculptures that children love to play in (bring a change of clothes for them!). The wallaby display is also up close and walk-through, and there is also a walk-through butterfly exhibit in season. Other displays are less exciting, and there are no wild cats of any sort, nor the former avian house, nor small reptile and amphibian exhibits. There is a large tortoise, who is usually less exciting than the nearby tortoise sculpture. tunnels at the prairie dog display and otter display are also popular with children. Good for perhaps an hour, water play included. The park also has other recreation that makes for a good few hours with children.

Unfortunately for us, the rain started shortly after we arrived, but we loved the zoo anyway. Not real big, but the Wallaby walk though was great. The kids loved seeing the Wallaby with her youngster in her pouch and just few feet away! The goats were nice and the prairie dog exhibit so unique. The kids could climb through tubes and come up in Plexiglas domes inside the exhibit like they were prairie dogs themselves.

Didn't get to do much else because of the rain, but lots more to do on a sunny day. We would definitely go again if ever in the area.

The zoo in columbian park is on the small side - probably takes an hour to leisurely see everything - but offers up an enjoyable time with the animals they do have. You can tell they plan on additional sections with some open space inside. There is no cost, which is great. Also, be sure to visit the rest of the park - train ($2 a ticket), water park, large playground area, pond, baseball field, etc. We had a good day in the park!

Great place to take my children plenty to do. Fun safe environment. They especially enjoyed the zoo and petting the goats. We plan on coming back for the water park.

I work a few blocks from this zoo. It is my favorite lunch destination because it is a perfect place to de-stress. The animals are not incredibly exotic, but they are up close and their environment is so natural. There are attendants who keep everything clean and make sure we stay in our area. The wallabys are only a low hanging rope away but the visitor may not touch. For the inquisitive kids who just have to touch, the zoo has lots of 'kids' of the goat variety who will end up in your lap if you aren't careful. Top this all off with the fact that the zoo is donor supported and free to the visitor although I'm sure a donation is very welcomed.

We loved it! The grounds are beautiful and the animals are clearly very happy and well cared for. We were especially impressed with how friendly and knowledgeable all the staff were! They made our visit even more enjoyable. It's not too far off of Highway 65 for anyone traveling through the area. This is one of the best free attractions we have ever been to!

The zoo could be larger for the size of Lafayette but I go to remember when I was a kid and it felt so much bigger then.

This is a good free walk for you and your kids. The animals are nothing exceptional. But what do you expect for free? It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours. Will do it again with my daughter. Stop by and get some frozen custard after your walk around the park...(just ask someone if you don't know where to go-it will lift your families experience up one rating).

My fondest memories as a child was Columbian Park. It's changed a lot from then. They have added some interesting spaces for kids of all ages. My favorite is still the monkeys. It's free to visit.

Columbian Park Zoo is not a big zoo, but it's very nice and actually a very nice size for an afternoon visit. It includes a petting zoo, a walk-through wallaby exhibit, a butterfly house, and much more. There are also interactive water features that children love and lots of beautiful flowers to enjoy. This zoo is a nice destination for kids of all ages.

I’ve made 2 trips to Lafayette IN and have been to this zoo 3 times. It’s a small zoo and free to the public but I would still go back if they charged admission. Highlights for us were the 2 American bald eagles you could see up close and the petting zoo that had a whopping 19 baby goats. There were a few animals, like dining dogs, I had never seen before. If your in the area it’s so worth stopping by....even without kids

We enjoyed walking around the Park. It appeared to be Closed for the Season but an awesome place to walk around. Very well kept.

We were looking for a place to stop on our way home from Chicago to Columbus and this zoo popped up. We weren't sure what to expect and were very happily surprised! This beautiful, free and well-kept zoo was a very fun detour. We really enjoyed watching the monkeys and playing in the prairie dog tunnels. The park beside the zoo is great as well and gave our boys a chance to run off some energy before finishing our ride home.

Loved the landscaping, the animals, friendly staff. And it was free! Such a lovely place for a city to sponsor. And the park surrounding the zoo is beautiful and huge! I probably spent 3 hours here and can't wait to take my family back.

I love the free zoo, its small but remember you dont pay to walk through the door. I recommend stopping by the gift store for some unique items

Wow. What a nice place. Clean, well designed, helpful staff, lots to see, inexpensive enough to take the whole family and go again and again. The goats had just had their kids who were running around and sitting in children's laps to be petted. They have plenty to see: wallabies,emus, turkey vulture, penguins, prairie dogs, river otters, miniature horse, llama, pig, goats. Easy to navigate. A little confusing to find, as there is not ample signage. Small enough to not be overwhelming or exhausting for small children.

A big zoo in the center of the city. You can see various kinds of animals there, take pictures with them. It's not far from the hotel, you can walk to the zoo. A very good attraction that you must visit when you travel to lafayette.

Went just a few nights ago for their fund-raiser and was so surprised at the turn-out crowd for the 3rd night in a row--the kids' Boo the Zoo! At $8 per person over 2, and the thousands that were there, I'd say they took in a substantial sum which has helped to bring about all the great improvements.

There are many things to see here. It's free, be sure to bring a towel and a change of clothes for the kids on warm days, as there are a few water features to play in. There are monkeys, river otters, an owl, New Guinea singing dogs, goats, a pig, a llama, groundhogs, a butterfly exhibit, you can walk in and see the wallaby's up close, there is also a really old tortoise. It's worth the visit. Bring a couple of extra dollars per person for the train, and be sure to visit the playground during your visit.

Have lived here 67yrs. Have seen zoo several times . It's not as good as when i was a child but, my granddaughters ages 2 and 3yrs love it.It is still worth coming to and no cost!!

This is a super cute free zoo. Goat hands on area, prairie dogs, several other animals and birds. Clean and does not smell ! Even a mini water area for the small ones to get their feet or faces wet. We had a 10 month old, and she was a bit too young, but toddlers and young kids would love it. And did I mention - free😍

It’s a very small zoo, but very cute. The staff was very friendly and everyone of the ladies we passed spoke to us. The only thing I could suggest is clearer directions for parking being from Ohio we had to drive around twice before we realized where the best parking was.

This is a beautifully landscaped children's zoo. Small ones will love it. The playgrounds are well designed. The petting zoo is fun as well as the prairie dog town and the river otter tank. Kids enjoy waking through the wallaby walkabout and seeing a baby wallaby peeking out of a pouch. The train and pool have fees but the rest of the park is free and provides an enjoyable day especially if you have young children.

Great location for small people. The kiddos love the little tunnels and the great petting zoo. I enjoyed the butterflies and the Penguins. Had no idea there was such a thing as an African penguin

Nice small zoo. It's free which makes it fun! I definitely recommend this for smaller children. It's pretty small so they can walk around and enjoy it no prob! Worth a stop if you're in the area!

Cute little zoo geared for smaller children. Clean and lots of open areas. Cool to see different animals, like wallabies and a miniature horse. Friendly staff too

It was free and my kids loved it. They got to see different animals and ride on a train. They also got to play on a very clean and kinda new play ground.

Please go here! The park is huge and it offers a free zoo. While the zoo is smaller than the Indianapolis zoo it is still super cool and much more interactive and personal in my opinion. They have monkeys, porcupines, otters, a huge butterfly greenhouse, farm animals, a petty zoo and more. They have tunnels to crawl through the otter exhibit and tunnels to pop up in and watch the Prairie dogs. So fun. A great time for all ages. Fountains to get wet in and a get shop. I will def make this a staple and I live around 45-1 hour away!

Went to the boo at the zoo. There was something fun for all of us. The children loved the animals and the park. They had fun with all halloween activities. Definitely will come back next year.

We love Columbian Park Zoo! It's small, but is interesting and accessible. You feel "up close and personal" with all the animals! Our favorites are the Butterfly Area, the otters and the Wallabies.

On our most recent visit, we took a friend from Chicago who loved how intimate and personal the zoo felt.

I would highly recommend a visit to the zoo! You can just zip through and visit your favorites or make a pleasant hour visit out of it.

They have really done a lot to make this little zoo wonderful. Now it is small but it's really fun. The butterfly house is really sweet and the petting zoo with the little goats is precious for all ages! And on those hot days, the water areas are fun for the kids to play in. Probably the best for me today was seeing the baby kangaroo poking out of mama's pouch :-) What a wonderful family day....and my daughter is 21 years old :-)

This is Indiana's second oldest Zoo and is Free. It has a good range of animal attractions including an Australian Themed Zone in which the visitors are up close to Wallaby's, Entry is free but they do need donations.

When I first moved to Lafayette about 10 years ago, I couldn't believe there was a zoo in town. It is in Columbia Park and it is free. Convenient and fun. Then they remodeled it completely. Some things are good and some I preferred in the old format. First, the Wallabees and emus are great. They don't move much but they're unusual and interesting. The butterfly building is very neat. Also, the petting zoo is a lot of fun for kids. I really liked the primates and the aviary in the old zoo, but the new layout is still excellent. I would highly recommend it.

Don't go by the butterfly. That exhibit doesn't exist any more. The zoo is small, but very nice. I like the otter exhibit and the prairie dog town.

Fantastic park, zoo and pool! It caters for people of all ages. It really plays a central part in Lafayette life. The city should be proud of this gem.

Great place to visit with young children. Lots of fun playgrounds, petting zoo, butterfly garden, separate water park. Easy access, clean. Train ride is fun to see the park. Small farm area is great!

was very nice but very small .but was free so was worth trip. going take grandson next time . think he enjoy the playground that was there . its really big and nice plus a water park near

Just out doing adult stuff and where do we wind up. This adorable little zoo..that’s free!.where there’s no map because “you just need to keep going in any direction and you’ll see all the exhibits”. So we did. Really sweet butterfly garden. And for $2 you can scrunch down in in a cool train and ride around the grounds....fabulous!

It is a wonderful park full of happy children playing on the playground, beautiful scenery, (a lake, ducks & geese and flowers everywhere) a great place for get togethers, plus it has an adorable zoo that is completely free, and an awesome small water park (there is a small fee for the water park) I've enjoyed going on walks here with my fiance, friends, and even just a nice walk by myself.

It is a great free zoo for kids - good place to spend an hour. There are not a lot of animals, but there is a small petting zoo (goats) and you can see otters, wallabys (and walk within them), emu, gibbons, butterflies. Don't expect to spend the day - but there is a playground nearby. The zoo also offers zoo camps, which are run well!

have a variety of animals from otters to prairie dogs to monkeys and tortoises and kangaroos. well worth a visit!

My 6-y/o daughter loved it; I needed a block & tackle to get her out of the petting zoo. The animals were clean, well-fed & healthy, with appropriate habitats & friendly staff.

Have always enjoyed the Columbian Park Zoo. It's gotten smaller over the years but it is still free so that's a big bonus. Enjoy the petting zoo section and if you time it right they have the cutest baby goats

If you are looking for a zoo, go to Indianapolis. There are a few (and I emphasize FEW) animals here, but nothing note worthy. I think several Howler Monkeys are their claim to fame.

Lafayette, IN isn't a metropolis. We're a fairly average-sized college town, but with some excellent resources. Columbian Park Zoo is one of the best!
With walk-through attractions, such as the "Down Under" exhibit, butterfly pavilion, and praire dog and river otter tunnels, it's very modern and interactive.There's also a lovely little gift shop with unique ideas well beyond a simple souvenir. Of course, no zoo is complete without a petting area (clean and fun) and a main attraction (Monkeys!). These are only a portion of all the zoo offers, including an interactive water display. Oh, and did I mention it's all FREE?! (However, donations are appreciated - believe it or not, they're wanting to grow!)

We were driving to see family in Chicago, and Lafayette was about the halfway point, so we ended up staying the night. I had looked on TripAdvisor and read the good reviews for Colombian Park Zoo and decided to check it out while we were there. We loved everything about it!! It's safe to say this will now be a regular stop for on on the long drive Chicago! Did I mention it's free?!

They turned it into a water park. My family don't swim. Miss the rides and monkeys, more stuff at the concession and swings..

What a delightful, hidden gem in Lafayette. The park is beautiful and a wonderful place for families -- especially those with young children. It is clean, well maintained and the landscaping is lovely! There are several playground areas for kids of various ages, along with benches and picnic pavilions. The zoo, although quite small, has a delightful variety of animals along with a butterfly house. In the barnyard area you can pet and feed the goats. You can't beat the price to visit the zoo and park -- it's free. There's a small charge of 25 cents to get a handful of food for the greedy goats, and $2 per person if you want a ride around the park grounds on the zoo train. Our 8 year old had a lovely afternoon at the zoo and playground area.

This is a nice place to take young children and spend an afternoon playing and discovering. My son and I have been a few times and it's almost a fight to get him past the granite globe floating in water near the entrance. It's free and co-located with the Columbian Park Playground and Pool.

This is one of my favorite places to go when in town. It's a rather small zoo, but still fun. It's free, which is awesome. It's great for families with little kids, they have a train ride that goes around the park. That you need to buy tickets for, but they are not expensive. The monkey's cages look like they could be updated a bit, they look kinda bored. The kangaroo section is awesome, you get to walk around a path in their exhibit.

Parents Weekend at Purdue and was looking for Things to do! Beautiful park and tiny zoo. Great place to hang out and relax in the sun. Real nice place if you have young children (mine are over 18).

They redid this zoo a few years ago and it is fantastic. The petting zoo is super cute,the butterfly garden awesome, and the wallaby exhibit is amazing! And the best part it's all free!!!

HUGE park with tons of play grounds right outside the Zoo. Free entrance to the zoo, and even though it's not big, it is very fun and has a lot to do. Petting zoo, wallaby walk through area, butterfly garden and so much more. Can really recommend this place!

I recently visited with my grand daughters. This is a great park. There were play areas for different ages groups. Including a more complex one for teens. There is a train to ride around a large pond and the zoo, although small was awesome. Some of the animals are able to wander about freely with the guests. The day we were there it was one of the monkeys birthdays and they were having a party, complete with a pinata for him to break and get goodies. They had a farm yard with goats to feed and other farm animals. Best part is ---- it was all free. Grandma loved it as much as her girls!

Meet our sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren for a day at the park. What a wonderful city park! Plenty of parking, free. Waterpark looked great but was closed for season. Numerous play areas; we played on 4 with the 3 1/2 year old and 1 year old. Walk-about-Wallabee exhibit was so much fun. They are in the enclosure with you and hop around you. Many babies in pouches so that thrilled the girls. Many acres of beautiful grounds with many shelters. This would be a great family reunion spot. There is a little train, costs $1 to ride and the girls enjoyed that as well. Cannot say enough positive things about this gem of a park!

Over time they have redone it There isn't much to see or do, a half day, its something for the lil ones! Since they have redone looks a lot better

The Columbian Park Zoo is a small zoo with several exhibits that are great for children under 10. Highlights for my children are the goats and barn area, the Australian area with wallabies, and the otter display. There are other exhibits with monkeys, butterfly garden, prairie dogs, bald eagle, singing dogs and tortoises. There are a few other smaller things to see and do. In addition the zoo has interactive events and you can have a birthday party with three animal as guests. Great experience for younger children.

Although this is a small zoo with limited types of animals, we had a great time. It is geared toward young children and they loved feeding the goats and goat kids as well as watching the other animals. They got soaking wet in the fountains and then lived the train ride.

The walaby exhibit and the otters are our favorites! Its a small zoo- we usually only spend about an hour there, but its fun for something to do, especially since it's free!

This is a very nice place to visit. The zoo has several different animals to see, it is landscaped very nice and extremely clean. The park around the zoo is also nice. There is a small water park there as well although we did not go to it. It was worth the hour drive.

If you have small children, this zoo is much much better than going to a really large Zoo. I enjoyed it too. Enough animals to be interesting

This is a free attraction. We were surprised to see so many animals in this small zoo. The place is clean and there are a lot of things for the children to ride on or play on.m the animals are caged eye level so it a easy to see them. There was a nice variety of animals to see. The zoo offers a train ride for a small fee. It was a cute ride around the park and the ride last about 15 minutes. The park also has a Water Park which looked like fun. This attraction won't fill a day but it will be nice for a couple of hours.

The zoo is small but inexpensive and a nice place to spend an hour or two. This is not a place you are going to stay all day but it is within Columbian Park which has other things to do (picnic, playgrounds, small water park).

One of lafayettes hidden gems. If you're from Lafayette you know about it, you have been here, and you love it. The park is free to get in but offers kids rides and a train ride for a small ticket price. We always leave a tip in the donation box just because we frequent this zoo so often with our daughter. Bald eagles, river otters, a small petting zoo, and the list goes on and on. just great.

Columbian is not so much a "zoo" so much as it is a park. The zoo portion is nice for the city of this size...some close contact, interactive, hands on area. It doesn't have a huge variety of animals but its overall attraction is its part in the overall Columbian Park. This is a wonderful city park with many play structures for kids of all ages, large pool/water activities, picnic areas, baseball stadium, community house, concert shell, and others. On a nice summer, day the park is filled with people from as far away as South Bend. It is a great place to spend a family day or a family picnic.

Took our little one here not knowing what to expect. Its not large, but it is free and designed for you to walk and interact with the animals. There is a large lake in the park and many tables and chairs and a few nice playgrounds so a perfect spot to see the zoo and picnic and let the kids play. There is a small gift shop as you exit the zoo. There are train rides available as well on a small engine train that loops around the park. A great day here.

Absolutely great place to visit. It is free, runs off of donations. They have done been adding additions and they are half way done. They have 2 more stages, working with the donations they receive. The Zoo is ultimate. There is a awesome Butterfly exibit that you can walk through and see all the beauty. There is also a Wallaby walk through that you can be right next to them as long as you don't scare them. It is a great place to spend a few hours, very memorable. Will definately visit it again. Wonderful Staff!!!

Wonderful little zoo that is among the few free things left to do in this world. My daughter also enjoys the train ride through the park, which does cost us a couple dollars, but worth the memories.

This is a fun little zoo (free, donations accepted). It's great to just walk around and take in the scenery. This past summer I had a baby and needed a place to get outside and walk around and found this place was perfect for just that. Nice to get some sun, see some animals, some art, etc. There's a little water spout area for children to cool off.

This park has it all, little water park, nice park for kids, little train ride and zoo! We only visited the zoo, it's small but still nice and plus it's free!!

The petting zoo is small but clean with little water spouts coming out the ground as well as various options for kids to stick their heads in funny cut outs for pictures. The park as a whole is a very nice size. Large pond, train ride that goes through the park, picnic tables in pavilion and other kiddie rides. It's free to get in but you buy tix for the rides at the gift shop

Great zoo for kids, plus its free! well taken care of and friendly. We visit frequently, but its not enough to fill up a day. Plenty of other stuff to do in the park.

Oh my gosh!!! We can’t believe how great this little zoo was! We stopped for a break on a drive from Chicago to Indianapolis. It’s in Lafayette IN a few miles from Perdue University.

They had an awesome butterfly exhibit & we met Lisa which was so sweet & a wealth of knowledge too! Everyone that worked here including volunteers was so amazing!! We absolutely loved playing & loving on the adorable Norwegian Dwarf goats. We were definitely blown away with this place & it’s people!

It's a small zoo, but just enough for younger kids. The small animals are precious and kids enjoy petting them.
The water area I would say is their favorite! Sometimes we don't even get to see the animals because they want to freshen up; I think they enjoy it more than the pool.

This isn't a very big zoo but, it has plenty to offer. The animals are well cared for and if you have little one's will enjoy seeing / petting the baby goats. There is a small store where you can buy things including train tickets and drinks. Overall it's nothing big but, is fun for a good half hour. :)

We are renewing our visits of local treasures, and the zoo is certainly one of them. It has changed a lot in the 20 years since we visited often with the kids. The exhibits are lovely...gone are the days of the elephants and the cat house, but the farm animals, the gophers and the butterfly gardens are all lovely. It's clean, it's perfect for kids of all ages, and best of all...it's still free! Amazing!

We visit here frequently. This is a very large park. There is a swimming pool, a zoo, a very large, multi-age playground, and plenty of picnic areas. Enjoy! Oh and don't miss the train!

Very impromptu visit after lunch while meeting family. Enjoyed thoroughly. Would recommend to families with little ones.

Small "zoo" that is great for small children. I enjoyed walking through this place as they have a collection of very neat things. The wallabies roam free, but you cannot touch them. The monkeys are amazing. They are very active during early opening hours.

The train ride is wonderful for the younger kids that cannot do the other things. The have a lot of things to do for the 4 to 8 year old group. Not much for the 2 and 3 year olds.

A Very good and clean local free zoo. Can see all exhibits in under an hour. Worth a trip if in town.

Our group included a 6 year old and a 9 year old, grandma (me!) and great-grandma. We really enjoyed the closeness of the animals, and interactions with some of the animals. The goats were a lot of fun and so cute. The zoo was very clean and easy to navigate. The river otters display was a special highlight for all. There is a glass tunnel for underwater viewing. The otters swam right up and around the tunnel-so cute and exciting! We really enjoyed our time at Columbian Park Zoo!

Columbian Park Zoo is a great little zoo in downtown Lafayette, IN. The staff is wonderful, the exhibits are well taken care of and, the best part, it's free!

The zoo is small, but it's Free! It's nice for being small and the little kids love it. Nice big playground with different areas for all ages. Nice picnic table areas. There is a swimming pool area, but you have to pay for that. Has water slides, splash pad, and lazy river.
For a yummy treat after playing, there is an ice cream place across the street on the south side of the park, also a snow cone shack, and an Arni's pizza restaurant if you want food.

We started our day out with a picnic in the park. Parking in on the street, right off of the park. There are plenty of gazebos with several picnic tables under them and huge grassy areas in between for the kids to play. Each gazebo has a charcoal grill also.
There are nice, clean bathrooms close to this area also.
Once we we're done eating, we walked down one of the several paths past some really nice playground equipment to the zoo.
Let me just say, that for a free zoo, it's quite impressive. In fact, I liked it much better than the Indianapolis zoo!
Hands down, our favorite area was the barnyard. Baby goats have recently been born and we were able to pet them. They also have machines with food to feed the older ones. They had a small horse, pig, a llama and some chickens roaming around. They provide a handwashing area at the exit of the barnyard.
My next favorite was the butterfly house. It's small, but there were butterflies everywhere and it was neat.
They have an otter,an eagle, at least one prairie dog and a wallaby area which was nice and shaded (it was very hot the day we went). They also had some monkeys, but they weren't doing anything because of the heat.
They have a nice little gift shop and the prices weren't too bad. Make sure you stop there to buy your train tickets ($2) as they don't sell them across the street at the train station.
We ended our visit with a 12 min train ride around the big pond.
They also have a few kiddie rides that we didn't do because our little one was too young. But I believe the price for those are minimal.
Also on the same property is what looked like a very nice water park. Not sure the cost of that.
I believe there is also a parking lot closer to the zoo and waterpark.
All in all, we spent about 4 hrs there between our picnic and visit. I think this would be a good trip for people with younger kids. It was a memorable and inexpensive day.

Nice little zoo. Definitely nice for children. Goats,mini horses,pigs etc. To pet. Nice butterfly garden. Worth a hour from your day

I hadn't been here in about 15 years. They have grown so much! I was very impressed with the up-grades and additions to this little zoo. My most impressed animal to see was the Papua New Guinea Dogs! I have only seen these on TV and was shocked to see 2 here. The animals all looked well cared for. the enclosures were well sized and not over populated. I was sad that we arrived to late in the day to get to go into the wallaby walkabout area, but now we have a reason to go back. They have a nice goat petting area. Really nice sized for a quick animal fix and then to the rest of the park. I am extremely happy to see the city investing in it!

Few times I have the opportunity to enjoy things as I did when I was child. The Coumbian Park Zoo at Lafayette allowed me to do it again. It is small zoo but the staff make you feel like a home and there is incredible animals that they help since they aren't able to subsist by them self.
Thanks to Lisa Reece for the nice experience and I hope more people can enjoy it this new season.

What is today known as Columbian Park began in the 1870s with a small 15-acre plot of land at the edge of town. Over the next quarter century, more land was added and some improvements begun. By the 1890s, it had grown to its present 40+ acres and acquired its name (in honor of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America).

We grew up a few blocks from the park and fondly remember swimming at its round WPA-built swimming pool (that is no more), riding the carnival rides (also gone), attending 4H meetings (don't know if they still have them here), etc. We were in town recently and had some time so took a walk around.

The park has changed a lot and continues to evolve. While the 1930s pool is gone, there is a state-of-the-art aquatic park and an ambitious project to expand the zoo is underway. Some other features from our youth are still here, Loeb Stadium (used for league baseball games in the summer), the Lagoon, Jenks Rest and Rush Pavilion (community meeting facilities), picnic shelters, miniature train ride, etc. It is still a great little park and looks to only be getting better.

Tropicanoe Cove Water Park. Playground is great. Concession stands. Zoo has nice variety of animals. Attempt is made to house animals in as natural a habitat as possible.

We didn't get to visit so I'm giving 3 stars because it looks cool but nothing on the website says it's closed so sort of a wasted trip into Lafayette...
FYI: Disappointingly, the zoo is closed for the winter, with the exception of Boo at the Zoo, which takes place Oct 23, 24, and 25 2013. We were just passing through so maybe we'll catch it in the future sometime.

There was stuff for all ages to do. Four different play areas or you can sit by the pond and feed the ducks or go to the free zoo

Here in the middle of the city you can see smaller animals or visit the swimming water park. There is a butterfly house to walk through, an underwater viewing experience, monkeys, baby goats to play with, highly educated guides, a meeting room, decent parking and fun for all ages. They are raising money for an elaborate monkey house. Everyone loves Columbian park. Free entry, I am pretty sure, but maybe not for the swimming area.

On our way from Wisconsin to Tennessee, we stopped at the Columbian Park Zoo. Great wildlife exhibits, a pleasant little train ride. When we got to our destination in Tennessee, I realized I had lost the spare key fob for my car. Staff at the zoo were very accommodating. They actually found the fob and mailed it back to me in Wisconsin. That’s service!

We had a great time here. My kids liked walking with and petting the goats, seeing the eagles, and walking with the wallabies. The price was right!

Lots of interesting exhibits, especially for a zoo that is free of charge. It would be nice if it were open for more of the year.

The Columbian Park Zoo is a great place to see some exotic animals, without having to spend any money. The free zoo houses a variety of animals, and there are activities for children as well.

A wonderful place to visit in the summer! The playground is great for a picnic & we LOVE the monkeys!

This is a fantastic place to take families. It is very clean and they are always adding attractions. Just think this is a free adventure unless you want to visit the gift shop.

The zoo is small but free. Some unusual animals such as wallabies, prairie dogs, lemurs and even a butterfly house. There are small fountains & statues for the little ones to play on/in. A fun way to spend a summer afternoon. Be sure to get some ice cream at the nearby Frozen Custard!

Be sure to bring the suits for the little kids (ages 5 and under), along with a towel in the summer. There are a few fountains for the kids to splash in. It's a nice park, free admission. They have monkeys, river otters, a huge tortoise, bald eagles, goats, and many more animals to see.

Not many animals but it was free. Well kept and worth the stop if your close by. free parking and other parks next to zoo.

This is a delightful little zoo. It is small enough to take small children to without being overwhelmed by running about copious ground. Visitors can touch, pet and even cuddle with (e.g. small newborn lambs) the harmless and docile residents. Exhibits include llama, butterfly house, seals and always a favorite, monkeys and more. Staff educate about the animals and their particular quirks. It is a beautiful, nicely manicured park with a large fishing pond, small train ride through the park setting the zoo sits within (kiddie rides) and souvenirs and ice-cream (custard) available. NO FEE TO VISIT ZOO/PARK! There are ample spaces for b-bq. Adjacent to zoo is summer collegiate baseball stadium. Take in a ballgame with festivities. "The Lafayette Aviators" have day and night games. Andy and Barney style at it's best!

I really wouldn't call this a zoo it's more like a park with a few animals, but if you have children 7 and under I think they'll really like it. They have a train and a petting zoo.

Small enough to cover in an hour but interesting enough to be fun, for adults and children. The wallabees are awesome. Don't miss the butterflies. And don't forget to pet a goat. Last time I was there they had a goat that was 4 hours old. So cute. And best yet it's free. Where do you find that nowadays?

It's not a big zoo, but it was enjoyable. Entry fee is super-reasonable, and employees are knowledgeable and friendly. The Australian walkabout exhibit was really neat, and I enjoyed the petting area with the goats.

There is nothing bad to say about the zoo - park. Lots and lots of hands on things for the kids to do. A small train runs around the park on certain days. A petting zoo that thrills kids and adults alike. Cant go wrong with friendly monkeys, the small but fun water park, baseball park, and city park all in one.

It takes a couple of hours to see and do everything. For a couple of dollars we even watched a few innings of a very good baseball game.

A great memory for the kids and a fantastic way to wear them out for no money. Colombian zoo / park is a Lafayette treasure.

Went to the Zoo, first time in 20 or so years. Very clean and the exhibits were very kid and adult friendly. Nice shelters and rest areas. Also nice train to take ride around the park on.

When the zoo is open (May-Oct) I usually take my family there once a week. On average, we spend an hour walking through. There are monkeys, the butterfly garden, petting zoo, prairie dogs, river otters, wallabys, emu, bald eagles and singing dogs. There are always lots of volunteers around that are happy to answer questions.

It is free. Parking can be a little tricky, but, once again, it is free. The whole park is quite nice, but the zoo is phenomenal. It takes maybe half an hour to an hour to walk through, if you're taking your time, as there are plenty of fun activities. They have a nice petting zoo filled with goats and chickens. In May, they usually have a ton of baby goats. For a quarter, you can get a handful of goat feed, which the goats love and they will swarm you! They also have a large hand-washing station as you exit the barn area, so that's an excellent bonus.

Wander through the, albeit small, enclosed butterfly garden, crawl in tunnels like a prairie dog, check out the otters from an underwater tube, and walk with the wallabies. They always have guides at the barn and the wallaby areas who are happy to answer any questions you might have.

They also have a section full of rides for children under 40 inches or so, and a train that goes around the entire park that everyone can ride. Tickets are reasonable - I think the train may be $2 per person now but the rides are a little cheaper.

The one negative I have is that the zoo is only open during the warmer weather months - I think late April to early October.

Columbian Park Zoo is a small-scale zoo (with petting zoo), but it's rich with history. There's no entrance fee and they have a strong focus on educating the public about their work and their animals. The staff is friendly and informative. They hold a handful of events throughout the year, so depending on when you're visiting, that's something else to look into.

I've been in this area for two years but never been here before. The zoo is small but lots of fun! The river otter is so cute.

Went here on a Sunday, it was busy, but still easy to walk around. Not many animals, but it is a free zoo. The staff were super friendly and nice. The exhibits are interactive for kids, which is great, such as a underwater glass tube to crawl in through the otter pond. The butterfly garden was gorgeous and really cool. I would highly recommend for anyone as it is free, clean, easy to get to, with friendly staff.

This was a great little day trip. The zoo was small but a great adventure. Lots is things to do. The train ride was very nice around the grounds of the property.

Unbeatable in the area for the price (though they appreciate donations!).

Cute little zoo with some fun exhibits. The Wallaby Walkabout, Butterfly room, Otters and giant Tortoise are our favorites. Has a couple interactive exhibits for children, like some fake human-sized prarie dog tunnels with veiwing areas in their enclosure.

Not a lot to see but nice park around the zoo. Very small free local zoo.Eagles Turtles wallaby butterfly's primates. Nice park for small kids

I took my grandkids ages 10, 6 and 16 months. We all enjoyed the petting zoo and the train ride that goes around the park. The playground has a large assortment for younger and older kids. The bathrooms were clean and it is obvious the grounds keepers do their job well.

This small zoo is charming! it's especially nice for families with younger children. We visited with our 3 grandchildren, aged 3-6. The prairie dog exhibit was very fun; it's built about eye level for adults, but has tunnels under the exhibit that children can search thru & pop up in plexiglass bubbles & look around inside the exhibit. Our little guys were inches away from 2 prairie dogs, munching food.

In another exhibit, there are wallabys that at times of the year wander freely in the enclosure. When we were there, all had joeys, some peeking out.

There are things to climb on & look thru, petting zoo with farm animals.... It is a good size zoo, enough to see & do, without being over welming. There are wonderful playgrounds walking distance away.

There seems to be ample parking & would be great for a short visit/break, or pack a picnic & spend a couple hours.

FREE ADMISSION!!!! Great little zoo for families with small children. The surrounding park has great facilities and playgrounds for all ages. Nice walking paths. Small train will take you around the park for a fee. Not a lot of animals but you get really close to the animals they do have.

While I driving from Chicago to Columbus we were looking for an activity to break up the drive. Found this great small zoo. We really enjoyed walking in the wallaby exhibit and thru the butterfly house. For my teenage daughter the barnyard petting area with the goats was a big highlight. When we were leaving there was a Kona Shave Ice truck by the street parking. A delightful treat on such a hot day. This park and zoo are a recreational gems!

Nice friendly and spacious place to go with family and friends even your kids. Everyone can enjoy the park or the zoo where there are a nice selection of animals

This is a fantastic little hide-away and definitely worth a stop when in the area. The staff is fantastic. The property is beautifully maintained. There is always something to do for people of all ages, and disabilities. The zoo has many interactive exhibits. The water park is clean and well kept. The park offers plenty to do (zoo, water park, play grounds, train rides, nice paths to walk, etc). Great way to spend the day or take a break.

My daughter loves going. You cant beat it. Free admission, you can catch a ball game , play at the park, get lunch or dinner all within walking distance.

We enjoy going to the zoo and this is a perfect place to go on a whim. It is very entertaining for the kiddos and also interactive. I don't want to forget to say it's free!

This little zoo is not filled with huge animals but for the little ones and stay at home moms it's perfect you will find, goats, farm animals, butterflies, wallabys, tortoise, monkeys, an eagle, and some otters. Fun little water things for little tiny ones too. Love that this zoo is free!

Great free little zoo. Love the wallaby exhibit, butterflies and the petting zoo. We still haven't seen the prairie dogs or otters on numerous visits but hope to catch a glimpse at some point as the exhibit is really fun. The zoo is also nice because my family can take our time enjoying it and still be done in an hour.

Whilst small and having a few exhibits closed when we visited was a really good well run zoo. Very popular with families and excellent value for money ($2 per adult). Can easily see everything within the hour but well worth a visit.

We were visiting family in the area, and we all went to the zoo. We were a mix of adults, teens, and four- to eight-year-olds. We all had a very good time. Entry is free. There are plenty of interesting things to see. The zoo is very clean. Afterwards, the younger kids played at the playground and had a great time. We adults in particular liked the swinging benches. Well done, Lafayette!

Best] little zoo for $2 a person. Almost 200 animals for viewing. Several of the exhibits have interactive tunnels to view the animals closer. The goat petting zoo was fun. the water features attracted children of all ages. Take the zoo train. Butterfly exhibit. Very clean

Great little spot in a town this size. It's free to all and they take very good care of the place. Park is even nice to take a walk in after. Recommended.

We come here about once a week just to visit. We love the beautiful grounds and enjoy seeing all the animals. The water area for the kids is a great place to let the kids cool off on a hot day!! Bring a swim suit so the kids can play! Also love the park area!! Great Little Zoo!

Quite kid friendly. Animals treated quite well. Very good community outreach. Always an enjoyable visit with interesting and interactive programs.

I remember when I was a kid this was a great place to come to play. Stopped here the other day to take a walk through the park with my wife. As we approached the lagoon or swamp, you could smell the algae stench from afar. As we got closer to it we couldn't believe how bad it looked and smelled. We talked about what the park used to be like when we were kids and how much fun it use to be.
Now as we walked through we both felt that it either needs to get a major overhaul or close it down. The zoo itself needs to be re-located out into a more rural location for the safety and well being of the animals on site.
Also walking through we made comments about how unsafe we felt, it was around dusk, and lack of lighting.

Will probably not return

Free parking and free entry are enticing anywhere, but here I almost felt guilty not having to pay! This place is the definition of a pleasant surprise. Though it is quite small compared to other zoos, it makes up for its size in experience. Not many other zoos will let you get quite so close to the animals! They make it accessible for everyone.

Very nice. Can do in 1 1/2 hours. We were going in town for the weekend and we went 3 times! The kids loved the Wallaby. The surrounding playgrounds were also nice.

I love that our town has such a great place for families and it's free! Great exhibits, fun to go before the park, love the movie nights in the summer! Love the Zoo!

My kids loved this zoo when they were smaller. The wallaby and butterfly exhibits are great!
The only way they can improve it to expand and get more animals.

The columbian park zoo was just one of the many reasons we fell in LOVE with Lafayette and chose to move here. This FREE family friendly zoo is so perfect in so many ways! Activities for the littles, splash pads and "carnival style" kids rides, interactive exhibits allow kids to get right in there with the animals, educational activites too, and it asjoines to the local park and has a train ride around the park and pond. It is literally everything you ever imagined having in one spot for the perfect little family day where you can enjoy a family activity for all ages, and yet not be completely exhausted or broke at the end of the day!

Awesome zoo in the park. Loved walking and enjoying my self. Feed the goats and Oh My what an experience... They are very hungry and greedy =) . I give this zoo a 5 star rating.

Visited on a warm October day with my sister and adult daughter. A great way to get some exercise and talk and take pics in a unique setting. Clean park, well staffed with up close access to the animals. Small zoo but worth the trip even for adults.

Husband took our granddaughter for a visit and talk about "wowed"! Free admission, lots to see, super clean and we'll thought and super entertaining!

Cute petting zoo, nice butterfly exhibit, very cool to see some of these animals up close. I like the water fountains when you first walk in, very cute! Donations are welcome but free to public. I definitely love to visit!

Nice small zoo and it's free. Grandkids love the Otters and Wallaby babies. The butterfly garden is awesome.

I always enjoyed this park as a kid... when they had small gas powered cars and you had to be taller than Goofy's hat to ride, lol! But it has changed very much since then. We now bring our children throughout the summer months to enjoy the zoo and playground. Very happy to see that this place is still as cool as it was when I was a kid... Just different.

Nice , Small, Free Zoo. Extremely well maintained. Otters and Petting Zoo (goats). Butterfly House was my favorite.

Always have a good day when we visit! Plenty to do, my kids live the zoo area! All free! We walk through the zoo, then eat our lunch we packed at the park. Park has designated age equipment which is nice

Not the easiest place to review this as we were there on a very rainy that that in addition was one of their latest days of being openn this year. Because of this a lot of thing were already closed, and the exhibits were limited. Still it's a free zoo, so the cool wallaby area and petting zoo with service minded staff, just tips this up to a four star rating.

It has well, animals. Maybe 5 or so. It has a kids playground. It's nonthing like it used to be. No rides to pay to ride anymore. Swimming area. Not really worth the visit.

We've been attending this zoo for over 22 years while in area. It's always been free and amazing how it's enlarged and expanded and is nicer every time we go. You can tour it in about an hour ... has kids area, wallaby walkabout is amazing, butterfly garden beautiful, etc. NO large animals, but very clean and nicely decorated. Definitely a go for the kiddos

We have been to this park 2 before and loved it both times. My husband and I have a 7 month old little one and he is always fixated on all the bright colors of the grass, trees,flowers, play area. And the zoo area he ABSOLUTELY loves, it's a precious park/zoo and always very clean and well maintained. This one is our favorite and we will continue coming back here.

This zoo is a wonderful free zoo for children. My kids love coming here and they love seeing the animals. There is a small petting zoo with chickens and goats. Right now the petting zoo has a few baby goats that are very active and fun to pet and feed. At the entrance there is a couple water spouts on the ground for the kids to play in. There is a train that you can ride for $2 per person and it goes around the park. The park area is very nice and has areas for different ages. It gets extremely crowded on the weekends and of course days with good weather. Always a fun place for the kids.

The best thing about this zoo is that it is ABSOLUTELY FREE to the public! What could be better than that?! This zoo is the perfect size for walking (not too big and not too small) and although I was disappointed in the limited variety of animals I still say this zoo is awesome and would make for a great fun family outing

We were looking for something to do after a few days of rain. We knew all the hiking trails nearby would be a muddy mess. We ended up heading over to this little zoo and had a very pleasant afternoon. There aren't a lot of animals, but the zoo is well maintained and we enjoyed viewing the otters, joeys, petting zoo and butterfly exhibit. The zoo is set is a large park area so it is the perfect place for a relaxing walk, and there is plenty of playground equipment for younger children. There is an ice cream stand within easy walking distance that was a fun way to end our visit.

Was looking for a nice relaxing day while in the area. Hotel recommended Columbian Park Zoo. It turned out to be my kind of relaxing; strolling through the exhibitions, seeing and playing with the animals and just taking it easy. The zoo is very family friendly.

First, it is free. It was family friendly with lots of neat things to see. It is right next to the park, so it makes a great day out with family.

It is a small zoo, but I think it is perfect for little ones. It can be done comfortably without being overwhelming. Plus you can pet the little goats!!

I would totally go back and see it again.

Went in on the off chance as we were in town for a wedding and it is well worth a look. Free to get in and well run. We particularly enjoyed the wallaby walk.

For a small free zoo, this is nice. Almost all their exhibits allow kids to interact - wallaby walkabout allows kids to get super close to the wallabies; otter and prairie dog exhibits allow them to crawl into/under the exhibit; butterfly house had A LOT of butterflies; and nice little photo opportunities with picture boards. Tiny splash area could be bigger, but my kids still loved it.

Great little city zoo that is FREE! Walk with the wallaby's and pet the farm animals. They also had a few monkeys and a small butterfly garden.

Great zoo for kids. Love the wallaby enclosure. Can't go wrong with their admission price. Tons of parking on other side of Columbian Park. Excited to see their expansion plans in a few seasons.

We visited the zoo with my baby granddaughter. Very small, limited number of animals but very nice, clean and well kept. People around so you could ask questions and the bubbling ground fountains seemed to be a big hit with the young kids. No exotic animals, some farm animals, several monkeys, small butterfly sanctuary (maybe mostly moths?) very nice, all free. Very nice for a family on a Sunday afternoon whether visiting or local.

Family friendly! The goats are adorable. They like to play!!! The staff is very helpful and would love to answer any questions about the animals you have. Everyone should visit the wallabies!

What a wonderful zoo! and its FREE!! It is so clean and the animals are well taken care of. They have all smaller animals but they are still great to see. They even have places were you can interact with the animals ....touch, feed walk threw areas were the animals are and even touch them! they have a gifts shop with snacks and drinks and you can buy tickets there for the train and they are only $2.00 for adults.
You can but feed to feed the goats for 25 cents Boy is that fun so bring lots of quarters!! the kids and adults love it. I'm glad they only have small animals because the big animals and zoos have a hard time because there isn't enough room to roam around. They also have a butterfly area but it was close for the season. The zoo will be closing for the winter the end of October and reopen in spring.

This is a great small town zoo. Very kid friendly. Our grandchildren love to go there. They can lay on their backs and watch the Otters swim overhead, go into tunnels in the Prairie Dog area and pop up in the middle of the display, walk through the Wallaby area, pet the animals in the farm area or get up close to the butterflies in the aviary.
The zoo is located in Columbian Park where their is a great play ground area, swimming pool, rides and picnic area. Make a day of it.

I stop at this park frequently when I visit my grandson who lives in the area. There are a handful of animals to see and nice little petting area to engage with standard farm animals. My grandson really enjoys the playgrounds and all in all it is a nice oasis in the middle of the town. I highly recommend this attraction for preschool age children.

The Columbian Park Zoo is a great small zoo. It is free of charge and has great animals that one might not expect in such a small zoo. There are wallabies and prairie dogs, not to mention the large monkey cage. It was great to be in such close proximity to the animals, but also feel safe of course. I would definitely go back again. Also, there is free easy parking along the street and a great deal of other activities to do in the park.

We especially enjoyed seeing the Wallaby exhibits and the joey! They were interactive and fun to see. The monkeys and petting area were also quite interesting!

Wow! This is an amazing little complex. There is a great outside play area with the cute little zoo that looks to be on the growth. We are traveling with 2 12-year-olds and one six-year-old. Everyone was entertained and had a ball. If you're in the area definitely worth the stop by to get out a car and stretch her legs.

This is a great little zoo to spend the afternoon. It is free of charge too! Great for families, couples, or for a solo trip. It does get a bit crowded when school is out, during the summer months. There is also a public pool and lazy river which is in the same vicinity which makes parking a bit harder in the summer as well. Spring time is perfect for visiting!

This is a darling little zoo in a local park with professional exhibits and friendly staff. Petting zoo, butterfly garden, Galapagos tortoise, small primates and wallabies await.I enjoy the prairie dogs, and hopefully you will be lucky enough to hear the laughing dogs as well! Very different. Located in a large park with a great play scape, pond, and water park. Plus it is FREE!

This is a hidden gem. While it is small, the staff is wonderful and the exhibits are nice. The petting zoo area is fun.

We hadn’t been in many years but had heard about changes and improvements through the years. There is a nice gift shop and admission to the zoo and a ticket for the 15-minute train ride are each $2. The park, zoo, and train ride were enough to keep our 6-year-old granddaughter entertained for over an hour. Surprisingly her favorite things were the prairie dogs, but there are now penguins, wallabies, a petting zoo with goats, and more. It’s well staffed, well maintained. But the monkey cages could be improved fora better experience for primates on BOTH SIDES of the enclosure. And signage to help you find parking and the zoo entrance should be added.

This place is always a "go-to" when i have an afternoon off with the kids ages 10 and 12 during the summer. It's quaint, lively and at the heart of Lafayette. Easy to get to and right next to the park so jungle gyms , swings, and merry go rounds are all fair game to expend some extra energy. There's a frozen custard shop right across the street and the park even provides a "quiet side" perfect for bird watching, (mainly ducks) or just a quiet stroll on a paved path. Multiple photo opportunities too for the photography enthusiast with the well maintained landscapes and waterfronts. Al in all a great afternoon outing.

Columbian Park Zoo is an excellent park for everyone to enjoy, it has a swimming pool, and a walking area.

I went to the Columbian Park Zoo and found that I really enjoyed it. It's all outdoors except, the small gift store, near the entrance of the park. The prairie dogs were so cute and awesome to watch digging their little tunnels. The butterfly exhibit was wonderful and would have been great for elementary teachers to take their students there and explain the different stages of metamorphosis. There were bald eagles and turtles that were fun to stand and watch. The wallaby enclosure you get to walk through so, you are literally two to three feet away from an actual wallaby! Really cool! And it is all free of charge! My only complaint, the day I came it was misting outside and really cold but, next time I will visit when it's warmer.