Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Reviews

Caught all the keeper talks. What an amazing feature! I absolutely loved it and will be back! Keep up the amazing work guys!!!

We did 2 days of the zoo, its so big there's too much to do in 1 day. We saw all the new babies and rode the train and boat in dinosaurs world. The kids loved it. Had to do some of it both days because they loved some animals more!

No signage as to where the tubes were for the dive in movie also the kids area was closed which was disappointing for my one year old. Also the small tv screen.

I had a great time with my grandson! We brought our tickets in advance including wristband for the rides. You can bring your our food, snacks or water bottles. The staff is great, from the college kids to the adult volunteers. Be prepared for a lot of walking!

This is my favorite zoo I've been to! There is a very wide variety of animals and they are planning on building even more until 2028! The staff is very friendly! The exhibits are also very well done, but because it was very hot, I didn't have the chance to see everything. Also, the rides are really good too, the Sea Dragon is a great classic wooden coaster and there is some variety of rides! There are a couple complaints though such as not having enough refill locations for the souvenir bottle, why have more Dippin' Dots stands rather than refill locations, also the parking is very confusing and frustrating. Overall, I can't wait to go back but maybe when it's cooler out.

Took our one year old there on Tuesday September 16th and there were so many events and interactive things for all of us and we met rogue the silver cheeked hornbill

School field trip. Fun to see the new exhibits in North America. All of the zoo was very clean. Happy to have the option to ride the shuttle too.

Our kids had all been sick their whole Christmas break and typically a trip to see the lights at the zoo is an annual tradition! They finally were feeling better and we knew the lights were almost over and school was about to start back up, so we loaded up and headed to the zoo! We were impressed with how many exhibits were still open and what we were able to do even though it was night time and pretty cold out! That was another thing we truly appreciated. Although it was very cold, there were plenty of buildings to stop into and see the animals! This helped keep us warm.

We love this park! We went to the waterpark and the zoo on a 2 day ticket. Zoo one day and waterpark the next day. Great for families obviously! However, bathrooms were gross and so very hot!! We were thankful for water bottle refill stations!!! We have been 2 years in a row now for the 4th of July!! Lines are short and waits are not that bad at all!
Drink refill stations were running out of ice as it was super hot! Some of the pop was out too. They were fast to fix the problems when notified!
We really didn’t get many photos as we were having a lot of fun! Didn’t have time to pull out our phones. However, there are loads of places for photo opportunities!!

Loved it and all the new stuff they have added! Tons of new lifeguards on hand and we bought a season pass so we now can go whenever and I'm so excited !!

We love this zoo. It’s our first time seeing the new America exhibits and they are wonderful! It’s great to see all the extra room the animals are getting. We can’t wait to see what else is coming.

It was a day full of wonder and educational. We timed our visits to see the caretakers with their animals. I learned alot today. It was so nice having very friendly staff help us as well.

Wonderful day. Went early to see new area and baby elephant. Was a great visit. Our pass makes it easy for even short visits when we are in Columbus.

I love the Columbus zoo—I have a yearly membership even. I love feeling like I can give back to so many important animals and help to preserve them for the future :) They also have animal encounters that you can purchase that help to fund the species. Please visit if you can!! It is the best in the country for a reason. They have a great variety and the recent North American renovation has been really cool to see the wolves and black bear better!!!!

love the zoo, new exhibits to see, bought membership for the upcoming lantern festival and more visits for the rest of the year

Very hot day! But plenty of shade and beautiful Animals to watch while we relaxed to cool off. Very nice workers! Zoo is kept up nice and clean

The views were awesome and staff was super friendly. Park was clean and accommodating.the themed gift shops were cool you could shop based on biomes. The lantern sculptures were all very beautiful and interesting to look at. The exhibits were informative so you could understand the environment and the animal that you were looking at. It wasn't just staring at the animals. All in all it was an amazing time

It was fun. I enjoyed it a lot and would go back. The volunteers and staff were amazing. I learned a lot from them today. Hello.

We went to the new North America exhibit and it was so much fun! We fed the giraffes and saw the new otters. And we saw a lot of the lanterns in the day time they are so pretty.

Walking was a lot. But plenty of drink stations. Would recommend the ride and slide passes greatly! Whole family has a blast! Was disability friendly with access to motor scooters for rent for our family members who couldn’t walk the zoo! EMTs were super amazing in helping with minor first aid and temp checks for little who over heats easily.

It has been really fun seeing all the animals and rides again, hopefully as a disabled person myself hopefully in the future has a some more handicap friendly attractions

Your staff, employees and volunteers, are some of the friendliest and most helpful people we’ve ever met. Their enthusiasm for their work is contagious. The animals were well cared for and the whole place was so clean. The Manatee Tour was fantastic, honestly I can’t say enough about the two gentlemen that lead that experience! We loved your zoo and will be back. Thank you!

I loved the North America area! It is amazing! I also visited the Africa area it is beautiful! I love the open spaces and I could tell the animals were enjoying their day in the sun!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 10/10 Columbus Zoo Experience

Feeding the giraffes for only $5?! That’s INSANE for a once-in-a-lifetime moment — absolutely made my entire trip. I could’ve stayed at that exhibit all day. Being that close to them, especially with how friendly the staff was, was unforgettable.

Then there was the gorilla… I got so close to the leader as he sat on the steps. We locked eyes, and it truly felt like we acknowledged each other — such a powerful, soulful moment I’ll never forget.

The cheetah was majestic, and the lions? One of them was sleeping right against the glass! I loved the bats, the stingrays, and honestly everything we saw.

We only got a big drink from the food area (it was totally worth it — super thirsty!), but it all looked great. I also spent $100 in the gift shop — picked out things for my girlfriend, a few items for the kids, and a shirt for my mom. No regrets at all.

Huge shoutout to the amazing woman who explained how to feed the giraffes — we had a great conversation about the hyenas. She went out of her way to help everyone and really made us feel welcome. And the whole giraffe staff team? So friendly, not pushy at all. They genuinely added to the experience.

Can’t wait to come back — hoping to bring my nephew next time and hit the water park too. Thank you to everyone at the Columbus Zoo for such an incredible day! 🦒🦍🦁🐆🦇🦈❤️

The North America update is amazing! Very cool and large habitats, loved to see the animals in their new homes! The new building to educate the public on the endangered animals in Ohio and what Columbus Zoo is doing to help is a wonderful touch. Also got to see one of my fav: warthogs!

Me and my husband need a getaway after the passing of his father. After we got everything took care of with it we headed out and went to the zoo and it was just what we needed. The best stress reliever we could have ask for. Thank you all so much.

Good today but I had to go to the first aid station because I had a rash on my leg. Hope I find better swim trunks the next time I come back.

The cheetah and safari experiences were wonderful; Alex taught our tour a lot about the cheetahs and seeing a cheetah run was amazing!

Get there early! It's totally worth it. All of the animals are active. I got there early to see the little nugget of an elephant. She did not disappoint ❤️ and the new North American Trek is great especially the river otters! The animals are so much easier to see.

Amazing time, only disappointment was that most of the restaurants/food vendors were closed. Lantern Festival was absolutely beautiful

Love everything we saw took alot of pics and my kiddos loved it just was so hot and drinks weren't cheap but the visit was still good

Love coming to zoombezi bay. Been coming here for years! I also would love to give recognition to one of the zone captains his name is Gunner! Been seeing him here for several years and he’s so attentive to the staff, very friendly and has an awesome personality! I always see him talk to the guard with care and enthusiasm! The man deserves a raise lol .. zoombezi bay needs a hotel with an indoor waterpark for the winter!

We always come to the Columbus zoo because it’s our favorite, but the recent lantern festival is so cool. Totally worth the extra add on to go through it, the pictures don’t do it justice for how cool that it is!

Always friendly informative staff .
Such a fun place to go and spend with family.
Got to experience the new Northern exhibits. Such a nice area.

The new N American section & Heart of Africa section were great. I was disappointed in waiting until almost 11 for food carts to open & that Graeters Ice Cream was closed. Also, not much variety for the snacks.

The lady that helped us with our membership was so sweet and helpful. The older guy working the carousel was knowledgeable and thoughtful.

We went to see the Chinese lanterns. It was beautiful. Perfect night out. We saw a couple animals during the evening along our walk and then went to pett the stingrays. Definitely buy your tickets before you get to the zoo. You get in a lot quicker.

It’s was great time with my friend to to zoo
Had so much fun I joined my self and my friend I am going back to the zoo again tomorrow

This Zoo Was So Big We Need A 2 Day Pass Just To Get Through Just The Zoo! There Was A Petting Zoo For The Younger Kids They Loved It! The Rode The Carousel! This Place Is Beautiful They Have So Many Different Animals There! I Will Definitely Be Going Back! This Was Out First Family Vacation And I Lover Every Moment Of It! Definitely Worth It!

Such a nice day at Zoombezi Bay. Beautiful weather and good snacks. The kids are enjoying themselves and have already talked about doing again next week. Nice and clean environment! We love it !

What a cute zoo! We had a great day with our grandkids. The exhibits are nice and well kept. The animals looked happy and healthy! The weather today was perfect! We got a membership so we can come as often as we like.

The new North America was amazing! Work is still in progress but its beautiful. Also love the pepsi oasis drink area for those souvenir cups

My four year old said it was the best day ever! We arrived before 9 to go see the new baby elephant and left after the 12 show between the seals/sea lions, and encounter village. We pet stingrays and saw all the sea creatures!

Absolutely incredible, intimate exhibit’s, awesome food options and Zoom to the Zoo on the COTA for $5 coupon was a gem!

The enclosures were all so nice. Everything was landscaped or decorated great. Lots of shade. Animals looked so healthy. Aquarium was lacking and food was ridiculously priced, but they all are at attractions.

What a great day at the Columbus Zoo. My granddaughter enjoyed Boo at the Zoo. We had a nice time and will be back. We were surprised the Giraffes were out today but enjoyed feeding them.

Great layout of the exhibits and animal habitats. Friendly staff and great overall experience. Will definitely want to come back!

Great day. Lots to see and do. Educational and great family fun. Definitely looking forward to our next visit during the Lantern tour.

Went for my birthday. So fun 😍 so many amazing animals to see and so much information about conservation. I love this zoo ❤️

I was hot hot but so much fun we would very much so visit this again and the water park was great to it wore every one out but was great

Love the ease of the walk nothing is too uphill like other zoos. Many of thr animals were out so that was nice. I will caution that if you got on a 90 degree day make sure to hydrate and protect your skin.

My friend is from PA and loves giraffes and absolutely loved how many giraffes you have in Africa and thoroughly enjoyed feeding them. She raved about how nice and clean and well kept the zoo is as do my husband and I! I gave my husband a zoo membership for his birthday in April and we have really enjoyed having the membership and being able to go often this year. Loved every experience we have had so far. The new North America section was beautiful! Will definitely be renewing our membership!

The strollers are way too expensive. The entrance price is exorbitant. The food is very pricey as well. Not meant for middle class families.

The baby elephant was adorable. The elephant exhibit was great. They seemed so close and hey were eating. My grandson loved our day at the zoo.

It was an excellent experience. Very reasonable priced. The handicap accessibility was fantastic. The habitats were amazing.

Love the Zoo! Go in the morning animals are great! Train ride and petting zoo fun for the kids. Christmas lights also a great time!

The best place with the best staff. The membership is worth every penny. We have gone many times this summer and see something new every time.

The only thing I would suggest is move tibes on the adult area. Waiting forever for one and people using them just for their feet was rude and extremely annoying. The staff was nice but long waiting time for security and then bag checks on a busy morning was crazy.

Zoombezi is very fun I would do it again! Staff is really nice park is clean, the slides are amazing I went with friends and it was a amazing experience!

We always enjoy going to zoobay! We chose to go on 6/22/25, a super hot day and 2nd day of the new slides. We are members and have been for about 5 years. I was highly frustrated over the wait to have our bags checked. There are at times 2 people checking per table and this time, knowing it was crowded, staff should have been prepared to accommodate a large turnout by putting two people at each table for baggage security checks. This did not happen for the member side. After I got into the park I walked over to the visitor check-in and saw four people checking bags as people entered the park. What a perk for non-members?

I would also suggest when you have vendors visiting such as Kona ice that it is announced or posted. So people know on the other side of the park there was that option to purchase Kona ice. I felt only those that had small children over in the toddler area even knew about Kona ice.

Had a blast, went for my birthday and it was great! The zookeeper's were great, the animals were great! 10/10 would go again!

Enjoyed our day as usual. Only disappointment came when taking three grand daughters on the train. Very short ride and the views along the trip are poor.
Not worth 3$ per person.

Visiting the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a most delightful and uplifting experience, seeing the splendor and rich variety of Our Creator’s bounty. The grounds are spotless, well-maintained, and easy to navigate. Everyone we met or interacted with were very kind and polite. Thank you for an educational and fun day.

I’ve been a member at the zoo for more than 25 years. I’ve been bringing my children and now grandchild here for 35+ years. The Columbus Zoo just keeps getting better and better. Had a great visit today and I spoke with knowledgeable zoo employees at nearly each exhibit. Our zoo is one of the best in the country!! So happy we get to enjoy this frequently!!

Very nice zoo! I love the conservation efforts. It did look like the polar bear was doing the same thing over and over again, it was a little alarming. I love the Columbus zoo though. Most of the animals looked happy.

Great views of animals. Always a wonderful experience. We loved seeing the baby elephants and watching the baby trying to climb on a rock.

The Zoo Lights display was a DELIGHT. The two baby elephants were great fun to see. My wife and I are fortunate to live nearby. We love the Columbus Zoo.

It's Awesome!!! It's something for Everyone to do. If you can make it more than once It's best to get summer passes. We'll worth it!!! Enjoy

Had a nice time. Very hot out, and a lot of the animals were indoors, understandably. One complaint is that concessions are overpriced. A bottle of water was $4.75

The Columbus Zoo is more beautiful every year. Well worth the trip, but recommend visiting several times. Impossible to fully appreciate it if you try to see it all in one day.

The animals are sweet and easy to find. A lot of them seemed very hot and didn't seem to have enough for water is looked like from the outside perspective. I'm sure they are being taken care of fine just from the people watching it looked like the animals were hot and tired and sad. The zoo had a problem with ice though. My family and I went to different parts of the zoo that sell drinks and the majority of them had no ice. Also, very little Manatee merch sadly. I had to search hard just for a pin.

It was a nice time. Most of the animals was inside with it being cool outside but I enjoyed that. The animals where mostly up.

It was a day that looked like it would rain, so there weren’t many people there. Only one food vendor was open, selling ice cream and drinks. I was disappointed that there wasn’t one that sold lunch ifems.

Usually the zoo does a fabulous job, but this last time I was disappointed because it seemed like they were understaffed. It was a Monday, so it’s possible they had a larger than expected crowd. There was only one poor girl working the ice cream counter and there was a line out the door. I heard her radio over for help, and she was told someone would come help her. The whole time I was there, no help arrived. I felt sorry for her. Also, there was only one person working the ride ticket booth.

Amazing and clean! Happy to have a membership to return over and over! Can’t wait to return for the lantern festival later this months! I really missed the fine water mist you had years ago around the zoo to cool down. It made hot days at the zoo a little more bearable. My kids have loved the zoo since they were born, now 16& 13 they still love to come and bring friends

Wonderful! Every time we go we enjoy Columbus Zoo & Aquarium! The only problem was it was SO hot! But there was a misting station and of course some indoor places helped.

Always love coming to the zoo, it today was my grandson who just turned one first time. He loved every minute of it and feed giraffes for the first time. Reconstruction of the areas looks amazing must see.

I went during the boo at the zoo One of the last days and I love the fact that they were playing Harry Potter music through the whole zoo. And the fact that I can get like hot chocolate and coffee anywhere now go

There are so many exhibits to see— more than enough for a full day. Our kids liked seeing the new baby elephants and the manatee exhibit the best.

This was our first family road trip it was amazing we literally need a 2 day pass just to visit the zoo it was so much stuff there we didn’t even get through the whole zoo! The animal farm is nice they can pet the animals there my daughter loves animals!!! I can’t wait to go back the water park was just as amazing plant to things for the younger and older kids to do also adults only section I love that!!! Definitely worth the visit

Beautiful zoo. Plenty of areas to view the animals. Staff was very friendly and informative. Who would have known that going to the zoo when your kids are all grown up could be this much fun.

We really enjoy the zoo! We are members and travel 3 hours to visit the zoo 4 or 5 times a year. Our family always has a wonderful time. This weekend, though, seemed less comfortable than years past. What happened to all of the misting stations or fans in areas for people to cool down? It was a HOT weekend and it seemed like there was no relief. The misting area in African was not working well but it is the only one we found. We took our elderly parents/grands and it made the day a little longer for them. The new benches helped but the fans and most could be improved or brought back.
PS: Phase one of the North America Trek is beautiful and worth the wait!

We went to see the baby bears. They were very cute. We also visited the North American song birds exhibit. Well worth the trip!

We mostly love the new renovations but we do not like the new bononbo exhibit. It is very hard to see the animals through the high glass and big glare.

Everything was great except for 1 thing! The concessions were not open. You couldn’t order food at the main food spots. I, myself, and countless others were trying to order food and it wasn’t open and couldn’t get a souvenir drink for my daughter. She really wanted the cup with the twisty straw and unfortunately she couldn’t get one. Instead we went to Auntie Ann’s and got her something.

The new North American trek was great. Loved the new enclosures for the animals. The Mexican wolves and the cougars were very enjoyable to watch.

Our experience today was amazing we were able to see so many animals and staff were super great to talk to as well as super informative

Loved the new additions to the lights. Sad the musical Christmas tree wasn't louder and playing rock and roll Christmas music. Sure miss the Cheryl's cookies!!

Awesome place to visit. Took a lot of pictures. Love it! I definitely recommend visiting this Zoo. It’s an amazing experience for the family.

The updates they did to the North American area is beautiful! Th otter and eagle habitats are so much nicer. The wolves also have more room and a waterfall.

The sting rays are the best! Its huge too so even after 4 hours we didn't make it golf way. Im sure everyone is different on times. I (dad) had 3 girls 6,7,&9 years old solo here. I tried to keep them moving but it's big and it was 95° by noon. I think 2 days is the best option. Super cool zoo too

The zoo is really good and the stingray place to touch the stingrays was so awesome!! It’s a bit expense though.. a burger was $17 just for myself. I think the prices should be lower

Perfect weather. Some hot climate animals came out. I thought its was a little too cool. So we were very happy. They had lots of vendors. Special Olympics has a great booth. It was great to see the school for death with a bunch of groups walking around. The joy on there faces was wonderful.

I've been a zoo member for over 10 years and is one of the only places I love going to. I'm a person that doesn't like change but it's always something different and I love that.

If you haven't had a visit to the Columbus Zoo recently, try seeing it during the winter on a weekday. The animals will love you for it! We saw so many cool behaviors, and we had the zoo all to ourselves (mostly) for hours. The baby elephants and baby manatees are wonderful! Red pandas are in their element, as are sea lions and harbor seals. Go see the neat exhibits while the docents have time to talk. You won't be sorry.

It was nice to get in early and get some cool perks! Animals were all awake and eating their breakfast! Great time to go before it got too hot as well!

Awesome time! Season pass so worth the $$. Free parking with it. Buy the cup for cheap refills. Wave pool and adult lazy river is my favorite

The zoo was amazing. My kids loved everything and had been waiting to visit for years so they could watch the cheetah run. They loved watching it. What a treat that we came the same day that you opened the North America section. We pretty much saw the entire zoo and loved every bit of it.

Haven't been in a while. So cool. Fed a giraffe, big cats, bigger bears. Missed sweet Rita Jean, definitely next time. Hannah is the Man.

Had a lovely time hanging out with my cousin. We spent all day at the zoo. I'm a frequent visitor and a member, while she hadn't been there in years. We got there early and got to see the baby elephant. It was wonderful being able to see all of the animals. One thing we agree was missing is signs saying the names of individual animals. They are present for the elephants, apes, and mandrills. It would be nice if they were present for more animals.

We had a great time. The new North America Region is wonderful. There are so many things to do at The Columbus Zoo. Be sure to see the baby elephant, young orangutan and feed the giraffes.

Extraordinary experience!!! Loved the cheetah run. The habitat exhibits were beautiful and the staff was so friendly.

The Columbus Zoo is really large and spread out, so be prepared for a lot of walking. But it is a really fantastic zoo with so many great animals. We loved getting to feed the giraffes (for a small extra fee). We were excited to watch the otters play and to see the baby orangutan. One of the better zoos across the US that I've visited.

Zoombeezi bay is always a great time. As an adult lounging in the 21 and over area is relaxing. I just wish food was closer to that area.

Went to see the Wildlights display. It was not freezing cold like it’s been in the past. The lights were beautiful and my son was super excited- he LOVES Christmas and of course seeing the Big Man was a highlight.

Coming on the cold weather day was bittersweet. I LOVED the low crowd size but was a little sad I couldn’t see all the animals (totally understandable though). BUT I did see some amazing animals for the first time. It took patience and checking a few times over the day, but I saw the elusive kiwi bird!! It was less than a minute, but that was the animal I wanted to see at the zoo. Also, very happy to see Stubby and the baby elephants! I had a great day. Started the day playing with the stingrays and finished my day the exact same way. :) I didn’t use the app too much while venturing, so I will say I didn’t notice too many opportunities to buy drinks or food throughout my day.

Its nice to see the Giraffes and some safari animals. Wish there is more to look at. We also went to see the elephant but there was only one out. My family always love to go back.

Being raised in Columbus. I will always love this place. And it gets better every year.we brought our three grandsons and to see the happiness in their eyes is what the experience is supposed to be.this time we also brought my father in law and hadn’t been here in over ten years. He was amazed at the growth of the park. We all are having a great time. We will be bringing the grandsons back soon to see the lantern festival. So thanks to the staff

Visited the zoo, with my wife, to participate in the Koala Experience as a gift for my 60th birthday. Jess (from education) met us at the allotted time and explained everything to us, setting out hopes and expectations for the visit. Overall I was absolutely delighted with the experience and couldn’t believe how great the access to Katie (Koala) was. Jess was extremely knowledgeable and answered all our questions thoroughly.

Definitely a 5 star experience

Zoo was amazing and the waterpark was amazing also and everyone did a great job at what they were supposed to do at their jobs

Outstanding workers and respectable people that assisted us in navigating the direction to the location of our destination and very informative staff personnel.

It was a great experience, I was on a journey to visit 3 of the most popular zoos from smallest to largest in Ohio and brought a friend to all as well.
(Akron>Cleveland>Columbus)
This zoo offers a lot of space for many of the animals, and I appreciate the detail particularly in the sea lion and manatee exhibits. Bonus, my favorite animal (Caiman) was there. Briefly writing a pros and cons would look something like the following:
Pros: •Awesome atmosphere •Many animals not offered elsewhere •Good space for most animals •Friendly staff •Useful shuttle from far end of zoo •Lots of stuff to do and observe (we were starting to run low on time even, starting at 9am, we did end up with an hour to spare speeding up a little) •Loved the Stingray touchpool
Cons: •Gift shops somewhat lack diversity (from each other) •Sand Cats looked anxious, and enclosure appeared somewhat small •Trex on end of boat ride wasn't functioning •Pretzel stand was out of cheese, but wasnt informed beforehand (not a big deal however, staff was polite, and I found a stand further down to ask and receive some, which they obliged)

All in all I'd recommend this zoo to anyone who doesn't mind a bit of walking and wants to see Ohio's largest and most diverse zoo, me and my friend had a blast! I'm sure we will be back again sometime☆

My friends and myself went as part of a work trip for our pharmacy, and I was amazingly happy with our visit! There were so many babies to see, and the animals were incredibly active. I’m never disappointed going to our zoo. <3

The views were amazing, so many wonderful experiences and memories we made as a family. Definitely worth the 6 hour drive. Will go back in a couple years when more of the North America exhibits are finished.

Love It Love it. The newborn baby elephant is so cute. My husband and I were there today which was the opening day. We spent about one and half hour from 10am and came again to see the baby again Must visit for adults and children

It’s a mind blowing experience for the membership fee paid. We spent four hours during the visit and it was time well spent.

This zoo is incredible but I would suggest you make it a 2 day visit, 3 if you include the water park. So large it is almost impossible to see everything in one visit. Also have a game plan, map out what you want to see, again so vast. The Zoo offers plenty of restrooms, drink stations. Although no restaruants were open while we were there this week. So the food options were limited. Also for young children (we had a 3 yr old) this zoo is overwhelming, so keep that in mind. The Sting Ray activity was fantastic. If possible research the feeding times i.e. giraffes. Being included in these activites will increase the excitement of the younger members of your group. Again a thumbs up just be prepared for the gigantic area you will need to cover in a visit.

Most favorite place to spend time with my grandkids. Always been a top notch zoo but all the new exhibits and parts of the zoo have really make it nicer than before!

Despite it being 80+ degrees out, this place was huge and definitely takes the day to complete. Lots of fun interactive attractions for young ones.

It was really fun. We loved the animals. The kids enjoyed the dippin-dots and slushies, as did the adults. We all loved feeeding the animals and petting the goats. It was a great time.

We had a great time at the Columbus Zoo, but we normally do. We have been members for years. We went to see Sunny's 3 week old baby elephant, and we did. The baby even "showed off" a little leaving her mother's side and walking around, but never far from mother.

Absolutely divine day! Renting Cabana is so worth it. Makes our time in here so much better. Will be coming back soon for sure :)

We love how immersive the exhibits are and how up close you can see each animal. We learned a lot of interesting facts from the staff, all of which seemed to love their job. The stingray experience has always been a favorite of mine and it didn’t disappoint this year either.
Honestly one of my favorite zoos.

The new north American area is beautiful! It was so nice to see that finally finished. The kids always love visiting the sea lions as well.

Absolutely excellent. Most of our group had a pass. One had to pay and the admission was expensive. But other than that was a spectacular time

I'm from Cincinnati and I always thought that we had a great zoo but Columbus zoo is spectacular I really enjoyed this I enjoyed all the beautiful artwork of the dragons for the festival of lanterns it's a gorgeous zoo and I'm definitely coming back.

Relaxing day in the adult section of Zoombezi Bay on a very hot day. Bar was a little crazy and ran out of a few options. Busy Saturday!

The Columbus Zoo is one of the best zoos in the U.S. The care of the animals and attention to detail of the grounds is exceptional.

Best zoo on the planet! 5 seasons of Secrets of the Zoo were filmed here. Watch them and see the miracles that are still happening every day! Worth traveling across the country to see their 10,000 animals!!!

What an amazing experience! I think today’s visit was the best since the first time that we started coming. A lot of the animals were out and about. The interaction with the staff and volunteers was great, as usual. The experience of touching and feeding the stingrays was a definite highlight!

Isabelle who draws the caricatures was so sweet and patient with my 9 month old! She made her the cutest Shark portrait during our time there for Boo at the Zoo! We decided to invest in the individual plus membership as it pays for itself after 2 or 3 visits in the year, especially with included parking and the ability to bring a guest everytime if you so choose. The park is very big just for an under one and her momma - we stayed for about an hour and a half before she was wore out, but we cannot wait to come back to walk around some more. We spent 30 minutes of our 90 total just looking at the fishes. Boo at the Zoo has animals dancing come through on a train! My daughter loved seeing them! Their staff were also so kind to take photos of us with Max the Elephant during their Meet & Treat event. We went on a Sunday morning, parking was almost half full by 1045am, they open at 10am; however, crowds inside the Zoo & Aquarium were not that bad for the time we were there! Lots of adults and kids all dressed up together for the free upon general admission event they had! Everyone was so sweet and cute when you got excited about their costumes, or in our case, our little Sharkie's costume. We left and the parking lot was pretty packed. We had an easy exit where they offer you a hand stamp if you plan to return before the end of the day. We also heard great things about their Christmas lights event, Zoo Lights, that starts in November! We learned from, Margaret, (or Mildred I cannot remember! Either way a sweet woman!) over at the customer assistance line for the zoo, that for members, they get a preview night the Thursday before it starts! She was a doll, everyone has been such a blessing for us to interact with - we are excited to go back more! She definitely made us so excited for Zoo Lights and definitely helped us decide that an Individual Plus membership is the one for us!
K.B.

Cool, rainy day meant no crowds. About 3 hours at the zoo and saw 2 baby elephants! So adorable! The train ride is always a hit as well!

Great exhibits, lots of different ways to view animals. Loads of amenities for families. Perfect placement of benches, play areas, snack pavilions, and photo ops. Engagement opportunities for all ages and

The visit was fabulous with plenty to see and lots of interesting animals. This was such an amazing experience we became members!

So many animals, their enclosures were well maintained and spacious. Everyone was very friendly from the moment we walked through the gates to the final minute of exiting. Prices were high which was expected. The grounds were clean, plenty of restrooms and places to eat along the way. Our kids (13 & 16) enjoyed it as did our nephew (7). Definitely recommend.

The Columbus Zoo is such a fun experience! While the bathrooms across the zoo are in need of desperate attention, the rest of the zoo has amazing theming, clean enclosures and fantastic forced perspective. There are so many opportunities for learning and captures the attention of all age ranges.

Such a great time!!!! Zoo staff was very friendly and informative. Watched quite a few zoo talks and saw some neat views of tigers, lions and bears that I had never seen before. The newly renovated North American exhibits are BEAUTIFUL!!

Always a great time. Large zoo with lots to do. Making lots of updates to keep up with times. Additionally, creating enclosures that allow animals to have choice between indoors or outdoors. Improving on animal wellness.

Really enjoyable visit to Columbus Zoo.
I had downloaded the app and planned where to go first and what I wanted to see, this adjusted to fit the hot weather and times the elephants were outside but worked well for me.
The park was signposted well and finding food/water refill points/bathrooms was easy.
Good enclosures, while not all were large there was enrichment and choice of inside or out for most and I spotted lots of animals that I hoped for including the Kiwi in the nocturnal zone which was great!
I spent the whole day, 10am to 5pm plus attended the lantern festival which was a lovely end to the day although there were things I missed, partly because it's such a big park, the weather was hot and I do like to take my time to watch and wait.
I was glad to visit on a weekday as it wasn't very busy, the evening was busier but not too stressful.
The COTA bus offer of $5 day tickets for bus passengers was fantastic and meant I could budget the evening and uber back to my lodgings.
Definitely a place I'd visit again if I lived nearer.

Our family has had a family membership for over 20 years and the zoo never disappoints us! We are fortunate to have a granddaughter to join us now and seeing the wonder in her eyes make us very happy! The staff is always very helpful. The zoo grounds are always clean and we always feel safe visiting!

Great family friendly place to visit. Plenty of amenities and clean facilities. Love this place! Something to do for all ages!

We always love going to the zoo.
Nice sunny day and most of the animals were outside. Food court has lots of options and indoor seating. The new North American area is still a work in progress so we didn’t get to see all of those animals. The new river otter exhibit is amazing!!

Had a wonderful day at the zoo as always! Saw the bird show at the sea lion area and saw the macaw take a little detour and fly away! The staff handled it very well and I captured an awesome picture of when they coerced the bird back into the trainers hand.

Loved experiencing the lanterns. Great family experiences. The rides were nice
The jugglers and acrobatics were entertaining. The dancing dragons was a nice beginning. They held your attention

Great zoo
Great exhibits
Animals well taken care of
Great experiences
Staff was very knowledgeable
And helpful
Zoo setup was easy to navigate

I think it’s a great place to bring your family! It’s overpriced for everything by that’s just how zoos are.
I do think cash should be an option to pay with around the zoo as everything is tap to pay or card and I didn’t know that going in but now that I do I’ll be better prepared next time. I haven’t been in about 12 years and I was a child at the time so I’m sure a lot had changed.
All in all my family had a great time and it was a lot of fun for us all!! There were plenty of things to see. We were there 4+ hours and pretty much seen everything.

Don't sell cups of nectar for lorikeets if you have big bowls of nectar available to them. We got there when it opened and the lorikeets were not interested. Waste of money.

The bears were the most active I've experienced. The docents were super helpful. I learned more about polar bears. I heard a female gorilla humming. Unreal. It was a day of firsts. Bummed about rides being closed, but the weather was great. New baby elephant just made my heart swell.

Me and my wife came from Memphis to visit the zoo she watches on Animal Planet.
Admission was very reasonable, but the pleasant surprise was, my wife is disabled and because I was pushing her in her chair,
my admission was free.
The zoo was amazing!! Such a beautiful place. The layout, the animals habitats were sooo much better than we have seen. Staff was great. Thanks for a wonderful day!!!
The baby elephant was so cute

The lantern festival was so beautiful! We ate soft pretzels and watched amazing acrobats. What a fun way for the grandkids and I to spend a beautiful fall evening! Thank you, Columbus Zoo for offering this experience!

Had a fun time , was very crowded though. Besides being crowded had a good time. Food is way too expensive though. Need to come down in pricing of food. That’s the worse part, I bring my own food . Who can afford those prices when u have a huge family after paying to get in and parking

Enjoyed the outing with Mom - the hills were a little combursom with a wheelchair - the bathroom near the congo restaurant was not made for handicap so had to find another one - but did enjoy the river otters

As always such an awesome time for the family. We really enjoyed stingray bay and highly recommend the 3$ feed. Also fed the Giraffes which only costs 5$ for my family of 3. Great value and a great time.

It was really fun just prepared to walk you see all animals was cool but you have to be prepared if you're too tall you have to be 54 in or under to play onb the playground

Very hot morning but the animals were pretty active for it being so warm. Kids loved it as usual.. too much to see everything but with the great value of a family membership we'll return again soon!

Attractions were good. Food and drinks are insanely expensive!!! Worse then kings island and that's saying something. Not easy for parents! It's costs EXTRA to ride anything! Just a huge expensive day

My kids had a great time and loved the rides! They got to see the river otters and red pandas which are their favorite! The zoomore wrist band was worth it!

This is a wonderful zoo. The animals all have great spaces and seem to be happy because they are reproducing here very well.

My boys were thrilled to find the hidden images in the screen located opposite to the gift shop in polar bear enclosure. We also enjoyed visiting the reptile region. Educational and fascinating!!

Love talking with all the
Docents around the zoo. Very knowledgeable and kind.
I dropped something over a fence and I asked a young groundskeeper if he could help me and he did and was so kind. Burger are awesome, only issue is today the bottom buns were soaking wet, soggy. Not just us, everyone having lunch from WildBurger were all having the same issue. Had the burgers a ton of times and never experienced that before. Other zoo staff was so friendly, the staff at the tram engaged my talk a holic daughter. They were very nice.

We purchased a souvenir cup that had free refills just for that day and as we walked back from the Australia area to the front of the zoo, we attempted to refill one last time by the carousel with 25 minutes left before closing, the gentleman working the concession stand rudely said, “I’ve shut everything off for the day. You have to go somewhere else.” I understand that hours and stands are run at minimum when it’s not the high capacity time of the year, but it wasn’t the most warm and fuzzy way to end the day when you spend half your life savings on a drink that you know costs one quarter of that outside the zoo.

We had a great time! Loved feeding the giraffes and stingrays. The waterpark was super fun! The zoo staff were very helpful and informative and overall very fun to talk to.

As someone who had never been to a zoo before, I absolutely loved going here! The place was clean, staff were so friendly, and the atmosphere was a great family friendly place. I absolutely LOVED seeing the flying foxes, sea lions, and wolves. It took around 3 and a half hours to walk the entire zoo and aquarium(which I wish they had more sea animals other than just sea lions, a sea turtle, and manatees) with my sister. We both had so much fun! The zoo is mostly cashless now, which I didn’t know. They were doing some renovations but it barely impacted our time there at all. I’ll definitely be back with my sister and take my daughter here next time!

The Zoo was wonderful. A little upset that primates we not on habitats as I absolutely love the primates. If you have watched the show it let's you think some of the habitats are much larger then you think. But all in all I think it was wonderful and worth the 8hr. Drive

This zoo is the best we have to offer! From the keepers presence, to the volunteers and their knowledge, our behind the scenes experience…. What a phenomenal day!

Had a ball should have look at the forecast but other then the rain we had a great time
Great food great music and lots of things to do

This zoo is fabulous, very family oriented. Easy to access. Just wonderful! Staff is very friendly and helpful. They have lots of information about the animals and willing to answer questions.

Went on a perfect weekday evening. Arrived at 4 pm to see the elephants and the North American exhibit while the animals were still outside and active. The lights were wonderful! Lots of photo opportunities. Stayed for about 2.5 hours.

It was amazing every zoo member was kind and helpful with any questions about the animals or anything else

You are allowed to use my pictures I'm okay with it

Always love a zoo day! We explored so much of the park today. The littlest had a wonderful time watching the seals, 🦭 petting the sting rays and hanging with the ‘Roos 🦘 although, I’m sure she would’ve loved to spend a day on the merry go round if she could.

Good time like always. I'm currently a member. It was a little crowded and I feel most of the prices are high but will continue to go as my daughter loves the animals

It is always a fun experience. We appreciate everyone who works hard yo make it possible for us. Boo at zoo was added fun 🤩

It was beautiful with all the new things being placed & everything thats been moved around its looking so good and i love the background of photos we can get now!

The family thoroughly enjoyed the animal exhibits. The opportunity to observe the animals was truly remarkable, and the zoo's overall aesthetic was quite pleasing.

What a great experience. My granddaughter was in awe. Manatees!!!!. Well worth the 500 mile drive one way. I'd probably do it again.

We spent two days at the zoo and the second day was fantastic since it was a lot cooler as many of the animals were very active. Zoo staff was really friendly and helpful. A lot of walking for us older folks but well worth the price of admission!

The new North America area is beautiful and the foxes were an amazing surprise. Im so happy they are doing well Staff were knowledgeable and helpful!

We got to see the new North American Trek today (06/24/25) and it was absolutely lovely! So beautiful! The construction crews, artists, and gardeners have done a fantastic job. It was hotter than the blazes today and there were many spots with deep shade and new small exhibits with AC; so it was easy to keep cool enough.
We have been members for years, it was so exciting to hear about and then see these changes come. Congratulations and we look forward to seeing it all finshed!

Baby elephant is the BOMB! Also very well organized so everyone can get through in a reasonable time frame. Such a clean zoo as well

Good visit animals were active staff were friendly and helpful and informative, parking was quick easy and not too far.

The Columbus Zoo is amazing, we went on Saturday when it’s open 10am-8pm and still needed more time. Leave yourself plenty of time and wear comfortable shoes. Haven’t been to Cincy Zoo, but beats every other zoo in the Midwest

Nice weather day! We enjoyed seeing the new North American exhibits and other old favorites. We look forward to the second stage construction.

This zoo is amazing!!! And this is coming from someone who has lived by a famous zoo for a good amount of years. Columbus Zoo blows that zoo out of the water. I would tell anyone to go here

The Views Were amazing! We enjoy coming to the zoo all year long! We always find something new to do! The kids have a blast!

this was my first time at this zoo and certainly not my last! the zoo is MASSIVE! so many of the animals were close, active and out… and their cages themselves were impressive that they had so much room! my favorite was the new baby gorilla & the female lions!!! such amazing atmosphere

It was a perfect day with family at the zoo! So many new things since we were last there and lots of babies! It’s hard to get teenagers excited about walking around all day so the scooter pals were a great encouragement! We had so much fun!

The Columbus Zoo is a gem. Their habitats are thoughtful to the animals' needs and there are plenty of places to grab a bite. Their restrooms are always clean and well-stocked, too. I've been a member for about 25 years now, and I never get tired of walking the grounds and learning about animals and conservation. The only downside is that it can be pricey in this day and age when everything is outpacing most people's income. But the animals (and the pros who care for them) have to eat, too.

Amazing as always, a lot of the animals were inside or sleeping but of course the zoo can’t do anything to help it. Only flaw was it was 90°+ degrees and all of the misters were off along with the splash pad.

We stayed in zoombeezi bay. It was so wonderful. We had 9 of us, ranging from 4 to a great grandparent. The kids & adults had an awesome time. The park is clean, so any things to do & liked the lifeguards as they really watched over everyone to keep them safe.
It was a truly fantastic time!

Always loved coming to the Columbus zoo my favorite is the reptile exhibit also love bringing my 3 year old son to the zoo he’s started to pay more attention

Excellent zoo. The sea lion show and stingray cove are must see attractions. There are a lot of improvements since our last visit several years ago. We still have not seen the polar bears. There are there somewhere but never on display when we go.

Today was trick or treat at the zoo. Children collected treats throughout. The boat ride around Dinosaur Island was fun. As were the gibbons and orangutans (one with a baby). Columbus Zoo is a delightful place.

Beautiful calming environment. Friendly and inviting staff. Perfect place to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Feeding the giraffes was incredible, though a LOT of saliva. Such graceful animals. I would 11 out ten recommend visiting the zoo

As a keeper from another zoo, I was super impressed by the Columbus Zoo. Animals are thriving. Conservation and rehab efforts are successful. Exhibits are top notch. Guest experience is grand. All the team members, docents and volunteers were super nice and informative. You can tell they love what they do.

What a great zoo visit! I went specifically to see Phoebe’s baby boy. He’s a sweetie, and Phoebe is such a great mom. Little Guy stuck pretty close to her, but was very active and inquisitive, and both stayed close to their visitors at the window. Got to see Sunny, Rudy, and baby Rita Jean, too although she was napping the entire time.

My teens had a blast. The lifeguards were very professional and alert. The adult lazy river was super relaxing. My only complaint is that the price of food is insanely high. I did appreciate that we were able to bring in a bottled water and small snack for each person.

My autistic son really loved the sting ray visit . He loved petting them . As well as we did . Over all it was a great 1st time for all of us . Will definitely be coming back . Oh n he loved zoobezi bay too

The trip was good the weather was extremely hot the zoo could really benefit from installing water misters around the park for guests

Very fun all the lanterns looked amazing!! Lots of fun for kids, there is a playground and interactive drawings. The new sea lion exhibit is cool , you get to go under water and feel like you are with the animals.

Went to the zoo with my granddaughter.It's always a great time at the zoo.We enjoyed watching the african safari animals.Especially the lions who were sleeping.

Amazing display! The sheer number and variety of lanterns is overwhelming. It took us two nights to see everything. We drove here from Cincinnati and it was definitely worth the trip. Colors, motion and lights combine for a brilliant sight. The dragon dance and acrobatics shows were also great. A real must see!

The staff and volunteers were so helpful at the exhibits. We come to the Zoo often, but man I think I learn something new everytime, just by talking to the volunteers!!

Simply lovely trip, despite the rain. The animals were in fine form in the newly revamped North America exhibits. Otters loved flipping in the water to the wonder of little kids, and Mexican wolves explored their enormous enclosure well within view of visitors. The Asian aviary was amazing, too, with cattle egrets and Burmese tortoises and a darling smew. The brown bears were up and about, and the donkeys were feisty, too. Did I mention there's a tiny baby elephant? And plants were arranged to make enclosures more like the homes of each species - a gardener could spend hours getting ideas. A lantern exhibit will be continued through the end of October 2025 - if you can make it, see it. It's stunning.

This was the best Zoo experience we have ever had and we go to a lot of zoos. Lots of interactions with animals. Great exhibits. Spotless clean.

It was a cool day so a lot of active animals and not too many people.
Saw all the bears which is unusual, they're almost always sleeping.

Staff was the absolute best!! Super friendly and knowledgeable. Lantern fest looks amazing in the day time cannot imagine it lit at night. Not the most ada accessible venue I've visited but they do a great job toward inclusion. Should really drop aquarium from the name that part is very very very small. RECOMMEND if you've got the time and money.

The new North America area is so nice! My family and I love the zoo and we’re so happy North America is back up!! We are so excited to keep coming back!!

Something for all ages too keep busy. Family of 6 enjoyed the Zoo, Aquarium and Zoombezi Bay! From the 5 year old to the 55 year old... it was fun!

It was nice and lots of great explanation from animal caretakers. You have to start from opening time so that you can see the entire exhibition

So goooood experience. Wanna come back again. So many chairs and restrooms. Next time all day around.
Giraffes are beautiful.

A perfect place to spend the day as a family, lots of to and see and special features like baby animal viewing opportunities!

My grandson is a 12 year old with autism. He has studied animals for years. It was his first trip to the zoo. His heart is full. Thank you

Beautiful and clean zoo! We had an amazing time! The baby elephant was out! The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable! I watched the show when it was on tv. Great time! We did Jack Hannah village experience. It was wonderful! Got to meet Wilson the sloth and Barbie the porcupine!

It was 90 degrees.
It would have been helpful if there were some extra water coolers or cups of ice to cool us down.
Thanks for considering that in the future.

Come every year to see the zoo lights and the singing Christmas Bears that’s what we like about the zoo and especially the train is the highlight of my sons visit he loves the train.

Always a joy going to the Columbus zoo! The lantern festival was spectacular and we even got to see the new baby elephant.

There are so many animals lovely place to visit with family it's a big and clean zoo. The staff is friendly and cooperative.best place to enjoy a fun day

I renewed my family membership for another year and took the grandkids for the day. Getting to see their faces light up when they were able to see their own favorite animals was such a treasure to watch. We visited the zoo for a few hours and didn’t feel rushed knowing we had a membership to come back for unlimited visits for the year. Staff members were very friendly and helpful with sharing great factual information about the animals which the grandkids were amazed to hear!! Afternoon arrival was minimal crowd size which we were pleased to see a few animal exhibits and feel our day was still full & fun. Looking forward to many more trips !

This is probably the cleanest most well organized zoo I’ve ever been to. It has tons of educational opportunities about the animals you are viewing. The Chinese lan festival was mind blowing.!! I hope they keep doing it every year because I would come back up every year.

Most the animals was out and about. Really enjoyed watching the bear eat carrots. This is a huge zoo and almost need two days to go in order to really take time and enjoy it.

We had an amazing day at the Columbus Zoo. The Red Panda experience was absolutely incredible and 100% worth it. Getting to learn about these adorable animals up close was unforgettable. Tom from the Education Team was especially fantastic—friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what he does. You can tell how much he cares about the animals and making the experience special for guests. Highly recommend this zoo and the animal experiences to anyone visiting Columbus!

We saw everything and it was fun and we loved all the good food all over the place with animals on every single turn of the zoo

Loved it! We were there from open to close and still didn’t get to see everything. Definitely recommend the behind the scenes tours, they are so worth it.

My husband and I had a great time at the Columbus Zoo . We were only disappointed about a few things. There were a few animals that were not there. perhaps they are not at this zoo. There were no chimpanzees, Hippos, dolphins. sea lions, or rhinos on display. but, it was still great. the weather was quite chilly ,so some of the animals did not come out until a little late in the day. (understandably) The volunteers were particularly helpful when it came to finding some of the animals and giving us extra information on them. The employees were alll very nice too.

I come to walk. Keeper Talk to Keeper Talk is great exercise. The experience is enlightening and fun. Learning new ideas is fun..

Bat and Johnson enrichment were great. The otters are sooooo fun to watch. Dozer was outside!!! Capybara chillin in the shade.

Great trip. We arrived at approximately 9 am and made our way towards the entrance of the zoo. Admission was pricey and cost over 45 dollars for a single person with parking. After paying the admission fee we began to explore the site. The zoo was quite big and spread out into several different sections. There were informational plaques in front of every animal exhibit, detailing what we were seeing in front of us and providing some additional background information on the animals. The animal exhibits were large and gave the animals plenty of room to roam around in. There was a huge variety of animals to view and observe. There was some ongoing construction work when we went, however that did not impact our experience at the zoo.

Tip: I recommend spending 5 hours here if you truly want to see everything.

The Columbus Zoo is a gem. They have great area for the animals, tons of exhibits from seals, stingrays, Asian Region, Africa, North America, Australia, specialties like Gorillas, reptiles, manatee, otters, etc. It is a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes. Bring in a water bottle. Pop and water has gotten very expensive. They do seel beer, ice cream (dipping dots and Velvet), aunti anns, and have a variety of places to eat. The zoo is well laid out, the animals are well cared for and if you go early pretty active.

Will forever be the best Zoo! Zoombezi Bay was so much fun today!! Lifeguards are everywhere!!! Staff is friendly! Love the Columbus Zoo!!

The only thing I'd suggest it's try to clear out some spiders out of the area where people hang around there's hundreds of them spooky 👻

Fantastic exp, we saw all the placed Animals and the ambience is very clean. Cheetah, Giraffe, Lion and different kinds of reptiles are too good to visit. Worth visit siting Columbus Zoo !!!!!

So much fun... lines were long but employees were very nice. Wish the food court area was cleaner and better stocked. Had to request more BBQ sauce.

It was a very hot day, so understandably not many animals were out. Seeing the animals is always a fun experience. Sadly it seemed as if a large amount of the park was under construction/renovation. Some exhibits were simply closed. We still had a good experience between the heat and thunderstorms. I look forward to returning at a later date when more sections of the park have been renovated.

Every time we go is a new experience. It never gets old. The Lantern Festival displays are set up and so colorful! It's an experience even without being lit up. We saw the baby elephant and the red pandas were active.

Had a great time at the Zoo. Great animal exhibits. We really like the manatees, elephants, and bears. Great Zoo. It a big zoo so be prepared to walk.

As a member of the zoo, I was surprised that we had to pay to get in. But once I thought about it I didn't really care about that as much as I did the cost. Even at a discount it was to much. If there would've been more to do it might have been worth it.

2nd visit and it was just as fantastic as i remembered even with the renovation going on. The zoo was clean and people friendly

This is a beautiful zoo with a lot going on. It's huge. If you like to take your time and such with exhibits then you should honestly plan multiple days. We went with our friends and our toddlers and with a about. 3 hour visit we got through north American and glanced at a few things in the Polar area.

The new North American sections is very nice. The wolves were active and visible. Otters were great.

Be prepared to be out in the sun. There is some shade, but some areas don't have any. With little ones, it's a little tough because there are limited indoor areas (at least on the north American side.) Basically, it's just gift shops that have AC. The main one, and one in the Polar area. Not even a single restaurant on that side of the zoo has AC, though the one in the African area has a shaded hut with fans, that overlooks the savannah exhibit, which is really neat.

The thing that got me most of guard were the flies. Biting flies. My ankles and legs were under attack the entire day. Absolutely awful, so plan on bug spray.

We will definitely be back to see the other parts of the zoo!

This is the best zoo we ever. Our family always happy to visit this place. A lot of animals ( happy looking animals), stores, cafes, events.

close later, at least for now and for people with the season pass. And dipping dot and the restaurant should close when everyone leaves because at the end everyone wants to buy something and its always close or closing

The two girls ages 4 and 8 came to the zoo today. We had an amazing time. We played and fed the stingray’s, rode the train and the carousel. Watched the monkeys play.
Grabbed a bit of lunch went in to see the giraffes and zebras all the things. We all had a great time.

Wildlights is beautiful 😍 🎄 I go several times and enjoy every minute. We love our Zoo pass and the Columbus Zoo. Each visit is a fun experience.

2nd year with family membership and the best thing we ever done! Absolutely love our time at the zoo. Beautiful, fun and exciting every trip.

The Lantern exhibit is wonderfu
Even thoufh the limesnto get in were long, it was quick and easy. I would recommend this experience for everyone. l

Compared with other large city zoos, this one was a lot more expensive. $10 to park. $35 per adult. Lunch of two burgers, fries and one water was $40.

Instead of a single circular pattern, this zoo has three areas with their own circular pattern. Very difficult to navigate.

We went in the mid morning, on a cool day, animals were not active ... but it's not the zoo's fault.

The aquarium ... was not much. A few nice tanks.

Loved the zoo! The animals were well cared for, all the workers were pleasant, and overall a great day!

Our only feedback would be to have additional benches throughout the zoo. On a warm day, little kids and elderly need places to sit. With a majority of the larger restaurants closed on a busy day, there was no seating after ordering from a small chicken sandwich shop. There were a lot of families commenting on this. Overall a great day though and we all made it work!

The holiday lights were so unique! The zoo has added a number of new ones. The light show this year was exceptional with cheerful music!
We loved watching baby elephant Ollie and the two cubs from Montana.

Great day. Animals active. Not very crowded. Phoebe's baby boy is adorable. Rita Jean is loves the ball.Baby Bob is so fun to watch.

Every thing was great except that the train broke down while we were waiting for it to start and had to disembark and had trouble getting refunded but it eventually worked out thanks

It was beautiful, the Dragon dancing and Acrobats was cool. It was not over packed so we were able to take pictures. We saw wolves,elephants, penguins, pheasants at the aviary.

Really nice Zoo. One of the best we’ve been to. Up there with San Diego and Brookfield. Wish there was better signage for getting around and more staff to answer questions. Highly recommend!!

We love the Columbus Zoo! We are season pass holders this year (amazing price for a pass if you’re local!) With our toddler & baby we usually spend 2 hours here and this zoo is huge, we never get through even half of it. They have adorable baby elephants right now. The animals are usually pretty active and zoo staff are always out and about taking care of the animals and exhibits. My favorite parts are how clean this zoo is, the toddler playground by the aquarium, and the AMAZING nursing rooms!

It was so beautiful there everyone was so nice and the animals seem so happy Our favorite had to be the otters there was so cute and friendly swimming all around I would def come back to this zoo which I will be soon to finish walking the park we walked for 3 hours and still didn’t finish it

The zoo is looking gorgeous! Love all the improvements! North America exhibits are *chef's kiss*
The lantern displays are so beyond what I even imagined! Need to come back in the evening to see them lit up!

A girls day! My 13 year old granddaughter and I had a great time! The lion feeding was so cool! We plan another trip soon ! Love the Columbus Zoo!

The Columbus zoo has such immersive and well laid out exhibits, it truly is one of the best zoos in the country. Their exhibits are clean and modern and they have a strong focus on conservancy. What a great place to visit!

The staff was amazing!! They were all polite and very respectful. The animals habits where clean, it was all very welcoming would definitely recommend to anyone.

The rides were amazing. But the lady at stingray bay was so rude. She yelled at my kid to stop splashing. My kid is autistic and doesn't understand. Next time the staff should talk to me instead of my 6 year old child that doesn't know any better!

Absolutely loved our visit, as I always do!
Bought a hot chocolate with a souvenir cup and got free refills for the whole night!

Self checkouts are still a disaster in shops. I'd rather have actual help. Zoo itself is clean and well organized. Security moves fast. Docents are friendly and knowledgeable. Animals are visibly happy.

Maddie was very helpful, as were her fellow employees that help serve our cabana. They were very pleasant and quick with service.

Weather was perfect. Animals were out and active. Only bad thing is Congo food court pick up line was very disorganized.

We had a great time on day 1 of our 2 day pass to the water park and the zoo! Everything is so well marked, clean and enjoyable! We can't wait to go back to for day 2!

Always quick security and ticketing. Lots of areas to sit and eat lunch. We loved feeding the giraffes and seeing the cheetah races.

We had a great time, our only complaint was that so many exhibits were closed. Hopefully the next time we come there will be more open.

William in the membership office was wonderful helping me upgrade from a single membership to a plus one thank you Columbus who was one of the best in the whole country. I really really love but I haven’t been for a few years since my kids were little. I’m so happy I renewed my pass.

Staff was very friendly and helpful. Offered to take our family photos multiple times. Stopped to talk to us about the animals.

Had a great time. Seeing all the animals, most of which were more active than they were in the past. The only drawback was the app. The app was slow to load and the navigation was hard to follow, when navigating you can't see what enclosures you are passing. But it was nice to see where the keeper talks were and at what times.

It was our first time here. I would say for the water park the employees were on high alert when it came to the guests. The thing I didn't like was the zoom pass kind of like what cedar point has with their fast pass. I feel if everyone is going to go to the water park everyone should be treated fairly and not be able to have a zoom pass it's not fair to people who come to visit for vacation and can't enjoy the attractions because of the needs of greedy people getting a zoom pass to basically cut the wait on the long line of people waiting to ride who doesn't have the zoom pass. The zoo on the other hand was great just didn't like the fact of people just basically being literally on top of the exhibits and not allowing other people to view them. Was able to visit all continents available and it is I must say better then the Cleveland metro Parks zoo. I love the fact that at every turn you take their is a restroom and you didn't have to walk a mile or two do have to find a restroom. Another thing is the staff and employees being on high alert at the establishment. Will definitely visit again in the near future when more of the zoo is done being transformed.

The animals were so amazing , clean , great open areas . The whole facility was open and so well laid out . We had such a great time

Good works and nice people Every one is nice and helpful and like going with family and see the kid having fun looking at the animals

The lights were beautiful. The animals were active. The staff answered all of our weird questions. We had a wonderful time.

We had a great time today riding the train and carousel! The lines moved quickly and every employee was friendly. We are year long members and have never had a bad experience.

good experience！but winter time a lot closures. will see in summer again. lol will comeagain and again.membership worth a lot

Zoo early and then Zoombezi Bay once or opened. Awesome park. It was insanely packed on a hot June Sunday. But everything went well considering the crowd.

We had an amazing time. My family really enjoyed feeding the stingrays,gem mining, manatees and seeing the reptiles! I will say souvenirs are a bit pricey so if you have multiple kids expect to pay a decent amount otherwise great place. We are going back in just a couple days!

Love seeing the zoo i went to as a child is still not only just around but thriving for me to be able to enjoy. I love it, and so do the kids.

For a Zoo in a colder climate, it's clear that the Columbus Zoo bets heavily on summer visitors. After Nov. 20 or so, the Zoo is only open from 12–5 daily, and—though Winter Lights is included in admission—it's a hard pill to swallow that it costs about $72 for 2 people, and a lot of the animals are completely off display, or become off display at 5 PM. Further, the dining options are minimal in late November: only 1 inside dining option, and a lot of the snack stands aren't open until well after the Zoo opens.

Excellent day at the zoo! We came to see the elephants, especially the new baby! What a treat to get to watch ALL of them interact with the baby! We saw so many animals and rode the carousel! I brought my mom, who is 87 years old. She loves elephants and really enjoyed her day!

Nice visit we arrived around 9:45am went right through security and check in at 10am. As we walked many of the animals weren’t out until we went back around 11

Great time and fun viewing animals in more natural settings. Plan to spend the whole day as there is a lot of ground to cover.

Love the new North America section! Vastly improved habitats for the wolves and especially the river otters! Able to really see the otters!

Good visit overall the crops was fairly light. We enjoyed that! Would have liked to have see the otters and black bear and elephants but none of them were out.

I have been going here since I was 10 years old and it was Wyandot Lake. I had a blast with my husband, son and parents today.

Always a pleasure visiting the zoo. The staff is always amazing and ready to answer any questions. My kids were amazed by everything! Buying a yearly pass is worth it even if you only go a few times a year.

Fun and love the new America track but I don’t like being yelled at by a worker in the playground and other kids not being yelled at

The zoo is always a pleasant experience for us. Kids are always fun to watch their enjoyment but some of the stroller pushing moms need to learn a little courtesy.
We travel over 100 miles for our zoo day

This zoo was amazing staff was very friendly and knowledgeable toward us outsiders. This is definitely a top 10 zoo in the united states. Park was very clean. Didn't realize how much walking we would do but best part about that everything is flat.

This was a great family excursion . Kids had fun adults did fun and clean experience. Mines were not too long. Staff was very friendly.

My family had a blast 💓 Especially getting to see the manatees and the penguins the kids loved all the play areas and all the animals

This is a top tier zoo. It’s clean, well-organized, and very animal oriented. Our kids (9 & 12) had a great time getting up close and personal with the animals.

What a joy to see the new baby elephant on first day of "out in the yard"! Well wish we had longer, I say a day and a half would be great. We did most of the zoo and enjoyed all of it!!!!! The weather was perfect and all areas were super easy to visit. Love the divisions of the areas such as Asian, Congo and all the others. You kinda come back to the middle of a hub and head out to another section.

Many times animals were not where you could see them. Really wanted to see polar bears and Zoo worker said they were hanging out in air conditioning. Food was expensive, especially for families. Lots of great volunteers talking about the animals. Elephant keeper was excellent .

So happy I was able to see the newest elephant! She appears to be thriving and doesn’t seem to mind all the faces and cameras pointed at her.

Really disappointed. For the price, all you really get is a LOT of walking between exhibits. Everything is so overpriced. The shows were few and far between but the short one we attended was nice but not geared towards younger kids, they were completely bored. This is probably our last year to attend.

Loved everything the zoo and aquarium had to offer will be back! Highly recommended! Parking is difficult, would recommend the free shuttle.

The highlight of my visit was seeing the otters in their new enclosure! They were having a fabulous time and we had a wonderful view. I love when exhibits are designed with the animals needs in mind. Columbus does a fabulous job of this and the new otter exhibit is an excellent example of that.

Visited zoombezi bay for the first time with the entire family. We rented a cabana and honestly it was incredibly useful. Having a newborn with us was super secluded for nursing and the older kids were able to find us no problem. Food ordering is easy. Couldn't have been smoother.

Love the zoo
Laid out nicely...new exhibit is wonderful
I get a membership every year and go multiple times!!!! Love it!