10 Best Zoos in the U.S. (Rated by Parents)

Kelly R:  We were lucky to live just down the road from the Columbus Zoo for years, and I spent many hours there with my kids. It truly is a world class zoo with beautiful exhibits, many hands-on opportunities, and fun play areas sprinkled around. One of the essential things to do with kids in Columbus, whether you're a local or a visitor! I appreciate the convenient suburban location, so no navigating of city traffic is required, and you can see a lot without feeling like you're doing a ton of walking.

Perhaps best known as the home of Fiona the Hippo, the Cincinnati Zoo is a must-see for any visitors to the Queen City. A host of indoor and outdoor exhibits and encounters let you get up close and personal with creatures from all over the world (without ever leaving the heart of the city).

Brookfield Zoo houses around 450 species of animals on 216 acres. Don't miss their dolphin show! After going to the zoo for years I discovered the Hamill Family Play Zoo & Wild Encounters. The Play Zoo is perfect for kids up to age 10 and is very hands-on and lots of fun. During the day you can hear a zookeeper discuss certain animals and walk around with them for kids to pet. Enter the Wild Encounters section and you will be surrounded by red pandas, llamas, alpacas, wallabies, and reindeer...and can even pet and feed some of them! Brookfield Zoo also has one of our favorite Chicago carousels, too.

Visit over 2,000 mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles in specialized habitats spanning 200 wooded acres. Explore educational wildlife shows and fun attractions such as: Feed a Giraffe Experience, Seal & Sea Lion Show, Safari Train, Playground, Carousel & more! Swing by the Family Farm area of the Milwaukee County Zoo for an up close and interactive experience with native Wisconsin wildlife and farm animals.

The St. Louis Zoo is home to 16,000+ animals that include rare and endangered species from all over the world as well as more familiar favorites, like goats and guinea pigs, that kids can pet. You'll find nature-themed play areas that include water features, sandboxes, and climbing structures, a narrated train ride, a carousel, a 4D theater, and lots of shows and public feedings. Budget lots of time for his one, because there's no way you can see it all.

See animals from across the globe in the heart of Uptown NOLA! The zoo features a number of animal exhibits from the Louisiana Swamp to the African Savannah. Whether you like giraffes, flamingos, reptiles, or elephants, kids are sure to see their favorites!

Consistently rated among the best zoos in the U.S., the 160 acres of animal habitats feature wildlife from around the world, including the largest aquarium in a zoo. Be sure to check out the Children's Adventure Trails, an interactive exhibit focused on learning through play, where kids can pull themselves across a small pond on a raft, go over a running stream on a fallen log, and climb a 3-stories tall Treehouse with a shipwreck slide, climbing net, bridge and so much more. Lots of special tours and animal encounters make it a wonderfully interactive zoo for families to enjoy!

The Fort Worth Zoo currently houses over 540 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians from all over the world. They host Zookeeper Chats, giraffe feeding experience, an interactive stingray exhibit, Safari Splash water play area, educational animal encounters, train, carousel, and more!

Kelly R:  We love the Safari Park! The focus on conservation and large, natural habitats means there is a LOT of walking, so be prepared for that. We generally avoid coming during the summer months because it is located inland and gets very hot. Don't miss the guided open-air tram ride through the large African savannah (included in the price of admission), and plan to hit that early because the line gets long.

Kelly R:  I think this is the best zoo in the US. One of the things that strikes me about it is how beautiful all of the surroundings and plant life are, even as you're just walking around between exhibits. There is definitely a lot of uphill walking that can tire us out pretty quickly, but the benefit of that is many of the exhibits can be viewed from different high and low vantage points. The new children's area is pretty amazing and has so much to do (including water features, so plan for that if your kids can't resist getting wet).