Akron Zoo — Attraction in Akron

This is a great zoo! Tigers, lions and bears! A carousel, an indoor cafe with A/C, a beautiful garden and more! A quick trip can be done in 2 hrs for adults and 3 to 4 hrs to see the whole zoo with kiddos. By the time the kids are tired, you're done. Not as large as some major Metropolitan zoos but like I say, manageable with nice flow and lots of things for kids to climb! Because of course kids want to climb on exhibits but please don't let them tap on the glass! Bring your camera or charge your phone because there are plenty of great moments to photograph, from the view over the Akron city skyline to Tigers napping against the glass. The cafe has drinks for 3$ and refillable souvenir cups for adults are 6$ and kids are 4$, just 1 $ more than the sm pop (yes its Pop in Akron) Trip Tip!!! Buying the kids a souvenir cup is cheap and functional and can be brought back for 1$ refills AND it's a cheaper souvenir than some options in the gift shop. But, don't worry if you like to shop 😉 They have some local artisan and small businesses set up along the path leading to the gift shop, where you'll find lots of animal stuffiness, magnets and books! Yes! You can bring wagons, strollers and coolers, drinks or snacks. I higy suggest bring a water bottle or 2 as there aren't waterfountains readily available like I wish there were. I would give it a 5 but because of the lack of water fountains and the size not being like Philadelphia or Columbus, let's say 4/5. Staff is awesome, friendly and insightful. Don't be shy to say hello if you see a zookeeper with an animal, they may have the time to tell you some interesting facts or tell you about the personality of the animal. Like we met the hedgehog on one trip and it was a delightful time. Yes, I have been to this zoo more than once. You can see animals that maybe weren't out last time, or have a solo trip like I did this September. Another hack for locals!! September is Community Days minth, where each household in Summit county can get 4 free tickets to the Zoo! It's always a good time, they had side events and activities very regularly. Please come to the Akrkn Zoo and enjoy the beautiful remodeled and visit the beautiful animals waiting to make new friends. No need to purchase tickets in advance, that is unless you are taking advantage of Community Days, which require previous booking just incase it's sold out, which Saturdays seem...

Great staff. Engaging and knowledgeable about the zoo, species and SSP. Don't hesitate to spend time chatting, even about areas not within their expertise.

Well designed habitats. Good visibility for the most part though, as a photographer, shooting through mesh is impossible and shooting through glass is always challenging. I do prefer zoos who manage to creatively avoid both and give the illusion that barriers don't exist. Akron Zoo has the handicap of limited acreage so it's more of a challenge.

Terrain can be a little challenging, especially for those with mobility issues as most of the pathways are inclines. Not steep but not many flat spots either. Appears the entire zoo is on a hillside with habitats constructed on the slope. Lehner Family Gardens is a beautiful asset and I nice spot to take a break.

Good variety of species with some unique critters. Loved the nocturnal building. Though most people think it's just bats, there are several species to discover. Their population of Seba's short-tailed bats is impressive and I can't say I've seen them at any other zoo that I can recall. Was especially entertaining to hear the people as the keeper was in with them, hosing off the bat cave walls. Andean condors are impressive close up with their wings spread. Jaguar and snow leopard are beautiful. Red panda exhibit gives a unique perspective from tree level, instead of ground. The fact that they have a coyote habitat is cool considering this species is much maligned and persecuted by humans just because they were able to outsmart us and survive among us. Don't overlook 'Curious Creatures'.

Unfortunately, the red wolf habitat was closed, hopefully for a good reason, like new pups, and not something unfortunate.

Several kid oriented activities well spaced throughout the zoo. Do wish they had more in the way of scheduled presentations/enrichments.

Overall, while I would not consider this an all-day experience, it was a nice way to spend the morning and early afternoon before...

Honestly giving it 1 star isn't my choice. If zero was an option, that would be my choice. Should have had an idea by the fact that when we pulled up, it was like a ghost town! Let me preface the rest of this review by saying I'm a traveler and have visited a TON of zoos and other animal facilities. So, I decided to check this place out with my fiancee because we were passing through and what a waste of time and $30. Not only was there almost nothing to see in a good portion of the enclosures but the animals we could see mostly looked to be in pretty bad condition. The enclosures themselves weren't great either. To make matters way worse, EVERY SINGLE concession was closed claiming staffing issues. So you couldn't even get water anywhere around the park except the cafeteria. And it was empty in there with the exception of about 20 employees. Explain the staffing issue when there looks to be employees just standing around hanging out inside? No, they were not working the cafeteria. So there were no concession stands open (oh except a face painting station) but there were water machines and soda machines placed around the park...buuuut guess what? NONE of them worked. Yes we tried every single one because we were super thirsty walking around. So, barely anything to see, bad conditions of enclosures and animals, and no concessions for even water! What an entire waste of money and time. This was by far the worst zoo I have ever been to. Honestly, I'm not even sure how this place is still running. And no I'm not just some disgruntled person mad about something that went on there lol. I'm just a normal person who has seen a lot of places giving an honest review. Please don't waste your money here. If it was free and you were bored...maybe...or honestly maybe...