The Buffalo Zoo — Attraction in Buffalo

Buffalo Zoo is a delightful destination for families, animal lovers, and anyone looking to spend a day immersed in nature and wildlife. The zoo offers a diverse range of exhibits, showcasing animals from all corners of the globe in well-maintained and spacious enclosures.

Highlights:

Variety of Animals: The zoo features an impressive collection of animals, including lions, tigers, elephants, and more. The reptile house, with its wide range of snakes and lizards, is particularly fascinating.

Educational Programs: Buffalo Zoo excels in its educational offerings. Daily talks and feeding sessions provide insightful information about the animals and their habitats. The zoo's commitment to conservation is evident through its various programs aimed at protecting endangered species.

Kid-Friendly Activities: There are plenty of activities to keep children engaged. The petting zoo, carousel, and playground are huge hits with the younger visitors. Additionally, the zoo offers interactive exhibits that kids absolutely love.

Well-Maintained Facilities: Cleanliness and organization are top-notch. The pathways are well-marked and accessible, making it easy to navigate through the zoo. There are ample seating areas and shaded spots to rest, which is a big plus on hot days.

Dining Options: The zoo has several dining choices, from quick snacks to more substantial meals. The food is reasonably priced and offers a good variety, including healthy options and kid-friendly meals.

Areas for Improvement:

Crowd Management: On weekends and holidays, the zoo can get quite crowded. This sometimes makes it difficult to enjoy the exhibits fully. Visiting on a weekday is recommended for a more relaxed experience.

Ticket Prices: While the zoo offers a wonderful experience, the admission prices are on the higher side. Family packages and membership deals are available, which can help in making the visit more affordable.

Interactive Exhibits: While the zoo has several interactive exhibits, adding more hands-on activities and behind-the-scenes tours would enhance the experience further.

Buffalo Zoo is a fantastic place for a day out, offering a blend of education, entertainment, and conservation. Despite a few minor drawbacks, the zoo's strengths make it a must-visit attraction. Whether you're a local or a tourist, Buffalo Zoo promises a memorable and enriching experience for visitors...

I am not a fan of the concept of Zoos, animals in enclosures way to small for them, but that's not why the 3 stars. This Zoo is in no way handicap accessible. We had a friend in a manual wheelchair with us. The entry threshold was covered by one of those covers to protect electrical cords and prevent tripping. To enter it took my partner pushing, a kind patron who helped us and me pulling and lifting to clear the cord cover. Then to get to the exhibits we had to cross 100 feet of gravel. Gravel and wheelchairs don't go together. We were there for the lantern and light festival. This necessitates the running of power cords and covering them to prevent tripping. Just because these have a "ramp" on them doesn't make them useable with wheelchairs and mobility devices. There is a formula for rise that dictates the minimum length of ramp. This formula is not used for the many power cord covers. It also wasn't used for the flimsy ramp to enter the lights and mirror house at the beginning. To use the restroom, we had to struggle through 100 feet of gravel and then into either the family restroom or the ladies room with handicap stall. The Ladies room handicap stall isn't actually big enough to get a wheelchair in, turn it and allow the wheelchair user to transfer from chair to toilet. We used the family restroom, which needs a handicap auto door so that the person in the wheelchair and their companion (if they have one) don't have to fight a door, a threshold and try to push/move the wheelchair. BOTH restroom thresholds were to high for easy roll over. To exit we had to roll through 100 feet of gravel to exit a turn style (not with a wheelchair) or navigate the narrow maze of walkway in the gift shop. In addition some of the exhibit was inaccessible (the sensory light wall that my friend would have really enjoyed) because it was in the grass, a temporary walkway would have made this accessible. Three or four interactive displays had things to step on. Please consider also making a hand push station for those unable to walk in order to participate. If I were rating the zoo on accessibility I would give it a zero. In the event of an emergency my friend and I would have been trapped...

My husband and I are new, first time parents, and have chosen to bring our baby with us everywhere we go as we want her to see and experience the world firsthand. While we’ve been to the zoo multiple times (it’s hit or miss, but always something fun to do in Buffalo), we decided to attend “Wines in the Wild” for the first time with a group of friends. We were very excited about this event, as we have always wanted to attend but couldn’t; and we were actually making it happen! It was finally here, and we were ready for a fun night out as a family with our friends! Upon entering, we were greeted by the supervisor, Jazmine, who directed us in with a smile but quickly informed us that the baby was not allowed in. Puzzled by this, we questioned her and she rudely repeated that this is a “21+ event and it’s written all over the place.” As we were aware that it’s a 21+ event, we had called ahead and were informed that the baby would be allowed in. Jazmine was adamant that the baby was not allowed in, even though our baby is 4 months old and my husband doesn’t drink (he purchased a DD ticket). So my husband reluctantly went home with the baby and let me stay to enjoy a night with our friends. I asked for a refund for my husband’s ticket and, again, was denied by Jazmine. This was all very frustrating and annoying but we understood she was doing her job and we were not going to let it ruin our evening. However, shortly after, we saw a family with their baby walking around the same event!! I’m not usually one to review or complain but this was beyond upsetting! I hope that this helps others in the future who wish to...