Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden — Attraction in Cincinnati

Today, my family and I embarked on an adventure to the Cincinnati Zoo, and what a delightful day it turned out to be! Here's a rundown of our experience:

Highlights:

Blue Penguins: The highlight for many, especially the younger ones, was undoubtedly the blue penguins. Their playful antics and the way they waddled around brought smiles to everyone's faces. Kangaroos: Watching the kangaroos was fascinating. My grandson was particularly intrigued by how they moved, hopping around their enclosure with such grace. Train Ride: We took a ride on the zoo's train, which was not only a fun way to see more of the zoo but also a great break for tired feet. The little ones loved the chug of the train and the views it offered. Carousel: We must have enjoyed the carousel four times! It's not every day you get to ride a carousel with such beautifully crafted animals. Each ride was a hit, especially for my grandson who couldn't get enough of choosing a different animal each time. Cooling Off: The day was hot, but jumping into the mist was a refreshing break. It was like having our own little rain shower in the middle of the zoo, much to the delight of my grandson who giggled every time the mist hit him. Treats: Ice cream always makes a day better. My grandson and I shared a moment over our cones, his being a bonus from a machine that had run out of cream, which added a quirky charm to our day. Photography: We took countless pictures, capturing not just the animals but the joy on our faces. The zoo provides ample photo opportunities, from close-up views of animals to scenic landscapes.

Value for Money: With all the activities we engaged in, from rides to shows, we felt we got excellent value for our entrance fee.

Conclusion:

Our day at the Cincinnati Zoo was a blend of education, adventure, and pure family fun. It's not just about seeing animals; it's about creating memories, learning something new, and enjoying each other's company in a beautiful setting. If you're planning a family outing, the Cincinnati Zoo should definitely be on your list. It's a place where every age group finds something to marvel at. We're already planning our next visit, perhaps when the seasons change to see how the zoo transforms with the weather. Highly...

This was my first time visiting the Cincinnati Zoo and most definitely will be my last unfortunately. For this zoo being one of the top rated zoo’s in the county, I was definitely very much underwhelmed.

For starters, it was entirely too overcrowded. I understand it was a holiday weekend but maybe they should figure out a system where they can sell only so many tickets per day etc. because believe me when I tell you it was literally elbow to elbow everywhere in the entire zoo. Ninety nine percent of the animals exhibits you couldn’t even get close to because of the insane amount of people constantly. Definitely made the entire experience un enjoyable. The people that run the zoo should really focus more on how to make people want to come back instead of selling an insane amount of tickets (because of course it’s always about making money). If the zoo is completely and utterly packed to the rim, people are gunna be mad and miserable, this is pretty obvious. Many people in the crowds of people around me said the same thing that it was just entirely too crowded.

Secondly, the food is ridiculously overpriced. Mediocre at best food and charging a complete fortune for it. My boyfriend had chicken strips with fries and I had a hamburger with fries and we both got a drink. The total was $60. We could have easily went to a restaurant that was at least somewhat more decent and paid that price. Not to mention it took about an hour total to order and receive our food. Totally not acceptable.

Third, all in all, I feel like more than half of the animals we couldn’t see not only because of the crowds but because they weren’t in their exhibits. The otters had a baby so we couldn’t see those unfortunately, and a lot of other exhibits had signs put up that basically said the animal wasn’t in its habitat. Again overall underwhelming and disappointing.

Finally, all in all, again for this zoo supposedly being one of the best, I was very very disappointed. The only reason for the two stars is because of the elephant exhibit which honestly was our favorite part. One hundred percent the best part of this zoo. Definitely wouldn’t visit again though in the future. Not worth the money...

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens is one of the best zoos to visit for an up close and personal experience. It was initially confusing to know how to pay to park. I would also say that it was disappointing to find out that other people got to enter the park early because they had memberships. At no time, did the customer service representative at the ticket office offer options to us for entry into the park or talk to us about our memberships at other participating partner zoos. We waited until 10 am to enter the park. From this moment on, it was very confusing to know how to navigate the zoo. The maps were virtual and it was extremely unclear to know how to navigate the park. We got lost on several occasions and had to back track which made us walk more in the heat. The directional signs need some adjustments. It would have been nice if there were zoo team members available to answer questions or provide directions to the zoo visitors. I purchased two souvenir cups with soda and I had the best experience with Cashmere, one of the cashiers at the zoo. As a matter of fact, I entered the line the wrong way and had already told her what I wanted to order and another employee yelled at me and told me the line started in another direction. Cashmere said to me, “You’re right here and I’m not making you go back to the other end of the line” and she took my order anyway. Cashmere was awesome and needs a compliment from management! She gets 5 stars ⭐️ I only wished I hadn’t left my cup in your zoo store! What a bummer. I loved the insect world! I wish I would have went to see Fiona and the hippos first as that exhibit got crowded. I would also recommend that you offer up feeding schedules and times that the animals may be getting fed or other up close experiences that you can take advantage of so you can plan your day/time appropriately. Overall, this was a wonderful experience! We walked 3 miles and took approximately 4 hours to get through the zoo. This zoo is definitely a place that I...