I grew up in the Quad Cities area and went to the Niabi Zoo each summer growing up. I am now repeating the tradition with my children. We live about 3 hours away, but travel up once a year in the summer to visit the zoo. This is a small zoo and unfortunately after some winter weather damage in 2024, the exhibits have become even more limited.

For children under 6, I think this zoo is perfect. Visibility of most animals in their exhibits is excellent and the walkability of the entire zoo is very kid-friendly. There is a carousel and train rides; both require additional tickets which must be purchased online or at the entry gate. Petting zoo food and koi pond food also must be purchased at entry. I highly recommend the koi food (it was less than $2). The fish are very active and my kids loved watching them nibble at the food.

In terms of wildlife viewing, there are larger animals like giraffes, a rhino, and camels. And there are many smaller animals including small primates, exotic birds, and meerkats. Because of the weather damage, when my family went this summer (2024) there were no big cats, bears, or wolves- which arguably are my kids favorites.

I suggest buying tickets online, as the discount for larger families is significant. The train ride is affordable and well worth the additional cost in my opinion. There is also a gift shop and restaurant within the zoo- both of which are moderately priced and not outrageously expensive like some zoos.

So, why 3 stars instead of 5? The limited exhibits is a bit disappointing; you can see the entire zoo within about 2 hours. Some of the animal exhibits are a bit too small in my opinion (the giraffes have quite a limited area). The staff do seem very dedicated to keeping the exhibits clean and ensuring their animals are well cared for, though. Outside of the exhibits some of the sculptures are broken or in need of repair. The closed exhibits desperately need maintenence. I'd like to see more snack and drink options throughout the zoo as well.

Overall this place is a treat for the Quad Citiea area. Not many metropolitan areas of this size have zoos. The zoo needs more funding to build itself up to where it needs to be to remain a major attraction in the area. I want to see Niabi Zoo succeed and return to the delightful quaint little attraction it once was. This is going to require a lot of effort and funding. I hope, over the next few years, they can build themselves up and the community continues to support them in that time.