Red River Zoo — Attraction in Fargo

Beware of the Merry-go-round. It will ruin your visit.

Would love to praise and give a high rating, because for a zoo in a small city it is really nice.

However, the visit to merry-go-round at the end was not merry at all and ruined our day. The ride is sponsored by I assume is a local family and they either hate kids, or would be appalled with how something with their name on it is being ran.

After spending $3 a kid to ride (which is ridiculous on it's own) the little girl operating it stopped it right away and told us we had to get off because one of our kids was crying. Thou shall not cry on their very important ride apparently. Our other two kids were devastated, which naturally lead to them crying. It tainted what was a great family vacation.

For further context the crying child was actually not crying but screaming with glee because he loved it so much. Even if he was crying, that is no reason to kick a kid off a merry-go-round. Young kids cry... Always! Happy, sad, hurt, excited. They are always crying. Trust me. You can't stop life for a crying child.

Disney has the most strict standards for these kinds of things and they wouldn't stop the carousal for a screaming kid. (We have family that works there, we asked them and they laughed at how stupid the idea is).

Get over yourselves power tripping teenagers running the ride and just let parents parent our children. Believe me, if there was a problem I don't know any parents that wouldn't address it better than you can. I don't need you telling my kid...

We had a fantastic visit to the Red River Zoo in Fargo with the family, and it completely exceeded our expectations. The zoo is beautifully maintained, not too large or overwhelming, and perfect for a relaxed half-day outing—especially with kids. One of the highlights was seeing the red pandas up close. Elena was absolutely thrilled watching them climb and nap in the trees. We also enjoyed the gray wolves, river otters, and the adorable Pallas cats. The exhibits are thoughtfully designed to mimic natural habitats, and there’s plenty of shaded walking paths, benches, and green space to rest. The children's barn and carousel were big hits with our little one. The zoo staff were kind and informative, often stopping to answer questions and point out animals hiding in their enclosures. We also appreciated the educational signs throughout, which made it easy to learn as we explored. The size of the zoo was perfect for young kids—large enough to feel like an adventure, but small enough to cover in a couple of hours without getting too tired. We wrapped up with a snack near the prairie dogs, who were surprisingly fun to watch.

Overall, the Red River Zoo is a hidden gem in Fargo. It’s peaceful, family-friendly, and offers a wonderful variety of animals, many of which are cold-climate species not often seen in other zoos. A must-visit if you're in the area with kids or simply want a calm and charming place to...

We visited the zoo on a Saturday right away at 10am. The entryway is a bit bottle necky but it was fine once you get out into the zoo. The only major complaint I had was that there are no maps other than right as you come out of the main admission area. This is frustrating if you're like us and have never been. We spent some time wandering around trying to find the horse talk. Thank goodness someone else at the zoo could help point the way. The animals and signs at the zoo seem well maintained. The fish feeding is great and the kiddos loved it. The red pandas were adorable! The kids discovery zone was good but needed some updates. The climbing section of the discovery zone was rated 3+ but my 5 year old could barely get up and she is in the 90th percentile for height. Good things though: lots of bathrooms, an outdoor park to take a break at, animals seemed healthy and happy, several indoor areas that were cooler than the hot day, a carousel, and more. The carousel has some small snacks and there was a small cafe that had food too. The cafe was outdoors so isnt aleays open. I also wanted to add that the size of this zoo is perfect for Littles. I have a 2, 3, and 5 year old and it was the perfect amount of stuff. Also our double bob stroller fit through all the doors! Which essentially means they're all...