Vilas (Henry) Park — Attraction in Madison

Their prices for food is obnoxiously disrespectful 9.99 for 7 cheesecurds? Ridiculous. A good chunk of the animals look depressed In this zoo and by that I mean I watched a crane just walk around staring at the sky but trapped under a net less then 2 feet above its head, an orangutan that was crying, polar bears that look like they hate there life just staring at the dirty dirty water in their exhibit, the tiger wasnt active at all just like the last 3 times we came here,some exhibits are way smaller then they should be probably half or more. The workers were very rude when I asked for a straw with my drink and said they don't use plastic to help the animals and the environment but this zoo let's people smoke and throw cigarette butts on the ground and I seen one person flick a cigarette at the camel right in front of a zoo worker and the zoo worker didn't care I said something and was told to calm down by the zoo worker. The gift shop is absolutely disrespectful with their prices 1 scoop of ice cream was 7$ after taxes I could've bought a tub for 6$ at any grocery store. a little Dr set that cost 6$ at Walmart was 45$ in the gift shop! a 2 foot tall stuffed animal for 13$ at Walmart was marked at almost 80$!!! This zoo has multiple institutional and private donors along with state and city funding. For crying out loud a bottle of water here is 4.99 you can buy a case of water with 32 bottles for less and if they're so worried about plastics why not use paper cups for the water like they do the pop? Overall I've come to hate this zoo that use to be a magical place for me as a kid it's now a catastrophic wasteland I disappointed myself taking my kids to see. Not that the owners will care for my review but I hope some families take the time to read this and understand the exploitation for profits here is nuts I asked one of the workers here scary they made here a 50 year old plus lady was very kind and almost cried telling me she's been here for almost 3 years and is making 9$ an hour. One hour of work at this zoo can't even get you 7 cheesecurds if you're an employee....

The Henry Vilas Zoo is a phenomenal anomaly! They care for so many amazing animals and offer adventures for the whole family. It astounds me that you can enjoy this magnificent treasure for the low, low price of free. That's right, $0 entry regardless of your age or residency and $0 parking.

They offer a pleasant little Cafe where you can order and eat your food in the presence of polar bears. The food was perfectly priced for what you get.

My daughter is in love with their tree-inspired playground. We finally rode their "Conservation Carousel" (even though it's technically a merry-go-round as it offers more than just horses to mount.) My daughter was fascinated that she was able to sit on a caterpillar. We hope to take a tour on their mini-train on our next visit.

The quaint gift shop offers a few items that help support the caretaking the various animals require. I would love to see the educational level of their toys to grow as I know kids are sponges that absorb knowledge faster than the animals they'd read about can swim or run.

The real treasure that makes a world of difference to the zoo are their caring volunteers. Every volunteer I've had the pleasure of interacting with has been so kind and has passed on some of their knowledge to me and my family. Their time and efforts deserves so much respect and I thank them all for having such passion for what they do.

I can't wait to return and see more that there is to explore in this gem that...

Let's be honest, kids and grown ups love the zoo. A wide variety of animals: big cats, bears, badgers, giraffe, apes, gators, penguins, flamingos, tortoises, porcupines, a red panda ( my favorite), meerkat, as well as an assortment if snakes, spiders, and fish. I also have to say that I believe their approach to birds is one of the best I've ever seen. While it isn't extremely large their aviary is really almost a necessary see if you visit. There are more animals beyond those I've listed. They have concessions and some carnival rides that you can pay for ( admission to the zoo is free). There are some interactive attractions as well as programs done by the staff from time to time. Outside the zoo there are large open spaces, as well as playgrounds for the little ones, all adjacent to the lake. Biggest negative is parking. It's a real bear being surround by residences with limited space so be prepared for a battle and probably a short walk. But,...