Oklahoma City Zoo — Attraction in Oklahoma City

​A Comprehensive Review of the Oklahoma City Zoo ​The Oklahoma City Zoo offers a unique blend of zoological and botanical experiences, with extensive grounds that feel more akin to a botanical garden due to the abundant foliage between exhibits. My visits spanned three separate occasions: an early morning weekday, an early morning weekend, and an afternoon weekend, providing varied perspectives on the zoo's operations and atmosphere.

​Observations Across Visit Times ​Weekend Visits: Weekends brought a noticeably higher level of activity, with more shops open, increased staff presence, and significantly larger crowds. Despite the crowds, most animals were present and active.

​Weekday Visits: Weekdays were considerably quieter, often feeling like a "ghost town" in certain areas due to fewer visitors and limited shop openings. During these times, it was evident that significant construction and groundwork were underway, with staff actively preparing for the anticipated weekend influx.

​What Stands Out ​Animal Enclosures and Viewing: The animal enclosures are thoughtfully designed, providing ample space for the animals while offering visitors excellent, unobstructed views for most exhibits.

​Exceptional Flora: The botanical aspect of the zoo is a true highlight. The diverse collection of trees and plants is not only visually stunning but also provides generous shade, a welcome relief during hot summer days.

​Pineapple Dole Whip: A delightful treat, the Pineapple Dole Whip, available at The Canopy for $7, is a delicious and refreshing indulgence.

​Complimentary Parking: A significant advantage of the OKC Zoo is its free parking. This is a rare and highly appreciated perk, especially considering that most other zoos typically charge between $10 and $20 for parking in addition to admission. ​Oklahoma Trails: This section is arguably one of the zoo's best, offering a unique opportunity to observe native wildlife such as bears, buffalo, and bats. It's a highly recommended and immersive experience.

​Areas for Improvement ​Digital App for Animal Experiences: The absence of a real-time app for animal experiences is a missed opportunity. Such an app could provide crucial updates on animal activity and scheduled encounters, preventing visitor disappointment, as observed when a child missed an animal interaction by minutes.

​Enhanced Ambient Music: While the Africa section benefits from immersive ambient music, the rest of the zoo, including areas like Asia (home to elephants, red pandas, and a beautiful, though often closed, restaurant), remains surprisingly quiet. Extending ambient music to these areas would significantly enhance the immersive experience and transport visitors more effectively.

​Points of Dissatisfaction ​Admission price: The $20 adult admission fee feels steep, especially given the uncertainty of animal visibility and activity levels on any given day. While the free parking somewhat mitigates this cost, the overall value for money can be questionable if many animals are not observable.

​Food Pricing: While food prices are a concern, the primary issue lies with the service, which was consistently substandard across my visits.

​Staff Conduct: A recurring and disappointing issue was the demeanor of many staff members. Encounters were often characterized by rudeness, a sense of being rushed, open gossiping among colleagues, or outright being ignored in favor of personal acquaintances. The only consistent pleasantries were received upon entry and exit.

​Animal Quantity and Exhibit Spacing: The zoo lacks an aquarium area, and there are notably long stretches of pathways with no animal exhibits. Furthermore, there's a repetitive display of certain animal types, particularly birds, which are scattered throughout the zoo in various locations, including a hidden walk-through aviary near the entrance, another bird exhibit by the "quiet area," and more near the former aquarium site. This fragmented and repetitive layout contributes to a perception of not having enough diverse...

Our family has been visiting the Oklahoma City Zoo for years, and it remains one of our favorite local attractions. With young kids in tow, we’re always on the lookout for places that offer both fun and learning, and the zoo continues to hit that perfect balance. On our most recent visit, we were especially excited to check out some of the new changes and additions, and we walked away even more impressed than usual.

The biggest standout this time was the updated giraffe exhibit. This area used to feel a bit outdated, but the renovations have truly elevated the experience. The new layout features wider viewing areas, improved landscaping, and an elevated platform where guests can see the giraffes up close. One of the best features is the feeding station where you can buy lettuce and feed the giraffes by hand. It’s hard to overstate how magical that moment is for a child. Our kids were absolutely thrilled, and even we adults found it pretty special. The whole area looks and feels more natural now, and it gives the animals much more space to roam.

Another highlight of our trip was seeing the zoo’s newest addition, a baby elephant. It was tiny, playful, and stuck close to the mother throughout our visit. It was clear from the signage and staff presence that the zoo is proud of this new arrival. They provided helpful information about the baby’s name and birth date and kept the area peaceful and orderly so visitors could enjoy watching without overwhelming the animals. Our kids were completely captivated, and we spent quite a while just observing the little one tumble around and explore her surroundings.

Of course, no visit is complete without a stop at the herpetarium. This indoor reptile exhibit has become a favorite for our children. They love searching the tanks for snakes, frogs, and lizards, and they’ve even started remembering which ones are venomous. The space is well maintained and air conditioned, which is a nice break during hotter days. It’s one of those areas where there’s always something moving, slithering, or climbing, so the excitement level stays high from start to finish.

We usually take a break for snacks midday, and the zoo offers a good variety of food options. Pricing is what you’d expect from a zoo. There are shaded picnic areas, and plenty of spots to rest throughout the day.

If there’s one part of the zoo that leaves us a bit underwhelmed, it’s the big cats area. While the zoo does have lions, tigers, and leopards, this section hasn’t received the same upgrades as others. The habitats feel a bit small and dated, and the animals are often out of view, likely resting in the heat or tucked away from the crowds. When you are able to spot a tiger or lion, it’s a striking sight, but the overall experience in this area doesn’t quite match the excitement of the rest of the zoo. We’re hopeful that this section will be next in line for renovation.

Despite that small drawback, the Oklahoma City Zoo continues to be a wonderful place for families. The staff is friendly, the grounds are clean and stroller-friendly, and the exhibits are well thought out. The recent improvements to the giraffe and elephant areas show that the zoo is committed to growth and better care for its animals. We’ll definitely be back soon, especially since the kids are already asking to see the baby...

I’ve been to this zoo twice and I would have to say both times were pretty magical and great. This is one of my favorite zoos I’ve been to. This second time in June of 2021 we paid for a lot of the extras including a dinosaur walk through they were having at the time. I doubt it’s still going on a year later as I’m writing this but it was fantastic! They even had a raptor used in the original Jurassic Park film production!! So cool!

As for the regular old every day parts of the zoo - so amazing! We literally spent alllllll day there each of the times I’ve been and you still feel like you didn’t do it all. It’s a really spectacular place to visit! It’s beautifully laid out, the habitats are great, the animals are wonderful such is the variety you get to view and there is - like I said - so much to do!

The extras that we paid for included a rhino feeding that was just so special! We had the privilege of meeting a little old lady rhino that was so gentle. We got to ask the keeper many questions and it was a truly wondrous experience. I’m so glad I booked it with our tickets.

Another add on was the sting ray area. I highly recommend it if you are not squeamish. The suction they use to take the food from your hand is an odd sensation but so neat!

Like I said before the wide range of animals on display is so great! Bears, lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes, owls, bats, monkeys, gorillas, lizards, all sorts of birds, seals, sting rays, rhinos, red panda and so many more. The turtles individual stories are shared in their habitat and I just loved learning about them.

We ate in the Asian area which is JUST STUNNINGLY set up. We sat right by a window with a Komodo dragon taking a nap just on the other side of the glass from us.

Rounding out the end of the day we paid extra for the sea lion show. It was great and so much fun! We got such up close views of those amazing creatures! We were even splashed by a sea lion during one of the skits!

All in all, probably THE BEST zoo I’ve been to now that I’m reminiscing. Bring plenty of money and book all the extras on your tickets. It’s allllll worth it. I can’t wait to return with my little...