Not all of us can jet off on safaris or pretend to be Jane Goodall on a gorilla adventure. If that’s you but you still dream of animal encounters, then one of these top-ranked zoos in the world needs to be on your travel itinerary.
There are few better ways to see exotic creatures ethically and safely than to visit a zoo. Your visit often also supports conservation efforts, whether that’s breeding programs to repopulate endangered species, revitalizing habitats that have been damaged by natural disasters or human interference, or fighting animal trafficking.
There’s a zoo for everyone, too. While this is hardly a complete list of the best zoos in the world, it does include some of our favorites, whether you’re looking for educational programs for the kids, a chance to come face-to-face with your favorite critter, or you simply can’t say no to getting up close and personal with the animal kingdom.
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo – USA – Best Zoo for Kids
- Bronx Zoo – USA – Best Zoo for Kids
- Melbourne Zoo – Australia – Best for Families>
- Saint Louis Zoo – USA – Most Budget-Friendly Zoo
- Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden – USA – Best Zoo for Visitors with Sensory Disorders
- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – USA – Best for Desert Reptiles
- Chester Zoo – England – UK's Best Zoo
- Schönbrunn Zoo – Austria – Best Indoor Habitats
- Toronto Zoo – Canada – Best for Conservation Projects
- San Diego Zoo – USA – Best for Animal Conservation
- National Zoological Garden – South Africa – Best Safari Experience
- Taronga Zoo – Australia – Best for Animal Encounters
- Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo – New Zealand – Best for Animal Encounters
- Singapore Zoo – Singapore – Best for Primates
- Edinburgh Zoo – Scotland – Best for Penguins
- Berlin Zoological Garden – Germany – Best for Pandas
- Houston Zoo – USA – Best for Animal Variety
1. Smithsonian’s National Zoo – USA – Best Zoo for Kids
Admission is always free for this 160-acre gem of a zoo in Washington, D.C. The National Zoo is part of the Smithsonian Institute, so you know its educational and conservation mission runs deep. Because it’s free, the Institute relies on memberships, donations, and merchandise sales to fund its vital work protecting the world’s at-risk animals.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The Giant Panda Habitat is easily the most popular exhibit at the zoo. While admission to the zoo is free, you do need an entry pass to see Bao Li and Qing Bao. These are also free but are required due to high demand. While you’re in the Asia Trail habitat, don’t forget to see the small-clawed otter, clouded leopard, and sloth bear, among others.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: If you have an animal-loving kid, definitely check out the Animal Adventure Guide. This interactive activity is packed with extra stories about the critters they’ll encounter in each of the habitats. There’s also a whole calendar of programs, ranging from story time to conservation education, for kids of all ages.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: In addition to accessible parking and restrooms, the National Zoo offers a range of other accessibility accommodations to enhance the experience of any visitor with a disability. Sign language interpretation and audio description services are available upon request. For those with sensory disorders, pre-visit guides and social stories are available to help you prepare for your visit.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: If you're looking for a less crowded time to visit the zoo, book your trip between Labor Day and Easter. Holidays, including when local schools are on break, will be busier. Especially if you’re visiting in the summer, start your day early. The temperatures will be cooler, meaning you’ll be more comfortable and animals will be more active.
2. Bronx Zoo – USA – Best Zoo for Kids
The Bronx Zoo is one of five parks that make up the Wildlife Conservation Society’s collection of zoos and aquariums. All combined, they welcome more than 4 million visitors each year. Part of the reason for this is the amazing experiences they provide, but being in the heart of New York City doesn’t hurt either. As the first modern zoo animal hospital — founded in 1916 — the Bronx Zoo’s commitment to conservation is as strong and long-running as its commitment to its human community.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: Two of the most popular exhibits at the Bronx Zoo include the Congo Gorilla Forest and Jungleworld, where you’ll see everything from gibbons and birds in the trees, to tapirs on land, to otters and Indian gharial (a species of crocodile) in the water. The World of Darkness, dedicated to the nocturnal animal kingdom, is the newest addition.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: It's not just about modern animals at the Bronx Zoo. You can now take a Dinosaur Safari, featuring more than 60 life-sized animatronic dinos. Kids can dig for fossils, then take a tour that helps them connect these prehistoric beasts with the dinosaur’s present-day relatives they’ll see elsewhere in the zoo.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: The terrain in some parts of the zoo makes some areas, if not completely inaccessible, then at least difficult to visit if you use a mobility aid such as a wheelchair or stroller. The zoo’s interactive and accessibility maps can provide more information about the easiest places to visit for those in need of accommodations. Many areas do have touch exhibits, but ASL interpreters are typically only available for certain programs on certain days. Quiet zones are marked throughout the zoo and sensory bags are available for those in need of a sensory break.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: The zoo is most crowded during school holidays; it may be difficult to even get a ticket when local schools are on spring break in April, for example. Summer in New York is peak travel season, but it can be quite hot, causing animals to be less active. For this reason, many people say fall is the best time to visit the Bronx Zoo. If you aren’t restricted by your own school schedule, book your trip during the shoulder season.
3. Melbourne Zoo – Australia – Best for Families
The Melbourne Zoo was a Gold Winner in the 2024 Victorian Tourism Awards. It has nearly 4,000 animals, many from Australia but from around the world as well. Kids aged 4 to 15 are free on weekends and holidays.
The Melbourne Zoo is part of Zoos Victoria, which also includes Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park, and Werribee Open Range Zoo.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The Melbourne Zoo is home to Khan, the first Komodo Dragon bred in Australia. The zoo is also beloved for its Butterfly House with more than 600 free-flying butterflies.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: If you've ever wanted to meet a lemur or a koala or even a tiger, the Melbourne Zoo has special Animal Experiences you can add to your admission. Get an up-close-and-personal encounter with endangered animals and their zookeepers, or book an Overnight Experience, camping in the zoo.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: In addition to accessible parking, restrooms, and pathways, the Melbourne Zoo welcomes certified service animals. There’s a sensory map available on their website as well, indicating high- and low-sensory areas of the zoo. Knowing that the Melbourne Zoo and others in the Victoria system are least busy between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m. during the week, they try to lower stimulus even more during those times, reducing sounds from PA announcements, maintenance, and vehicles.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: Melbourne Zoo is open 365 days a year, which is ideal if you’re an American going all that way. You don’t want to miss a thing! The zoo is quite busy during school holidays, which are typically the second week in April and July, the end of September, and late December through late January in Victoria. To avoid the crowds, plan your visit for just after these dates.
4. Saint Louis Zoo – USA – Most Budget-Friendly Zoo
The Saint Louis Zoo does not charge admission. There are some attractions that charge a fee, like the 4D theater and sea lion show, but to just see the animals in their habitats is always free. There’s no more budget-friendly way to enjoy more than 15,000 animals from around the world.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The World’s Fair came to Saint Louis in 1904, and just a few years later, the zoo opened. Some of the historic structures are still there, like the Cypress Swamp, which was originally the Fair’s Flight Cage. Cypress Swamp is one of three bird habitats at the zoo. You’ll find a huge collection of birds here, from the gorgeously colored to the downright strange.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: One of Saint Louis Zoo’s unique attractions is its virtual reality experiences. For just a few dollars, you can feel like you’re right in the heart of Great Migration or a gorilla trek.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: Saint Louis Zoo has some of the most robust offerings we’ve seen for visitors in need of accommodations. Not only does it have Sensory Inclusive certification through KultureCity, but it also offers free assisted listening devices for certain experiences and audio descriptive services. There are family restrooms and an adult changing station, all major attractions are wheelchair accessible, and service dogs are permitted in nearly all areas.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: Spring and summer are the most crowded seasons, but you might find it to be a bit less busy early in the morning and later in the evening. Don’t write off the fall, though. It won’t be so cold that you can’t enjoy yourself, and you’re more likely to feel like you have the place to yourself.
5. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden – USA – Best Zoo for Visitors with Sensory Disorders
The Cincinnati Zoo is the second-oldest zoo in the country (only Philadelphia’s is older). It’s come a long way in the last 150 years when one of its key attractions was a talking crow. Today it’s considered the Greenest Zoo in the Country, praised for its sustainability as well as conservation efforts.
Peacocks roam free and sometimes even leave the zoo grounds. Keep an eye out for them in the surrounding neighborhood as they occasionally go walkabout.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: I was lucky enough to grow up with this as my hometown zoo and have fond childhood memories of the naked mole-rats bumbling around in their tunnels. Fan favorites these days are Fiona the hippo, Rozi the cheetah and her canine companion Daisy, and Rico the snack-loving Brazilian porcupine.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: This zoo offers all kinds of extras, from feeding sloths to learning how to care for manatees. What you won’t find at most other zoos though is a Van Goat tour. For an extra fee, you can create a painted masterpiece with a goat. The fee for this semi-private tour supports the bird conservation efforts of Raptors Inc.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: The Cincinnati Zoo was built on a hill, so even with mobility aids, there may be areas that are difficult for some visitors. Manual and electric wheelchairs are available to rent to help (discounts available with SNAP/EBT cards). The zoo also is partnering with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to become the most inclusive zoo for people with autism and developmental disabilities. As a result, you’ll find sensory-friendly restrooms and multiple calm spaces, sensory bags, social stories and sensory maps, adult changing stations, and more.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: If you want to see the best of the animals, the spring and summer are ideal times to visit the Cincinnati Zoo. That’s also when the botanical gardens are at their peak. If you’re there around Christmastime, check out the Festival of Lights. You won’t see as many of the beloved creatures, but the entire zoo is outfitted in holiday lights, and the festive spirit is a favorite for locals (like me) and travelers.
6. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – USA – Best for Desert Reptiles
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Nebraska has 160 acres of habitat, seven of which are indoors. Whether you like bugs, birds, or behemoth mammals, there’s something for everyone at this zoo, which is routinely named one of the best in the country.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: As well as being named Best Zoo by USA TODAY for the third consecutive year in 2025, the zoo’s Desert Dome was awarded Best Zoo Exhibit. It’s the world’s largest indoor desert with plants and animals from Africa’s Namib Desert, Australia’s Red Center, and the U.S. Sonoran Desert. You’ll also find the Desert Dome Sun Room, designed to house baby reptiles and amphibians.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: The aquarium has two interactive experiences — stingray beach and a touch pool — as well as several behind-the-scenes experiences. These special tours include special access to a range of animals, from amphibians and reptiles to birds to cheetahs.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: Certified service animals are permitted, but be prepared to explain to zoo staff the tasks and needs associated with the animal. Motorized wheelchairs are available for rent, and you’ll also find train and tram stops throughout the expansive zoo.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: Fall and spring are popular times to visit the zoo, primarily because of favorable weather. If you love baby animals, you’ll definitely want to put this site on your itinerary for springtime. Although cold, winter at the zoo is less crowded, and they decorate for the holidays.
7. Chester Zoo – England – UK’s Best Zoo
Not far from Liverpool is the Chester Zoo. Yes, as one of the largest zoos in the United Kingdom, it has a world-class collection of critters, but the zoo also features award-winning gardens that play as important a part in maintaining a healthy ecosystem as the staff’s animal conservation efforts do.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The South East Asian Islands habitat is a crowd favorite. Featuring animals like the Javan warty pig, songbirds, and wild cattle, this exhibit aims to counteract the damage done by the illegal wildlife trade and destruction of natural habitats by the lumber, mineral, and agricultural industries.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Want to dine with the penguins? Or have breakfast with lions? You can book one of these special experiences, along with special tours that focus on a variety of topics. Whether you’re interested in nature photography or are just really into tigers and other predators, there’s probably an extra you’ll love.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: Beginning in Summer 2025, the Chester Zoo features an on-site lodge called The Reserve. It’s designed to have the appearance of an African Savannah cabin while delivering comfort, delicious food, and behind-the-scenes experiences all wrapped up into one luxurious package.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: Peak time to visit Chester Zoo is May through July. This is when you’ll find the best weather (AKA mild and not too rainy). It’s also when the gardens should be at their best and fullest bloom. Unfortunately, you may find that this is when tickets are most expensive as the cost of admission varies based on the time of year. You can often find a discount by booking online in advance, though.
8. Schönbrunn Zoo – Austria – Best Indoor Habitats
The Schönbrunn Zoo, also known as the Vienna Zoo or Tiergarten Schönbrunn, has the distinction of being the oldest zoo in the world. For nearly 250 years — it opened to the public in 1778 — it has delivered unique encounters with Earth’s most incredible animals, all while making sure future generations can have the same pleasure.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The Rainforest House is a must-see at the Schönbrunn Zoo (although it was closed for renovation at the time of writing, in Spring 2025). You’ll feel as if you’ve immersed yourself in the Amazon Jungle, complete with feeling the rumble of artificial thunderstorms. Birds and bats fly freely through the habitat. There are also enclosures and exhibits dedicated to frogs and other forest friends. To drive home the feeling of being in the heart of Austria, stop by the Tirolerhof with animals from the country’s Tyrolean region.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Check the online feeding schedule to see your favorite animals in action. If that’s not enough, look into booking a Morning Experience, where you’ll have the zoo almost to yourself while you eat breakfast and explore behind the scenes, or choose a themed tour. Themed tours can focus on your favorite animals or feature a topic like “Babies and their Mothers.”
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: Because of Schönbrunn Zoo’s age, not all facilities are fully accessible for those in need of mobility accommodations. However, you will find accessible parking and restrooms at select locations. Wheelchairs are available to “rent” for free, but steep ground may make their use difficult in some areas. Certified seeing-eye dogs are permitted and special tours for those with vision impairments are available.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: If you’re visiting in the summer, expect large crowds. You can avoid some of them by going to the zoo midweek or, if you have that kind of flexibility in your travel plans, during the fall. The weather will be colder, but the zoo has several indoor habitats, making it easy to escape the chill.
9. Toronto Zoo – Canada – Best for Conservation Projects
One of the biggest zoos on the list — it covers more than 700 acres — the Toronto Zoo is one of the best when it comes to making a larger impact. While every zoo on our countdown is undeniably committed to conservation, Toronto has several species recovery programs. That means that in addition to the typical exhibits, it also works to reintroduce species into their natural habitats.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: Ask people what you have to see at the Toronto Zoo, and you will hear about the polar bears almost every time. You'll find them in the Tundra Trek habitat, along with the Artic wolf, caribou, and other cold-loving critters.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Because of cold Toronto winters, some special programs are available only seasonally. Time it right, though, and you’re in for a treat. There’s a Serengeti Bush Camp, where you sleep in bush tents and get a behind-the-scenes look at the African Savannah habitat. You might also love hanging out with kangaroos and wallabies as part of the Kangaroo Walk-Thru.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: The Toronto Zoo has designated sensory-friendly hours on select days. In addition to offering these quieter hours, the zoo also has sensory bags with noise-cancelling headphones and fidget devices. Quiet Areas and Headphone Zones, places that may be consistently loud and overwhelming, are marked on zoo maps to help guests with sensory disorders plan their trip. If you have a mobility challenge, it’s good to know that all pavilions are wheelchair accessible, and free wheelchairs are available for those who need extra assistance.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: The best time to visit the Toronto Zoo is spring and summer. It will be more crowded with people, but the animals will be more playful, too. When the temperatures drop, many animals go indoors where they can’t be seen by the public.
10. San Diego Zoo – USA – Best for Animal Conservation
The San Diego Zoo in California is more than 100 years old and routinely makes everyone’s list as one of the best zoos in the world. More than 12,000 species of animals, including many that are rare or endangered, call the 100 acres of the San Diego Zoo home.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: It's hard to pick a single must-see exhibit at the San Diego Zoo. The elephant habitat is massive. Not only will you see the real deal African and Asian elephants, but you can also watch zookeepers work with the animals in the Elephant Care Center and take the kids to dig for mammoth “fossils.” San Diego also recently got a pair of giant pandas, which is a popular exhibit.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: If regular admission isn’t enough, book the Discovery Cart Tour or one of the Wildlife Adventure tours. These give a behind-the-scenes look at the zoo and offer a deep dive into its conservation efforts. Keep an eye out for special events like Food, Wine & Brew, a delicious fundraiser that benefits the San Diego Zoo and nearby San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: The zoo provides a variety of accommodations for visitors with disabilities. This includes special parking and accessible restrooms, buses, and more. Some accommodations, such as space for mobility devices on bus tours, are on a first-come, first-served basis. Trained service animals are permitted in the zoo. While the visitor with the disability must buy a ticket, admission for a companion is free.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: If you're looking to avoid crowds, plan your visit for weekdays. Going in the morning can also help you avoid some of the heat, and it tends to be when animals are most active and the line for the bus tour is shorter. The San Diego Zoo is family-friendly year-round, but kids get in free every October.
11. National Zoological Garden – South Africa – Best Safari Experience
Celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2025, the National Zoological Garden, also known as the Pretoria Zoo, is the largest zoo in South Africa. It houses the world’s third-largest collection of exotic trees, making it a little more special than your average zoo full of animal enclosures.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The African Savannah watering hole might be the closest you get to a real-life safari experience without heading out into the wild. This habitat re-creates what it would be like to see all manner of African wildlife, including rhinos, hippos, elephants, and cheetahs, gather.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Make the trip September through March and you could have the chance at a Sunset Walking Safari. This special program gives you a glimpse at animals’ nightly activities and lets you see nocturnal creatures at their finest.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: This is another zoo that’s rather large. It will take a few hours to see everything. To help guests cover longer distances, golf carts are available to rent by the hour.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: The zoo has undergone several renovations in the last few years, and several are still in progress. If there’s a particular habitat you have your heart set on visiting, make sure it’s still open before buying a ticket. Summer is hot and humid, so your best bet for a comfortable trip likely comes in the spring (August to October because of its southern hemisphere location) or even winter (April to July), which tends to have relatively mild temperatures.
12. Taronga Zoo – Australia – Best for Animal Encounters
It’s location, location, location for Taronga Zoo. Situated right in downtown Sydney, it couples world-class animal habitats with views of Sydney Harbor. Although it’s home to hundreds of species, this zoo specializes in Australian wildlife and conservation efforts right at home.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The newest part of the zoo is ARC, the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Centre, where you can “get up close to curious creatures that jump, slither, and crawl.” You also won’t want to miss nguwing nura, the Nocturnal Habitat featuring Australia’s coolest nighttime critters. Trust us when we say you have to see a potoroo for yourself.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Taronga Zoo has a series of Animal Encounter special programs. You go behind the scenes of caring for the animals and see the cool critters up close. In addition to koalas, capybaras, and meerkats, the zoo also offers new encounters with monkeys, reptiles and amphibians, and penguins. You can book these encounters on-site while spots are available.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: The zoo is wheelchair accessible, with wheelchairs available to rent as well. You’ll find tactile exhibits at various points, and service dogs are permitted. For those with sensory disorders or who are neurodivergent, the zoo offers social stories to prepare for your visit and Tranquil Zones. According to the website, many staff members are trained in the Sunflower Lanyard program, making them especially well-suited to assist visitors with autism and other hidden disabilities.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: If you want to book an Animal Encounter, get to the zoo as soon as possible. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can sell out quickly. September through November — Australia's springtime — is the best time of year to visit Taronga Zoo.
13. Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo – New Zealand – Best for Animal Encounters
The Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo in suburban Wellington might be one of the smaller zoos on our list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t something special. It’s one of the best places in the world to come face-to-face with endangered species native to New Zealand.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The snow leopards are one of the most popular animals to see at Wellington Zoo. If they aren’t out in their enclosure when you first get there and have the time, make a return trip before you head home. When the big cats are out and playful, it’s a sight to behold. The zoo is best known for its native animals, though. Catch a zookeeper talk about the Kea, the world’s only alpine parrot that’s also native to New Zealand; try to spot a Wētā, a nocturnal insect; and be on the lookout for the zoo’s free-roaming emu.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: The zoo has some extremely popular “close encounter” experiences. Be sure to book well in advance if you want to meet, and in some cases pet and feed, your favorite animals. Fan favorites include lemurs, meerkats, red pandas and capybaras, but you could also choose to meet bigger beasts like tigers, snow leopards, or giraffes.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: Not all areas of the zoo are accessible, and the zoo is built on a hill, which can make it difficult to navigate if you face mobility challenges. Service animals are permitted with proof of vaccination. There are some areas of the zoo where they are not allowed, however. Caregivers assisting a visitor with a disability do receive free admission.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: March through May — the fall shoulder season in New Zealand — is the best time to visit Wellington Zoo. If the weather is a bit cool and windy, it can actually work in your favor. The human crowds are smaller, animals are more active, and zookeepers may have more free time to chat and share inside stories.
14. Singapore Zoo – Singapore – Best for Primates
The Singapore Zoo is one of five parks that make up the Mandai Wildlife Reserve. This park is considered the world’s rainforest zoo, though, in part because of its open concept. Enclosures are designed to be as invisible as possible, and some animals, like orangutans, can be seen swinging through the trees free-range.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: With more than 4,000 animals, it’s hard to pick a favorite. The monkeys, langurs, and other residents of Primate Kingdom tend to make the top of the list, though. Part of what makes this habitat unique is that it allows the animals to roam free. It might make them more difficult to spot sometimes, but seeing them in a near-perfect replica of their natural habitat is what makes it such a pleasure.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Read other people's reviews of the Singapore Zoo and they will undoubtedly tell you to do the Night Safari. It’s not technically part of Singapore Zoo, but is a separate park within the larger reserve. Billed as the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park, you can try to catch a glimpse of creatures that go bump in the night.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: According to the website, all five parks within the reserve “are committed to providing accessible experiences,” but there is limited information as to what that specifically entails. We do know that wheelchairs are available to “rent” free of charge, and there is an in-park shuttle service to help with mobility. Visitors with sensory disorders should check out the zoo’s map indicating quiet zones, where you’ll find free-ranging animals that could be overwhelming, and other similar spaces to be aware of.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: March through August are the zoo’s busy season, primarily because it’s Singapore’s dry season. You should still expect the occasional downpour. Outside of those months, it is just wet all the time though, making outdoor activities less than enjoyable. You might like to plan your visit to line up with animal feeding times, most of which happen in mid-morning and early afternoon.
15. Edinburgh Zoo – Scotland – Best for Penguins
More than 2,500 animals call the 82-acre Edinburgh Zoo home. For more than 100 years, it has practiced invaluable conservation efforts, including breeding programs to help keep animal populations healthy and thriving. Its educational programs strive to make nature more accessible, encouraging visitors like you to do your part to protect wildlife.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: Rodney the capybara is one of the newest additions to the zoo, and everyone loves Haggis the pygmy hippo. What Edinburgh Zoo is really known for, though, is its penguin habitat. Penguins Rock has more than 100 gentoo penguins and Major General Sir Nils Olav (the world’s only knighted penguin) among its king penguin colony. When it’s not the spring breeding season, keepers let the penguins out for the Wee Waddle around the zoo every weekend.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Don’t miss the daily zookeeper talks. You’ll delve into what makes the critters special, whether it’s flamingos, meerkats, red pandas, or even cockroaches.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: While Edinburgh Zoo works to be accessible as possible, some areas have stairs and steep inclines that might not be suitable for wheelchair users. These areas are marked on zoo maps. AccessAble accessibility guides provide detailed descriptions and pictures of areas around the zoo as well. Ask the info desk for a sensory bag, available with a deposit.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: Edinburgh Zoo is open every day except for Christmas, but the best time to visit is typically May through September when the weather is most favorable. You’re encouraged to book your tickets in advance, especially as they can sell out on weekends and during school holidays. You may also want to consider taking public transit as parking is limited.
16. Berlin Zoological Garden – Germany – Best for Pandas
You won’t find a better variety of animals than what can be seen at Berlin Zoological Garden. It's home to more than a thousand different species. Some of them are quite rare, like Giant Pandas, while others are more familiar, like the mini donkeys in the petting zoo area.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: Everyone loves pandas, and the Berlin Zoo has Germany’s only Giant Pandas. You might also love the new Empire of Cats habitat, which houses lions, tigers, and jaguars. Less expected are the aardvark and nocturnal Bengal slow loris (Earth’s only venomous mammal) that share the habitat.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Because the Giant Pandas are so popular, the zoo offers special experiences just with these roly-poly beasts. Choose between a VIP tour where you can go behind the scenes of the habitat’s inner workings or get in before the rest of the public to see the pandas in the early morning while they have breakfast.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: Berlin Zoo has wheelchairs available for those who may need additional mobility assistance. These are limited, however, so you are encouraged to contact visitor services about reserving a wheelchair when you purchase your ticket. The zoo also offers guided tours for people with a range of disabilities. This includes tours in sign language, tours where you can use different senses — smell, sound, touch — to experience the zoo, and walks for visitors with dementia.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: Get to the zoo early in the morning. Not only will the animals be most active then, but there’s so much to see, you could easily spend the entire day checking everything out. Don’t let a bit of cold and rain keep you away, either. There are enough indoor habitats, including the impressive aquarium, to offer cover. Plus, the pandas like it cooler, so they’re likely to be in their outdoor enclosure if it isn’t blazing hot.
17. Houston Zoo – USA – Best for Animal Variety
Some 2 million people visit the Houston Zoo in Texas every year, making it one of the most-visited zoos on our list. And because everything is big in Texas, you can expect to see a lot. It’s said the zoo houses more than 6,000 animals, with everything from the cuddly to the scaley to your favorite feathered friends.
- Notable Exhibits & Habitats: The Galápagos Islands habitat is one-of-a-kind. Nowhere outside the actual islands themselves can you see such a comprehensive collection of animals native to that region. The stars of the show are the famous Galápagos tortoise, penguins, bonnethead sharks, and sea lions.
- Educational Programs & Visitor Engagement: Many of the special experiences at zoos, including Houston’s Elephant Bath Experience, can get expensive. We’re not saying they aren’t worth the money, but if you’re traveling on a budget, the Giraffe Feedings might be more up your alley. For less than $10, you can make your way to the Giraffe Feeding Platform and give these gentle giants a tasty treat.
- Accessibility & Visitor Amenities: If steps or steep grades are a concern, you’re in luck as Houston Zoo doesn’t have any of these. That makes it one of the friendlier zoos for wheelchair users. Service animals are also permitted in most areas. Check in at the guest services area to register your dog and get a map of restricted areas.
- Best Time to Visit & Travel Tips: Texas is hot in the summer (which might be the biggest understatement we’ve ever made). Plan your trip for the shoulder season when temperatures are cooler. If the heat isn’t a deterrent, some experienced visitors recommend going later in the day to avoid crowds. You must buy timed-entry tickets in advance, regardless of the time of year.
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