Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
add photosOn 90 acres with over 700 species of animals, the Columbus Zoo is organized by Regions: Asia Quest, North America, African Forest, Australia, the Islands of Southeast Asia, and The Shores.
Habitat Hollow and My Barn are kid-friendly areas that emphasize conservation and recycling and encourage farmyard interactions respectively.
The zoo is currently (2009) hosting some events including: the Seasonal Employment Job Fair (Columbus Zoo, Zoombezi Bay, and Safari Golf Club positions); Egss, Paws and Claws - candy stations, special entertainment, and a big Bunny; Red Cross Blood Drive (free entry with blood donation); Bodhi's Earth Day Celebration, Columbus Parent Magazine Expo, Walk for Faith, Mothers Day Celebration (free entry for moms), Peter and the Wolf: A Promusica Youth and Family Concert; and more.
Ride Wristbands $6 - Carousel, North American Train (weather permitting, seasonal), Pony Ride (seasonal), Islands of Southeast Asia Boat Rides (seasonal), Jungle Jack's Landing (open seasonally) - Jungle River Falls, Sea Dragon, Condor Craze, Whirligigs, Dust Devil, Jack's Tea Party, Safari Stampede, Journey to Zanzibar, Swingin' Gibbons, Jungle Trek, Tiny Tusks, Golden Frog Hopper, and African Express.
Extended hours on Wednesdays Only - June 25 through August 20, Open until 8 P.M.
Check for discount days and specials on the website. Military discount $2 off with valid military ID.
21 Reviews for Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
1
00 families found this helpful
"Great zoo, but beware the masses!"
Columbus Zoo is a great zoo, with lots of cool animals. It is doable in a day and has other attractions, including a train and boat ride, and a small amusement park called Jungle Jack's Landing. There is a food court and several food stands. The food is typical, average, over-priced fare. Best to buy or bring snacks and eat somewhere away from the zoo. The zoo gets VERY crowded by mid morning on nice days. Strollers everywhere. If you love crowds, this is the place for you. If you like amore relaxing experience, go at off hours, like towards the end of the day, or, better yet, on a rainy or cold day-much easier to see all the animals and there are plenty of buildngs to pop into to get warm. Pricey admission, as well. Buy a membership or see if your local zoo has reciprocal agreements.
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'111 family found this helpful
"Fun for all"
Good zoo- a bit spread out for my liking. We went there with friends with 2 kids in tow - my 2 year old daughter and their 3 year old son. Went during Summer and it was quite hot. You have to walk a lot and compared to Atlanta Zoo regarding space, the place is enormous. So if you plan to visit, make sure you have lots of drinks. You will get lots of exercise, that's for sure. We enjoyed all the animals in their natural habitat. This was my first encounter with a manatee. My daughter was excited about seeing the Komodo Dragon since she had recently seen the Curious George cartoon in which he goes to meet the Komodo Dragon. Overall, not bad.
1 family found this helpful
"Best Zoo for Children"
Zoos are always a great place to take children for an outdoor activity, but this zoo is by far the best we have ever visited. Everything is catered toward the children, and there are not only a number of delightful animal species, but also a lot of park rides and special features that will make a child's day. My children loved the camel ride, and we also enjoyed seeing the cute and cuddly panda bears!
0 families found this helpful
"The Best!"
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a great place to take kids! The areas are well divided and the walking isn't too bad, though the zoo is pretty spread out. There's a train ride in North America that my kids love! Another favorite is the Aquarium. The main one is great plus they have a unique tank with manatees. Well worth your time!
0 families found this helpful
"great zoo, lots of fun"
The columbus zoo is one of the nicest zoo's we've ever visited. It's big so you can spend a whole day there if you want. The animals are in great environments and easy to see, plus there is a lot of fun activities for kids to do besides just looking at the animals. My little boy loves to play in the play area, ride the train, and take the boat ride. A really great place to visit if your in the area!
0 families found this helpful
"Columbus Zoo"
The Columbus Zoo is a great family place. Of course, there is the obvious joy of taking your kids to visit the animals - from snakes, to monkeys to a great aquarium! There is also a train ride on which you can see some animals in their "natural" habitat, almost like you're on a safari! There is also a "rainforest" that you can walk through and enjoy! I highly recommend this for any family! The kids will love it!
0 families found this helpful
"Visit the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium"
My family and I had a wonderful time at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. The zoo features a large variety of animals. The animals were easy to spot due to the awesome set up of the exhibits. The animals all appeared to be heathly and happy! The hightlight of the trip was the Aquarium...we loved it! The Columbus Zoo was easy to navigate through and not overly crowded. It was one of the best zoo's that I have ever been too. There are so many different events going on at the zoo throughout the day. Before going to the zoo check out their website, it really informative and exciting. Definitely recommend the Columbus zoo!
0 families found this helpful
"Columbus Zoo and Aquarium"
AMazing zoo and so many neat things to see and do. SO many hands on things to do with the kids and many exotic animals to look at. A bit pricey to get into if it weren't so far away for me I would rather invest in a membership. Definitely worth the drive.
0 families found this helpful
"Take advantage of an Aquarium in Ohio"
The Columbus Zoo has more parking than an amusement park. The prices are fair. The restaurants are actual restaurants, not just kiosks and a mcdonalds. There are alot of very diverse, high end gift shops. I always plan to shop them on the way out for things I would want in my home. Best of all, is the Aquarium. It makes a difference for all of us that no longer have a Sea World.
0 families found this helpful
"Take advantage of an Aquarium in Ohio"
The Columbus Zoo has more parking than an amusement park. The prices are fair. The restaurants are actual restaurants, not just kiosks and a mcdonalds. There are alot of very diverse, high end gift shops. I always plan to shop them on the way out for things I would want in my home. Best of all, is the Aquarium. It makes a difference for all of us that no longer have a Sea World.
0 families found this helpful
"Columbus Zoo= Awesome"
Jack Hanna's vision is absolutely amazing! Around every turn is a surprise and something special. The collection of animals gives the guest such a variety that you could stay all day and still not experience everything. It is a little pricey but well worth it!
0 families found this helpful
"Huge Zoo"
Took my family there for my son's fourth birthday. They really enjoyed seeing all of the animals and taking the mini train ride. The aquarium wasn't anything to be impressed by, and they never put the picture online they took at the front gate. I can't wait to go back and see the new polar bear exhibit.
0 families found this helpful
"kids would love!"
Zoo is the best place to enjoy with kids in weekend.If u have kids and leave in columbus,it is worth to take their annual pass to enjoy more and save money!.Kids would njoy varieties of animals like polar bear,manatee,lion.They have different zones like North America,Australia etc displaying lots of wildlife.Its a big zoo,so with kids make sure u reach early & try to see much of it with lunch and snack breaks.Carousel ride,Train ride,Pony ride is a major plus for kids.
0 families found this helpful
"Nice layout!"
We love it...the layout is open so as not to be crowded. They have lots of variety of animals. Indoor areas are spread around so it can be a nice break from rain or heat. The "extras" are reasonable at only $1 or less if you buy a z-card. Exhibits are rarely closed.
0 families found this helpful
"Family Friendly"
Very kid and family friendly! There is so much to see. They have lots of exhibits like playgrounds, hands on learning about the animals, and guides that will tell you interesting facts about what you are looking at. My daughter loves the train. We saw the Christmas lights & they were amazing!!!
0 families found this helpful
"Love the Columbus Zoo! "
The Columbus zoo is very kid and family friendly. There is so much to see and many interactive exhibits such as playgrounds, hands on learning about the animals, and guides that will tell you interesting facts about what you are looking at. There is also a train that goes around that is so much fun for the kids as well as adults. There are many benches and shaded picnic tables if a break is needed. I would highly recommend this zoo if you are in the area!
0 families found this helpful
"Columbus Zoo Fun!"
I absolutely love this zoo! It is fun for all ages- from animal lovers to Christmas light lovers- there is always something to do. My favorite memory so far is going with my family to see the baby elephant- what an experience! I have yet to see the new polar bears, but i am so excited!
2 families found this helpful
"FREE admission for military personnel and family members!"
The Columbus Zoo has an amazing deal for military personnel right now. Free admission with a military ID. This offer does not include admission to the water park.
Read more about this deal at www.Examiner.com: http://ww.examiner.com/x-14531-Dayton-Parenting-Examiner~y2009m6d25-Columbus-Zoo-and-Aquarium-free-for-military
1 family found this helpful
"Capital City zoo trip"
Columbus has a wonderful zoo thanks in part to the zoos partnership with Wildlife Expert Jack Hannah. It's very nice and clean. The manatee exhibit is terrific. Like all zoos, the food is a little on the pricy side, but not out of the ballpark. They are always making changes and expanding exhibits. It's a great family trip.
1 family found this helpful
"Nice Zoo"
We went for the Wild Lights program, so in addition to seeing the zoo, we rode on the carousel, saw model trains, and watched the light show. The zoo is nice, spread out quite a bit, with clever buildings for each type of animal. It's really focused on animal preservation and offers many opportunities for supporting wildlife.
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