What an amazing experience! Plenty to see during my trip!…read more They have the zoo broken up into different sections with animals of different regions. I was mostly interested in seeing the animals of Australia and New Zealand. There was a pretty good displayed variety in each section . I spent the whole day at the zoo, and don't regret it one bit ! The only thing I regret was not being able to really see the kiwi. They are nocturnal and the enclosure that they are in is extremely dark and hard to see. I did see one for a short amount of time belong into a bush. I definitely recommend this for families or anybody visiting from outside of the region

This zoo is ahhh-mazing! As a tourist to Auckland, I paid the entrance fee (it's free for New…read moreZealand residents) but it's well worth the price. I spent over three hours here and saw animals I've never seen before. It's huge zoo, and there are five sections divided in geographic locations. There is a schedule of presentations throughout the day and we ended up at a porcupine presentation that was quite entertaining and educational. The zoo is scenic, clean and well kept. There are cafes, toilets and rest stops thoughtfully located and convenient for visitors. The animals are well cared for and I saw abundant staff and volunteers throughout the visit. We ate lunch at Te Puna cafe that overlooked the South East Asia section and surprisingly was quite affordable with hot and cold grab and go selections. Highly recommend to visit.

If you are looking for something different for your kids next birthday party then I definitely…read morerecommend Clevedon Animal Farm. Its out in the middle of nowhere and you might go past the entrance once even twice but once you get there the little kiddies and all the family will love this place. You and your kids will get to touch and feed the farm animals and there are a good mixture of the friendly cute animals. The highlight of the farm are the Pony's and pony rides at the end, the kids just love it. And for the birthday lunch you can set this up under a lovely picnic area with plants overhead that have beautiful pink flowers during the summer time - makes for some gorgeous photos. This will be an unforgettable day out whether you come here for a birthday party or kids day out. Note: There are no set opening/closing hours you will need to contact them to arrange your party/day out.

Auckland zoo is the most amazing zoo ever you can get close up to all the animals and its just a…read moremagical experience. They have lions,tigers ,zebras,crocodiles and large turtles etc.We spent a whole day there and we still didnt get round the whole zoo. They also have live shows at certain times like feeding the lions and taking the elephants for a walk. If you need to have a bite to eat they also have a snack bar where you can have a sandwich or hot food. To amke things even better when you finish in the zoo they have a gift shop where you can buy a range of things.

They do have some interesting displays and a nice play area for smaller children/toddlers but…read moreoverall did not feel the admission price was worth it given all the other fun things to do in Auckland. Just down the road are some great playgrounds on the beach! They do have a lot of penguins and there is an option to swim with sharks if you plan in advance. I do think some areas were older/torn fabric etc and could use a good clean up!

A gift. Have you…read moreever gone to a place that you knew would make someone else happy, just to make that person happy? Although Kelly Tarlton is not that big or impressive of an aquarium, it made my parents so happy and that was priceless. This was the last stop on a trip to celebrate my parents' 60th wedding anniversary and to fulfill my dad's lifelong of going to Australia (with a cruise to Australia and New Zealand). My mom loves animals. Dogs. Cats. Koalas. You name it, she just loves all animals. Going to the aquarium and just watching my mom and dad watch the penguins be fed fish was....priceless. So many penguins. Gentoos and King. Happy Feet. You can't help but smile. Second favorite part. The moving tunnel aquarium. We went around and around and around. Capturing moments in time as the sharks, stingrays and fish swam overhead. Magical! Also loved the jellyfish. Mesmerizing. The octopus. So cool. The sea dragons. One of my favorites. The turtle talk. The snack shop sells a drink with a coffee cup or a cute little blue fairy penguin finger puppet for $15 NZD. Guess which one I got?? As an aquarium, maybe not so impressive and a bit overpriced at $40 NZD, but life is about experiences and this was one that was truly amazing. So happy to make my parents so happy. Note: You can borrow a wheelchair by leaving an ID card at the front desk. We used one just to get my dad down the long and winding ramp, but he was fine with his rollator otherwise. There are lifts located throughout the aquarium except at the entrance which is as quite helpful especially as we explored and exited the aquarium.

The Hamilton Zoo is a favourite outing for our family. It is very affordable, and the animals seem…read morewell treated and live in relatively open spaces on the outskirts of Hamilton's western suburbs. Entry fees are very affordable for individuals and families, and we have a season pass. It is very reasonably priced! The zoo has undergone major renovations over the last five years, expanding well beyond where it was only five years ago (the time of our first visit). It includes an enormous, well-equipped children's playground, an upscale café and dining restaurant. In the near future, there will be a hotel on the premises where guests are welcome to stay and observe the animals after- and before-hours. To get to the zoo, visitors may drive to the facility or choose to take the city bus. The city bus is very convenient, since it leaves from the Hamilton CBD and arrives directly outside the front entrance to the zoo. A highlight for the kids include the tigers, ostriches, American buffalo, and, of course, giraffes. Also, they certainly like to use the slides located near the chimpanzee enclosure.

Not the largest zoo but what they lack in variety, they definitely make up in quality. There are…read moresome definite gems here like an extremely active red panda, ring-tailed lemurs that you can play with, the cutest bobcat and beautiful tigers. My boyfriend and I definitely had a lovely time here and I could be found squealing like a child about the cuteness of the animals. The zoo itself is not suffocating and the enclosures are well-maintained and adequately-sized to give the animals space to play in. There is also a playground for kids and lots of interactive experiences. There are also a lot of talks given by the zoo staff about the different animals which were informative and interesting. If I lived in Hamilton, I would definitely visit again.