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    Edmonton Valley Zoo

    2.9 (68 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Edmonton Valley Zoo Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Edmonton Valley Zoo

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    Reviews With Photos

    Lucy the elephant on her daily exercise walks
    Terence C.

    For a zoo this size there's a lot of neat features and animals. They're in the middle of a renovation right now so many exhibits are either closed or being fixed up. The urban farm is pretty neat. Unfortunately as of April 2022, it is closed due to avian flu outbreak precautions. The birds of prey are also away for the time being as they are also susceptible to it as well. The zoo is very accessible and my daughter loves it. Lots of areas for younger kids to play and climb as well. If you live in Edmonton, i highly recommend buying an annual pass. Go any time you have a free morning. Great activity to start the day.

    The Edmonton Zoo was a complete disgrace! I truly could not believe my eyes at the lack of care the animals receive there. The white wolf was in an enclosure so small it is more accurate to call it a cage. He/she was by himself which in itself is horrific. Wolves are pack animals and need to be with others. The tiger was also in a completely inadequate enclosure. The information sign gave a "fun fact" for tigers and said they love water. Well I sure didn't see a drop of water although there was definitely a hollowed out area intended for it. I did not see any enclosures for several animals (such as mama and baby zebra) to give protection from the frigid winters in Edmonton. The peacock room had 17 peacocks that I counted and they were so packed in they could not spread out their tails if they wanted to. The elephant Lucy was nowhere to be seen. When I asked a zoo employee where she was I was told she was "retired" and hanging out with her keepers who she loves like family. This employee must have thought I knew nothing about elephants but I do. They may have affection for some humans but they absolutely need other elephants to thrive. In addition elephants need warm climates, not the subfreezing temperatures of Edmonton in winter. The enclosure for the otters was also heartbreaking. There was barely enough water to swim around in. After viewing a few more animals I had to leave. I could not take witnessing any more animal suffering. This zoo needs to be shut down. These animals deserve so much better!

    Chau H.

    My friend and I decided to check out Zoominiscense at the Edmonton Valley zoo. We brought tickets from Eventbrite and if the weather wasn't fit you could go on a different night, make sure to double check on that before you arrive as I got different answers. The person from the Valley zoo on the phone says that the eventbrite tickets are only valid the day off but their websites says it doesnt matter any day, luckily at the counter at guest services we were able to use the ticket we brought last week but wasn't able to go because it was too cold. The zoo shop was small and overall you have selections for the kids crafts, some clothes, jewelry. You could also donate and contribute by purchasing "adopt an animal," which are $75 that gets you information about the zoo animal, your name on the list and two tickets for the tea at the zoo in the spring. Zoominiscense was good, there were plenty of lights to see, and plenty of places to visit if you have kids like the petting zoo. There were owls, one elephant name "Lucy", wolves, red pandas, otters, peacocks, and farm animals such as cows, chickens, roasters, pigs, sheep's, goats. There were also reindeers. Overall it was a fun night, the food selections were not bad, you can get ice cream, some fast food selections, and mini donuts.

    Red Panda!
    Ali G.

    Wow, the zoo really has improved in the last several years! I was there for The Arc Project Zoolander fashion show last night and I really enjoyed wandering the zoo when it was closed to the public (outside of our event that is). It was awesome seeing the capybaras (my favourite animal at this zoo), the zebras, the alpacas, llamas and of course Lucy the elephant. The entrance to the zoo is way more beautiful than it once was. I love the areas where children can play and while there are a few ridiculous things (like why would you want to go find out what the arctic feels like when this is Edmonton which gets mighty cold/windy as it is?), the zoo is pretty awesome, if perhaps a bit small. The walking paths are nice and the zoo employees are really knowledgeable and willing to do things like show off the animals or the wares of the zoo gift shop among other tasks.

    Lucy the Elephant out for a walk on public sidewalks!
    Susan W.

    I enjoy the zoo enough to have a yearly membership to it. Is it the best zoo? No. I've been to nicer. But it is a zoo that is the perfect size and excitement level for my toddler kiddos to enjoy. Pro: The place is clean. The staff is really friendly. The petting zoo is my kids favorite place. Lots of hands on places for kids to climb. Generally quiet enough that I can let my kids run free without freaking me out. You can rent strollers! The cafe at the entrance of the zoo is wonderful. Con: Can be pricey for a one time visit. At a toddlers pace, you can see the entire zoo under 1.5 hours. Some exhibits are quite run down - reminds me of a high school art project gone bad. At the moment, there is a lot of construction. When it is done with, the improvements should bring a new level of excitement to animal viewing.

    Construction and chain link fences. Everywhere.
    Beckie M.

    The absolute worst zoo I have ever been to. Over half the zoo is either closed or under construction, a fact that the website does not mention. Of the exhibits that aren't under construction, a large portion are empty. The majority of the attractions are also closed, leaving no activities to distract you from there being no animals. I understand that there needs to be construction sometimes, but there is no justification for charging full admission price when this zoo looks like it currently does.

    Bonnie A.

    This review is for the meeting space at the Valley Zoo. I booked a business meeting here for 70 people. The booking process was very easy, through the City of Edmonton. The rate for the room was quite reasonable, and we were allowed to bring in any caterer we wanted. We booked a picnic site for our lunch, and had a local BBQ restaurant cater. The meeting room one of the best set up rooms I've used. There were two walls, all floor to ceiling windows, but they had blinds that could either total black out, or let some light through. There is a projector screen, but there was an issue with the sound system. We did bring our own. My one major complaint is the glass door to the room was broken, so there was no door to close. Many kids were coming through the building (our meeting was in June... prime field trip season), and they were so loud. I asked one of the employees the zoo to put up a sign saying meeting in process, and that did help a little. However, as a City of Edmonton facility, I would expect they be able to fix a door in a timely manner. It had fallen off the hinge, and doesn't seem like it would to be impossible to fix. The door was off when I viewed the space several weeks prior to the event, and I was told the noise would not be a problem. Our event coordinator was very helpful with anything I needed. Overall, our guests were completely satisfied and I highly recommend using these facilities. Just maybe make sure the door is fixed before your event.

    Lauren N.

    For anyone who has been to a big zoo, like the one in Calgary or Vancouver, you might not think too much of the Edmonton Valley Zoo. But it's still a cute little zoo, and offers its own kind of fun. Summer, of course, is the best time to go, but I recently went on a warm fall day, and I enjoyed walking through with barely any crowds. There is a train ride and merry-go-round for the kids, pony rides, and different shows and demonstrations on throughout the day. (I was sad that I exceeded the height limit for the pony rides.) Be sure to go in the morning or early afternoon, as that's when all the shows take place. Their Birds of Prey flight demonstration is really cool, if you can catch it. I've never seen a real owl so close up before, and it's absolutely amazing how silently they glide through the air. Also catch the elephant show if you can, where they introduce Lucy the Elephant to you. She's quite famous in Edmonton, because she's a painting elephant (she can paint with her trunk)! They also have lectures on frogs, and teach you how the frog species is becoming endangered. There are paddle boats, but those are closed now due to colder weather. The petting zoo was also closed too when I recently went. The last time I went in the summer however, they were open and I saw a guinea pig giving birth to her babies in the petting zoo barn. My favorite things about the zoo though, are the red pandas and the prairie dogs. They are all so unbelievably adorable! You haven't seen a prairie dog until you've seen it yawn and stretch like a house-cat. I'm telling you, I cracked up so hard I think I scared the poor things into their little holes. So it may not be a big zoo, but it's still a fun place to spend a free afternoon. You can visit the animals, and learn something new!

    Paririe Dog
    Kelley H.

    Visited the zoo today to get out of the hotel room and see some of the things Edmonton has to offer. I really love zoo's and just seeing the animals. I always have a great time walking around. I did enjoy getting to this zoo early, around 10am, to beat the kid crowd. I was expecting something more based on zoo's I have been to over the years. The prairie dogs where out running around, so cute! The wolfs were howling, probably because they were waiting for breakfast. I loved that the owls were down near the fence for me to seem them. They were so big! Of course also enjoyed Lucy the elephant! The enclosures are not anything spectacular and some of them see far away so the animals look small. One example being the zebra exhibit. I did feel bad for the sea lions because they are in a small enclosed exhibit but I understand they are building a new area for these guys. The red panda's where not out and that was a disappointment and there were a lot of empty exhibits. I understand animals moving to new areas, but just seemed odd how many were empty. I didn't get a map walking in and was hoping it was easy to get around, which it was. They have good signage to let you know where everything is. The park is kind of like a big circle so you really can't get lost. I would definitely go again because I enjoy seeing the animals but I wouldn't go on and on about how great this is.

    Taking an animal fotography class at the Valley Zoo!!

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    Page 1 of 2

    Review Highlights - Edmonton Valley Zoo

    I have visited the zoo in the summer a few years, but have visited "Zoominescence: A Festival of Lights" a few times already, which happens in December every year.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Marine Life - Penguin

    Marine Life

    2.7(14 reviews)
    5.0 km

    This is a neat little aquarium available to Edmonton…read more It's great for kids to experience underwater life if you're unable to hit up the larger ones on the coasts (ex. Sea World). They have a couple other land critters like snakes, reptiles, scorpions and such, which occasionally are taken out for walks and petting/photo opportunities. As for the underwater animals, there's a couple schools of fish, some individually unique ones, handful of large nurse sharks, a black tip reef shark, huge green sea turtles and other fishes I can't begin to name. The touch pools are always neat - poking at anemones, starfish and small nurse sharks! (they feel pretty rough covered in sand, like wetted fine sand paper) And then the 2 main attractions - African penguins and California sea lions! We got to attend a mini-showing of one of the Penguins before catching the sea lion show. The penguins are so little & super cute and make interesting noises (if the trainer can coax a loving squawk that sounds like a donkey lol). The sea lion show is also pretty entertaining, and the fun photo opps allow you to choose either side-by-side or getting a big wet kiss on your head!

    This was actually a lot of fun. Sea Lion Rock had three Sea Lions that are very well trained and…read moreperform a few fun tricks for the crowd. My daughter is still really young but she thought the Sea Lions were hilarious the way they bounded about. She would have been happy with that. If you get a good spot on the bridge or balcony from the mall you can watch the whole show for free. The only difference is the photo opportunity at the end. If this is the only difference, I think they should brush up on the photography skills. There were a lot of bad images and I totally get it. Taking pictures of animals and kids is really hard. Although quite a few parents in my group begrudgingly purchased photographs of their kids with eyes closed etc. My kids pic was such a joke - even the sea lion looked confused. I didn't buy mine and it's ok. I don't really need a souvenir anyway. The price is reasonable, as it includes entry into the Sea Life Caverns too. $12 for adults and under 3 go free. The caverns are worth the $12 alone and the staff are fantastic with the kids and talking about the animals in general. A nice way to spend a few hours in the mall with the kids.

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    Marine Life
    Marine Life - Penguin educational explanation

    Penguin educational explanation

    Marine Life

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    Edmonton Corn Maze

    Edmonton Corn Maze

    4.0(23 reviews)
    13.7 km

    It's ok. Lots of mosquitos in the maze itself. We decided not to do the second phase as we didn't…read morereally enjoy the first half. There's no potable water on site. They should capacity control the train ride. We were seated and then a group just overloaded into our car. Not pleasant at all. Spud gun was cool but only 3 shots per $2 token.

    Can we say fall family favourite activity? Now say it three times fast! Hahaha ok all jokes aside,…read morethis place is super fun for the family. Best thing to do is purchase your passes online before you go because you'll save a little bit of money that way. If you sign up for their emails you'll also get a chance to purchase 2 for 1 passes or multiple entry discounted passes. I purchased 2 family passes for a discounted price of 25% off. At the grounds themselves they have a farmers market with local goodies, a mini farm where you can feed the animals, potato guns, wagons to pull the kids in, lots of picnic benches for having lunch (which you can bring yourself btw). Depending on the time of season you go, they also have a sunflower field for awesome pictures, and you can purchase sunflower stems to take home. They also have a pumpkin patch in the fall for great photo ops and pumpkins for purchase too. On top of all that x there are games and jumping pillows for the kids and just soooooo much fun. The maze itself changes every year so it's always something new when you come. It takes about 1.5 hours to complete so be ready with your walking shoes or wagons. Overall this is a super fun family friendly activity to enjoy and I highly recommend checking this place out if you haven't been before.

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    Edmonton Corn Maze
    Edmonton Corn Maze
    Edmonton Corn Maze

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    Edmonton Valley Zoo - zoos - Updated May 2026

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