It's been many years since I've been to the zoo... Took my grandson... we went looking for the gorillas, none, hippos, none ... but we did see monkeys, snakes, orangutang, tiger, giraffes, penguins, elephants, flamingos, owl, aardvark, skinks, alligators, iguana, parrots, peacocks, turtles, birds, salamander and lots of pidgeons... The zoo is under renovation so some of the animals weren't out. It was still a very lively day, nice shady areas to picnic, clean lavatory facility and adequate trash cans. I live the zoo and so did he read more

We have a membership, so we can bring son son to get some outdoor and wild life fun. So from that perspective it's always great to get outside, exercise, and son son seeing wild life on a regular basis Overall though, the zoo leave a lot to be desired. A lot of exhibits are closed/renovated. Some of the habitats are set up in a way that sometimes makes it difficult and/or not able to see the animal at all. A lot of the habitats and facilities are a bit run down The best habitat is the newest made some 15 years ago (haha) that is always the best to see the animal is the elephants. If we were on vacay and came once, I'd probably be a little disappointed. However as residents with membership to bring son son on a regular, it's worth it. read more

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My husband and I went to the Honolulu Zoo yesterday for his birthday .. We were very excited to go as we have been wanting to go there for a while now. The Zoo itself is very beautiful but there were not many exhibits open and a lot of the animals were not viewable. The animals that we did get to see were awesome though!! I think that if attraction are going to be closed and if over half of the animals are not going to be viewable that they should post something about that on their website so that people can make an informed decision as whether or not to go to the Zoo that day.. Especially when paying full price for entrance to the Zoo itself. I'm hoping that we get to go back at another time soon when everything is open and available to enjoy. All in all though, I am still happy to have had the experience. read more

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Zoo parking on the weekends can be tough and frenetic with surfers, picnic goers and all types of Waikiki visitors cramming for a spot. We spent 20 minutes circling until we found a place to park. No lines at the zoo and it's great we received kamaiana rate. The grounds were really hot and most of the animals were from hotter climates such as lions, hyenas, tortoises, peacocks, giraffes, elephants etc. The zoo is smaller with many of the displays closed due to renovations. We did see a lot of animals and they were smaller as the enclosure was smaller. The petting zoo was ok without too many animals out. The bathrooms were closed and the sink to wash hands was not prominently displayed. Zoo was just okay. Maybe not to return for a while until they get their promised panda. read more

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Such an amazing zoo! Everything about it from the exhibits to the landscaping to the farm animals to the playground to the staff is fantastic! This is one of our favorite places to go with our keiki. read more

Loved taking my kids here for years then we moved a few years ago to Texas. Came back for the first time in 4.5yrs and I didn't realize how expensive the non-kama'aina tickets were. I get that it's just the way it is, but they shouldn't charge when half of the animals are gone or the site is under construction. For the time being, they should be giving discounts to everyone. Came here to see animals. We basically paid to walk around a park. Pretty sad to see one of my kids favorite places, become this. read more

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Went to the zoo with my family..,haven't been here in ages. There were so many changes for the better. I remember some of the animals were in cages but now they're in an open area with grass...yay! We only covered half the zoo so we'll be back! I purchased the "Ground Hornbill" annual pass for $50 which includes: - Option A: 2 adults and no children OR - Option B: 1 adult and 1 child age 17 and under You choose the option you want and your ticket is saved in your Wallet app...so convenient! The zoo has lots of parking, it costs $1.50 an hour and you pay it at the parking kiosks all over the lot. It accepts credit card or cash. You just punch in your license plate number and the amount of hours you want (4 hour limit). Grab the ticket and put it on your dashboard. If you plan on staying for more than 4 hours, you would need to go back to the kiosk to pay for another ticket to replace the one you left on your dashboard. read more

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It's been a while since I've been to the Honolulu Zoo so when my granddaughter said she wanted to go, how could I resist? Having visited San Diego Zoo last Fall, I was curious to see how the Honolulu Zoo stacked up. I'm glad to say that despite being smaller, the zoo is worth coming to spend some time. The range animals like tigers and lions have beautiful enclosures to roam in. The primates (monkeys and orangutans) have large spaces to run and structures to swing on. I think the only thing that could've been a little better designed was the reptile cages which were in the bright sunshine and the glare made it hard to see if there were any animals within. Usually zoos will have the reptile cages in dark areas with sun lamps to keep then heated. The tortoises had a nice large enclosure with lots of plants to chew on and shelters to hide from the sun. The gift shop has a plethora of things to buy to remember a fun trip to the zoo. My granddaughter loved the petting zoo (which was way larger than I remember) and went home a happy camper. If you get a chance, come down and check out the zoo! read more

Honolulu Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The zoo is small but good for a nice morning or afternoon. Spent a few hours here and grabbed a snack, kimchi fries, which weren't bad. They have a few different sections for birds, reptiles and a safari. They were doing construction so it was a little tough to get around with the closed off paths. You had to keep turning around and going back which caused a little bit of congestion while walking around but I'm happy to see they're making improvements. It was nice to spend time here but I likely wouldn't add it to my vacation itinerary if it was under 6 days on island. If you live here or are here for over a week then definitely spending a few hours here will be a nice stop of your trip. read more

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Fun walking around Zoo today. We were out walking the beach and spotted the zoo. Like most zoos, we saw a lot of animals but some would hide or sleep. We saw a lot of birds, 2 giraffes, elephants, sleeping lions, snakes, iguanas, it was fun day and lot of walking! read more

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We did the nighttime guided tour, and that's what really made the experience. Because the zoo is closed to the public during the tour, there are no crowds at all, which is fantastic. It feels calm, intentional, and much more personal. That said, since the park is closed, there's no food, no gift shop, nothing open. Bring water, and if you're bringing kids, a small snack is a good idea. The tour isn't hours long, though, so most people will be totally fine without anything extra. The zoo itself is on the smaller side, but this is a small island, so that tracks. It's not an exhausting amount of walking. Comfortable shoes or sandals are enough. Our guide was kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely engaged, not just reading off a script. Group size was ideal, not massive, but not awkwardly small either. Around a dozen people, which made it easy to ask questions and actually hear everything. Important PSA: mosquitoes are relentless. Bring DEET. This is not optional. Animals + water + Hawaii = mosquitoes doing the absolute most. Restroom situation is well handled. There are accessible restrooms at the beginning and end of the tour, and if someone needs to go in the middle, staff will escort you to a restroom, which is especially helpful for kids or anyone with accessibility needs. Best exhibit by far: the giraffes. They are incredibly close and the enclosure is very open. It genuinely feels like you could reach out and touch them (obviously don't), which was easily the most memorable part. Overall, the night tour, lack of crowds, great guides, and close animal encounters make this a solid 4/5. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for a daytime visit, but the nighttime guided tour is absolutely worth doing. read more

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We love the zoo with our one year old! She loves to look at all of the animals and wave at all of the people. We got a family pass so we try to go often. The restaurant has decent offerings and our pass gets us a discount there. The food is still pricey but it's a treat. They have daily specials too. The parking machines are mostly broken so it's a struggle finding a working one to pay at. There is a lot of construction inside the zoo so we look forward to seeing the new renovations! read more

I've been to over 20 zoos at this point and this zoo is very middle of the line but costing more like some of the better zoos I've been to. There was a decent amount of construction when we went so maybe it's better when things are more open, but it felt like half of the zoo was off of exhibit. It's pretty small for the price and the flow of the zoo is a little messed up. I'd just make sure things were open before you go since otherwise there's not much to see here at all. Also, because of the construction there's a lot of dead ends and places when you have to back track a lot. read more

This is my second time this year to the Honolulu zoo and this time around I was much more pleased with my visit. I think a big reason for that is going in winter time... I went today and the weather was much more bearable, and it wasn't so hot in the park. If you come in spring and summer, it is so so so hot here. Additionally, what made this visit so great today was that we went right when it opened at 10 AM. If you're gonna come to the zoo, I highly recommend coming at opening. Not only is it not as hot, but all of the zookeepers are out giving snacks to the animals first thing in the morning and the animals are actually out right in front of you and more active. We saw so many animals right in front of us. Previous trips I came in the afternoon and it was unbearably hot, and the animals are not out. It was really cool seeing the zookeeper put the peanut butter on the bear's toys and watching the bear literally feet from us enjoy a morning snack. What totally made our day was seeing the giraffes 15 feet in front of us eating bamboo. It was an amazing sight to see. I appreciated that the zookeeper talked to us and told us about the animals. Additionally, some enclosures have volunteers that hang out to teach you about the animals, which is a nice added touch to the experience. The only reason I would not give this zoo five stars is that there's not enough parking, and some of the enclosures are empty and not active. Additionally, food inside the park is ridiculously expensive to grab a bite to eat. read more

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This was a very SAD and unkempt zoo. The poor orangutans had hardly any room in their enclosures and seemed very depressed. I would be too if I was living there. The tanks for the fishes were incredibly dirty. I wish I could go back and never give them my money or support zoos in any way. read more

Honestly, it's a nice place to spend some family time. So if you ever have to relieve yourself to settle in house stress or tension within the home... GET TO THE ZOO! You will see more of nature that is well needed, you'll get some sun exposure. And you'll leave with MORE THOUGHTS than you ever had. Is it good or is it bad? Well that's totally up to YOU! Our family had. A nice time because we did have the little one with us. It was also because it was his bday. So, we actually did well to make his day special! I'm happy we all survived the whole day too! We made it before lunch, but, they did cancel a few feeding sessions. A couple exhibits was closed. AND they up the time for the petting zoo and closed it early, so no one had a chance to do the petting zoo. So yeah... it was a bit drab but we did get to see other animals that the little one liked. That was the main point for us! I'm not too sure if tickets are worth for visitors tho. It's accessible online to see the prices. And always check for their updates on the events. But they do have some event in the evenings on Saturdays. Maybe it's something worth trying. I don't know ‍ But, overall for us... WE HAD A GOOD DAY & IMMA RATE A 4 because it's what my family and I totally NEEDED, SERIOUSLY! hehehe we needed to get out into nature with animals! I think it did us some good! read more

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The zoo opens a bit later, around 10am. There was a short line to enter. The zoo was ok. We did get to see many animals. A lot of animals. The chimps and monkeys were crazy and loud. They were loud. Not too many stands or refreshments areas that were open at the time we went. It started getting quite hot, so we left. Also, apply some bug spray!! We got bitten by some kind of bugs or mosquitos while in the zoo. read more

I hadn't been to the zoo in almost 10 years, and not that much has changed. It's still a nice place to go with family, if you have young children. We took my granddaughter here after lunch so she could burn off energy, and it bright back a lot of memories when I used to come here with my daughter, and when I used to come here with my parents as a kid, back in the 60's. It has definitely undergone several renovations over the years, and there were several still underway, with a some of the exhibits closed. Seeing the large Banyan tree in the center brought back memories of sitting under it with family, having lunch and then swinging on the vines. The cost is still reasonable, for Kama'aina, although a senior discount would be nice (lol). It was fun, and we'd come back again, though maybe not in the middle of summer. read more

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Great zoo for the whole family. Beautiful setting. All the animals were out. They looked healthy and happy. Lots of walking. Wheelchairs available for $15. Nice gift shop & snack bar. Staff walking around to answer questions. Great friendly customer service. read more

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I didn't see any notice of closed areas in the zoo..prior to booking! Could have saved our money. I give it a try every couple years and a few areas are always closed. Our last visit was the most disappointing.. Not much to see! So bummed. read more

Seeking a fun activity within walking distance of our hotel, we happily spent a couple hours here. It is $21 per adult which is a reasonable price for a zoo this size. Upon entry, I was under the impression that the zoo would be tiny, but it actually housed many more exhibits than I anticipated. We first walked through the bird habitats since they were closest to the entrance. I particularly admired the toucan, kookaburra, Nēnē and of course the endemic Hawaiian Owl. Nearby, the two sloths were awake and hanging from the branches. One of them was hard to spot since he was camouflaged within the trees, but a kind zookeeper passing by pointed him out to guests. The zoo was very clean with clear paved pathways. There is a cafe and a large children's play area which a ton of kids seemed to enjoy. Unfortunately, a few of the exhibits were closed at the time, including the aviary, goat habitat and chimp enclosure. On top of that, many of the animals were hiding in their dens and couldn't be seen, such as the aardvark, sunbear, fox and porcupine. I don't blame the animals for wanting some privacy or needing some shade, but it was a little disappointing to miss out on seeing so many of them. In addition to the sloths, my favorites were the active gibbon monkeys, elephants and the giant tortoise. It was pretty peaceful walking through this zoo as it was not busy... totally opposite of the San Diego Zoo, for example. In fact, there were many times where we were the only ones at an exhibit. Needless to say, I appreciated the more laid back vibe. You can't go wrong with a visit to the zoo! All you need is your hat, water, sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes. read more

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It's decent in the winter months from the heat. We saw a bunch of animals this trip. Usually the elephants and tigers are regularly spotted. Caught the giraffe feeding up close and the sloth feeding. Otherwise kids play at the playground. Petting zoo closes down for lunch between 11:50 and 1:05 or so. read more

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Ignore the hate. Great zoo, very well kept, beautiful space, and wide variety of animals. Very affordable pricing and kids will love it too.

It was at the end of the day, but all the animals were way more active than I remember. The lions were noisy and the giraffe came really close. It was pretty interesting. I do wish they redid the bathrooms. They are pretty gross. The food at the stand is good, but it didn't have a working soft serve machine. read more

Honolulu Zoo - Who next? - Zoos Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Sorry but I have to give this place a 2. PARKING: Can you guys make the parking area just for the zoo? Or at least half? It's so hard to get parking here since it is a public parking lot for everyone. We went on a Sunday around 1130-12. Sad to say but practically all or most of the animals weren't even out or if so they were sleeping. The only ones we got to see moving around was the elephants, giraffes & the petting zoo area. They also had a lot of renovation area that were closed. Should definitely recommend a time to come because it's a waste to come here if we can't see much of the animals. Definitely bring your own food & drinks. over priced inside & not worth it. I do like the playground area for the kids. General admission: Adults $21 13 y/o & up Children $13 3-12 y/o Kama'aina/Military Adults $10 Children $6 2 y/o & younger FREE read more

Honolulu Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I like this zoo. The fact that Hawaii even has a zoo is already a great thing because there isn't much land available especially in Waikiki! It's not huge which might not be a bad idea because it wouldn't be overwhelming. If you visit everything, it can probably be done in 2-3 hours. If you live here and have kids, it's worth to get the membership because it's very affordable and the zoo has a playground where kids can go get some outdoor time, given there aren't many nice and safe playgrounds in urban Honolulu. The restaurant also serves some delicious and hot chicken strips, surprisingly. The zoo grounds aren't big but there are a lot of animals packed in the small space, given these animals aren't huge ones. I do wish the elephants and rhinos can get more roaming space though, but it doesn't seem like they aren't happy, at least to my non-zoologist perspective. I like how they had a lot of different terrariums for reptiles. They even have axolotls and an albino snake! i also enjoy sitting on the bench eating and waiting for the kookaburras to laugh. There are quite a number of different birds caged in the zoo, but don't forget to look around for the also equally beautiful wild birds living in Hawaii! I also enjoy the free-roaming peacock as the zoo resident by the playground, usually running after kids' fallen crumbs on the ground. Parking is at the adjacent paid lot, $1.50 per hour. If you pay with a cc, you can enter your phone number and have the option to extend your parking when they send you a text as your parking is close to expiration, which makes it very convenient if you wanna stay longer! However paying with cash would not have that option. Some machines look like they don't work with a black screen, but it might just need you to push some buttons and some patience to activate. Parking during weekends can be crazy and it's better to go there before the zoo opens to a secure parking spot. Don't forget to bring a hat, sunscreen and mosquito repellent. I got a few bites at the playground before. :-/ read more

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Friendly staff. Lots of places to sit on a bench in the cool shade. Nice breeze to enjoy a day at the zoo

This is a great place for the whole family. Best time to go is the morning before the sun gets too hot!!! It seems to me the animals are the most active in the morning or on cooler days. The playground is a hit with Th the kids as well. If you live here I would say, get a membership. It is a great deal! And this way you can keep coming back! read more

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I recently went to Oahu and while there got a chance to visit the Honolulu Zoo. For being just on the outskirts of the city, it was a fun couple hours. There were quite a few animals to see, and enough to do to where you got a chance to have a nice half day of enjoyment. The prices were fine as far as I can tell, nothing overwhelmed me. There was a few quick informative shows or not really shows, but where they fed some animals and talked about them and their habitats while interacting with them. It really was just a peaceful stroll through the park while checking out lots of different wildlife. read more

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This place is huge! I loved seeing all the different kinds of trees *bonus points if you spot the sausage tree*. All the animals were out and the only thing we weren't able to see were the chimps. I recommend bringing a water bottle and comfortable shoes! With two kids, it took us about 3 hours to see everything as we took plenty breaks. read more

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Great recent experience here! Lots of animals to see, cool enclosures, great souvenirs offered. Food and drinks available for purchase. Family friendly, weather permitting. Only $10 for Kama'aina. Perfect for your day in Waikiki! read more

Honolulu Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

The zoo was so beautiful. I would recommend if you have time to check the zoo out with your family and friends. It's a nice date spot for you and your partner to enjoy the walk while seeing animals. I loved it so much! They also have a big gift shop! read more

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We had a nice time at the zoo and we were not expecting anything elaborate. This zoo is small and there were not a lot of animals to see at the time we went (they were either gone or hiding). It was cool to see all the turtles and koi throughout just a little tougher to see the other animals. The price was a little high for it but there were other things for the little ones to do. read more

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It was enjoyable....definitely not a "wow!" visit. Lots of the enclosures didn't have any animals. I was very sad to see the tiger exhibit...it was very small and the poor cat was pacing back and forth. Some of the animals definitely had better enclosures than the others. read more

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This zoo is deceptively larger than it looks. The outside may not look like much, but it looks great on the inside. They have a private commercial lot ($1.50/hour) available to park. There is also metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance as well. If you plan on getting there when they open, also plan on waiting. People start lining up to get in about 20 minutes before the zoo is opening. The line moved pretty well, but still took me about 10 to 15 minutes to get in. The zoo is designed in a circular layout and has just about every animal you would want in a zoo. There are lions, and tigers and bears. You will also find hungry, hungry hippos, giraffes, spider monkeys, komodo dragons, zebras, alligators, turtles, foxes, meerkats, rhinos, owls, tortoise, elephants, iguana, lizards, aardvark, cheetahs, lemurs, chimpanzees, orangoutangs, sloth, warthogs, flamingos, salamanders, storks, tucans, vultures, parrots, and an assortment of birds. The zoo is well laid out, but had a few exhibits closed due to construction during my visit. I really like the arrow signs lists the distance of major zoos that are most near to the Honolulu Zoo, with the closest being the San Diego Zoo at 2511 miles. The zoo has a playground area that has a large play structure with a canopy, bridge, and slide. There is also a small play structure with a canopy and a slide and a giant net climber. You will find benches along the playground paremeter for caregivers to sit and watch their littles. You will find the playground by the Cafe and lion exhibit. The cafe, Kapahulu Market, is small and has outdoor seating. You can order ahead if you like and just pick up. They serve burgers chicken tenders, salads and pizza. There is also an educational area called the Keiki (kids) Zoo, that looks like a farm and has farm animals such as geese, guinea pigs, lizards, turtles, pigs, goats, cow, llama and horse. You will also find a large koi pond in this area and and animal wash. It is billed as a place for kids to climb, touch, smell and experience. I only saw about three restroom areas and one water fountain at the park. I highly recommend bringing you own water bottle with you because it gets really hot here. The water here is way over priced at $6 per bottle. The zoo has picnic areas and green space to sit, eat and enjoy. I do wish they would have had more interactive exhibits and offered animal talks and experience like feed the giraffes or hug a sloth. Of course the zoo has a gift shop. You will find it at the entrance/exit. They have shirts, stuffed animals, toys, pencils, post cards magnets, hats, and much more. The stuff in there is a a bit over priced if you ask me though. The zoo is well maintained and landscaped and the staff there was friendly. There is a lot you see and do I spent about 2 hours there and you could easily spend a half day or so. I recommend checking out this place when you are in Waikiki and want a change of pace from the beach and shopping. read more

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Not a long line ! Alot of fun with the kids loven it . Close to everything . Nothing like moment in natural with some awesome widlife. read more

Honolulu Zoo - Beautiful day in Hawaii to check out the zoo - Zoos Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ever since I've been a kid in Elementary School, it was always a field trip to the Honolulu Zoo. Even though every year we are familiar with the same animals, the same layout and the same routine, I really enjoy exploring here at the Honolulu Zoo. I can see why the schools allow a field trip like this all the time. It's fun seeing the animals and also at lunch time, you get to sit under the large trees with your classmates. Now I was able to bring my daughter here to enjoy the fun I use to have as a child. It's a beautiful place and it was a childhood memory I can share with my daughter and hopefully some future grandchildren. read more

We are so grateful to be able to go to the Honolulu zoo with our kids. Got there not long after it opened and took our time looking around. They have a great playground and fun kids zoo. Great place to let little ones run wild. read more

We enjoyed seeing the elephants, rhinos, and other animals. We took a few hours and enjoyed the walk through.

My apologies in my lateness of posting my review. My family had come to Hawaii for a visit and I had met them at the zoo for the day. We had a blast! The staff was super friendly and knowledgeable. There are so many things to see and you can tell that the animals are well cared for. This is a great place for families both local and tourists to come hang out for the day. read more

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