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    Houston Zoo

    4.0 (920 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Christi P.

    Who is beautiful with a lot of vegetation you're out the park. Of course, seeing animals makes my heart melt. I also do get a little sad seeing the animals etc. . Even though I know these animals were rescued. I also get very frustrated with humans that beat and tap on the cages and glass, etc. I could read some of the guests. It would be a zero. Lol however I am reading the zoo in the zoo staff.

    Christine S.

    Great place to visit in Houston on a nice weather day. Their Zoo Boo & Zoo Lights events are spectacular. So much fun to be had for the daytime & the evening as well. Yes, the tickets can be pricey but there's ways around that. Groupon, City Pass, Student discount, senior discount, free pass days. I love that people can bring their own food but there's also great snacks & meals to buy there as well. Some advice: Buy their refillable drink container ($2 for refills) & the membership if you plan on going at least 3 times in a year especially if you have kids. You'll get your moneys worth. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a portable charger & bring a backpack instead of a purse!

    Siamang
    John T.

    This is my new favorite zoo - and I have been to a lot if them. It feels intimate. Somehow the animals seem relaxed and happy but are so often engaged. Keepers were very accessible and informative. Everything was clean and well maintained. The layout and signage was logical and informative. Just an all around outstanding experience!

    Nancy A W.

    We went to the Houston Zoo first thing yesterday morning and had the wonderful opportunity to see some of the exhibits alone. The animals were awake and moving around and the staff was friendly. The weather was cloudy and humid but everyone was in a good mood. I love the photos I took of the animals here. I was sad the red panda was being seen by the vet for skin allergies and missed it. The rhino exhibit is being repaired right now so be aware of that right now. The giraffe line was so long. Other than that it was a fun experience.

    Natalie A.

    We love the zoo! Parking can be a pain, once you find parking, the zoo is clean and well organized. Many places to sit and relax in the shade. Bring a picnic lunch. Options for food at the zoo as well. Many animals and the new Galapagos area. There is some construction taking place near the Giraffe area. It's a great chance to get out if the weather is right. I am not a fan of going whenever it's super hot because there are limited areas to sit in air conditioning. However a good portion of the walks are covered with trees so you do get shade.

    William L.

    It had been years since my last trip to the Houston Zoo, and this one still holds its own compared to some of the bigger zoos I've visited around the country. Definitely one of the better ones out there. (We gotta be top 5 right?) I came out for one of their Young Professionals Group events (the Flock) It was a beautiful day and such a cool way to experience the zoo. Staff was welcoming, had a couple cocktails and some breakfast in us before we started wandering... My favorites on this day were the Sea lions, the pygmy hippos, and the penguins. Grounds were clean, lots of families out, and it can get pretty busy. No avoiding that. But the place is massive enough that you can still find your own pace. You'll definitely get your steps in.. parking is free, but be ready to walk from the lot to the entrance. Zoo's got alot more got events running throughout the year (Zoo Lights during the holidays is a classic) there's always something new going on. I think they're building new exhibits/experience for 2026. Bottom line: if you haven't been in a while, go. Whether you're bringing kids, going with friends, or just need an excuse to be outside looking at animals, it's worth the trip.

    Zoo lights
    Jennifer L.

    The zoo did an amazing job with the zoo lights. It's worth the visit for sure. Both adults and children will love this. No the animals are not out except the giraffes. The parking isn't the best only because it's crowded so arrive at least 30 minutes before your ticket time

    Evie T.

    I've lived in Houston my whole life and love our zoo. It's been cool to see how the zoo has developed throughout the years with their new exhibits and events. We recently went this past weekend and really enjoyed our time. We went in right when they opened and the line moved very fast. we bought our tickets ahead of time and it helped with the speed of checking in. The zoo is currently under some construction but it doesn't seem to be effecting any main attractions or the animals. On this particular day the zoo was crowded but had a good flow! We got to see all of the animals and they were active this day. Let's get into the pros and cons: Pros: clean, friendly employees, lots of animals, and lots of opportunities to be in the shade/ AC. Cons: zoo events like zoo lights of zoo boo gets way too crowded. Unenjoyable... even

    Neha S.

    We came here for the Houston zoo lights, and it's a really cool experience and is super festive, especially if you've never been before. My only qualm is that the tickets are $36-$41, which is pretty expensive, especially since that doesn't include getting hot chocolate or s'mores, which we bought separately. It was $17 to get one hot chocolate and one s'more, but you get to keep the cup the hot chocolate comes in (it's kind of like a Starbucks cup with the lid). They're playing music everywhere, and there's a lot of different things to look at and explore like a little neon playground and an area with foamy fake snow, etc.

    Phuong N.

    Weather was nice so we ventured to the Zoo for an outing . The whole Zoo is decorated beautifully with lights and festival decorations.

    Serra M.

    I finally made it to the Houston Zoo after being here 5 years. The weather was overcast, and slightly humid. We made a point of trying to see everything before the sun came out. Although, it's Memorial Day, it's not too packed. I guess we are on a Zoo tour, the last one was in Dallas. I think my favorite part of this zoo is the closeness of the Elephants and Gorillas. Literally you feel like you could reach out and touch them. We did not feed the Giraffe's at this location, but they were very much active. We had a great time and will continue our tour to other locations. Next time we will try the park train!

    Smores
    Dominique N.

    We came for zoo lights and it was super fun! A lot of the animals were sleeping but there was still a lot to see. The different lights exhibits/areas were very pretty and very fun to walk through. There are different lights for everyone and they are really unique with different kinds of animals, flora, fauna, and lotssssss of photo ops and backdrops. I wish I got more pictures but I was so entranced by the setup. The different activities are fun for people of all ages from children to adults. There is lots of free parking in the zoo's lot.

    White Rhino
    Mike C.

    So let me start off by saying we love going to a great Zoo. Houston is by far one of the nicest and cleanest we have been to. We like it so much we signed up for memberships today. So why the low rating? Prior to heading out to the zoo we inquired about the memberships and different options. I am a retired law enforcement officer with almost two decades of service to my community. On occasion companies will offer a discount to Law enforcement and military veterans, active or retired. I confirmed with the person we contacted at the zoo about such a discount. We fully intended to purchase memberships regardless but were told Law enforcement was eligible. When we arrived I was told I did not qualify because I was retired. Apparently when a Law enforcement officer retires the zoo no longer appreciates my service. Fortunately we also have military personnel in our family and were able to use that status for the discount. The Zoo itself and the people working here are great. I have an issue with their policy regarding retired first responders. I just took it personally I guess.

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    Houston Zoo Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Houston Zoo

    Is the playground currently closed?

    Is the petting zoo section still available to the public for free or is it being charged an amount to enter?

    Childrens area has been closed for awhile. I think it's due to Covid.

    How much would it cost for 1 adult and 3 kids?

    Houstonzoo.org

    Valor de las entradas?

    Depends but roughly $24.95 Adult $22.95 Child… 

    How much do yoy tip for a bike ride /bike-tax? From the zoo to lot C.

    $5-$8

    Can we take food inside the zoo?

    Yes you can take food, drinks and a cooler into the zoo. They do not allow alcohol, glass bottles or straws. This is a great idea as it will save you a lot of money.

    Do they have babystroller rentals?

    YES! Stroller and Scooter Rentals… 

    View All 11 Questions

    Review Highlights - Houston Zoo

    Favorites include the giraffes, chimpanzees, gorillas, giant anteater, bongos, and of course, the elephants!

    Mentioned in 130 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Downtown Aquarium

    Downtown Aquarium

    2.9
    (1.2k reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    Italian Steven did fantastic!! Enjoyed our time here. Food was really good! Would definitely come…read moreagain

    My boys and I went to the Aquarium only and not the restaurant. We came here on a Homeschool Field…read moreTrip, so the price was discounted down to $12 a kid and free for chaperones (1 free for every 5 kid). With the discounted fee and my fee being waived, it made the trip reasonable. The Aquarium itself was very small and underwhelming. When we finished my first thought was, "Is that it? There has to be more!" So when you do go, you can totally take your time going through each exhibit instead of trying to "rush and see everything." There were many different types of fish, but nothing spectacular. They also had a few other displays such as snakes and spiders. Towards the end, we saw tigers! I was pleasantly surprised. Unlike at a zoo, I felt like the experience of seeing these tigers was a lot better because the two tigers were actually roaming around and we saw action! The first tiger we saw was outside and there is a small tunnel that you can crawl through to have a closer view of the enclosure when you reach a dome. When my boys were inside the dome, the tiger was eating around them and actually jumped on top! It made for quite an experience for them. The second tiger we saw was inside and it was beautiful! Seeing it up close (through a glass) was awesome. I was excited to see MORE after seeing the tigers, but that was literally the LAST exhibit before you enter into the gift shop. However, once you exit, you can make your way into the stingray section where you can touch the stingrays and feed them for an extra cost. The stingrays were very lively and were splashing around almost every time you put your hand in the water. I've never seen stingrays get so excited like that, so that was cool. After the sting rays, you are basically done with all that the Aquarium has to offer on the inside. Outside there are more fun activities to do and see. They have artists who painted caricatures, vendors selling food and drinks, carnival style games, several amusement rides, and a train ride to see the SHARKS! Our tickets included unlimited amusement rides, which was a nice perk. My boys and I rode on the Ferris Wheel, carousel, and train. The Ferris Wheel had a minor wait, but it wasn't too bad. Once you're on the ride itself, it was worth it. My boys loved the carousel and train ride that they did both TWICE. The shark exhibit was super cool. The tigers and sharks were my two favorite exhibits. Afterwards, my boys played in a little splash pad area, where they probably had the most fun. There are many cute photo opportunities to commemorate your trip. Overall, the Houston Aquarium is a one and done type experience for me. It was a nice day trip, but there wasn't really much that would entice me to come back. I'm thankful for the reduced price and all that was included in the ticket because paying full price on top of having to pay $15.99 for parking (yes, you have to pay!) would not be worth it.

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    Downtown Aquarium
    Downtown Aquarium
    Downtown Aquarium

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    Houston Zoo - zoos - Updated August 2026

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