You know what both makes me laugh and annoys the HECK out of me?? People who give zoos low ratings because they didn't see a BUNCH of animals during their visit to the zoo!! Too hot, too cold, too busy... It's NOT the animal's "responsibility" to make an appearance or keep us entertained. C'mon now!! We went for a quick-ish visit Memorial Day weekend. Beautiful weather, surprisingly light attendance, and we honestly saw less than half of the animals we were "supposed" to see. What we did see was beautiful gardens, well-marked paths, and lots of OPPORTUNITIES to see animals!! Beautiful place, TONS to do AND see... Truly something for everyone, young and old!! Easy parking, reasonable prices, GREAT info... What's not to love?!? read more

The Indy zoo is great place to go on any sunny day! It's fun for the whole family or just with your friends and significant others. The zoo is a very wide variety of animals from elephants to penguins to lions as well as a cheetah and warthog! They also have a rhino, monkeys and all types of birds. Each exhibit has plenty of viewing area and description placards. My favorite the ocean and plains area. The penguins and rhinos were so awesome to see close up. Overall I'd recommend the zoo to any Indian resident or visitor . They also have plenty of food and drink options including wine and beer. read more

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We got our zoo membership back in March 2024, and one of my favorite goals has been to go about once a month with the kids Our favorite way to do it? Morning trips and leaving around nap time. It takes all the pressure off trying to "do it all" in one visit, and honestly makes it so much more enjoyable for everyone. I get asked a lot--doesn't it feel like the same thing every time? Not at all. Every single visit feels different. Some days we feed animals, other days we don't. Sometimes the animals are super active, other days they're just lounging. It really depends on the time of day and even the season. Some visits we catch a show, some days we just wander and explore at our own pace. That's the beauty of a membership--you can go slow, follow your kids' interests, and leave whenever you're ready. It's easily one of our favorite ways to spend a morning read more

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I haven't visited the Indy Zoo in years so it was fun to come back to explore. The staff were friendly and helpful. The map is easy to read with a QR code to link to programming. The pathways are easy to navigate with beautiful landscaping. The animals seem to be well cared for. I loved checking out the kangaroo crossing area. read more

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Went to jazz night at the Indianapolis Zoo on Thursday and really enjoyed it. This event was included with my zoo membership, which made it even better, and I loved that it was after normal hours. Walking through the zoo with live music playing in the background made for a really unique experience. read more

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My daughter and I recently had an "Explore Your Own City" day, and visiting the Indianapolis Zoo for an animal encounter was the highlight of our day. Prior to our arrival, we'd been at Newfields and wound up enjoying our time there a little TOO much, which caused us to run a bit behind in our schedule for the day. We arrived at the zoo just as we were supposed to be at the meeting spot for the Sloth Adventure. We got to the gate and paid the $10 parking fee. The attendant asked if we had admission tickets and I told her that I'd purchased tickets for an animal encounter, to which she responded by telling us about scanning the QR code on the receipt to purchase admission tickets. She then went on to say that if I'd gone online to purchase the animal encounter tickets, she couldn't imagine why I wouldn't have purchased the admission tickets at the same time. I didn't have time for a conversation, so I smiled and nodded as I pulled away from the booth. I then made my way to the ticketing office. I asked if admission was included with the animal encounter and the two gentlemen seemed confused, stating that some encounters do, while others do not. They deferred to the knowledge of an older lady that was also working at the desk. She confirmed that the Sloth Adventure did not include zoo admission. I knew this, but I didn't want to believe it! This information was on the website, but I could not for the life of me understand why a $60 per person experience wouldn't include admission. So, let's do the math: $60 per person for two people equals $120, plus $10 parking and $20 per person admission totals $170. Word to the wise - make a full day of it. I didn't, which has caused a minor case of buyer's remorse. We arrived at the meet-up spot 10 minutes late. I had already given myself a mental pep talk. "If they aren't there, it's fine. You'll just walk around and enjoy the other animals. It's okay. No need to sweat the small stuff!" As I began recognizing the landmarks, Kangaroo Crossing and then the sign, my eyes panned up to the see the guide there waiting with a group of people. I apologized for our tardiness and presented our tickets to be scanned. I was so appreciative of their willingness to wait until we arrived. The Sloth Adventure was really cool. We met Sebastian and hung out with him and his handlers for more than the allotted 30 minutes. We got to ask lots of questions while observing his movements and learning about his life there at the zoo. We also had the opportunity to feed him some of his favorite snacks of sweet potato, apple and pear. Our encounter was at 2:45pm and the zoo closed at 4pm, so we had virtually no time to enjoy anything else at the zoo. That was my own fault for planning the day the way that I did, but I really do wish they'd include admission as part of the animal encounter. It just makes sense to do so. On our way out, we popped inside of Kangaroo Crossing and was pleasantly surprised to see all of the kangaroos just laying out in the sun and hopping about. I was able to pet a few as they crossed the walking path and that made me feel as if our visit had been somewhat more valuable because of that. We also saw the red panda and a tiger on our way out. I'll plan better next time so that I'm able to get more bang for my buck! read more

Great way to spend an afternoon with the family. The zoo has a great selection of attractions and rides for the kids. The skyline was down during our visit. Other than that, it was a great time. read more

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We love going to our local zoo, yes it's pricey if you don't have a membership but after 3-4 visits the membership pays for itself! It's a great place to meet friends up. We love seeing the animals and we're starting to recognize some of the animals we see all the time, we love the dolphin show and the chimpanzee exhibit. As it is cold currently some animals are not visible or visitable but I cannot wait until the weather gets warmer to see them! read more

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Visited on a free day (MLK day). It was surprisingly not that busy but maybe that's thanks to the 10 degree weather. They have updated the entrance/exit area of the zoo since I had last been so that was cool to see. They have you enter through the gardens and there is a very cool video of animals on a 365 screen. We mainly hit up the indoor spots. Thanks for having a free day Zoo! read more

Indianapolis Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

It has been a long time since I went to a zoo, I must admit. But I had a truly terrific experience at the Indianapolis zoo. There's some truly excellent stuff here, such as an extremely cool kangaroo enclosure, where you can walk around and be inches from the creatures. We were also lucky enough to do a special cabypara encounter and it was wonderful. I can't recommend that highly enough. We will definitely return. read more

Went here last summer with my husband and 2.5 year old and can't wait to take him back! PROS -Can purchase feed for several animals (flamingos, giraffe) -cool that you can see the gorillas from one of the sky lift type of rides -Train ride -Great dolphin show -spent 4 hours here and still could have stayed longer -GIANT elephant exhibit!! CONS -Nothing.. read more

I love having such a family friendly city with amazing attractions like the Indianapolis Zoo! While Indy's zoo is likely not the largest or best you've visited, I like that it feels achievable to see all of it with young children in tow. They have beautiful grounds with good food options, stunning gardens, unique buildings and attractions like the dolphin show and the aerial tunnels for the chimpanzees. They also have amazing events like ZooBoo and Christmas at the Zoo. We are so glad to have them in the city! Fun fact, it's actually a nonprofit zoo which means it relies on donations and visitor revenue vs. government funding to run. It's one of the largest privately funded zoos in the country and a core part of their mission is conservation and education. read more

Came here on a Monday at opening 9 AM, with my youngest son. He is nine years old. We got through the entire zoo in two hours, which is perfect. We were able to see everything. The crowds really didn't pick up until Friday as we were leaving And even then it was quite manageable. The Indianapolis zoo is small, but really nice especially if you have younger kids. Overall, the food pricing was pretty good. My son and I had a great time looking at all the animals and laughing and just really enjoying a nice morning together. The Indianapolis zoo is the perfect size And you could probably finish it in a few hours. read more

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The zoo itself was amazing. It was crowded in the parking lot (maybe some Spring break), the weather was pleasant, and the animals active. We were there with grandchildren. My only negative was the food/cafe. Extremely crowded and those taking orders did the best they could I assume. Lines were extremely long and slow. Lots of inefficiency. Need more people. Guests were wiping down their own tables. Normally too expensive for us...since we chose to spend the money, I would expect better. Side note: The Children's Museum staff are great at what the zoo was lacking. Five stars for the zoo itself. Two or three for the food/cafe. The food is self was hot and tasty, but the rest mentioned above lacking. We won't eat there in the future. read more

Absolutely worth it! We went in the middle of the week in late January and it It had been years since I went to the zoo so I wasn't totally sure what to expect. Despite the time of year, there was so much to do and see! Between the dolphin show and the nature talks, we learned so much about these beautiful creatures, saw some of their personalities, and learned some of the small things we can do in our own lives that could make a big difference to those in the wild. It is very easy to spend all day there so take it all in! read more

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As our flight was rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday morning, we had Monday free in Indianapolis. Unfortunately, most of the attractions, including the State Fair, were closed on Mondays, so our options were limited. However, the zoo was open on Mondays, and despite being a pretty rainy day, we had a good time. (The zoo was also not very crowded due to the rain.) Just after entering the zoo was a lovely garden called "White River Gardens" with cute animal statues -- I felt like I was in a Beatrix Potter story. In the garden there were "pop up animal encounters" with zoo employees giving talks about tortoises. We met a tortoise named Chris and a pancake tortoise named Napoleon. Other animals we saw were kangaroos, gibbons, macaques, tigers, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, warthogs, zebras, and more. I really enjoyed the bird exhibit where you could walk through the enclosure and little birds, such as lorikeets and parakeets, would land on you. There was also a show where macaws were flying around in open air. However, the highlight of the zoo was the orangutan exhibit. We were fortunate enough to catch the orangutan education session where the orangutans were being taught how to press buttons on a computer, numbers, sequences, etc. Per the educator, they were not forced to learn these tasks and were only in the program if they showed interest. The orangutans we observed learning were Max, a 7 year old male; Azy, a 45 year old male; and Katy (I didn't get her age, but older than Max, younger than Azy). Max was learning how to press a button on a computer and Azy and Katy were learning numbers and sequences. If the orangutans needed a break or didn't want to continue the lesson, they were allowed to end it and not forced to continue. Poor Katy got frustrated when she made a mistake and needed a break. It was also interesting to see how they moved, based on their ages. Young Max easily swung himself up on the table while Azy needed to use a box as a step. While Katy didn't need a box, she swung up much more slowly than Max. It was very fascinating to watch the orangutans, and for the orangutans alone, I'm giving the zoo an extra star, for a total of four stars. [Yelp collections: Louisville/Indianapolis 2023; Indianapolis, IN 2023; Zoos and Aquariums] read more

Zoo in Indianapolis is a great outing. We went when the weather was sub par (cloudy and t-storms) but there are tons of exhibits and things to see. Lots of variety in animals from Lions to Tigers and Bears (yep I went there) as well as Penguins and Flamingos. Bird show was super cool as well - birds fly in from afar.... Hang with the crowd for a bit on stage and then depart back to their place. Even saw an Eagle as well! Booze selection is a choice of local IPAs as well as sodas. Recommended if you're visiting Indy! read more

Indianapolis Zoo - ! - Zoos Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

This zoo was the perfect size for us. I remember thinking that because the zoo we went to a few months before this one, was Cincinnati and it was hugeeeeee. I prefer a smaller zoo so we aren't there the entire day and my 6 year old at the time (7 now) on the spectrum only has so much patience for them. Very nice zoo I'd definitely recommend. read more

Usually love this zoo but this visit was not worth it. As a zoo member i was expecting more of a discount. I'm a member at the Cincinnati Zoo which is 2 to 3 times the size. Both zoos I think are the same price to get in but I was really surprised that this Zoo is one of the few that do participate in the reciprocity for Zoo memberships. so instead of being half price and free parking they only gave like a dollar or two discount. That was disappointing but the biggest disappointment was I came to see the orangutans and especially the baby. Well for some reason the baby wasn't coming out all day that day which was the only day that I was going to be in town. The regular orangutan area was being cleaned I walked over there three times and the orangutans still weren't out in their area so that was just very disappointing. I did see a baby elephant which that was cute but I'm really all about primates the other primates they were in the area that the glass was so scratched and dirty that you really couldn't hardly see them. Plus the weather was way too hot and it was uncomfortable I literally thought I was getting heat stroke I felt dizzy. The animals just kind of seemed lethargic and sad because they were uncomfortable I didn't even stay and see everything because I didn't feel good and I wasn't having a great time. When I arrived in the zoo I had trouble finding my way out of the garden area they didn't have signs and I was just trapped in the garden area I just wanted to see the animals I don't know this was just not a good zoo visit. Traffic was awful and construction...it was all just a mistake. read more

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Great little zoo! Much better than expected. Nice exhibits, informative docents and beautiful gardens.

The Indianapolis Zoo is the best! It's such a great size and always very well kept. Definitely love visiting during Zoo Boo and during Christmas when the lights are up! read more

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Family trip to Indianapolis had to include a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo. A beautiful sunny day. The Grandkids enjoyed themselves especially the Dolphin show and the carousel. read more

We didn't expect too much from this zoo. I got early season ticket and parking with discount of around 50% so it was under $40. Weather was perfect and able to see dolphin show at opening. We got in early for good seating. Overall, we were impressed since our como zoo has not so good sea lion show. Rest of zoo is nicely laid out and able to finish in 2 hours. read more

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Terrible smell in the chimpanzee and poop on the walls. Also. Vending machine scammed me, I went to buy a drink on my school field trip and me and my classmates put money in and they got scammed, so we found another one and it scammed me! only accepts phone or card pay! that's absurd! I am absolutely livid! read more

The zoo was zoo-ing when we went this past summer. They had so many activities the whole time we were there and the animals were so active! We love the orangutan exhibit and always feel like we have a good time when we go. They also have a new kangaroo exhibit where you get to walk among them without anything between you and the animals. So fun! It's also CLEAN which is sometimes rare for a zoo. read more

Indianapolis Zoo - Orangutan Exhibit - Zoos Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Had a fun time wandering around the zoo. Enjoyed seeing all the different animals. It was also fun to see the Halloween experience that they had set up for the children and families. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun experience, with our without children. read more

What a great zoo. Very modern and spacious. We got to feed and pet sting rays. We saw monkeys roaming the park in the designated paths. We rode the trolley and just had a fantastic time. read more

We came for a super quick visit - we just wanted to hit the aquarium portion. The aquarium area was very nice! The zoo and aquarium were clean. Plenty of parking. Great exhibits. We really enjoyed the aquarium. It is not huge but it is plenty big and they have a great selection of sea life. Nice tanks. Very clean. Good traffic flow. I'd visit again. read more

Visited on 6.27.26, it was so miserable and sad, that we left in one hour. Hardly any exhibits open, the animals that you could see looked sad and in distress. The enclosures were less than desirable. We normally love Zoos and have been spoiled by the one in Atlanta, Jacksonville and others. This...not even close. read more

The Indianapolis zoo is 40 minutes from where I live and has a lot of brand new animals and a lot of fun with family and friends read more

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The Indianapolis Zoo has always been a great place to take little ones, however my last couple of times going, have been quite mediocre. I'm not sure why, but on my last visit, a lot of the exhibits were empty. For the price of a ticket, I feel there should be more animals to see. There are some beautiful sites such as the macaw show and dolphin show. There are plenty of food options to choose from, and they include chicken strips, pizza, fries, wraps and more. They also have staff that offer face paintings. read more

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BEST zoo ever a huge verity of animals from the depths of the ocean to the sky and offers to interact with some animals like feeding the giraffe read more

After starting our first membership nearly a year ago, we have become regulars at the zoo. We visit 2 to 3 times per month and have never found ourselves feeling like it was repetitive. It's amazing how many different activities and exhibits there are to keep it feeling fresh with each visit. I also appreciate all of the changing programming they have throughout the seasons like Animals and all that Jazz on Thursdays in the summer, turtle races for the Indy 500, and festive lights at Christmastime. I also appreciate how many exhibits are mixed between indoors and outdoors to make the zoo accessible throughout the changing seasons. Whether it's a rainy day, or in the dead of winter, you can still find things to do. Some of our favorites are the kangaroo exhibit which allows you to enter with the kangaroos and cockatoos and the aquarium exhibits when you're in the heat of summer. We've also enjoyed catching some of the shows like the dolphin show and the flight of the macaws - which never ceases to feel magical. I also really appreciate the new entrance and landscaping that just opened last month. The butterfly exhibit is gorgeous and the landscaping space is perfect for event programming. So grateful to have this zoo in our backyard and only a 10 minute drive from our home downtown. read more

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The zoo is so much fun! Very pricey - if you plan on going more than twice I suggest getting the membership. We always pack a lunch and drinks and bring it in our stroller. The zoo is always clean and it's spread out so you don't feel like you're standing on top of people. Pictures are from Zoo Boo which is fun for kids during Halloween time! Parking costs extra! read more

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Very disappointed in the amount of exhibit closures. It certainly appears that post construction this will be an enjoyable place to spend a day with the family. For right now, best I can do is recommend NOT going, period. read more

Took the grandkids to the zoo for ZooBoo. Zoo was very very very busy and crowded, which we expected since they had the ZooBoo event. It was awesome to see the animals active since the weather was mild. Grandkids wanted to feed the Kangaroos. $4 per child. I was never so disgusted in my life. $4 for a half dollar piece of lettuce. Yes, only 1 half dollar size piece. I was so disappointed. Like come on, you could give them more than that. Such a joke. I won't let the kids do that again. Dolphin show was awesome. Lines for ZooBoo trick or treating was very long. Kids were very antsy and hated waiting in line so long for a piece of candy. I don't recommend ZooBoo if you have little kids who don't understand waiting in long lines. Food at the zoo was beyond overpriced. Otherwise we enjoyed ourselves and seeing all the animals. read more

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Amazing zoo! Lots of animals and always love the dolphin show. My daughter slept most of the time but I loved it ! read more

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First visit to the zoo after what feels like forever living in Indiana. We went for a team outing and were absolutely blown away by the shows, ambience and overall atmosphere. We enjoyed the meet and greet with the dolphins, the butterflies and saw a variety of wildlife such as tigers, bears, walruses and chimpanzees. While certainly a treat for kids, we as adults totally enjoyed the visit and definitely plan on going back. Paid parking + pricy food is somehow the norm across such public spots read more

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This is a Great zoo! So many updates & beautiful options & animals. So many new exhibits read more

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What a fun place! This zoo isn't very big however there's plenty to see. The weekend we visited happened to be Halloween night. There was a DJ, dancing and many everyone had neat costumes. Super fun! They hand out candies at the end of the day. We had a blast visiting the dolphins, it was a fantastic show. They had Halloween music playing while they performed. I had never experienced the kangaroos in this manner, we were able to walk in their enclosure; was a whole new experience. We were given directions and guidance once in there, was pretty neat. My favorite are the chimpanzees and the orangutans. I could watch them all day, they are so smart and curious. They have an enclosure that goes over the top of the zoo that the chimps are able to go out and people watch or just enjoy the days breeze. The zoo had lots to see, from elephants to insects. Their shop has many cute things for all ages, we purchased a cute sweater with all the animals that represents the zoo. There were many food and drink areas, the lines would move quickly and everyone was very polite. The only thing I would probably complain about is the viewing glass. Some were very dirty inside and out. Either than that this was a fun zoo to explore. read more

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