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    Oglebay Good Zoo

    4.1 (28 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Oglebay Good Zoo Photos

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    I was waiting on a concert so decided to visit the Good Zoo. What a cute zoo! It has enough animals and attractions for everyone. It was a good walk for me, but many too the train around the zoo. I saw some people with up-close animal encounters... The weather was cooler so the animals were all moving around and very enjoyable. I would recommend

    Drew B.

    A fantastic little Zoo experience with Snow Leopards, monkeys, wolves and a couple of Red Pandas. It is a great zoo for younger children!

    Armadillos are really odd

    We asked about accessibility when we arrived at the zoo because my daughter recently lost her leg and is in a wheelchair. They told us that the inside is fly accessible and offered a golf cart to take us around the hilly outside. A bit later, Declan found us tiring the inside exhibits and took us to see the rest. He was so knowledgeable, and my daughters and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and learned so much.

    Red panda who is sleeping and snuggled up in his sanctuary for the night on a log
    Diana N.

    The good zoo is a great place to go if you want to see animals because there are so many animals. Some of the animals at the Oglebay Good Zoo are a white alligator, red pandas, turtles, and snakes. This is a great place to go to see rare animals taht you normally don't see

    Red Panda Experience
    Jessie M.

    For our anniversary, I surprised my partner with a red panda experience. It was pricey and I had to book four months out, but it was incredible. For the two of us, the event was $180; this included free parking and zoo admission. We live in Columbus and took the two hour trek on a cold and rainy day in October. As a surprise to us, the park was also having its annual Oglebay Fest, so the surroundings were a bit crowded. We got to the zoo early to use our free admission. It was nicely kept, but very, very small. It took us maybe 20 minutes to tour. I would absolutely go out of my way to do the animal experience, but not to go to the zoo itself. We did pay a few bucks to feed the birds and really enjoyed that! The actual animal encounter was magical. We did about an hour and gained so many knowledge. We also go to hand feed the the cuties! They grab your hand and hold it to get the food!!! It was magic! The young lady that was our guide was really personable and had a strong bond with the red pandas. As a side note, we were lucky and it was just us. They can book up to 6 I think? The price also might be steep, but I think you can add up to two others for $15 additional each. I'm already considering another experience in the future!

    Peafowl
    Robin S.

    Visited the Good Zoo at Oglebay Park for the first time during Boo At The Zoo. Admission is not cheap and there is an upcharge to take a train ride around the park. The event was enjoyable for kids and adults alike, many of whom came in costumes. This being West Virginia there are some fairly large hills to navigate, so comfy walking shoes are a must, even while in costume. Along the route, which is just over a mile by my tracker, treats are given to all participants regardless of age. Ten treat stations were spaced along the trail and gave out packaged cookies, granola bars, suckers, chips, candies, and a can of soda. If those aren't enough, about half way through the walk there is a short detour up a steep hill where beer and pretzels may be purchased. Although they do not have a large collection, many of the animals are visible outside. There is also a small petting area with pellets available for purchase to feed goats and llamas. A spooky laser light show in the planetarium caps off the entertainment. Not as elaborate as similar events at larger zoos but nonetheless a good time with the family.

    Sloth is just ready to call it a day after feeding ... eating is SOOOO hard haha
    Soleil S.

    I came to this tiny zoo hidden in the hills of West Virginia for one reason and one reason alone... Red Panda Encounter. Now if you're not like me squealing at the thought of ridiculously cute Red Pandas just nuzzling and eating out of your hand... you might be living in a cave or at least off Reddit. I was lucky enough to have booked an Ultimate Experience of 3 animals to learn about and interact and cross an item off my bucket list. Before I dive into how this encounter went, I'll talk about the actual zoo. it's part of Oglebay resort and so if you're looking to do this experience, search Oglebay. It's called Good zoo because it is named after the family name of a boy who passed away and it is dedicated to his memory. It is a small zoo... quite small with maybe only 50 animals with some of them being common farm animals. I will say that all of the staff here LOVES the animals. It's clear there is a direct concern and interest in taking care of these animals. I was quite impressed with how there is a genuine care for every animal. Even funny things such as a sloth. The zoo is incredibly well kept.. super clean for the animals and also visitors. There are 3 levels of animals encounters you can do... it's mainly based on the number of animals you want to interact with. For the single animal encounter you have 45 minutes and with the Ultimate 3, I was there for a little over 2 hours enjoying every single second and wishing I came with a plan to sneak away with a red panda. We had an AMAZING guide, Sharon (I hope that is her name), who was not only genuinely caring and knowledgeable about each animal. She was incredibly wonderful with us ... coaching us to interact with the animals respectfully to get the most wonderful memories. She also told us some great stories about the animals and how they've been over the years, their species facts and survival, and interesting stories overall. You are able to choose 3 animals from a list of ring tailed lemur (Zoboomafoo!), mongoose lemur, river otter, kangaroo and wallaby, meerkat, or a thing called sloth. I will warn you that some of these animals are booked out MONTHS in advance. Oglebay zoo abides by some sound rules that they dont let these animals become overwhelmed and limit the number of times they interact a week. I think when I was booking, I was told the red panda was booked out nearly 4 months on weekends. If you're booking and looking for the cutest interaction, I found out later there were baby kangaroo being fed by bottles. I still stare at my pictures because I am amazed I got to do this. The red panda interaction was phenomenal. We got two feed both of their red pandas and they were so adorable. If they're in a good mood (and Sharon gauged their mood before we even stepped near them), it's possible they may reach for your hand and pull it into them before nuzzling into your palm to eat. Warning... they're avid tree climbers... they have REAL claws. You could be me just happily grinning ear to ear while not realizing that cute little paw is digging into you. I really wish I could have hugged them but that's not allowed. I will admit the thought of running off with them in my purse was a real idea in my brain. The lemurs were far more active... jumping and climbing among the exhibit as you feed them. It was great to see them leap huge lengths as you set up. They're definitely not as shy as the red pandas and if anything, they're ready to gobble any food you offer them. The one cute scene stealer was an endangered tortoise that shared the exhibit. For me, I really adored him as he sllloooowly made figure 8 around my feet and no one else. Every picture of me had him ON my feet (he's heavy), by my right feet, just off my left feet... even between my feet. We ended our great time here with a dozy sloth who clearly had some fans. I begrudgingly admire how something slow and sleepy be a minor celebrity and live the life. This was a truly an encounter as you're able to hold the sloth as you feed it. Its quite novel as I wasn't expecting this since we were quite cautious in all the other encounter. This was quite funny as you see the sloth slowly munch through her food with their dopey face and then lowering her head on you and falling asleep. It actually happened. Overall, I appreciate Oglebay Zoo for having these encounters to allow me to interact with animals I love in pictures but normally would never had the chance to admire in person. I also admire their care for their animals health and welfare. Now... to only hatch my plan to bring back a red panda!

    Sweet Pea
    Jessica P.

    We had the most fantastic experience doing a sloth encounter at the Good Zoo. The fact that Sweet Pea the sloth was in a good mood and a bit awake and playful was just good timing. That isn't always going to be the case with a nocturnal animal. However, the zookeeper Mindi was so knowledgeable and taught us so much. She didn't rush us out of the room immediately when our time ended but really went with the cues she was getting from the animal. It was a present for my daughter's birthday and we all really enjoyed it. Would have no problem making the drive from Pittsburgh again to do others.

    Kangaroos

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    4 years ago

    It's a fine zoo. It's nice to have in the wheeling area. Good selection of animals for the size zoo it is.

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    16 years ago

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    16 years ago

    This is a small zoo, however it offers and activity room and train room that kids will love and want to stay in for hours.

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    Ask the Community - Oglebay Good Zoo

    Review Highlights - Oglebay Good Zoo

    They're definitely not as shy as the red pandas and if anything, they're ready to gobble any food you offer them.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Oglebay Park Resort - Double queen room

    Oglebay Park Resort

    3.2(165 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    My grandparents have been living in Oglebay for over 50 years. I absolutely adore Oglebay! I love…read morethe lodge and the new updates they've made, the glass house, the museum inside of the mansion, the beautiful views throughout the hills, it's truly an incredible place. I have been going to Oglebay since I was very little, and still continue to visit due to my grandparents living there... but I will say the kids Park absolutely needs renovated. There are so many trip hazards and the entire park is very old and has outdated play equipment. I highly suggest they take some of the funds that they receive for Oglebay and put it into making a new park for the kids. The paddle boats and all the new updated activities are great, but for kids to play at the park, safely, that should be the next focus. As you can see in my photos, every season is gorgeous, and the walking trails throughout are really nice for exercise. There's a restaurant now located on the grounds, I would say it's a little overpriced, but the food is good. I've stayed in the room several times over the years, and some of them are old and outdated, and some of them are really nice and new. I appreciate both. No matter what, they always keep the hotel portion clean. I would say the hot tub seems to have some issues here and there, that pool and hot tub have been there since before I can remember. There's new restaurants inside of the lodge as well, and they also have ravenous reviews. Christmas time is always beautiful, and the beautiful bloom of the flowers during spring is quite a sight to see. Apparently, the zoo will now have lions and beekeeper, I'm excited to take my baby to visit this spring! If you're thinking about visiting, do not hesitate you will enjoy it as much as my family I have for many decades.

    I did not stay overnight at Oglebay Resort, but simply visited the park for an afternoon in…read moremid-June 2025 and thought it was pleasant but nothing spectacular. If you have young children in town, Schenk Lake is a nice spot for a short boat ride or to try fishing! Originally a private country estate of 750 acres purchased in 1901 by Earl W. Oglebay, he donated the land to the City of Wheeling in 1928 to create a public park and education center. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped to build out the trails in the 1930s. Overall, it may be worth a stop here if you have young kids. However, I found the park to be kind of "meh" due to a lack of scenic views. At the end of the day, it's just a nice public park.

    Photos
    Oglebay Park Resort - Lobby

    Lobby

    Oglebay Park Resort - Oglebay Park Resort offers a one-of-a-kind escape with year-round activities for the entire family.

    Oglebay Park Resort offers a one-of-a-kind escape with year-round activities for the entire family.

    Oglebay Park Resort - Swan boats

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    Swan boats

    Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium - Flamingos at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

    Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

    3.8(401 reviews)
    47.2 miHighland Park

    I came here on a VERY cold day (24 degrees, windy and left like 10 degrees according to weather.com…read moreand snowing). I didn't think many animals would be out but this is the only day I had available to visit so I had to go. First of all, because of the cold and snow, there were very few people which was amazing to be honest. It felt like I had the whole zoo to myself and surprisingly, I had good luck with the animals. A lot of animals were inside or the habit was shut down but I still pretty much saw what I wanted to. The enclosures were clean and spacious. I loved that I could go into the Elephant Barn and see them feeding them, etc. The entrance is currently under construction but there were several employees posted along the way directing guests. Also, parking is free which is a plus! The zoo is big but not TOO big. I was there for about 3-4 hours, although I did spend more time in certain areas to look at certain animals. The aquarium was quite small but still a good experience. My only downside for me was the gift shop. The main gift shop didn't have much in it to my liking which is unfortunate. I still would recommend this zoo and would love to come back to check it out some more!

    Average zoo. Still fun, but offers nothing spectacular. Most of the exhibits offer great space to…read morethe animals which was nice. Great price overall. Plenty of restrooms through out the park too! I never had to go looking for one so that was great! I'll be back!

    Photos
    Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium - Jackson had fun at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

    Jackson had fun at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

    Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
    Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium - Deb and Henry on Carousel at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

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    Deb and Henry on Carousel at Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

    Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Explore nature's beauty at Phipps, encompassing 15 acres including a 14-room glasshouse and 23 distinct gardens.

    Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

    4.7(596 reviews)
    44.4 miOakland

    Absolutely incredible…read more I don't go to botanical gardens much so I don't really have qualifications to compare or rate any particular place but Phipps blew me away. I like plants. I have some. I thought seeing a bunch of plants might be fun but I wasn't expecting it to be such a wonderful experience! The place is quite large considering most of it is inside. It is organized for a few different environments and a little something for everyone depending on what your floral preferences might be. It took us about an hour and a half to go through the whole thing. Got a lot of pictures. Saw a lot of interesting and cool plants as well as beautiful flowers. Highly recommend this as a stop on any and every Pittsburgh trip.

    Pgh Candle & Phipps partnered for an evening at Botany Hall…read more We selected our scented oils and were able to create our own soy candles. The vessel was a lovely shade of green and had some weight. Simple instructions for those of us who were not-crafty. While our candles were solidifying, we were able to go see the Spring show. Lovely evening. Definitely would do again.

    Photos
    Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

    Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

    Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Ornate bonsai fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

    Ornate bonsai fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

    Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

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    Hundreds of stunning blooms fill a colorful tropical paradise at this year's Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show. Photo © Paul g. Wiegman

    Triple B Farms - The jumpies

    Triple B Farms

    3.8(78 reviews)
    38.7 mi
    $$

    I've been to Triple B a few times over the years, but most recently had been here for their couples…read moredate night. It was the perfect evening - good price for what you got. It included picking a bouquet of flowers, a vase, two glasses of wine and a cheese box. When you arrived everyone was very friendly and check-in was easy. You started with a hay ride and then off to pick flowers. They do events like this often, so definitely check them out! We also got to see and feed the goats. Their farm store is super great and lots of great products and produce!

    I live in the South Hills of Pittsburgh which puts me not at all far from this spot, and I don't…read moreunderstand how I haven't been here previously. A friend asked me if I would like to go out to get some berries. We got there after berry picking time for the day, which closed around 2 PM, but there was still plenty of time to buy berries in their market, freshly picked by their workers, and enjoy other fun things at the farm! We fed the goats, who were the sweetest, tamest goats I have ever met. (Frankly, they completely changed my opinion about goats, with which I have had some unpleasant memories in the past.) You can pay a quarter for some food and feed it to them by hand, and not a single one took it from me anything less than gently. There is also a super cute feature where you can send some food up to goats standing at the top of the pen via a pulley system. There were several baby goats here when we visited and they were ridiculously adorable. From there it was a stop at the café window where we ordered strawberry lemonade slushies that were an absolute delight. It was late in the day and they were out of several of the food offerings; I was told by my friend that the hot pretzel is fantastic, but didn't get to find out. So I went with some freshly made donuts, and it was only a few dollars for half a dozen blueberry donuts. They are wonderful eaten fresh just like this, but when you take them home you can heat them up for 10 seconds to get that just-out-of-the-oven taste. Finally we stopped in the shop which is full of all kinds of home, pantry and fresh food items. I came home with a pint of raspberries, a big bunch of strawberries (last of the season!), jars of pickled beets and bread and butter pickles, and a block of baby Swiss cheese. Everything has been absolutely fantastic and it would be easy to go absolutely wild in this store. Lots of events here during different seasons, especially apple and pumpkin season in fall which is their busiest time. After that they close for the year at Halloween. Come out and pick some berries or fresh lavender here this summer! It's a local gem.

    Photos
    Triple B Farms
    Triple B Farms - Sunflowers field

    Sunflowers field

    Triple B Farms - More sunflowers

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    More sunflowers

    Aqua-World Pet Super Center - Beautiful salt tank

    Aqua-World Pet Super Center

    3.6(29 reviews)
    41.2 mi

    2 stars mostly for selection. Many fish. Also had snakes, lizards, turtles, a few birds, etc…read more However, the store was disorganized and messy. The aquariums didn't seem very clean. I also had a difficult tone finding an employee.

    The rabbits and guinea pigs here are kept in terrible condition. I attached photos of the rabbits…read more They're kept in way too small of cages. The one rabbit didn't even really have any food. Rabbits are prone to digestion issues and need to be able to be constantly eating. There weren't any hideaways provided for them, or any toys for enrichment or to chew on and keep their teeth down. I didn't get pictures of the guinea pigs. Their cage was literally just stacked on top of the rabbits'. But they also didn't have any toys and no hideaways. Because of this, they were visibly super stressed out because they were kept front and center of the store and didn't have any place to hide and get away from the stressors. The top of their cage was also just open and I saw little kids reaching their hands in without any employees around to facilitate customers interacting with the animals like that. Honestly terrible for everyone involved because A.) The kids could get bit B.) It stresses out the animals C.) The animals are learning to be afraid of people are going to be difficult to socialize with anyone that takes them home and D.) Any germs on the kids' hands could easily be transmitted to the animals and make them sick. This store should just stick with fish honestly. I'm not as knowledgeable about the other kinds of animals they have as I am about guinea pigs and rabbits, but the owners definitely either don't care about the animals or are just really uneducated about the animals they're selling.

    Photos
    Aqua-World Pet Super Center - Beautiful salt tank

    Beautiful salt tank

    Aqua-World Pet Super Center - More salt

    More salt

    Aqua-World Pet Super Center - 3 rabbits kept in too small of a cage. No hideaways. Nothing for them to chew on, no toys. Guinea pig cage stacked on top.

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    3 rabbits kept in too small of a cage. No hideaways. Nothing for them to chew on, no toys. Guinea pig cage stacked on top.

    National Aviary - Two Superb Starlings at the National Aviary.

    National Aviary

    4.5(298 reviews)
    42.2 miNorth Side

    This is the largest indoor aviary in the country, located right here in Pittsburgh! Stepping into…read moresome exhibits feels like you're transported to a whole new region, and the vibrant birds completely emerge yourself into a whole new world. The workers are very friendly and educate you on the birds and their behaviors. Some of the birds even walk along side you on the walkway. Me and my boyfriend stopped here after his classes, and CCAC students get free entry to the aviary. Not only will you see many beautiful birds, but they house sloths and bats as well! One of my favorite birds ever, the Luzon bleeding-heart dove, was here in the same cage as the bats (which also happen to be one of my favorite animals).

    The parking lot is very small. Had to wait for people to pull out to get a spot. Street parking…read moreis limited but available. Our visit revolved around a 3 year old. There was a small line to buy tickets. We were pulled over to the gift shop to purchase tickets. Within reach and at eye level are all kinds of things. "Can I have ____?" No. Tickets for 1 adult and 2 kids $56.85. We got our tickets. We immediately passed the concession stand. "Can I have chicken fingers and French fries?" No we are going to lunch when we are done here. How about some cold water? $4 boxed water ... terrible. The birds were either above or below the 3 year old's view. Lost interest quickly. Within 45 minutes, we were on our way to lunch. We'll try again in a couple years.

    Photos
    National Aviary - Guam Kingfisher

    Guam Kingfisher

    National Aviary
    National Aviary

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    Oglebay Good Zoo - zoos - Updated May 2026

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