This should be your go to zoo as a family. Racine Zoo was the perfect stop for our 5 and 6 year olds. It was affordable and had a good selection of animals. It took us about 3 hours to walk around and see everything, which felt perfect. Once you get in, there is a lot you can do at no additional cost - visit with the animals, petting zoo, large playground. There is also a train for $3 (cash only) per person that takes you on a nice ride around the zoo. The staff were wonderful. They seemed genuinely happy that we were there and shared their love for the zoo. Even the gift shop was affordable. I really appreciated being able to spend time as a family and not have to take out a small loan to do so! read more

Racine Zoo - Petting zoo - Zoos Near Me - Racine, Wisconsin

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This Zoo is terrible. They don't disclose that there aren't any animals out when you purchase tickets. Most of the animals they advertise are not there. The tiger was euthanized recently, the lion wasn't available to see inside or outside, they don't currently have a rhino. There is one zebra that was gone for the most of the time we were there. The one giraffe they have has the sidewalk leading up to it closed off. The map says there are kangaroos, bears, and big cats; none were available to see except for one Lynx that looked drugged and depressed. For $40 me and my kids saw meerkats, one orangutan, penguins in a depressing condition, and a random species of deer. read more

We are staying less than a mile from the zoo, and with nothing to do, we were able to check this off of our "to do" list. Arriving first thing, we were behind a couple of groups of kids out on filed trips. The $11 entry fee is easy on the pocketbook as well. The zoo is much smaller than others we have been to, but it was laid out nicely, and they have a fair selection of animals that they care for. A couple of them were not out when we first arrived, but the keepers were working on opening the pens. It was quite peaceful strolling thru the grounds today and the weather was spectacular. It is smaller than the zoo we go to at home, but we found it to be a charming spot to stop at for an hour or so, and we would come back if we are in the area again. read more

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A small but nice zoo. I would say 1-2 hours is an average visit, if you walk leisurely and enjoy the surroundings. If you're coming with kids, there is a playground, a train ride, a snack cafe or you can have a picnic. Things are maintained nicely and handicapped accessible. A nice gift shop too! read more

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We took my 5 month old to the Racine zoo looking for a more low key experience than the Milwaukee Zoo and it was absolutely perfect. They did warn us upon entering that a few animal exhibits weren't available but there was still a good amount to see. The animal exhibits are pretty open so you get good views and there's not large crowds so you're always front and center. Many exhibits have signs stating when they give talks about the animals and we caught a training session for the monkeys which was incredible! You can catch a view of the lake from a good part of the zoo and take a nice leisurely walk around their grounds. This place is perfect for families! read more

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Yes, they have some cool animals however, the animals are kept in terrible condition. The penguins specifically are in the heat with barely any water and there was no ice. The lions were also deprived of water. It was alot of walking with not many animals . There was a train that came around, but it was a short distance and you had to pay 3$ per person. This is not worth the money and I refuse to support this company. read more

Racine Zoo - This is the penguin enclosure and it is 80° out. No ice. Super shallow. - Zoos Near Me - Racine, Wisconsin

A small zoo. People I was with were rather nostalgic for the way things were many years previous. I liked how you could submit animal observations online and there was a sticker reward. The playgrounds were nice for our kid to play on. read more

One of the worse zoo. We paid 150 for our family and they didn't have very many animals to see , would not go back, I would leave zero stars but it won't let me read more

Well, we went to the zoo as the kids were interested in it, now im not much of a softy but sometimes some things just don't sit right, a lot of the animals seem to be stuck in the "idle" stage where the monkeys and lions and bears seemed to just be standing or sleeping, the thing that stuck out to me most was the orangutans, at first it was interesting but i watched one slowly swing around in a circle while the other one just sat in one spot, and eventually the other one followed suit, im not saying don't go to the zoo, im just giving my experience and thoughts read more

Racine Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Racine, Wisconsin

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I was really kinda disappointed with this zoo. It was middle of October and the weather was cloudy and cooler. There were very few animals in their outdoor enclosure. I wasn't able to get into many of the housing buildings as I would like to. It seemed like the zoo is well planned out with various picnic areas and great views of the lake. I certainly don't want to deter people checking out this zoo. I would return when the weather is warmer to check out this zoo. read more

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The girls in the back of the Jungle Grill are so kind! Food was delicious. Bear was so cute!

What happened to all the animals? This was the emptiest zoo I had ever been to. The best part about the whole zoo was that the kids playground had a refreshment area that sold adult beverages. read more

What a bust! We saw five animals (MAYBE) & most of the exhibits were closed or abandoned. Drive to Milwaukee to check out an active zoo and skip this site. read more

We love the Racine Zoo! Their membership are cheap, they have playgrounds, lots of animals, plus spring and summer camps.

For a zoo not in a large city it is perfect and fairly cheap to take the kids too. There is a nice playground for the kids to play in and you can pack a lunch with plenty of options for a "picnic" style lunch. I'm not sure if this was the first year but I loved that they hosted the China Lights here this winter. It brought such a nice vibe to the zoo. There were fire pits scattered around, most of them unlit, and I know somewhere they were serving hot chocolate. This was a great addition to the area! read more

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Wow, I remember going to the Racine zoo several yrs. ago & it was a very good time! Very nice in the past to visit. But yesterday my family & I decided to take a short road trip from Chicago & the zoo is a big rip off! Hardly any animals are there. We had a hard time finding any. The few animals around seemed as if they were drugged & there is hardly anything to look at. Most of the exhibits & side activities were closed! It was expensive too for nothing really. My grandson played in the park area but we could have taken him anywhere to do that for free! Thank God we did not have to pay for parking. Very boring! In Chicago we have The Lincoln Park zoo which is free & has many different animals & activities going on for kids & adults. I feel we wasted our time making a visit. We also wasted $$$$ which we could have used to do something else. This zoo should not charge a fee at all. We found out from the clerk that even Racine residents have to pay! Crazy! It was a very nice day too & hardly anyone was out & hardly anyone was at the zoo. Other people also complained about the lack of animals in the zoo. read more

Seems like it was a nice zoo at one point. More than 1/2 the exhibits were closed or just no animals in the enclosure. The grounds needed a lot of TLC. I recognize that zoos are a lot of upkeep and expenses, but I'd rather pay a few bucks more and have a much more fulfilling experience. If I was local with young kids I would have a membership here - lots of nice play areas and a pleasant park environment. In addition, you have an absolute goldmine in the animal paintings - drop the price 33% and start selling them online (you had limited stock on hand the day we visited). A little thoughtful planning and ventures to raise funds and you would be able to reinvigorate this one. read more

Nice employees but it has went down hill there has been noticeably not as much animals, but good place to walk by the lake and enjoy natural beauty in the world. read more

Small but very nice just don't go ever it's freezing temps lol not much will be open

If you read most reviews less than a year old, you'll see what to expect. I took my 3 year old son this morning as a father and son date and was excited for him due to how much he loves animals; well I was very disappointed as previously mentioned by many others; how few animals they have. He kept asking about cheetahs, elephants, bears; not at this zoo; the aviary, the petting farm closed due to end of season, one worker mentioned that it closes at end of September, today is September 30th I told her then she backtracked to say 2 weeks ago. Please take my word of advice, pay the extra money and go to the Milwaukee zoo! read more

Always a great time, but just wanted to come on here to say that the young girl that drives the train around for the kids was amazing. You can truly tell she enjoys working there, made us all laugh and was great with the kids. It was the highlight of our trip and I wish we got her name. That girl deserves a bonus ! read more

For a smaller town zoo they do a great job with the animals and events. There's always something new going on. The staff does a great job!

Spend $30 to get into a zoo that has nine animals. Most cages are empty. The playground is falling apart really a very sad situation.

Very small zoo. Very few animals. Beautiful view of the lake, nice grounds for walking around. Kid friendly food at the restaurant, prices were as expected. Wish there had been more animals there though. It is a zoo after all. read more

I was pleasantly surprised with this zoo. It's located near Downtown Racine and is pretty decently sized. There isn't really a parking lot that belongs to the zoo at all so you have to park on a side street. My bother, sister-in-law, niece and I visited on a Saturday afternoon and were still easily able to find close parking. The admission to the zoo is super reasonable, around $5 a person. Once you get in there's a bunch of different exhibits like monkeys, penguins, tigers, lions, zebras, giraffes, bears, and much more. We were able to feed some of the giraffes up close and personal for only $3 a person. They also have a neat bird exhibit were you can feed the birds up close as well for a small fee. Super cool! The only thing I wish this zoo had was more food/drinks spots, but other than that it was a great experience. I highly recommend checking it out especially with small kids, they will love it! read more

where are the animals??? paid $40 for the family and there was nothing to see. The Bears are gone the tiger is gone the wolves are gone the petting zoo no longer there, Couldn't find a rhino a hippo a zebra absolutely a total waste I'm so sad the Racine zoo used to be a wonderful place to bring the kids. read more

This was a waste of money! Took my grandchildren there and we saw 4 animals on exhibit and many were closed.. The ground could use some sprucing up as well. It used to be a nice zoo for children and it was FREE. We traveled 45 minutes for a huge let down for the kids. I actually asked for a refund and was given the email of the director so that I could contact them. Very rude. Don't waste your time. read more

This was highly disappointing, and like another reviewer stated, places like this is the reason why people think zoos are a bad idea. It should not be called a zoo.... We walked around for maybe 30 minutes at the most and saw maybe 6 animals. Granted it was only $11/pp to get in, but even that seemed a bit steep for more of a nice walk through a park which really is all it was. I truly hope the animals are cared for, but the cockatoo in the entrance sitting in a window in the sun is a good sign to me that they're not. I hope I'm wrong! read more

Great little zoo for the money. We saw all the animals and the views of the lake are great too! Try a rum bucket drink! The zoo staff were very active and even took time to answer our questions about the penguins! We really enjoyed the day! read more

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Good for a half day tour, works for family who has small babies. But my older kid wish he could see gorilla there. So hope they accept more animals in the near future. read more

Racine Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Racine, Wisconsin

The Racine Zoo is roughly a rectangular plot of parkland nearly right on Lake Michigan that is maybe 1/8-mile across by 1/4-mile. It is optimal for families with small children - maybe under age 8 or so. The price is great - we paid $7 for adults. Don't expect a major city zoo - expect a good value for the price. Some of the highlights are an Australian walk-about; a petting zoo with goats, llamas, pigs, and sheep; an up-to-date playground; a small train that goes around the grounds; giraffe feeding; and a clean zoo. Most of the animals are on the southern half; you can actually see 90% of them just by staying on the south side of the zoo. Asphalt paths throughout - friendly for strollers. Expect to spend about 2 hours - give or take - depending on interest of the kids. read more

I love this little zoo. A wonderful low budget way to spend an afternoon. My favorite is the Fossa from Madagascar, though it does make me sad it can't be in its natural environment. Tigers, lions, a nice collection of primates, this is a very friendly zoo right on the lake. read more

Asia (sp?) in the educational department was not personable and was very unhelpful in a time of need. Didn't even have the time of day of speak to me and rushed me off the phone call. read more

Came from out of town with my family and we were very excited too see this zoo as we have heard amazing things about it , however very disappointed, my grandma who is a member and a senior can't walk well and had pay for a rental of a crusty old wheel chair ! Pretty crazy charging your senior members for a wheel chair! Half the animals had no food nor water , myself and other patrons complained about this to the zoo members , who by the way are very rude and not friendly whatsoever ! I can deal with rude staff but animals not being treated right with no food or water is unacceptable! The foosa was pacing around and hitting buckets for food and water , the lions had nothing and were panting and pacing , and half the birds looked sick and featherless! This zoo is horrible to their animals and the staff is rude and careless !! I will never come here again and we have canceled the family member ship my grandparents have due too the treatment of animals and how rude the staff was!!! read more

When I was a little kid the zoo was free for everyone. Now it's $8 a ticket for adults. I love this zoo because it's somewhat small but all the exhibits are well done. The meerkats used be an otter exhibit. I accidentally dropped by camera case in there as a teen and they chewed it up! Giraffes are super cool. I feel bad for the tiger and lions. Their areas seem to be quite small for them. The white faced gibbon monkeys are always super cute and spend time cleaning each other. I would recommend. Stop by the gift shop and check out the green turtle. read more

Racine Zoo - Stop watching me clean his fur! - Zoos Near Me - Racine, Wisconsin

Very Nice Zoo. Small but fun to walk around and enjoy your day. Very well maintained and clean. I look forward to exploring all of it. They have a good variety of animals. read more

Racine Zoo - It is very Different than the Milwaukee Zoo. I like the walking paths. It is small.but very Nice. - Zoos Near Me - Racine, Wisconsin

Pros: free parking. Free admission for age 2 and under. Friendly staff. Scenic view of Lake Michigan. Cons: very few animals to see, and the animals that were there seemed bored and lethargic (the only exception - the monkeys were rather lively). We went on a Monday morning in July so the heat may have been a contributing factor to the animals' behavior. The animal enclosures and overall zoo landscaping were unkempt, overgrown with weeds, etc. - the water for the penguins appeared to need a good cleaning. Grounds definitely in need of some maintenance. All vending machines were sold out of bottled water. Adult admission $8 seemed steep for what little there was to see, though the cost of the train ride $2 was reasonable. read more

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Great experience and fun for all! Brought my niece here for the very first time and it was ruined by the two female grounds crew driving the white pick up because they not only were driving fast, but almost hit my niece and some other kids. So if you come here watch out for the grounds crew! read more

The zoo was 100 times better when it was free. They have a new play area but lacking animals. I called ahead this time. Asked if everything was open. I was told it was. Nope. More exhibits closed then open. My granddaughter who is 3 was not interested. We left. Should have thrown my money out the window. read more

I was really disappointed with our second, and last, visit to this zoo today. First off, why ask me whether I'm there for Boo At The Zoo if the end result is you're not letting anyone in until 10 am regardless? And would it kill someone to post a warning on the website that the zoo is opening an hour later than usual so I don't have to stand around for over a half hour? Also, I've seen houses decorated better for Halloween than this zoo. Decorating a few pumpkins with a penguin design is only cute for so long. How about something else? Talk about boring! Finally, this place didn't have that many animals to begin with and there are even less now. No penguins (ironic, given the pumpkin designs), no fennec fox, no cranes. The only redeeming part of the visit was seeing the two month old lion cubs. Despite that, I will not be back. It's not worth the drive. read more