When we came here in early January 2026 it was snowing, parts of the zoo were closed (Mayan Temple), and sections were under construction. We were warmly greeted by an employee whom asked if we needed any help with directions when we entered. It was very quick and no line to enter or exit since we bought tickets and parking online. The size of the enclosures actually seems decent. The animals seemed happy. The wolves were playing together in the snow. The polar bears were wrestling. It felt quite special to see those animals thriving in the snow. The zoo has many paved paths and signs. They also give you a paper map when you first enter. Since it was winter make sure to enter the inside facilities to see more. The restrooms were warm and clean! They even had a way to call if a restroom needed service. For three adults it was about $96 CAD. We spent probably two hours there and saw almost everything. Although we went on a weekend, it wasn't very crowded (likely due to the cold). It looks like a very well maintained zoo that's only 15 min drive from Little Portugal, Toronto. It was a fun time! read more

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Beautiful zoo! Lots to see. Lots to learn here. All staff are very friendly and knowledgable. Prepare to walk a lot. Great way to get your steps in. For an additional fee on top of admission, you can ride the zoo mobile which takes you from one part of the zoo to the other. Theyre also working on the board walk to help connect the furthest points of the zoo to one another. Lots of great additions over the years. Theres even a huge splash pad! Seasons pass would get you the most bang for your buck. Pays for itself in just 2-3 visits. Been here during all seasons and its always a great time. Open all year round. Limited food options but they have beavertails! read more

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Normally zoos make me a little sad, not enough space, animals in captivity, etc. But Toronto Zoo is really amazing and I feel, often underrated. It was a hot summer day (perfect for a desert-dweller like me), and the animals were relaxed and visible... the hippo swirling in its pool, pygmy hippos and goats chilling, raccoons sleeping, and even the polar bear, who went from full-on "no thanks" to getting up and grabbing a treat. Quiet magic. The zoo is huge, which means the animals have space -- and if you don't see one, it's probably because it's tucked away somewhere, which I really respect. I even got to witness a snake surgery in progress, wild. The greenhouse was stunning, full of vibrant flowers, and I passed a charming little veggie garden along the way. Loved all the thoughtful, peaceful touches, like animal prints on the walking paths. Also, no exit through the gift shop! I missed grabbing a hat, but honestly? I was thrilled they don't make parents drag kids through one on the way out. Clean, affordable, and so well-run. Next time I'll get a CityPass to bundle other attractions, but I'm so glad I went. read more

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Positives: - Spacious and easy to navigate - Lots of food options - Ample amount of bathrooms and rest areas - Included in CityPass Negatives: - Lots of construction going on (Apr 2025) - Not all exhibits are open until Spring - Parking is $20 read more

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I ended up going to the Toronto Zoo on a gloomy day but I still had an great time observing animals with few guests around. Not all animals were out either due to the weather or maintenance. My favorite sightings include the tigers and monkeys. There's ample parking as well as accessibility friendly spots near the entrance. Overall, this is a great place to bring children as there's many learning opportunities and water park! read more

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My first time coming here in the winter and I was not disappointed. You basically had the whole zoo to yourself! Though not all the exhibits were open, some animals aren't around during the wintertime, there was still plenty to see and they had the mobile train (at an extra cost) if you felt like a 2-3 hour walk across the whole grounds was not for you. We saw the tiger, polar bear, giraffes, wolves, penguins and many more beautiful creatures. Winter pricing is $30.95 for adults, $22 for kids & free for those under 2! Parking is $20 and there is also a TTC bus that comes directly to the main entrance! Zoo is fully accessible for wheelchairs or strollers. I would just take your time walking around during the wintertime as it is still an outdoor/indoor zoo so many paths are still weather dependent. read more

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Decided to come to the zoo on my last day in Toronto and man I didn't know it was that big. They did have a lot of animals but I didn't see a few at the zoo. Half the animals were hiding but overall it was a lot of walking . Food and drink prices weren't as bad compared to US zoos. read more

Toronto Zoo - Orangutan - Zoos Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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The Toronto zoo was a large walkable full day enjoyable experience! I visited on a rainy day but still had a very good time. I loved the abundance of indoor individually themed pavilions that the zoo had to offer. It was a great chance to get a closer look at some of the animals. The zoo also offers a Zoomobile to help you get around the park at a small extra fee. To my understanding this zoomobile also lets you get a closer look at some of the exhibits. Unfortunately during my visit the animals in the outdoor exhibits were out of sight, probably seeking shelter from the rain, so I was unable to spot any animals in the outdoor west regions of the park. Just another reason to come back again! read more

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Had a fun filled day at the zoo! Positives: A lot of different areas for different type of animals Lots of space to walk, never too crowded As clean as clean can get Food court Big water splash pad area Ample parking Clean washrooms (near the picnic area) Negatives: A lot of empty snack stands Everything is expensive Smell can be unbearable at times Do: Bring your own water Bring your own lunch/snacks Bring bathing suits if you plan on going to the splash pad read more

It's been a while since I went to the Zoo but since we had time to burn one hot summer day since we were waiting to get our car serviced nearby we decided to hit up the zoo. If you're coming during the summer don't forget to bring a hat and wear a ton of sunscreen as there isn't much shade going between the different areas. FYI use your Presto card to get discount tickets at the door. Do note, they do check your card card / digital Presto card number carefully to mark your discount. Only one card per ticket discount so if you want to bring family everyone would need a separate Presto card to get the discount. My favourite is watching the hippo swim indoors and just chill. We also like the polar bears too where you see them circling and swimming in their tanks. It's great fun for the whole family and kids seem to really enjoy the animals around. You can easily spend a whole day here. We did loop around the exotic animal areas but skipped out the Canadian domain as we ran out of time and also because it's a bit of a walk I think if I remember correctly they said 15-20 mins walk to get to the end from the entrance. read more

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I don't remember myself visiting this zoo ever. This was my first time and it was a great experience. Lots of different animals, lots to see! The zoo is pretty big. You can bring your own food and drinks inside which is great especially if you have kids. read more

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Such an amazing zoo we spent all day here and we had a truly lovely time! It's a gigantic place so wear comfortable shoes and pack for the day. There is a lot of place to rest or picnic and they have a zoo shuttle to get around the massive space. They have so many animals and beautiful exhibits. I felt like the animals had nice enclosures with lots of space and engagement and they appeared happy and well cared for. You can tell the staff take their roles very seriously with many different engagement and enrichment activities for the animals to provide them with the best lives possible. We had a great time and would absolutely return again! read more

There's lots of construction going on and early spring is not the best time to go as the cold weather keeps the animals in. Crowds were sparse and their exhibits and layout were great with a good amount of room for the animals. Expect to walk a lot due to the layout. The pavilions were great both for the animals and for warming up on a chilly day. Bonus points for being one of the few zoos with an actual hyena. Overall, it's worth the drive to visit the zoo. read more

This zoo is humongous. We were here for over four hours and we didn't even see one of the sections. I definitely recommend bringing a stroller if you have a little. My husband tracked it and we walked over 4 miles. There were quite a few animals that weren't visible, which was a little disappointing. They were doing construction though. The polar bears, gorillas, and baby rhino were the highlights for my husband and I. Our son loved the little splash park. Definitely bring a bathing suit or change of clothes for your little so they can take advantage of the splash park on a hot day. read more

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I went here on a Wednesday around 10:35am after my breakfast at Cafe Landwer and the zoo was very empty at that time! This zoo felt different from other zoos I've been to, so that was nice to experience. Basically, once I walked into the zoo, I saw a few big animals like goats near the Toronto Zoo sign. After, I also saw a bunch of kangaroos and thought it was cool how it's not really fenced off. They just have small signs on the ground for the kangaroo area saying "Please stay on path" which is cool too. Another cool thing about this zoo is how they have a waterfall area that you can walk through. I also liked the variety of food they have too and how there's a few outdoor food court areas, like the one I visited at the zoo called Caribou Cafe & Grill. Ok now enough about the good things about the zoo when I went, there were things I didn't enjoy about it too! One of the negatives was how most of the animals were asleep when I was there, so there wasn't really much to see when the animals were sleeping and that's kind of boring. Another thing I didn't like during my experience here is how there are areas for KIDS ONLY! The workers won't even let you check out the area if you're not a kid in those areas (NOT a fan of that!). I feel if I pay for the zoo tickets, then I should at least walk quickly into ALL public areas of the zoo. I would only recommend this zoo if you bring a little kid with you. You'll get the full zoo experience if you bring one, but you won't if you don't bring a kid. I mainly went to this zoo because it was part of the CityPass. This zoo was still a little fun for me and I spent about 6 hours there. read more

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Had a wonderful time at the zoo! This easily took 5 hours to explore the entire park - there is so much to see! Make sure to check online to see if there's any shows that are happening. The Canadian area of the zoo is far and on a steep hill - I recommend skipping this attraction if you're too tired for a short hike. read more

Toronto Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

It seems like every zoo I go to is under construction and this one was no different. Because of various different areas being remodeled (and perhaps because of the time of year we visited- April) many exhibits were either closed or relocated. It it a big zoo and riding the Zoomobile (train) is helpful to get around, but it doesn't run the full time the zoo is open. Without it, there is a lot of walking. They provide maps to prevent getting lost, but still it is hard to always locate where specific animals are. We wanted to see Chinese Pandas, but they hadn't been here is several years. We wanted to see Red pandas, but they were either hiding or sleeping inside. I wanted to see elephants but this zoo doesn't have them. I wanted to see pengiuns and they do have them, but they just stood around inside doing nothing interesting. The lions and the tigers (oh my) just sat around not really doing anything either. They also have three polar bears which walked around and ate food, so that was nice as I like them. My son really liked riding the Train and that was probably the highlight of his trip. Perhaps for me too, as I could fully see a lot more of the zoo in a short amount of time and learn a lot about it from the tour guide. I don't know if we picked a bad time to come or not, but I was hoping to see a lot more animals here. read more

Open for business, but you don't get what you pay for. Places like the CNE, the ROM, or the AGO have it right; you go at night you pay less. Other businesses like Canada's Wonderland realize in the winter not all their rides are running, so tickets are less! Makes sense, right? Well if you visit the Toronto Zoo in the winter, they ignore this basic logic. Tickets are the same price in the summer (when everything is open) versus the winter, where half the exhibits are closed, and the majority of the foodstands and restauraunts are also closed! Ignoring not being able to see a good chunk of the animals, what was there seemed pretty good. The animals seemed well-fed and I get they have to keep the animals indoors when its that cold out, but the enclosure for the giraffe's was very short for their height, and also very small versus the running room they would have had outside, or even at smaller zoos like Elora. read more

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The Toronto Zoo covers about 710 acres, making it the largest zoo in Canada. Daily admission is about CAD$28 plus $14 for parking, but if you get the CityPass, the admission to the zoo is included in the total package. We loved the clean environment, the tidy grounds and the overall setup of this zoo...really a pleasure to visit. The zoo is divided into seven zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia, and the Canadian Domain. Some animals are displayed indoors in pavilions and outdoors in what would be their natural environments. It also has areas such as the Kids Zoo, Waterside Theatre, and Splash Island. It has one of the most taxonomically diverse collection of animals on display of any zoo worldwide; it is currently home to over 5,000 animals (including invertebrates and fish) representing over 500 species. The zoo opened on August 15, 1974, as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo. The word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the individual municipalities that make up the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was amalgamated into the current city in 1998. The zoo is located near the Rouge River on the western border of Rouge Park in the city's east end district of Scarborough. So, it is about 45 min drive from downtown Toronto, luckily we had a car and heading over was not a problem...if we relied on public transportation that would had been a long trek. read more

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Super fun and the annual membership is a great deal (if you have a Presto card you get a discount on it too). Open all year, even in the winter. Great place to take kids. read more

Good day out with two families with kids. The kids loved the animals. Bring a hat. There's ice cream. And water stations. read more

Toronto Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I love visiting zoo where ever I go. Came to for it for spring break. It was cold this day, not much animal were out however this zoo is pretty big. Would definitely come back to visit when I'm in Toronto. read more

Toronto Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

It was a very big zoo, however I'm disappointed with how little animals there are and how most of the enclosures were empty or "unoccupied". Not to mention most if not all eating areas were closed. Some of the staff seemed inexperienced. Although the walk through the park was good but be warned that this is a long long long walk. My negatives would be how little up to date the zoo is, granted I know it was founded in the 70s but I feel it would be more appealing to be more up to date with conservation then vacant. read more

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A Great Place for A Winter Visit!! Okay, this normally would get 5 stars, but It's been months since our Pre-Covid visit. We went to the Zoo for the millionth time. Most kids in the Toronto area have been to the Metro Toronto Zoo either for a leisure visit or a school-educational visit. Most of my previous visits have been in the warmer months, but this visit was at the tail-end of the winter and just before they shut it down due to COVID 19 restrictions. The winter zoo experience differs from the warmer months in two ways. The animals that are typically outside, are now sequestered or indoors. A few animals that are from the more Northern climates can be found intermittently throughout the grounds. Secondly, there are much fewer people at the zoo. All of the indoor activities were still open, so there were plenty of opportunities to see many animals, in their as close to natural as possible environments. We were able to see animals from all over the world in many different environments. There was plenty of opportunity for animal education from the staff at the zoo. Hungry? Well, don't worry as the zoo has many options for eating. You will find typical fast food options like burgers, pizzas, fries, tenders etc. There are food trucks and other snacks like Poutine and Beaver tails as well as dessert options like Ice Cream. For the grown-ups, there are certain sit-down restaurants where you can get a beer, wine and cocktails. The zoo is a fun and educational stop, great for the whole family, in every season. Keep your eye out for Zoo offers on WagJag and other coupon sites and we got a really good price on discounted tickets for our visit. read more

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NOTE: This review is quite late as my visit to the Toronto Zoo was in September 2019. Pardon the tardiness, but I still did want to share my experience/review with my fellow Yelpers. I will try to keep it short and concise. its a ZOO out there. Little did I know that my friend of 20+ years is a fan of visiting zoos. She takes the opportunity to visit a zoo (if time permits) when traveling. And so, it seemed a visit to the Toronto Zoo was all but inevitable during our trip last September. NOTES: 1. We were able to obtain a 10% discount coupon from the concierge desk at our hotel (one coupon per person). Any kind of discounts helps for sure. 2. The Toronto Zoo is located 40-45 minutes outside Downtown Toronto. We took an uber to and from the zoo. 3. Parking is plentiful in the zoo parking lot. 4. Since it was off season, MANY of the food cafes/vendors within the zoo were closed during our visit. Just an FYI. I think the only food places that were open were near the entrance. 5. I would research the zoo hours on the day you're planning to visit. For complete details, please visit: http://www.torontozoo.com 6. Upon arriving at the zoo, I'd recommend obtaining a map as its very large and expansive. If you're not planning to stay the entire day, the map will help you navigate areas of interest you'd like to visit. 7. Use sunscreen, and I'd recommend a hat or sunglasses as well. *AREAS OF INTEREST*: 1. AFRICAN SAVANNA: This is the largest section/area in the zoo. Overall, this is a wonderful area and the animal enclaves/sections are large and expansive. Definitely designed with a desire to have the animals feel at "home" so to speak. Some of the animals were up and about, but some were being lazy or sleeping perhaps. We were slightly disappointed as some animals weren't visible in their habitats (the lion was napping). Favorites include the giraffes, rhinos, and the penguins. 2. TUNDRA TREK: The only thing worth mentioning is that it was very COOL to visit the polar bear habitat! The zoo has a nice sleuth of bears living and enjoying their home, complete with water feature and open spaces. 3. EURASIA WILDS: Another section of the zoo worth visiting. Although (yet again) it was disappointing that the tiger was also taking a nap and not walking around or engaged in some activity. We also walked thru: 4. INDO-MALAYSIA: The orangutans were cool. 5. AUSTRALASIA PAVILION: The komodo dragons were cool too, but we just did a quick look and left. Overall, we spent about four to five hours at the zoo and were able to walk around most of it. BOTTOM LINE: Although its a long trek to the zoo, I thought it was worth the trip when taking everything into account. I think my only disappointment was not being able to view some of the animals in their habitats. read more

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Animals were great but someone needs to revamp the map of this place. It's big but a lot of it is dead space ... there is not a natural flow at all. Can tell it's geared for a lot of stationary exhibits for photo ops with kids, which is nice for parents, but how about investing in actually more animals in those spaces? read more

The zoo is much bigger than I expected! We had so much looking at the wide diversity of animals. The employees at the zoo are also helpful. read more

Toronto Zoo - Tim Hortons at the Toronto Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Terra Lumina was such a magical event. This review is just about that event. My photos don't to it justice and I couldn't get my videos to upload. BUT, WOW! YOU NEED TO GO! Such a magical experience. They have designed it so well and with the fresh snow from last week, it really added to how pretty everything looked. My favourite thing has to be the music. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I would buy the MP3 and use it for meditation or just relaxing if they were selling it. Living in the city, you don't get to hear animals so even the animal sounds they had over the music were refreshing to hear. They use a lot of fog throughout and the effect that has is very cool with all the lights and lasers throughout. They also have this neat prism part where spotlights are on the prisms casting rainbows everywhere. They have an interactive installation with drums and you work together to make them light up. There is a wild tunnel near the end with epic light patterns and the overall message is beautiful. Worth the drive, worth the money. I'm planning to go again in a month. Such a beautiful art installation read more

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Came here on a hot summer day but enjoyed our experience at this large and spacious zoo. We did not get to see the whole zoo as we went with another couple with small children and we hid a decent rain storm around 4/430 PM that ended our day early, but enjoyed our time and the variety of things to see there. There was a variety of shady spots, covered areas, and buildings to get some relief on hot and sunny days. There were also a lot of large enclosures to view the animals in that were cool and gave some unique perspectives. I particularly enjoyed the gorilla enclosure, we got to see them get fed. It was nice because they had a lot of different areas in which to view them and see them from many different angles. I also liked the otter enclosure. Otters are typically my favorite and they had a good spot to view them and see them underwater. I've been to other zoos where the viewing isn't quite as good. They also had some good food options. We got poutine that I thought was a good amount and a good value. Overall it was a good zoo, decently large, but somewhat typical of most zoos. Not a ton that stuck out, but an enjoyable day. read more

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Tips for young families review - water bottle refill is ONLY at the front entrance before you come inside - splash pad is now an hour limit! - 100 wrist bands so come 1/2 hour before, especially after lunch, the line ups gets huge and you might miss getting wristbands. - kids zoo area is cute, more interactive but not quite to Children's Museum standards. Lots of picnic tables and washroom. - zoo mobile: it's a gamble for a seat if you don't start from the gates. Today(a Sunday) full train, we passed all the stops and only one person got off each time. Lots of disappointment at each stop, especially Eurasia where a long line formed on a hot humid day. More to add in future visits, toddler naps keep interrupting the research process. read more

Fun even during COVID We weren't sure if we should go there in November but we decided to go cos my kids never been. Although we did lots of walking, it didn't feel too cold not too tiring to walk outdoor. We were surprised that only 2 small exhibits was closed because of COVID. We were also impressed that most animals were very active. My kids love the carousel and that may be their highlight of the day I suggest you to bring your own lunch because most restaurants were closed when we were there. read more

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This review will be specific to the Wild Encounters. Being members with 3 young kids we have been at the zoo way too many times..but once they started wild encounters we jumped at this new experience. It is an up close experience with some of the animals that will blow your mind..part educational and part photo opp...if you love the zoo and have kids - pay extra and take them to the wild encounters. We have done the giraffe and hippo experiences. Our last one was the Canadian Domain with was the best. It is a tough walk but you get to see many animals with an up close experience with the grizzly bears. They are so cool up close and the guide and zoo staff let us get so close and explore their environment. read more

Toronto Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Not a fan. Found it over priced for what is offered, plus 15$ for parking. Half of it was under construction so you would hope to have some compensation. Maybe it would get better in the future, but I would not go back read more

Fantastic care, compassion and love is given to all the animals at this zoo. The staff is amazing and knowledgeable. They interact with the public to give you a more personable experience. My 10 yr old son and I love going here together on our Mom and son dates and look forward to seeing all our fav regulars. Definitely worth the $, yes it's expensive however it's a small cost compared to the cost to run this zoo the way they do. read more

Toronto Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

So sad that this zoo has become so run down and quite frankly, dirty! Staff standing around while litter blows along the pathways. Tables at eating areas are sticky and not wiped. The glass in front of the animals is so filthy that you can barely see through to the animals. Extremely expensive, $8.23 for a tiny ice cream bar! Staff were inexperienced and lacking knowledge. This used to be a lovely place but now it is truly disappointing! read more

Came here with my girlfriend just to get away from the city... well sort of. I have to admit, the weather held up just long enough. Also, my girlfriend wanted to come here as she has never been before. The last time I was here was for a field trip from grade school (many moons ago). Anyhow, let's get to the review. As I drove into the lot, it was surprisingly busy with lots of cars in the lot. However I didn't see any school buses or groups of school children around. So in some ways, I can spend a quiet date with my girlfriend just to walk around. On the weekday, most of the food stalls were closed. As the signs all indicate, open during the weekends. There's the merry-go-round that was running along with the gift shop run by the zoo. Aside from that, it's quite bare. Onto the animal exhibits. Luckily the weather held up so the animals' smell didn't expand by two to three-folds. We saw all the different animals... So the overall experience is not bad. read more

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I'm not huge into zoos but we had a nice time walking around here. I've been to better designed zoos, but this was all right. You can get up close (to glass) and see baboons, tigers and otters. We had fun finding the animals and just kicking around. It's a long walk around - I think we were here for 3 hours. Just plan for a long day when you visit. read more

Even when temporarily closed, the Toronto Zoo holds a special place in my heart. So, I wanted to write them a wee love letter on behalf of my family to prove it... Dear Toronto Zoo, We miss you and your sweet, sweet animals. The waddling penguins, the big bad cats, the fuzzy spring babies, heck, even the reptiles. We wish we could coo at you in person. We are **so excited** for your new Scenic Safari drive-thru and vow to RSVP on time to the next set of dates, so me and my family can visit you all during this strange time. We are especially eager to befriend your new baby giraffe! (Seriously, the world could not need baby giraffe more. Well played.) Stay safe and cuddly!!! xoxo read more

We recently visited the Toronto Zoo, and it was a huge disappointment. The tickets were expensive $29 CAD each plus $15 for parking. That would have been okay, but there were hardly any animals! Display after display informing us that many of the animals were unavailable for viewing. With respect to the animals that were available for viewing, the glass around many of the enclosures was filthy to the point that we could barely see the animals, and some of the enclosures were way too small for the animals they held (barely any room for the rhinoceros). I have never seen such a depressed-looking capybara. The poor orangutan was 57 years old. That said, there was no shortage of food vendors and gift shops at every turn and quite a few activities for small children (legos and face painting). But... we came to see the animals. We will not be visiting the zoo again :-( read more

Zoo's are very rough to review. The farther the exhibits are away from each other, the more space each animal has (which is wonderful) but more for us visitors to walk. I'm giving this zoo 3 stars because of lack of direction in between exhibits. I feel like there was only one way out, and you have to follow the path all the way through before getting to the exit. We did get to see the baby rhino though so that was cool. Honestly I'm pretty disappointed that the Panda's aren't there anymore, and being honest I had no idea they weren't going to be there because they still have pictures of them on their website. read more

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