This is an excellent park and zoo, such a wonderful attraction in Topeka. It's a real gem of a…read moreplace.

Thanks to the sunflower summer app, kids and their parents can enjoy the zoo once per summer for…read morefree. We were invited to a party in Topeka, and if we were going to drive the hour from KC, we might as well make a day of it! This zoo is the perfect size for younger children like we have (ages 2, and almost 4). We saw a bear, giraffes, hippos, elephants, moneys, and more! The new giraffe house is really awesome! It puts you really close to the giraffes. When my daughter got in the giraffe house she had this huge face of excitement and said, "woh!" It was also my favorite exhibit. We like that the zoo is small, and doesn't take all day. I also like that a lot of exhibits are in door because the Midwest has a lot of months with unbearable weather. There needs to be a lot more updates to the zoo, and that's why a 4/5. We will be back I am sure. When we left we paid to go in the miniature train and the kids loved that. Lastly, we went to the discovery center which is only a couple of minutes away. There is so much to do in such close proximity for kids.

I've been loving the sunflower summer pass and have used it anytime we are out and about in…read moredifferent cities in Kansas. My sister just moved to the area and there was an hour of two that wasn't too hot so we decided to check out the zoo! A lot of the fences and gates make it hard to see the animals, so I think they could use some improvement in that area. My favorite was the tiger because we could see him so close up! The kids loved the zoo, and with kids under 5, we like small zoos that don't take all day. This one made the mark! A couple animals I wish they would add would be penguins and giraffes. There seemed to be a concession stand but that was closed the morning we went. There was a nice playground for the kids that we noticed as. There was a lot of adequate shade, which was nice. I would suggest having a stroller or a wagon because there is lots of walking and hills. Overall, for a smaller town Zoo it was great. We will be back sometime again when we visit my sister I am sure.

Nice, reasonably priced zoo. My niece enjoyed looking at…read morethe animals at the park was fairly empty on a Friday morning.

Small, free. Great way to let the kids run around and burn some energy. Beautiful on the fallread more

What a cute little FREE city run zoo! various sponsors provide funds for different animals or…read morefacilities. Its truly a charming place. First please note this is a small, quiet, clean and free place for respectful visitors. Children or guests who cant behave, walk and not run, stay off fences and structures are not encouraged to participate. there are various signs instructing these things. The animals are in close proximity to guests and need to be as stress free as possible to have a happy and healthy time and to ensure this place stays available and safe for everyone. The parking is street parking or continue down past entrance for a modest lot near the llamas. did i mention they have llamas? not little cute alpacas but massive gorgeous llamas...anyway, they also have bald eagles, bob cats, and more native usa wildlife. The vultures are really cool and our family got a kick out of the giant spurred african tortoise. they have modest but clean restrooms. and a concession/vending area with shade. ample seating around and a cute play area for small children.

I absolutely love the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead! There was so much more to do than I…read moreexpected, and both my elementary-age son and toddler had a fantastic time. We spent a lot of time riding the toy tractors, fishing, mining for gold, playing with the goats, and--of course--washing our hands over and over. We also took a hayrack ride with the famous Budweiser horses, which was a real treat. There are various buildings with eateries, small museums, and interactive exhibits. I was pleasantly surprised--and happy--that they sell healthy (and not-so-healthy) kid-friendly food. The Farmstead is also incredibly affordable. Admission is only $5, and most activities and food options are very reasonably priced. The size is perfect--big enough to explore without feeling crowded, but manageable enough to see most activities in a couple of hours. Plus, it's all outdoors with live animals, which makes it extra fun. The Farmstead depicts a Kansas family farm in the early 1900s, with over 250 animals, a country schoolhouse, and plenty of hands-on activities. Highly recommend for families looking for an educational, fun, and affordable day out!

Deanna Rose is good ole family fun! Truly there is so much to do here! From fishing to…read morefeeding/petting certain animals, the fun is endless! If you go right at opening, you can catch the running of the baby goats! They also have great seasonal activities like their extensive light show during the holidays, which has been added to our family traditions! They have a hay ride to a pumpkin patch in the fall and outdoor movies during the summer! Some everyday activities are extra money, but you can definitely have fun without spending more than the entrance fee! One down side is you can't bring your own food for lunch, but they have some tables outside of the area so you could still bring a lunch. Deanna Rose is definitely worth bringing your kids to!

I have to start out by saying I don't like bugs or insects however this was a really cool place to…read morevisit. The staff was amazing, she walked us through a lot of stuff and kept it interesting. Worth the 3$

The best insect zoo we have ever been to, we loved learning about all the different bugs and had so…read moremuch fun doing it! My girls (ages 24 and 20) have always loved bugs (as have I), but this was our first time in an actual stand-alone insect zoo, and it was AWESOME!! Regular zoo insect houses are okay, but pale in comparison to the K-State insect zoo. We appreciate that the zoo was open over the Christmas holidays so that those of us who take post-Christmas trips (from Dallas) could visit. Bonus: we had the place to ourselves so we had good conversations with the staff entomologist, who explained how they care for and manage their insects. Cool behind the scenes info! Favorite exhibits in no particular order: Leaf-cutter Ants (just given fresh leaves) Tarantulas Scorpions Mantids Bees! Various exoskeletons Other spiders (black widow and wolf spider) Assassin Bugs Walking sticks - some species were 6 in. long!! The roaches in the kitchen exhibit is not for the faint of heart. Avoid the sink if you are squeamish. The albino roach on the counter exhibit was cool, though. Stop by and grab some insect snacks on the way out. Bugs are a great source of high-quality protein and ranching them is very climate friendly. 5 come get your bug fix stars!!

I have been to the zoo several times now. I wound up signing up for a membership after my first…read morevisit. I wish they would offer the Missouri resident discount to those of us that live right over the state border but visit often. Maybe call it the Kansas friend's discount. Lol If you are a MO resident you should definitely take advantage of the discount membership. I am unable to pick my favorite part of the zoo. I love animals so much. I used to be anti zoo but over the years, I've decided that as brutal as we are to the world around us, some of these animals probably couldn't survive and if they are given great habitats and love, then I can support this. I also think it's good for humans to learn about and experience being around these majestic beings. I do wish some of them had larger areas to roam. I think the zoo is trying to accomplish that and I look forward to seeing the new giraffe space! I wish the polar bear had a companion. They seem lonely, I don't know the full story so I don't want to judge the situation. The penguins are high on my list of loving to watch. Riding the train to the African section is fun. We went to the holiday lights show (which costs extra but members get a discount) and I really enjoyed it. They have a gift shop and some food options in several locations around the zoo! The food can be a bit pricey but if you have a membership, you get a small discount on all food and in the gift shops! I have plans to go back soon now that it's spring and the giraffes will be back!!! Support your local zoos and aquariums!

If you're a resident of Kansas City and can get the resident discount, the zoo is absolutely worth…read moreit. I think the prices for out-of-city guests are honestly too high. I didn't consider going (because of the price) until I realized we qualify for discounted tickets. We visited in late March and it seems like a perfect time to go. The weather was cool but not biting and a lot of the animals were out! There were good-sized crowds but it wasn't too overwhelming. The zoo is kept clean and the animals are well-cared for, though we didn't encounter a lot of zookeepers who could tell us more about them. Most of the zookeepers we saw were interacting with animals - feeding the penguins, guiding the sea lion show, etc. I would have loved more info on a lot of the animals! Where the experience lacks is the price of food. I'm sure they make a lot of revenue from food and drink vending, but the prices are so high, especially if you're buying for a group. I will say that the portion sizes are pretty nice for the amount you're spending, but I do wish they had a few cheaper options! The water bottle fountains. The zoo is (naturally) all about conservation and education about the environment, but there's nowhere to fill up your reusable water bottles when it's cold! I know they shut the fountains off so the pipes don't freeze but they should offer free refills of bottles at every kiosk where you can buy a drink. And they should advertise that! The walk down to the Africa section is brutal if you don't want to pay for the tram. While it is technically disability accessible, it's not disability friendly. I was whooped after walking down there and through the entire section and it felt like a mountain to get back up. I know there's not much they could do to fix this, but it is something to be aware of when you go. The KC Zoo is so fun and it was such a great experience. There are oodles of kids around and it can get pretty loud, but there are quiet spaces within an easy distance. There's a large variety of animals and other creatures to see. The penguins were a huge highlight and we absolutely loved the red pandas!

We recently went with some friends to Wild Rose to go riding. We hadn't rode horses since we were…read morekids and some hadn't ever been on a horse before. The staff was more than awesome. We really enjoyed our time out there. The horses are very well trained and the country was beautiful. It was a very memorable trip and we will return. If you are looking for a great place to ride wether for the first time of experienced, i would highly recommend Wild Rose Equine Center.

Always a great experience. Whether your a notice or been riding for years. Great place and highly…read morerecommend!

Raymond Fouler is the G.O.A.T we were on a time crunch and we really wanted to ride the mamba we…read morethought we wouldn't be able to go BUT Raymond busted not 1 not 3 not 6 but 9 line cutters and we were able to ride the mamba ABSOLUTELY THE BEST WOF EXPERIENCE THAT WE WILL EVER HAVE Thank you Raymond for the autograph and picture your a legend!

literally terrible. they have maybe one roller coaster running out of them all at one time. and…read morenone of the big rides running. not sure if it's a staff issue or mechanical but this park needs to close. not sure why they're trying to hike it up when they can't even keep the rides running.