The 25 Best Wildlife Parks In America

You don’t need a passport to see a lion yawn or a red panda nap. Wildlife parks across America offer unexpected moments like these. All it takes is a day off and a decent pair of shoes to experience them. The best part is that some of the best are hiding closer than you think. Let’s take a look at them.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Think “zoo,” then double it and spread it across 1,800 acres of Southern California chaparral. San Diego Zoo Safari Park is an open-range conservation hub where African and Asian species roam. Home to more than 3,000 animals and 300 species, it runs massive breeding programs for rhinos and condors.

Bronx Zoo

Spread over 265 acres in the heart of the Bronx, this place is one of the largest metropolitan zoos in the world. Since 1899, it has housed over 6,000 animals, representing more than 700 species. It’s run by the Wildlife Conservation Society, so every ticket funds global wildlife protection.

Columbus Zoo And Aquarium

This Ohio zoo became a big deal with help from Jack Hanna. The Columbus Zoo features six regions that mimic real habitats and even has a water park next door. It’s known for its fun atmosphere and serious work in saving wildlife and teaching visitors.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo

You’d think a zoo run by the Smithsonian would feel like a museum with feathers. It doesn’t. It feels like 163 acres of walking uphill while seeing pandas. This place was one of the first to get them, and it’s still making diplomatic history.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

This zoo casually holds world records. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo doesn’t even blink. It houses the world’s largest indoor desert inside the Desert Dome and the largest indoor rainforest in North America. The Lied Jungle simulates tropical rainforests with free-roaming monkeys and birds.

Saint Louis Zoo

Zero dollars. That’s what it costs to walk into one of the top zoos in the country. The Saint Louis Zoo is a powerhouse with over 12,000 animals across 450 species. Divided into six distinct zones like River’s Edge and The Wild, it’s known for naturalistic habitats and its pioneering animal care research.

Cincinnati Zoo And Botanical Garden

Fiona, the premature hippo who became a viral sensation, made the Cincinnati Zoo famous online. But this 75-acre zoo, founded in 1875, has always stood out. As the second-oldest in the U.S., it houses more than 500 species and leads the way in endangered animal care.

Denver Zoo

Altitude? Check. Giraffes in the snow? Check that, too. Denver Zoo’s 80-acre layout puts over 3,000 animals on display, but never in basic ways. It was the first American zoo to ditch bars for naturalistic enclosures back in 1918. Now, it’s still ahead of the curve.

Brookfield Zoo

Do you want brains with your bears? Brookfield’s got research cred. This is where dolphin cognition and ape behavior go under the microscope when they’re not charming crowds. The place spans 216 acres, runs its animal welfare programs, and has a solid zoo train game.

ZooTampa At Lowry Park

Florida’s chaos doesn’t stop at gators. ZooTampa keeps things spicy with endangered Florida panthers and a manatee rehab hospital that’s an ICU for blubbery sea potatoes. The vibe? Tropical escape meets legit conservation science with a dash of family-friendly swagger.

Philadelphia Zoo

Opened in 1874, the Philadelphia Zoo is America’s oldest, but it still keeps things fresh. Its cool Zoo360 trail lets animals explore above your head through mesh walkways. It’s a fun twist that gives animals more freedom and visitors a whole new way to watch.

Woodland Park Zoo

Rain doesn’t bother the lemurs, and apparently, neither does the crowd. Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle thrives in drizzle, serving up 92 acres of eco-conscious habitats. It’s internationally recognized for sustainability leadership and has won multiple AZA awards for exhibit design.

Houston Zoo

Big city zoos usually feel like concrete mazes, but Houston’s doesn’t. Set in Hermann Park, this 55-acre standout is home to over 6,000 animals representing 600 species. It balances smart exhibit design with genuine conservation work, funding over 40 global wildlife initiatives.

North Carolina Zoo

Think you’ve walked a lot at a zoo? Try this one. It’s the largest natural habitat zoo on the planet. That means animals have room. You’ll get your steps in. African elephants and bison are spaced across 500 acres. Remember to wear good shoes.

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix Zoo is built in the middle of a desert, yet it’s teeming with life. With four themed trails and a conservation mission that includes Arabian oryx reintroductions, it stands as one of the largest private nonprofit zoos in the U.S.

Detroit Zoo

The Detroit Zoo has been ahead of the curve in animal care since the 1920s when it started using barless exhibits instead of cages. Now, it’s still setting the standard with spacious, humane habitats, like the ten-acre Polar Bear Center, where the bears have plenty of room to roam.

Dallas Zoo

Giraffes and 106 acres of don’t-miss-it territory—Dallas Zoo is thoughtfully wild. Founded in 1888, it’s the oldest and largest zoo in Texas. The Wilds of Africa monorail loops through savanna and forest habitats, while the Giants of the Savanna exhibit lets elephants and zebras share space like it’s a nature documentary.

Indianapolis Zoo

Why settle for just a zoo when you can add an aquarium and botanical garden to the mix? The Indianapolis Zoo is a triple threat, covering 64 acres in White River State Park. It’s the only U.S. zoo accredited by the AZA, plus the American Alliance of Museums for all three categories.

Memphis Zoo

Pandas once called this place home, but even without them, it holds its own. The Teton Trek is a Yellowstone knockoff, complete with wolves and grizzlies. The zoo covers 70 acres, 3,500 animals, and more Elvis jokes than necessary. Still, it delivers where it counts.

Zoo Miami

The only subtropical zoo in the continental U.S., and it’s vibing hard with that climate. Think open-air exhibits and Komodo dragons that look at you sideways. Over 100 exhibits stretch across 750 acres. And, of course, that humidity is part of the experience.

Minnesota Zoo

Snow leopards don’t flinch here. Neither should you. Minnesota Zoo leans into its climate with trails like Russia’s Grizzly Coast and the Northern Trail. Opened in 1978, it’s all about expansive, immersive environments. Even the indoor Tropics Trail makes you forget about frostbite for a minute.

Los Angeles Zoo

The real animal stars live here. L.A. Zoo holds more than 1,400 animals across 133 acres of Griffith Park. Conservation is the main event, with endangered species breeding programs in full swing. Traffic still sucks, but at least the lemurs are chill.

Nashville Zoo

Have you ever watched a vet perform surgery while holding a churro? Nashville Zoo makes that weirdly possible. Their HCA Healthcare Veterinary Center includes floor-to-ceiling windows so guests can view real-time animal procedures. But that’s not the only draw. The Kangaroo Kickabout lets you stroll inside the habitat with red kangaroos.

Oregon Zoo

This one’s green, and not just because it rains nonstop. Oregon Zoo leads in sustainability with an on-site composting system and energy-efficient habitats. Elephants and cougars all get the VIP eco-treatment. They even added a forested trail that doubles as a history lesson.

Fort Worth Zoo

Tough to beat a place that’s topped national zoo rankings multiple times. Fort Worth delivers 540 species and the kind of animal enrichment that would put some human gyms to shame. Also, their elephant program is elite. For example, Olympic-level tusk training.