We're new to Birmingham and have been exploring different places around the city. One experience I can truly recommend is Glow Wild at the Birmingham Zoo. If you want to immerse yourself in a fantasy world, this is a wonderful place to enjoy with your kids. We had a great time, and it's also a great way to support a fundraiser that helps care for the animals. We tried the train ride, and even though the line was long, it moved very quickly and we were able to enjoy it. We didn't have the opportunity to try the food, but we did notice plenty of sweets and drinks available. The bathrooms were decently clean. read more

Birmingham Zoo - Lady bugs - Zoos Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

I've been a member here for two years and have overall enjoyed the experience. Are half the exhibits empty most days? Yeah. Is the splash pad literally disintegrating? Yep. But the elephants and the monkeys are my kids favorites so we renewed our membership. We always bring snacks and spend our entire morning there, stopping to munch on the grass or at the splash pad. That is, until today. Checking in as normal and the guy insists on searching my cooler bag. First time in two years the cooler bag has even been acknowledged but ok? I'm then told because have shredded chicken for my kids as a snack it's not allowed in. I have to take everything back to my car or I'm not allowed entry. But don't you worry, if I had potato chips or any other unhealthy bagged snacks then that's totally fine to bring in!! If I want to pay for my yearly membership and then go eat in the parking lot I'm totally welcome to do that. How generous! Unfortunately last time I checked I can go eat at just about any park for FREE, I don't pay for a membership to eat in the parking lot. My children have bad allergies so I bring our food pretty much everywhere and I thought the zoo was a safe place but apparently not. We finished our visit (early of course because ya know my kids were hungry and we had to rush through everything so I could trek them back through the parking lot to our exclusive dining spot to eat our contraband chicken) and as I'm walking out the door what do I see?? A man rolling an honest to God IGLOO COOLER. ROLLING IT. Full of seed oil fried Cheese Puffs I'm sure!! So idk if the gate keepers were just on a power trip today and felt like they wanted to discriminate against children with allergies or what, but I'll definitely be considering this experience when/if I renew next year. If you're considering a membership for your children, the McWane has never one time given me an ounce of issue about bringing food in, just saying. read more

We took our one year old over the weekend and we were not impressed. It's been years since we have visited and it's just not what it used to be. Didn't see as many animals. A lot of Dino animatronics that my daughter just stared blankly at. The train was broken. The glass on the enclosures was gross and you couldn't see through it with the sun shining. You'd go down one path that was a dead end with no animals. Plus there was poison ivy absolutely everywhere--even encroaching on the walkway. Very sad and poorly managed. Get with the program Birmingham Zoo. When shopping in Mountain Brook with no money is more fun than your zoo, there's your sign. read more

It has been awhile since I have been to the Birmingham Zoo. When my kids were little we used to have a membership and visit all the time. Now that they are grown, my husband and I go when the zoo is having special events. Tonight we went to their Glow Wild Holiday Lantern Festival. At first we questioned if we would enjoy it, thinking it would be more for kids, but we absolutely loved it! The light lanterns were gorgeous and so well made. I loved the ladybugs , the under the sea themes, the flowers and the lanterns that moved including turtles, elephants and birds. They even had a Vulcan statue lantern. There were so many beautiful photos opportunities as well as a swing that activated a large illuminated butterfly as you swung. The patterns on the wings would change as would the colors. Some other cool things, these cost extra, that made the night so special were riding the train, and viewing the lights, and the hot chocolate souvenir cup that came with free refills. You could get refills at the different restaurants and snack kiosks around the zoo. I also loved the S'mores stations. They offered a couples package with two full size Hershey bars as well as marshmallows and graham crackers. They had smokeless gas firepits where you could toast your marshmallows. What a magical experience! read more

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On a recent field trip here with my students, I felt a little misty eyed as I walked around the grounds. Over the years I have visited our Zoo for different events and fundraisers. I've attended several field trips here. I've always had a great time. So many people have such negative things to say but I think that the staff is doing the very best that they can with caring for the animals, which seem to be happy. The two days I visited, there were not many visitors. But I get that it's winter and not really the weather to walk around outdoors. But I can't help but wonder how this affects their resources and funding. As an animal lover, it makes me want to support more of the zoos programming so that improvements can be made and more animals can become residents. I love our zoo and encourage anyone to come visit and support it before we lose it. read more

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I've been coming here since I was a kid. I can't believe I haven't review this place yet! It's always a fun time at the zoo. And I feel like I see different animals here a lot too. A few years ago, there were so many Pallas's cats! When I was here last week, I only saw one! My last visit, there were lots of farm animals I previously don't think were here. There was also a sloth! Some of my favorites from this visit included the red panda, the otters, and the giraffes. There were lots of vendors inside where you can get lunch or a snack. I got dipping dots which were a perfect way to cool down on a hot day at the zoo. read more

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First time at the Birmingham Zoo. I went for their Glow Wild event. I've never been in the daytime to see the full zoo or the animals, but I really enjoyed the Glow Wild event. I was a little disappointed to learn that the train was not included in the event price. Lots of family fun and beautiful lanterns to be seen! We also went into the gift shop. Good selection of items to choose from. Something for everyone. A bit on the pricey side but quality products. read more

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Very expensive. 2 adults 37$ Then no lions or tigers. The predator exhibit we saw nothing. The baby splash pad was slimy with mold and kids were slipping and falling. Half of the exhibits were being cleaning or under construction. We saw more blue shirted workers than animals. Did think the elephant and giraffe exhibits were nice read more

We did a fieldtrip here.The kids loved it.It had all the main animals you would like to see.The negatives are the grounds are unkept and some enclosures need updating.The train ride basically goes through some grown up woods with nothing to see.Hopefully updates in the future will get more stars from The Working Man Review. read more

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Not the most animals at a zoo but they do have alot of animals to see. Overall a good time.

I was hoping for a very satisfying adventure but have to say they had a lot of exhibits closed and some of the bird areas were very dirty , so does the walking trails , habitats look not up to prime for the animals and was sad to see them in some cases , price is reasonable and staff is very friendly read more

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Birmingham Zoo is a world class wildlife conservation sanctuary. Everywhere you go, the keepers are fully present, cleaning habitats, feeding animals, giving presentations. We were invited here for a UAB Family Day Event on the lawn. After a boxed lunch, the keepers had animal demonstrations on the lawn. There was a lorikeet and a boa constrictor present. The elephant habitat is absolutely amazing. The African elephants really gave us a show the whole afternoon. The endangered red pandas were napping when we came by the predator house. Another favorite is the flamingo habitat. The vibrant pink feathers really showcase how well cared for they are. The gift shop is a welcome haven of modern AC. The merchandise is well curated with fun tattoo pens for kids, color changing water bottles, and sunshades that rival Raybans. The reptile house houses a very active skink. The detail of the design and the beauty of the landscaping make it one of the best zoos in the country. read more

Birmingham Zoo - Lion enclosure - Zoos Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham zoo has become sad. Very few animals, many exhibits were closed. They had to bring in animatronic dinosaurs for something to look at. No bears, tigers, gorillas. Not the zoo of my childhood. You can still spend a fortune there though. read more

I genuinely do not understand how a zoo is still as unkept and depressing as I remember it to be when I was a kid. Literally despised this zoo as a child and was shocked to see there have been no true improvements to the animals or their enclosures that I was able to see at a recent event. Thankfully my ticket was gifted by a stranger who didn't want to attend an event due to possible weather risks. I'll stick to the St. Louis and San Diego Zoo. read more

If you are thinking about coming here DON'T. First off y'all need to fix the hours on apple maps because it says the zoo is open until 5pm which it's not. Secondly, should have listened to the reviews I've seen online that this zoo is the worst. Most of the exhibits were empty and I'm not talking about coming late and the animals were sleeping, just empty. The animals we did see look sad and depressed. Not worth $45 for two people. Worst zoo I've been to. Not to mention that they were closing down the predator building 15 minutes before closing. If y'all are open until 4pm everything should be open until 4pm. read more

When I was in Birmingham for a conference, a colleague and I had a break in sessions and were able to get away for a short visit to the zoo. We went on a Wednesday in mid-September at 3:30 p.m. and the Zoo was fairly quiet. Birmingham Zoo is accredited, which is very important as they prioritize animal welfare and species management that helps fight the extinction of endangered species. All the animals we observed seemed well cared for, and the keepers we met were very kind. It was wonderful watching an endangered red panda with her little cubs! The Pallas's cats and sand cats were super cute. The elephants and giraffes had awesome habitats with lots of space - which is wonderful to see. The aviaries were neat, and had a good selection of birds, many of which I hadn't seen before - like the Kori Bustard! In the bayou section near the crocodiles we had to make a run for it because the mosquitoes were ginormous! Even with No Natz spray on we each got a bite or two. Be sure to wear some bug spray! Admission was only $20 and it was a good investment. Definitely take your kids and teach them to be polite and kind while observing these majestic creatures. read more

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Me and a couple of friends decided to go to the Birmingham zoo to see the lights at night. When we first got there, we arrived around 7 PM and the weather wasn't too cold. It had rained earlier, but that is pretty much it upon arriving; and there was no line. Basically all we had to do was scan our tickets, and we walked in freely. Once we got in, it was slightly confusing trying to figure out where to go first because there are multiple entrances. Also, there were some places that were blocked off which is understandable. The light show was honestly very underwhelming as it was more walking than lights. I appreciate the exercise, but it was not visually appealing at all. Overall, I don't think that the price the overall experience, and I will not be returning. read more

Birmingham Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

We were in Birmingham for a family get together during the winter and we heard that this zoo was great so decided to stay close by and make a day trip with all the little ones. I was pleasantly surprised by how much the little ones not only enjoyed the zoo but the areas and open fields to run around. They had a pretty decent amount of animals in which again the children enjoyed. The added options of ridding the carrousel and train was also a great experience. The adults enjoyed the stroll and the fact that everything wasn't super overpriced! read more

Birmingham Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The animals looked healthy and well! They were trained and really nice. The only thing is staff was a little rude but most of them were really nice. Overall great experience would recommend!!! read more

Ive been going to this zoo since i was a child and it seems to get worse everytime we visit this last visit Sunday 8-31-2025 was terrible it seemed half the exhibits were closed the restaurant was closed the bathrooms that were in the primate building were boarded up the bathrooms at the main building were terrible there was only one stall that wasnt torn up the floors were disgusting the area around the broken down torn apart carousel and splash pad are covered up and over grown in weeds and moss you might as well not even bother riding the train unless you want to see basically nothing but weeds over grown under brush and garbage scattered everywhere but hey the entrance looks spectacular and the lawn just behind it looks perfect for pictures and picnics but once you get past that it goes straight down hill and the poor elephant enclosure well it looks like a giant red dirt pit read more

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The Birmingham Zoo is an amazing place to visit in Alabama! Although we live here, we don't come very often. It is too easy to forget that a whole 'nother world is out there. There were quite a few exhibits that were closed due to remodel, which was a bit disappointing. I was so focused on living in the moment that I didn't take many pictures. Also, the staff was pretty friendly. We will definitely come back and visit again soon! read more

Birmingham Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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This is Davey L. Rich with Best Burgers in America Association, out traveling scoring burgers for a living, and when I get a break, I like to seek out new adventures such as a Zoo or Park. I was very disappointed in this Zoo. Dirty, animals kept in buildings, and very few animals to see. This one lioness was kept behind a glass enclosure and was very sad and dirty. There is NO sense in this. I've been to several Zoos throughout my travels, and this has to be the worst Zoo out there. read more

Run down, empty animal enclosures, ridiculous prices for food and drinks. Two adults and two children with a train rides were $90. read more

We loved the Birmingham Zoo. Some of these reviews are harsh. The zoo was clean, the animals look as if they are well-cared for. There is construction in some areas, but that means growth and improvements. We drove four hours to see our child's favorite animal in pure cuteness. I was very pleased and thought it was a better zoo experience than many we have had at some of the premier zoos in the country. read more

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This review is specifically for Glow Wild which is the light festival by the zoo the last couple years. I will say the professional pictures online looked great for this event. My own pictures are probably the best of the best. Photographs pretty well; in person is not quite as impressive. I'll be honest, I just kept thinking they bought the leftovers of another organization's lantern show. Up close, there was obvious need of maintenance. Several lanterns either weren't lit or had a number of lights out. It would have been helpful for there to have been more of a "flow" to viewing the lanterns. As it was, people were just wandering from lit area to lit area--"oh, there are some over there; so we go this way, or this way and then have to double back?" Since nothing else is really viewable (animals, exhibits) it would have been nice for there to have been some kind of map that showed where the installations were. There are lower rates for certain nights of the week. I would definitely suggest doing that if you can as it saves you $4 per adult ticket. The clsoer it gets to Christmas, definitely do online ticketing as they only allow a certain number in, and it will keep you from waiting in a long line. Train and carousel rides are additional cost. read more

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My industry requires me to visit many zoo's and aquariums within North America. I have a good bases to make reviews good or bad. My visit in late February was not the ideal time which is taken into consideration. Entrance and front part of zoo are recently updated; looks great, functional and welcoming. At $20.00 per head and free parking; a good deal if all animals are present. Many animals not on display with no information provided to why and/or if ever coming back? Visible neglected maintenance of traditional "cages" and some buildings in the lower portion of the property. Food service sucked! Staff not friendly. Forced to order via a monitor where some food is portrayed as fresh to only be given store/prepacked crap. My turkey sandwich took 12+ minutes with no other orders in front of mine? Primary gift store was strange. I typically buy my oldest a tee or sweat at each zoo. They had nothing appropriate for a 13 yo boy. The hoodies were $55.00 and ugly. Two families where looking for something warm for their little ones; there was nothing? read more

We enjoy the Birmingham zoo a lot! It's on the smaller size for a zoo but a wonderfully cared for and crafted zoo in the heart of mountain brook! You can tell they truly love the animals, we have visited a few times and enjoy our time there. You can probably see everything in 2 hours with a moderate to slow pace. read more

How lucky we are to have such a well developed and curated zoo right in Birmingham! Our visits are always a pleasure and I am already looking forward to my next one! read more

This zoo is probably the worst I've been to. To start with most of the main exhibits are closed, which is extremely disappointing. No rhinos, gators, gazelles, and many more animals. The enclosures were poorly designed as shown in pictures cats were trapped in enclosures that looked moldy with no outside airflow and kept by themselves. The fennic fox was by itself and looked very mangy and not taken care of. These animals were given bags to hide within instead of an actual animal bed or something more natural. The red pandas were given cosmic brownie boxes to play with, I hope the brownies were not given to the animals but even the box has dangerous dyes. The primates were in poor condition as well, basically being trapped inside. When we got to the birds it seemed like they had a good variety but had many repeats of the same bird. Very disappointing and will not be returning. read more

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Went here around the end of October and there were still a good amount of animals out on "display". Pretty clean place and family friendly. Water bottle was $5 but whatever. read more

The Birmingham Zoo was an absolutely delightful trip. We got in tons of steps and exercise without even realizing how much fun we were having. For my husband, 3 kids, and myself, it was $93 to get in. Ouch. There are maps everywhere telling you where each attraction/exhibit is in case you want to see specific animals. We wanted to see everything, so we did. There were A LOT of habitats that were empty with signs saying "Out of Habitat" which was disappointing, considering the price we paid. We feel like they could've discounted the prices due to this. Specifically the bears. They are in their own area in which you have to take a long trail to. We had to ask how to get there to see them, and the girl didn't mention that they weren't even there. She just told us how to get there and we arrived to yet another big "Out of Habitat" sign. Bummer. That said, all the things we did get to see were awesome. The animals were all beautiful and you could tell they were very well cared for. Their areas were clean and they were active. Several animals posed for pictures! There were no shortage of restrooms, and they even had several areas with family restrooms and "mother rooms" with rocking chairs and partitions for breastfeeding or pumping. They also had water stations everywhere to fill your water bottles or get a quick sip from the fountains. We will definitely go back in spring when all the animals are in their habitats, according to the staff. read more

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Brought our daughter here the other day to experience the zoo and the animals for the first time. She loved it! After we finally made it through the line, we decided to go left and see the birds to start out - something colorful to grab her attention. We then saw the flamingos - something she sees in some of her books she reads and she really enjoyed that! We then got on the train and rode around the park - just in time as it the line after us got really long. They may need to get that second train up and running! We then went and saw the elephants up close, which was very exciting for her. We saw ostriches and giraffes next, but did not feed the giraffes on this trip - maybe next time! We swung by to see the monkeys and wild cats next, but they were all asleep, sadly. Overall, it was a great trip. We ended up getting a membership and look forward to coming back soon. read more

This was a nice zoo, but I had much higher expectations for one in a city such as B-ham. The cost per ticket was rather exorbitant. As such, I was left with a "this place must really be awesome" vibe when I paid. The tour did not deliver that, entirely. Lots of construction, lots of coming soon, lots of animals off exhibit. The staff was WONDERFUL and they did a great job of answering questions, giving lectures, etc. They were the highlight. It was good, I simply had higher expectations for an AZA zoo. Well worth a visit when you are in B-ham! read more

I love our zoo. It is the perfect size when you have smaller children. Not so huge that you cannot see everything and not too small that you don't feel it was worth and money to come. We had a great visit. Saw lots of animals of course,but also enjoyed the cafes and splash park to cool off. I hope that they can expand the reptile exhibit some day. My grandsons really enjoy the seeing them! read more

I do enjoy this zoo, however, It's a work in progress-- always. They seem to be doing construction constantly. In fact, over the last few years I've been, it's always construction that never seems to get done. We have been to this zoo multiple times. The gift shop is nice, as well as certain enclosures. I went to this zoo during the 'Zoo Christmas Light" experience and was super disappointed. It showed the same lights and décor over and over, and random flowers every where. I would have liked to pay that money for a light show and to see the animals, but I definitely wouldn't have expected to pay that much for what we saw. It was ok. Super over priced, but that is expected. I believe this zoo is a work in progress and will develop over time, it just is taking so long. Seems like there are so many empty spots. I am looking forward to seeing this zoo in the next couple of years. I believe they will do more and better, I just think Covid is also a factor in why it's been so slow on progress. My son loves the zoo. Anything that makes him happy, makes me happy. The zoo does a good job at pleasing kids. It has a nice petting zoo as well as a Splash Pad and jungle gym type thing by the eatery area. Nice additions. read more

I picked the wrong time of year to go.. not many animals out. I will definitely go back later on in the summer

This was a fun place to visit on our travels through. We brought the family while visiting other family in the state. Always nice to go see the critters and experience somewhere new. read more

Just checked out the B'ham Zoo for their "Glow Wild: A Lantern Animal Celebration" Xmas event. The kids LOVED the light animals. We took photos next to all of them Memberships are a great deal too. Visit three or four times a year and it pays for itself. read more

Birmingham Zoo - The girls loved the elephant lights - Zoos Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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We love Birmingham Zoo! We visited last year and I just haven't got around to writing a review. The zoo has a ton of activities throughout to keep everyone engaged. The entire zoo is family friendly and offers a wide range of animals to see. The zoo HUGE; it is over 100 acres so make sure you wear comfy shoes if you visit :) I learned that there are around 700 animals and 230 species in the zoo, including rhinos, sea lions, and endangered species from six continents! That is awesome. They also have amazing Elephant Conservation efforts and various projects. The tigers and lions we saw were my absolute favorite. They both are gigantic and you can get pretty close up to the viewing gate for the full experience. The tiger literally put his paws up on the gate and I was blow away how tall he was. We got to see them east and it was awesome. Next stop were the lions and you could tell the male was being protective over the lioness. This little boy went up to the gate and the lion must have saw him as a threat because he peed through the gate onto the kid. You can't make this up and you definitely don't see this everyday. We felt horrible laughing but it was full entertainment for everyone around. Haha! My second favorites were the red pandas and sea lions! We had a special tour with Chris to visit and feed the red pandas. They were SO sweet and ate the grapes so gently. I was sad I couldn't take one home (lol). Next, we saw the sea lions and I even got a smooch on the cheek! They are so smart and impressed me with their tricks. Definitely recommend if you have kids. Another note, this zoo has so many fun events. From Tails in the Trails, Boo at the Zoo, and Zoo, Brews & Full Moon Bar-B-Que, they have something for everyone here. Parking was a breeze, the zoo is clean and this is our favorite zoo! Chris Pfefferkorn is kind and so knowledgable about the animals, zoo, events, really anything. We can't wait to visit again when we're back in Birmingham. :) read more

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One of the coolest experiences at a zoo for me and my partner. We paid extra to go in the lemur enclosure and to feed the giraffes. The lemurs were SO worth it. I highly recommend. Kids may not do as well though, seeing as you aren't allowed to touch the lemurs unless they touch you. read more

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