Really nice little zoo! It was very busy because of nice weather and had a long line but it honestly moved quickly and the staff was so organized getting everyone checked in fast and directly traffic. There's a lot of construction going on right now (March 2026) so lots of empty areas but hopefully these will be more lively in the summer. But we did see a lot of animals out and about and we were able to loop around the whole zoo in about 90 minutes. read more

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One of the best overlooked small town zoos in the United States...! While the Des Moines metro isn't exactly a "small town" we're not a huge city either. https://www.blankparkzoo.com/ I held season tickets to Blank Park Zoo for quite a few years when my kids were younger. Now it's an annual photo walk outing for me. Maybe twice a year. The zoo boasts a diverse collection of nearly 1,500 animals representing over 100 species, including African lions, Amur tigers, giraffes, Eastern black rhinoceros, red pandas, sea lions, Magellanic penguins, an okapi, and many more including aquarium and touch exhibits... Don't skip the Outback and children's zoo area! The zoo's 22 acres of developed exhibits make it easy to navigate, allowing visitors to see everything in a few hours without feeling overwhelmed. Very manageable for all ages... Blank Park Zoo always has something in the works whether it's expansion, a special event, or a special display. No outside drink or food is allowed inside the zoo, and the food on the grounds can be a little on the pricey side if you are feeding an entire family. I like to plan my visits between meals and eat outside the park. I'm not saying to not support the zoo... Not at all! I'm just saying I'd rather spend my money on a t-shirt or a momento of the trip in the gift shop than on something that I will literally flush down the drain later on... You know what I'm saying. Open daily from 900 AM - 500 PM. $20 for an adult and $15 per child. Check out their membership packages (with reciprocity to nearly 200 zoos and aquariums) and their calendar! You may be able to buy an annual Family or Family Plus membership for less than a single visit... And then be able to enjoy the zoo all year long...! https://www.blankparkzoo.com/membership read more

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I enjoyed this zoo, but thought it would be a bit bigger. We met some friends from Denver here and enjoyed our trip. Favorites here would include the lion, multiple giraffe's and the Australia exhibit with wallabies. We also had the opportunity to witness two turtles, um, getting it on...and the lion that stood atop a rock and started roaring. Both were pretty memorable! And even though four of the five of us were into our 50's, we did enjoy the train ride. Best of all, we just enjoyed spending the day with good friends doing something we've been doing our whole lives, enjoying animals at the zoo. Cheers. read more

Blank Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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A very nice zoo. It is small but has a good variety of animals. There are no elephants or gorillas, but there are lions and tigers and rings. There is an aussie area with wallabies and others. Seriously, if you're in the area, it is a great quiet and relaxing attraction. read more

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It's a fun, small zoo. My kids like it. We use the Adventure Pass from our local library to go. They have some pretty cool events like Nights Eyes. read more

This zoo is the perfect size for families with toddlers and early elementary aged kids to be able to feel like you did it all before the exhaustion sets in. They have a variety of animals that you can feed (additional cost) and a fun playground. For adults there are regularly scheduled evening events. read more

Amazing!! Staff were super friendly and informative. Animas would be happy to see the staff. read more

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We didn't really see many animals because we actually came to the zoo to see their lights exhibit they had while we were at a swim clinic in Des Moines! When we arrived there, the zoo was lit up with all kinds of light sculptures and things! It was so beautiful! There were some animals still awake at 7:30pm too so we did see some of them! This light exhibit was much more than I expected! It was amazing! The kids LOVED it and had so much fun! The layout of the zoo is perfect. Not too big, not too small and it's pretty easy to navigate through! I would highly recommend coming to see Blank Park Zoo's Wild Lights Festival when it's available. I will have to come during the day to see all the animals they offer. read more

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My GF daughter is a zoo keeper in Naples, so when ever we get a chance to visit a zoo we go. First the staff in the front area was not friendly or helpful. We had an online coupon for a few dollars off but had difficulty getting it to load. When we told the girls up front, they just looked at us with a blank "what do you want me to do" expression. Maybe it was just a bad day but it seemed to be that way all across the zoo when we observed staff huddled together talking and avoiding the people visiting. The grounds were nice and clean and we liked the enclosures and exhibits, but we felt like the visitors were a nuisance to the staff. Lets just hope it was a bad day. read more

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This small zoo is a wonderful place to enjoy the day! They have a great atmosphere, the staff are excellent and every restroom is very clean. They have a petting zoo for the kids and a small play area. They also have face painting available. read more

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It's a smaller zoo, but very well kept, and fun for a family outing. The animal enclosures looked clean and well manicured, the animals looked healthy, and the park grounds are very colorful and clean. There's a petting zoo area where you can get food to feed the animals. Plenty of spots for resting along the way, and places for food and snacks. There's also a carousel you can ride, and a nice gift shop as well. We'd definitely go back! read more

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This zoo is small compared to the more well known zoos. But the small size means you can get more up close and personal with some of the animals. I'm a big fan of the big cats and I was lucky enough to get there when some of them were actually awake. There are lions and tigers and I took plenty of pictures. The zoo was not crowded so getting the pictures I wanted was not a problem. Seeing the Rhinos and giraffes up close were highlights as well. The red pandas were adorable. And the bald Eagles seemed to be staring me down. Maybe it was because I was wearing an Eagles hat. If you are in Des Moines do yourself a favor and visit the Blank Park Zoo. read more

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For a smaller scale zoo they have a a lot of things for kids and families to do. The exhibits are in good proximity to each other so you don't have to walk far to see anything. Our kids loves the play area and the rainforest. read more

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When the weather is nice or warm for the current season, the Blank Park Zoo is the first place I think of taking my kids. It's a great place to be outside, learn about animals and nature, and we all get some exercise! The Blank Park Zoo isn't the biggest zoo but it's perfect for a couple of hours with the kids and easy to have friends come along. Don't let the size fool you they have lots of new animals. I'm amazed every year at how many babies are born. Babies like rhinos, giraffes, and lions! So exciting! Add in a carousel, train rides, face painting, giraffe feeding, camel rides, etc and there's lots to keep the kids interested. Really excited to see how the zoo continues to change and grow! read more

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Was travelling to Des Moines for the first time. Decided to check out Blank Park Zoo on the way downtown. Glad I did. The zoo was beautiful and had a variety of animals from different regions of the world. It was organized well and the staff was extremely friendly. It was convenient how they require ticket purchase online and upon arrival you simply scan your ticket upon entry. I paid 2 dollars to feed the parakeets which was nice. I also paid a dollar to get a small cup of food to feed the goats. There were a ton or children there with families and with groups. I recomend a visit to this zoo if in the area. read more

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We've always loved the Blank Park Zoo. It's been one of our year-round go-to places. Recently they've been able to share some exciting new babies in the zoo including a rhino and giraffe. In the warm months they have great areas open with animals from around the world. The zoo keeper shows and interactive exhibits are always a big hit. Of course most kids want to do the things like riding the train and carousel, feeding the birds and giraffes...all of which is not included in your entry fee or membership, so plan accordingly, especially if you have a larger group. During the cold months, many outside exhibits are closed. The indoor area is really nice and a good way to feel like you're warm outside though it's cold. Though it's much less busy with people during this time, it's worth a visit. Walking around outside reveals some of the heartier animals that have year-round homes. But if you have a pass this is a great time to visit, get in a good walk, and spend a little more time with the animals you'd just pass by on a warmer day. Throughout the year this zoo also has a lot of special events, classes, summer camp activities, volunteer opportunities and even seasonal favorites like when the Easter Bunny is here. I personally do not like their version of trick or treat. It's dark, the exhibits are mostly closed, the line is crazy long and the kids wind up with "maybe" five tiny pieces of candy. Unless your kid just needs a long, structured walk around in their Halloween costume and you'd like to pay for that walk, maybe reconsider. All in all this is a great place to spend the day, especially with younger kids. If you have an annual pass, time to kill, or just don't like crowds of people, consider a winter visit. You may be pleasantly surprised. read more

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This place has everything you want and more there's camps, trains, school nights, and more I love this place

Went here with family and loved it. Great price and plenty to see. The animals actually looked happy and well taken care of in larger than usual enclosures. Train ride was nice. Farm area for kids was great as they get to feed the animals and there is a playground. It's the perfect size and great for kids. I will be back again so my little one can have appreciation for animals and have a fun time. read more

Blank Park Zoo - Feeding farm animals. - Zoos Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We hesitated in going to see the Blank Zoo for over a year after moving here. We are very use to the Omaha Zoo and couldn't imagine another zoo stacking up. Well, it isn't nearly as big, but it is a fine Zoo indeed. The animals all seemed to be well cared for and the set up of the Zoo is easy to traverse. It's a great way to spend part of your day, we even purchased a season grandparents pass. read more

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Beautiful, well maintained zoo. The animals looked happy and well cared for. I loved that they let me bring my service dog, and appreciated that they have a trainer come along with you to ensure that the dog is a real service dog and will be okay around animals. For people with real service animals, fake service dogs are extremely dangerous so I always appreciate a thorough approach. read more

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I liked that they have a continuous loop to circle through the entire park! Not great on food or drink options. Took our home zoo membership card (50% discount). read more

Blank Park Zoo - Giraffe - Zoos Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Sad sad zoo, we have been to zoos all over the world, much smaller than this one. Too much money spent on zoo art, practically the whole zoo are cloth sculptures. Only half the attractions open still paid full price, was told they didn't have enough staff to run. Missing major zoo animals been to smaller mom and pop zoos in Idaho that have more animals. No reptiles, elephants, bears, and indigenous animals. The sea lion enclosure was great along with the llama and goat feeding area. Walked slow and took our time under 45 min. Start to finish. read more

Blank Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The Des Moines Zoo is working hard to keep things interesting for all ages. We were attending the last zoo brew for the 2016 year. It was the Oktoberfest-style zoo brew called Zooktoberfest. They had live polka music and pretzel necklaces. I was a little disappointed as they stated there would be German style food and other than the concession stand area there was no food when we were there. There was just the one main stand for the oktober beer and everything else was cans. I like the zoo brews, they are always busy. I wish they had more beer. The zoo on its own is pretty good. We watched the Rhinos for awhile and the giraffes. This is a small zoo compared to other major cities but it is always clean and the animals look well kept. They were asking us last night if we would be interested in a night eyes for adults. Well... if the animals were out maybe. Hopefully they keep up with the zoobrews that keep people coming in and the operturnity to walk through and see all the exhibits. read more

I went here yesterday. I was surprised the price went up to $16/ticket. It's not worth that , but other than the expense ticket price it was a good day. The lions and tigers were out and about. The seals were playing. The monkeys were active. The ring was even out. I wish the grill was open but it is late in the season so that's ok read more

Blank Park Zoo - Rhinoceros - Zoos Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We were in town for the Iowa Games and decided to visit this zoo since we've never been. I think cost is a bit much for so little. We didn't see many of the animals because it was too hot, they all hid and stayed in the shade. I did enjoy the penguin and monkey exhibits. They were my favorite. The kids enjoyed it even though they complained about walking I give it a 3 because I feel it's not worth the money. FYI they also have different animal and train rides and animal feed for an additional cost. I asked about the camel ride and was told it was $6 per person. The ride isn't even a foot long Also the food and drinks are super expensive. Come prepared! Eat before you come and bring something to drink. Many photos taken for your viewing. Enjoy :) They accept credit cards read more

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Visited on a Saturday shortly after they opened. The weather was perfect and the line was short! Pretty much all of the animals were out and active except the black rhino, so it was nice to get to see almost all the animals that are held at the zoo. None of the educational centers or spaces were open so that was a bit of a bummer. I loved the Charlie Brown display area as I am a huge Charlie Brown fan! We fed llamas, went underground so we could see seals in the water, saw giraffes, zebras and so much more. Overall we had a great time took about an hour and a half to go through all the exhibits. read more

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I like this zoo mainly because it's close to home and good for a family friendly activity. It's rather small though. I could walk through it easily in an hour or so if it isn't crowded. It's clean and taken care of real well and they do have most of the animals you'd see at a bigger zoo. It just seems rather expensive for what you get. I'm pretty sure it's no more expensive to get in the omaha zoo and you get 5 times the zoo there. And the St Louis zoo is free! Maybe that's a state thing and we need more zoo funds? Idk. What I can say is it's the zoo we have and I will support it for that... oh yea, and zoo brew rocks! read more

We love being pass members. Such a great zoo right here in Iowa. The reciprocal benefits pay are amazing if you travel. The zoo is staffed by friendly caring people who genuinely want to be there and educate you. The special events, especially the Halloween event are extremely well put on. The animals seem content and well cared for as well. The petting zoo area and camel ride is our child's favorite. I foresee us continuing our annual passes. read more

Blank Park Zoo - Night Eyes, Halloween event. - Zoos Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We went during the corona virus and must say we had a great visit! The zoo did wonderful for social distancing and the animals seemed happy and not stressed. We came last year for Labor Day and while it was also a good day I felt this day was better. The giraffes were so up close and majestic ! read more

Great local zoo! Clean. Very family friendly. Friendly staff. Get the membership and get free first train ride on Mondays! The only let down was that they don't have the Amazon "rain event" anymore. It was over the fish tank in the discovery center. Bummer. Lot parking. HUGE lot parking. It was VERY full when we went. But there still was plenty of space to roam the zoo. Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5- NoScreamingKids!! And there were TONS of kids. WELL BEHAVED kids. read more

A well done little zoo. Not a ton of animals but all exhibits well done. Animals seem well cared for. Cassowary is something you don't see at every zoo. Not a place you could spend all day at but worth stopping by if in area for an hour or two. read more

This is a brilliant sized zoo especially for families with young kids. There is a good variety of animals along easy to follow signage and pathways. I appreciated the zoos layout so visitors could view rhinos, giraffes, turtles, and penguins in their "winter time" shelters. It was amazing to see a giraffe so close. My twin daughters were on cloud nine. read more

My three year old rode a camel. A wallaby literally hopped across my son's path as he lounged in his stroller, mere inches away. A baby rhino rolled around in the mud until he was blissfully covered. A snow leopard paced as it waited to be fed. Mika, the tiger, snarled and roared after devouring her breakfast-- demanding for more. Tortoises ran. Penguins swam. Peacocks postured. Flamingos showed off their balance. And we were in Iowa. How cool is that? The parking is convenient and easy. Buying tickets online is low hassle and saves you a few bucks. This zoo is so incredibly walkable-- it is small enough that you can see it all before your little has a meltdown and flat enough you won't die pushing a fully loaded double stroller the duration of your trip. The gift shop isn't incredibly overpriced. The staff is helpful, friendly and seem to actually care for the animals. We will be back. read more

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Great size zoo for small kiddos! We went in Oct 2021 and all of the food options were closed for the season. I wish this had been more clearly stated on the website, but we still had a great time! read more

I've lived here my whole entire life but have never been to the zoo. Just this year I have been here twice! One for a work event and the other for Night Eyes. I didn't really get to enjoy the zoo at my work event as we were too busy running around doing team engagement and for Night Eyes most of the animals were not available to see. They did have some pretty cool displays for Night Eyes though and my nieces and nephews really enjoyed it. If you have little ones definitely take them out there for Halloween. If the kiddos are old enough definitely wait till it gets darker out to enjoy the lighter displays throughout the park. For additional small fee the kiddos can ride the train and the carousel. They also have other events here like Zoo Brew. I have yet to attend one but my friends have. Hopefully next summer I will have the chance to experience it! read more

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A few years ago my wife Ashley was wanting a new ride for her birthday, I couldn't swing that but I did bring her to the Blank Park Zoo so she could take a CAMEL RIDE on her b-day! Yes, I even hopped on as well! It was a blast! So is this zoo! It's not huge, but it's well taken care of! And they have something for the whole family! Including special ZOO BREW nights for adults. What could be better on a summer night then hearing live music, seeing animals from around the world, all while sipping on your favorite brews! Not much! They have all sorts of creatures here in various habitats! Ashley my wife could sit and watch monkeys groom each other for hours, but I'm more into the big stuff, like giraffes, and and the rhino they have! The great thing about this Zoo is you can get very close to the animals, in a safe fun environment! And it's not very expensive! For under 30 bucks you and your wife could go, and get something to eat and drink as well! That rules! The parking lot gets crowded on nice days, but the zoo is pretty spread out so it never feels to full! Fun for the whole family! Stoked we have such a cool zoo here in Des Moines! read more

Blank Park Zoo is definitely a nice little zoo that is fun for people of all ages! I went with a buddy of mine the other day on a random day and we had a good time walking around the zoo. If you are looking for an hour or so activity with a friend or kids that involves looking at animals, this is the place for you! If you are looking for a greater length activity with more exotic animals, this is not the zoo for you. Upon entry, we were informed the Giraffes were not out so they were able to give us a discount on the tickets. Knowing they provide their customers with this information and discount pleases me. The zoo is pretty linear, as long as you have a map, you can see all the animals and won't miss anything. The only activities we participated in were feeding the parakeets and feeding the llamas and goats. Both these options were about a $1 or so for the feed. We went during a cold day or near the end of the day and I guess all the feeding options were not available to us, because I read you can feed other animals as well! There were only a few people in the zoo during our visit, it was great walking around in a zoo that was not crowded! The price is definitely reasonable for what this zoo has to offer, and visiting for a little over an hour gets you the opportunity to see everything! Come check it out if you are in town! read more

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Nice place and great staff. I hope the animals are happy and comfy. It's a nice relaxing place for family and getting together to spend time with friends. read more

Based on many of the prior reviews, we were a little unsure what we were going to get when we came to the zoo. After hanging out here for half a day, I'm surprised that people don't like it more! Located in the southern part of Des Moines, it's a bit of a drive from a lot of places, but overall not terrible. It's reminiscent of other Urban zoos and though not as large as some, it kept us busy. The entrance is quite nice and there's plenty of parking. If you go past the first lot and continue to the second it gets you very close to the entrance and it seemed to be ignored by a lot of people. Entry was $13 for adults and $18 for Kids 3 and up. Online I saw prices that were a little lower so you may get a discount for prepaying. Upon entering the park, your first greeted by a red panda who will very likely be sleeping perched atop his lookout. It was nice for the kids to be able to see something and identify it right away. You then continue on through a very easily walkable loop. I'd recently been to the San Diego Zoo and while this one was not as big, it's much easier to navigate and many exhibits that were on par with what we saw out west. After you continue along the path away from Mr. Red panda, Zoo an Australian exhibit. The coolest part about this was that they have wallabies they just hop around outside of cages. At the zoo in Brisbane Australia they have a similar setup, only they let you pet the kangaroos there! The spirit of Steve Irwin however still lives on in this smaller rendition where the wallabies entertain, there are a number of bird houses including one with parakeets that you can feed (we found out feeding a parakeet is a big deal for a three year old), and they have black swans wandering around and swimming in the water - didn't know that black swans are native to Australia #themoreyouknow. Another heads up - feeding the parakeets was $2, and $1 to go into the parakeet area. The next area you come to is another feeding area for goats, llamas and a donkey. A dollar will get you a small cup of food and $5 get you a small bucket of food. This is another one of the favorite areas as they allow the kids to interact with the animals. Additionally there were a couple of peacocks who were stressing about with all their glorious plumage displayed, as well as a place to ride a camel. That was pretty expansive and a great place to burn off a little bit of energy. After this area, we got to the more traditional animal exhibits and I must say that I was rather impressed with most of them. The seal exhibit was well done and had both and above and underground viewing area - they were playful and kept everybody entertained. Near that was a lion exhibit that was big enough for the Lions to roam but small enough to where you can actually see them when they were laying down. The number of other large cats including a snow leopard - really beautiful. For bigger animals they have two Black rhinoceroses, a few Elands, a couple of a large African plains animals and then a giraffe exhibit.The giraffes were far and away our favorite. There were four or five of them in a really nicely done area that allow them to roam. You are able to get very close and really appreciate how beautiful they are. Whole thing took about 2 hours without a lot of stopping. It was a really good size Zoo for our little guys and allowed us to make our way through without stopping to rest much or needing to grab lunch while we were there. Wish we knew about this place sooner because it would have been something that we would have taken advantage of more. Well worth checking out and something that would be fun to check out on a fairly regular basis. read more

I really enjoyed visiting this zoo. They have a very cool outdoor red panda exhibit that provides awesome shooting angles from every side so I was stoked to get some great photos of one of my favorite animals. Unfortunately the pandas were inside that day. Bummer! But I've since learned they cannot tolerate temperatures over 77 degrees so I'm guessing that's why they were inside. In any case, despite some negative reviews online, I found the zoo to be very nice considering how small it is. It has lions, a snow leopard, seals, penguins, parrots, monkeys, frogs, giraffes, etc. If I was from the area I'd definitely get a membership and come here often. read more

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