We hadn't went to the zoo in years so we wanted to revisit. The web site said the admission was 12.95 but when we got there it was 15.95. Half of the exhibits were empty. The alligators were just 1 alligator. It was sad and disappointing. The admission price has went up numerous times since we moved to this area. If there raising prices then you would hope that the animals would be better taken care of. read more

A great time for the entire family! We love this zoo and frequent it several times a year. My kids love to feed the birds and visit the petting zoo. There is also a small play area in addition to all of the great animals to see! read more

Caldwell Zoo - Love this zoo! - Zoos Near Me - Tyler, Texas

Small but very friendly and clean. I rather go here than Dallas zoo. Parking is better and the zoo is more child friendly. They have a petting zoo also. Not too big so older kids don't get lost. Did not eat there or visit the tourist shop. There are rocking chairs while you wait for others shopping. :) read more

We went to this zoo on vacation and it was pretty cool! Our zoo at home is a little bigger and more spacious than this one but there are many different animals here that we don't see at home. The only problem was that it smelled pretty bad in a couple different places and sometimes I had to cover my nose. There was only one place to sit down and eat (that I saw) and it's by the elephants. You can feed the giraffe if you are here at a certain time too! read more

One of my all-time favorite places in Tyler is the Caldwell Zoo. As a biology major, this only comes naturally, of course. But of all the zoos I've been to, including the San Diego Zoo, the Caldwell Zoo has a special place in my heart. Even though it boasts 85 acres, it still has that familiar small-town charm. The Caldwell Zoo is not your "typical zoo," with melancholy-looking animals and drab exhibits. It's a colorful, lively place with beautiful landscaping and habitats. It also has a petting zoo and a few interactive exhibits for kids (or, in our case, kiddish adults). It's not a small zoo, but it almost feels like it -- the animals feel close and when walking from habitat to habitat, one is immersed in a wilder world. I highly recommend the Wild Bird Walkabout exhibit. Buy a seed stick, you'll trade that buck for an experience and a few guaranteed laughs. Actually, while we were in the midst of over 600 birds, a wild hawk landed on the fence just outside the aviary. As you can imagine, this ruffled quite a few feathers (pun intended), and as the "head cockatoo" sounded the alarm, all 600 parakeets and cockatiels took wing. Chaos ensued. It was awesome. The Caldwell Zoo offers day camps and classes for kids of all ages, and it's a perfect summer day trip for anyone, though they are open all year. Admission is fairly inexpensive, and it's a great date alternative to seeing a movie (it's actually cheaper, too)! P.S. Bring your old cell phone and you can donate it to help rhino conservation efforts. read more

Not as big as we thought but was a great zoo. Unfortunately, a part of it was closed so the map that shows a big circle to navigate the zoo is actually false. We wanted to feed the giraffes so we had to turn around and walk all the way the other way to get there in time. Other than that, a pretty decent zoo that would be great for the kids. read more

We brought an 18 month here for the afternoon. The zoo was fantastic! So clean and the animals looked like they were happy in their environment. There was so much to see and so many different animals. We loved the area where we could feed the birds. It was our highlight of the day. We also fed a giraffe, although it was pricey, I guess it was pretty cool. I would highly recommend this zoo to all ages. read more

Made a trip to this zoo on May 31 of this year which was a Sunday. The vibe was nice and my family and I really enjoyed our visit. The zoo is kind of small but there was a decent variety of animals nevertheless. I would def go back. read more

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They have a teen program for youth. As soon as it was mentioned in our school my child started the process. However, the last 1-2 weeks before it was due we lost electricity due to the storm AND 2 of her references were out with COVID. Despite her interest and strong academic, social, and service record she will not even be considered due to circumstances beyond our control. We were told she could not even be put on a waitlist and it was a highly competitive program. Well guess what CALDWELL ZOO sometimes the best candidates have things happen to them that are not their fault! Must be great to be high and mighty with everything on time and no storms or COVID problems but you just lost the BEST volunteer!!!!!!!! read more

Not as many animals, I think it sucked if they would've informed that half of the animals weren't for show wouldn't have paid.

We really like to visit this zoo. Whenever in Tyler, we go. It is 85 acres of everything. We were able to see all the animals we knew were there. We went when it opened, before it was to hot. The animals were active. The white tiger was laying in it's running stream. Growled at us. We were disturbing it's meditation. Very clean. Maintenance was excellent both inside habitats and outside. Lots of blooming flowers. All the animals looked healthy as always. Highly recommend. Due to covid, they had to make adjustments just like everyone else. Water faucets closed off. Select restrooms open. Just like everywhere else. You had to go to the gift shop first if you wanted to go. Sanitizer everywhere. And just one way around the zoo. Couldn't wander. No backtracking. And you had to order tickets online. No cash, even in gift shop. They were following guide lines, just like everyone else. read more

Caldwell Zoo has done something wonderful and enabled me to be able to TOUCH A GIRAFFE. I got to feed it and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I cried. And I mean UGLY cried. It was a beautiful moment for me and I am amazingly grateful I got to do it. Thank you to the zoo patrons who made this opportunity possible for me! read more

We just love the zoo! The membership is well worth it and gives you discount on food and gift shop. Definitely a must go when you visit Tyler! read more

I was so impressed with Caldwell Zoo. The animals were active and appeared well taken care of. The grounds are just gorgeous and so peaceful. The staff for the most part were so friendly and really seem to care for the animals. Especially Bill that works in the bird sanctuary. There is an all white macaw that seemed to get upset occasionally (in my opinion, it was after the doors to the sanctuary kept slamming after several patrons walked through them). Bill immediately would go to the macaw and gently comfort him and he would settle right down immediately. It was so sweet. The parakeets are adorable and super friendly. We enjoyed the penguin info session. The keepers knew a lot about each individual penguin. I would suggest placing signs up on the bird sanctuary asking patrons not to let the doors slam behind them when entering/exiting. The bathrooms were clean, the grounds were clean. Plenty of restrooms along the path. A beautiful end to our first trip to Tyler. read more

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This is a very good zoo! I am from shreveport and think it's a great getaway that can be done in a day! The staff are friendly and very knowledgeable about the animals. There are many exotic exhibits the entire family will love and make memories with. read more

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Parents be aware. No Snowcones at the zoo after recent changes. The person that made that decision must be either new or something. The staff was extremely nice about it however. Also if you pay the $5 per "tray" of lettuce just know that = 3 pieces of romaine. The site itself is very well maintaned. read more

Caldwell Zoo is a surprise gem in Tyler. People of all ages will enjoy it. Just be sure to you can handle the heat in the summer, however there is plenty of shade. read more

This little zoo is an absolute treasure! The place is impeccably clean with great views of the animals and awesome educational opportunities for the kids. Honestly, this zoo beats many of the larger zoos in larger cities. It is rather inexpensive and does a great job for both the guests and animals. I could not be more satisfied! read more

Recently went to the Dallas zoo and I was thinking I would have enjoyed the Caldwell zoo more. The animals are presented better and it's way less crowded. read more

Say cool indoors with the penguins, or don your hat and sunglasses and pet the goats! Family friendly experience. 10 animal turds out of ten animal turds. Would animal turd again! read more

I really love this zoo. The layout is beautiful with just enough small hills to make it feel like a walk. The decor is fantastic as well. I love the stone paved trail, and there is enough green (even at this time of year) to make things pretty. Staff are all really nice, and they discount tickets for Dallas Zoo members. The cats are the star of this zoo. The first time we came here, we had made it a little bit over half way around and were thinking that it was nice but that there were too few animals. Then we got to the cats, and that changed our minds. They have 4 new lion cubs right now that are absolutely adorable. I could have watched them play for hours. I would come here much more often if it wasn't 2 hours from home. read more

The best zoo I have ever been to. Best zoo in texas! great set up. the exhibits make it feel like you are out in the wild with the animals. Most exhibits are shared by animals that can coexist together without eating each other, with their predators looking in from not far away. Good enrichment for the animals and a great learning a experience adults and children. the zoo is always clean and the staff and keepers are very knowledgeable and friendly. the education department offer great hands on, field trip, outreach, homeschool, classes and camps and overnights for children of all ages. read more

Pretty good zoo for its size, but several animal exhibits were closed. I would like to see a bit more interactive stuff for the kiddos at the price we paid. If it was a free zoo or at least free to kids then I would rate it a 5 star. But paying $60 for 4 adults (we brought the grandparents) and our 2 kids (one of which was 3) felt a bit steep. In addition be sure to pack a cooler and bring your own drinks. The dink machines there force you to pay in blood at $2.50 a drink- we paid less at Disneyland last month. I will give them credit for the gift shop though- very reasonable. I expected to max out credit cards for a couple of toys but found their prices to be very reasonable and acceptable. Overall it's a good trip. read more

This is a fun little zoo. We've been yearly members for 2 years now. I wish they had gorillas and other primates. Also, I do find it a tad expensive for lettuce leaf to cost $5 to feed the giraffes. That would be $35 just to feed giraffes for my family. The food is also a tad expensive. And when we're ordering food not a single person asks if we're a member to receive a discount. I love the updates but the price for that is a little much for the area. I could see paying that in Dallas, but don't feel they have met all available markets here. We keep bringing our kids because it's fun but we also bring our own food and drinks now and don't normally plan on feeding the giraffes every time. Also, I wish the next thing they'd update is the restrooms. read more

Excellent zoo tucked in the heart of Tyler. Great animal exhibits. Neat and well-maintained facility. Reasonably priced. Definitely worth your time to see it. read more

Wonderful fun for young and old alike. There are stroller and wheelchair friendly ramps everywhere. My favorite animals are in the otter pond. Great below water level views! read more

Totally unexpected in East Texas, a legitimate zoo with exotic animals and lots of cool stuff to check out. I was here with my buddy's kids and they were totally into it. Plus there's a huge longhorn right smack in the middle of it, gotta love Texas. read more

Great zoo! My wife and I went on a rainy day and had the zoo to ourselves! We didn't see anyone that didn't work there. And the employees we did see were awesome! Best zoo trip ever! read more

This is the BEST zoo. Been going there for so many years. Since I was a child. It's so clean and the animals are beautiful. A great family outing for those with children. But it's also great for us adults. So much to see in a beautiful setting. read more

This is a great zoo to go visit and spend a few hours enjoying the day. We love taking our 2 year old as he just takes in all the wildlife they have at this zoo. We have been before the remodel and really enjoyed and we have been during the remodel and although there isn't as much to see it is still fun. We can't wait to see what it is going to look like after the remodel is finished. All in all I would recommend going and checking this zoo out. read more

Nice place to take your family, many different animals and snakes in a setting of wonderful landscaping

This was the sweetest little zoo. It takes about 2 hours to casually walk around and see the animals. You can see the animals really well. I thought the giraffe was going to kiss me but he was going in for some lettuce that someone next to me was holding. The only thing missing was a gorilla! We will definitely put this on our list of things to do. It was $14.50 for an adult. We will probably invest in a Membership. read more

I live in Dallas and I enjoy the Caldwell Zoo more than the Ft. worth or Dallas zoos.

One of the best zoo's in Texas. Admission is worth what you get to see. I've been visiting since I was a kid and now I take my children. I suggest early or cool days to see most animals in action! Will be back! read more

Great place, animals seem happy and healthy! The workers, however, all seem like they hate their job, which didn't inspire confidence at first but overall, I had a great time! read more

Only gave this 4 stars when comparing to large zoos like Houston, San Antonio, Ft Worth. For it's size, it is definitely 5-star! Convenient parking, well laid out, nice landscaping and habitat design, modern exhibits, good selection of animals. Some animal enclosures seam a little smaller than would be desired, but overall a very nice zoo. Customer service was excellent. Very friendly and helpful staff. Good gift shop. Closes a bit early (4pm on a Saturday?) but that allows you plenty of time to make the rounds. It's a little pricey for the size of zoo, but 50% off with Houston Zoo membership made it just right for us. read more

A wonderful place to take the family. This is a "no stress" zoo. No overcrowding, no multi-mile walks, no baloney. It is among the most beautiful natural settings of any zoo we've been to. And the animals seem happy and unstressed too. They have lots of room to roam for the most part. The staff is helpful and friendly and the entry fees are reasonable and can you believe it free parking? Keep up the great work Caldwell zoo. Highly recommended. We'll be back. read more

This was a really nice zoo. The animals all looked healthy and happy. It was more on the small size but I really did enjoy my day when I went. read more

Fantastic zoo. I didn't expect such a good zoo in a smaller city. Loved it ! It is clean and the animals appear to be very well cared for

Worst zoo ever! It's expensive to get into, and it takes about thirty minutes altogether to see the whole place. It's just a circle with barely any attractions. Not worth the money at all!! read more