Great zoo experience, ecspecially if you have littles! They can run around and get up close to amazing creatures. Great layout and fun walking trail. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Everything is clean and set up for fun! We enjoyed the mining experience as well as the animals We went during the winter so a lot of animals are hibernating. I'm excited to go back during spring and summer and see the changes! I hope the mining always stays open. I think it'd be a fun tradition to always do a bag of mining (you get from the gift shop) and collect "gems" and "stones" mama likes her crystals so this is a fun way to score some really pretty crystals and learn about all the different kind of rocks! This place is so nice and educational. Also was the most quiet and non-crowded zoo we've ever been too. I think we woke up the monkeys There's also a great zoo right across the street. read more

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Me and my kids love come here small little a hidden spot/zoo very affordable small but still good a lot of good animals maybe take than two hours or maybe less than an hour to walk around highly recommend also free parking tickets are only nine dollars per adult and they're also a really nice playground in front of the zoo so in case the kids wants to wear out more energy , you can hang out here definitely worth the drive. I do recommend getting here early in the day you are able to feed the giraffe and see other animals feeding as well of course is additional but it's so nice to be able to do this too read more

Frank Buck Zoo - Map - Zoos Near Me - Gainesville, Texas

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This is a sweet little zoo. If my kids were little I would get season passes and come for a nice place to walk them around and see the animals. I enjoyed seeing the animals, especially the bears. I love taking pictures of animals and was able to get some good shots of them. Very well kept and the animals look well taken care of. read more

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Perfect zoo for kids. It's small enough that my 5yr old could walk the entire time, but big enough for my 3yr old to still need the stroller. We spent about 2hrs slowly making our way around the enclosures. Majority of the animals were visible when we visited. We loved the pathway through the safari area, that was our favorite part. We wanted to spend time at the park/playground, and ride the kiddie train, but my baby was having a meltdown. We'd go back again! Parking was easy. We did go on a Friday and ran into 3 school buses dropping off kids. I figured the zoo would be so crowded, but we didn't see hardly anyone from the field trips! read more

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Borderline dangerous. At 200 pounds, one of the benches gave heavily when I sat on it and they did not seal all the walk ways of the park - or they didn't reseal it at all. And there is an impressive amount of walkways a story in the air, but it is all rotting. Someone will eventually break through - they have waited way too long to be able to seal it - it will all need to be replaced. Hopefully an entire group of people won't fall through at once - this does happen and I'm surprised the city hasn't reacted. There is a spot where it has broken through and instead of replacing the wood, they chose to mount a cone over the break. Luckily the zoo isn't all that busy during the hot days of summer. I wouldn't want to be on the walkway with many people. If they repair the facility, the rest of the zoo is nice. I've been visiting here since Gerry the elephant was here about 40 years ago. The improvements are notable. I haven't been here in about 10+ years so I really noticed how many changes they've made. They have a nice selection of animals for a small zoo. They have nice shade throughout. It's about $20 per adult - I don't remember how much kids were - I think between $10 to $15. read more

Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville Texas is a small but fun zoo to explore. We have been taking our kids and now our grandchildren to this zoo for years. They have plenty of animals from the smallest prairie dogs to the largest giraffes. About 80 percent of the walk through the park is shaded. Outside the park there is a small train the kids love to ride and only costs $2 per rider. (Currently the train is down for the 2023 season) Tip: When visiting the park skip all the animals in the front and begin with the giraffes because this area is not shaded and the Texas heat can be hard at times. Get to the park early in the summer also. Thank you to all the employees for all the hard work and dedication for keeping up and caring for the animals. read more

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We love this zoo! The animals look healthy and are easy to see. Great place for a walk. If you have about an hour you can pretty much do the whole park at a leisurely pace. Cute gift shop for souvenirs and plenty of room for a picnic too. read more

My family loves this small zoo. It's never busy, great for kids, very cheap, and you can do the loop in about 1-1.5 hours. The grounds are clean and generally well shaded with the exception of the giraffe area. We prefer this zoo to the Fort Worth zoo simply because it's more relaxing to do with our small toddler because of the lack of crowd. It is surrounded by (but separate from) a small pool and slide area, a playground, and a rideable kids' train on a small track. We often make day trips out of going to Frank Buck and visit a local farm (there are plenty). Last, the parking is a partly paved/partly dirt lot that is free to park in. read more

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This is a great little zoo, small enough for tiny feet to enjoy without getting too tired. Takes about an hour for a leisurely walk around the zoo. Parking is free, entrance fee is inexpensive and they have different membership options to suit your needs. It is very easy to social distance and everyone walks in the same direction, which makes distancing easier. The animals look well taken care of and are usually very active. So glad to have found this gem! read more

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What a pleasant surprise! I was expecting a dinky display but what I got rivaled some zoos in major cities I've been too just on a smaller scale. I love love loved how the path was setup in a big circle as I have gotten lost and missed seeing some animals at other zoos. We also enjoyed being able to get really close to a lot of the animals and take our time walking through. Everything seemed very well maintained and the critters were active and happy. I am still laughing about the tortoise and hare habitat! If you are heading up to Oklahoma definitely plan to stop here... you won't regret it! read more

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Oh my goodness this is the most relaxing zoo I have ever bean to. I love it because it was chap to get in, the staff was very nice, and it was not crowded. I went on a nice very windy day the sky had so much dust in it that it turned brown. The animals though were more active and sweat than I had ever seen them and my family and I got done in about an hour and a half so my rting for this zoo is five out of five. I recommend it to everyone. read more

In these Covid days many of us prefer outdoor options. This is a great alternative. They have a wide variety of animals and birds to enjoy and I like the giraffes as they were loaded with personality. The grounds were clean and the staff was friendly. This is a a nice outdoor venue in a small city ; having a zoo is a rarity these days. read more

Frank Buck Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Gainesville, Texas

tiny zoo, some of the animals had no water at all which was upsetting because of how hot it is.

We went today for a Family Fun Day hosted by my husband's employer. The family enjoyed the zoo... it took us almost an hour to walk around the zoo seeing all the animals. It was quite hot out but an enjoyable day. After leaving the zoo, we rode the train which was cool too. There is also a playground area right outside the entrance as well. Everyone enjoyed it. read more

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We drop an hour to try a different zoo experience. I wouldn't recommend it. There were ticks on the ground. A lot of flies and some other flying critters that would bite. We also came accross a few hornets towards the giraffes. There were maybe 10 or so animals. Most of the enclosures seemed very small for the poor creatures. read more

Honestly, I was shocked at how glad I was that we came here this weekend. This was the perfect activity for getting out of the house and doing something fun! Plus it was cheap! Frankly, I was a bit antsy spending all my time at work, home, doctor appointments and the grocery store (none of which are fun and those last two are definitely NOT relaxing). However, it's really difficult to enjoy other activities when 2020 is running rampant and changing how we do everything. It feels impossible to avoid crowds these days. Frank Buck Zoo on the other hand was the first thing I've done in months where I felt comfortable and safe while having fun. It was so easy to social distance and I really felt recharged afterwards. The entrance to the zoo isn't super obvious since it's inside Leonard park and the sign was partially obstructed. It's the very first driveway on the left after you go under the I35 bridge. You will enter the park, circle the giant playground and find the zoo towards the end. Once parked (and there is plenty of room to do so) the open gate to the zoo was obvious. You will enter and see the entrance and covered rental strollers in front of you with the ticket window and gift shop to the right. They have clear signage posted about ticket prices and mask requirements. Masks are required when you are within 6 feet of another guest. They also have the rules posted clearly at the front so there is no confusion about bringing in food, drink, pets etc. Infants are free, children are $5, adults are $7. Seniors and military (the website said active, but they said vets get discounted as well when my husband showed his ID) are $6. When I checked in on Yelp I saw I got $1 off and they honored the check in at the ticket window. So for $12 both my husband and I got entry with a green wristband that is good for the entire day (every day 10am to 4pm) so if you need to run to the car or out to lunch you don't need to worry about being let back in. Once you go through the main entrance you can descend either stairs or a ramp. Immediately to the right is another entrance to the gift shop, the restrooms and a penny press. On the main level, there is clear signage directing you to the right. The zoo is a circle that goes in one direction and this is a big part of what made social distancing so easy! We only had to wear our masks on 3 quick occasions when we were passing by families with small children taking extra time at certain animal exhibits. Those times weren't stressful because they lasted seconds and we were still about 4 ft away and everyone complied. I'm so glad it was quick and easy because wearing a mask outdoors in July for more than a couple of minutes isn't comfortable. I think this zoo is laid out really well. You can make it through the entire thing without rushing in about an hour, if you are slowed down by a gaggle of kids, taking photos of everything or a walker I can't see it taking more than 90 minutes. There is a variety of foliage and even bamboo, and at moments you will feel like you are in a jungle, it was really pretty. There is a section that ramps to a long bridge that goes through the area with the giraffes, zebras and the camel before coming back down to the concrete walkway. It's broken up with several seating areas, a wooden gazebo with a very active turtle that wants to win the race and a couple of picture boards. It was a really pleasant atmosphere. Only some areas are shaded so if you're getting warm, take your time when you see those! We arrived right after they opened at 10am before it got too hot and it was starting to enter the 90s when we left an hour later so I wasn't too worried about it, but I would have taken advantage if it was 3pm. Also, while plenty of people were there at 10am it was a light crowd and we were all spread out. When we left I saw about 15% more people entering than at the time of our arrival. If you have young kids with you the prairie dogs and the turtle in the gazebo will definitely ham it up for their amusement and the family of giraffes will not disappoint! If they like big cats, I didn't see a single one that wasn't sleeping (cats do not care about our amusement, domesticated or not) and I learned that camels look eternally depressed. But nobody can resist seeing flamingos or the black bears, which are a great ending to the tour. The gift shop was an excellent cool temperature and the items I saw were priced very low. They have masks for both kids and adults in various zoo themes that were $8. Currently they have suspended the feeding times where they let you participate (I think those prices start at $5 and go up) so overall this is a pretty affordable activity whether you're an individual or bringing the whole family. Parents will find this a lot more relaxing than the hassle and price of larger zoos. We had a good time! I recommend you take the nice drive up to Gainesville for this great find! read more

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What a fantastic hidden gem. This zoo is the perfect size and it's so easy to get in and out even on a busy holiday weekend. This is a great alternative to the two large DFW zoos that can become a tiresome undertaking at certain times. This zoo is an easy drive and it's located right off I35. There's a large park and playground in the parking area that is accessible to the public without any admission. There is a little theme-park type of train that circles the park area. Parking was free, super easy, and a stone's throw away from the front gate. You walk up to a window, buy your ticket, and step right in. I was in the zoo within 2 minutes after parking. The tickets are super cheap too. The zoo has a path that basically makes a big circuit around the groups. It is perhaps a mile or two to loop the entire thing. There are benches and tables throughout to take a rest. There are plenty of animals to see along the way. The animals are mostly right up close so you can get a good view. The animals all seemed to be in good conditions and the habitats were large and well-kept. There are flamingos, goats, cheetahs, a camel, bears, and more. We were able to see the entire zoo in 90 minutes. It's perfect. Give this place a visit if you have an afternoon to spare. read more

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This was a nice little Zoo we where there for about 1 1/2 . For only $7 per person it's a great little place to have lunch or something. The day we went a lot of the animals where hiding because the night before there was a really bad storm that came through. But it was a fun place to stop at our way home back to DFW read more

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This is a great spot to introduce young kids to the trip to a zoo without feeling overwhelmed by the huge sizes of the Dallas or Ft Worth Zoos. It is set up in a huge park with benches and tables to have a picnic as well as playgrounds for the kiddos. Depending on where you're coming from in the DFW area, it may take you 45min to 1.5 hr but worth it. read more

This is the best small-town facility I've ever been to. Immaculate landscaping, animals are in great health and have spacious habitats. You can't find a better zoo for $9 per adult. The staff are very hardworking and take pride in their work, and it definitely shows. read more

Wonderful little zoo. I saw animals I didn't think they would have, a nice surprise. Pricing is definitely fair, with a cute little gift shop. I am a little sad that I seem to keep missing feeding the goats. read more

Had a great time with our grandkids!! Animals are so cute and the savannah area with giraffes was really nice. Overall a nice park area with a zoo inside. Will go again. read more

We called the zoo a day ahead to see if there were capybaras and the zoo confirmed that there were. We drove an hour to see said capybaras, and by the second time of circling the zoo, we realized they were not there. We even asked the worker and she confirmed that there were capybaras and told us where they were located, and there were none to be found. Not only this, but we had trouble finding the worker to behind with as they were understaffed. Other animals were interesting but nothing out of the ordinary. A waste of time to drive an hour to see. read more

The Frank Buck Zoo is one of the hidden treasures of Texas. The overall zoo is small, but the crowds are fairly light, and the animals that are on display are very well taken care of and active during the day. You are given opportunity to feed the giraffes for about six dollars, but if you are lucky to be there early enough, and you ask about feeding the flamingos, you can be one of five people to do so for about $15. That experience is nothing short of incredible. The zoo is about an hour away from Fort Worth, but definitely a nice bit of distraction from the big city for a few hours, and the zoo keeping staff is incredibly knowledgeable and professional. Absolutely a high recommendation! read more

Nice small zoo. This was our second visit while we were in the area. The main area where the giraffe are, is great to see they have such a large area to roam. I saw some pics of people feeding the flamingo's and wanted to have the granddaughter feed them but they were not doing it while we were there. See loves feeding the giraffe at our zoo. We enjoyed the visit. read more

Frank Buck Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Gainesville, Texas

Great zoo. We had a great time with our three year old. We'll kept and scenic grounds with lots of different kinds of animals. We went during the week and basically had the place to ourselves. The park nextdoor is also amazing. We'll be back! read more

Overall great zoo. Large variety of land-animals, not too many water animals. Entire park is significantly bigger than it looks from the front. You will see Bears, Birds, Flamingos, Cheetahs, Tortoises, Giraffes, Camels, Foxes, Goats, Kangaroos, and more. However, it is important to note that this zoo is almost all outdoors, and some parts are not shaded. At some areas and some times of the season it can get very hot. The entrance has an indoor gift shop containing drinks, toys, and snacks, as well as a small exhibit of snakes and reptiles. Bathrooms can be located here as well. Right next by is Leonard park which hosts a gigantic playground, pool, and kiddie-train that is open some times of the year. It can be a fun experience after leaving the zoo. read more

Do not come here expecting anything along the lines of the Dallas or Ft Worth zoo. I grew up visiting this zoo and can remember when it was a donation only to get in. Now days admission ranges from 4.50-6.50. They have done a lot of remodeling here and have added some new exhibits. My personal favorite is the giraffes. There's a long walkway/bridge that is almost eye level with them. Very cool. We went on a saturday early afternoon and it took us about 45mins to get through the entire zoo. I personally think this is a place more for kiddos to enjoy than adults. You can almost make a day out visiting here. There is a pretty big park with lots of slides, swings, and cool stuff for kids to enjoy and there's a mini train you can pay to ride around the entire park. Check in here on Yelp and get a dollar off your admission. read more

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This is a nice small zoo. It will only take you about an hour to see all the animals, but is great for the price. It's definitely not as big as the Dallas or Ft. Worth zoo, but is much cheaper. Parking is great, free and right by the door. Admission is really cheap and you can save a dollar when you check in with Yelp. For a small fee you can feed a giraffe which is really cool. You should not miss out on this. They also have a place where you can feed goats for 25 cents for a handful of food. The is also a train right outside that is only $2. It's a really slow train, but fun for little ones. The zoo goes in a big circle which is nice so that you don't miss anything. They have a good selection of animals, but again not like a big zoo. We loved seeing the Prairie Dogs, zebras, bear, and feeding the giraffe. Only negatives is that there is not much shade and really hot in the Texas heat. We enjoy going once a year though. read more

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This is a pretty good zoo for a small town, I was honestly quite surprised. They have many animals such as zebras, giraffes, kangaroos, cheetahs, bears, and many more. I think what kind of really sucked is that many of the animals we wanted to see were hiding in their dens, I'm guessing because of the heat, so we weren't able to see many that we would've loved to see. They have a cool train that drives you around for $2/person, although it doesn't really take you anywhere special nor does it have any views of anything, it's pretty fun especially for kids. I would come back again! read more

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Took my grandkids today. It was such a fun day! Well worth your money! I may just make it a spring break tradition!

Totally found this place based on yelp reviews. It's the perfect passing thru zoo. The animals are beautiful. It's not a overwhelming zoo. You can do the whole thing in 30 mins. It was impressive to be soo small and soo amazing. We had a blast. read more

I love zoos. When I was a little kid, it was in another location about three blocks from my house. I spent many hours there. The location now is in a hole, which doesn't always work out well, but it's super nice. I love the raised wooden trail that goes over the African area. You can see the giraffes at their head level. Plus, it was built by donations and has the names of so many people that I know carved into it. It's small, but for a zoo in a small town, it's really great. Kids really seem to love it. read more

They have a few animals. At the beginning of the park, there is a big bear and he is very easy to see and it was really cool. All the other animals were so far away and they didn't all have companions and it was just so hot and miserable this day I don't think anyone was happy including the animals. Evidently there use to be giraffe feeding and we were excited about that - we love giraffes... we couldn't find it even though their were signs. We asked at the end of the park when we entered into the gift shop and we were told the giraffe died and they do not have another trained giraffe that they allow people to feed. why can't they take down the signs so people don't go all over looking.... irritating. Also, there is a train and we were SO excited to ride the train as I had my grandson, 2 years old, and my twin grandsons that were 14 months. We were at the gift shop at 2:30 and asked about the train and the last one takes off at 2:30. Really? in the middle of the afternoon?? So another big disappointment. There is a pretty cute goat feeding yard where there are little windows the goats can stick their heads out of and you can buy grain to hand feed them. The kids enjoyed that but you couldn't pet the goats or anything like that. There is a pretty cool park just outside the zoo but it isn't in connection with the zoo as far as I know. We won't be back as there really isn't anything to do. read more

Everything was very nice! I was surprised there was this kind of zoo in such a small town, my family and I really enjoyed our visit. The animals seemed happy and well fed, the pens were all clean and spacious. Kids especially enjoyed feeding the goats! Many Thanks to the lady selling tickets for telling us to get quarters there! We had fun feeding the goats, they were nice and knew just what to do when presented with a handful of food. The zoo is handicapped and stroller friendly, they have ramps to all parts of the park and even have strollers you can rent for 2$. There is a nice large play ground right outside the zoo and a train you can ride for 2$. There is also a good sized city pool in the same park for 5$ a person. It is open from 1pm-6pm for the summer. It has a few slides and a kids area. We have already made a plan for next year to hit the zoo in the morning, have a picnic lunch in the park and let the kids play for awhile, then head on over to the pool to cool off. read more

Amazing zoo. They just had a baby giraffe and are doing an amazing job from all the things I can see. Absolutely worth a visit! Their prices are ridiculously inexpensive. Plus you can feed the flamingos and have a giraffe encounter. read more

This is one of the nicest little zoos you will find. Obviously it doesn't compare to some of the big city ones but they have a descent selection of animals, it is well kept, clean and laid out well. Great afternoon for the little ones. read more

This was our first time here and I was very pleasantly surprised. It's a lot bigger than it looks from the outside and it's a pretty zoo. You can get pretty close to the animals, which is fun, and they seemed mostly healthy. There was one male kangaroo that looked like it had a rash and the bear's enclosure was distressingly small. I'd love it if there was more educational information about the different animals on the plaques they have outside the enclosures. Overall, this is a zoo we will visit again. It The prices were very reasonable and there were a lot of fun picnic areas. There's also a super cute park across the street with a huge playground, which is nice, because the zoo only took us a couple of hours to go through. read more

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This is a great zoo! Let me start by saying it doesn't compare to the Dallas or Ft Worth zoo in size and may not have all the animals you would thing (ex lions, tigers, ect) but it is still a great zoo.I went to this zoo on a Saturday with my husband and 3 children (ages 5, 4, and 3). Size: We walked the entire zoo in about 3 hours. There were a few thinks we didn't see. You should take into account that walking with three small children can take longer than older kids or adults. Education: All the animals have plaques with information on them. To be honest we didn't get to read them much due to short attention spans. Price: Can't beat it! $6.50 for adults and $4.50 for kids. Also you can go to http://www.aroundtownkidsfrisco.com/coupons.htm and get a coupons. Just scroll down till you see it. You can print just one and it will save you $1 on every person. Saved us $5 today! Food: There is no foo or drink allowed in. In the gift shop they have a few drinks for sale. You can come and go to the zoo as needed. There is a park for a picnic and fast food close by. Giraffe Feedings were fun. It only cost $1 per piece of food. Feedings are at 10:30 and get there early. We got in line at 10:15 and still had to wait till 10:40 to feed. Its not the type of feeding where you throw it at the animals. They actually eat it out of your hands. My daughters loved it when they licked her. You will also need quarters for a few other areas where you can feed animals. If you go late in the day they may be out of food. They only fill the food machine once a day. Cool Stuff: The zoo is in a park. This park is awesome! It is large with lots of places to play. There is also a train that cost $2 that will take you on a 10 minute ride. It is lots of fun and puts you under the shade with a breeze. read more

Love having a local zoo! Lots to see but low key and having the great park outside it makes it easy to make a day of. Great for younger crowds because they have freedom to wander around without you losing them and easy to stay with a group. Clean bathroom options a plus! read more