We are lucky to have the Milwaukee County Zoo! It's such a nostalgic place to visit with the kiddos, I love the walking routes and ease of navigating. They've made some really great updates through the years while still maintaining the integrity of the original charm (looking at you carousel and choo choo!) I haven't been all summer and it seems they've recently updated their payment process which went smoothly. Instead of stopping at the front check points, you drive right through and pay online for parking via a barcode. We then bought our tickets at the front entrance. Love all the misters sprinkled throughout the zoo and indoor areas where you can cool down if needed. We had lunch at the new "Crust and Copper" which is the big lunch facility by the grizzly bears and I must say - they're chicken salad pita with peaches, radishes and lettuce was SO tasty!! Will definitely be trying to recreate that one at home! read more

This zoo was over hyped as being the best zoo in the Midwest, and I gotta say I wasn't too impressed. Too much wasted space with not enough attractions. Paying for parking seems a little much when already paying for the zoo. And again some exhibits were nice, but a rather empty zoo comparing to others I've seen, even close by in the Midwest! read more

OMG my company absolutely spoiled us at the zoo last night. Everything was free, food, beverages, face painting, zip lining, strollers, motorized scooters, you name it and there were 3 bands playing too. But honestly the highlight for me was the cotton candy, it made me feel like a kid again for sure! And OMG I have not been to the zoo in years and I couldn't believe how much has changed. We didn't even see everything because the place is huge and there was so much to do and see. We will definitely be back soon because one evening just wasn't enough. Such a fun night and a great reminder that you're never too old for cotton candy! read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great zoo. Got there before they opened, like 9:20. Got great parking. Waiting for the doors to open. Got coffee once we got inside, was.quick and great service. Coffee was delicious. Sorry, sidetracked. Walked the zoo for 3 and a half hours. Lots.of.great exhibits. The animals looked healthy and happy. No bored animals. My teens were very happy with the visit, win in itself. Favorite spots were the gorillas, otters, large birds and elephants. read more

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See animals, with stable or endangered population statuses, from around the world at Milwaukee County Zoo by foot or train! Family-friendly place and makes for a nice outdoorsy date. There are laidback activities like the zipline, Sky Safari (its underwhelmingly just a straight path), goat petting, and train. The ropes course is fine and there's a toddler- friendly version! There's also a few sprinklers to stay cool! I am fond of bears and was happy to see two bear exhibits, although they are a walk away from each other. The otters and penguins were playful and lively. Limited snack carts (popcorn and if memory serves, Dippin Dots) and theres a cantina. read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Duck leading some geese - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Milwaukee zoo is one of my favorites in the US. It's smaller but gives a big community feel. As an accredited zoo you can visit with assurance the animals are treated to the best ability. There is plenty of food, drink, and adventure options within the park. read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cannot say enough GREAT things about the Milwaukee County Zoo, it's well maintained, family friendly and offers something new at each visit. We purchased a zoo pass in June when our son just turned one, and every visit since has felt like a little adventure. It has quickly become one of our favorite places to spend time together as a family. My son LOVES Happy the hippo! We also enjoy catching the animals in action talks and feedings (specifically the big cats). And the zoo train is always a highlight! I highly recommend purchasing a zoo pass,as it truly pays for itself and makes it easy to stop by, even for short visits. The Milwaukee County Zoo has given my little family so many great memories this year and we absolutely recommend it to other families, especially those with young children. read more

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I have been to a number of zoos throughout my travels, and being from a city with a wonderful zoo (that is free!) For the cost of parking plus entry... this zoo was a disappointment to say the very least. Definitely pass on it. This should never be advertised as "the best zoo in the midwest." Far from it. So much wasted space, the enclosures are not great when you do happen to see one. There are far better things to do in this beautiful city. read more

Ranked as one of the best zoos in the country, I couldn't quite give it five stars. I've been to better zoos in the Midwest alone. However, I absolutely loved my visit and the size of most of the exhibits. It seems like they truly care about the happiness and wellbeing of their animals. You can expect to spend about 3.5 hours here if you want to see everything. Make sure to check out macaque island! read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We loved our outing to the Zoo! We enjoyed the VR gorilla trekking, feeding the giraffes, and riding the train in addition to seeing all of the amazing animal exhibits. The new parking and entry system is SO much smoother than in years past and actually didn't ruin the trip this time!! The new think exhibit is gorgeous and we always love seeing the bonobos and gorillas outside. read more

How is it that every time I go to a bigger city I end up visiting the zoo? My friends and I were looking for something to do since a lot of the city was closed (Covid was high at the time) and decided to go to the zoo. We were a little concerned when we arrived because it was pretty crowded. It took us At least 20 minutes to get into the zoo. Once we made it inside, we were very impressed. The zoo was a lot bigger than we expected. There was so much to look at and I never felt like I had to stand in a crowd to see the animals. I loved my time here and I feel like Milwaukee is the reason why I'm a zoo enthusiast. read more

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Highly recommend checking out zoo lights! We attended on a drive thru night. Spent about 30 minutes in the car looking at all the incredible displays. Some drive thru holiday light exhibits aren't worth what you pay but this one is a at worth the $40 for the car. They even have an area you can pull over to and order hot chocolate. Most of the other nights are walking nights and I don't recall the admission price on those nights. When driving thru, they have a Spotify playlist you can sync to. You do have to book your time slot ahead of time. read more

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Our first time to the zoo was a success! The layout is very family friendly and not crowded at all (visited on Father's Day weekend). It's very easy to navigate with a double stroller. Enjoyed all the different animal exhibits. Kids loved all the animal sightings! The playground is slightly disappointing as it could have incorporated more of the animal/safari theme rather than any playgrounds outside the zoo. The dining options are plentiful and offers vegetarian options (huge win for me)! They even have a Lionie cart serving up adult beverages! We had a relaxing time on a Saturday. Much slower pace than other amazement parks like Disney or Universal. Pro-tip: skip the line by purchasing tix online and head to the West Entrance instead of main. read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Camels - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I've heard we have one of the top zoos in the entire country. After visiting quite a few, I believe it. This zoo keeps evolving year after year. Just when you think you know it, there is more to explore and enjoy. I love the volunteers who are stationed throughout to help with educational and learning. The only thing I really don't care for are the food and beverage choices. I feel they could do much better. read more

This zoo is awesome, especially considering it's right smack dab in Milwaukee suburbs. The staff is quite friendly and plenty of space to navigate. No crowds during weekdays. The main downside for only four stars is how much construction is constantly going on, and always a few exhibits are down. Otherwise tons of variety of animals to see and many additional events are held here. Great for kids. read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Regal lioness in the big cat section - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Unfortunately I feel this was rather expensive for the time of year. There was a lot of construction and walkways closed, as well as lots of people putting up their holiday lights so we were unable to see as much as I'd have hoped with the time we had. Considering it's $45 for two people and for parking, I wish they had let us know there were going to be things closed due to construction as we may have foregone. However, I continue to think this is a very good zoo and we will certainly be back! Our favorites: the cats, the Afrian animals, and the birds. We also always love the reptiles and fish- a very nice zoo for a sunny afternoon! read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Giraffe licking the wall- I could not stop giggling - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We visited the zoo with my toddler niece to experience Wild Lights and had so much fun! They have so many amazing animal light set-ups throughout the zoo! It's definitely not your average holiday light show. I love that the light up animals were placed by where the real animals would be at the zoo. Most of the animals were away for the night- but we were able to walk through the big cat building which was neat! Lots of fire tables to sit by if you need to warm up for a bit. The exhibit also had several light set-ups that are intended for selfies! Great event! Can't wait to go again next year! Also highly recommend the train! read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Lights at the zoo holiday walk! - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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A little bit crazy due to it being Mothers Day, but it was a great day to be out! Definitely should've remembered sunscreen. read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - BEAUTIFUL day at the zoo - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This is our first year with a zoo pass - and we have really enjoyed it for trips to the zoo with my toddler. I wish some animal exhibits were larger for the sake of the animals, but in a few short hours, I get a nice walk in and my daughter sees a large assortment of animals. One of our favorite exhibits is the goat feeding zone (summer only). Recently, we enjoyed the large piles of leaves in the forest, which was great for her to jump and not have to deal with at home! Train and carousel are fun, and the cafe food is decent (great chicken tenders). I'm really grateful that Milwaukee has this zoo and look forward to the future expansions and renovations. read more

The Milwaukee County Zoo is definitely larger and has more to offer than some smaller regional zoos. We used our home state zoo membership and got 50% off admission through the reciprocity program, which was a great deal, though parking cost was steep, especially when we arrived and hour and half before closing! The animal habitats were well maintained and we were able to see it all in 90 mins (a couple with no kids). The highlight for us was their big cats - esp. the lions, and the fall weather made for a gorgeous day! read more

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Very nice visit for my first time at this zoo. You can get tickets online but I wanted to use my MN Zoo membership to get a discount so I bought tickets at the gate. I showed my membership card and ID and was able to get 50% off of each of our four entries. Great way to leverage a zoo membership. We started at the African animals exhibit and fed the giraffes. One of my fav areas was the fish, snakes, and frogs building. It was a very hot day on our visit but much of the outdoor trails were well shaded. So many cool animals to see including big cats, gorillas, elephants, and river otters. So glad I was able visit this zoo. Really enjoyed it. read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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The animals were awesome. The zoo is delightful. I'm just a complainer because all the food places were closed. How on earth do you have the park open but... no food. I was hangry. The dinosaur exhibit was also amazing. We will go back but I will bring lunch. read more

Winter time at the zoo is great. They're no lines, no crowds, the attraction houses are warm and always fun. Plus pdume parking is a bonus too. Even the carousel and gift shop are open for all. We got to see the new penguin exhibit and then went inside for Apes. All the animals were awake and active it was a great visit. There is new construction where the old rhino and elephant exhibits were, so that will be so exciting to see this fall. The volunteers were all available to ask if we had questions. They are always helpful and full of knowledge. Enjoy the zoo Anytime. read more

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The zoo is a great place to spend the day and although I would personally like to see more animals in the walk, you certainly get some exercise along the way. read more

The Milwaukee County Zoo was such a fun experience for myself, my daughter (2) and our friends. I found it pretty reasonably priced for a zoo, as kids 2 and under are free, and adult tickets are under $18.75/person. To feed the giraffe, you're only spending $5 per ticket, which gives you 3 pieces of greens, and the dinosaur exhibit was only $4 for me, as my daughter was free. The concessions and food will hurt the budget though, and the food is a joke and takes far too long to cook. I ordered the vegetarian po'boy, and it was 2 halves of fried tomato and a ton of sauce and TOO much bun, and very overpriced. Gross Pepsi products are almost $6, or $9.99 with the included souvenir cup. The options were incredibly lacking for vegetarians, which is kind of a shock in 2024. I feel like the exhibits were decently sized, and none of the animals looked crammed in. They're currently working on a penguin exhibit, so I am looking forward to returning within the next few years. Plenty to experience for all ages. read more

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This is a great zoo! It has been a long time since I have been here but what a joy to return with my boys and my granddaughter. There is a lot to see... elephants, feed the giraffes, monkeys, penguins, lions, tigers and bears... oh my... What a wonderful day as a whole... rode the carousel, rode the train, saw everything there was to see and got to spend the whole day with my oldest granddaughter! It was a fabulous location for an amazing day. It is not something I will ever forget. The zoo is clean... well maintained... and the animals were out and about in most cases. I'm so glad we all spent the day here. read more

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I truly feel like the MKE zoo is one of the best in the country. Our family goes in the snow, rain, and sunshine! They have so many exhibits indoors when the weather is gross, which makes this place a gem when you have little ones. The workers are so polite and the volunteers are so knowledgeable. My daughter loves everything they offer, including the carousel and the train. It's great you can use the "coupons" that are on your Zoo pass for the train and carousel. The playground is another hit, since it wears our little one out towards the end of the visit.. although it can get crowded. I suggest going early when the zoo opens. The food options are fairly good, especially when the food trucks are available. Bathrooms are always very clean and there are optimal spots to rest when your little one is tired. The best part is that you can bring in your own food and beverages. We always get coffee beforehand at a local coffee shop. Highly recommend. read more

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Recently visited the zoo for the first time in maybe a decade. My son is around the age that he's loving animals of all kinds, so we thought it was the perfect time to show him them in real life! My mom and I decided to take him on a Monday morning. The zoo opens up at 9:30am, but hot tip: arrive before then to get into the car line to get in. It stretches quite far and it's worth being in the front. My son didn't quite meet the age where the was a cost for his entry, but for my mom and I it was roughly $48 - this high of a price mostly due to parking, which is a bummer. We'll definitely consider the family zoo pass in the future, as it seems to be a great deal for returning guests. Upon entering into the lobby we noted how wonderfully kept and well-updated everything looked since our last visit. Fully equipped with a coffee shop, help desk, rest rooms, and of course the gift shop. They now have a QR code to scan for a map, but if you prefer the paper one they still have those too. We explored majority of the zoo before we had to hit the road for nap time. The grounds are very well-kept, as are most of the buildings. I'd say some of the enclosures for animals could use an update however. They have all the animals you'd hope to see, from the reptiles, hippos and fish, to monkeys, elephants, giraffes and tigers. Plus, plenty of food and drink vendors (though many weren't open in the morning). All in all, a great local zoo, worth the day out! read more

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tl;dr this is a great nearby zoo for family The zoo is a great place. We were gifted the zoo pass when we had our twins and with them being one-year-old it has been a great activity to do with them. You can go to the zoo over and over again and there will be new things to see and experience for the kiddos. Or it least it feels that way because the zoo is so expansive and you can attend small chunks and come back to visit the rest another time! The exhibit staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and the exhibits themselves appear mostly clean and in fair shape. I really appreciate all of the hard work the zoo puts in during holiday seasons. The fun Halloween theme in 2023 was so cute and clearly a lot of time was invested in the displays. The winter/holiday looks were also really well done. I will say some of the down side seems to be that unless particular specific timeframe/season, a lot of the food locations are not setup for operation. I will admit I don't mind this much, as my family and I always brings packed lunches anyways. However, is strange to see large stretches of the zoo kind of desolate as there's nothing going on and no one eating there. Sometimes there are some communication issues (one time there was a sign saying a building was closed, but then the door was unlocked and people were visiting and there didn't seem to be any problems, etc.) Overall, the zoo is a great place for education, fresh air, seeing animals and hanging with your family! read more

Milwaukee County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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So much fun! The cooler weather brought out a few animals like the Snow Leopard, which I have never seen. It actually is a very compact zoo so all areas are walkable/ accessible. The natural areas makes it more intimate. read more

Visit Date: Friday, May 16, 2025 (Second Visit) Our second visit to the zoo left us feeling disappointed and disheartened. Compared to our first time, this experience felt more like a commercial amusement park than a sanctuary dedicated to animal welfare and conservation. Admission & Costs: We felt like we didn't get our money's worth, especially with so many exhibits closed or under construction. Total Costs: Parking + Admission for 2 Adults, 2 Kids: $85.19 Lunch: $78 Fries: $5.50 Kids' Meals: $10 each Burger & Fries: $16 Salad Bowl: $16 Bottled Water: $5 All before taxes Mini Train Ride: $4 per person Carousel: $3 per person Ski Lift (Aerial View Ride): $4 per person Additional attractions: Face painting (available but we didn't try it, price unknown) Zip line (no staff operating it during either visit) The Good Exhibits: Aviary Building: Beautiful and well-kept. Primates Building: Informative, but emotionally hard to visit. The orangutan we saw looked incredibly bored and depressed, just staring out of his enclosure. It was heartbreaking. Aquarium Building: One of the more engaging areas. Areas in Need of Serious Improvement: African Safari Section: Elephants and giraffes appeared listless and uninterested, lacking stimulation. Other animals like ostriches also seemed visibly bored. Barn Area by Family Playground: The building looked worn down and neglected. No animals were outside. No zookeepers in sight--concerning lack of animal care. The Scottish Highland cow was tied up inside the barn, and there were no goats available to pet. Despite the ice cream shop nearby, the whole area felt abandoned and sad. Overall Experience: Animal Well-being: Nearly all the animals looked sad, bored, and unstimulated. We didn't see a single zookeeper in the enclosures or interacting with the animals. The orangutan, in particular, looked utterly despondent. The lack of visible enrichment or engagement for the animals was deeply concerning. Staff: Snack cart, café, and ice cream shop workers looked disengaged. Only the docents we encountered offered any meaningful interaction--they provided helpful information, which was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing visit. Crowds & Access: At 10 a.m., the line to enter the parking lot was extremely long. There should be a designated entrance for school buses to avoid congestion. Final Thoughts: This visit left us questioning whether this zoo truly prioritizes animal care and conservation. From the lifeless exhibits to the amusement-park-like atmosphere, it felt more like a place built for entertainment and profit than for educating the public or caring for wildlife. We left feeling sad, especially for the animals, and unsure if we'll ever return. read more

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We spend a lot of time at the zoo! That being said, it's because we have a zoo pass. I do think the price for a one time visit to this zoo is pretty steep. But the pass pays for itself I think after only 2 visits? While we love it here, several areas do seem a bit old and outdated. BUT they have lots of recently updated areas - the hippo area is awesome, and they have a lot of other renovations underway. Really looking forward to all the changes they're making! read more

I love the Milwaukee County Zoo. This our first time here in a few years and our nine year old granddaughter's first time. As usual, every staff person we interacted with was a great experience. We enjoyed the animals, train, food, giraffe feeding and the ropes course. It was our granddaughter's first time feeding the giraffe, doing the ropes course and riding the train. She enjoyed her day. That being said, it appears some exhibits are not being maintained as well as I remember. One example is the caribou exhibit. It looked like it was weedy and not taken care of. Our overall experience was fantastic! read more

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My husband and I are from Chicago, so it was our first time coming here last month, and we enjoyed our visit here. The zoo is decently large and there are a lot of large nature areas like a huge pond and some forest areas with benches you can sit at. The zoo was clean and the animals all had nice exhibits, many looked new or were newly renovated. Just like any zoo, they had many animal exhibits and food areas, but they did have some cool unique features we don't have in our zoos back home. My favorite part of coming here was that in the family farm area, there was a goat yard where you could enter, pet all of them, and/or feed them for 50 cents. It was so adorable to see all of them, and they all just walked right up to us for attention. This zoo also has a "Sky Safari" where you can ride on what looks like a skit lift to see the zoo from a bird's eye view. We didn't end up doing this, but I would have loved to! Next time we come here, I will for sure do this. They even have a zipline course here! My husband and I also loved the outside monkey exhibit at the center of the zoo because when we were there, all of the monkeys were playing and jumping all around. There were some babies and many younger monkeys who would instigate fights with the older ones; it was so adorable. My favorite exhibit is always the penguins since they are my favorite animal, and even though we entered where the penguins were, we had such a hard time finding them haha. But we did end up asking the information kiosk workers where they were, and all was good in the world. I would come to visit this zoo again when we inevitably road trip back to Milkwaukee in the future. read more

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Milwaukee Zoo is wonderful for all ages to enjoy. This review is about Cheers Wild Lights, a one-night event for adults only. (This is the same Wild Lights that runs more evenings and allows children, so most of this applies.) We have loved this event over the years and last night it was a wonderfully mild night to stroll and enjoy the decorations and even some animals. The first stop is the entrance building which houses decorated Christmas trees with wonderful ornaments made by local scouts and students. And grab a wish list tag for the zoo animals before you head outside. But last night we didn't want to leave because of the fantastic musician Clarissa, The Sassy British Soul Singer and Pianist was in the house!!! She is FANTASTIC! Drop a Venmo or PayPal tip for her wonderful voice. Then head outside and enjoy the large lighted tree with a cool light pattern. The reptile and amphibian house was open and we learned lots of new info from a wonderful docent. And take advantage of the peacocks sleeping high in the trees after you come out and continue your stroll. Ice carving, food, and drinks give your stroll a wonderful holiday feel. The price of admission includes parking and goes towards the cost of running this great zoo. The only thing I was disappointed in was this: last year there was a special spiked drink (since it is an adults-only event) available in several locations in the zoo but this year we didn't get this treat option. The music inside was great, but there was a lack of bands along the pathway and we missed that too. Not sure why these decisions were made but I hope they reconsider next year. Take your family to Wild Lights and you are sure to enjoy the evening. There is a special shine to this stroll after dark. And don't forget to take a train ride! read more

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Just wanted to spread more love for our zoo! We visited on Halloween and even though it was very chilly and snowy, we were able to see lots of animals. They were all given pumpkins and it was super cute. We were hungry when we were leaving so we ordered some cheese curds from the cafeteria. They were really good! And you can never go wrong with zoo popcorn! Bundle up and go enjoy the zoo this winter! read more

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I have not visited the Milwaukee County Zoo in years. I was pleasantly surprised by the new exhibits and all the baby animals :D So many of the new/recently renovated exhibits are much larger and include features that are, at the very least, reminiscent of the animals' native habitat. Some of the enclosures in the small mammal building could use an update - a couple of the animals looked sad/bored (or perhaps that was them attempting to beg for treats lol). It was dinner time at the time of my most recent visit. It was so amazing, the animals were so lively and happy. I saw so many critters in the small animal building that I had never seen out and about before!! I was sad that the otters were not out - it was actually the reason I went to the zoo on this specific July day. The price for parking is, in my opinion, outrageous. There is street parking nearby; however, it can be quite a trek - be prepared to hit your step goal. Regardless, I would visit much more often if the zoo was open later. Between work schedules, it is difficult to plan a visit. I would love to see/attend "adults only" events... I previously went to a wine and cheese tasting in the big cats house after-hours and it was very fun! The cats were all very active. The zoo attracts visitors young and old, but sometimes it is nice to enjoy a place and not feel outnumbered and overwhelmed with kiddos. Just a thought ;) read more

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So we are from the Chicagoland area and have some access to decent zoos in our area.... I will still pester my husband to drive us out here. The layout of this zoo just makes sense. The exhibits are super walkable. Great variety to see and do. The activities for kids (like the train ride, and feeding a giraffe) are more affordable here. Everyone is super nice. Can't wait to come back again come summertime! read more

I haven't been back to the Milwaukee County Zoo since I was a wee lad. Many, many years. We did "family day", so we just had to pay for parking while admission was free. We had a great time. While parking/traffic was busy, there was enough space at the zoo that it didn't feel crowded. The attractions were great - you can get plenty close to the giraffes and elephants. Those displays were excellent for us. Some of the other areas look the same as they did in the 70's. The layout works really well - plenty of shady areas for those hot days. read more

Milwaukee County Zoo: I can't begin to count how many times I've been to this zoo in my life. As a kid I visited at least once a year for school and again with my family. For all those numerous trips though, I haven't had the chance to visit for various reasons since maybe 2018. The zoo still offers a wide range of exhibits, and the small mammals, reptiles, aviary, and apes are relatively unchanged. There was a fair amount of construction going on as the rhino exhibit is closed until 2025 and I was disappointed that the Humboldt penguins were also not viewable due to an update. The elephant exhibit is now much larger, but sadly at the expense of the Australian building/exhibit being removed (permanently?). I've been to a number of zoos around the country (including San Diego) and while the Milwaukee Zoo is not the most impressive, it is still a respectable and enjoyable place. There are also plenty of food options as well as picnic areas for those wishing to bring their own snacks. read more

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