This is not your large city zoo, it is small and 90% outdoors, so a snowy winter day not the best idea, haha. That being said for small children it's perfect, a nice walk, easy to see the exhibits. Personally I think the areas are too small for the animals and wouldn't visit again. Price point and membership options do make it affordable for families. read more

Utica Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

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What a cute zoo! We were in town for the Boilermaker race and looking for other things to do. I'm glad we went because the animals at this zoo are obviously happy to see visitors. I had a Moment (big M) with the ostrich ladies who came right up to their fence and shared all their gossip. They even followed in parallel as my husband and I walked on the path. Well worth the visit, lots of parking, it can be sunny and hot in the summer so bring your water and wear your coral-safe sunscreen. read more

This zoo is perfect for a half day trip. There's a bunch of animals, along with playground and also dinosaurs to see. Lots of entertainment for the kids! The price is also super reasonable as well. There's also strollers for rent which came in handy because i forgot mine that day! read more

Utica Zoo - Dinosaur - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

I cannot stress enough, how much me and my family enjoyed this zoo! We came here Saturday morning visiting my aunt who lives nearby. The entire zoo is immaculately clean. As soon as we went through the doors after the ticket counter we saw some happy Gibbons swinging around, and they even started talking. We then made our way over to the lions. The area where they have the three lions (who are all siblings) is large and has a walkway that you can walk almost 360° around to get a good glimpse of them no matter where they are. The zoo looks small, but as we made our way around, we felt like it was much bigger than it first appeared. We saw a bald eagle, zebras, ostriches, emus, alligators, and quite a few reptiles! Every time we thought we saw everything we saw there was more! We made our way back over to the lions and caught the end of one of the zookeeper talks. They have three talks per day and if you're around for one it's definitely worth catching one. We learned the names of the three lions and that they were all siblings. The zookeeper asked us if we had any questions which, of course we did. He told us about how they fed the lions safely, what their diet was, and a little bit about the personality of the lions. (No spoilers, you'll have to go yourself to find out!) Everyone that works there was extremely kind, friendly, and knowledgeable. This was such a great zoo. I would highly recommend it to anybody visiting the area or just passing through. read more

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This isn't a large zoo (at least compared to other ones in the State such as Rochester and Buffalo) but it is the closest one to Albany, where we live. We had been here several years ago but decided to return with our young son. Friends informed us that they had a red panda (one of my wife's favorite animals) and that sealed the deal. There is construction going on and one of the entrances is blocked. We parked on a gravel lot up the hill, but discovered a near-empty lot right next to the Zoo when we were leaving. Not sure why people weren't directed there. Anyway, the admission rates were not expensive so we ventured in. They have an assortment of farm animals and more exotic animals. As it seems to be every time we are at the zoo, most of the interesting ones were sleeping while we were there. It is hard to explain how intimidating and ferocious a lion is when it is napping! Still, we had a good time. Their one red panda (they had others, but it is a sad story. Google it if you want to know more) was sleeping when we arrived. We attended on International Red Panda Day (who knew? Not me) on 9/17 and they had a zoo employee in a red panda costume. He was helping in answering questions, and after a little bit of the "ol' Benny" charm he volunteered to go into the exhibit and feed the panda... thus waking her up. From that point on, she was amusing to watch as she strutted around her enclosure. Apparently, she is due for a new one soon and may also be joined by another panda. We came back to see the red panda multiple times throughout the day. Food is available and it certainly isn't cheap, but I assume it helps the zoo survive. I certainly did my part in eating popcorn and helping animals at the same time. This isn't the most amazing zoo, but it has a lot going for it. It is the closest one to us, the rates are affordable, it allows kids who otherwise couldn't see animals like Zebras and (sleeping) lions and monkeys get pretty close to them. I remember coming here as a child, and then bringing my wife, and now my son. I can't wait to see the new red panda exhibit and Entrance when they are finished. read more

It's a cool little zoo at a reasonable price. I'd go again as a fun little trip. Some of the animals stayed in the enclosures and didn't get to see them. read more

We stayed in a hotel in Utica while visiting the baseball HOF in Cooperstown, and I love animals so we decided to check out the Utica Zoo, and to my surprise, it was a great zoo for only $8 a person! I think it was my first time seeing a double humped camel for the first time! They definitely had more animals than some zoos that I've been to. Most of the animals on exhibition are actually critically endangered. So it's great place to take kids and educate them about our endangered wildlife animals. or just go for a nice walk on the trails with the animal exhibits! I went on Easter Sunday in 2021 and some of the animals weren't in their exhibits because of the season yet but there's still plenty to see! None of the concession stands were open yet though and I don't think they have any shows open yet either. It seems like they are doing a lot of renovation too because some sections were closed off. I think it would be pretty nice if it was fully opened! read more

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I always enjoy heading to the zoo, and highly encourage couples or families to get annual memberships. I go about once a month to see what's new and it's a really great way to get some steps in! The zoo has seen some construction lately, but it's looking great, and the addition of Kookie Q's has been really convenient to grab a good lunch or drink. read more

Just felt the animals could have had better arrangements and move space to move around. Kinda small.. no room for animals to really move! if the zoo is ran off by donations we definitely need to pull the community together to raise some money for those animals because it was sad. Staff very friendly! read more

We visited on a day when it was so cold no one else was there. Using my military discount the $6.75 I paid was well worth the visit. Small zoo but enough animals outside to make it worth my while. Clean park and good signage. Some nice photo opps as well. read more

Utica Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

The Utica Zoo is a great AZA Accredited small town zoo. They work hard with the limited funds they have to take care of their animals and showcase wildlife conservation to the general public. Their lion siblings are really the star of the show here. The 2 brothers and sister were all born here at the zoo. The look happy and well cared for. Check out daily shows such as the sea lion encounter which is cute and informative. Other animals include the camels, red panda and babies just born, zebras, beavers, wolves, snakes, hyenas, and so much more. There are great informative signs all over the zoo to teach kids (and adults) about environment and species preservation. The worlds largest working watering can is a great feature fountain at the entrance to the childrens zoo. Take the woods trail to see some great activities for the kids as well as additional animals. Polly's catering has now taken over the concession stand, as voss' moved out. There is a nice gift shop at the exit to the zoo. Prices are reasonable and many special events are held throughout the year such as beer events, free days, and more! Please bare with them currently as there is some construction underway on a new visitor center and improvements to the parking lot. The monkey building is no longer open to the public and a lot of their landscaping seems to be the least of their priority, which is ok, animals first! read more

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I'd say my primary means of giving yelp stars is value, dollar per joy added. The Utica zoo is a cool 8 bucks for adults. Maybe in this age of high inflation this will change but I've paid more for pancakes than I paid for a day at the Utica zoo. I would be fine paying 8 bucks to look at a lion, but the Utica zoo offers tons more. So yes it's a local zoo and you could compare it to the San Diego zoo like a jerk but there's a wide variety of animals from near and far with good outdoor walking and weather all for just 8 bucks. For the nitty gritty, there's one food place that I found, standard fare, burgers etc, easily could have brought in sandwiches though. We actually brought in some McChickens for lunch instead and we ate at the big watering can, which is solid. There's a gift shop too of course. As of June 2022 there was a good amount of construction, I still got to look at monkeys but it makes the layout a bit jumbled. When they finish I think it'll be great. There's also a wolf exhibit way up a hill that's a bit of a nature hike; it's nice but clearly not done yet. Anyway buy local, the zoo is great. Kick it at the UZ read more

This is a great small town zoo. My wife and I have visited here many times both for regular trips here and to support the zoo during their annual "Wine in the Wilderness" event (each June). Each time we come out, we enjoy it as much as the last time. They have a good mix of animals, including sea lions which is a pretty cool exhibit for an Upstate NY zoo. We also enjoy the howler monkeys, who really live up to their name sometimes as they whoop it up - you will hear them wherever you are! The zoo is in need of a bit of upgrading here and there, but overall it seems like the exhibits are of good quality. There are some amazing views of the city when walking near the camel enclosure and this is a great spot to take some pictures, or just relax and take a break. The staff here is very nice and sometimes bring out the animals (birds, snakes, etc.) for visitors to interact with which is cool. They also have a hike/trail area up past the lions that provides a nice walk and takes you up to some other animal exhibits. The zoo does have a small food stand that either is (or used to be) operated by Voss' Hot Dogs, a local specialty. read more

The zoo itself is nice and home to a great variety of animals - but the food Pavillion REALLY needs. Some work. Took very long to fill orders, ran out of fries, ordered loaded nachos, and got 50¢ worth of. Tostitos and a tablespoon of chili which was only one of 6 or 7 advertised toppings and still was charged full price. read more

Utica Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

Meh. Not a great zoo, but probably worth one visit. They don't have a ton of wonderful enclosures and they are trying to sell advertising everywhere. I get that small zoos don't make a ton of money, but it seems like they could do a better job with maintenance. Perhaps I'm just being picky, but having said all of that - we had a good hour or so visiting. It was a lazy afternoon and we had a good time. Watching animals is always a good time so a visit here will fulfill that for you I'm pretty sure. read more

Took a trip here while visiting Hamilton College! My mother and I (50 & 17) walked around the entire zoo in about an hour and a half. We saw all of the animals except one. We went at midday so many of the animals were sleeping or low energy, which was expected. Felt very safe with all the COVID protections in place. The people working the food stand were clearly incompetent but I do not believe a food stand makes a zoo, so I'm not detracting a star for it read more

i think that was the most depressing zoo i've ever been to. i can sort the animals into three categories: 1) pacing anxiously 2) sitting completely still doing nothing 3) running up to you when you walk by and pushing up against the side of the enclosure to get out. it was really upsetting to watch. the beavers were gnawing on the metal fence... zoos should make you feel happy, that just made me sad. read more

Utica Zoo - otter - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

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We made a special trip to the Utica zoo as we had heard some good things about the place. While the prices were good, and the employees at the entrance were very nice this is not a good pick if you are handicapped. The zoo itself is all on the side of a hill. Very few flat trails and the general maintenance of the animal enclosures and whole zoo was at best shabby. My husband and I were there for about 2 hours and in that whole time we did not see one keeper we only saw the entrance employees, the food pavilion employees, and some maintenance workers. I felt sorry for some of the animals who seemed to be living in some pretty dismal conditions. We will not go back. read more

Thank you for a great visit! Well laid out, had fun activities, especially for younger children. Free parking a plus! Proper safety precautions were in place. Thank you again! read more

Man, I have so many memories of this place! I think I still have a "zoo key" somewhere--they were small, red plastic keys that you could use at various exhibits to "unlock" an audio explanation about the animals. The large cat house always smelled strongly of urine, so we avoided it. LOL Other than that, they have a massive python, an ape house, exotic birds and birds of prey, gators, an adorable red panda, assorted farm critters, and a bunch of other animals. The zoo always advertises for the events they have going on. They hold a Halloween-themed event in the fall called the "Spooktacular", which is awesome. People have even gotten married there! A close friend of mine wanted to do something different for her ceremony and they allowed her to have it there! :-) BONUS: They have a water fountain shaped like a lion's head. It's been there since I was a child. Check it out! :-D If you're passing through the area or are from Utica, it's definitely worth a look. read more

Utica Zoo - Utica Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

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I have been here many times as a child never as an adult though. I remember getting a slushie and enjoyed seeing the animals.

Great price and fun. $8 and spent three hours there. Animals looked cared for and staff was friendly . I never knew the animals would stay their year round... pretty neat the lions were born there. Worth a visit read more

A gem in Utica on the up & up. They are about continuous improvement of the Zoo and the community. Special unique events and year round fun.

Took my little one to the zoo today, she is 2. The smile it brought to her face to see the animals is worth 5 stars. She was making the rooster noise the whole way home that was so cute. It's just, the enclosures are on the small side. It's a small zoo, I just wish they could expand, to make more room. read more

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While in Utica this is one of the main attractions and it's a good one. A small zoo, but it was reasonably priced and had some great animals that were unexpected. The grounds even included a small scenic trail that was a great touch. read more

Utica Zoo - Main entrance to a great zoo! - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

This was a lovely zoo with a great nature trail. Yes there is construction going on, but it does not deter from the zoo itself. We really enjoyed the animals. Feeding the alpacas and goats was thoroughly enjoyable. The lions and wolves were an added bonus. I would recommend the zoo highly...make sure you don't skip the nature trail, it was wonderful. read more

Nice zoo, plus they have great events.The two things I come for at the zoo are Wine in the Wilderness, and the ever famous Brewfest. read more

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It's a small and well-run zoo. It's clean and the playground is great. BUT. The cages are very tiny. I felt so bad for the animals, especially the larger ones. You know that, in the wild, many of these animals would be covering many miles per day. Whether walking / running, swimming or flying. So, it was a bit depressing to see them so bored and isolated. read more

This is the worst zoo I've ever been to (and first northern zoo). I have never left the zoo depressed and so sad for the animals before this. The living conditions for the animals appalled me, overgrown grass and weeds, straight mud. Their enclosures were tiny!! All the animals were very sluggish and not active at all. I am big lover of zoos and animal conservation and this was very disheartening to see compared to other zoos (Riverbanks Zoo, NC Zoo, Bronx Zoo). read more

A great place for kids and the family very friendly staff lots of cool animals to see very clean place lots of parking the food is very well priced read more

Very fun place to come during the summer and see all the animals. Nice clean zoo but its sad how the animals have small cages. However, they are working on making them bigger by raising money. read more

Went there last week for the Red Panda encounter. The 4 hour drive from Boston was well worth it. The staff was really knowledgeable and friendly. The pictures came out great, would go back there again. read more

So I have lived in the UTICA NY area over 25 years and the only times I visit the zoo are for the promotions of Wine in the Wilderness and Brew Fest. What makes these events memorable is that there is nothing better than watching drunken people look at monkeys :) now the serious part: The zoo is very well put together especially for the size of city we have. The employees are kind and the grounds well maintained. They have a nice collection of animals, don't expect those huge mammals or an exotic aquarium, the zoo has mostly small animals but their cats and primates are worth a double look. The Utica Zoo is one of the gems in the Mohawk Valley. If you are traveling or on a vacation to someplace else, stop in its inexpensive and you can have a great time with your kids. read more

Awesome time great zoo good prices. Lots of animals and some keepers were walking around with hands on animals as well. Easy to get to right off thru way. We loved it read more

Utica Zoo - Red panda - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York

We are so lucky to have a zoo in a city this size! If you haven't been, please stop in. The volunteers have worked very hard over the years to not only keep the zoo going but to improve it and provide the animals with a wonderful home. If you live locally consider a membership as it is a bargain. Keep an eye out for special zoo events like at Halloween. They are a great family event!! read more

Not a bad little zoo. The enclosures were somewhat small as other reviews have mentioned but the animals seemed well cared for. It was hot today and all the animals we saw had places to be in the shade, water, food, and hay if needed. Work was being done on the monkey house. The signage was informative. The gift shop had good stuff to get as souvenirs. Lots of families with kids. I enjoyed myself and my husband took lots of pictures. read more

very nice and clean great prices for food and gift shop animals all looked so well taken care of read more

Utica Zoo - playground - Zoos Near Me - Utica, New York