FLORA & FAUNA This…read morefabulous public zoo in Saint Paul is fun, multi-faceted, and FREE! When researching things to do in the Twin Cities, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory popped up on numerous "best of" lists, including best places to bring kids, best free attractions, and other recommended activities. The family and I came here in early June, and we had a lovely time. Parking is free but lots fill up quickly and street spots are on a first-come basis, so the longer you wait, the further you'll have to walk.  My advice is to get here early to avoid the gauntlet of busses filled with school groups, summer camps, and other families heading to the zoo. They suggest a voluntary donation of $5/kid and $8/adult; we chipped in $20 for our family of four.  By comparison, Brookfield Zoo in Illinois charges $30/adult and $21/kid....the 4 of us would have paid $100 PLUS parking.  The Shedd Aquarium in downtown Chicago is even pricier, so this was a welcome relief. We saw giraffes, a gorilla, polar bears, zebras, fishes, turtles, colorful dart frogs, a tiger, and lots more.  Within the zoo is a small amusement park with a handful of kiddie rides and a 'Galaxy' model roller coaster, as well as a splendid carousel outside the park that's $4/pp.  All rides are open seasonally from May-Sept. The sea lion show seemed mid.  They made a big deal of it (not to mention amassing a huge crowd) and all I saw were some volunteers trying to complete some goofy task faster than a sea lion would.  There was a lot of narration but very little actual activity from what I could tell.  yawn. We couldn't get anything to eat or drink outside of the visitor center cafe.  None of the snack stands were open (despite it being 11:45) and every pop machine was either unplugged, sold out, or all the plastic bottles were removed for environmental reasons.  Thank goodness we packed snacks for the kiddos. The conservatory was breathtaking: lush jungles with funky plants like the Ipecac tree, air potato, chocolate, cacti, and aloe.  We encountered a logjam of people near the fruit tree section with everyone stopping to admire fig, papaya, coffee, and sugarcane plants. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory was home to a legendary 81" tall corpse flower named 'Frederick' in 2025.  These plants, considered some of the rarest and smelliest on earth, bloom once every few years and last for only 1-2 days.  Witnessing this in person takes incredible (lucky) timing or tremendous patience. 'Horace', their latest corpse flower, displayed his magnificent burgundy bloom from 6/7/26 to 6/9/26.  We missed it by less than a week!  These generate quite a crowd, with lines stretching for hours and people waiting outside to view (and smell) a once-in-a-lifetime botanical event. * TL;DR * A cool zoo, an even cooler conservatory, and the coolest part?  You don't even have to crack open your wallet. Spending a day at Como Park Zoo is perfect for those wishing to embark on budget-friendly adventures.  Pack a lunch, wear comfortable walking shoes, and get here around opening to take advantage of decent parking.  The animals appeared to be well taken care of, and the grounds were clean. The conservatory is stunning although the narrow pathways can get crowded during peak hours.  We loved our time spent here and would highly recommend Como Park Zoo & Conservatory for families or solo travelers seeking to kill a few hours in the Twin Cities.

Beautiful place. Easy to walk around. You gift your admission upon entry. Nice little cafe and…read morethe entrance has some amazing lily pads. It made for a wonderful stop in the late morning. They also have a carousel on property

A good activity for the family that is indoors! We went on a Saturday and it was a little busy but…read morenot so busy that you couldn't enjoy seeing the animals up close. When you arrive you purchase your tickets and decide if you want to any add ons. You can purchase various sizes of feeding cups, experiences with the animals or opportunities to hold some of them. Once inside you can feed or pet any of the animals that are behind a single fence. Those further away or in glass enclosures are for observation. There are kangaroos, goats, lizards, chickens and more. There is a fun pulley system to feed some of the goats. They have an informational show that happens a few times a day where they discuss some of the animals and reptiles they house. It's not a huge space but we spent about an hour there. If you have real animal lovers you could be there longer. It's an interesting experience.

I love it. Lots of animals and you get to feed them! I got the capybara meet and greet thing and it…read morewas so fun! They do bite fingers tho so I used a spoon to feed them. Saw turtles f*cking and that was funny. And one thing DO NOT mess with the parrot

Must see - llamas are out in the open for visitors in their habitat. Definitely a cool experience…read more My biased opinion - The Red panda and the red fox are the cutest animals there. Dipping dot flavors are good, but a soft serve would be amazing.

First time checking out the Treetop Trail, a great addition to the zoo! Half of the trail is in…read moremore of a wooded area with limited animals. Unfortunately, we started on that side so our kiddos were a little bored by the time we got halfway through. Note to self: start on the other side first next time. There are plenty of places to exit and enter along the trail. The playgrounds were also a huge hit. We spent more time on those than we did seeing actual animals. I loved the self-service kiosk at the food station, and they have great beer options, too. It's a busy place no matter when you go, but it's so nice to have that much space to walk around and explore. Excited for the Japanese monkey update coming soon!

My girlfriends and I went to check out the great pumpkin trail. Tickets can be purchased online or…read moreat the door. This trail was really cool, a mesmerizing trail, illuminated by over 10,00 0 intricately carved jack-o-lanterns! The trail was a Half-Mile long so it is not too long, we had fun and an enjoyable evening of pumpkin mania and seeing faces on pumpkins we've never seen before. Free parking.

I really loved heading over here - I will say that it's rare to experience something just as fun as…read morea kid as when you're an adult. Walking in, I made a bee line for the little coffee house after the drive from St. Paul out to Wyoming. It was good, and I was on a mission to find the funnel cake food truck. It's been a minute, and since I didn't make it to the fair this year, I was determined. We got the cookie monster, funnel cake topped with Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, chocolate drizzle and whipped cream. Pretty sure I had a week's worth of caloric intake, even with splitting it, and I didn't care. Next, we headed over to the apple launcher area. At first I couldn't see where the workers were, but the building is set back a bit. We had a blast launching apples at the farm equipment and barrels. We walked over to the pumpkin patch trailer area and had a great time picking our pumpkins. I immediately grabbed a pretty pink one. I was glad they had little wheelbarrows for us to transport our pumpkins as we continued walking around. Before we headed out, we checked out the farm animals and the gift shop. I loved the variety of jams, pickles, and salsas. I grabbed the blueberry jalapeno salsa, cherry jam, apple butter and dill pickles. I've had a chance to bake with the apple butter and it's delicious! Overall, a great time and something for everyone!

Absolutely adorable. It's basically your opportunity to become Snow White for the day…read more This family-owned property is expansive, beautifully cared for, and filled with deer, goats, horses, moose, and more. The babies are ridiculously cute, the animals appear well cared for, and the customer service was exceptional. Our only complaint? Where is the summer membership?! We would buy one immediately. We will DEFINITELY be back.

Plenty of parking upon arrival. $12 for adults $11 for kids…read more2-12 honestly I think charging for 2/3 years old is kind of pushing it but whatever. They have tons of animal snack options to choose from, we chose the $9 bucket and if you keep the bucket you get refills for $4.50 another additional cost for the pony rides. There are tons of animals, cows, goats, deer, chickens, ducks and so much more. I was shocked how docile and calm ALL of the animals are. My kids loved it, I'm sure we will be back.

I saw video from when the original owner had the place and it was actually maintained. What I…read moreexperienced was less than enjoyable. This place needs a lot of TLC. It's more of an animal farm than railroad museum.

Surrounded mostly by small farms and cornfields is a surprisingly interesting railroad museum that…read morefeatures 15-20 minute train rides on the Bumblebee Train on Saturdays between 10am-5pm. Rides cost $11 for adults and $9 for children and seniors. We headed out there to give our 3-year-old a thrill, and we all had a good time. My son's conductor cap blew off during the train ride, and luckily we had an extra cap. Losing his hat was a big deal for him - bring extra for your kids in case they blow off during the ride! The most fascinating part of our visit to the Ironhorse Central Railroad Museum was actually the tour of the grounds, and seeing the trains that they're restoring. We were able to climb inside these huge relics, and ring the bells, sit in the historic seats, and really see everything close up. I'm not even a train enthusiast, but I felt like I was on a steam engine in an Alfred Hitchcock movie and it was really cool. You can bring a picnic and spend some time on the grounds. It's quite lovely, whether you're a train buff or not, adult or kid.

It's been SO many years since i've been to Sea Life. I recall when I was a kid going here a lot…read morewhen spending weekends w/ my dad, used to be conveyor belts moving you through the exhibits. I love that now you can take your time. They have an Animal Crossing event which was fun for the kids. I personally loved seeing the fish and sea creatures cross over above us in the tunnel parts. Also love jellyfish so that section was really cool to me as well. They do get you with the photo thing and having you wait in the store. Of course the kids are going to want everything. Would definitely make me skip the photo all together next time. Fun to experience every few years!

We decided to visit the aquarium at the Mall of America, and it turned out to be a great…read moreexperience. The highlight of our visit was the long underwater tunnel, which provides an incredible view of sharks, rays, and a wide variety of fish swimming all around you. The exhibits were well maintained, and the animals appeared healthy and well cared for. There was a good variety of marine life to see, and the layout made it easy to explore at a comfortable pace. Overall, it's a very nice aquarium and a worthwhile attraction if you're visiting the Mall of America, especially for families or anyone who enjoys marine life.

We got a family membership as a gift last year (2024) and both of our kids love coming here…read more There are a variety of interactive activities for kids (and adults) of all ages. Our boys' favorite activity is the one you get to race against professional athletes, T-Rex or TC Bear! It's great that the Omnitheater shows are included in our membership.

We have a family membership to this museum and it was the best decision we made! We've been coming…read morehere with our kids and grandkids and it has paid for itself. There are five floors to explore and has a variety of exhibits and fun hands-on activities. Our grandkids just love it here! They also have a coffee shop with different pastries and a nice food spot for lunch. We really enjoy it here and I highly recommend this spot!!

He Said: One word: llamas. What other reason does one need…read moreto visit this farm? Cute llamas, friendly staff, and fresh air. As part of the tour there is a llama info session, a llama meet and greet, a "walk your own llama", and, finally, a comb and feed llamas. FYI - May is when llamas usually give birth, so you will see some baby llamas if you come around May. Pros: - llamas! - llamas! Cons: - A little outside of the Twin Cities, but nothing far.

We started visiting Carlson's Llovable Llamas in 2022 with a group of friends and it has become an…read moreannual tradition that we look forward to. We usually have a group of 30+ people! The visit includes learning about llamas, playing with baby llamas, and taking llamas on a trial walk. My husband found out that there is a Domino's nearby that is able to deliver to the llama farm so we have a lunch in the picnic area after to close out our visit every year. Highly recommend visiting this amazing llama farm!