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Lowry Park Zoo
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9:30 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
40 reviews for Lowry Park Zoo
40 reviews in English
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Review from Angie M.
1/7/2012
I will admit that after growing up at the National zoo, we were spoiled by the free entry and large exhibits. However, after visiting this zoo I was very impressed. I loved the interactive exhibits and the attention to detail. The animals were extremely active and since it was the winter time the park was not as crowded as I would have expected.
When I saw the price for entry I was a little disappointed but after spending the entire day there, I truly feel it was money well spent. I cannot wait to come back again. -
Review from Brett N.
Tampa, FL
1/23/2012 17 photos
Why 4 stars? Because a trip to the zoo about once a month is a nice little Saturday.
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Last year my girlfriend and I got annual passes, that are sadly expiring next week. We will definitely be renewing our memberships for 2012.
If you are an animal lover, or even just an animal liker, the zoo is a fun and inexpensive time. Parking is free and easy as well. It's just a great place for kids and/or adults.
Some highlights:
(Apologies if I don't get the exact names of each animal right)
The is a petting area for goats and horses. The goats are all very friendly and it's a pretty interesting experience to pet them. A lot of them are pretty hefty and their stomachs feel like they have giant rubber balls inside them. I managed to be unaware of this phenomenon for the first 27 years of my life. I'm glad that I now know.
Across from the goats is a Wallaby area that isn't for petting, but you can get very close to them. If you were a fan of Rocko's Modern Life, this is a must-stop. These guys don't talk though, so don't be disappointed with that.
There's a tank for manatees, which is something you definitely need to see if you haven't before. They are as big as a city. Next to them are the sea otters, who usually put on a good show for the people watching. Every time we have been, they seemed to be training for the Otter Olympics by racing each other from one end of their tank to the other. We always stop and watch for a few minutes.
I recommend taking part in the Giraffe feeding if this is available during your visit. I think it was only $3 for some leaves to feed one of our tall, orange friends. They tend to slowly lean in, and quickly JERK away after they get the food. You won't really be able to pet them.
I meow'ed at the Florida Panther and she tried to start a conversation with me. She even stopped what she was doing to come to the edge of the cage to have this chat with me, while rubbing up affectionately on the bars. I told her that I only spoke broken panther and that I had to go. She understood but wasn't happy about that.
The Black Bear was hibernating most of the year, but we were finally able to see him during our last visit. He's quite an impressive site. If I ran into one of those guys in the wilderness, I don't think I would be able to keep my composure enough to play dead.
Who doesn't love any type of monkey/gorilla? As most people would, we usually spend about 10 minutes just watching these little human-like creatures and their body language/mannerisms.
And saving the best for the last, I never thought I would ever say this, but the Babirusa or "Pig-Deer," is my favorite. Like clockwork, every time we go to the zoo, the Babirusa comes to the edge of the fence to be pet. Not that Lowry Park would give their full endorsement of this, but the fence bends with your body when you lean into it and allows you to reach this filthy, yet affectionate creature. He is muddy and very "pig-like," but he loves to be pet! I had never heard of a Babirusa before, but now we are best friends.
If you live in the area, whether you have kids or not, a yearly pass to Lowry Park Zoo is a wise investment. Unless you don't like fun, I guess. -
Review from Rich D.
10/29/2011
I'm definitely no zoo expert. In fact, I've been to a just a few....San Diego, St. Louis, D.C., NC. But if I could rate a zoo on a scale of how much my 4 year old granddaughter enjoyed it, it would be a 10. So I'll compromise and give it a 5 for "as god as it gets" for kids.
Had the family in town for a vacation, and we had thought about going to Busch Gardens. But considering a 4 yr old was going to need a nap by 2-3pm, we weren't sure it was a good option. I vaguely remembered Tampa even had a zoo, but jumped on their website and saw Lowry was named #1 Best Zoo in the U.S. two years in a row by Parents Magazine. The decision was easy!
We went very early on a slow day, and had the park virtually to ourselves. The staff had plenty of time to interact with us and tell us about the animals. And I can't imagine a zoo letting a child get up close and personal with animals more than Lowry. The granddaughter gave a big thumbs up to feeding the giraffes out of her hands, riding the camel, the petting zoo, the wallabys, and the aviaries.
Lowry was a perfect activity to get through in about 4-5 hours by nap time. I thought the cost was reasonable, too. After going, I think Lowry is one of Tampa's best keep secrets. Since our Lowry visit, I've asked many friends who have come to town if they've heard of it, and not a single one has said they had. Hope that changes because it should be a must-see for any family with young kids coming here to vacation. I'm sure we'll be dragging as many back as we can. -
Review from Mitch L.
Hudson, FL
1/24/2012
My favorite zoo!!! I have only been here twice. Both times on my birthday. What better place to spend your birthday (ADMISSION FREE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!) than with a few hundred of your wild animal friends LOL!!!!! My only complaint is that because my birthday is in December it is cool and some of the animals don't come out!!! But otherwise what can I say? This is a great zoo!!!!!
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Review from Francisco M.
Orlando, FL
1/2/2012
After reading these reviews, I asked myself if I went to the same place. We were taken back by how abandoned this zoo looks. I recently went to the Safari at Busch Gardens and it definitely was better than this place. The zoo does not look very clean and it looks like the animals are not taken care of very well. It's not very big and they do not offer a lot of diversity. The space were they keep the animals is limited and small and many animals don't have a partner. My son really enjoyed the Camel ride but that was it. Will not be back, it was not worth $25.00 per person. The Miami Metro Zoo is by far the best Zoo in Florida.
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Review from Fannie S.
4/6/2011
The only zoo I like on East Coast that can help with the "need to see animals"!!
Clean, organized. Humid here (duh!)
Prices = reasonable
Parking = okay.
I'd go back!Listed in: Cultural Experience
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Review from Joe C.
4/4/2011
Lowry Park is a two hour drive for us, but well worth it.
It's an expansive park with lots of really great exhibits and enclosures divided up by region of the world.
There are four walk through aviaries, two with feeding opportunities (the budgies and lorikeets). There are also petting areas, horse and camel rides, a merry-go-round and a log ride and some water sprays for kids to play in.
The animals are well cared for and there are plenty of signs explaining what you're looking at - some with more information about the animals than others.
If I had any complaint, it would be that there are times that they'll take an animal out of the enclosure for whatever reason, but neglect to put up a sign saying so. You can spend a while trying to look at the enclosure from every angle trying to figure out if the animal is just hiding before you give up and accept the fact that they're just not there at all.
It's easy to spend an entire afternoon here looking at all the animals.
For pick-me-ups, there is a Starbucks stand, a couple treat stands and a larger cafeteria style dining room. Food is about what you'd expect for a zoo or park - a little overpriced, but you usually feel satisfied enough afterward. -
Review from Patrick K.
Tampa, FL
11/16/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My! Ok well they have no lions but you can see those at Bush Gardens. My wife and I are season ticket holders because of our 3 year old and I haven't been let down yet. It is pretty small but they keep things pretty neat and clean here. They actually have a Starbucks on site for those of you who can't live without the cup of joe. The thing is that the definitely cater to kids and yes I know you will say that all kids do but here they have a great manatee splash park right as you walk in the doors as well as another in the Outback area. A merry-go-round and kids roller coaster plus a small train make it really good for kids of all ages. You can feed the giraffes and the rinos which is pretty cool plus they have a sting ray display where you can touch and feel them oh and they are normally walking around with some type of animal that you can touch and interact with, the other day they had a llama walking around named angie which my son really loved. So yep its worth the trip if you are in Tampa.
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Review from Joe S.
San Diego, CA
11/26/2010
Had so much fun at the zoo with my Sister when I visited her recently. We went on Halloween day, and let me tell you, that is a prime day to go to the zoo. We had the place almost to ourselves. There were no crowds, and we never had to crane our necks to see animals behind the people in front of us. I don't know about the #1 zoo in America, I feel the San Diego Zoo is better, but it's also twice as expensive; the Lowry Zoo is only ~$20, quite a deal for a day of sightseeing.
They were a little light on the animals I tend to enjoy (lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!), but they have a lot of animals you would typically associate with Africa (elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinos), and a large variety of birds. It was also cool to see some more "Florida" specific animals, like crocodiles and alligators, and the Florida panther, and a huge and very cool manatee exhibit, since I don't see these types of animals at the San Diego Zoo. They even have some penguins.
I really appreciated the interactive elements - you can feed the giraffes, and apparently the rhinos though we went to the rhino exhibit at feeding time and no staff ever showed up. You can also ride camels, and pet sting rays, as well as a standard petting zoo (which we skipped so I can't say what was involved). Overall a ton of fun, and if you have the chance, go oh Halloween, the zoo is so much better with a higher animals to people ratio.Listed in: That Time in Tampa
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Review from Claudia S.
Chicago, IL
12/22/2010
How could I forget about Lowry Park Zoo??! I only drove past it 3 times before finally realizing where to turn just to get to the parking lot. Then I drove past the parking lot because I wasn't sure if it was the correct parking lot. Clearly, living in Chicago has me looking for large signs.
I will say, the entire time I was in Florida it only rained more than expected twice. The first time was of course the day I decided to come here. It rained for at least 30 minutes, though I'm pretty sure it was closer to an hour. Don't worry, the rain isn't affecting my rating....I actually enjoy it. This is just a warning for others not from Florida. Don't visit the zoo during "hurricane season" in flip-flops.
I'm a big pansy sometimes so I'm not quite sure why I listened to someone when they text me "make sure you check out the birds of prey". It could be the chains leading to the exhibit, but I freaked out and turned around as soon as I was inside. I also ran past the monkeys because I was convinced they were going to leave their swings and approach me and chaos would ensue.
Overall, I really enjoyed Lowry Park Zoo, probably because they have animals I can't see at home. I thought the layout was great, even though I missed an entire section (and I walked around the zoo twice!) The most enjoyable part (after the alligators, of course) were the employees. Everyone was really friendly and I kept running into one guy who chatted with me about every animal I approached. -
Review from Robin L.
Clifton Park, NY
8/21/2011
A wonderful zoo for children. Very manageable. More than enough to fill an afternoon. I wish we had someplace like this near our home.
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Review from Todd O.
Tampa, FL
This is great zoo especially in the winter when it's not blazing hot outside. My kids love it and there are a ton of things to do. It's very reasonable as far as pricing goes. I think I got a family season pass for like $100
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Review from Gregory C.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2010
As a child, Lowry Park Zoo was a great place to view animals native to Florida, as well as others that captivated my imagination at the time, such as the gigantic American buffalo or alligator. I'm happy to see this Zoo is still a great place to spend a morning or an afternoon.
Where else can you see the exotic Komodo Dragon, an endangered Florida Panther, the lovable Manatee, playful otters, majestic birds of prey, as well as some of the more familiar animals. The Florida animals alone are worth the visit. Their is such an extensive collection overall that I can't even scratch the surface.
I have returned a few times over the years since this Zoo modernized, and I am always pleased to see excellent habitat exhibits. This is an outstanding Zoo, and the best I have been to. I would rank this zoo well above the other zoos that I have visited, such as the national zoo in DC and the San Francisco Zoo.
This is a must stop if you are planning to visit Tampa.
http://www.lowryparkzo... -
Review from Rebecca N.
Saint Petersburg, FL
12/4/2008
You do not need to go to Seaworld to pet the sting/manta rays. You can do it here in your own backyard aka THE ZOO! Be careful to only use the tips of your fingers and do not touch the babies. They are super delicate. Every time I feed them, I cause a near riot in the pond and they freak out. And I get 100% covered in water by all the splashing. I have no idea what I am doing wrong but I love it! You can also feed the Koi and goats.
Do be wary of the kangaroos. They seriously let you just walk right into their habitat and look at 'em. One of them started to come at me menacingly. I was worried.. It just seemed really unsafe! -
Review from James M.
Bradenton, FL
This is an excellent zoo. Many exhibits that allow close up views of the animals especially the bird aviary where the birds fly all around you. The attending park employee will give you a small cup of a special sweet nectar you hold and the birds will land on your hand and sip from the cup. That was really cool. There's also a petting zoo!
Among the other cool things to do is the giraffe feeding (extra charge of 3 dollars to give the giraffe a piece of lettuce but worth the experience and for picture taking) and the camel ride (also extra for $4.00 in tokens) It is worth the extra money for the wrist band you can buy at the main gate that gives you unlimited rides on the camel, llamas and pony's and other rides that are not included in the admission ticket.
A great way to spend the day with many areas that have benches to sit and watch the exhibits and to relax.
The parking is FREE which is rare for any theme park. Not far from Highway 275 and easy to get to.
Plenty of places to get something to eat and there's a Starbucks kiosk near the front entrance with donuts and other goodies!
All in all a terrific place for the whole family! -
Review from Celeste C.
Chicago, IL
4/21/2007
This zoo has come a very loong way!! I remember as a little girl going here and could not wait to leave.
But now!! It's great. I was just there a couple months ago. They are a larger zoo than they used to be. Every thing is very clean and new. If you are a Lincoln Park Zoo member you can get in there for free.
I went with my mother-in-law and they were building new attractions as we walked around.
I enjoyed going there and was just impressed and stunned at all the changes. I recommend you going there and enjoying one of the family friendly outings in Tampa.
I am not really sure how much it costs because I was LPZ member and got in free.
They also have free parking too. If I lived in Tampa I would have a membership here. However, I will settle for a visit whenever I am in town. My daughter loves this place.
http://www.lowryparkzo... -
Review from Morgan W.
4/30/2008
This is a great zoo. What other zoo can you go to and see manatees? And learn about manatee research? And hang out with the parrots in the aviary? And play in the giant really cool fountain with the manatee sculptures?
They have a great collection of animals. They are also set up in such a way that both kids and adults will walk away with a little more information on both the animals and the environments they live in. And you'll have so much fun that you won't even notice that you're learning things too. -
Review from Joe N.
Flint, TX
8/6/2010 4 photos
I remember coming here with my family back in the 70's. And Tampa may not have the prestige of San Diego or the DC Smithsonian, but for a quiet peaceful break in the city it is hard to beat. Which is quite a complement considering we went on the first nice sub 90 degree day in the summer and the place was overrun with kids. But still, the trees and fountain pond and of course the animals have a way of putting urban life into perspective.
Parking on a weekend can be a pain. Try to get here early in the weekends to avoid the kids and crowds. -
Review from Maria S.
Naperville, IL
3/1/2008 1 photo
What a fun zoo!!
Definitely worth a trip if you're in the area. The kids loooved it. There are rides for the kids plus lots of places to feed the animals. The kids loved feeding the parrots, the stingrays, and the goats. It was very clean and the animals seemed well taken care of. Plus, there are the mandatory Mold-A-Rama and penny smasher machines my kids require for souvenirs.
The brochure raved that it recently won 'most kid-friendly zoo' and we would definitely agree.Listed in: You're taking the kids to Sun…
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Review from Phillip Y.
Des Moines, IA
3/25/2011
We came here to see the manatees. It was fantastic when we visited years ago and I still remember it fondly. The zoo keepers basically tossed heads of lettuce and we saw them cradle it in their fins munching away happily. There are other viewing areas like a window below deck. Overall, you will not be disappointed here.
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Review from Daniella S.
Oldsmar, FL
6/16/2009
I really enjoy this zoo. Even though they don't have Pandas. And even though I was very disappointed that they had no pandas, I still enjoyed the animals they did have--even though they also apparently lie about having a two-toed sloth.
The animal "residences" are nicely arranged and most of them were up and about when I visited last. I was able to take quite a few photographs of the animals while I was there. They have nothing too "exotic" or out of the ordinary, but they do have some beautiful birds in their bird garden exhibit which you can interact AND they have a giraffe exhibit which is also very interactive. The monkey exhibit is also a must-see.
The zoo staff is knowledgeable and courteous and the park is ample and clean. The admission price is well worth the experience and it is nice to go every once and a while and support local wildlife conservation efforts. Although I have never attended myself, I hear the zoo has various events that are worth checking out. I have only been to Zoo Boo a few years back and that was pretty fun.
It is pretty amazing to know you have a little piece of heaven like this in your own city, in the middle of crime-ridden parts of Tampa. When you're there, you forget that just outside the zoo gates there is a world of poverty and misfortune. It really gives you perspective. At least for me it did. -
Review from Amy S.
Michigan City, IN
4/6/2011
Excellent zoo! The grounds are well kept, the exhibits offer plenty of information regarding the animals, and all of the animals appeared as healthy and happy as can be, in captivity. Very interesting section regarding Florida wildlife. This zoo made me wish I had kids to bring along, as it was perfectly suited for children. Parking was stress-free and the price was very reasonable, considering the diversity of exhibits. Staff was knowledgeable. I've been twice, on two different trips to Tampa, and my family and friends both enjoyed it immensely.
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Review from Sgt. S.
Medford, MA
5/26/2009
First -- it's free on your birthday.
Second -- it was voted best zoo by Parents' Magazine.
And you can pet the stingrays, watch the manatees munch lettuce, feed the lorikeets and have them climb all over you, pet a skink, etc. It's almost too much fun to handle, and indeed, with a 2-year-old, we only got through half of it before she needed a nap. (My wife and I did too.)
The animals are spectacular, their habitats are clean and natural-looking, and the labels are clear and fun to read. Beats Busch Gardens (which is just a few miles away) hands-down in terms of animal experiences. -
Review from Scott D.
Tampa, FL
1/30/2011
This has got to be one of the best ways to spend an afternoon or an entire day. I love going to the zoo.
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Review from Rachael H.
Hialeah, FL
9/29/2010 1 photo
OH MY GOODNESS do I love this zoo. I went a few weeks ago and its wayyyy better than the zoos I've been to before. Alot of chances for interactions with animals. I love the stingray touch pool and how all the animals are so close!
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Review from j v.
Lawrenceville, GA
10/14/2009
i must be the only one who didn't have a fantastic time at the lowry park zoo.. maybe i came on a off day? ..a weekday that was too hot and i didn't really want to walk after having a too-filling lunch?.. or maybe it was bad timing..cause most of the animals were sleeping or just sitting there under the shade..
so the employees at the park didn't seem too enthusiastic about their job..except the ticket booth girl in front...
it only took us 2 hours to see every single habitat.. which i always thought would take longer ..and some of the habitats were closed for renovations.
there are some highlights though.. which include feeding the giraffes.. riding the camels and horse.. petting/feeding the koi fishes and stingrays.. which was really fun.. oh yeah the singing dog was kind of cute too...but that was basically it.. .
i found myself wishing that i was at the san diego zoo instead -
Review from Carlos H.
7/13/2009 4 photos
I came here for Wild Wonderland with my nephew and he had a blast! He was running around loving all the animals and decorations that they put throughout the zoo. They really did tons of things to keep kids entertained and make the experience really nice and memorable. Workers were really nice and they had a large number of volunteers from my old high school, all working hard even though they weren't being paid. They had plenty of animals to see, even as night fell and you would expect some of the animals to be asleep. Just a really cool place, and I'm happy that I could show my nephew a good time here.
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Review from Kim K.
6/11/2010 6 photos
Lovely zoo, tons to see, great variety of animals, really big, tons of parking, clean, nice ambiance. All around, very nice. I'd definitely go back!
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Review from Wendy H.
Clearwater, FL
9/21/2010 1 photo
What a great place to spend the day photographing wild life! Although the $5.00 day was very hectic the zoo is always a fun place to hang out!
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Review from Jeremy W.
Chicago, IL
6/20/2009
Great zoo. A gem in Tampa. Very kid-friendly.
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Review from Coty S.
Bradenton, FL
1/18/2009
It is about $20.00 per adult to get in, and there are also yearly passes. We spent about 3 hours there and it was worth every penny and definitely put a smile on our faces. I am sure that there are many zoos in larger cities that are better than this one, but for Tampa it is pretty amazing, especially the African area. You can walk right up to the giraffes and pet them. I have never been that close to one, so it was really breathtaking. The penguins were cute as well. It was cold out, so many of the animals were huddled together or hiding. I was very impressed with the Colobus monkeys, watching them interact with almost a 360 degree view. The Lion Tamarin and the Squirrel Monkeys were cute too. It is neat how they put chickens in the bottom of their cages to keep the bugs away.
The aviary portion was awesome because you are there interacting with the animals. The fruit bats flew by my head twice and I screamed both times. What a wuss!
It is fun to get ice cream cones and walk around. It makes all of the children jealous.
Make sure to go right when they open, that way it is not too hot and you can have first view of everything, including the goat petting. Awwww! -
Review from Christina J.
Tampa, FL
11/17/2009
Lowry Park Zoo is the best! I would go here over Busch Gardens any day. The park is reasonably priced and has free parking. It's the best place to actually view animals and stroll around with family and friends. It's very laid back and relaxing. My favorite part of the zoo is the Manatee hospital where you can view the manatees up close. I enjoy this place so much!
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Review from World F.
Essex, MD
6/23/2010
Wow...this Zoo is awesome...very clean, very non stinky...interactive exhibits were great...you can handfeed giraffes, ride on camels, feed sting rays...just awesome...went on a very hot day the animals were still pretty active which usually speaks good to their health and hydration...not to mention plenty of air conditioned gift shops located all over to duck into for a quick break from the heat
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Review from Jim R.
New York, NY
3/23/2010
We weren't up for Disney World or Busch Gardens, not with a toddler, not with the expense and the long day trip which for a sub-3 year old is less grand day out than Bataan Death March. OTOH, Lowry Park Zoo is the right size, the right speed and the right price. The monkeys, especially the gibbons,were captivating and the petting zoo pure toddler heaven. They do it right here. Highly recommended.
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Review from David B.
Long Beach, CA
4/3/2010
I thought there were too many additional revenue streams going on there. However, I saw the whole "free with admission" part of the park and the animals on display were pretty good, especially the Alligator and Manatee exhibits. And the petting zoo for sting rays was another highlight, even my infant enjoyed that.
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Review from scott t.
Tampa, FL
2/8/2009
Best at Christmas... We love going there then... they do such a great job with decorations and such
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Review from A N.
Tampa, FL
6/20/2009
This is my kids favorite zoo. They love the water park area. And my son will never stop talking about the giraffes.
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Review from Matt C.
Chicago, IL
1/19/2010
This place was awesome. I loved the interactive exhibits, and the way the whole place was set up, you didn't really feel like thousands of other people were around.
Oh and the parking was free. I'm still not exactly sure what the boat ride thing was about, but there was enough to see in the zoo that I didn't really feel like i missed out on anything.
Btw I'm a twentysomething there with his girlfriend, no kids, and I still had a blast. -
Review from A P.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
4/6/2010
Not too big, not too small. Solid zoo for the price. Although many animals weren't in their exhibits when we went.
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Review from Jaqi B.
Tampa, FL
8/18/2009
This is defintley an awesome zoo. GREAT for kids if your in town def. something to stop and check out and they always have something fun going on to the right when you come through the entrance.
