El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens

I really want to support our local zoo, but every time I visit, I leave disappointed. Too many of the animal enclosures are consistently closed, which takes away from the overall experience — especially when you’ve paid full admission. I find myself trying to justify bringing the family, only to remember why it ends up feeling like a waste of time and money. A zoo should be more than just a walk through pathways. If most of the animal exhibits are inaccessible or hidden, it makes more sense to just visit a local park. For the price, guests deserve to see what the zoo promotes — not empty habitats. At this point, I’d rather make the 2-hour trip to the Albuquerque Zoo, where the experience is consistently more complete and worth the drive. El Paso Zoo has potential, but it really needs to step up — either improve accessibility to exhibits or adjust pricing to reflect what’s actually available.

It's a zoo, surprise, honestly it's a decent zoo I've been to better also to worse. You can never predict if the animals are going to be active or not. I was sad to hear about the loss of a giraffe I was told there were still 3 there but we never saw them. When we went to the zoo had a few sections down for maintenance and repair but it didn't dampen the experience much. I liked how people in the park were passing along info to fellow guests about closures and better spots to see an animal very friendly. Bonus info You can purchase a ticket to get a face-to-face with a few of the animals for $40.00. We opted for the penguins encounter and it was great! They gave us instructions on how and where we could pet the penguins amazing experience I would highly recommend it if you want to do something a little more memorable. The staff was friendly and helpful.

The wife and I took our now six year old autistic son and his friend with us here last month to do a little something to do with different wildlife for his birthday week . We were really impressed with our trip and how the boys enjoyed their time here. The people are absolutely awesome and the atmosphere was great.

The Zoo is always a fun place to visit and enjoy the company of wonderful animals, cool down in the splash pad, take a ride on the carousel 🎠 ride, run around the playground and indulge in a tasty treat. Love making memories with my family! 🦒 🦓 🐅 🐦

The setup is great the only thing was that the lion seals windows for out of water viewing were incredibly dirty, but all else the Zoo is a nice setup.

This zoo was definetly more expensive than any zoo I have ever been to. However, a lot of the animals here I have never seen in another zoo so this was a great experience. The orangutan family was the best part and they were so entertaining to watch.

Fun spot with a good variety of animals and a chill vibe. Perfect for families or a casual day out. Some exhibits could use a refresh, but overall it’s a solid zoo with cool views and shade. 🐘🦁🌿

Nice family friendly fun but could be better. Many of the animals were nowhere to be found. Loads 9f attractions were closed for myriad reasons. We had fun but we left feeling a little underwhelmed

A great place to get away and take the kids or grandkids for a fun filled day out of the house. Take a hat and sun screen and get ready for a great time!

For a local zoo, it's pretty nice. I wish the areas for each animal were a bit larger. I feel bad that they are not able to run in their enclosed areas. I visited on a Friday and it was nice because it was not crowded. All the cart stands for drinks were closed but the main restaurant and the gift shop was open. The entry fee is reasonable but the gift shop prices are pretty high. I assume the proceeds go to maintain the zoo. Over all, I enjoyed the zoo.

Went to the zoo on Mother's Day, and my wife got in for free. Wonderful thing the zoo did. The last time I came here was 5 years ago. , the zoo felt very small. We were surprised how much the zoo has changed. It's beautiful and looks 10 times better. The animals looked happy, and the zoo felt more inviting . We were sad the train was close, but they were going to make it electrical. They are going to be adding more to the zoo, so we can't wait to come back when its all done.

I absolutely love the zoo. I had forgotten (sort of), and the pandemic was a big part of that, but typically I'm even a Zoological Society Member! I just love animals. Big ones. Crafty ones. Small ones. Unique ones. Friendly ones. Ones to be feared and respected. I love animals. The El Paso zoo is not too bad (considering we live in a literal desert). They definitely have some beautiful big cats. Some elephants. Giraffes. Wolves. And, they are actually expanding! Yup, you're EP ZOO is getting bigger and will have newer and upgraded event spaces and animal sanctuaries. Hey do have food on site. Nothing special, but enough to snack on. Drinks stations and ice creams stands are littered throughout... El Paso gets HOT, so it's needed. It's very affordable - $9 per ticket with military ID, or $12 without. Go see! Go support! And go find out the mystery of the dang prairie dogs

Husband and I love going to the zoo. This one was super fun! We had a great time! Hope to visit again soon

We went to the zoo this morning and had a blast. We went right when they opened at 9:00am so it wouldn't be too hot outside. The high is 94 today. We really enjoyed looking at all the animals!

One of the nice perks of having a membership to our local zoo in Grand Rapids is the reciprocal benefits, so often when we travel, Nate and I will look to see if there's a zoo we can visit for a discount. I had some time to kill while in town for work, so I stopped by the El Paso Zoo. With my zoo membership I got in for half off, so I only paid $6 which was a steal. There were several school groups there when I arrived, but the zoo is pretty big so I never felt overcrowded. Overall the zoo experience was just ok. I noticed that some habitats were closed or under construction, and some of the habitats were hard to see into because they were enclosed in chicken wire. The whole zoo just kind of seemed a little run down and outdated, like things hadn't been updated in awhile. It was really cool to see some animals that we don't have here, like the giraffe, zebras, elephant, and road runner. It was pretty warm so I think some of the animals were hiding out. I wasn't given a paper map of the zoo but they had a QR code you could scan. I found the online map to be a bit confusing, and signage at the zoo was a little lacking. I didn't really mind this, as I was really just wandering around at my leisure with no real need to see anything specific. I don't think I'd re-visit this zoo, but with the discount, it was a nice way to be outside and enjoying the sunshine for only $6.

A beautifully set up zoo! Exceeded expectations! So many different animals - Zebras, hippos, tigers, seals, lions, orangutans, giraffes, penguins and more. A lovely playground to stop with the kiddos. You can even adopt a household cat at the zoo!! The bird exhibit was amazing! You can walk into it and get up close with some of the birds! Everything was well kept. The parking lot was also set up so nicely to have walking spaces between the parking so you don't walk where people are driving. I only wish there were more El Paso zoo branded souvenirs at the gift shop. There were mainly just toys in the gift shop.

El zoológico estuvo muy bonito y tenía animales que no esperaba ver. Fue una experiencia divertida para toda mi familia.

Went during Thanksgiving and it was not crowded at all. There was lots to see; however, there were some closed off exhibits. Either way the kids had a blast and the giant tree slide was a hit for the 3 year old

For being El Paso, the zoo is such a cute little place to visit. My family bought the yearly membership and we have utilized it. The wolf pack package was for 2 adults and 5 kiddos. We bring family here because they have discounts for senior citizens and offers something to do. The animal exhibits are gems. My favorite are the jaguars. At certain times, they offer different shows. We watched the jaguar get his daily check up while being educated about Guapo and Luna. These shows are at limited capacity so get there early! My family and I walked around all the exhibits before my children's grand finale, the tree house playground and splash pad. The fact that you can bring your own food and drinks in a rarity. It saves us so much money. The zoo is clean and big treat for El Paso.

Animals kinda look bored, but it's not the zoos fault at all. Staff are very friendly, a good time to talk to. Loved seeing their wolf rehabilitation habitat the most. I also adopted a sweet cat from there, his name was Handsome, but I renamed him Pluto. He's an absolute love bug!! Didn't get to try the restaurants that were there because I got there on a rainy day, sadly, so no update there. Loved that they discount locals as well as military! Had a good time with my friend, and I'm so very sad that their sunbear didn't beat her battle with cancer. Condolences to the staff.

This was a cool zoo. It wasn't huge but wasn't too small. Sometimes when zoos are too big it can just be a bit overwhelming but I did enjoy the size of this one. My biggest and only qualm was that so many of the animals were not there. Would have loved to see animals we typically wouldn't see in DFW since we were visiting ELP. Had there been more of the animals that were listed in the guide, it would have been a better visit especially considering we were all still charged full admission and hours were cut a bit short on the day we visited. Gift shop was pretty cool. All of their stuffed animals on the wall were 2 for $40.

There are some nice things about this zoo, like the splash pad and big treehouse playground.. but then there are other things that make it feel like this isn't worth your money. Half of the exhibits don't have animals in them and then the sea lions water has not been cleaned in (what looks like) YEARS! The water is completely green you can't even see through it, and even when you go on top the windows haven't been cleaned so you can hardly see through them! It makes me sad for the sea lions. Also, the train hasn't been running for 2 years lol. I think they could do things that would make this zoo a lot nicer.. just even by keeping areas clean and kept up :)

The El Paso Zoo had a Lunar New Year event this morning. I didn't know we had 2 tigers! It's the year of the Tiger. Next week the Museum of History has a take home virtual event. Check it out here: https://www.todoelpaso.com/event/lunar-new-year-celebration-2022/

So, I'm a local at EP and this zoo is amazing for the almost no number of attractions at El Paso. For those saying that the animals are never out is because it is deadly hot at El Paso, you should probably plan a colder day for the animals to be out. As for the " dirty " conditions, animal waste, high trafficking at the zoo, and resource constraints can explain that. The food is good, and I often visit. Overall, plan a nice cold day and come on a day with less people at the zoo. 5 stars!

Animals did not seem to happy , was small in some places , alot of animals not on display , no one seemed to be watching people near the open alligator area and birds . Rude people working in the gift shop area

The El Paso Zoo is an unsung adventure in the El Paso scene. I have visited the zoo twice and both times had a positive experience. I also follow the El Paso Zoo on Facebook and they are so entertaining! Seriously whoever is doing there marketing is killin' it right now. A constant source of comedy! The bathrooms are clean - the cleanest I have ever seen at a zoo! Tons of cute photo opp spots all over the zoo. There were eateries available but I can't say the food options seemed all that great. Mostly sandwiches and snack foods. Although I do enjoy dippin dots - ALWAYS GOOD! I visited during Halloween and there were lots of themed decorations everywhere for those into holidays. There are lots of informative well placed plaques to learn about the animals at each enclosure. I am not a veterinarian but I think the animal enclosures look well cared for. The animals look healthy. Of course there are some areas that need renovation such as the seal enclosure. And there are lots of areas already in renovation BUT once those areas get fixed up I am confident the El Paso Zoo will be even better. There were even security guards around the premises that allow you to feel safe. I highly recommend the El Paso Zoo!

This is a sad little zoo. You pay way too much just to visit. Then many of the animals are not even on exhibit when you're inside. And if you try to ask a keeper about the animals they just ignore you and walk away. Save your money. You might see half the animals out, if you're lucky. Pathetic. You'll have more fun visiting the zoo in Alamogordo.

The El Paso Zoo is located by the U.S. Mexican border. If you miss the last U.S. exit, you may make a trip to Mexico. Once in the zoo, stay there because they don't allow re-entry. I went there on a Sunday morning to avoid the crowds. However, most of the indoor exhibits were not open. Some of the animals were not out. Hope they didn't have a Saturday night hangover. Admission tickets were affordable for this small zoo

Very pretty zoo. Good animal activity even after noon. Lots of shade to hide in when it's hot. They have a Kids playground and splash pad so bring their swimsuits.

Honestly pretty fun! The line was extremely long but we got in after I would say 20 minutes. You get everything you expect from a zoo.

I have been going to this zoo almost yearly ever since I was a kid so I may be a little bias but this zoo has made a lot of strives and improvements since I first started going there in 1996. It's not the best zoo in the world but it has it's beautiful moments and some pretty great things there. I have personally volunteered here for a few summers and I can say for a fact, their zoo keepers are amazing and treat the animals really well! They treat them like their babies and always make them little treats. The zoo also offers a lot of cool events such as Boo at the Zoo, sleeping over night at the zoo, and many other cool events that give you a experience you can't get anywhere else! In the park, they have many activities such as: feeding the giraffes, the train that goes all around the park, gift shops, restaurants, and a carousel! They also do shows such like the sea lions and a bird show! You can spend a good 5-6 hours at the zoo if you go and see everything that they have to offer!

It was great to visit the same zoo that I used to visit during my childhood days! But, SO much has changed! Only a small portion of the original zoo seems to remain, but there has been so much more space and animal attractions added! The new additions are a welcome change, and o enjoyed my time here.

Ok, so this is a review of the Passport Cafe at the El Paso zoo. Frigging delicious! I had the chicken sandwich. Crispy actual chicken, breaded and crispy on a brioche bun with swiss cheese, and sauce. For $9.99 with fries- excellent deal. Ok, my AZ ice tea was $4.50 but this is about taste, not economics. My grandson had the cheese pizza and it looked ok. My granddaughter had the burger and said it was delicious. If you come to this zoo, feel confident that the lunch you share with family will be fresh, made to order and nummy! Cheers!

We really enjoyed this zoo. The price was not terrible and the zoo was just enough for us. We eneded up getting Dippping Dots and food at the Cafe restaurant they had. It was really tasty, considering it was zoo food.

The older I get the more I dislike zoos, I just have to disclose that... this zoo isn't the worst I've been too but it's not the best. We went through it in about 2 hours and there is plenty of exhibits that I felt like the animals were not in the best health, mentally or physically. I've been to zoos that i can truly feel like they are doing conservation work and not putting animals in cages for show and this is just not that place. There's a good variety of animals for a small zoo and knowledge about the animals along the way. It was a decent experience but I wouldn't return. Fun little gift shop at the front and price point is reasonable for admission.

It is a cute zoo. The animals are well cared for. Lots of staff and volunteers walking around to ask questions of. It is small and not a lot of animals to be seen. The splash park and playground are always a fun spot to be. The need restrooms closer to this area though, having to walk almost to the entrance is annoying. Asia looks to be coming along since my last visit a year ago. Will not be back again to see it finished. The carousel looks to be operational this time, but no attendant there, so kids could not ride it. Liked it better when it was hidden.

pretty good my friends liked it and the staff was good and nice and the food was yuumm

Its a pretty cool place to hit up if you're bored and not too pricey. 12$ for adults from 12-59 i believe, military was only 9$ each for us. For that price, you still get a good amount of area to walk through and a good variety of animals to see. There were lots of areas though that were shut down for whatever reason and it seemed that if that particular one was not in service for animals, they used it for storage which looked really tacky. There was also a good amount of windows that were too filthy or had tons of calcium build up which made it impossible to see through. Saturdays has the most shows to watch so i would go that day. There's a nice cafe there which sold reasonably priced food too. We only had the cookie and choc pudding which were really good, but we saw their pizza and pastas which looked really good too!

Visited the El Paso Zoo during a family trip. My sister has a season pass, so we were able to visit the zoo for free. When we walked in we were greeted by the gift shop. Must I tell you this should be the first stop on the trip, because of the El Paso heat! The gift shop has plenty of zoo trinkets, candy, clothing (shirts), and jewelry that is reasonable priced. After we visited the gift shop we headed out to find the animals. We walked across a short bridge, with a river flowing below, to get to the other side of the zoo. During the visit the zoo was under-going construction, so many of the exhibits and animals weren't available. However as you keep walking there is a large picnic area and children's play area, that includes a large treehouse. The treehouse is a focal point of the children's play area. As you continue walking there are animal exhibits to the left and the right. The zoo was carefully crafted but unfortunately the extreme heat caused most of the exhibits to temporarily closed (i.e., no animals in the exhibit) and if the exhibits were open many of the animals were sleep during the day time. Overall the zoo deserves a B. The exhibits were nice, the trainers that completed the shows were qualified and comfortable working with the animal. Pitfalls, many of the animals weren't out to be shown, there was construction throughout the zoo, day time visits should be limited during the summer because of the heat, and there are limited covered areas to protect yourself from the heat.

Awesome zoo had a great experience at the giraffe exhibit the staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The animals look very healthy and well taken care of. I would highly recommend visiting to anyone!

It's a small zoo but has a lot to offer for kids. Kids alway like to see the animals. If you come often I recommend buying a zoo pass. It'll make up the cost if you visit several times a year. The zoo continues to improve and make things better.

I've visited twice. The first time I was actually pretty impressed. I wasn't expecting much out of the El Paso Zoo. Although it's pretty small, it was exceptionally well kept. Landscaping is beautiful. Maybe I've gotten lucky on the days I've gone, but it doesn't seem to really get packed. The second visit was kind of disappointing. Family was visiting from out of town, so I thought the zoo might be a nice way of getting out. However, I didn't realize there would be a lot of construction going on. Quite a few of the exhibits were closed because of it. It was still okay I guess, but not just "not packed", it was total ghost town. Hopefully once the work is finished it'll be worth it though. I'll be back to find out.

I Have not been to the El Paso Zoo since 2013, I didn't regret going. If you have children with you in the gift shop you can rent a single or double stroller, or a wagon to push the little ones. Electric or standard wheelchairs also can be rented in the gift. Donkey is no longer at the zoo, fishes that were in a aquarium are no longer a part. Cooper Canyon Challenge Rope Course is available to experience. You are safely attached to an overhead track. Also available the Hunt family Endangered Species Carousel 36-foot carousel with hand paint animals. An American with Disabilities compliance swan chariot. You can buy the tickets at the carousel, I believe it was about two dollars per ride. Zoo was very clean and the way it is built allows you to easily navigate the whole zoo. A very big tree house playground is available with no charge (16 feet off the ground). Feeding the giraffe is three dollars, but there is a schedule for doing so. Weekends (year round) 11:00a.m. and 1:30p.m. Memorial day weekend through labor day weekend Wednesday-Sunday 11:00a.m. and 1:30p.m. A new section will be opened this year "Chiuahuan Desert". I also saw a sign for penguins soon to have a home in EP Zoo.

Such a beautiful zoo. Even though it's a small zoo but they do have a lot of animals. Employee are extremely nice. Gotta try foods from their cafe'... Super delicious

The zoo was on the small to average size. Most of the animals were sleeping. However it was 91 degrees when we went. The train was closed so that was a little disappointing. But every so often there was misting areas that kept us a little cooler. Price is fair and the animals are cute.

I haven't been to the zoo in ages! I took my son when he was little some years back. He's going on 14...so yeah! It could've easily been 10 years ago! My review is a bit different because I went to a friend's wedding here, not a regular outing. The only animals I was able to see at night were zebras and a lion. The lion roared at my boyfriend! They're really close to the event venue. The event venue is pretty nice. It was nicely decorated and spacious. There had to be around 100 people there, maybe more. The waitstaff was nice and accommodating. I didn't have any food here, only cake. I'm not sure if the zoo staff baked it or not. It was red velvet and pretty good. It had fondant on it which I don't really care for. They had a cash bar and it was a bit pricey imo. I had one beer and it was $5.50. It could be better or worse I guess. I know the zoo has gone through some remodeling and upgrading since the last time I've been. I'll have to go and check it out sometime.

We loved the zoo! It's smaller than what we are used to but we still had fun. Unfortunately, the splash pad was closed & it was HOT outside. The Dippin Dots girl asked me what size I wanted, I said a small, to which she replied she only had large - then why ask? When we were watching the Sea Lion show, the girl talking to us talked too much in my opinion. We couldnt hear the trainer talk to LB, we could hardly hear LB bark. She just continuously talked & repeated herself. It would've been nice to hear the trainer talking to LB so we knew what was going on. The lemonade was amazing & the gift shop was decently priced.

One word to describe this zoo. Disappointing. Overpriced for the "entertainment". Most exhibits are closed down. Animals don't appear to be very well taken care of. Lots of smelly spots (I know it's a zoo) but I mean more smell than your typical zoo in places that shouldn't stink. Really probably saw more wild birds flying in to eat trash than animals. Most were asleep or not even there. Train was not running. Line to feed giraffe was 50+ people long. Most indoor exhibits are run down. Can't even see in some of the exhibits because the glass is so old and fogged over. Overall just a waste of time and money.

As zoos go this one was about average. I've been to the National Zoo and Baltimore zoo and both are much better. This one is fairly small. I leisurely walked the entire thing, taking pics as I went, and saw all of the exhibits in about two hours. That being said, it is still a nice place to spend the afternoon especially for the kids.

The zoo is getting better and according to the city has major advances coming soon, the food like any zoo is pricey and the survivors expensive too. The food to eat is basic food corn dogs hot dogs chicken etc The animals are very vocal at first opening so if you've ever wanted to hear an elephant trumpet I'd say go then. The monkeys are chirping early in the morning too. The only down side is their military discount active duty only I wish they'd expand that to retired or at least those medically retired.

Visiting from San Antonio, TX we came specifically on Wednesday August 9th for the 1130am giraffe encounter feeding but when we showed up that day, they said it was cancelled. It was upsetting that they don't have updated information on the website. We could not stay for the afternoon one they were still supposedly having so it was very upsetting. Other than that the bird show was pretty neat and interesting. I liked how the girl doing the bird show was very energetic and happy. The zoo is definitely in better condition than the San Antonio one. We got to see the lion feeding which was interesting. If you are planning to see something I highly suggest you don't look at the website and call ahead.

This zoo is soooo tiny and over half the exhibits are empty and those are also tiny. It's the same as putting a dog in a cage that they can walk about 5 steps in and leaving them in there their whole life. Their staff is rude very rude. It is maybe worth $12 to go here for the amount of animals they have, though you couldn't pay me to go back because of their rude unwelcoming staff and poor conditions the animals are in. They do offer military discount but only to active duty which I also don't agree with.

I do not recommend the Grasslands Cafe. Terrible customer service at this cafe. I have to deal with attitude from staff whenever I go up to place my order. Plus ketchup dispenser is often empty with no condiment cups. Tables are dirty and food is gross and overpriced as well. The awful restaurant ruins the whole zoo experience. Workers need to be retrained or replaced and menu needs to be revamped.

They have great facilities. The design and layout of the zoo is well thought out. My only qualm is the zoo begins closing things down at 4:40. We were in the Asian section of the zoo at 4:40 going across the bridge when they stopped us and told us it had already closed down. They stated their policy is to "have everyone out of the zoo by 5". If that is the policy I think it needs to be made know when you enter the park. But there is nothing stating this, only that the park closes at 5. Please make this an official part of your public notices if this truly is a thing.

We really do love this zoo. Spend all day, or just a few hours. You choose. My kids love it, and it's great family time together. We travel enough that paying the $99/membership here gets us enough in discounts across the country at other zoos and aquariums. We also come here about 6 times a year. So, totally worth the membership! I hope that they continue their expansion and get new animals in through the years! It would be great to see this zoo really come to fruition like ABQ has over the past years.

This is by far one of the nicest zoo's we've been to! The exhibits are very large & spacious for the animals. Everything is so beautiful!

I use to love coming here when I visited family when I was younger! Sure it's not the most high end zoo with elaborate exhibits, but it is a great teaching tool for young children. Biological conservatism and animal welfare should be taught to young children and this zoo along with many others around the country (no matter how small) help establish the human-animal bond. I support more funding for this place. Great job to the veterinary staff and zoologists who tend to these animals. I love this little place.