Milwaukee County Zoo

Visited the Milwaukee County Zoo after Christmas and at night, during the Wild Lights. It was very cold but felt magical. I recommend wearing thick winter clothes and gloves. It gets extremely cold. Even though the animals were in their enclosures, we saw lionesses, a tiger, a leopard, a serval (I think), many reptiles, including an anaconda, a cobra, other snakes, exotic frogs, fish, and even the giraffes at a distance. I thought we would only see the “wild lights.” They were bright and full of colors. We were drinking hot cocoa and listening to Christmas music. It was magical. Sadly, that day I hurt my knee, so I couldn’t walk normal. I had a wheelchair, but the zoo also provides accommodation, but I don’t know if you need a reservation to rent a wheelchair. Call and ask for information. I even saw a teenager with crutches 🩼 and his friends riding zoo scooters. They looked happy. It was a fun night. I hope you get to visit the zoo. If you have young children, make sure you have strollers or rent one because there is a lot of walking 😉. Buy the tickets online so you don’t waste time.

Milwaukee public zoo is literally the best. It’s very huge and has lots of different sections to explore all the different animals. I highly recommend for families to come because it gives kids to walk around and explore instead of being on there devices. I absolutely love the playground section of the zoo because of how huge the playground is. The only con is that there is no bathroom nearby the playground area. The train would always be my favorite part of the zoo because of the ride around the huge zoo. They have other fun activities families can do like rope course, merry go round, and train. There is also a lot of interactive learning material for all ages to learn about the animals. I forgot to mention they do have a VR interact with the area section, but it cost extra money.

Wonderfully beautiful zoo. Well kept, the animals seem happy and healthy. Great variety. We didn't wait to see any animals. There was no crowd except when getting snacks. Some of the snack locations ran out of many items. The price for snacks was very high compared to ticket prices. Otherwise we were very happy!

Milwaukee County Zoo absolutely nailed the Zoo Lights experience. Even though it was freezing outside, the way the lights were set up made it completely worth it. The displays were beautiful, creative, and thoughtfully arranged, and the walking path was well organized so everything flowed smoothly. It felt very family-oriented, welcoming, and festive from start to finish. My girlfriend and I had a truly blessed time walking through the lights together, soaking in the atmosphere. The cold didn’t take away from the experience at all—if anything, it added to the holiday charm. A wonderful event and an easy 5/5.

We visited during Frosty Free Week. Very nice clean zoo. Most animals were out and active. Love they have so many bathrooms in each building.

Most recently, I went to the Zoo during their Wild Lights event. This was a special evening event geared towards people and their dogs. Zoo animals were inside and sleeping. All the pathways were lined and decorated with Christmas lights. It was a beautiful night.

4.7 stars for me, I love coming to the milwaukee county zoo! I have a membership here, so parking is always free for me and after 4 visits, it pretty much "pay for itself". There's a variety of animals here, from small to big!! Though they did close the small mammal exhibit, im not sure why. I avoid visiting on the wknds (too much of a crowd) so I can spend a bit more time with the little ones at each dif animal display. And one more thing, they have a RHINO!!!

Possibly one of the best zoos around the country . Very well maintained spaces and facilities for the animals and guests . The area is surrounded with trees and natural environment making part of the entire experience of being outdoors : one with nature. It is a very big campus with a lot of opportunities for walking and enjoying the outdoors and the animals . Well paced and certainly well maintained. Bought tickets online in advance and arrived later in the afternoon to avoid crowds . Best idea ever . Parking is sprawled and easy in and out access to the zoo.

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!

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!

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.

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.

It was pretty good. Very nice zoo. Not too big, but they had a lot of animals. Got to see all the big cats and primates. They had a cool machine that made plastic molds of animals in the zoo and were situated near the main attractions. All in all nice zoo.

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.

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!

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.

I had fun coming to the zoo. It's bigger than I thought it was, so Prepare for a lot of walking!! Sometimes you're walking up a small hill, so walking shoes are a must! Considering the beautiful weather, I was surprised that not too many animals were out and/or active. I have mixed feelings about zoos. Love to be supportive of sanctuaries and places that rehabilitate and/or house animals that wouldn't be able to live in the wild otherwise. I hate the idea of animals being used as entertainment or not having adequate space. A polar near being in a hot summer hurts my heart. ANYWAY regardless of morals and values, the Milwaukee zoo is clean and uses its facilities for educational purposes as well. It's nice that you get to see all the exhibits without having to pay extra. We did pay extra to feed the giraffes and although a fun experience for a decent price of $5...it's a rather rushed experience! Although I want to respect an animal and not touch one when it doesn't want to be touched, I'd be willing to pay more in order to have a 1:1 experience that's not so rushed. Albeit still a wonderful experience to be so up close to amazing creatures!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

How in the world can a family these days go to the zoo? To go to the zoo of a family of 3 was 80.00 wth Where are the discounts for living in Milwaukee County? None of the animals were even out and when they were you could hardly see them. And please tell me what happened to the family petting zoo. They had when I was young animals you could pet. If you're doing renovations don't charge so much. you need to lower the prices big time. If you didn't bring food drinks be prepared to spend over 300 dollars. You have to pay for this and that. I won't be going back for awhile.

I found it to be a medium sized zoo with a somewhat limited number of animals. It's not cheap to get in and then they gouge you on all the extras like $5 soda and drinks and extra fees for a special exhibit. Best of all, the gorilla house was closed for remodeling, but for $6 extra, you can rent a virtual reality viewer showing you some real gorillas. Another $5 to feed the giraffes some leaves the zookeepers had torn off a nearby maple tree. Have any questions, too bad, there were extremely few zoo staff floating around to ask questions about the animals or the exhibits. With all the high fees and extras, I don't see how some families could afford to visit this zoo.

I absolutely love this zoo. We visit a few times every year and it's still exciting each time. My grandkids always have so much fun here. I definitely recommend it!

I stand by my previous 5 star rating and this time I'm writing it as a mom of 2 kiddos. We used to visit the zoo on free days and whenever we could snag free tickets but I ended up investing in a pass and it has been such a great investment for our family. I love that we can go, stroll around and leave without feeling guilty that we didn't see everything there is to see. The zoo has been a fantastic way for my kiddos to get their energy out and they love seeing the animals. Our favorites are the big cats and elephants and well hopefully continue to visit them in the wintertime! Whether you're going for a day or as a pass member it's so much fun for kiddos and adults alike!

A good zoo in the area for families to enjoy learning and seeing all sorts of animals. The zoo is well spread out with many different types of animals to include big cats, bears, elephants, giraffes, and much more. There are plenty of bathrooms with changing tables and food stops. The park is well spread out and easy to access from the highway. You pat at the gate so no waiting in line to but tickets once you park!

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.

Went to the Milwaukee County Zoo and was pleasantly surprised! The zoo was big and there were so many animals and areas to explore and learn about. My favorite experience of the day was being able to feed the giraffes. We were able to get really close to some of the animals which was fun. The zoo had a lot of trees and a nice path to follow throughout the zoo the nicely separated the different areas. The size was nice because you can easily make it whatever type of day you want, whether you want to cruise through in an hour or make it a longer trip!

We had a wonderful time at the zoo! There were so many zoo employees (or volunteers, I'm not sure) walking around willing to talk about the animals and answer questions. Everyone was so nice and so helpful. Food prices are expensive, but you can bring in your own food, so you can avoid the expense if you want. My 5 year old and 2 year old really enjoyed themselves!

Summer Member Events is an annual fun event that takes place in the evening on summer nights. This year, it's called "Hune Summer Nights." The warm nights are filled with food truck options from burgers to sweet treats. The trucks are in various locations around the zoo. Members only also get a chance to visit the special feature exhibit of the summer without the added fee of $4, p/p. This year, the theme is "ice age," filed with Saber tooth tigers & wooly mammoths. I really appreciate how they have spread this event out over three nights instead of one. This allows members to walk freely without congestion & much shorter food lines. We love exploring the zoo, day or night. It's a great park to have, walk, visit all the animals & have fun at the various events throughout the year.

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 ;)

We came to Milwaukee for President's Day weekend and stayed downtown. We took a bus to get to the Milwaukee County Zoo. I was surprised how easy it was to get here by bus. We had been to the zoo once before over the summer, but zoos are different in the winter. This is a great size zoo. It's big but not overwhelming. We still had a great time. The animals have less space indoors than outdoors (which is logical even if it's not great). Milwaukee zoo has so many cool animals. Elephants, giraffes, hippo, red panda, otters, oragnuatan, and plenty of others. The Family Farm area is cool. It has a big playground. There we saw goats, pigs, horses, cows Even in the winter, the cafeteria was still open for lunch, even if none of the attractions were.

Lots of stuff to break down here. Bought mini donuts up front after walking in the main entrance, 8 dollars a bag. 75% of the donuts had raw batter on the inside. Eventually made our way to a place to get lunch at Nourish 414. Ordered a double cheese burger, a salad, and a smoked turkey wrap. While ordering the two servers were somewhat ignorant. Sit down, table is not clean, look around and no tables are wiped down and clean. Thankfully had our own wipes. Received a single cheese burger, and the salad and wrap. Okay, it's alright things happen. Eat food, salad is horrible. Rice is uncooked, chicken is old and hard, and the tomatoes are sour. Wrap, contains brown pickles and is falling apart. Burger was of McDonalds grade, so definitely not worth $13.99. Total was 68 some dollars and was nowhere's near what we got in return. It's unsurprising the difference from ten years ago to currently now is the result of a lack of care, consideration, and effort. Your customers should not be eating what the animals eat. Edit: animals were cool.

My work offers free passes to local sports games and attractions and the zoo was one so I stopped by. My visit was on a holiday during the week so all the main food/ice cream stands were closed so as a foodie I can't speak for any of them. The zoo has plenty of indoor and outdoor displays to walk through. Wild blue peacocks were roaming the front door area, silly me I informed the zoo that some birds got loose and I was told that that were wild and they just hang out at the zoo. It seemed that a lot of the outside animals shared their area with wild birds. They have 2 moving attractions that you're ticket will not get you on and you have to pay extra which is the train and the chair lift that are under $5. It's a nice zoo and a nice was to spend a sunny summer day.

Several of the exhibits were closed or under renovations. This was not indicated on their website, otherwise our large group would not have visited. In addition, some exhibits charge extra and non-county residents have a different admission fee. The zoo layout is spacious and you get a nice walk out of it. Recommend you take your own snacks and water.

My first time visiting Milwaukee County Zoo and the line to get in with your car was super long but worth the wait! Came here during the daytime to check out the different animals that they have. I have never seen a red panda before and at this zoo they have it! I thought it was a regular panda at the time but as a tip, you should probably read all the attractions on the map first and double-check which area you would like to visit first. This place is super huge and you will be walking a lot so bring some comfortable clothes and shoes to wear! Don't forget that sunscreen! We saw so many different animals and most of them are outside with a few exhibits that are in buildings. I liked the giraffes as well! They were super cute and so tall in person it was overall a fun experience even as an adult. Come and enjoy some exciting animals and I loved all the descriptions around each of the exhibits! Some were funny and also very educational.

We were visiting Wisconsin and had to check out their zoo! A bit hesitant because every review we came across was saying it's a small zoo and not worth it, but I differ, we had such an amazing experience seeing all the animals and came in time to see everyone get fed, the animals were well kept and looked content, the zoo was smaller than most, but walking it sure didn't feel small, will definitely come by to visit the animals next time we visit Wisconsin. Also, it was really cloudy when we arrived and I believe that's the best time to come see the animals, during warm/hot weather's animals tend to hide in the shade alot so that season isn't worth visiting. There were only a few snack stations opened, but that didn't bother us. We came to see the animals not eat. All in all experience 10/10

Went to zoo on December 28th. $12 to park the car. At the gate it said that the aviary was closed. We saw people walking in and so we went to try and sure enough it was open. We made sure to tel the desk on the way out to remove the sign at the entrance saying it's closed because it wasn't. No food stands throughout the park were open. Due to covid most likely? None of the rides , skylight etc were going either. Lots of animals can't be seen, but we did see many. And enjoyed everything we saw. It is a lot of walking so be aware if coming with small children or elderly. Winter is definitely a different experience at the zoo. But, it's still work going because our mke zoo is really quite amazing. I know we sort of take it for granted to have this magnificent zoo here. Bottom line is I enjoy the zoo more in summer and fall and noncovid precaution times. I appreciate our zoo.

Really enjoyed our visit to the Milwaukee Zoo! We attended an outdoor party in the picnic area. We had easy entrance to the event and the picnic area was great - nice setup with a shelter (nice, since it rained!) and nearby bathrooms. There was plenty of space for the food setup, drinks, etc. It was pretty wooded where we were (some of the other picnic areas are not quite as wooded) which was great as we were off by ourselves but don't forget to pack the bug spray! The zoo itself was quite nice. I've been to a bunch of zoos including the gigantic San Diego zoo and this was quite nice. Big, but not overwhelming. A nice amount of animals and most of the areas seemed totally up to date. Plenty of spots for food and drinks throughout. The carousel was also great. We didn't try the train as the line was long, but that looked fun also. Great spot especially for an outdoor party!

We came to this zoo kind of spur of the moment while on a trip to Milwaukee and were immediately impressed with it!! The crowds were a bit daunting at first over Memorial weekend, but it turned out to not be so bad once we were actually past the gates. I had looked online at a map of the zoo prior and had the assumption that this would be pretty small...but it was way bigger than I expected! They have a ton of the classics you'd find in a zoo, along with some exhibits that were more unique. Overall we had a really great time here, and I'd recommend this zoo to anyone!

For the cost, I was disappointed in the zoo. Many of the exhibits were under construction so animals were not there. One of the fun things that we did at the zoo was ride the sky glider. You can see so much of the zoo. (Extra $4/person to ride).

Spent a few hours at the zoo visiting from out of town with our two kids and had a disappointing experience. We had heard good things and were excited that they are an AZA zoo so we got 50% off our admission with our home base zoo membership. Even at $38 ish with parking, it didn't feel like we got our money's worth, although maybe the money can help them improve the zoo. The zoo is very large, which could be a good thing if it meant more space for the animals but that's not really what it seemed like here. For large parts of the zoo you feel like you are walking through the woods with nothing to see, which could be nice if your goal was to do some walking but when you're lugging two young kids around it's a different story. The signage is poor in places and we spent a lot of time wondering lost looking for certain things. I'm sure there's an app and/or map online but it shouldn't be that hard to run into a " you are here " sign once in awhile. We walked for probably 15 minutes to get to the train, which was a highlight for the kids. They have a lot of interesting things to do here but they are all add ons on top of your regular ticket price. Fortunately for our wallets it was easy to say no to not just some but almost every add-on because they were all closed. The sea lion show doesn't operate on week-days, the giraffe feeding was closed, the pony rides- done by 1 pm, the primate center- closed, the special lego exhibit- closed for the season, ski lift chair - not operating, children's climbing thing- and the list goes on. Giant parts of the zoo were closed such to the point that given the earlier comment about spacing, you are walking around a ton and there are no animals to see. The giraffes for example had about half the space that similar numbers of giraffes have in other places. There weren't even people staffing almost any concession stand. One sign said the popcorn/cotton candy old fashion car stand couldn't open due to staffing shortages. I don't know how they plan to make money back on their struggles (if they are struggling) if they aren't selling stuff outside the gift shop. We were impressed by the bear exhibit- both brown and grizzly and the reptile center is pretty cool. They have a wide array of animals here and I could see why this zoo may be note worthy on another day or time. We may have just come on the wrong day of the week and/or the lack of crowds make it difficult for them to run their business on week days. Even without knowing a ton about the city, it wouldn't be my first suggestion for places to visit from out-of-town in Milwaukee.

The zoo is very family friendly and a good place to spend time with friends. There are lots of exhibits and places to eat. Would recommend for going to special events!

Went today Nov 28, 2022, it was 46 degrees, sun, no wind. It was perfect weather. Literally no people, which was great. Still lots of animals out (penguin, elephant, giraffe, jaguar hippo, seal, oryx, cows, zebra) and lots inside (lion, orangutan, reptiles, fish, small mammals). So there is a still a lot to see even though some animals are hibernating. The main entrance has a cafe but the other food stations are closed, along with the carousel and train. There is a family farm area with a big playground but with the limited time, they close at 2:30, we felt a bit rushed to see everything. We brought our 2 year old who wanted to walk which took up time. All in all it was great, it's a nice zoo and if you can stand a little chill and don't want to be packed with people, Nov is a great time.

The zoo itself was nice. I liked the layout. Liked the family farm, train and merry go round. I don't love Zoos, but I kept hearing great things about the MKE zoo So had to check it out. The employees could use a lesson in manners and customer service. The only friendly one I encountered was the young man when I pulled into the parking lot. When I ordered a pretzel the guy was nice enough, but was talking on his cell phone the entire time. I ordered a both a pineapple and the STRAWBERRY dole whip with half the amount bc it's for a child. I repeated my order not once but twice and the rude employee who still chose not to listen & play on her phone. Then she gives me both with half the amount. I paid $9 for the essentially one dolewhip when I ordered 1.5.Like how about you pay attention when someone is ordering instead of playing on your phone. I wanted the full amount of pineapple.

Zoo was great! Sky Trail advertised as open weekends through October, here on Labor Day and it's closed for the season! Update the website! Nothing like advertising something that isn't available!

Wow...all I can say is wow... The Milwaukee Zoo is a family favorite and I have been wanting to review it for some time. We get a membership every year and it is totally worth it. We usually make it up there in an hour and 20 minutes, it's a nice drive and gives the kids a chance to relax in the car. The Brookfield Zoo had gone WAY downhill in the last few years and the Milwaukee Zoo offers much more. This is located right off the express way and they have two very large parking lots. The cost to come in is very reasonable ($14.95 for non resident adults), but I always get the membership. They are following all the proper COVID protocol and that is cool. Lots of hand sanitizer, masks are required but they do have the indoor exhibits open. This zoo is the perfect size. Big enough to spend the day walking around but not as big as Brookfield. I think they have a great selection of animals. They have a TERRIFIC elephant exhibit which you don't see a lot of these days. They recently renovated that and the hippo exhibit. The big cat house and the reptile house are both very cool as well. Do yourself a favor and come check the zoo out. Going to the Zoo has been a favorite activity of mine since I was a kid and this place rocks!!!!

This Zoo is nice and clean, and they're making an effort to require masks at the indoor attractions. We have been here before and it was evident all times we've been that the staff works hard to take care of the animals and guests. The staff and volunteers doing education (we saw a camel demonstration) are engaging and knowledgeable. However, the special exhibits in August 2022, to us, were not worth the money. The Virtual Reality experience on gorillas was interesting, but really brief. And the "dragons" exhibit could have been cooler, if the mists had all been working and all the animatronic dragons in action. It was weird to go to the zoo and see statues of mythical creatures instead of real animals. Save your $ for snacks at the snack bar instead - Dole Whip is a family favorite!

Always heard great experiences about this Zoo, First time we made it up and will not be our last. We ordered our parking and entrance tickets online which helped us zip through the parking lot entrance. The zoo grounds are manageable with little ones. They had a great selection of animals. Our favorite was the African Safari. Our girls enjoyed petting the goats, the carousel and the train ride. We brought our own snacks, but there was a fried chicken food truck that a lot of people were enjoying. The chair lift was closed. We'll just have to come back to try it and to visit our new friends.

I have been to a lot of different zoos and this is the best by far. Every year, I get a Zoo pass. I love to do my walking here. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. Many of the buildings have been updated. The animals are well taken care of. They can't guarantee when animals will choose to be active, but they do have special feeding sessions where people can watch. They also have a time to feed the giraffes, watch animals in action and have interactive areas for children to learn about the animals. There is also a petting zoo and play area for the kids. They also have train and tram tours of the zoo where they introduce the areas and the animals.

It was super fun. We try to visit every zoo we can when we travel and this one was awesome. I really enjoyed that the animals were inside large enclosures away from the elements kinda. There are dozens of penny presses but only one change machine and it was empty so we only got one penny as we didn't have any extra ourselves. They also have "melt-o-ramas" all over the place that are 5$ a pop and it was pretty cool my son was able to get a couple. Plenty if food and drinks around as well as a giant playground for kiddos

It's a smaller, quaint zoo for the area. About the same size as Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, but Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is free. So it's way more valuable for families and those in the community than this zoo could ever be. Give yourselves a break, travel South to Chicago and go to Lincoln Park Zoo. And you have the beautiful lake nearby, it's a great experience!

I think the Zoo moms that line up before the zoo opens at 9am will throw things at me for writing this, but I do not think the Milwaukee Zoo is worth the money. $15.50 for adults and $12.50 for children during summer hours? What!? Am I a zoo snob? Probably. I'll gladly admit it! I was spoiled living in Madison for 6 years and soaking up the free zoo. I was spoiled visiting the sprawling San Diego zoo in 2014. I was spoiled visiting the extensive and free St. Louis zoo in 2017. I have a a high bar when it comes to zoos. Milwaukee's zoo just does not reach that bar for me. Does it have a lot of exhibits? Yeah. Is it well organized? Yes. Is it fun? Sure. But is it one of the best zoos I've ever been to? No. I'd rather visit the free Madison zoo in a heartbeat. I'm sure I will one day turn into a zoo mom and buy an annual zoo pass, but for now, the zoo is not worth my money. I'll come for special events, but I'd rather visit another zoo or do something else in Milwaukee.

This is a very nice zoo but be prepared to empty your wallet. Entry fee is high and if you pay by debit card or credit card you will pay an additional fee of 5%. All special events ie the sea lions etc cost an additional fee of 5% and tax. Pay with cash and you will not get charged the additional fee. I haven't been here in over 25 years. Lots of stuff that was free now cost. You will pay $7.50 for a Gatorade drink. I probably will not be back. It's a money trap. Too expensive for the average person.

I haven't been to the Milwaukee County Zoo in years. I was looking forward to spending the day there today, with my 2 daughters and 5 grandkids. I was SO DISAPPOINTED and will probably never go to the zoo again!! The ZOO used to be packed full of animals!! We walked by areas that I used to see MANY, MANY animals. Now, WAY LESS monkeys , gorillas, tigers, bears. We didn't see any Panda Bears, Kangaroos, or Rhinoceros. We only saw one or 2 hippos. Nothing like it was when I was a kid. The elephants new area is so far away, and with the elephants standing next to the big buildings, not much to see. To top it all off it ended up costing OVER $173.00 for parking for 2 cars, admission for 2 adults, 1 senior, and 5 kids!!! That's just to get in and park!! Lunch for the 8 of us came to $150, not including the small dish of ice cream for around $6 each, sodas at least $3.85 out of vending machine, $5 each for 20 min. sea lion show, and $4.00 per ticket for train ride. for 8 people this cost about $400.00 !!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!

The zoo is wonderful for kids and adults alike. aside from walking around looking at different animals and learning about them, the zoo always has some sort of event or activity going on for kids as well. I've been taking my son here since he was about a year old, maybe a little younger, and he is now four and a half. He loves it now just as much as he did back then. Every time he comes back, there's always something new and exciting for him to discover that he didn't notice last time.