Oregon Zoo

Easily one of the best zoos in the states. The layout is excellent. I walked over 3 miles from my parking spot and going through each exhibit, it's definitely a two to three hour per visit kind of place. The volunteers and staff are really kind and helpful. The elephant house is a fan favorite - especially with the arrival of the new baby elephant!

Such a fun place to visit with your family and friends. I went there with my most of my family and friends this year around January 19, 2025. We went to all the exhibits that were open. We went slightly early around noon so we have time with not too many people in the zoo. In the afternoon it got busier, but it wasn't too bad. The zoo is mostly cashless and only take credit card or touch-less payment options . There are multiple spots to get food. I was sad that some of the animals such as the hippos and cheetahs weren't out possibly due to chilly winter weather. The train ride was really fun and definitely worth buying the tickets ahead online. The park was pretty clean. The downloadable maps were a nice touch and made it easier to find places. I will definitely make plans to visit again. It was absolutely nice seeing how the overall landscape and architecture has improved from their previous zoo infrastructures. They had created a much larger space for the mixed indoor and outdoor elephant enclosures, they had improved the indoor enclosure for the giraffe, the outdoor enclosure for the tigers, provided a nice small pond for the pink flamingos, and created a nice indoor tree sanctuary for the birds to fly within the building. Would most definitely recommend to anyone and would love to come back again for a visit! Thank you!

Two words: polar bears!! They are so amazing and playful! They had cool things to interact with. I liked that the zoo told about the individual animal too. Lots of room for elephants and polar bears. Predator area was lacking. Skip the train, it is expensive and a small ride. Also, they no longer have red pandas.

I went with my friends a little over a week ago to the Oregon Zoo and we had a great time! As a group of 5 it was easy to split into smaller groups so see things at our individual paces, and it is designed to be walked around in a loop. The animals seem very relaxed and comfortable and their handlers are very knowledgeable and kind. We had a wonderful trip, I would definitely go back.

Totally LOVE the layout! Lots of greenery and the animals and exhibits look well cared for🩷. I bought my tickets online tickets, $26 adults and $21 for kiddos. You can also get a membership for discounted rate. There is paid parking lots, you can either pay by the hour or pay a maximum day rate. My son and I dropped in for a visit before heading to the airport . I would definitely recommend if you are visiting Oregon.

We have been to several zoos all across the United States, coast to coast, and the Oregon Zoo hands down ranks in our top 3! The enclosures for each animal were impeccably maintained and spacious to meet their needs and then some. The paths to get from one area to the next were an attraction all their own blending seamlessly into the landscape offering fun facts and artfully crafted sculptures. Ticket prices were very affordable at $26 per ticket for adult admission. At first glance the zoo appeared as though it would be small/medium in size however at a steady pace it took us over 2 hours to go through and we could have easily spent 3+ hours if taking our time. Parking is metered and I would suggest getting at least 3 hours. Overall an amazingly unforgettable experience and a must-see for anyone traveling through or staying in the area. There’s also a discovery museums and Japanese garden in the vicinity of the zoo so you could easily make an entire day of the area!

This was a great zoo to visit. Plenty of animals to see and entertainment for the kids. I love how the incorporated the scenery like you were actually in the forest, wild, etc. I could go there again and still be amazed. Felt serene and the animals looked very well kept. A Must to visit, especially if you have little ones.

Wonderful zoo – perfect for families!! We loved our visit to the Oregon Zoo. There’s a wide variety of animals, great educational signs, and super easy walking paths. Everything is well-marked and organized. Even the food court has tasty options for both kids and adults. Highly recommended!

A beautiful zoo that incorporates the PNW landscape for an enchanting experience. It's a great place to walk if you have a membership and like to be entertained while getting your step count up. Also, it's a phenomenal place to play Monster Hunter Now, Pokémon Go or other location based games. The Asian elephants areas are awesome for viewing and it's so fun to observe them and get to know their personalities. The elephant ear pastry is pretty tasty if wildly overpriced for flour, oil and sugar. The one area of improvement would be having benches under shelter so they are not constantly wet during PNW rainy season. I've only found one bench near the rhinos that is under shelter. This is an accessibility issue for visitors who can walk, but need points of rest.

I am updating my review from over a year ago! The zoo consistently gets a 5 stars rating from me. It is one of our favorite places to go as a young family. There are a wide variety of animals which are well take care of, and the zoo is always very clean. Staff is really friendly. We have a great and unique time every time we go. The zoo has appointment slots for tickets which makes it nice so it doesnt get too busy throughout the day. Parking can be challenging at busy times. Zoo lights is a perk for the zoo. You dont have access to all the animal exhibits bu they do a wonderful job. 10/10 go every where multiple times (with both sets of in-laws and kids). They also have Brew lights which is a 21 year old event.

Zoo Lights was the best time! We went during the 21+ adult day. A few areas in the park have interactive lights which are so cute and fun to try out. They had jugglers, A lights dancer, and the grinch. You don't have access to all the exhibits but everyone was awake and ready to say hi. The coordinators for the lights did a great job making it feel whimsical. 10/10 would go again.

One of my favorite Zoos Ive been to recently. We came here for our visit to Portland. If you end up visiting Portland and love Zoo's, I definitely recommend. It did seem just a tad bit smaller then Zoo's Ive been to in California but its not a bad thing. Theres something about the backdrop of all the trees around the Zoo that really makes you feel a little more immersed in everything. As a fan of trees I just walked around in awe the whole time. It's a small thing really but I feel that and how clean the everything was goes a long way. When we went I thought there were a good variety of animals. There was a lot of activity in the morning when they were open. Just wanted to point this out to people if they ever go to the Zoo and half the animals aren't doing much.

I love the Portland Zoo. It does an amazing job of using their space to create beautiful living environments for all their animals; in fact, in some spots it's easy to forget that you are even in the zoo! The staff and volunteers appear to enjoy their work and are very helpful, and the animals seem to be well-cared for and clearly respond well to the staff in charge of their care. The food is great (especially in the summer when there are more options), and the gift shop has plenty of cute zoo stuff to suit most visitors desires! If you're in Portland, be sure to visit the zoo!

We visited Oregon Zoo on this trip to Portland and loved it. It's an amazing place to walk around in, almost feels like you are walking in the jungle. I loved seeing all the animals, a couple bear cubs playing together, with the mama bear napping, the polar bear swimming, and the Amur tigers, so majestic. We rode the train and that was a fun experience. The carousel was fun too.

Oregon zoo lights is such a wonderful experience for young kids and families! I highly recommend this. They go above and beyond to make the zoo absolutely beautiful filled with lights and every single way, music that goes to the beat of lights, the train that goes through and the carousel. There's places to get hot chocolate and little snacks, places to take cute photos in so much more. I recommend getting there early because it fills up so fast as well as parking!

We attended the Zoo Nights event which happens on Fridays, and got to enjoy lively entertainment by Jujuba from 6:30-8:30pm, with our mat stretched out in the amphitheater's grassy field, perfect for relaxing to the upbeat live music performance while sipping on cocktails. I especially enjoyed the frozen strawberry margarita from the Cantina Bowl food stand. We, of course, explored the animal exhibits too, but a lot of animals were asleep or put away for the day, including the monkeys and polar bear. We did however get to check out the black bears lounging on a hammock, elephants throwing dirt on themselves (probably to stay cool), western pond turtles striking a pose in their habitats, an African pancake tortoise and Egyptian tortoises cuddled up against giant rocks, getting close up with the flamingos, seals swimming around (with underwater viewing), and various species of bats chomping on fruit while hanging upside down on branches. We got to see the giraffes, bontebok, lemurs, naked mole rats, condors, crocodiles, wild "painted" dogs, as well as lions and other predators too, but they weren't very active. My favorite part was obviously the rabbits... there weren't very many, and they're not even listed on the park map, but they have a spacious indoor-outdoor enclosure and can be pet by visitors. Plus, finding bunnies always puts a smile on my face, so this made my day :)

This was a way better experience than I was expecting. The zoo is big, clean, and the animals are in great shape! We had so much fun going exhibit to exhibit. We even stopped to get food at the Aviary Cafe. The meal was quite the good value! Popcorn, coffee, fresh fruit... it was all good! The elephant display was one of the highlights, it was huge and the watering hole looked like so much fun! Well worth the trip!

We love zoos. Anytime we travel, we'll spend a day at the zoo. So, in Portland we went to the zoo. At first glance it has a great appearance when walking up to the entrance. When we tried to buy our tickets, we quickly d

Great zoo. We got to see animals we never see at home and the Bat Area was amazing. Insect zoo was awesome and polar bears and seals were awesome, being from Miami

I haven't been to the zoon in ages! With so many changes the Zoo does look a lot better. I also appreciate more places to sit and eat both indoor and outdoors. It was a great day to go to the zoo as it wasn't too hot nor cold so a lot of them came out and saw some cubs playing, lemurs climbing, and so much more! The staff were friendly and the area was quite clean and neat even though there were lots of kids.

Beautiful grounds at this zoo. So much greenery and amazing walkway. It's very simple to navigate. On trail to follow to see all the animals. Plenty of places to eat include Italian, Mexican, and burgers plus snacks like popcorn and pretzels. Disappointed that many of the animal were hiding away and not in the outdoor habitats. Also did not like animals being alone...everyone needs friends! Staff were sparse and the ones at souvenir shops weren't overly friendly. Overall pleasant visit and I do recommend visiting if you are in Portland.

This is one of my favorite zoos, to the point where I sometimes mix it up with the San Diego Zoo. It's that good! I love how happy the animals look and their enclosures are all large and look natural and lovely. The whole zoo is set up in a way that has an amazing flow and a natural feel. Every time I've gone on a weekday, the concessions have been closed- assuming they're only open on weekends or in summer but there is a large variety. I love seeing the otters snuggle in the otter den and the polar bear playing! The elephant enclosure is also awesome. This is one I will keep coming back to!

It's a nice zoo. We saw quite a few animals. Some animals were not out. You do have to pay to get into the zoo. It's a nice walk around the zoo. Definitely get your exercise in while walking the zoo. Zoo is really exciting. I have been to better zoos, but it's not too bad. Definitely will go back.

The Oregon Zoo is a great place to step into for a great animal inspired adventure! Get ready to mingle with polar bears, penguins, orangutans, turtles, condors, sea otters, giraffes and so much more! Trailblaze through the easy to follow directions posted on signs and the ground. There are maps and directional signs throughout the zoo. Bathrooms are also available, so don't worry that it may take at least two hours to see every exhibit! Lol. You can bring your own bottle of water into the zoo. Today we were blessed with beautiful blue skies and gorgeous but chilly weather. We reserved our tickets on line. There is a new kiosk at the entrance of the zoo so it appears you may purchase your tickets at the kiosk. Please call the zoo to confirm or check out the website at: https://www.oregonzoo.org Tonight was Zoo Lights, which requires separate ticket. However, we were there until 3:30 p.m. and we were able to see a few lights and music just before we left the zoo. On these special Zoo Lights night, the zoo is closed at 3:30 p.m. and reopened later for the Zoo Lights. There's also a Zoo shop to pick up a few take home memories. Bring your walking shoes and a sweater.

Parking~It's lots of parking but, it as full but people are coming and going to we only had to circle once around. Breast Cancer Event~I am a 2x cancer survivor and, The Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation partnered with the Oregon Zoo this year. 6-8 am freebies and Speeches 10am the walk started and that was walking around the zoo. I haven't been to The Zoo in years so I was like not feeling it at first but, My Husband was like let's go see the animals once I started walking around it was really uplifting. But, I think I'll volunteer next year instead of putting together at team for the past 5 years. I did raise $260.00 of my $100.00 goal for this year it's going to an amazing cause! *Update* I raised the $500.00 dollar on the day of the race it truly warms my heart that I have family and friend that truly support me!!! My Goal at first was $100 but, my heart told me I could do $500.00 and we did it!!! Ambience~I was great to meet someone many survivors and their families. It so many people from every walks of life and, there were peeps from Oregon, Washington, California, and Few from Arizona. Take your family on a trip to The Zoo you will definitely enjoy it!!!

Great zoo with most animals out. Very few food and beverage options, most were closed on a hot day. But staff was very welcoming. Their are discounts like half off available for lower income and medicaid, etc. Parkimg is not free but was about 4 dollars for a couple of hours. The elephant exhibit was huge. I would plan on spending about 2 to 3 hours here to see all the animals.

Great zoo. Exhibits are clean and great for the animals. Always a fun place for the family! Diverse amount of animals! Update 7/24 : Still a great place in addition to several upgraded exhibits!

This zoo is awesome! The setting is amazing and it is set up in a way that is so smooth and efficient. Some areas get congested but it mostly flows effectively and you don't really miss any enclosures/exhibits as you walk along the path. There are several food options and seating areas along the way and all of the major enclosures list the times of the next trainer talk/education session. The perimeter of the zoo weaves through the natural landscape in such a cool way, giving it a true "Pacific Northwest" vibe. My family and I will be back!

I frikin love the zoo. I've been to many zoos around the country and the world, and the Oregon Zoo stands out as being dedicated to their animals, to nature, to their community and most importantly to conservation and education. Portland is so lucky to have a zoo like this. In the last several years, they have really stepped it up from when I was a kid. We went for zoo lights and I was beyond impressed with the light displays and the food and bev options. You want a choco dipped pretzel in a variety of flavors? Done. An elephant ear? You got it. Kettle corn? Look no further. A bratwurst? Yes pls. You need a drink bc there's millions of children around? They have that too! AND they're local ciders and brews. Always happy to support the zoo. I think this is a great place for kids and adults to go for zoo lights, summer concerts or just to learn about and look at animals.

I absolutely love going to the zoo. Most of us grew up, going to our local zoos, and being able to see so many exotic animals, enjoying what we thought was close to a natural habitat for them. After going to the Oregon zoo, I will definitely not return. Tickets must be purchased online, for a specific day and a specific timeframe. It doesn't make a lot of sense, and it comes across as if they're trying to control foot traffic or something, but in actuality, it just doesn't make sense like I said. Having said that, we had purchased our tickets for times specific , and when we arrived, it was unclear as to where we needed to go with our printed ticket. They actually have a window where you can purchase tickets but they don't allow it. We finally figured out that we would just go to the gate and we showed her ticket to the gentleman standing there and we were on our way. They use QR codes if you need a map of the zoo. There are various signs throughout the zoo, but not detailed enough to know whether or not if you go one way, if it's a dead end or if you'll make your way back to other exhibits. The grounds themselves are very well-maintained, the animals on the other hand are not. I truly wish that I had done some research before buying tickets and visiting this location. Normally, I would've done the research for any other experience, I just did not think I needed to do it for a zoo. I'm here to tell you, don't spend your money to go to the Oregon zoo. Many of the animals were not out, which I can appreciate due to certain weather temperatures. However, for the animals that were out, they are all incredibly unhappy. Yes, it's not obvious. From the scraps of food that are there for them to eat, to how scarcely thin many of them are. We viewed elephants that were so incredibly depressed that one who did not have access to water, was digging at the ground, out of boredom, or perhaps, looking for a water source. The elephant was gated in and away from its pool, which it should've had access to based on the weather, and quite frankly, why would they keep an animal away from what should be a natural part of their habitat. The poor giraffe was chewing at a dried out stick, because there was nothing else for her to eat. Animals that are held in captivity should be able to graze and eat at their own will. Yes, I understand that food is provided at certain times, but most zoos still leave food out and water. This is just the tip of the iceberg. These animals are given very little space to live in, and the space that's provided is so confined, that it's unhealthy for them. Do your research before you spend your money going to this zoo. You'll find out just like I did (unfortunately afterwards), that the zoo spends money on animals being poached from their natural habitat, and not obtaining them because they've had health issues, etc. and would not survive in their natural habitat, and this is their sanctuary. This is far from a sanctuary. They just are not treated well.

I wanted to go to the zoo so badly, to get my cute animal fix after seeing so many cute videos on Twitter from the Oregon Zoo. I hadn't gone since 2009 or 2010. Though I will say that $25 is pretty steep considering too it does not include the train ride. Plus you pay for parking too. Anyway, the reason I did not go is because we are suppose to make an appointment lol. I'm sorry....pardon me!? Why? I am not going to a concert. I am not going to the doctor's office. Why would you inconvenience paying customers like that? They started this during the pandemic, you know, because you don't want people to be OUTSIDE breathing fresh air during a virus outbreak or anything. So now the current excuse is because it gets too crowded. We were going in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, in the cold month of February. No way is it crowded then. There is no need for this, it feels like they used the pandemic to do something very customer un-friendly. Make it make sense please? If anyone should be doing this it's actual busy places like Disneyland, but that would mean you'd have to plan your vacation years in advance lol. At the absolute most, do your crowd control thing in peak season or peak hours and days. This is like making an appointment to go grocery shopping, or to go to the mall. We have enough constraints in life. Taking away the flexibility we have had since zoo's were created is crazy to me. What other zoo does this!? Any?! They said a person can just buy tickets on the spot, on their phone, after verifying it's not full. I am not sure how that helps anything? That's a risk, because they could be full and you drove for nothing, right? Who wants to stand there in the cold buying tickets on their phone because they saved paying minimum wage by eliminating buying tickets at the entrance. That's fine, I will buy my tickets online, but until the reservation thing is gone, I encourage others to not go. Take a stand. I just want the animals to be well taken care of, I only care about them. Too many non-profits aren't what they seem.

I went to see the Zoo Lights this Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The boozy hot cocoa most definitely helped. The Oregon Zoo is a great place for kiddos and adults--would definitely go back!

There are so many facets to a zoo that it's hard to come up with a rating. This is an AZA accredited zoo. They take great care of their animals, and they are continually providing more and more for them. This also means that they are continually under construction. Continually "trading" animals with other zoos. (Nothing underhanded; there is red tape to deal with when acquiring animals in a reputable way) Often times exhibits will not be viewable or will vanish completely and be turned into something else. New exhibits open with a big flare and then slowly break down without repair. But then I consider that I am a zoo member and a regular attendee. I see the ebb and flow of exhibits and interest. If you're not coming to the zoo regularly; if you're an out of town visitor, then you're going to love it. We have seen snowy owls feeding their babies. We have seen cougars sleeping right on the other side of the glass. Bears splashing in the water. Condors eating carcasses and sunning themselves with their wings spread wide. We have seen elephants spurt water in their trunks and catch bananas. We saw the hippo (no longer a resident) splashing water in and out of its mouth. We saw turtles "getting married". We have hand fed giraffes and pet farm animals. Sometimes I have to take a step back to remember how truly spectacular our zoo is. It's magical for kids and adults alike. If you time your visit with the keeper talks then you're always going to see something memorable. The food and drinks are spendy and not much worth it. We usually pack water bottles and a picnic lunch. Here are my food/drink hints. - The best elephant ears are by the elephants - You can eat a picnic lunch inside the aviary cafe and don't need to purchase food to use the tables there. - Elephant Ear window (adjacent to Growlers pizza near the elephant exhibit) is usually a quick place to refill a drink for $1 - If the online orders are working you can pay for your drink refill online and skip the line in the Aviary Cafe and walk right up to the soda machines, but sometimes the payment doesn't work and you get an error. - Not all food and drink vendors are open every day and some of the food carts serve limited menus at some times. This appears to be scheduled according to traffic history. Other tips - Outside food and drink is fine - There are paid lockers near the entrance you can store your lunch bags, etc. inside so you don't have to haul them around - The zoo does not own their parking lot and it is pay to park. For ease, download the Parking Kitty app before arriving SENSORY ISSUES:::: Did you forget your noise canceling headphones? Is the sun so bright that you can smell it? This zoo is super accommodating and has available for check out "sensory bags" with headphones, sunglasses, fidgets and more. Ask at reception near the entrance. Zones with excessive sounds or echos are also marked with a headphone plaque. I literally just changed my review from 3 stars to 4 stars as I remembered this. Check out the pictures. You're going to love them.

They take good care of their animals, they train them & you can tell they actually care about the ecosystem. I felt safe, comfortable & I felt the animals were happy, They also save animals and rescue & those are the animals they have in their zoo which makes me happy, They save ones that wouldn't survive in the wild on their own.

My family and I had a great time today visiting the zoo for the time since moving to WA. I have a 6 month old baby who also enjoyed her visit. Overall, our experience was awesome. A few things I thought that I could be better or suggest. The exhibits are extremely small. You can barely walk in them, especially with your stroller, and you can't leave your stroller outside because you are walking through to exhibit and on to the next one, etc. A side peak note, though we thought the bathrooms were very clean but need more locations. I think more food options would be nice. I think they need more electric scooters because my mom couldn't get one even arriving early. The second option they give you is a wheelchair, which is just outrageous, way too many hills and walking for that !

The Oregon Zoo is okay, but our trip was cold and miserable. Not enough heated sheltered areas if its raining during Zoo lights. I'm not a fan of seeing caged animals.

Came here on the Friday before labor day weekend and it surprisingly wasnt too crowded. I had booked our tickets online so it was an easy entry with our QR code from the email they had sent. The one way design made it easy to navigage and see all the animal exhibits. I honestly found this Zoo to be rather small in comparison to the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo and not as exciting. The bird area only had 4 birds inside. I'm not sure if they flew away or if thats how many they usually have in there. The monkeys were active and we were able to see the mama and baby up close which was cool. The landscaping was very well done, so kudos to their gardeners for making everything look good. Food options are limited! We walked to the main food area to find only personal sized pizza options and then further down they had some fried food like chicken tenders and hamburgers that didnt look too good. We decided to try the pizza's which the cashier already had ready and handed to me so they already weren't fresh and had been sitting there for awhile. The dough was extremely hard and even my toddler refused to eat the pizza. I think they use the frozen kind and just reheat it. Anyways, not worth the $12 a pizza they're charging. Please plan to pack your own lunch and snacks. Shoutout to Zed's fresh ice cream truck which was the only item delicous and convinentely located next to the carousel. It did take awhile for us to get our ice cream since they mix in the fruit each time based on the flavor you choose (strawberry, blackberry or blueberry). We enjoyed the strawberry flavor and loved it! Also annoying that you have to pay an additional fee ($4-5) per person to take the train ride and carousel. Parking also isn't free and has to be paid through the Parking Kitty app or pay stations and is $2hr. I think they have a free shuttle bus from the park area if you're looking to save a few bucks.

This was a really fun zoo. It's a little outside downtown Portland but worth the trip. They have polar bears, brown bears and mountain goats - some of my favorite animals of all time.

Good zoo animals are well taken care of. I liked the orangutan, bald eagles and giraffe the best. The food stands are all pretzels pizza and typical type of tourist stuff. One thing I didn't know is they do not sell tickets at the park. You have to buy them online for time slots. They have a QR code there so you can use your smartphone and enter your card through that system. That was a little annoying. The parking lot is $2 an hour. It's a nice zoo and a good place to visit in Portland.

aviary cafe: buffalo chicken wrap- be warned. the sauce is too salty and they douse the chicken and lettuce. cannot be enjoyed. the zoo itself is nice but the food is absolute unacceptable. if i knew they did not check bags, i would have brought my own sandwich! the rest of zoo is fun! bring your own food!!!

This zoo is tiny but mighty! I love that they have elephants on display as well as chimps, the latter of which I have never seen before in person. If you go fast you can probably see everything in under an hour, but I don't suggest rushing. They have tons of stuff for the kids and the exhibits are well maintained. Definitely take your kids here if you're in the Portland area.

Parking is pretty busy but there's a lot of traffic so you're usually able to find some thing in the main lot I didn't take us very long to get a parking spot even though it's at the law was full. Does he was very cool with different stations and a big round about to get in and out it took us about an hour and 45 minutes going out a decent place to get through the whole thing because the babies nap time is coming up . Our favorite thing was seeing the elephants do tricks and some around in the water, but also called to see the rhinos, giraffes, tigers, and all the other animals there . Our baby had a lot of fun. In terms of food, we paid about $33 for 29 inch pizzas, sparkling water, and a soda. The pizzas weren't anything special but they weren't bad, considering we were expecting pretty low quality overprice food for a venue such as this. The pizzas were not very crispy, but weren't super soggy and the toppings for holding pretty well so the slice held together. The vegetarian pizza it was OK I had an interesting creamy sauce, but I think I prefer the pepperoni pizza between the two .

While planning our family trip to Portland, my son was adamant about providing his input pertaining to family activities. At the top of his list was to visit the Oregon Zoo, which I was not initially thrilled about. Aside from the "political" reasons why some folks dislike zoos (think animal activist), I feel like once you've seen elephants & tigers, you've seen them all. However, within reason, my wife and I have started leaning into allowing my son to weigh in on certain decisions...so Oregon Zoo it was! After using a QR code to purchase tickets on my phone, we entered the beautiful Oregon Zoo. The first thing that I noticed is how much space this zoo has (yes I know that this is relative to what you are comparing it against); because of this, you can view the animal areas from numerous viewpoints (perfect for those animals that are being antisocial by hiding in corners). Similar to most zoos, each exhibit has fun facts to make it a learning experience for both you (yes it's cool for adults to learn new things) and your child/children (if applicable). One of the coolest exhibits that we saw was the Lamprey exhibit; although they do not pose as a threat to humans (at least that's what they say), Lampreys have a mouth that would terrify most people. One of the cutest things that we saw was an Orangutan grab a throw blanket that was within its enclosure (while holding its baby in another hand), swing to the bottom of the enclosure, and wrap itself and the baby in the blanket (I included a pic within my review)! Since it was a Thursday morning, the zoo was fairly empty. Which allowed for us to fully absorb each exhibit without feeling like we were preventing others from enjoying their experience. Also, staff were very friendly and did a great job of not only providing background about certain animals and their interactions with zoo staff, but also in answering questions from the audience. I was astounded by how cheap this zoo is, we paid a total of $36 for the three of us (for some reason I was under the impression that it would be at least $40 per person). I highly recommend Oregon Zoo!

tl,dr: It's a nice zoo. Likes: + Misters. Rejuvenating water sprays spread throughout the zoo. Marvelous idea for those hot days. + Very helpful and kind staff members. + I think it's the first time seeing bats at a zoo. + Big helpful maps placed throughout the zoo. + Nice fun place to spend with family and friends. Non-likes: - Only one exotic animal of each type. Like only one tiger. I wanted to see many tigers. - Conflict between image and description for the impala (see photo). Desc says an impala eye can see at least 180°, yet the image clearly shows less than 180°. - Almost all the animals are lethargic. I wish to see them active, how smart they are at solving problems, how they behave in a community of their own kind. - The feeding times or show times are far between. For example, there is only 1 or 2 otter feeding times in a day. So if you missed a showtime, you'd have to return another day, which I don't have time for. - No anteater. UCI! Zot zot zot!

(Warning: I may have gone on a bit of a tangent here about how my visit to this zoo made me feel in regards to my personal feelings/beliefs. If you are looking for a review that leans more towards comparing this zoo to other zoos, you may want to look elsewhere.) I'll be honest, I haven't be to very many zoos in my life (3-4 maybe?) so my expectations might be a little off. I appreciate the effort that the zoo goes through in educating people throughout their experience. The layout of the zoo seemed pretty well organized with the way they want the foot traffic to go and what not (and the day I went it was crowded). That being said, my main problem was more so with the lack of space, crowding, and/or treatment of the animals at the zoo. I visited this zoo during the summer and it was very sunny and hot. I was definitely sweating at certain times and there wasn't a lot of cover when walking around. I feel like that would be hard coming from the PNW where we get a lot of rain, but like I said, it wasn't an issue for me as it was sunny. Well.. it didn't bother me in the way that you would think. What did bother me was thinking about how if I was struggling with the heat myself, I could only imagine how much the animals living in colder habitats must've felt! There were polar bears with barely any water (like kitty pool sized ponds that were pretty much dried up from the summer heat), no cover for the bears in the outdoor areas (at all), and they looked so miserable. There was one bear that was hiding inside and there was one small enclosed cube where they had a fan in the crammed enclosure. The bear was just sitting in front of the fan looking like it was melting. It was honestly depressing knowing that crowds of humans were paying to go watch these animals that were taken from their habitats and noticeably suffering. I suppose if it looked liked the animals were enjoying their life, running around, and happy, then I'd feel less bad about it, but like I said, they looked miserable. Just thinking about the fact that polar bears live in the Antarctic and are surrounded by oceans and ice, but at most they had dried out pools and a fan here, just seemed like a mockery. Something else depressing I noticed was that there were social animals that usually live together in groups (e.g. elephants) that were isolated to themselves. I just thought about how we as humans went through Covid, a time when we had to quarantine and all the craziness/depression/mental health issues we went through from being stuck at home... and now these animals are stuck in these tiny enclosures where they can't get out, but also don't have very many ways to socialize. They have to deal with the isolation for the rest of their lives, while we only had to deal with the large part of Covid for a few years. I tried to remind myself that a lot of these animals were potentially rescues or hurt in some ways that we had to care for them. However looking it from a lens of us helping the animals doesn't make up for it in my opinion. If you're really caring about the animals, want to make sure they're living healthy and happy lives, then why are you housing these animals in habitats that are so different than what they're used to? Why can't you move animals like polar bears to somewhere colder like Canada? Why can't you find locations for them that have cheaper land costs and more space for them to move around? Well, unfortunately with out patrons and ticket sales, zoos can't make any money... and places with cheaper locations usually are less dense and therefore have less people to purchase zoo tickets. That's just my personal guess as answers to my questions, so don't take my word for it if it doesn't make sense to you. Overall, I don't think I would return to this zoo if given the opportunity. As I stated, it wasn't an enjoyable experience for me and somewhat depressing to watch. The visit just made me feel like I was taking advantage of these animals for my own enjoyment. However, I give this place a 2/5 instead of a 1/5 because I'm sure that this zoo compared to others is probably better in some ways.

A MUST see if you're visiting and if you're a local, you need to go. Gone, long gone, is the seemingly all uphill cement zoo of my trips as a youth! It has been replaced by a sheer masterpiece of design. You enter through an open air admission area and are immediately greeted by very helpful and zoo personnel. The zoo is designed for you to follow a beautiful pathway that meanders from exhibit to exhibit. The path has been landscaped with beautiful trees that provide a canopy of shade. The path is relatively flat, so most folks can handle the path easily. The habitats are beautiful and well designed. There is a carousel and zoo train, which are an extra cost. Our trip to the zoo was a big hit with the whole family. We have found the zoo staff and volunteers are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the animals and their habitat. There were just a couple of disappointments this trip. We go as soon as the gates open at 9:00 AM and sadly, the food vendors don't open until 10:00 AM. There's also no place to get a yummy cup of coffee or a latte. This is nearly unforgivable in the PNW! The other super negative experience was the carousel operator accusing us of not paying for our tickets. It was bizarre and she was VERY rude. A stark contrast to literally every other zoo employee we encountered.

This was our first time back since Covid ran its course. I bought tickets online & because I have assistance I utilized the discount I would get. Not really making the ticket purchase much cheaper. Everything is timed- so you have to be in by your time and have your ticket ready to be scanned. I got lucky as I had my "benefit" card on me. However you will need to show that proof when you get scanned in. If I could just make a statement- there are a lot of families who receive some sort of assistance within our state of Oregon- it's sometimes degrading and just makes individuals like myself feel annoyed when you hear the ticket taker- can I see your documentation that you used to get the discount! Y'all could use some training on talking to customers a lot better than I was talked to! You could also think about a different system for that whole thing and showing proof. Luckily I had the card on me but usually I don't as I'm not needing it. Zoo animals were out on display. Lots of great photos and things to do. The gift shop was slammed with a giant line and they had one cashier working- it was also hot as heck in there. More cooler outside than inside. As someone who works in the social work field I think the zoo could use some equity course. Also the prices for anything and everything there are insanely high. I feel sorry for those who really can't afford it.

The Oregon Zoo is a delightful walking exercise and the parking lot is crowded but doable. The food is good.

Amazing zoo! Lots too see and enjoy with kids. Just beware that there's a lot of walking so come prepared. All animals looked healthy and happy which was good. Not many things to eat or drink so bring your own stuff. One cafe that they have inside was closed I wish I had got some coffee. Overall, fun place.

I love the Oregon zoo. I've been coming since I was a little girl and still come as an adult. Over the years a lot has changed and although some really hate it, I love it. Theres still stuff here from the 90s but moved around and in new spots (like the jeep) and a lot of the exhibits have grown in size. So there is fewer animals but so much more to see. I'd suggest bringing in your own lunch to the zoo, the food options suck, are expensive and often times the cafes are closed. They also have a new baby orangutan! Joelle! come see her. The zoo is accommodating and has wheelchair ramps, large spots for viewing for all heights and plenty of room for wheelchairs, strollers and other wheels. If you have a sensory processing I recommend a mid week around 12. The zoo is almost always empty at this time!

Ever since this pandemic thing started things have been a little out of whack. Things seem to be on the upswing (hopefully) but my kids and I had been wanting to go back to the zoo for a looooong time. The last time we were there was for the drive-through Zoo Lights Christmas 2020...which by the way was better than expected. On Sunday ( 6-13-2021) my son and I were able to finally visit again. We got a time stamp entry for 10:10 am, and arrived on time. It was overcast and a little drizzly, but we didn't care. After all we are Oregonians. In fact I wore shorts. We entered and they scanned my phone for the barcode. Easy peasy. Everything was amazing. Most of the animals were out and enjoying the moist air. We were excited to see the elephant exhibit that had been completed. We also liked the covered area around the Polar Bear exhibit. We used this area to enjoy our picnic lunch that we had. The time stamp system seemed to me like a bad thing, but in the end it made the flow much better and the traffic wasn't nearly as bed as a usual weekend. Looking forward to many more visits this summe

My first visit to the Oregon Zoo was a great one! There was a lot of construction going on, but it did not bother me. I love the vibe of the zoo. It has a Pacific Northwest feel to it because it has tall forest trees and wooden bridges. There were so many awesome animals to see! We enjoyed the otters, polar bears, penguins, and the lions. There is a huge area with multiple elephants and there are a handful of lions. It is a very walkable zoo with a lot to see. Parking was easy and quick. We did not get any food there, but we did get Portland Coffee Roasters coffee. I highly recommend their coffee because it is delicious. We had so much fun at this zoo. I have zero complaints about the zoo visit and would love to go back when I visit Portland again!

Had such a good time visiting the zoo for the first time. I was concerned due to it being a warm day, but there was some great shade. Animals were fairly active and we got a lot of great photos. I was not a fan of paid parking or the appointment type entry but other than that I had a great time

What a great time to be had! My family and I enjoyed the zoo immensely! We were even able to see some of the Christmas lights. We went on Veteran's Day (for free!!) since my partner is retired military and there were tons of people with their kids (like us). We got in right when the park opened, which in retrospect I feel was a good call-as we left the parking lot was packed and lines out the gate. It was a blustery day so I'm really glad we dressed warm. A lot of the animals were huddled together sleeping or in the warmer parts of their dens, so we couldn't always see them (such as the giraffes). The only disappointing thing was missing the polar bears. I don't know if they were moved or just somewhere inside, but we couldn't spot them anywhere. My child was beyond excited to see all of the animals, especially the water ones. She passed out in the stroller before we finished the park. I call that a win. It was the first time my daughter and I had visited this zoo and I was impressed at the upkeep and the touches. And bigger than I expected. We never went on the train since it was 40 degrees out, but next time for sure!

The Oregon Zoo is the best zoo I've ever been to and my favorite place to go in the Portland area. The care for the animals is evident and they're constantly improving to make sure they're giving the animals a great life. The animals here are ones that have been rehabbed and couldn't survive in the wild. Wear good walking shoes because it's a nice long walk through all the exhibits. They give keeper talks and have scheduled feedings you can watch. Also, follow them on social media because they have great content and I love the puns! I do wish they still had a sloth on display. Josie was out during some of the COVID years, but is no longer on display, which makes me sad. I think she's used as an educational animal, though, so I get it. You can tell the animals are the most important part of this zoo, but they also have great food cart options and host many events! I go to zoo lights every year, but have also been to Brew Lights and have heard great things about their Howloween. Check it out and if you get a membership, you can go as often as you want and it pays for itself! It also gives you a discount on purchases at the zoo and they have other local attractions each month you can use your membership toward, too!

Honestly loved this place ! Visiting Oregon for the first time with my little family and came here only spent $60 for 2 adult admissions and 2 adult train rides (our infant was free) they had so many animals and a beautiful eating area , all in all had an amazing experience. The food was a little pricey but there were options

Had an amazing time at the zoo. Very easy to get too and lots of parking. I also was surprised that a lot of the animals were out and didn't have to search the entire enclosure.