ZooTampa at Lowry Park

This zoo is amazing! We took our grandsons and his family for an early birthday gift. The boys had a blast seeing the animals, going on a personal elephant visit, and they had rides like a roller-coaster. This was the middle grandsons first coaster ride and he wanted to get back in line for the front. The food they serve was pretty good too. The zoo was clean and the staff are polite. The one fun time was visiting the sting ray exhibit, and you could touch the rays.

I had a very good experience at ZooTampa. The zoo is clean, well organized, and easy to walk around. There is a large variety of animals, and many of the exhibits are spacious and well maintained. It’s great for families and adults alike. I especially liked the larger animals and the Florida wildlife section. The staff were friendly, and the overall atmosphere was pleasant. The only downside is that there were no snakes or many small reptile/amphibian species, which would have made the experience even better. Overall, it’s definitely worth visiting if you’re in Tampa!

The weather was perfect. We arrived shortly after the gates opened, and didn't feel crowded at any area of the property. Ray was very educational and funny on the African Safari tour while Sam stopped at perfect spots to view the animals. There were misting stations located around the park, for the hotter days. Plenty of food and drink choices, including Frostys.

Had a very nice time. It took about 3 hrs to get through the park. Was disappointed there weren't any gorillas but the orangutans were amazing. Good variety of primates. Most of then were active & fun to watch. The staff were amazing, so friendly and helpful. The only con was some windows needed cleaning and there was lots tfeces & urine on the floors. Can definitely recommend a visit .

A fun day for the kids and parents too! The dinosaur expedition is a big hit for the boys. A wonderful playground which is safe and out of the sun so great to play in the summer time. The water splash zone is a great way to end the day. We love our season pass and go there often. The animals are so fun to watch. Best Zoo ever!

Great visit to the zoo! I used to take my son here, now I take my granddaughter. I did get the yearly pass, it's a good way to save $ if you plan to come often. We did the add on experience to feed a rhino- she loved it.

We had a great time here! We bought annual passes. The price is great. Food was sorta pricey but the portions are big. Cocktails are priced fairly, if you're interested. This is our first time here and we picked up some pointers for next time. We will definitely pack a picnic lunch and eat outside in the picnic area to save some money. Where is super happy we purchased the passes and will be using them often.

Today my grandson and I enjoyed a full day and did not see everything. We purchased the one day with all 2026 admission included. The Christmas holiday permeates the zoo that is usually open til 5pm with special evening holiday event by separate admission or members free We loved the Aftica section with elephants, white rhinos, hippos, giraffes, and less usual a smiles like Okapi and Tapir. We were sad that the train was not working today but my grandson loved the children’s ride with Outback cars and banana airplane ride. The carousel with a dragon and elephant were a hit. Over and over The areas for animals were divided by continent and with a Florida section. Several food selections offered pizzas, popcorn, canned alcohol, bottle beverages often in 100% recycled containers. I found a hot dog eatery with hot dogs and sausage under $11. Delicious Men’s women’s and family Restrooms were located throughout the park, with a dedicated wheel chair accessible stall with grab bars and 4ftx6 ft space. Restroom doors were push and heavy to open. A touch pad opening would be helpful for some visitors inc the woman in a wheelchair that I held the door for— and she agreed about the touch pad. The zoo is mostly accessible except at some rides and kids playground. Today 3 employees went above and beyond. LAURA at customer service understood my mistake in not bringing my phone charger and charged my phone so I could drive my electric vehicle. JACOB at Kona Ice answered my question about their service project. he talked so proudly about Kona Ice that I thought he was the owner, but he is a proud employee. CARLO was the most awesome docent at the giraffes. My grandson got a blister and crying hysterically near one of the shops. DESTINEY offered bandaids and ointment. She maintained complete calm while he screamed, with no judgement. She asked if he wanted some ice cream and gave him a small amount. That gesture really comforted him. Great experience today. Just be aware, the exit is through the gift shop

Okay, yes, I did get engaged at ZooTampa, so I might be a little biased, but honestly? This place is fantastic and I love animals nearly as much at my partner. ZooTampa isn't just a zoo, it's a wildlife conservation hub helping endangered animals both here in Florida and around the world. Every exhibit is worth checking out, but the manatee care and rehab talk totally stole the show for me. Big floating sea potatoes getting spa treatments and lotsa food?! I love it.

It's so nice that we have a zoo right here in Tampa -- it's not huge compared to the more popular ones out there (like ZooMiami here in Florida... and nothing can compare to San Diego Zoo), but it's a great way to spend a couple of hours, especially when we have beautiful cooler weather in the winter. You can easily see every exhibit in half of a day, and it's a clean, well-maintained place. But the main reason we go to the zoo as often as we do is because of the splash pad, since the vast majority of the year, it's quite warm. My toddler LOVES the splash pad. We have decent splash pads at some Hillsborough parks, of course, but the zoo's is huge in comparison (and has some nice shaded areas too). It's located in the Australia section, which has all of the kiddie rides, so needless to say, it's the area of the zoo we frequent the most. Also, they have a Wendy's Frosty truck and a Planet Smoothie bar in this area if you want a little treat for yourself while your kids tire themselves out ;) They also do some holiday events, including Creatures of the Night throughout October and Christmas in the Wild in November and December. They are included in the cost of admission (if you have a Zoo Fun ticket - more on that below) so you don't have to pay extra for the events. I haven't done the Halloween one yet, but for Christmas time, it's really nice to be able to walk around and see the lights in the evenings. The Zoo Fun ticket is their "pay for a day, get the rest of the year free" ticket (currently $52; single-day admission is the exact same price, by the way). Pretty pricey by zoo standards, considering ZooMiami is much bigger and about $25 cheaper, but at least here you get a whole year. We've been using the Zoo Fun tickets, which come with a handful of blackout days for spring break and the week between Christmas and the new year... However, starting in January 2026, parking will sadly no longer be free -- so we'll fork over more money for a membership pretty soon. Not going to lie, I'm pretty bummed about this development, but not enough to stop going.

We love going to the zoo! Getting the annual membership is the way to go if you live close by since a regular price ticket per person is around $50. I love that parking is always free! They have the membership parking which is next to the entrance but also a huge lot across the street. We love the splash pad there and the carousel. Yes - they are both free with your ticket! So fun for the little ones! There are also playgrounds for bigger and younger toddlers as well. I took a star off because depending on when you come, there may not be a lot of animals to see. I went one time on a weekday in November and we barely saw any animals out. Also I am not a fan of the food here so we always pack our own food and we are allowed to bring it in.

I went to the zoo specifically to take part in their rhino experience, which was tremendous. The keepers were lovely and informative. The encounter was well worth the price, but I was almost late for it because security and check-in took upwards of 20 minutes, and then since I'm not familiar with the zoo, a few more to find where I was supposed to wait. All in all, I would definitely do it again, but I would build more time in for myself!

Came to the zoo finally after living in Tampa for almost 7 years. Took out a pass for when my family visits. Had a great time! Saw a lot of great animals that were up close but the habitats felt natural. Loved the layout of the zoo and variety of exhibits. They also offer misters throughout the park, which was fantastic. Additionally, they offered a variety of food and beverage stations.

I was happy to pay the admission because of the good work they do keeping animals from extinction ,like the red wolf, and manatees. The layout is odd, there are alot of disconnects, dead ends, and double backs. Indian crocs are super creepy, don't look like Florida alligators at all. They also are endangered so I am glad they are safe here. The highlight for us was the Florida panthers, gorgeous cats.

Second time here. Making use of the annual pass The Flamingos are hard to find! Ask for help from the staff because construction made it hard to get to. The Tiger looked really skinny today. Hope it's okay. Giraffes were not out this afternoon.

We have been here many times. This is one of the better zoos we have visited. It's got everything you would expect from every type of animal to a train and even a splash area. It's not very large but it is dense. Prices are around $40 per person.

I love the Tampa Zoo and their splash pad! It's such a fun place to take my kids -- they never get tired of it. The animals are always great to see, and the splash pad is perfect for cooling off on hot Florida days. We visit often and always have a great time!

I absolutely love zoos and my zootampa experience was very enjoyable. I purchased my tickets online so I was able to go straight to the gate. They do bag check so if you don't have a bag make sure to go to the side line so you're not held up in security line. The zoo is well laid out into different lands and you can take your time going through each section. I did the giraffe encounter and we were able to get up close and personal. We learned about the giraffes we were feeding and could ask questions. The staff was very knowledgeable. I purchased two encounter tickets and was able to get a refund for my friend that couldn't make it. They had a safari ride that you got to see the backside of the zoo and hear about the different animals. I thought them having a log ride was actually a nice way to cool down at the zoo. The zoo is clean, animals are kept safe.

I absolutely love ZooTampa. The staff is always so nice and knowledgeable. The zoo is clean and easy to get in and out of the different attractions. They have a new dinosaur exhibit that is super fun for your little ones.

The zoo has membership and accessible parking available closer to the zoo main entrance. The staff are friendly, the zoo keepers are attentive and knowledgeable about their aspect area and animals. The animals seem content and I got many great photos. Many rides are both children and family oriented, also have a mini splash zone. Fast counter food services, cart and cafe are throughout the zoo. The zoo hosts special seasonal events and open for private parties as well! The zoo is absolutely a gem in the TampaBay area!

We had such a wonderful time at the zoo. The exhibits are designed in a way that allows visitors to get a good, close look at some of the animals, and the layout was really thoughtful with a clear attention to user/visitor experience--fans all over, entertaining activities while waiting in line, diverse array of ways to engage with the displays...looking forward to visiting again!

Love this place it's the best with its new renovations happening! The morning brunch event it is worth a chance to try!

Another great experience at the zoo. The only thing I would change is the passes. I would prefer they allow for multiple if you have a family plus pass (they always ID anyways). Besides this, there is so much to see from elephants to storks to rays and such. The workers around the park are amazing! We love that they are all over the place and super knowledgeable about the animals. This kids love to ask questions. The safari was closed due to some new animals acclimating (which we completely understand), we look forward to coming back as the safari is super cute and fun! We also love the dinosaur exhibit. The kids love all the animatronics. Such and fun and cute place to visit!

My family of 3 literally opened and closed the park! There are two splash pad areas and two dry playgrounds. There are 4 rides, a carousel, and 3 other rides with a minimum height requirement of 30 inches. One water ride, toddler friendly cruising rides and one mini coaster for young children. All included with admission! I would recommend visiting Africa in the early morning hours as the is side of the park has much less shade then the rest of the park. When we were visiting they also had a Dino expedition which was amazing! We had seen similar exhibits at other zoos and they really out did themselves with the landscaping felt like you were transported back in time. I also heard there are two scavenger hunt opportunities which there is a gift but cannot confirm as we did not participate. I would recommend a ton of sunscreen, bringing our own water, and dress for the heat!

I love the zoo! I actually havent been here in years, but decided to come last weekend. Super fun! Quite pricier than I remember, but thats to be expected. The zoo has had a lot of improvements in the last 5+ years. They had a wide variety of animals to see and they just reopened their sting ray tank! We got to feed them which was fun. There are lots of interactive shows and keep talks, so be sure to plan around those if you are interested in learning more about the animals. All of the facilities are well kept and the overall maintenance of the park is in great shape. They are still making more improvements and are opening the Australia area soon. That was closed when we went, so I would like to come back to see it when its open! You can plan animal encounters, so stop by and feed the lorikeets. I loved the aviary you can get up close to the birds which is fun! All the animals looked so happy and it was super fun to see them all!

We thoroughly enjoyed this zoo. It was clean and didn't have the animal smell that I dislike at the zoo. There weee plenty of animals to see. The rides made the visit more fun. My kid loved the tiger coaster. I think she rode it 8 times. We also loved the splash pad and the log ride. The icing on the cake was the safari tour that was included in the admission. We will be going back.

There are several areas divided by either geography or kinds of animals. Each of these areas also contains rides and attractions of differing sorts. I have pictures of the zoo map so you can see for yourselves what is where. All kinds of photo ops that'll set you back 25 bucks plus if you wanna tacky wacky souvenir. As for getting in, it'll cost $47.95 for a day but that'll last you till year's end. Knock off 4 bucks or so with the coupons and discounts but you can't come back after the day is done. If you live in the greater Tampa area, then it may be worth the extra few bucks to get in again. Since this is the time of year that I fast, I wondered whether there'd be any began or vegetarian options. I wound up with a caprese grilled cheese sammich from a grab & go vendor in the Australia part of the zoo. The main restaurant has veggie burgers, and different pizza or salad options are scattered about the park as well. $13 for that grilled cheese sammie, BTW. The rides in there are geared more toward the younger "explorers" among us, so don't go expecting a huge thrill or adrenaline rush. All in all there's a whole array of different animals (what one should expect at a zoo) and a few themed zones with the kitschy decors to match. Of course, just like that rascally rodent about 60 miles up I-4, there's a gift shop at the exit from every kingdom or area in da joint. If you're going with a herd of kids, about a month's mortgage payment will get you in, fed, hydrated and souvenired out. Hey: what more could one want? Did I mention free parking too???

Very clean, the weather is nice. Many animals to see. Map was good too. so was the floor ig?

I love this zoo. You could spend a whole day here. We were there for 2.5 hours and only went to two of the areas (Australia, where they have some fun rides for kids ~8 and under) and the monkeys. Membership would be well worth it.

We got rained on but we still had lots of fun. My 1 year old was able to enjoy some of the rides and they even have a playground designated for her age group. We can't wait to go back and enjoy the splash pad area!

Went to ZooTampa brunch today for my father's birthday - stunning! Food was amazing, had a wide selection to choose from. Decorations were super cute, and who doesn't love looking outside at giraffes and elephants while eating breakfast

Their website says this year is bigger and better. We've been coming to the Christmas event for a couple years and honestly it seems like it was smaller than usual. The Christmas trees they'd have decorated by the giraffes in the Africa exhibit weren't out this year. The little snack stalls in their 'north pole' section were missing this year as well. It doesn't seem like they added really anything, but they definitely removed stuff. Kind of disappointing this year.

Some nice animals, but the River otter enclosure was FILTHY, so full of algae you couldn't even see in, disgusting water. We had just been to Mote Marine Aquarium a few days ago and they had a MUCH BETTER area, nice and clean and clear. I felt bad for the otters here! I did enjoy seeing the Manatees and koalas tho

VIP Zoo Brews Beer Wine Spirits and food. Amazing food and drinks plus music. Be a VIP gift, early entry, lots of food and great company. Got to see the animals out and about.

Nice place. Free parking they have food here a great place to for spring in Tampa and lot of trees

Took our 4 year old grandson since he loved the National Geographic special about Zoo Tampa. Everything was open except for the flume ride, which never seems to be operating when we're there, why? Coming in 2026 is a huge manatee viewing exhibit. You can spend easily three hours or more in the zoo. Food and drink options are limited and not all stands are open throughout the zoo. My grandson especially loved feeding the rays. Worth it to buy the fish to do this.

This was our first time visiting Tampa Zoo. Parking lot was completely full, however by the time we got there, some people were leaving so it was just a matter of time before we were able to get a spot. We were pleased at the ease of entry (we prebought our tickets). The zoo is beautifully landscaped throughout. The animals looked happy and well taken care of. We did stop for a bite to eat at the outpost building. The workers were super friendly and helpful. The food was actually pretty good. We loved the scenery here. The zoo was clean and workers all friendly. The habitats were beautiful as well. We loved how the landscaping kept the walking paths shaded and cool. The only reason I am giving 4 stars because there were quite a few animals we did not see. Some were not out (with a sign), others were nowhere to be found. I would go here again and I do recommend!

Zoo Tampa is so fun! It's a small zoo associated with the AZA. They focus on rehabilitation programs and really care about the health and wellbeing of the animals. I always have a great experience at zoo Tampa. I've been a member for about 3 years now and I can go as much as I want and bring a guest. Being a member you also get discounts and sometimes free admission to other AZA places such as the Boston museum of science and the Seattle zoo.

We simply love this zoo! We could walk all day here with the kids and never run out of something to do. It's crazy to me that they could have so much in such a small city park. Some of our favorites are the penguins and the monkeys but it's all great. Their seasonal events are not to be missed and we will be getting an annual membership again soon. Even on bad days, you can find parking easily in the overflow lots. I recommend becoming a pass holder.

Visiting Zoo Tampa brought back memories as a child when I would visit with family. So much has changed for the better with the addition on a splash pad for all to enjoy year round. And of course, the various animal exhibits such as the flamingos, skunk, black bear, manatee rescue pools, and many more of your favorites. An all-time favorite no matter your age is the carosal located in the center of Zoo Tampa. Another great addition is the variety of food choices from burgers, salads, kid meals, vegan options, and much more. In addition to various beverage options of beer, wine, fountain drinks, ice cream, and much more. Along with the option of indoor and outdoor dining experience. It's definitely a good time to be had by all np matter the age and great for group tours to get a peek of the behind the scenes of Zoo Tampa and how they operate and care for the various animals.

What a great experience with the fam! I didn't know what to expect at first but I'm so happy we went here. They have so many animals to look at it. The zoo is a decent size too so you'll be busy most of the time looking at different animals. If my memory is correct the zoo is divided into 5 different territories. They have a Florida wildlife, Africa, Asia, Australia and waterfall area. All have their unique animals found in these continents. They also have food and drinks! I didn't really get to try any food because I was much thirstier than hungry lol but I did notice a pizza place. They also have games which you can win prizes such as stuffed animals and toys. You can purchase bubble guns for the kids and so much more. Overall our experience was great despite it feeling in the high 80s!

This zoo is perfect for families with younger children! The size isn't overwhelming, there's ample shade, all your animal "favorites" are there, and there's a sizable kid's area complete with rides and splash pad (all free!). They even have a dinosaur exhibit set up right now with the most "life-like" recreations of the towering giants I've seen to date (be warned, smaller children may be frightened by their movements/sounds). Another feature we encountered were the blue shirt wearing docents. We loved seeing them all wandering around the zoo, as they came in incredibly handy in answering any questions we came up with (including some of those more random musings that can come out of a five year old like, "when's his birthday", "what's his name", and "how big does it poop"). One named Susan was especially helpful in answering all the girls' questions about the various apes, and she even helped us again when the girls saw her later in the day and peppered her with more questions. Try as they might, they couldn't stump her and she remained patient and friendly throughout (which isn't always easy when young kids are involved). Our eldest even asked if she wanted to come home with us and be her friend. The really made our random Tuesday adventure great! All in all, it was a great experience and we hope to be back next time we're in the area. It's not the flashiest zoo, but you'll really enjoy it with your elementary aged children.

Talk about Nostalgia! I haven't been to Lowry Park Zoo in over 30 years (yes, you read that correctly). I have been putting off purchasing annual passes while wanting my children to enjoy the Zoo I grew up with for the past few years since permanently moving back to my home city. Whoa! I'm glad I finally decided to give a try after 3 decades! It's so with the modern experience and a pure family delight. While keeping the tradition of the FL Manatees, panthers and Flamingos alive they have expanded into whole new worlds of discovery. What a super purchase!

Hidden gem for .... Brunch! Yes! Brunch. Fabulous high end brunch then off to see the zoo. Super popular for birthdays there were 4 today!

Well first time going to this zoo and compared to the zoo's up in Chicago like Brookfield zoo which is overrated this was much better and less expensive in Florida. All the animals are a lot more active including the color African dogs and the penguins as well as the hippopotamuses when down here in Tampa Florida I do recommend coming over here sure beats the expense of Brookfield zoo and parking is free and the animals are livelier damn that is awesome they're not sleeping like at the Lincoln Park zoo or they never come out it's likewise with some of the or most of the animals at the Brookfield zoo in Chicago is what I compare this zoo to

2022 & 2023 Love seeing the improvements to the facilities every year we get down there. The staff is great! This year, 2023 we yook part in a couple of the Animal Encounters with the White Rhino and the Manatee Rehabilitation area...the care that the animals receive is amazing. Great exhibits throughout the facility...we always plan on stopping by every trip we get to make to the Tampa area.

This review is solely based on the care of the monkeys. I cannot believe there is cardboard box trash, shipping Amazon boxes to be exact, in the monkey area. The monkeys were eating the cardboard. Such a sad display for my 3 year old. I had no words to describe to him how embarrassing this was to treat a living being in this manner. I'd expect this in a foreign third world country, but Tampa zoo...?! You must do better. I reported it asap to the first agent I saw Andy, and he seemed too busy to care.... I'm saddened my membership, isn't being used for better animal care.

Wow ! Where do I start. The habitats for most of the animals were not good . No lions tigers and only one bear. As a matter of fact only one of many of the animals. Walked and walked around only to see trees and grass. The safari ride was a joke as we pretty much just took a ride to listen to the guide and saw very little of the safari animals. Bottom line for $50 it was surely a ripoff as a visitor from Michigan. It's the worst ZOO I have ever visited and certainly not worth what they charged. Really wanted to get my money back . Rating 00000

We've been twice already and really enjoy it. Great place for a family hang out! My 18 month old loves the zoo, and splash pad in the Australia zone. The animals look very well taken care of, staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. The zoo is well kept and easy to navigate. It's a smaller zoo, so you can easily explore the whole zoo in a couple hours. Great workout as well. The food looks good (haven't tried yet) and plenty of sitting areas with shade. My only complaint is that both times we went various sections were closed off/temporarily closed. Didn't matter for my husband and I because we got the annual pass, but my parents didn't get the full experience with so many closures.

Great zoo! Lots of animals , free carousel ride. The kids loved getting Icecream. The animals were active and easy to see. Definitely a nice zoo to visit. My toddlers enjoyed it!

I have quite a few toddler nieces and nephews and the zoo always seems like a great idea to do with the kids. What I love is they offer an annual pass for the same price as a single day's admission. So now every time my 2 year old nephew is with me, he wants to go to the zoo. By the second visit he had the layout memorized. The zoo is a great time in the summer months, but not so much once the temperatures drop. All the animals are placed in hiding and it just feels like you're getting your steps in for the day in nature.

While vacationing in Tampa, my family and I decided to check out Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park. This zoo is huge and so much fun. The zoo is broken up into continents, displaying a multitude of animals that are known in each continent. They have one section specifically for Florida and all of the animals that inhabit Florida. As you tour through the zoo, they have a multitude of signs that help you learn more about each animal and the implementation of the zoo itself. My favorite part was seeing the manatees swimming around, enjoying the summer sun. They also have rides with the zoo that you and your family could ride such as a water pad for the kids, a splash water log mini roller coaster, and a Safari truck that takes you around the section dedicated to animals of Africa. All throughout the park is multiple stations with food, they even have a Wendy's Frosty truck and a Kona Ice truck. This zoo is a great place only for everyone to enjoy.

Soooo many animals to see. Super clean and friendly staff. Great experience for any age!

I came here for a family vacation and it was a great experience. We went for our nieces birthday in October and they had the zoo decorated for Halloween. They had so many animals to look at which made the price worth it. For anyone that has working advantage through their jobs they have a discount. Also, they have a great deal with the reusable cup that you get free refills. They had people dressed up in spooky outfits and had spook walks which made the experience so fun for Halloween. They also had family rides such as the safari tour and the water ride. I would definitely recommend this zoo for a Florida trip with the family

Herding kids and trying to enjoy yourself goes hand in hand here! I brought my 1-year-old daughter mainly for the birds, monkeys, and splash pad. The splash pad is EXCELLENT and conveniently located next to the barn and restaurant. The zoo is very well spaced out, has friendly staff, plenty of trash cans, tons of parking, and great signage. We visited on a Sunday at 10:00 AM, and it was quite crowded, so plan your trip accordingly! Bonus: We are members of the aquarium, which got us 50% off single-day admission. However, this discount does not apply to annual passes.

This is a great zoo, well worth the ticket price, that's nicely laid out so you just follow the path and you'll hit everything. Arrived in the late afternoon and the parking lot was so crowded but surprisingly it wasn't unpleasant in the zoo. The primates were so active and playful. Great viewing areas of the big cats, manatees, tortoises, actually everything!! Stingray exhibit is a nice, new addition. The staff is engaging and willing to answer all your questions. Lots of fun rides and splash pads for little ones. Took a few hours to get through and that's not even hitting "kiddie" rides.

Decided on a Zoo pass for summer and already we have gotten so much use out of it! At first I was a little nervous of how busy it was gonna be over summer but honestly it's been great not to crowded unless your going to watch one of the feedings or Shows. I really miss the Sting Rays but they do say they'll be back soon