This is a true gem. This is one of the nicest zoos that we have ever been to visit. The place is set up very well and it is easy to navigate all three of the areas that make up the zoo. The animals seem to be well cared for and have ample area to roam in, more like a natural habitat than in most zoos, where they seem more like exhibits. This allows them to be themselves, and it is a great sight to see. The landscaping is excellent, easily one of the best jobs anywhere. The entire zoo is awash in colour so vivid that in some walkways the landscaping is the attraction and complements the areas splendidly. The concessions are well placed and decently priced, with friendly staff and a very clean area. There is even an opportunity to feed the giraffes if you are just a bit adventurous. The entire zoo seems to encourage appreciation of the animals and their habitats with an emphasis on education and conservation. The prices for everything from admission to concessions to souvenirs are very reasonable and are a great value for the price. I, and we, would highly recommend this zoo above many others to visit both for the diversity of wildlife and for the beautiful landscaping. This is a definite gem - don't overlook this, treasure it.

Beautiful zoo! Very well kept. We were able to get through the zoo (adults without kids) in 2 hours. I liked how to at this zoo the views of the animals were up close and the way the enclosures are designed gives good viewings of the animals (vs at some zoos it's really difficult to see/find the animals). There's a nice area to sit (and eat) that overlooks the giraffe and elephant area. Would definitely come by again when in the area.

This zoo was a great place to take my family. It is not too large but big enough to have lots of animals with plenty of space them to not be crammed. My girls loved feeding the giraffes as bell as the birds. The Cafe is poised in a good spot to eat and view the giraffes 🦒 and elephants 🐘. My family loves to visit zoos of all sizes around the country and this one is a top performer for the smaller zoos. Will be back in the future for sure

We really enjoy coming here. I don't end up seeing the giraffes around half the time, so I need to figure out their schedule. 😆 My wife always says this zoo is better than the Dallas zoo. Overall, I'm really glad that Tyler has a zoo! We have been here around 5 times, and we have always enjoyed ourselves! We enjoy taking family members and friends here for a nice walk around the zoo. The food is actually pretty good as well!

Always a good time! We've found that the animals seem to be a little more active earlier in the morning, plus it's a lot cooler in the mornings. Great variety of animals especially for right here in town! The family membership is well worth it if you live in or around Tyler.

It’s small but lots to see and I can’t wait till they finish the Amazon River !! The staff are amazing and helpful! Everyone was so friendly! When walking around visiting don’t forget to say Hi to Joe !! He was a friendly staff member ! Great place over all !!

The vision of this place is wonderful. It's as if you were truly in their element. I loved it and will hopefully get to go again soon. They do have a very nice food court with options for all. The gift shop is very nice as well. Over all, very well kept and the animals are thankful as well.

We have visited many zoos across the US including San Diego and the National Zoo in DC and we LOVED the Caldwell zoo. It’s the perfect size - all exhibits are very accessible in a single trip. We enjoyed seeing the animals up close (feeding the giraffes is amazing!) and were able to spend enough time in each section to see the animals go about their routines. The bird feeding area is lovely. Seeing all those colorful birds flit about is sure to bring a smile to your face. This is a fantastic place for kids of all ages (we saw so many families with young kids).

Had the best time ever! What a cool zoo! The entrance is beautiful with lots of steps to climb down. You walk straight into the flamingo exhibit and they are gorgeous and fun. We started at the rhino pin where the handlers were feeding the rhino there. Giraffes, elephants, cool birds! So many things to see. We got to see a beautiful Lion and Lioness, also a white tiger I believe playing with a ball in the water. The penguins are adorable and one continued to play in the water right by the glass. The kids loved these exhibits. Lots and lots of walking, did maybe about 6000 steps. The gift shop was fun and they had lots of options and some really great plushies! They even had small plastic frogs and lizards for 25 cents, so even if the kids don't have a lot of money, they could get a small toy or pencil for under a dollar. 10 out of 10 recommend!

Amazing zoo in Tyler! Lots of parking, stroller friendly, the majority of the walkways are shaded. Paul in the wild bird walkabout was incredible, highly recommend bring $2 to feed the birds; it is $5 to feed the giraffes

We had a blast here! We went in late January on a Tuesday & basically had the place to ourselves. It was a blast. I liked how the zoo was set up & all the different animals that they had. There were a few exhibits closed because of Covid & some because it was Winter. But there was still plenty to see! We actually ended up walking it almost three times! Some of the animals that we didn't see the first walk through, we saw the second. It was great. We also loved their indoor walk through exhibit with all the reptiles. And we were super impressed with their selection & PRICING in their gift shop! Pleasant surprise for sure. The hat that my son is wearing in some of the pictures, is from the gift shop & was under $10! We can't wait to go back.

A few weekends ago, I traveled to Tyler with my mom because my grandpa was in the hospital. Because she was the only one allowed to go inside, I chose to take my daughter to the Caldwell Zoo which was really close to the hospital. We had THE BEST experience! I am normally not a fan of zoos, but the animals were all up close, it wasn't crowded for a Saturday, no fee to park, and it just cleaner than any zoo I've been too! We had such a great time! The owners are doing a GREAT job at this location! I will recommend it to everyone! Also, our favorite part was the Giraffe House! Super cool!

Go in the morning as animals are active and there is less people. Wonderful time and the souvenir shop has a lot of cool items. This is probably the best time I’ve had at a zoo.

The zoo is amazing! Small enough you can be done in 3 hours. Go early to feed the birds so they are not full. Take cash to feed giraffe and birds. It is currently under construction. Multiple "talks/feedings" throughout the day to engage. Fun educational programs.

I visited on a Friday afternoon around 2:15pm. The zoo closes at 3:30 on weekdays. Be prepared for walkways with winding curves and steep inclines. The animals were out and busy for the most part. There were several animal habitats that were empty with no sign explaining why. The zoo needs resources to build up its exhibits, educational offerings, and landscaping. There were plenty of restrooms throughout and a large covered food court with seating near the zebras and elephants. This would work well for a birthday party. There was a lot of unused grounds displaying nothing but tall grasses and trees. This zoo would appeal to young children, the 50+ crowd, or those looking for a good walking or jogging workout.

Even better than I remember in my childhood ❤️ the layout is great for walking with our family and the animals were very well taken care of and diverse. There’s ample, comfortable seating and many shaded areas.

Great medium sized zoo. Perfect for a good day trip. We were surprised and impressed that they have so many elephants,giraffes,and even a beautiful Rhino! Food prices are way too high, and it's sad that we just kind of have to accept it. Really looking forward to seeing the new exhibits and petting zoo or the kids. It's looking great!

We had a nice time. The petting zoo with the goats & sand play area was fun for the kids. The giraffes are beautiful. It only took us 2 hours to see everything & For the 7 of us it was over 100$. We love the animals though so it was worth it:)

Chilly Saturday evening but the animals were out and about. The park enclosures are well maintained and very beautiful. This guy was the highlight of the trip!

Highly recommend this Zoo! They are adding a whole new section and always have everything open. Very kid friendly. Free parking. We love this Zoo 🐘🦒🦁

We moved to Louisiana from Ohio and have always felt a bit spoiled because of the Cincinnati and Columbus zoo, but this one is certainly a fair contender. It's got a few hills, but they're nothing too outrageous, and there's a huge selection of animals sorted into their appropriate countries. My 3&1/2 year old had an absolute blast learning the names of animals she didn't know, and pointing out the new ones. The aviary is SO much fun, especially if you get the seed sticks to entice a few over. They're not all hand-tame, but the parakeets have no shame in landing on the little popsicle stick. Plenty of information readily available, and easy for the little one to notice and ask questions about. We'll absolutely be back!

Very clean and relaxing place.The complete area is well maintained with beautiful gardens and waterfalls in most cages. All animals have enough green areas to stay. We came back home very satisfied to visit Caldwell Zoo. Highly recomendable.

A beautiful easy, walk zoo that offers a family day experience. We mostly liked that one can be very close to seeing the animals. Our family adults and kids loved seeing the elephants and giraffes in a natural environment. The gift shop offers reasonably priced items.

Such a great, family friendly zoo! The grounds(from the parking lot to the entry and beyond!) were kept so clean with flowers blooming everywhere. Felt like a garden! Natural exhibits flow together with plenty of walkway space. The cafe was a hit with outdoor dining tables overlooking the “African Savannah”, containing the giraffes, zebras, lions and gazelles. Another amazing exhibit is next to the penguins; an indoor aviary with brightly colored weaver birds flying over an African cichlid aquarium was definitely a momma favorite that also enticed my toddler. The zoo is not as big, but that worked in our favor as we were able to relax and wind down in the petting zoo and sand box playground. Worth a repeat visit!

A well maintained zoo enabling a very close interaction with wildlife. Appreciate the opportunity to feed birds and Giraffe. We were fortunate to visualize a beautiful interaction between two elephants. I am sure this place will not fail any visitor and kids will have ultimate fun. This is a must go for anyone visiting Tyler!

We had a great time, observing the animals. My grandchildren fed the giraffe. Place was clean, they also had sanitizer around the zoo.

We have been going to The Caldwell Zoo for years, and absolutely love it! It is typically a must when we are in Tyler. It is a smaller zoo, but very well-done and maintained! The enclosures and exhibits are great, and they have a wide assortment of animals for a smaller zoo. I would recommend it to anyone visiting Tyler!

I enjoyed how the zoo has two paths to choose when we entered the zoo. With the two paths you enjoy the animals environment and the children enjoyed the walk. The animals seemed comfortable too. Beautiful children's petting zoo and a parakeet feeding area.

We were in Tyler from Dallas and decided to stop by here. It was cold, so there were only maybe 2 other families at the zoo. We had such a great time, it’s a small zoo but we loved how close you get to the lions and tigers. We’ll definitely be back.

I have always enjoyed this zoo. It isn't huge, but you see quite a few of my favorite animals. I was skeptical about visiting while the weather was cooler, but the animals were out and viewable. Wonderful birthday trip for my 3 year old, and my 2 year old also enjoyed it.

We absolutely love this zoo! We went recently and the weather was beautiful, but we have been before where it was so HOT. THANKFULLY, they have walk ways that are covered by vines and what not. Very friendly staff and security. Will continue to make this a day vacation spot for us! 🫶🏼

This zoo is a little small, but for the location it's still a decent size and they have a good variety of animals!

Nice little zoo, but there was a lot of construction so a large chunk of the place was blocked off. They still charged full price. We saw no petting zoo or park. Most of the animals were fed melatonin or something, they were all asleep or hiding, even the birds in the bird room weren't very active and barely nibbled at the feed sticks. The animals looked well taken care of, but most looked really sad. It was also very crowded. No Pandas or gorillas. Spidermonkeys are gone. The best part of this place is all the trees and plants that make it shady and that along with the waterfall noises give a nice tranquil feeling. It would be such a beautiful place to stroll around if there weren't so many people. The Kona Ice snowcone truck is always worth a visit, they are very nice.

This is the second year (not subsequent years) that we have bought a family yearly membership pass. It has not disappointed. We like to go here during the week throughout the different seasons. The staff are very friendly and eager to talk especially if it is not a busy time. The garden areas are immaculately maintained and the animals seem content and healthy. We’ve had the lions, tigers, lizards, elephants, otters and giraffes entertain us with their antics. The last time we were there, we noticed that the zoo was expanding and renovating. We look forward to even better displays/habitats for the animals.

Wonderful little zoo. Aniamls were all out and a bout. The staff was super friendly and informative. Was a very fun activity on our trip. Lots of shade and spots to stop and relax.

Great zoo! Petting zoo and amazon section currently undergoing a major remodel/addition, but lots of animals to see, including a penguin exhibit that kids loved. Need about 2 hours to get through it. It's currently o ly open 10-3.

My daughter came here for her headstart field trip and loved it! It's on the smaller side but the animals have lot's of room to roam around. Feeding and petting the giraffes was a really fun experience, you do have to pay $5 for some lettuce so I'd recommend breaking it up into smaller pieces. You also have to buy the sticks with bird seed on them but we were discouraged from trying as the weather wasn't optimal for feeding. They seemed alittle agitated but were still so beautiful to look at and get close to. The flamingos are right at the entrance and are my daughter's favorite animals, she was thrilled that we could see them first and we purchased her a flamingo plush at the gift shop at a decent price. We also liked seeing the rhinoceros. Overall we had a great time here and will be back!

We’ve been a handful of zoos so far and I’m really impressed by the Caldwell location. The animals were very well maintained with large living spaces and plenty of food. The streets were clean and there weren’t any lines or issues at all. No empty displays and lots to see. Highly recommend.

We are visiting family in East Texas this weekend and one activity that we opt to do is to go to the Zoo. One reason it because my daughter loves animals and thought that this would be a really fun time as she always loves seeing animals. The prices for the zoo were not half bad at all. Since she is not three she as free to enter which was awesome and saved a bit of funds! One thing that I wanted to first mentioned is how clean the zoo was. All zoo’s will always have certain smells, but we have been to a few that just stink and make the experience unenjoyable. That was not the case here. Another thing of note is they are expanding so you can’t do a complete loop and have to backtrack a bit. It is not horrible, we walked the entire park which was just under 2.5 miles (including walk to and from the car). Another great thing that I enjoyed about this zoo is they combined a lot of exhibits into one. Meaning we saw several items in one place (fish, birds, turtle, and a mammal. Been to other zoos and it is just one animal per exhibit, which makes more immersive. All the animals there looked healthy as well and some were playful. The bird exhibit was really cool! I got a bird to get on my finger and walk around for quite a long time. It make it really specially and my daughter LOVED IT especially when it was talking about her hands. She got the biggest kicked out of it, which made it special for us as well. Next to the bird was a snack bar. It was a really reasonable prices for everything, which was shocking. 2.50 for popcorn and 1.99 for a snow cone. It was just surprising, as i was assuming it would be at least $5 per item. The other food was a bit expensive, but for a light snack this was good. Honestly this is a really cool zoo. If you are in the area go and check it out!

Love love love this zoo! So many great animals and it’s an East Texas staple! The cheetahs are so cool and we got to feed a giraffe! We even got to watch the two hand raised Chilean go for a walk!

Last Tuesday in May and it was a great time to visit at around 12. We ended up staying for 3 hours with 2 adults and a kindergartener. Displays were engaging and most all animals were able to be viewed. Place was well maintained and the staff were friendly. We spent the most time feeding the cockatiels and parakeets. The $47 entrance fee was not bad for 3 of us for 3 hours of entertainment. Parking was plentiful and easy. 5 out of seven stars for a perfect score. We will return.

The zoo is small, but nice. Lots to interact with. There's a spot where you can feed birds, another where you can feed the giraffes. So much to see, my family and I really enjoyed our visit.

It was really awesome. However, I wouldn't recommend the cafe for more than a simple snack. The animals were amazing, even though we caught them on a sleepy day. The best part was all the fluffy monkeys and the north American predators section. The macaws were the prettiest animals though.

This is a wonderful zoo. We all were shocked at how great it is. We thought it's as good as Dallas Zoo. The aviary allows you to buy a popsicle stick for 2$ to feed birds. They jump right on the sticks. All animals were fully visible. We had amazing monkey encounter. The giraffes were being fed and we happened to be there.. Not busy at all.. Great for all ages.

Very nice and well laid out zoo. When with the kids and grandkids on a Saturday in mid October. Wonderful weather that day with a nice overcast to reduce the sun. Most of the animals were out to see.

I loved this zoo quite honestly, some animals are there that I've never seen before so it was wild to see new animals and habitats. My favorite(s) had to be the monkeys and the white tiger. Definitely recommend you goto this zoo! Feeding the giraffes were pretty cool aswell. 😌

Love this zoo! We've been to almost every major zoo in the US and the size, ample parking and staff here are amazing.