Riverbanks zoo reminds of Animal Kingdom set in good old Disney World without the financial hard ship going there. Riverbanks is simply an amazing zoo. I would recommend setting aside 3-4 hours to see everything, this of course is set with a two old in mind. We stopped and saw just about everything and even petted some very friendly goats. Some stuff does cost extra, $20 on the zoo card will be more than enough for two children.The giraffe feeding stops at 1:30pm so if that is on your agenda I would get in line early. We went on a Sunday and the crowds were not too bad. We will definitely become frequent visitors. 10/10 I highly recommend.

This was an amazing experience! The $5 parking is worth it if you are wanting to go to the botanical gardens/splash pad first or last on your visit. The prices were fair for adults at $26 for how big of a zoo it is! There were some of every animal including giraffes you can feed, a kangaroo exhibit you can walk through, and sea lions you can stand next to. Animals included monkeys, gorillas, lions, tigers, snakes, birds of all kinds, goats, alpacas, bears, otters, tortoises, penguins, tropical fish, jellyfish, sea turtles, koalas, sloths, and so much more. I even tried out the ropes course within the zoo (requires shoes w/ heel strap) which was priced at $7 for non-members. It was a good ropes course for the price! I do recommend having a parent or older sibling go up with a younger child if they're new to ropes courses. The height can be a fear factor and the way the harness is attached to the top of the course can make it harder for smaller kids to reach in order to move around the course. As an adult, it's a fun add-on especially if you're looking for some more thrill with your zoo experience. The botanical gardens were gorgeous! They were located right next to the $5 parking and the tram. Overall, I really enjoyed visiting the Riverbanks Zoo and all of the staff here were polite and happy.

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden is fabulous! We absolutely love it here and have been visiting regularly for 10+ years. The animal variety is second to none. The layout of the zoo flows very nice to ensure you can enjoy each stop to see all that it offers during your visits. The staff do a great job of keeping the zoo very clean and safe. They are very, attentive, and provide excellent service every time we are there. The expansions keep coming and continue improving and evolving this Zoo into one of the best visits you and your family can make. If I was going to provide a critique, I would recommend more fans through out the park. South Carolina (especially in the midlands) can get very hot and humid during the summer months and that heat can make visiting the park a less than pleasant experience if you are not use to the heat down here (heck even if you are 😂). More fans through out the park would add to the already amazing atmosphere and help create some more much needed cool zones through out. One last add. Please visit during the Halloween and Christmas events. They are fantastic and highly recommended. For adults the Brew at the Zoo is one of the best attractions around. Enjoy!

I visited with my kids here during the Christmas holidays. The weather was pleasant. There was no wait line at the ticket counter. The charges for kids and adults are almost the same. It's not very big zoo but there are lots of animals and well maintained. There are more than one lion, tiger, orangutan and many more. There are different animal talk times for more information. With special bands you can go near few animals like giraffe, feed birds and play games. Sometimes the layout gets confusing but it's small enough to trace the steps back. The alligator 🐊 was not there. There are lots of picnic tables. I could go near kangaroo 🦘. Zoo rangers are always nearby and helpful with information or directions. There are many eating outlets. It's a good to spend with kids.

This is a great Zoo. Downside is make sure you get the wristbands to actually participate in feeding the 🦒 and doing a good amount of things the kids will want to do. Downside was we didn't see the large tortoise or many monkeys. There were no cats available to view either as a lot of exhibits were being renovated. The food is definitely not great, everything costs so much these days. Expect to spend at least $160 for a few hours and 2 people. Clean, well staffed and easy to find.

The zoo was awesome! There were a lot of nice animals, and the enclosures/habitats were more than adequate for the animals. Healthy animals! My favorite places to visit had the flamingos and the lions. They had a grizzly bear, which I had not seen before. The botanical gardens were nice, as well. Small, but nice. There is a tram that takes you from the zoo to the garden. It took me and my partner about 3.5 hours to do the zoo and the garden.

This zoo was so awesome to visit! I bought my (and friend’s) tickets online and it was a breeze going to the gate! No need to mess with time spent in line buying tickets. The line to buy tickets was L O N G!!! Parking, that’s another story. We arrived @ 12:30 pm this past Saturday (3/11/23) and there were NO spots close, it wasn’t a big deal to us. However, a few guests were somewhat perturbed. The weather was gorgeous that day and it was crowded. Every exhibit had a long line and my friend and I agreed to pass on those. We saw what we were interested in seeing (Komodo Dragon for me) and the Tiger for him. The admission price ($24.99) for an adult is reasonable. Some people like to bellyache on the cost, don’t know why 🤷🏻‍♀️ All in all, this is a *Great* zoo!

Breathtaking views!! The animals were beautiful. Hands down a gorgeous zoo!!! I enjoyed spending a couple of hours with my 8 month old there while on vacation.

Most beautiful Zoo. It is landscaped so beautifully that even on a hot blazing day you will not have a problem find shade. It is almost a level walk/stroller/scooter trip around the zoo, so know huffing and puffing to the next exhibit. All the animals were out and about with viewing station in different points for different perspectives. All the food places were closed, wether this is a Covid or seasonal, call to see if bringing your own lunches will still be needed. The walk to the garden is a length and strenuous one. Take the Tram or drive over to the Gardens if you have mobility issues. All areas were kept clean and staff was available throughout for questions. Most enjoyable time at a Zoo we have had in a long time.

Very nice experience. You can show your young ones many animals within a small distance of each other so if you don’t want to walk a lot it’s the right zoo. If you decide to do the sky high safari note that this activity is time consuming and it will take longer than 30 or 40 minutes not counting standing in the line. Food is not of the best quality but the staff is friendly courteous. Hope to visit again one day. Enjoy your time away from screens. God bless.

We visited while passing through town on vacation. It's a nice little zoo and we're are members at another AZA accredited zoo with reciprocal membership, so we got to enjoy half price general admission. Most of the exhibits/animal habitats were fairly simple but clearly well maintained. The keeper talkers were great. Very educational highlighting care and animal wellness as well as fun and interesting quirks about the animals. The only reason I just can't give 5 stars is the Explore More Card. Nothing is mentioned about it online when you look at tickets. It's not even shown as an add on, so you'd have no idea it exists, what it is used for, or what it costs. We saw it mentioned on a sign at the ticket booth, but not much information about it. While we walked around the park, it felt like quite a few experiences and activities required this, so I was just disappointed that wasn't made more clear when we got our tickets or when I looked up admission tickets ahead of our visit.

My family and I really enjoyed visiting this zoo. The size of the zoo is smaller than most; however, we were pleasantly surprised by amount of different animals there were to see. I took one star off because most of the restaurants were closed. In addition, the zip-line, obstacle course and all of the shows were closed. Other than that, it was a beautiful day and a fun place to visit.

This was a surprising treat. The zoo seems to be well run , with the enclosures clean and areas to shield the animals from the sun. There's also foliage to also shield guest from the summer. There's a decent indoor restaurant which has a menu that is fit for everyone. The food choices are better than most theme parks which consist of hand made pizzas, all beef hot dogs and Angus beef burgers. Due to time constraints, I didn't get experience the actual botanicals but the flowers around the zoo were lovely. I look forward to again visiting Riverbanks to see the botanical garden.

I saw this on the map, and heard the animals from the nearby park. Worth the visit. Not a large place but the make up for it in diversity and quality. Lions, a tiger and bears, oh my! All manner of monkeys, gorillas, lemurs, flamingos, penguins, birds of many species and colors, 3 white rhinos in a love triangle! Ask the guy in the kangaroos exhibit. Trust me. Seals, sea lions were VERY vocal and entertaining. Some animals were put away, weather I suppose for winter. I didn't want to leave. I didn't get over to the gardens. The zoo had my heart. I will go back.

We really enjoyed our trip here over the weekend. The layout was perfect for making a lap around the entire zoo in order to see everything easily and efficiently. All the employees we spoke with were friendly and knowledgeable. It was unfortunate that several attractions were under construction during our visit, but it didn't affect the overall experience. I will say you will definitely get your money's worth, the sooner you decide to visit. Especially if you're bringing children.

I dropped in unexpectedly, looking to get some steps in. Lots of trails and flora. Many places to sit and take a load off. You can walk from the garden to the zoo, it's only 3/10 mile. Zoo was a bit more crowded, but pretty cool....and they sell beer 😁. Check out Saluda Ruins, BEAUTIFUL walk and an interesting story. I was there for about 2 hours and got in my 10k steps.

Small zoo with lots of activities for the family. Completely possible to see all exhibits in a day however our visit was on a busy day which meant lots of standing in lines to get into exhibits, activities and restaurants. Excellent for small kids. I do recommend getting and adding cash to an Explore More Card as extra activities in the zoo require the card as cash is not accepted. Animals on exhibit were easy to see and fairly close for guests. I really enjoyed feeding the giraffes and my daughter loved the climbing wall and Sky-High Safari.

Went with my whole family and had an excellent visit. The lanterns were fantastic! We went for the sea lion talk and penguin talk. Very informative. The animals were pretty active. Ate at Tusker’s, surprisingly great food. The chicken tenders were huge and juicy. Didn’t get to see the botanical gardens unfortunately.

This zoo has improved so much over the last few years! I was happy to see some old favorites, but the newly renovated reptile/aquatic house was fantastic! I can't wait to see what everything is like when construction is finished on other parts of the zoo!

It's a good zoo but it's not as large as you think it will be when you first walk in. There are some really fun animals like seals and sea lions, tigers, bears, lions, gorillas. The aquarium is large and pretty cool. There are some really good food options. I was disappointed that there's not more cohesiveness to the zoo and no one-way path, especially during Covid, it's hard to keep a 6-foot distance. The train is like a mall train in its own little area, not a train through the zoo, and you have to pay extra to go into the petting zoo! I did have a lot of fun feeding the goats and the lorikeets (which also costs extra.) The gardens are really cool but it's quite a hike to get up to them! They are a longish walk from the zoo itself and up a big hill. Normally, there's a tram but not right now. If you make it, however, there's a beautiful walled garden and lots of things are in bloom even now. Then I took the nature trail back down the hill to the zoo and that was nice. I also did the Lights Before Christmas event and found that to be pretty disappointing. It was just so crowded, and again, no real traffic control or cohesiveness to the experience. To visit the zoo in general and the Lights Before Christmas, you'll need separate tickets that give you a specific time to arrive. The lights took me about 45 minutes to walk around (I was alone) but the full zoo and gardens open, I stayed from 9am to 2pm.

Great experience at the zoo. We had a great time despite many of the exhibits being closed. We rode the train and carousel. The train cars were not disinfected between rides like the carousel but I packed plenty of wipes so I was not deterred. I noticed mobile handwashing stations scattered throughout the park. It gave me peace of mind knowing we could wash our hands without having to visit the restroom. I was pleasantly surprised to see a Coop food truck because their food is delicious. Most of the snack and drink stations were opened today which was great because it was a scorcher. We only stayed for about 2hrs because it was hot and by then we saw all the attractions in addition to chowing down on some Coop! I can't wait to go back. Hopefully the splash pad and some more stuff will be opened.

Come on a Monday, you have the place to yourself. The landscaped flowers and shrubs are beautiful. Animals are in clean environments that do not require long hikes between exhibits. Perfect for those under five years old. 2 year old Grandson loved the train ride. Feeding the giraffes was very cool. Staff is professional and very friendly.

The zoo was awesome and it was really cool to see some of the animals. Great time with the wife!!! Has a unique set of animals. Even if you don’t pay extra to feed the animals they still come up close and you can grab great photos. Aquarium had some very unique fish.

Visited on a Friday morning in mid-September. Crowd size was down and allowed for easy travel between exhibits. Lots of observation areas to remain socially distanced. Exhibits were all maintained well, spacious, clean, and attractive. Staff wore masks and masks were recommended. Great for adults, families, strollers, and kids.

The vista overlooking the Broad River when you walk to the botanical gardens is scenic. Would be nice to see more focus on native flora, fauna, and fungi. The botanical gardens are geared towards children and it would be great to see more carnivorous plants or plants native to SC that are threatened because of loss of habitat especially wetland flora. Be prepared for the hot sun in the botanical garden area.

It was fun a place to be with the kids. We went in the spring not all the animals were out and I didn't see any shows. Felt like the off season. If you never been, bring extra cash because there's other rides and things that you have to pay for, and they got a points system too 🙄. I felt like some extra stuff should be free with ticket but 🤷🏿‍♂️ that's just me. Kids had fun so all good.

We have visited a couple of zoos. Try to go whenever we are in a new area. This was nice. The weather was nice. They have these Explorer cards that you can load for certain attractions...i.e. carousel rides, feeding the giraffes, petting zoo and feeding the birds. When you come in there is a photographer to take pics. We bought them...bring money for that and the gift shop. We saw a lot of animals lion 🦁 and tigers 🐅 and bears 🐻 oh my. Flamingos, monkeys, zebra, sea lion and snakes 🐍. Thanks for the day. Oh yeah Otters. 😎

This is one of my favorite zoos in the world and I could go a million times and still enjoy they feature there! It is a perfect size with lots and lots of wildlife to see. The garden is also very beautiful with a great river view. I recommend coming with family, friends, and your kids.

Beautiful place for a family trip. You get to visit a zoo, a garden, and an aquarium just for the cost of one ticket. It's a really good deal. The zoo has a decent number of animals and birds to watch. You can pet some of them or feed animals like 🦒 giraffes. Then you have a huge botanical garden with all kinds of plants and flowers. To get the best experience, visit their website and plan the trip ahead of time. It's a big area to cover. Using the map to make your hiking plan would be the wisest decision. They have a few snacks stores inside but they are without a doubt very expensive. So bring your own food. Spend at least 3-4 hours to have a restful and pleasant trip. Remember this is a zoo with a botanical garden. So don't expect anything different from other zoo or gardens. If you have already been to big zoos or gardens, you may hardly find anything new here. However, you never know what surprises nature is hiding for you next. So please give it a shot and visit the place. I hope you won't be disappointed.

Awesome place! Lots of animals to see. Good food also. Had a great time. Spent half a day here checking everything out. One section was closed due to construction. I'll be back when it opens though.

Well worth the visit! I went with my wife and 2 kiddos, oldest is 9. We really liked the aquarium with a wide variety of up close exhibits. The ocean exhibit had numerous "Coming Soon" attractions. Note that to ride the carousel or do the climbing wall, you must buy extra tickets like at a carnival, but the prices are not ridiculous. When we went, the carousel cost $2 per ride. We also let our daughter try the high ropes obstacle course. This was another fee ($7 per person) but well worth it. Mom and Dad enjoyed the bridge and trails to the botanical gardens, which was included with the zoo admission. Great family outing!

This was my first visit to Riverbanks Zoo & Garden and it did not disappoint. First, the ticket was extremely reasonable; $25 for adults and $5 to park. There were a lot of animal exhibits across many species. I was surprised how many different species there were. The one negative I can come up with is the size of some of the habitat enclosures for the larger animals. However, the animals looked well cared for and healthy (to my untrained eyes). The upside to the small enclosures is that the animals were close and easy to see. Additionally, the size of the zoo makes it easy to see all of it in a day without killing yourself. Do not miss strolling the botanical garden. My blood pressure dropped immediately. It was so pretty with lots of gorgeous flowers and hard scape. The fountains and water feature at the walled garden was serene. Be sure to take the tram unless you want a heart-pounding, uphill walk. In conclusion, we had such a nice day. The zoo, gardens, and staff at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden are all five stars.

Went this past week with my nieces (1 yo) and they had a blast. There are lots of exhibits and we saw all of them and stayed for about 2 hours total. We were able to see all of the animals except the tiger(s). My nieces especially loved the aquarium and the penguin exhibit. We got to see them performing maintenance/cleaning in one of the aquarium tanks which was pretty cool. Also got to see a couple of young gorillas nursing. I would recommend bringing some bug spray and sunscreen. There’s a lot of tree cover and canopies at exhibits providing shade throughout the park but there are also areas in direct sunlight at many of the exhibits. The park overall was very clean and there was lots to do. Also recommend going during the week/off season as the temperature is cooler so you’re able to see more animals and it is WAY less busy. There were maybe a max of 5 other people at an exhibit with us. Did not see or visit the garden this time, but definitely have plans to visit next time. This was our 2nd time making the trip to this zoo and we will definitely be back!

Took advantage of the last free Friday for this month. First time at the zoo and was not disappointed. Only spent about 2 1/2 hours but really enjoyed. I pretty much stuck to one side of the zoo this time and will explore the other half later on. Highly recommend. The only thing I wish they had was more food options but I’m not complaining because i know how that goes but I went prepared! Took my own food!

What a pleasant place to be in contact with nature and animals ! We had a blast! As our first day on our winter break! Definitely recommend it !

We really did have So much fun here! It was Absolutely lovely. We will be returning, as soon as Covid isn't dictating our schedule, plans and outings!! There is just SO much to do at this Zoo! When I was 8-10 years old, we went to the nearest zoo to us, in Alabama. I was just terribly bored.. I remember falling asleep at a picnic table!😴 I know, it's been about 25 years ago.. but it definitely wasn't Anything like this! Actually, my husband, myself and our daughter, had a better, more relaxed time here, than we did at the Smithsonian National Park and Zoo, in Washington DC! We can't wait to go back! Side Note: Columbia Zoo also offers classes to Homeschoolers and I've heard the Halloween event, "Boo at the Zoo" is absolutely awesome!

By far the best zoo I've ever visited. I've been to some of the biggest zoos in Europe and America, this one beats all of them. Its smaller than most zoos, which I think is its biggest advantage. Because of its size, they can provide sufficient large enclosures for the animals.

Have been several times before. Took my 2yr old today on a daddy daughter date. We had a blast. All the attractions were open, the level of sanitation for prevention of germs was good but not overbearing. The food was great and reasonably priced. My daughter loved feeding the giraffes. That was her favorite part. Will definitely be back!

I love the zoo. It seemed like we made it through so fast and it was over before I knew it. This was my first time and I think part of it was closed because of covid. My favorite part was feeding the birds. It was so fun and interesting. It’s so cool to be in there with them and have them land on you and drink nectar from the cups. Feeding the giraffes was cool too. This artwork piece,of the lion in picture was made with recycled items and was amazing. The rhinos were having some kind of turf war. I never figured out exactly what was going on. I tried to upload video…. The gift shop was nice and airy full of all the typical souvenirs.

My family and I were visiting from NC and decided to visit the Riverbanks Zoo & Botanical Garden; there were 10 of us (8 adults, 1 toddler, and 1 infant). We were very excited about this visit as we read great reviews about it. We enjoyed the set up of the zoo. The animals are in close proximity to each other so it was relatively easy to navigate from one animal to the next. The botanical garden is a short distance away from the zoo section. The animals at the zoo were wonderful to see. Some of them were even interactive. There were some animals there that I had not seen at other zoos so it was refreshing. We were disappointed that there were not sufficient vendors/restaurants opened. Majority of them were closed and only a select few were available. Additionally, the botanical gardens were impacted by the cold temperatures so it was not worthwhile seeing at this stage. While we got to see most of the animals, there were some animals that were not available because they took them in the back to administer their medication etc. These things should be better managed especially when people are traveling from out of town to come to the zoo. The expectation from zoo attendees is that they are able to see all available animals that the zoo is hosting. Traveling from away to see the zoo and being told that animals were not currently available because they had to give medication etc. is not an acceptable response. The medication schedule should be in better alignment with the zoo hours for attendees. If the zoo is opened from 9 AM to 5 PM then all animals should be readily available between that time. It is perfectly understandable that animals operate in their own manner and in their own fashion but to have an animal not being available due to things within the operator’s control should be managed better. There is a parking fee of $5; however, this is not regulated at all. The fee is charged when you purchase the ticket at the gate but there is no parking decal or anything to validate that you did indeed pay for this parking other than your receipt. This not being regulated opens a door for inequality and inefficiencies with people who paid for parking versus those that did not, and there are no checks and balances to confirm either. I rated our experience as a 3 because we felt that under the conditions listed above, the entrance costs of $21.99 plus tax/adult and $18.99 plus tax/child (2 - 12) should’ve definitely been reduced to compensate for (1) Closed Vendors, (2) Botanical Garden not up to par, (3) Animals being removed from display during peak visit times in order to administer medication etc. When we paid these costs, our expectation was that we would have a full zoo experience which we did not have. We loved the animals that we did get to see but we left feeling like we were owed a partial refund.

Absolutely love going there. Loved the free Fridays in February but I do go there often. Be sure to bring a stroller and snacks for the kids. I wonder if there's a specific customer service feedback form I can fill out for a specific issue regarding an employee though. Otherwise, please enjoy this zoo and have fun with the family and/or friends.

Wonderful zoo. Of course lots of animals. Beautiful scenery. Definitely would suggest u come here for a date or with ur family. Also have a new exhibit coming some time this year. So looking forward to going back to c when it's done.

So the zoo is great! It has $2 per person where you can feed the giraffes, pet the goats etc. It's a good size for a full day. What I really recommend here though is the botanical garden section. The tram ride once you cross the bridge is free and the gardens are beautiful and have a bunch of family attractions including a huge splash pad, Dino dig, treehouse, and lots of paths to run and play. It's the best part of the zoo I think!

I visited her in the spring, and it was fantastic. We enjoyed feeding the giraffes. We were able to get up close to the gorillas even though their enclosure is going through renovations. I loved the sea lion exhibit. The aquarium had just recently opened back up and was super crowded. We were not able to check that out, but it looked super nice from the outside. My daughter and nephew loved all the activities this zoo offers. This zoo is very well kept, and the animals looked happy and healthy.

We love Riverbanks Zoo. We usually join every year. We love seeing all of the animals and you can even feed the giraffe. It’s a couple dollars per person. During the warmer months, it’s a lot of fun to go to the Waterfall Junction and let the kids play so bring their bathing suits/towels. There are shaded areas for the adults to hang out. You can ride a tram to get there or you can walk but it is a little bit of a hike!There are also areas to explore and musical instruments that the kids can play outside. There is a dinosaur dig area that the kids can play in. The gardens are absolutely beautiful. They just remodeled the indoor reptile/aquarium exhibit so it’s really nice. They don’t mind you bringing in snacks or stuff like that. Most of the time I bring a small cooler with capri sun and water. We usually eat at the Tusker House because there are so many options for everyone. They have fun events for Halloween and Christmas also! We definitely recommend you going to Riverbanks Zoo!

Had a great time today! Some animals were off exhibit and some were just lazy due to the heat, but overall had a great time! The reptile and aquarium building is pretty new and awesome!!

The memberships are fairly priced, the exhibits have been updated and the animals we visited seemed to be showing regular natural behaviors. The rhinos were arguing in growls, the tortoises tipping each other over to win a piggy back ride *if you know what I mean* and laying eggs, the gorillas were goofing off play wrestling, fish seemed active and healthy. Seems the new exhibit improvements made the animals happier therefore healthier. Parking without a membership is $5 so keep that in mind, Might want to carpool.

We had a great time st the zoo! The penguins were super cute! The kids had a blast at the splash pad as well! There was an employee who was managing where you take the tram, he was super rude and unpleasant to us. Not very friendly at all, which was the reason why zi can't give a 5 star review. The kids loved the train, the carousel, and the animals.

Wow! What a nice zoo. Well maintained, lots of exhibits. I love that this includes access to the botanical gardens and the splash pad for no extra fee. There were a few “extras” that you had the option to pay for, but they weren’t unreasonably priced. Food and drinks were a bit pricey but expected. Had a cute little train for kids that was only $2 per person.

Really enjoyed my time here and luckily the weather was perfect. There's a good bit to do and a good workout from walking so be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Loved being able to go into the bird area and see them up close and even touch some. Must also mention that the staff were all very friendly and they made it a pleasurable day!

Beautiful and spacious zoo. There are unique animals that live here, that are not at a typical zoo. Lots of shade to keep you cool while viewing the animals. And very, very clean! The enclosures have lots of space and the animals seemed happy and energetic, compared to other zoos I’ve visited. There are friendly zookeepers posted around the zoo to share interesting information on the animals. They were well informed and were able to answer all the questions we asked. My favorite part was visiting the Kangaroos. You are able to actually go inside the enclosure (while staying on the path) to view the kangaroos from a short distance without any fence or obstruction blocking your view. The experience felt up close, but was a safe distance away. We enjoyed the trek up the trail to the garden through dense trees that felt like it’s own separate space from the zoo. The garden is well taken care of and has a calming atmosphere. We then rode the tram back down the trail where we were brought back to the zoo. It is nice the facility offers the tram at no extra cost. Overall, we had a great time! This is probably my favorite zoo now.

First off let me state I have been to other zoo's, and this is the best kept zoo I have been to. The animals look well fed and the people working there seem to genuinely have the animals best interests at heart. We arrived Monday afternoon around 2:30pm and were able to see most of the animals, the tiger was not visible and we missed the aquarium. Had a great time, definitely happy we stopped by at the end of our visit of Columbia, S.C.

Came to the zoo in the morning. Most animals were out as breakfast was being served to some of the animals. It was pleasant that the weather was cool, so a light coat or long sleeves did the trick. By the time it was 11 a.m., it warmed up. Not very crowded, it was nice to walk through and take some time to see the animals starting their day. Since it was 9:30 am when I got in, not many food/drink places were available until closer to 11, so I purchased a bottle of water from one of the vending machines and kept exploring. If you're looking for a slower pace to venture, I recommend the morning, I enjoyed it.

Riverbanks has a well deserved good reputation and one I think will improve further as renovations to the zoo and to specific exhibits continue. As the zoo has leaned hard into conservation and education efforts, fewer animals are on exhibit, and I personally think this is a good thing. Those that are on exhibit are primarily show-stoppers, like the lions, tiger, and bear (oh my!). Many others on exhibit are either fairly gregarious (like the lorikeets) or have plenty of space to hide from curious human eyes. The newly renovated reptile center is fantastic; I remember a number of the aquariums from when the original center was built and the renovation work around the structurally necessary exhibits is well done. The ability to explore the center in either direction now that it's designed with a circular rather than a one way layout is also a highlight. There's a fine line in zoos between entertaining education and animal entertainment, and while I would personally like to see less animal entertainment (as in the kangaroo walkthrough) I think Riverbanks as a whole is doing a fantastic job.

Wild Nights was awesome! Really looked great from the front gate fungi/coral to the animated creatures. Went on Black Friday with family in town for the holidays. Highly recommend buying tickets in advance as another group mentioned it was already sold out when we arrived right after 5pm. The kids loved that the train and carousel were both running. The person at the gate was very helpful as we had multiple ticket purchases across several confirmation emails. Would definitely go again.

My family and I enjoyed our trip to the zoo, but I was disappointed because the gorilla exhibit was closed and I didn't see any elephants. The tram, ropes course, and zip lining are closed, presumably due to Covid. I was shocked at the price of the souvenirs in the gift shop. I always buy my teenage children t-shirts from all the places we visit. I'm used to spending average $30/t-shirt. These shirts cost $50 after taxes. Stuffed animals that are $10 elsewhere were $20+. Also, the hot chocolate was $7/cup and it tasted pretty bad. Masks are required and the Santa pictures with my nieces and nephews were really cute. They were done with Santa in the background with photo shopped special effects.

This is by far one of the prettiest zoos I’ve ever been to. Everything is so well maintained and taken care of. A lot of detail has gone into making this zoo amazing. They had two animals that I had previously not seen at a zoo before! To me, that makes it even better! I love to see animals and I love to see animals being repopulated. The food is so good but expensive (like all zoos). The gift shop is HUGE! They take your picture at the entrance, which I personally like. The only problem that I’d say is it doesn’t follow the easiest path. You have to backtrack a little to go through which a lot of zoos are like that so no big deal. I didn’t see a place to rent strollers or anything like that so bring your own. Bathrooms are clean. All around, I’d def go again.

Very fun night. First time at the zoo so felt a little lost in the dark. But we really enjoyed the lights and we were able to see a few animals at night.

Riverbanks Zoo is a beautiful place to experience nature and our exotic world. The animals are close, the exhibits are well planned and the gardens are lush and beautiful. It's the best thing to do on a free day, rain or shine!

I brought my wife and 2 sons to the Zoo and we had a wonderful time viewing the exhibits. The aquarium/reptile exhibit was probably the highlight for me - lots to see inside! Feeding giraffes is as fun and entertaining as it sounds. The Koalas were incredibly cute and active. This was the closest I've ever been to a Komodo Dragon!! The park was very clean and orderly and felt like things were handled very professionally. Will definitely return in the future.

I can't say I was disappointed, but I thought there would be more exhibits to see. Also there weren't any type of shows. I figured this is due to covid-19, which I fully understand. The zoo was clean, but no enforcement of social distancing.

Great Zoo

Awesome time! Great staff, very clean, enforce masks and kept everything sanitized (from what I could see). Always adding new exhibits and animals. Animals seem very happy and healthy. While I'm not a huge fan of zoos. I feel that animals deserve to live their life in the wild. Now of course, a dying or injured animal needing recovery is different. Having said that, they do everything they can to make those animals lives amazing. They genuinely care and love them so 100% support these guys and go out there. It's also just a blast for kids. They have train rides, petting Zoo and a ropes course. Also a good restaurant inside. Fridays in JANUARY and FEBRUARY are FREE!!!!

A pesar de que estaba cerrado donde están los gorilas, la pasamos bien, nos encantaron las jirafas, el rinoceronte, nos divertimos dándoles de comer a las cabritas.

Really to cold to enjoy. Some areas too crowed due to vivid restriction.

Love going here in these off months it's quite and how could anyone not love the animals 💜🐒🦍🦧🦁🐅🐆🦓🐐🦙🦒🦏🐿🐻🐨🦃🐧🦉🦩🦜🐸🐊🐢🦎🐍🐟🐠🐡🦈

Animals were active for a winters day.Beutifully done indoor exhibits,espically liked conservation tips.

Animals not there no train

I would recommend going to see this place as I enjoy seeing animals from all over the world that we never be able to see in any other way. Also the fresh air, walking and family times are the best part of getting out too. I have also proudly designed some areas and been able to go behind the scenes and seen the dedication and love that goes into the animals care. I would encourage everyone to make year quests to visit the zoon and see the enhancements and invations that go on all the time.

You got to go there this place is sooo cool 😎

My daughter is nuts about this place. I have been to the Riverbanks Zoo at least 20 times over the last 5 years, and it’s just fantastic. Some of the experiences are currently limited due to COVID restrictions, and I really miss the dinosaur section they had a couple years back, but always an outstanding family experience.

We LOVE Riverbanks! Everyone is friendly, the animals always look happy, and it is ALWAYS clean!

Always a good time. But was said to hear the elephants were no longer there!😥

Always a special day when you go to the zoo! Social distancing is still very doable. If you have a large family it pays to get a membership.

Very good!

It was a good zoo!! Lots of animals to see !

(Translated by Google) Very nice place 🐼🐻🐷🐈🐇 and very clean 😍👍🙂 (Original) Muy bonito lugar 🐼🐻🐷🐈🐇 y muy limpio 😍👍🙂

Cool day when we visited and several exhibits closed but it is a clean, family friendly place. Good way to spend and afternoon exploring.

Always a great time. Went for my sons birthday and he loved every minute there. Went to dinner after and then went to get cupcakes to wrap up...

Would give it a 5 star if it wasnt for 1/3 of the zoo's animals not on exbition for some reason. Why am i paying full price just to see 2/3 of what the zoo offers? Went last year with the family and had a blast but this year, after a 2 hour trip, we were just dissapointed. Would not reccomend until they fix the issue or they drop the price down a little

Very nice zoo

I like the zoo. I wish the sinks and toilets were toddler friendly.

(Translated by Google) Really beautiful zoo (Original) Pravdu krásná zoo

(Translated by Google) I do not think that the ticket does not include the activities of the zoo, they should include the activities in the cost (Original) No me parece que la entrada no incluya las actividades del zoológico, deberían englobar en el costo las actividades

I've visited the Riverbanks Zoo for more than 30 years. It's a great facility, not perfect, but an excellent outing for anyone (especially families). It's open all year long, and our family has never been disappointed. It's small enough to walk in about 3 to 4 hours, and there aren't many stairs to climb, making it ideal for older folks and special needs too. Yes, food and souvenirs may be expensive. Eat before you go if that bothers you. I highly recommend this zoo to visit.

Timed entry is soooo nice! This is the first time I've ever been that I could actually look at everything plus there was no waiting around for a 'turn'.

Wonderful way to spend an afternoon

Wish they were able to kept the animals out longer like the giraffes and the gorillaz so we could actually get to see them.

Finally made it! Surprise for my son and for the family. Loved the animals and the light show and can't wait to go back more often.

The zoo is full of exciting activities for kids all ages AND so much to learn! Our family loves the zoo and will continue to visit regularly!

Enjoyed my time here. Some animals were not seen due to weather conditions but overall it was a great experience. If you have small children this is a great zoo for them with walking distance compared to NC zoo. Wished they had more food choices but many were closed due to Covid

Got to see the new Rhino exhibit as well as all our other zoo "friends". The grizzly bears were playful and otters and sea lions. The flamingos were very colorful and the meerkat was sitting up posing for pictures.

Great little zoo. Complete with lions, tigers and bears (oh my). Good amount of reptiles and birds. The sea lions were very talkative today. We always buy the yearly membership. Best value.

(Translated by Google) Warm very nice place (Original) Calida muy bonito lugar

Great Zoo and gardens!

Enjoyed the exhibits. However they have "bonus" experiences you can only get with additional passes, like feeding giraffes. I wish they would have been more up front about this.

Enjoyed the Xmas lights..was extremely cold..not many animals to see..good to get out with the FAMILY

Nice little zoo! Easy to walk, and rides for kids. Beautiful gardens! Good selection of big animals! Great educational signage about what you are looking at!

Great zoo. Members since 2015, prices are going up but value still can't be beat. The restaurants used to be amazingly inexpensive but they are catching on that people will pay more and the prices are going up.

Great place for a family day that is just a short trip from almost anywhere in S.C. So much stuff for the kids to do after they see all the animals and a lot of vending and concession stands. Only down side is the cost of everything inside the park

Always fun to go to the zoo. Alot of things closed right now but still plenty to keep the kiddos happy ( and those of us still young at heart). My favorites include feeding the giraffes, the kangaroo exhibit, the cool gorillas and at the too the carousel. Looking forward to many more years of fun at the zoo with family and friends.

Awesome zoo, great location. Seems much bigger than it is. Took about 3 hours to see most of the animals with several kids

I loved coming here. It is the biggest zoo near me. Spent 5 hours here and still didn't see everything. It's worth the money. Was not expecting the Aquarium or that you could get free ice water at certain locations. Will definitely be coming back.

Is there any question that Roverbanks Zoo is the best zoo on the east coast?! Well, there isn't any zoo better in my book. I grew up coming to Riverbanks and now I take my own kids. We looks our zoo days!! Come visit, grab a membership, and create awesome memories!! (Boo at the Zoo and the Christmas Lights are our favorite!)

Definitely one of the best Zoos around! Almost all of the animals were able to be seen! Which in my experience in Zoos is kinda hard. Lots of different "attractions" for the kids that were inexpensive ($2 per attraction per person) attractions are different animal feedings, a carousel, or a train ride. My only criticism would be the cost of the picture packages 40 for 4 photos which isn't bad (if all the photos are good) but 30 bucks or so for one which makes absolutely no sense.

My grandbabies loved it. From the petting Zoo, to the carousel ride. Loved the animal Exhibits. And the icecream. Would highly recommend.

I love Riverbanks Zoo! The zoo was festive with Christmas lights, trees and Santa's sleigh. The observation deck and under water viewing for the sea lions was fantastic! Definitely worth the trip!

This year the Christmas lights were even more lovely. The activities fun. Santa was there, great photos available, people roasted marshmallows over the fire, snow machine was enjoyed by kids of all ages! And best of all it benefited a great and improving zoo. Thank you Riverbanks for a wonderful annual family tradition.

What a great zoo! Highly recommend. Few tricks. If you have 4 or more just by one of the annual passes because they give you free guest passes( or six depending on what level you buy) We went with five people and it only costs $60. And your parking will be free otherwise they will tack on another $5. We bought the lowest level annual pass and got four free quest passes. The amphibian exhibit was closed for renovations, but there was plenty of animals to see. The gorilla exhibit is fantastic and you get a really up close view of them. The only down falls are the additional attractions inside that cost more money. But for kids it’s worth it.

We went to see the Christmas lights and it was so great! There were tables with fire pits and hot chocolate and a S'mores station. My grandchildren were entranced by all the lights. It was a magical experience and I'm thankful to have been able to be there.

The animals were active, it was a beautiful day. Staff are great, place is very clean

We went for the Lights Before Christmas event they had and it was great. There were some animals out and l the lights were unique and enjoyable. Great weather and not a huge crowd.

My first time going to a zoo and it was awesome! I loved feeding the giraffes and birds, and my husband bought me a frog from the gift shop. DEFINITELY plan on returning! This is honestly a perfect date

Always a fun time! Great showcase of animals and a small enough park to do in an hour. We love the giraffes and the bears but the gorilla exhibit is the favorite. Compared to other zoos it is small but I think it’s worth the $ for a yearly pass!

Riverbanks Zoo is fantastic we had so much fun with my family my son loved seeing all the animals! Feed the Giraffe was super rad! And hello Tuskers the pizza was good and the chicken tenders are hands down the ticket bring your big boy pants and hammer down son absolutely amazing! Staff members were very kind and helpful! Thoroughly enjoyed our time at the zoo can't wait to come and visit again all the way from Va! Thanks Riverbanks Zoo keep up the good work can't wait for the new exhibit to be open beside Tuskers!

We've been 3 times and each visit has been completely different. Some exhibits may be closed while they renovate and/or do some cleaning. The food however is way overpriced but I tend to expect that from theme parks.

I chaperoned a field trip to Riverbanks Zoo (2nd time I'm chaperoned there, actually). I like that they have fun activities to do, beyond just looking at the animals - the diverse activities is for kids! There's a really fun-looking ropes course. Everyone in my group wanted to do it but we unfortunately ran out of time. I highly suggest feeding the giraffes! It's fun when they eat the food out of your hand 🦒😊

We went to the zoo as part of my sons 5th grade field trip and we had a blast!! The ticket prices are fairly reasonable for the experience. Yes the food and the gift shop are very expensive but that’s to be expected for any attraction like this. It’s well worth it you will not be disappointed!!

We had a great time. I appreciated the QR code with the map to easily explore the zoo. It was easy to get there and park. Parking is not included in the admission ticket. Feeding the animals was not included either. We didn't purchase the card to add credit because the line to feed the giraffes was too long, maybe next time. Looking forward to seeing the aquarium and other areas that were closed. I loved the cool sculptures!! <3

This small zoo was awesome! Exhibits seemed nice bringing the animals up close but giving them some space too. Giraffes were galloping around, gorillas were performing for us and just a beautiful day. The cost was about $20 military with discount + $5 parking. It was well organized and easy to navigate.

An amazing, outstanding zoo and a true jewel of Columbia. They have quite a large variety of animals, the layout and landscape are top notch and the animals all look very healthy, well-cared for and have plenty of space in their exhibits. And the garden is very beautiful as well. Clear your schedule, you'll need quite a few hours to see all this zoo has to offer but it's well worth it!

Boo at the Zoo - the most adorable way to show cute creatures a bunch of little monsters! (And clowns, and princesses and characters of all shapes, sizes and ages.) Yes, most of the animals have been tucked in and heard their bedtime stories by the time Boo at the Zoo begins, but it also gives us a rare opportunity to view the nocturnal and diurnal creatures in their prime! Well worth the cost (Members get a discounted rate), and the treat stations set up throughout the zoo keep everyone motivated to tour the whole space! Photo ops a-plenty (Riverbanks' inflatables collection is no joke!), kind volunteers distributing the treats, great music/dance party. (BTW, for those over 21, I HIGHLY recommend the Witch's Brew. Safari Outpost.)

I recently had a wonderful wildlife experience at Riverbanks Zoo, which is also a great summer destination. The zoo impressed me with its cleanliness and excellent maintenance. It's especially suitable for kids, as they can thoroughly enjoy observing the diverse animal species. However, the tram ride to the botanical garden left something to be desired, as it only showcased limited plant species, making it feel like a waste of time. On the food front, the options were limited to pizza, burgers, and soda, which were a bit pricey. Nonetheless, the zoo provides an opportunity to see a wide range of animal species and learn about them, making it an overall worthwhile visit.

The best zoo in the southeast! Well kept, the Animals are well taken care of, lots of “extras” like feeding giraffes, riding train, rock wall, feeding birds, etc. if you’re going to make a few trips a year it’s worth getting the membership and if you do - you might as well get the explorer pass so all those “extras” are free :) we like to eat at Tuskers and take a break from the heat/cold. It’s priced reasonably and good!

Pros: Clean and well maintained. Shaded walking paths and some benches. Various animals in well maintained exhibits. At least two restaurants on-site. Food prices are reasonable ($10-$18.00). A trolley available for transportation to botanical gardens. Baths throughout the park. All exhibits are with a short vicinity of each other. The flowers on the ground are beautiful. Cons: Needs a few more seats and water fountains.

We took my 5 year old grandson and he absolutely loved it. The grounds were beautiful and the animals were well cared for. The botanical gardens and the splash pad was an added bonus.

Such a great place to bring the family to! The kids loved seeing the animals and learning about all them. Love their aquarium area too! So neat to see them all and watch the kids eyes light up with joy over seeing how they live. If you haven’t gone yet I’d strongly suggest going asap!

Lots to see and do great for kids, couples, families,solo visits. They have maps at lots of different places so it's easy to find your way around I recommend getting a card so you can do the different activities all activities are 2 dollars a person so I'd load money based on amount of people what activities you want to do and how many times. Also has very nice restroom facilities evenly spaced out. I recommend feeding the lorikeets and petting the goats. Train ride was fun but more geared to smaller kids . Sea lion show is at 1:45 .

My family and I really enjoyed our time here. The weather was perfect, the stroller rental was very convenient and there were many attractions that my kids enjoyed. However, I would have liked to see more animals, we didn't see much of the lions, tigers or gorillas. Most of the animals we did see, there was only one of its kind. Which was disappointing but understandable. We didn't get a chance to visit the aquarium, garden or water junction but next time we will. My favorite part was seeing my children pet the friendly goats🐐

I've always loved the zoo, and now I get the joy of taking my girls. I do suggest a membership as it pays for itself and tickets are pricey but it's worth it. We usually take snacks with us and we have the souvenir cups. We love doing boo at the zoo and the lights at the zoo

It was a fun day. I have back issues, there are plenty of benches through out the Zoo you are able to sit and relax. There is a strict NO Smoking policy inside of the zoo. The only designated smoking area is out front. Restaurants and restrooms are located conveniently through out the zoo. They have set times for events during the day. There are a few areas that require more money, the climbing wall, ect. (@ low cost $3.00) The inside area where the penguins are is a bit humid and musky. I don't recommend this area If you have any breathing issues. Lots of staff to answer questions along your path. The zoo is very maintained and clean. It was definitely worth the trip there!!!

A place where families can come and witness animals from around the world in a protected and safe environment. The Riverbanks Zoo rescues animals from around the globe to rehabilitate them and care for them with such love. The zoo is filled with a variety of animals ranging from tigers, lions, gorillas, and birds from all countries. This place is clean, family friendly, and caters to all ages. If you're ever in Columbia, SC, I would definitely recommend this place for a fun family outing. If you wish to take friends, you can purchase yearly passes that give you 4-8 guest passes, depending on your choice of yearly pass.

Great place to go! All the animals seem to love their enclosure and are so active! We went during a chilly day and right after lunch so the animals were All over the place it was great to see. The snacks are good along with the carousel ride for the kids, unfortunately we didn't get to go to the garden area but that's ok cause the zoo part was awesome!

We loved this zoo! We were visiting from CA with our 1-year-old and 3-year-old and decided to visit on our one day in Columbia. We're so glad we chose this place. It wasn't crowded, so we could get good views of every exhibit. We were especially impressed by the Aquarium and Reptile Conservation Center, the Birdhouse, and the gorilla and sea lion exhibits. All beautifully done with great attention to detail. If we're ever in the area again, I'm sure we'd make time for another visit.

My buddy undersold this zoo by a Longshot. You can feed a giraffe. How cool is that? The zookeepers we communicated with very personable and professional with a very good understanding of the creatures within the exhibit. There is also an aquarium, which was super cool for me. I have never been to an aquarium until then.