Minnesota Zoo is a wonderful experience for adults and youngsters. We enjoyed the scenic walk by the lakes and all the wildlife along with the exotic animals from around the world. It was fun to see the baby animals especially the prairie dogs, goats, chicks and little bison. A carousel ride costs only $2 per person. You do need to purchase it on a machine next to the ride. You will get a coin to use for the ride. The carousel is gorgeous and ornate with beautiful artwork of nature and animals. What a lovely memory! The aquariums were amazing! The shark tank was really cool. The smaller tanks were neat as well. There was a large variety of sea creatures including sea otters, a seal, sharks, a spot fin porcupine fish, a sting ray, sea horses, clown fish, leafy sea dragon, sea turtle, eels and many more. There are two areas you are able to touch the creatures if you like. In one pool there are small sharks. In the other area there are anemones and star fish. All the exhibits give you the opportunity to read about the creatures and the habitats they come from. The restrooms are family friendly with baby changing stations and step stools for the little ones. Thank you for being prepared for families!

Such an awesome zoo. It's obvious that the animals are well taken care of. It would be nicer if there were more maps along the way (we got pretty lost) or even an app with the map. But still a fun time. The tropical exhibit is AMAZING! The primate house is a little underwhelming. It's really awesome that they have an exhibit dedicated to Minnesota plants and animals. Definitely a great place to learn!

What a beautiful zoo! We go to the Omaha Zoo often, and this zoo has so many animals I've never seen before. We loved how much spa e each animal had and how clean their areas were. The staff were very friendly and they have lots of options to view the animals. My adult boys loved it too!

I love the Minnesota Zoo. I enjoy the new trail tree top walkway. It is a beautiful way to see the animals. I also like to get down close to the animals and the zoo has built many enclosures that allow you to be safely feet away from the animals and still not disturb them. The food choices are nice and the new order kiosk allows you to order, grab a pager and then wait comfortably at your seat. Parking was abundant and the dolphin interaction was fun, but short. I would love to see the monkeys have a little more space to roam as their enclosure was small. The wolf enclosure was also somewhat limited for the animal and it didn't have anything to keep them busy or entertained. Overall it was a wonderful day at the Minnesota zoo. I highly recommend you visiting and supporting this zoo.

The Minnesota Zoo is a wonderful place to visit, whether or not you're into animals. A vast collection of animals from all over the world keeps every trip interesting. The Tropics Trail and Grizzly Coast both immerse you in a different world than what we are used to, in opposite climates. There's plenty to learn and lots to do. Also a great place for little ones! Just make sure they know how to respect the animals.👍

Very nice zoo. The animals appear well cared for. Lots of places for children to play. Decent options for lunch or a snack. Some nice touches, like the Llama trail, where you can walk around with the animals. My favorite was probably the Tropics trail with a number of beautiful birds. Can't wait to go back later in July when the tiger cubs are old enough for their debut!

**Tickets must be purchased online, according to what we saw on website** I’d give this zoo 3.5 stars, so I’m rounding it up to 4 stars. It’s quite large, so one can definitely spend several hours walking around, observing animals, and purchasing food and souvenirs. This isn’t the cleanest zoo I’ve been to, and it has a somewhat limited variety of animals (if you’re looking for giraffes, elephants, pandas, etc., you won’t find them here). But the animals we did see were mesmerizing to watch. The animals seem to be well taken care of, but it seems like some have rather small enclosures. While some, like the buffaloes and the tiger, have a lot of room to roam, others, like the puma and the tapir, don’t. Perhaps that is what they prefer; in which case, I take back my concern. I wasn’t a big fan of the food court. The food isn’t great and costs a fair amount. So I would definitely not come back for that, but I’d definitely come back to see the animals!

We have a membership and love taking our toddler. Every time we visit it's a new experience. Our favorite things are the bird show, the llama trek where you get to walk with the llamas and pet them, the farm where you can feed the animals, and the play area with splash pad. Our toddler also loves the bee hive play area. Get the membership and go early in the membership only time frame if you want less people. The membership will also make you feel better about a shorter trip if the kids get restless and you need to head home before seeing everything.

The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular was spooktacular! It's definitely a great family event with options for food and beverages for purchase. It is recommended to get there 30 minutes early. There were a lot of people when we went and it was raining. So be prepared for crowds especially is the weather is good. There is no structured line. You can pass people and walk faster or slower, so it's just a nice thing to know. Walk at your own pace. I also appreciate that it is ADA accessible. Check it out! Pictures don't do it justice. It is a must-see to get the best experience.

It was kinda expensive; $51.90 for two people & parking. I would have hoped there would have been more to see for those prices. Also, the constant ask to "round up and donate more" when you already paid quite a bit for entry is annoying. The signage in the park isn't that great either, and they did away with paper maps (understandable), but better signage would be nice! We did enjoy the nature walk but would have liked to see more animals!

With the uncommonly warm weather in December, we were able to go for a walk and enjoy the zoo on a sunny afternoon. We walked along the tree top trail and then went down on the ground level trail to see animals more closely. Then there was the nice warmth and moisture of the tropical display inside of a building entirely dedicated to the theme of animals and plants from this band of nice climate around the “ central belt” of the Earth. Did you know more than half the species of animals on the globe live in this geographical zone?

Fantastic zoo! The employees are friendly, happy and very knowledgeable. The animals are beautiful, animated and obviously well cared for. Came for the day and ended up buying a year pass. Can't wait to come back in the evening . Even more excited for the high walk to be completed at the end of the month. If you have never been here, what's wrong with you? Go!!!!

We went on a clear blue sky unseasonably warm Thursday in February and thoroughly enjoyed the Treetop Trail in the sun. The animals also appeared to be enjoying the sun as they snoozed in their sun splashed habitats. The sea dragons and sea horses were some of my favorite critters, but being able to watch beavers from an underwater perspective was priceless. I had no idea how cute they are when they swim around like big burritos with rudders. If I could have a pet beaver, I'm all in. He can even sit on my couch. Oh! I almost forgot to mention there was one fish in the tropical pool underwater viewing area who also stole my heart. She wasn't described in the interpretative materials, but she looked a bit like a minivan with fins, and she was very curious about my phone. She posed for one of the pictures I've shared here.

Visited the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at the MN Zoo. Amazing display of over 5000 pumpkins. On sides of walkways, on platforms, hanging in trees, all very artfully arranged. The path wanders through the alphabet with each letter becoming a theme, complete with music! Multiple places to buy food & drink as well as souvenirs along the way. We had a 9:00 reservation but it was still quite busy. You walk (5-10 min) through a portion of the zoo to get to the display. A line formed outside the entrance, we waited about 15-20 min to enter. We were blessed with a beautiful evening 40°-50° with clear sky & no wind. Suggest layers, hats, scarves, mittens & boots if cooler temps or you chill easily. We spent 2 hours total on our visit. Paid $22 per person for tickets. A slight discount for attending at a later time.

Its a very big zoo and really cool to see everything. They have so much! My favorite animal we couldn't see, 🐅 because the exhibit was closed. That was the only downfall. Loved the huge water fall, especially because it was so hot, the wind blew a mist on us.

Had a great time on Tuesday with my 4yo daughter. We walked part of the brand new Treetop Trail. I loved seeing parts of the zoo I hadn't seen in 10 years when the monorail was retired. More importantly I enjoyed the message behind the trail as it focuses on overall wellness, reflection, and mindfulness. We got some great shots of the tigers, puma, and birds from the 3pm Bird Show. I had not seen the show in years and this was my daughter's first time. She enjoyed it and was bummed when she wasnt picked to volunteer.

We love the tigers! Worth getting the membership if you go more than once a year. We come every few weeks. The colder weather has the animals more active than in the summer and it’s been fun to see! Playgrounds are awesome and the animals show’s have been great!

We went to their Jack O Lantern spectacular. It was amazing. The pumpkin carvings were fantastic and the exhibits were set up beautifully. It was a cold, blustery day but the event was packed. Our tickets were at 7pm. We waited a few minutes in line and then got to enjoy the event.

This zoo is super unique and I appreciate how they preserved much of the existing forest and landscape. It was a fantastic walking path. Tickets are $21.95 for adults, but my 1 year old niece was free. They have a food court as well. I don’t know if they have maps, but we definitely needed one because it is easy to get turned around. This zoo is a lot of walking and there are somewhat hilly walkways, but they have elevators to go from the walkway down to the zoo.

Not bad, Not good very simple, and few animals.

Zoo is always clean no matter how busy it is. There's a nursing room. A lot of animals that appear to be well cared for. I really like their seasonal animal farm, aquarium, and camel ride. It was $8 cash per rider for the camel ride that was no more than 2 minutes, so it is pricey but my kids enjoyed the experience.

Absolutely gorgeous! It seems to be under construction and updates right now, but still lots of animals! Not many food kiosks/stalls open at the moment. Enough that it wasn't too bad though. We even got to see a newly born bison!!

Always enjoy the MN zoo. I have visited several others. The MN zoo seems to be one of the best. There are parts of the zoo that are kinda tired. I miss the monorail and the imax theatre. They were always part of the zoo experience for me. However, they seem to be going through a revitalization and refreshing it a little at a time. The kids had a blast, learned without knowing it and were thoroughly exhausted by the end of the day.

We love the MN Zoo! We went to see the dinosaur exhibit they have right now. Besides the heat, my kids enjoyed it. They even walked/ran through to see the dinosaurs a couple times. I have hyper kids, so another great part about the Zoo is the play areas, interactive spots, & splash pad for kids(& adults)! Another thing to remember if you visit, online ticket purchase a head of time is required, & check their daily schedule for the animal feedings, bird or dolphin show, & kids activities. One more thing, if you have a large family(like us), the membership is worth the price!

There has never been a bad time at the zoo for us. With so many different places the kids are always entertained. The Bird Show is a must see for all ages(spoiler alert have a dollar bill ready) Always clean, good patching, and plenty of place for breaks. Always one of my favorite places to go.

Great fun! Lots of walking, but plenty to do and see for newcomers or folks who have been before with the new sky walk. No big African mammals if that's what you're looking for. That part was kind of refreshing actually.

A very fun walk on a paved path, handicap accessible, through a wooded area full of thousands of beautiful, carved, and lighted pumpkins. It is a bit hilly and pretty dim in some areas but very doable for everyone. (My step count was almost 6000 by the time we were done). It was crowded, but you go at your own pace so easy enough to get out of the crowd. I can only imagine the amount of time and work that goes into doing this. Some of the pumpkins are up in the trees while others are on stands or elaborate displays. Take your time and enjoy all of them, it's worth the walk. I took lots more pictures, could only upload 50.

I've already been to the zoo twice since moving here a month ago. It's beautifully laid out with fantastic walking paths and enclosures for the animals that are obviously very thoughtfully designed. Converting the old monorail track into a walking trail, The Treetop Trail, was a stroke of genius. I could sit and watch the snow monkeys for hours. The food is a bit overpriced and not particularly great but it's a zoo so I'm not expecting fantastic dining. Lockers are available at a very low charge which is fantastic. Highly recommend a trip if you live close by and haven't been. It does get quite busy so I would recommend going early on a weekday if you can manage it.

Had an amazing time at the MN Zoo today!! They have one way trails set up to help keep you and your family safe, but always remember you are responsible for keeping your distance from others enjoying the zoo. We can't wait until our next trip!!

Nice covid restrictions. Felt very clean and safe at these uncertain times.

Was a creative light show and educational. Wish it was more actual lights, rather than inflatables. Worth $25, not the $60 we paid.

We were given a pass for Nature Illuminated. The exhibit itself was cool, however the 90 min wait to even start the tour was not appreciated. The audio went faster then the driving pace, and there needed to be more than 2 port-a-potties. Signage that would have also been appreciated. Hope it was a successful fundraiser for the zoo!

We went with family who had annual passes to the Minnesota Zoo, and enjoyed a nighttime , drive thru, light show. You purchase tickets online, and they send you a SoundCloud link, which narrates the animals along the way. When you arrive, you're directed to a pair of employees who scan your ticket on your phone. Then, you follow the single car line, very slowly, through the route. It was probably about 20 minutes in total, driving/idling slowly through the show. You see huge balloon, lighted, blow ups, with other colorful lights along the road/treeline. Some animals include moose, wolves, eagle, loom, bumblebees, owl, and much more! Impressed with the size and detail on the balloons. I do wish there were more Christmas lights for the decorations. Although impressive, there could've been more lights in addition to the balloons.

Great trip with lots of close up looks at animals! The kids loved the playground area too! I loved that it has one entrance/ exit so I could position myself there and not worry about losing them.

This place is awesome. The indoor trails makes it so you can go to the zoo year round. We had so much fun. They even have a farm here. What I liked the most is the Minnesota Trail. So much to learn about the local animals. Never knew some of the animals existed in the region. We actually spent 5 hours here and laughed and had so much fun. The grounds are so open for the big animals to move around. It's awesome how much room they have to roam. Some of the exhibits were closed. We can't wait to get back there.

I haven't been to the Minnesota Zoo in 30 years and it's still a great place to visit. The camel wasn't the smoothest ride,not like a horse anyway 🐪🐪🐫🐫 😃🐵🦊🐴🐅🐆🦌🐮🦬🐷🐖🐪🐫🦙🐪🐻🐨🦘🦨🐻‍❄️🦢🐍🐢🐸🦜🦚🐳🐚🦭🐟🐌🐚🐡🐠🐞🌻🥀🏵🏵 all these and more

I went to the pumpkin carving showing at the Minnesota zoo. It was pretty crazy and awesome. The zoo is always a fun place to bring kids for sure young adults and even adults that are kids still at heart. The carved pumpkins that we saw were pretty amazing. It was a long walk for what little we saw, and what little they actually had. Compared to previous years. Still fun to get out and see some outdoor Halloween fun. I would definitely recommend going and checking this out if you have time before it ends. Probably better to do it on a weekday as to opposed to the weekend. It was a little disappointing to see the fact that some of the pumpkins that were carved, were actually not entirely carved completely they were carved with an outline or something very little was carved some of them that were just an outline or carved with something other than an outline were actually painted on. It still was fun I just wish that they would be a little bit more upfront about some of the carving pumpkins that were carved are not entirely carved completely but most of them were I think a lot of the big display ones that they that people were looking at were not 100% carved out.

Awesome outdoor and indoor trails, well done educational information suitable for all ages, amazing animals and birds from around the world and from land, air, and sea. We were so lucky to see the new baby Bactrian camel! It was a lovely early spring day with many people but not crowded on a Friday. Always a fantastic experience full of interesting things to see, do, and learn.

Surprised my 3 children (ages 10, 6, 3) with a field trip to the MN Zoo ✨ We had a blast! Not crowded at all and I was happy to see the crowd was mixed with mask wearing patrons (thankful 😷)! The otters were definitely the highlight of our visit! What amazing creatures they are! Watching the zookeepers feed and interact with them was very entertaining! We became members and look forward to our next visit! 🐅🐧

This was an incredible experience! It was our first time going, and we will definitely be back next year! We bundled up, for the chilly night, and there was a stand that sold hot chocolate and hot apple cider. We each bought some to keep our hands warm as we walked the trail. I have no words to describe the beauty of 5,000 hand carved, lit, pumpkins that greeted us throughout the hour walk. There were different themes, music, and lights. When you looked ahead, it was as if the pumpkins were falling from the sky! This is a must see and a must see again and again! 🎃

A good zoo with what appears to be well cared for animals. The zoo opens from 10am to 4pm, not so good for us who arrived at 2pm so didn't have enough time to get around the whole zoo. Also we didn't know that since Covid you can now only purchase tickets online so remember that bit. What we did see of the zoo was great. There were also notices of planned & currently ongoing improvements due to finish in Autumn 2023.

The Minnesota Zoo is a wonderful place to visit to matter your age. Obviously a great place for kids but also fun to just get out of the house and go walk around and see some amazing animals. There are always new events going on throughout the year, my personal favorite is the Jack-O-Lantern spectacular. Really cool to walk through the zoo grounds at night and check out all of the crazy pumpkins that local artists have commissioned. As far as food goes, there is a cafeteria located fairly close to the entrance that has a pizza place, a taco restaurant and a standard burger spot. There is also various concessions located around the zoo grounds. I have been coming here my entire life, and it has been incredible to watch the changes over the years. The Minnesota Zoo is such an important place to be able to show people the affect we have on our planets wildlife and things we can do to help them. If you’ve never been, give it a visit.

This zoo is beyond amazing! The layout is setup in a very thoughtful way, that makes the flow move smoothly, and transitions for kiddos easy. The highlights for our family were the camel rides, the llama trek, the dolphins, and the Dino Hideout exhibit! We had no idea about the Dino exhibit, but WOW that made our trip to the zoo even more memorable. My two boys were absolutely obsessed, and it was set up in an area that was very kid friendly. The kids were able to run around and check out the Dinos, and do some playing in the play area setup. Great little break from all the walking and looking! The zoo does have bathrooms and kiosks all over to make sure you and your people have lots of options for hydrating and bathroom breaks. With a 6 and 4 year old, these were both very important on a 90 degree day! The zoo was quite clean, staff very friendly, and the attractions were fantastic. Lots of opportunity to learn, have fun, and experience the amazing creatures living there.

I am from Oklahoma and visited in May. It was the perfect weather. Most of the animals were out, but unfortunately, they were not very active. The zoo is laid out a little weird, but the enclosures were clean, and the animals were well cared for. There was construction going on for a new walking trail that is up in the air. It looks really cool. I would recommend bringing your own food and drink because they are rather expensive inside the zoo. The gift shop was picked over when it came to larger shirts. Overall, it was a fun experience and I finally got to see a Moose!

I recently attended the Bears & Brews event at the Minnesota Zoo and had an amazing time! The event featured a variety of local breweries and food vendors, as well as the opportunity to see the zoo's resident bears up close. The atmosphere was lively and fun, with great music and a friendly crowd. I loved getting to sample some delicious beers, siders and tasty food from local food trucks, while watching the bears and other animals play and interact in their habitats. My only complaint was that the event seemed to end too soon - I could have stayed and enjoyed the festivities for hours! However, I would still highly recommend Bears & Brews and the Minnesota Zoo to anyone looking for a fun and unique experience. Overall, I was very impressed with the Minnesota Zoo's commitment to providing enjoyable and educational events for its visitors. I would love to see more events like this in the future and can't wait to visit again!

Jurassic Park at the MN Zoo. The dinosaurs are robotic. A movie video would have been a great idea here. Dakota Electric member appreciation night was a great event. We watched the bird show. Did the walk around. Strollers and families everywhere. Young and old, big and small. We all enjoyed the event

Very nice zoo! Plenty to see and to do. Interactive exhibits are very well taken care of. The overhead walking path will be opening soon for 2023.

Love going to the MN Zoo! They have a new walking trail opening in the end of August that looks awesome. If you are on the Snap program it is free to get in- you just have to pay for parking. (Around ten bucks) I go at least a few times a year :)

This is a great zoo overall, been going since I was very young and enjoyed it each and every time. Friendly staff, happy animals with enough room. However, recent changes have made me sad. For one, the farm area is complete desolation. Also, there are many very broken things that have been broken for years without being fixed. But there are definitely more great things than not about this zoo

The new Treetop Trail is very pretty; however, I wouldn't recommend walking the entire loop if your only objective is to see zoo animals. If you want to spend part of your visit taking a beautiful walk through nature, the Treetop Trail is ideal. The rest of the zoo grounds are also inviting and you can see a variety of fascinating animals on a series of other "trails" at ground level.

Nice zoo. I liked the circular shape making it easy to visit the entire zoo. The tree top walk was very nice and the trip through the native habitat was a good addition. We made a special trip to this zoo because it is one of the few in the world that has moose. Because there are 8, we were sure we'd get to see one. Sadly we did not. We were over 6 hours from home and we were disappointed. I know, you can't control the animals, but I wish the exhibit didn't have blind areas.

Great zoo. I just wish more animals were visible. Also, the gift shop leaves much to be desired. Adult clothes are minimal, and the largest was XL, which would not fit an average adult woman. The clothing was basically for teens/kids.

One of the coolest zoo’s I’ve been so far. I went on a weekday and there was not a lot of people. A bit hard to get through public transportation but can be done! The new high rise walkway is pretty cool, very nice walk through zoo and woods, plus, you get unique views to the tiger’s enclosure and grizzly bear.

We went on an extra day off for the kids and it was not crowded at all. Animals appear well cared for, lots of conservation work information was provided, and the employees we encountered were friendly and knowledgeable. If you have kids and you plan to go morethan twice a year, the membership pays for itself.

Though unfortunately closed right now due to Covid, the Minnesota Zoo is a resource and amenity Minnesotans are lucky to have. We need to support the zoo. My family drove through the Nature Illuminated exhibit this past weekend. Lines to get on-property were long, and the actual exhibit drive time is fairly short by comparison, but, it was a fun activity that helps support Minnesota Zoo.

Even during COVID they have fun family activities!

This Minnesota Zoo is regarded as one of the best Zoos in the country with over 40 years of promoting conservation, education, and the preservation of rare species. It sits on a huge acreage that allows for expansive animal habitats and enjoyable walking paths through the exhibits. The leadership, staff, and facilities are some of the best in the industry. I highly recommend a visit in any season. Winter is just as awesome as summer in my opinion. The Siberian tigers are especially impressive in the winter months.

Love the Minnesota Zoo. Membership is the way to go if you plan to go a couple times each year. Nice showcase of Minnesota native animals. We do miss the dolphins.

Great experience for kids. Loved it. We have been to the drive through zoo twice this year, once during the day and once at night.

My kids can't get enough of the zoo! Membership is totally worth it. It's always fun and educational.

The MN Zoo has done a tremendous job of making the zoo a safe place for animals and patrons alike. Please be respectful of their policies and wear your mask both indoors and out!:-)

Very nice outing - I wish it was longer & felt like more inflatable characters could have been placed along the passenger side

Lots of animals. It's a zoo there.

Nature Illuminated

The drive thru for Christmas was very interesting

Light show is good and interesting. Be sure to listen to the narration.

A crazy long line that circumnavigates the parking lot, so plan 20 minutes just to get to the start on a weekend. Once there, the audio tour is nice educatilnal commentary on the theme of each section of the exhibit. Also solicitation to save the earth, and contribute to the zoo. The figures are great, with detailed features.

2 year old truly loved the animals, never lost interest.

I liked what was there but expected to see a lot more lights other than the big balloon animals (although they were cool) Loved the trees that looked like they were moving, The reason I gave a lower score was be cause I spent a lot of money to enjoy these lights and had a set time to be there the lineup was so huge and it took a long time to finally get to the show. Also because of the long line the phone guide was way ahead of us so at first I did not know what they were talking about until I got to the animal. Since it was so busy I feel we really couldn't take our time or stop for a bit to take a picture as I felt like there was so many people behind me that I didn't want to make them wait any longer. And there were no places to pull over to let them by. All that said it was a display even for a couple of old people for some new years fun 😀

Amazing!

Can't wait to volunteer here

Support the zoo! The drive through was great!

Great light show. Well organized

The nature illuminated show was awesome! Fun around Christmas and a great activity during covid times

Ok, the light show was pretty dull. Very busy.

It was terrific

The Nature Illuminated display is a great break from the norm right now.

$60 for long lines and only lighted blowup animal replicates. Probably good for kids but definitely not $60 of value.

There's no getting out of the car, so social distancing is present - it's worth seeing the light show and helping the animals

We hadn't been to Minnesota Zoo yet, we knew we needed to get to the Nature Illuminated (aka Zoo Lights), at the least. We were not disappointed. It was delightful and fun, informative, colorful and well worth the time. We would highly recommend it.

The illuminated nature drive-by display was fabulous.

Always one of the best ways to spend a day with the kids.

The Nature Illuminated is great exhibit

Always a great experience for the family. We went to the light show recently and they did a spectacular job!

Went to the lights display. Expected Christmas lights, but saw beautifully illuminated giant animal figures. Nice audio tour as well. I enjoyed it.

We had a great time.we hope to come next summer to visit all our fury friends

Very nice place for the kids and adults. Lots of different animals to see, you even get to feed goats at the farm ❤️

Lots of great activities to do despite the current social climate. Really glad we have a membership there and eagerly await being able to go back again.

Great for younger kids

So vast and huge. So many wonderful exhibits and animals to see.

One of the best zoos in the Midwest. Definitely worth a trip if you have kids or like zoos and are around the Minneapolis area

We love the zoo! Great exhibits and the zoo staff always makes it a great experience!

(Translated by Google) A great location to relax (Original) Lokasi yang bagus untuk bersantai

Nature Illuminated is just an audio tour on your phone while you drive thru the parking lot looking at inflatable animals, so that was... a thing........ but otherwise the Zoo is cool, donate.

I really wanted to take our toddler to see animals at the zoo, but was nervous about the social distancing at such a public and normally busy place. Everyone I talked to that had went only said great things, so decided to give it a try. Everyone was right! They have a great system and all of the people were very spaced out. Everybody was wearing a mask the correct way and being respectful of space. The animals also seemed to be more active than I remember and we were able to get up close to so many of the animals!

Nature Illuminated

The Zoo did an amazing job. It was a great drive thru event and a demonstration of creativity in a time when gathering is limited. There are obviously very creative and inventive people at the zoo. My only issue was headlights were on and taillights which dimmed the ability to really enjoy the event. We waited in line 57 minutes and then drove thru in 20 minutes. All in all the zoo did a fabulous job.

Got a membership this summer and have had nothing but good experiences especially during a pandemic. The staff is amazing and my kids always have a good time

Amazing place for kids to learn and see the various animals

Get a membership so you can go early :) totally worth it!

Recently attending their Light Up Blow up animal display show. It was definitely more kid oriented but still cool to see. Love that they are still doing things.

Beautiful moment that we spent enjoying the night lights at the zoo!!!!!

Very safe practices for covid, everything was clearly marked and kept safe for everyone.

A great place for kids or a date. Coronavirus however makes exhibits and maneuvering a hindrance in comparison to precovid experiences

Can’t wait till summer so I can visit the zoo whit my family great service clean areas and lots of animals

One of my families favorite places to go! Always a fun time.

Had a blast walking around the Minnesota State Zoo! Spend the whole day there taking pictures of all the creatures. It's very clean and big. Also it's not overpriced like some of the other ones I have been to. Can't wait to go back this summer.

Really well organized for the pandemic

Fun zoo - though hard to get a ticket during COVID!

I had a great time going to the Minnesota Zoo. I haven't gone to the Minnesota Zoo in months. This was my birthday present that I ever had in this time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Been here many times, loved it everytime! And they were pretty nice about me being medical exempt too.

Wonderful to visit, even in winter! The grandkids loved it (as did the adults)!

Never don't love coming here, price is worth it, membership is worth it. Summer or winter the animals are always out and active!

I went here for the pumpkin carvings. Wished it was longer. Love it.

Disappointed

Miss coming here in the warm weather!

arbys we have the meats

Great indoor rain forest! The kids were able to feel like they were outside during the Minnesota Winter

Great experience. My first time there and felt safe the whole way through. Covid restrictions didn't detract from the experience!

First time back since covid and I can say I'm quite happy with how they've adjusted to the changes. Only down side is there weren't many food places in the Cafe open and there weren't enough hand sanitizer stations. Otherwise our family loves the zoo and will continue to go!

Great Zoo! In my opinion it is the best in Apple Valley, Minnesota!!

The Jack-o-lantern Spectacular was alot of fun! We had a blast and was an awesome experience. We got there 40 minutes early and worked out just great. Best time for us was 7PM.

If your looking for a Bomb Halloween activity to do with friends or family this is a Must See!!!! Truly Amazing!! Go online to buy tickets & pick a time slot to go. Weekends are PACKED so I'd advise goin on a week night.

The zoo was informative and the enclosure were sparkling clean. The animals seemed content and very well acted for! There wasn’t quite as many exhibits as other zoos I have been to. The underground area was gorgeous and very cool on a hot day. The aquarium was my favorite, we were able to see the sharks and the rays feed.

The Jack-o-lantern Speculator was so awesome!!! Big hit with the family and will definitely be coming back!

The Minnesota zoo pumpkins were awesome! We all had a great time! Affordable, fun and creative pumpkins!

Best experience our family has had in months. The trails were very open and people were very kind and respectful. Great animal views. We also had the sour patch kids ice cream and it was incredible. Worth a smile from my 4 y/o daughter.

We went here for the pumpkin show. Great artwork a little long of a wait in the cold but worth it. Also they have some drinks and food for purchase. This is great for family's or date nights. They do however ask for a donation on top of the admission cost which was 25 bucks so we were confused by that.

My girlfriend got us surprise tickets to the “Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular” that is put on by the MN Zoo around Halloween. The event was well planned and organized. It was great to see the hard work that everyone was putting in on their pumpkin carving. We will be going again next year!

Zoo is always a great place for a family day trip, and Minnesota Zoo is not an exception! ☺ We particularly enjoyed Tropics Trail and Medtronic MN Trail. Awesome indoor displays and great varieties of animals. When being outdoor we were lucky to see the tigers (they live in a big open area and it is not very easy to spot them). Seeing the brown bears face to face (over a glass) is very impressive, too! We had a great time there! The only regret was that the family animal area was closed. Not sure when it will become available again.

I went with friends to Zoo Boo, I think that what they call it when it's Halloween decorated. It was unfortunately cool/cold and damp, but the decorations were also cool. Kids liked the the mass of carved pumpkins (zoo said there were 5,000, but I didn't count them). We liked the "artistic" pumpkins, which were unbelievable. Some people know how to carve them into art works.

It’s not often I enjoy zoos these days! There was plenty of space for the animals. They seemed healthy, well taken care of and well fed. You can see several animals thriving that would otherwise not survive in the wild- the few that were noticeable were 2 turtles and an eagle with a broken wing. I’ve already decided to come back to Apple Valley/St. Paul around Halloween next year so I can experience their event in the evening.

I have only been here for the Halloween Jack o Lantern Spectacular, but that was absolutely phenomenal. And from what I could tell, the zoo itself seems to be quite large and the animal enclosures themselves seem to have substantial area. Looking forward to a regular visit during daylight hours!

We went to the MN on a semi warm day. It was chilly but not for Minnesota. We did the indoor stuff and it took us about 2 hours. Food and drinks are expensive. $3 for one can of pop soooo bring your own!! Parking is $7 and tickets need to be done ahead of time online

We love visiting the Zoo. The staff are always wonderful and we never have any issues seeing the animals. The outside is always clean and the inside paths are also very clean. Rarely do we see any trash laying around.

First time here and it was amazing. We had a few hours between things today. We were able to kill two hours walking around the park. Some spots are closed for the season but still worth the money. The exhibit are well designed and have great viewing stops. The park is upkept well. We can't wait to come back during the summer months to see everything.

The Minnesota Zoo is a great place to spend a summer day with the kids. It's not so big that you feel overwhelmed but has many great animal exhibits. My kids really enjoy the penguins, lama treck (where they can feed and walk lamas on a lead), camel rides, and the two very large playgrounds. Many parts of the trail are shaded, which is great for hot days.

What a great place to spend the day with a young family. Plenty of things to do for all ages and plenty of learning and reading information if you choose while being exciting enough to not bore you. Very clean and animals look to be well cared for.

Ah we love this place! Bright and open outdoors ! The indoor exhibits are fantastic! The aquarium and 2 separate trails : north and tropics . Very well done. We go nationwide to zoos and are always pleased at Minnesota Zoo. Wished there were a few more variants like elephants or hippos but the wolves, badgers, lemurs, sharks, and those crazy Awesome grizzly’s are all a small splint of how cool this place is! Definitely grateful for the wonderful staff there and the splash pad and two playgrounds! Food is really good! The only thing we found disappointing ever is the farm yard. Everything there is so roped off and we think spring farm babies would be way better if they had a petting zoo portion . The ice cream place at the farmyard is stingy too. But other than that we encourage everyone to go to this zoo!

We own a yearly pass for family plus. It is well worth it. Spent 3 hours walking around. Even if some of the animals are not close, the park itself is beautiful enough to enjoy on its own. We packed a small lunch and found plenty of places for a picnic. Great way to enjoy the day and experience the outdoors while seeing some happily adjusted animals.

My family had a great time at the zoo. There were a few exhibits that were unavailable but due to the intense heat that day it was understandable. Would love to see more concession stands out in the walking area but I'm also sure not having them prevents unwanted food in the enclosures but overall it was a great experience.

Awesome place to visit with family/friends. Was expecting to check out the newly built Skywalk but it isn't ready yet so maybe later this summer. A big plus is the renovations in the Cafe area that has added a nice refreshing vibe for those needing a break before taking on the indoor tropics. Just a little reminder for those that get benefits from the state - entrance is free for your family! You just have to claim tickets online - you're welcome!

Our friend Nancy treated us to a day at the zoo. I was surprised that many animal exhibits were much smaller than when I was last here, quite some years ago. The monorail is being turned into an elevated walking path, which should be quite wonderful. The animal population has reduced owing to more knowledge about what is best for the animals (dolphins moved to a larger place with more dolphins as they are so social, deaths owing to old age or sickness, for example) but many viewing opportunities still exist.

The zoo had lots of great animals to see. Tigers were out and easy to see, which seems better than I remember from the past. They previously would hide around the back of the fence where you could rarely see them. They have a water tank where they were hanging out making it easier to see them. The monorail is being replaced with a walking trail. Excited to get back when it is open. We opted to get annual passes for the zoo. Would have been around $50 for two adults and two kids (one of which is free) to get in plus parking, but the season pass was about $150 and includes parking. A couple visits and you pretty much break even.

I visited Minnesota Zoo on Saturday. It was really fun and I enjoyed my time with my family. They have Different shows which one of my favorite one was The Bird Show . I highly recommend!

Great zoo! Opens 1 hour early for members. Very clean. They currently have dolphins until labor day 2023 and are worth a visit! There is an indoor and outdoor area. That way you can come in all seasons!

Amazing fun for all! The splash pad was such an awesome surprise for my kids (9,6,4,2,10 mo). Perfect cool off after a hot afternoon walking around checking out the animals!

It is a very spacious zoo, with little animals for as much space as they have. My thoughts only! Otherwise, it was clean & the animals looked well taken care of & happy. Great stop!

Great place to walk around and the newly completed Tree Top Trail was very convenient. It had multiple spots where you could get off if you wanted to see a group of animals from the main trails instead of from above. It also had benches set up throughout.

Didn't expect much while planning our visit. Nonetheless, it was an amazingly pleasant experience. We've been to a couple of Zoos in multiple states including Safari Parks. Minnesota Zoo certainly stands out among the top ones for sure! Will definitely visit again during the Lantern event. N.B. Surprisingly, they've got some nice aquariams as well.

Expensive entry fee, but it was worth the price. The facility was clean and well maintained. The animals were healthy and active. There was so much to see and do that we ran out of time to see it all. I recommend the Skywalk, a good way to see the while park from a height, and the dolphin exhibit, which was a blast to watch the trainers show the dolphins tricks.

Jack o Lantern Spectacular grab your tickets it is so magical 🎃 This is my 4th year going and it never disappoints! This year there were more food and drink options along the trail. Wear comfortable shoes 😁 Don't miss this event!

Went to the Pumpkin walk of 2023. The pumpkins amd the amount of work put into them were so amazing! The zoo does a great job adding to the scenery where they placed lots of colored lights shining up into the trees, making for beautiful photos!! My only real complaint was how crowded it was. I was not expecting that, especially with their “time slot” structure. Was a little surprised with the length of the walk, but wasn’t upset at all about it, just surprised. Favorite part was interacting with all the fish and aquatic animals near the entrance of the zoo before heading on the walk.

Very cool Jack-o-lantern display at the Minnesota Zoo! Lots of cool things if you can take your time and look at the details of the pumpkins. There were lots of things on the way in form of snacks and drinks as well. Plenty for adults and kids! Highly recommended!

Jack-O-Lantern spectacular was very cool to see. Very talented artists. It was pouring rain and kinda hard to see around everyone with umbrellas. It was very organized with employees helping keep people on the right paths and headed in the right direction. There’s quite a walking distance from front entrance to the pumpkin area to keep in mind for children and elderly. It was fun to see!

If you like to take a stroll a night and don't mind a crowd, then the Jack-o-lantern Spectacular will be perfect. It's a roughly 30-minute pathway for me, full of beautiful cravings of pumpkins. Very kid friendly event or a date night. (Ticket purchase only.)

I love the Minnesota Zoo’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular! It’s a cute night for couples or families to enjoy work from Twin Cities’ artists. There were so many details in the pumpkin carvings! It’s about a 40 to 50-minute walk to go through the whole thing, and there were stops for snacks like mini donuts and apple cider that we got this time! I can’t wait for next year!

I’ve never been before, and didn’t know what to expect or what it would be like.. but I heard good things, so I thought hey, let’s check it out! And I’m glad we did!! There were SO many pumpkins!! They display them along a path that you get to a little farther into the Zoo. There were also snack stands along the way, inflatable animals, and some GIANT pumpkins! The music was a little.. odd and in some areas it would overlap and you could hear two different songs playing, I’d sync those up. Overall good experience and thing to go too, and I’ll think about checking it out next year! Go with your partner, family, friends.. definitely something for all ages.