Information
Landmark: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical GardenCity: Cincinnati
Country: USA Ohio
Continent: North America
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, USA Ohio, North America
Overview
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden ranks among the country’s most beloved and storied zoos, where peacocks still wander the paths like they have for generations.Founded in 1875, it ranks as the nation’s second-oldest zoo, just behind Philadelphia’s, where brass gates still gleam in the morning sun.Just minutes from downtown Cincinnati, the zoo draws visitors with groundbreaking conservation work, inventive exhibits, and lush gardens where bright tulips line the paths.📍 Location and Size Address : 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220 Size : Approximately 75 acres , combining animal exhibits with extensive botanical gardens.You’ll find it at 3400 Vine Street in Cincinnati, Ohio-about 75 acres of winding paths, animal exhibits, and lush botanical gardens scented with blooming roses.🐾 Animal Exhibits and Signature Habitats Home to over 400 animal species , the zoo features immersive, well-designed habitats that prioritize animal welfare and visitor education.Tucked into the Avondale neighborhood, you can reach it in minutes-whether you’re driving, hopping on a bus, or strolling past the corner café.🐾 Home to more than 400 species, the zoo invites you into lush, carefully crafted habitats where a tiger’s low rumble meets lessons on wildlife care and conservation.Elephant Trek is one of the zoo’s biggest attractions, built for Asian elephants and giving them wide open space with cool pools, sturdy logs, and shady spots to rest.This exhibit sits at the heart of the zoo’s elephant conservation work, where you can almost hear the slow rustle of hay under their feet.Africa: an 8-acre exhibit styled like a sunlit savanna, with tall golden grasses swaying in the breeze.You’ll find giraffes, cheetahs, lions, wild dogs, and zebras here, and an elevated boardwalk lets you watch them up close, so close you can hear the soft thud of a zebra’s hoof.At Rhino Reserve, you’ll find eastern black rhinos, okapis, and greater flamingos roaming in wide, natural habitats where the air smells faintly of fresh grass.Manatee Springs, a Florida-inspired exhibit, brings wetlands and swamps to life with West Indian manatees gliding through the water, alligators basking on the banks, snapping turtles, native fish, and birds.Step into Night Hunters, a shadowy indoor space where fennec foxes, aardvarks, ocelots, and clouded leopards prowl under dim light.The Reptile House, the nation’s oldest zoo building still in use, shelters snakes, turtles, and lizards within its timeworn brick walls.Lemur Lookout is a fresh, open-air space where ring-tailed lemurs leap between sunlit branches, offering visitors a lively way to learn about Madagascar’s endangered wildlife.Coming in 2025, Siamang Point will showcase Siamang gibbons, Asian small-clawed otters, and rhinoceros hornbills, all amid towering climbing nets and sparkling pools.🌸 Botanical Garden The zoo doubles as a botanical garden , showcasing more than 3,000 plant species across formal gardens, themed areas, and natural landscapes.Bear Ridge: a freshly renovated space for North American black bears, with tall pines, mossy logs, and other forest details that feel like home.Sea Otter Coast is a seaside-inspired habitat where you can watch playful otters glide past the glass, while learning how to protect our oceans.🎡 Attractions and Rides For families and younger visitors: Safari Train : Circles the zoo with scenic views, open 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.🌸 Botanical Garden The zoo also serves as a lush botanical garden, with over 3,000 plant species spread through manicured lawns, fragrant themed sections, and winding paths that slip into wild greenery.Recognized by ArbNet as a Level IV Arboretum-their highest honor, like a gold seal pressed into heavy paper.The garden’s highlights range from lush perennial beds and vibrant seasonal flowers to tropical conservatories and pollinator-friendly plots.Each spring, it bursts into color during Zoo Blooms, one of the Midwest’s biggest floral displays, with more than 100,000 tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths swaying in the breeze.🎉 Events and Educational Programs The Cincinnati Zoo hosts seasonal events and year-round educational opportunities.🎡 For families and younger visitors, hop on the Safari Train-it loops around the zoo, offering shady views of the animals from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.Conservation Carousel: ride hand‑carved animals from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., each painted with bright, weathered colors.Giraffe Feeding Station: Get up close and hand-feed the giraffes from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.-watch their long tongues wrap gently around the leaves you offer.ScooterPals offers electric scooters shaped like playful animals, ready for rent as you zip through the zoo past lions and popcorn stands.🎉 The Cincinnati Zoo packs the calendar with seasonal events and offers hands-on educational programs all year, from summer wildlife workshops to crisp autumn festivals.In April, Zoo Blooms bursts into life with acres of colorful flowers swaying in the breeze and plenty of family-friendly activities.From November to January, the Festival of Lights transforms the grounds into a dazzling maze of millions of LED bulbs, winding themed trails, and the sweet scent of fresh holiday cookies.🕒 Hours and Admission Open Daily : 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (seasonal changes may apply) General Admission (variable pricing based on day and demand): Adults: $9 to $26 Seniors/Children (ages 3–12): $6 to $20 Ride Package (zoo admission + unlimited rides): Adults: $16 to $38 Children/Seniors: $13 to $27 Children under age 2: Free Parking: On-site parking available for a daily fee.🧭 Visitor Tips Best Times to Visit : Early mornings or weekdays for smaller crowds.Tunes & Blooms brings free outdoor concerts every Thursday evening in April-think warm air, music drifting through the garden.HallZOOween is a Halloween celebration made for kids, with playful costumes and trick‑or‑treat stops tucked between the zoo’s paths.The Barrows Conservation Lecture Series brings together leading scientists and passionate conservationists, sharing stories that range from tracking wolves in snowy forests to protecting fragile coastal habitats.Zoo Camps offer weeklong summer programs for kids, packed with hands-on activities-like feeling the rough shell of a tortoise or planting herbs in the garden.Wild Encounters offers behind-the-scenes animal tours where you might feel a giraffe’s warm breath as a zookeeper shares their world.We’re open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.-hours may shift with the seasons.General admission ranges from $9 to $26 for adults and $6 to $20 for seniors or kids ages 3–12.The ride package, which includes zoo entry and unlimited rides like the carousel that smells faintly of fresh paint, runs $16 to $38 for adults and $13 to $27 for kids or seniors.Children under 2 get in free, and on-site parking is available for a daily fee.
