Houston Zoo, Houston

I love this zoo! Its animals and exhibts are fantastic, not to metion there keeper team is amazing. I work at a zoo in Louisiana and its my dream job to work in the Houston Zoo's Carnivore Dept. This zoo strives in conservation of not only other countries but Texas as well. Being a zoo person and being on the front of animal care i can read an animal based on behavior and the animals at the zoo are far from being badly cared for. Don't be alarmed if you would see a "sick" animal at any zoo most animals in zoo's are old and do not get around as well. Also the heat plays a huge role on animal activity and no matter what the keepers try to do for them to make them feel comfortable they are not going tricks for you in heat of summer. Don't get me wrong though if you might expect any foul treatment of any animal at an unaccredited zoo stop supporting it and report it after intense researching of that zoo. Once again don't jump to conclusions if you see an animal that might look sick. At the zoo that i work at we have a black swan who was born with a deformed wing and a spider monkey who has bloat and is being treated accordingly, but it is no reason to keep hidden from the public eye.

We had a blast when we went. of course all their items in the gift shop are overpriced but what gift shop isn't?? I would def go there again. My kids loved it. I went with my family so we had 4 kids ages 4-2 and they all had a ball.

The zoo is great, but now costs $40 for a family of 4 to visit. Even if you bring your own lunch, it's not somewhere you can go often over the summer. For what you get, it's just too much money. If you add the train & carosel, you just spent $60.

I LOVE HOUSTON ZOO!!! because of toby, lion pack, rattlesnake, birds, cheetahs, giraffes, monkeys and fish :) Why do i dislike it? I did zoofarai camp and it was boring!!!!!! I HATE ZOOFARAI!

Still under construction, hard to get around. No Zebra, no Rhino, No Hippo's. No nadda and they advertise come see the unfinished African section!

I adore the Houston Zoo. It's very large and the exhibits make it pretty easy to always see the animals, even on a hot summer day! It's very pretty, as well. Lots of trees and shade. Never gets boring. We go all the time!

I love the Houston Zoo! It's very fun and there are always lots to see. One thing I don't really like is that it is really hot there but other then that it's amazing.

We live in the Houston area and have a zoo pass. It is about a 30-40 min drive and we still make the trek. I have three kids 4,5,9. When you get there find out the zoo keeper talk times on the map or posted if you want to talk to zoo keepers or see special shows. If you want to see the sea lion show get there early for a good spot right along the rail, or it is hard to see. Don't miss the aquarium immediately to the right as you enter. Another great place is the natural encounters building. A cool tunnel for the kids, bats and real up close animals, inside. Plus my favorite, the naked mole rat. Since it can get really hot in Houston mixing the outdoor stuff with the indoor buildings gives you breaks through out the day. Also go first thing in the morning to avoid the heat and see more animals. We don't use the map anymore because we know where everything is. I don't think it is a great map, but not horrible. The back part is being renovated, but the zoo still has lots of stuff. Not anything crazy or exotic, but a decent variety. Lots of birds that we typically skip, except for the flamingos. Kids part has some fun interactive things, but also has some parts that need work. Food is expensive in the zoo, but you can take in outside food and have a picnic on the grass or sit at the tables. We typically leave the stuff in the car and then walk back out to Herman park and have a picnic. Then decide if we want to go back into the zoo, they hand stamp, or go do something else. Parent warnings: 1) the kids area has a water play area that kids get soaked in. If you don't want wet kids take a change of clothes or be prepared to tell them "no" It isn't open during the winter. 2) The entrance of the park is near the Herman park train. This is a separate cost. 3) In the zoo, there is a carousel that also costs a few dollars, like $2 or $3. 4) It gets really hot in Houston in the summer, the zoo is shaded and has misters, but have water on hand because the water fountains aren't always easy to find. Parking is free. I have been to better zoos and worse zoos, I find the value to be good if you plan on spending the day and have kids. I don't know that I would put it high on the list for just adults, we have nice museums. However, if you have some time it is good for the price.

I haved lived in the Houston area fro 3 yrs and decided to finally go to the zoo. It was really great. There is lots of shade so the heat isn't as bad. I enjoyed it and will definitely go again. Just a tip, you can bring drinks in so if you are on a tight budget I suggest bringing your own drink. I brought icees for my kids for $2.50 for an 10 oz cup.

The zoo is really big and laid out nicely, however we went during spring break and trying to get through the herd of strollers was a real obstacle. It would have been a better experience if other people could control their children. Every time I turned around kids were yelling, growling, and banging on the animals cages. One kid even threw a huge ball of cotton candy into the orangutans habitat. It was so sad to watch him look all over for it then eat it. I can only hope it didn't make him ill. Also, most of the animals were either hiding or not even present in their cages. The ones that were out seemed very lethargic. The petting zoo was a sad sight. A few exhibits were closed that we were really looking forward to. I am sure it is way more enjoyable during the week when it is not so busy.