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The Cincinnati Zoo is one of the best zoos in America. And it is one of the best things to do for families while visiting Cincinnati. Keep reading to find out why your family will have a blast exploring this amazing zoo during your trip to the Queen City!
Cincinnati Zoo Animals and Exhibits
The Cincinnati Zoo has a large and diverse collection of animals on exhibit. They have many of the traditional animals, such as lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes, and zebras. Additionally, the zoo has some species that you don’t see as often, such as the lesser kudu, aardvark, fennec fox, snow leopard, and African painted dogs.
They also have a lot of animals that you have never heard of before. These include the gila monster, a fishing cat, and a sand cat. One of the things that makes this such an amazing zoo is that it has so many animals that you have never before seen.
Of course, the star of the Cincinnati Zoo is Fiona the hippo. Back in 2017, the zoo welcomed Fiona into the world. She was born 6 weeks early and only weighed 29 pounds! (Most hippos weigh between 50-100 pounds when they are born.)
Cincinnati and the world fell in love with her. And Fiona loved all of the attention. Now, she is thriving, growing, and still putting on a show for everyone who comes to see her. And her little brother, Fritz, is stealing the hearts of visitors too. He was born in August of 2022.
It is worth a trip to the zoo just to see Fiona and Fritz! They really are adorable!
Why You Will Love This Zoo
The Cincinnati Zoo is a wonderful place for families to explore. And I have no doubts that your family will love it as much as mine does.
Here’s some of the reasons why:
- Fiona and Fritz are super cute and a lot of fun to watch. Your kids will love them!
- They have a kangaroo exhibit that you can walk into. While you must stay on the path, there is nothing between you and the kangaroos! It’s pretty cool to be so close to kangaroos without any separation.
- The Night Hunters exhibit is one of the most unique and amazing exhibits ever seen in a zoo. It is full of nocturnal predators, such as the aardvark, sand cat, and bearcat. The entire building has special lighting so the animals feel like it is nighttime during the day. This allows you to see these animals awake and active instead of sleeping.
- Each day, they offer several zoo keeper chats. Each chat is about a different species, which allows you to learn more about your favorite animals.
- They have a train, carousel, ropes course, and children’s petting zoo. Your kids will have a blast with these activities.
- During the warmer months, you can feed the giraffes. This is a lot of fun for kids!
- You can purchase one of several behind-the-scenes experiences where you can get a closer look at some favorite animals. These experiences include meeting birds, painting with goats, hanging out with an insect keeper, or getting hands on with a Galapagos tortoise. They also offer behind-the-scenes experiences with hippos, red pandas, giraffes, penguins, kangaroos, and elephants.
- In addition to the animals, the Cincinnati Zoo also houses the city’s botanical gardens. Throughout the zoo, you will see the various gardens and can admire all of the beautiful plants and flowers.
Logistics of Visiting the Cincinnati Zoo
The Cincinnati Zoo is open everyday except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The operating hours vary, depending on the season. You can find the hours for the day of your visit on the zoo’s website.
The zoo is located in the heart of the city at 3400 Vine Street. You can park in the zoo’s main parking lot at 3477 Vine Street or one of the overflow lots located across the street.
Parking at the zoo will cost you $10. You can pay for it by scanning one of the parking QR codes located throughout the parking lots and the zoo. When you leave, you will then enter your code into the automated system to open the gates.
The price of admission varies depending on the day of your visit. You can purchase your tickets ahead of time through the zoo’s website. Buying your tickets in advance is highly recommended. This will ensure you pay the cheapest possible price.
To see the price of admission on the day of your visit or to purchase tickets, visit the zoo’s website.
Conclusion
The Cincinnati Zoo is a wonderful thing for families to do while in Cincinnati. They have a large, diverse, and unique collection of animals. They also have a lot of interactive activities that families will enjoy! And, best of all, you can have fun watching Fiona and Fritz playing in the water!
I highly recommend adding the Cincinnati Zoo to your list of things to do in Cincinnati with your kids. You won’t regret it!
See my list of tips for visiting the zoo and why you should visit Cincinnati with your family. And check out my post on Sugar n’ Spice Diner! It’s one of the best places for breakfast in Cincinnati!
For help planning your family trips, see how to take amazing vacations on any budget, how to plan an epic vacation, and how to improve your trips.
Happy travels!
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