Chattanooga Zoo

We had a great time at this zoo! The keeper talks are interesting and fun. Check the schedule online so you don't miss any you are interested in! We got to see all of the chimpanzees closely, as the keeper fed them peanuts and taught us about them. The animal ambassador meet and greet was fun too; we got to meet a 3-band armadillo (Tonka) up close. Giraffe feeding is $5 and was totally worth it to get up close and personal with a giraffe! The red pandas are incredibly adorable and have a great, spacious exhibit. This zoo is on the small side, but we still spent almost 4 hours there to see everything and go to talks, and enjoyed every minute. We went on a weekday, and it was not crowded. This zoo is very wheelchair accessible, except there are no automatic open buttons on most of the doors. That's a problem for strollers, too! You might have to ask for help, but there are always people around.

Absolutely loved the lights! Highly recommend this zoo. We had 4 generations at this family night and even in some rain we all had a blast! Free parking in attached parking lot. Wheelchair accessible parking. Wheelchair accessible entrance.

This is a small zoo, but perfect for young children. It held my toddlers attention, able to see animals pretty close up, and wasn't overly crowded. If you want something more low key and relaxed this zoo is perfect. The indoor carousel is also a nice feature. There are a lot of animals off exhibit, but it's cold so to be expected. The only "weird" thing is the glass on the animal exhibits. It isn't anti-reflective, which makes taking pictures or even just seeing the animals harder with all the reflection and glare.

A must-visit destination for animal lovers and families with kids. The zoo is filled with diverse animals, like snow leopards, cougars, chimpanzees, giraffes and bison to name a few. The zoo's thoughtful design features separate sections for desert and African animals, etc. providing an immersive experience. Highlights of our visit included feeding the giraffes, which my child absolutely loved, and the petting zoo area where interactive fun with friendly goats stole the show. The zoo also features a charming carousel, providing a delightful break for kids to enjoy. When hunger struck, we appreciated the convenient options: a food truck serving refreshing ice shavings, ice creams and other snacks and a restaurant offering a variety of meals. For the kids' energetic sides, a sprawling play park adjacent to the zoo offered endless fun, with ample space for running, climbing and laughing. Inside the zoo, the Nature Play Park provided an ideal setting for little explorers to discover and learn through interactive play, blending seamlessly with the zoo's natural beauty. Throughout the zoo, clean, well-maintained washrooms were conveniently located, ensuring a comfortable visit. Naturalistic habitats and educational signage enhanced our experience, making it both enjoyable and informative.

Wow what do I have to say about this zoo. We came from Nashville to Chattanooga for a few days for a short vacation. When we got to the zoo, I realized that there weren’t many people there. Now I realize, it’s a weekday but I figured there were gonna be more people. Man was I wrong. This zoo was so empty it felt kind of creepy. None of the snack stands were being operated. The staff was lacking as well. Now when I saw the animals, I just felt sad. Smelled like stagnant water everywhere. And the animals. Some had no water whatsoever and the ones that did it was old and filmed over. And you could just look at these poor animals and see they hate they are stuck in these conditions. The chimpanzees really showed it the most. I was so pumped to come here to see all the animals. The only good thing about it was I got to pet the goats. That’s the only good thing though. Don’t waste the money here and just take a trip to the Nashville zoo instead. There’s no comparison.

This zoo is clean and well maintained. The animals are both well cared for and easily viewed. Yes there were a few hiders. It was hot today but the zoo offered fans and there are lots of indoor escapes from the heat. The kids had a great time and there’s plenty of photo opportunities. Parking was easy and the map is easy to follow. The gift shop is well stocked and there are lots of fun choices.

I've never been to this zoo. The lantern festival was amazing. It felt small. But due to the size of the zoo overall. It's hard to complain. Would go again.

Small, but really nice zoo. We were thankful to get tickets for the Red Panda experience. So worth the money. They provide the masks and gloves. Avi came down to greet us, but Willa decided to sleep in. Some animals did not come out to play, but that's understandable. Overall, we had a great time at this zoo.

Fun date spot. On the smaller side but great quality zoo & still took us about 2 hours to see everything at a moderate pace. Came on a Sunday mid-morning with great weather & wasn't crowded at all. Highly recommend!

Very nice zoo with plenty of things for kiddos to do. Beautiful day out to spend with family.

Amazing Staff! Clean for families with children! I love going out with groups and they were very welcoming and accommodating!

We love this place and have renewed our membership a few different times over the years. There is plenty to see for a great price (and you don't have to pay to park which seems to be a rarity in Chattanooga these days). During the harsher weather, there are indoor areas where you can take shelter from the cold or heat with animal habitats both in and outside. They are continuously growing and adding new exhibits and animals, and their events are fun for kids and adults alike. There's also a petting area for goats and a play area for the little ones. It can easily take two hours if you look at everything and go to some of the events on the schedule for the day. My favorite animal here is the Komodo dragon - it's wild to see something so large up close. If you have a favorite animal, you can also pay to experience an encounter with the animal. We have never done this, but we've seen it with the meerkats, and it seems to be very intimate and surreal. BONUS: If you get there early in the day, you may see some of the nocturnal animals being more active, particularly if they are being fed. It also helps beat the crowd so you can really view everything at your own pace.

Super cool and very fun place to go, They have a lot of really cool things to see here, The giraffes were crazy, the little monkey were very neat to watch, Would highly recommend coming here, Would of given 5 stars but some stuff was closed and there's construction, Which isn't really bad.

During the Asian lantern festival at the Chattanooga zoo, my girlfriend and I had an enchanting and memorable experience that extended beyond the beautiful lantern displays. We had a blast visiting the petting zoo, where adorable goats eagerly interacted with visitors. It was heartwarming to see my girlfriend's face light up with joy as she fed and petted the friendly goats. Amidst the mesmerizing lantern lights, we also managed to catch glimpses of the giraffes, which looked even more majestic in the evening ambiance. The meerkats were equally delightful, and we couldn't resist spending some extra time observing their playful antics. One of the most unexpected highlights was discovering the captivating sand cat exhibit. These elusive creatures enchanted both of us, and we were grateful for the opportunity to witness them up close during this special festival. The combination of the lantern festival, petting zoo, and diverse animal exhibits created a magical and unforgettable evening. It was a perfect date night that brought us closer together. If you're looking for an exceptional experience filled with wonder and warmth, don't miss the Asian lantern festival and petting zoo at the Chattanooga zoo. Four stars for an extraordinary time!

I really love zoos and have been to many in the USA and even Europe. Although I've lived in Chattanooga since 1996 I never went to the zoo until 2023. I'm really happy to say it was a great experience. The exhibits were clean and neat and they have a wide range of things to see. If you have kids they have a petting area as well as a playground to keep them happy.

Nice small zoo, perfect for a leisurely stroll to check out some animals and just enjoy a day out and about. It doesn't take long to go through the entire zoo so make sure you take it slow and enjoy each of the animals to the fullest. We played with the Tamarin for quite awhile, they were very entertaining and interactive. The giraffes are the main attraction and they know it! They prance around and show off, not camera shy at all! The grounds are well maintained and the enclosures are adequate size for the animals comfort. They all seemed content and healthy in their environment. We visited the zoo back in April and there were several signs and promises of things to come so we'll be back when we return to the area. The only issue is the staff, they seem very disinterested in any of the visitors or their job in general. They didn't affect our visit, we enjoyed ourselves despite their attitudes but they definitely didn't enhance our visit.

Our trip to the zoo did not disappoint - my children (3 and 7) had a great time! We purchased tickets online (we saved $2 this way) and made our way to the zoo. We were surprised to find a huge playground and even softball fields near the parking lot. It was a very slow Thursday morning and not many visitors so we were able to truly soak in every minute at the zoo and all of the animals and exhibits. They provided paper maps and also had QR codes you could scan to view the map on your phone. They had a large variety of exotic animals and even a petting zoo area to pet goats and see the alpacas and camels. Tons of peacocks everywhere! Just roaming around, hopping from fence to fence and even on the roofs of buildings. So fun to see them! This is a top attraction in Chattanooga and we were very excited to check it out for the first time. We didn't try any food or drinks here but we were able to bring in our own reusable cups with water already inside and they did offer water fountains with water refill stations. We did not have a stroller with us but we did see a few families with strollers around the zoo.

This is the third year in a row. We have visited the zoo while on vacation in Chattanooga. Usually we come in November, but I was so glad we decided to come a month earlier in October because we got to take advantage of the carousel being open& the train running! Apparently they only run from March till October, which we were unaware of in the previous two years. Overall a great time, and I love the addition of the breast-feeding Lactation pod that was newly added for mothers with children that are nursing. As to be expected, Gift shop is a bit overpriced. God is good!

My friend and I went to the zoo for the second year in a row during the Asian Lantern Festival. This year it was bigger and better! Though the animals aren't really on display, the dozens of Asian and animal themed lanterns make it worth the trip. You may catch a glimpse of a few animals but most are sleeping or pulled off display for the night and the lights in exhibits are off. This year the pathway through the lanterns was better directed and there were more varied lanterns, and more Asian themed, like the Chinese Zodiac. There was also a pop-up dance display with a cellist that started at one area and moved through the zoo. The only disappointment was a small cup of hot chocolate for $6.50, which I did not get. The bathroom was also cold with a dirty, overflowing stall, which was blocked off. It is nice to see the zoo expanding and updating their exhibits to give their animals better room and care. I also like that they offer a lot of various activities outside of regular zoo admission and I've been to a few including the Lantern Festival and the Beastly Feast. Can't wait for the next exciting program!

Such a fun experience! Bigger than some of the other small town zoos my family has gone to. A great variety of animals to look at and learn about. Including QR codes scattered throughout several exhibits to give you additional audio facts. Cool little stations for kids too including a petting zoo and playground.

The zoo is laid out really weird, and has no posted signs telling you where to go. But the animals, exhibits, and staff are all great. Definitely worth a visit, but I recommend having a map up on your phone.

It's an ok place to go once. The rides are not operating every day but you still pay the sane price with nothing extra to pay to do. The animals for the most part are in decent facilities but larger animals are not. It made me mad actually. The gift shop is as high as Disney world. Ridiculous. Also there was nothing open to get a snack when we were there except vending machines. Don't care to go back.

We came here on a Monday to help celebrate my birthday . Parking was easy , checking in was easy considering it wasn't someone there to check our tickets because the other lady was busy with someone else. We literally could've gotten in free but our tickets were paid for. Anyways walking around the zoo was a bit confusing I felt like we were going in circles because it wasn't that much to see honestly. Giraffe feeding was closed for the day as well as the pony rides. There idea of a petting zoo was 7 goats in a small space. The flying monkey was the most exciting exhibit. I didn't see no elephants, buffaloes, bisons, hippos, lion and I could keep going on. Probably my least favorite zoo I've been to ever.

The staff were all very nice, and always helpful. The zoo was clean. The animals all seemed well taken care of. They all appeared healthy. We did expect More animals.

Cute zoo! Was not huge but had good exhibit options. Loved all the little monkeys and the petting zoo. Was very quiet on a Monday so we were able to make it through in about an hour. Tickets were very reasonable as well.

This is a great small zoo; it takes about an hour and a half to go through. While it only has a few key animals (chimps, giraffes, red pandas, and jaguars to name a few), the price can't be beat. It is half the cost of the Knoxville zoo, and in summer of 2024, they will be finished adding a new Africa section to the park. Would recommend to families, especially those with small kids.

This is a very cute little zoo. Chattanooga is a great town, and I was happy to try something new there after having been there so many times before. I grew up in St. Louis, so the zoo is much smaller than what I am used to. But they do a great job and are constantly making improvements and additions. The price was fair, and it took about 45 minutes to see everything at the time we went. The monkeys were definitely my favorite. Super adorable and fun to watch. While you are in Chattanooga, I recommend Julie Darling Donuts, Brewhaus, and River Street Deli.

I read online it was a small zoo that took about 2 hours to go through. I am from a town where the zoo is small so I didn't expect too much. I mean the prices aren't high so for a family of 4 on Friday it was 60$ it was super cute, it was small but it was nice to visit. We went and there were about 4 school groups which was kind of annoying at some points because the chaperones didn't chaperone and the kids weren't considerate of other people but that's no fault of the zoos. It has little carts but don't expect that to open until around 11. They have a restaurant which is quite pricy and limited seating but it's better than no food. It was 42 for 2 adults and 2 kids with everyone getting a meal and a drink. They have a gift shop as well which is nice with cute little things but they're pricey but it all goes back so they have to profit somewhere. But they do have Jumbo $25 plushes behind the register and $5 monkeys and giraffe tails and snakes which can please any person. I got the giraffe tail as a keychain for my keys. When we went it was like 54 degrees but there were animals roaming . They have indoor places as well with snakes, rodents, tiny naked mole rats. I wanted to help it find the food so bad it couldn't figure it out. There's no aquarium but they do have turtles. I really enjoyed the hank display inside with some hands on items kids can see and touch. I really liked some of the overlooks. Overall if you're in the area and you want to kill some time this is a nice place. They also have a playground which we didn't visit. Outside of the zoo but connected and a little water area that we also didn't visit.

Came here for a family day and my son had so much fun. Most of the animals were napping but can't blame them for that haha. My son loved all the turtles and the different big cats, and of course that nice little train ride. Admission is so cheap I would recommend to anyone looking for something easy and fun to take up a couple hours.

I visited the zoo on Sunday. It's a small zoo, but what they have is well presented. It needs a large cash injection and could become a great zoo.

Came here today just to get out of ATL for a few hours. Not a bad 2 hour drive. Prices for admission are fairly priced. Was in and out in about an hour. Got there 20 minutes after opening. Best to go around that time since line was extremely long once we left. Took plenty of Instagram worthy photos throughout. Very easy to navigate. Perfect for families and adults with no kids. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Worth the drive.

The Zoo is pretty small, but they had a decent amount of animals. Unfortunately we were a bit early for the giraffes - they are coming soon - but we did get to see a health checkup at the chimpanzee exhibit which was super cool. Overall, we finished visiting the park in under two hours, which is really the only reason I gave four stars. I adored the red fox. Seriously looked like the perfect stuffed animal. Overall the zoo was clean and well cared for which was nice.

Haven't been to the zoo in ages! We bought our tickets online to avoid the line, once we got there we saw the giraffes first. Fair warning, you will be at a distance and won't get a close look at them unless you go to the side of the exhibit. The zoo staff was pretty friendly and it wasn't busy at all. I would suggest bringing a reusable water bottle to avoid paying $3 for water there.. Overall, the experience was nice. Very hot but the indoor exhibits helped with the heat.

They are back open! They are no longer taking reservations and the giraffes are now there. For a small zoo, it's one of the best. They have 2 locations in the zoo to have birthday parties, once that is opened back up. The price for entry is reasonable. They offer camel and train rides, but currently do not have the carousel open. They close at 5pm daily.

My children my husband and I went and not even my younger child really cared for it. Its not very expensive actually decently priced for what they have and what you can do there. When you think about the zoo you think you would see a lot of the bigger "cool" animals. They do not have a large variety of them like most zoos. They do have a lot of reptiles if you're into that kind of stuff. I will take my kids back at a later time to see if they have improved. But when 5 year old does not enjoy himself the first time I would not recommend it to others.

It was a good zoo. I really enjoyed watching the giraffes. We also had a monkey come up and attempt to interact with us. The peacock colors were memorizing. I didn't eat anything or buy anything besides tickets. Easy! The whole zoo took us 1.5 hours.

The zoo is making the best of what it has I guess. Definitely a smaller zoo than most and missing some key animals but overall it was worth the lower entrance fees. Only plan on being there for half the day unless your one to sit and watch specific animals for a longer amount of time.

With the growth of downtown, why haven't they thought about moving the zoo at the soon to be closed AT & T field aka Hawk hill, any location around that area would bring in more tourists

Zoo was a last minute stop before heading out of town. It's May and it's getting hot so a lot of the animals were not very active. We were there about 11 AM and there were hardly any snacks and drink tents open throughout the zoo so bring water. It's a good size for toddlers and babies. There was a carousel supposedly but we never saw it? The train ride everyone talks about is not zoo-affiliated it's a private little train cart ran by 1 person that takes you down the sidewalk of the park next to the zoo. It cost us $5 but 2 and under are free. It was about a 3 minute ride but my toddler loved it. There's a playground outside the zoo also separate. The zoo location is right in the middle of a recreation sports complex. Gift shop was really nice however.

Visited July 2022... what a complete waste of time... this park is not at all recommended to visit with so much more to do in and around Chattanooga TN. Some would consider it a "stretch" to title this a "Zoo". Very few animals available to view, see, the day we visited; a sunny and warm day. Overall, this "zoo" had only fairly-kept and maintained conditions, areas. We consider this a terrible "value"; over-priced in terms of entry fees for this venue. Concern, too, for the best well-being of species within this "zoo". Regret that we took any time to visit this establishment.

Most boring zoo I've ever been to. This place looks like a neighborhood converted to a zoo! Hardly no animals, very small just not worth the price of admission at all.

I've had a place in my heart for the Chattanooga Zoo since I was a kid. I was their 2nd volunteer back then so I've seen firsthand how they help rehabilitate wildlife and provide educational opportunities to the community. As an adult now, I've loved going to visit the monkeys, leopards, birds, and reptiles. During these times, the zoo is giving the community a virtual inside look at what goes on behind the scenes to take care of the animals. This week I got to see snow leopard training for their staff, a Komodo dragon getting his daily exercise, and baby meerkats getting bottled fed. It's a fun distraction during the week and heartwarming to see how happy the staff is caring for all the creatures at the zoo. Highly recommended.

First off, yes the zoo is small compared to larger cities, but it has some interesting exhibits and it is growing. Parking is plentiful, although even handicapped spaces require a bit of a walk. You will need to cross traffic lanes to get to the entrance area. The entrance area is set up for holding a lot of people. The area is paved with bricks and there is no shade, so it could get pretty hot in the summer. We got in pretty quickly and I was still concerned about the younger ones in the group getting tired before we even started. Inside, there is a good deal of shade available. I would still use sunscreen, but you can get out of the heat fairly easily. You will most likely see maintenance vehicles out and about. Be aware as you walk around because they seem to be constantly working on the grounds. Exhibits are limited, but they have some animals I have not seen at other zoos. Most exhibits take you through a geographic area, with internal and external displays. I really like the one using quotes from Marco Polo. I think one of the great advantages of the zoo is for those with a season pass. You can stop by for an hour to get in-depth with one exhibit, or see one of their special programs. It could take the whole summer to see everything, and still allow time to go back for favorites.

This was a complete waste of time and money. I love Chattanooga and assumed this zoo would be great. I don't think you can really even call this a zoo... very disappointed...

I'm a big fan of the educational aspects of visiting zoos and try to visit a new one every year with my family. This year, because of the nearby Aquarium, I chose the Chattanooga Zoo. I was surprised by how small it was! The zoo itself is in a ball park. While I visited, there were baseball games going on and every so often while checking out the camel ride - great fun, but quick - I'd hear the next batter being announced. It was jarring. As far as exhibits go, there aren't a lot that really stand out. The snow leopard was great to see, but there was only one on my visit and it was laying down the while time. There were two jaguar, and they were awesome to see! The two bobcats were different to see at a zoo as was the coyote. The one animal that we watched the longest was the peacock. Several seemed to be in mating season and had their feathers out, shaking them. I've never seen that before and it was pretty neat. For those that play Pokemon Go, there are 3 or 4 gyms, and a half dozen more stops. We got a lot of playing time in. Something that set Chattanooga Zoo apart from other zoos I've visited was their single restaurant, Wild Burger. All the beef is responsibly raised! I ordered several meals to try out and was happy with all of them: Pimento Burger: the beef taste was bland but the cheese was tasty with jalapeno mixed in with regular pimento. It wasn't melted, which was a bummer. But it tasted great all together. 4/5 Phat Pig Burger: this is a bacon cheese burger and tasted good, especially for a place like this. Basic, but good. Note the pork is not responsibly raised. 3/5 Kids meals were big with chicken strips or mini corn dogs. Everything came with generous fries. Of course, it was expensive. But not crazy so. Less than $11 a person for burger, fries and drink (plus tax.) I've eaten at a lot of theme parks and zoos and I found that to be very reasonable. Getting in to the park was very reasonably priced as well. Chattanooga discounted the entry price because I had a zoo membership to Nashville. The price, even without the discount, seemed right for the size of the zoo. This was a nice place to visit once but I won't go back or make a special trip out to see it. If I lived in Chattanooga I'd probably buy the membership just because of the educational aspect and the hope that they get more moment to expand.

This zoo is small and quaint. I don't think it's bad to be a small zoo, and they've down a good job with having lots of shade so it's not ever too hot, even in the middle of the summer. The reason I'm giving this zoo such a low rating is because their employees are so ill informed. It seems as though their is no communication between any of them. They know so little about the animals and the programs at the zoo, they are almost no help at all. The gift shop selves are almost empty with so little to choose from, and the things that they do have there are ridiculously over priced, more so than any other gift shop I've been to. We went to their Boo at the Zoo night and it was a pathetic excuse to serve alcohol and there was literally nothing else extra going on. On a side note, the big cats all look like they are going crazy. Their petting zoo goats have hurt my children both times we have gone in.

I really like zoos. This makes sense as I love animals. I see the value of zoos and fully support them. I had been wanting to go to Chattanooga Zoo for a few years now. I follow them on Instagram and Facebook and get all updated on their red pandas. I seriously love red pandas. A problem with most zoos is that sometimes animals will be very far away or hidden and there's a good chance you won't see them. In Chattanooga Zoo, the animal enclosures are set up in a way that you've got a great chance of seeing the animals and probably even up close. I was looking face to face at a curious meerkat at one point. The Chattanooga Zoo is the smallest zoo I've ever visited, but the quality made it probably the best zoo I've ever visited. I was even able to see red pandas, and they were active, which rarely happens at other zoos. That was the regular exhibit. But Chris, the most sweetest, awesome boyfriend in the world, did something amazing: about a month and a half before we visited the zoo, he bought me a red panda encounter and surprised me after we got to the zoo. This is where you actually get to go into the exhibit, feed, pet, and visit with the red pandas while you're with keepers, who tell you about the red pandas. This experience is about half an hour. I was in heaven. One of my bucket list items was a red panda encounter one day. They told me about red pandas, told me about the three individual red pandas, Avi, Anndi, and Ruth, let me feed them grapes, and pet them. It was a life changing experience. You can do this with some of the other animals at the zoo at varying prices. I think you just make a reservation on the website. I really like this zoo. BEST ZOO EXPERIENCE EVER! I TOUCHED RED PANDAS!!!

This zoo is a must stop if traveling to Chattanooga and looking for some quick cheap fun! The size of the zoo itself might not be the biggest around but it's packed with tons of great animals and creatures of all kinds! I've loved the personalities of each little encounter with the zoo animals, I even got to do a behind the scenes feeding of the Komodo dragons as part of their Wild Encounters! It's truly a great piece of this wonderful city and I'll always be ready for the fun events they hold throughout the year!

I had the best time at the Chattanooga Zoo today. For our anniversary, my husband bought me the red panda encounter. Zack & Sam were great! They explained everything, took some amazing pictures, and I was able to feed 2 of the red pandas and even pet one! Such a great time & unforgettable!

Since you can't take away or give stars because the Chattanooga Zoo does not control the weather, I am going to give them five. A fun little facility and very affordable to go to. You can come and go as you please throughout the day as long as you have your ticket so that is good stuff. My wife got a red panda experience and that was really cool to watch. At no point were they willing to pester the animal to come to her though, and I really liked seeing that reflected and how's that treated the red pandas. The red pandas were happy to come down to eat bamboo and grapes, especially the little boy one, Avi. I will certainly be back with my family because of how pleasantly we were treated but I hope it's a little less hot. Snowing Chattanooga in southern humidity though, it won't be.

Disappointing. This is barely a kiddie zoo. It's so tiny it should be free. They don't even have the animals you go to a zoo to see - no bears, no lions or tigers, no giraffes, no elephants, no gorillas, no penguins, the list goes on. The animals that they do have look unhappy and unhealthy. Their spaces are way too small, it's depressing. If you're taking a kid here (3-10 y/o) they may enjoy it. But I wouldn't be surprised if they find this place disappointing too. You're better off staying home and watching Animal Planet. 2/5

This is quiet a nice little walk. Its not so big that you are worn out by the time you make it through but its big enough to be worth your time. There aren't a lot of big impressive animals but its perfect for kids. The jaguars and cheetahs were my favorite and we got really up close and personal with some beautiful peacocks. We checked out the library pass which is good for two adults and 4 kids so we visited for free. It was clean and well kept. I think the restaurant prices are way too high. Its priced as if it were the Atlanta zoo. They would do way better to just consider this as a family day trip and have reasonable family prices. We were disappointed that the merry go round wasn't working but it is a really nice one and great for pictures.

Just plain depressing. You go to a zoo hoping to see many animals but instead I saw some tortoises, snakes, and frogs. But, hardly any other animals. No large ones like a giraffe, rhino, or zebra like any other zoo. Don't waste your money. Take the trip and go to the Knoxville zoo. It's 100 times bigger and better than this zoo. Most of the animals weren't even out or you couldn't see because they are in extremely small enclosures with glass that you can't even see through. Don't let the signs of giraffes fool you though, there isn't any. If you read down some reviews you will see that someone posted 5 years ago that the giraffes were coming in but yet they have not. I live in Maryville. I came to Chattanooga to go to the aquarium and since I drove almost 2 hours wanted to make a day of it down there so I decided to go to the zoo. I should have just gotten into the car and drove home and then drove the extra 45 minutes to the Knoxville zoo. Also, the funniest thing. Walk inside the gift shop and count how many items have animals on them that they do not even have there. Plus, that stuff is so expensive.

While the zoo is smaller, the animals are well taken care of and the space is beautiful. I highly recommend experiencing the Red Panda Encounter while you're there. You get 30 minutes behind the scenes with the adorable red pandas. The zookeepers are very knowledgeable and allow you to feed & pet them (the red pandas, not the zookeepers obviously). The pandas are extremely friendly and happy to get the attention. It was definitely the highlight of our trip!

First of all feeding the giraffes was a big highlight and we loved that experience. However as we toured the rest of the facility we were struck by how small the enclosures were for so many of the animals. Also, the habitats were often mostly dirt with very sparse foliage. Compared to the zoo in Nashville, this one felt sad. The people running the zoo may be doing the best they can with the funding they have. I hope conditions improve for those animals living in captivity.

This place is super affordable and they are constantly growing. From the Red Panda to chimpanzees they've got it. They treat the animals really well and the park is always very clean. My daughter really loves it every time.

Very dissatisfied with this zoo. They go way overboard with the gay pride stuff. It was literally all over the place. I don't want that shoved down my throat while trying to spend time with family. Aside from that they really don't have a lot of animals or other activities for kids to do.