Denver Zoo

Address:	2300 Steele St, Denver, CO 80205, USA
Phone:	+1 720-337-1400
Site:	denverzoo.org
Rating:	4.4
Working:	9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 6

Sarah Del Rosario

I paid for a Family Plus Membership at $160.00. I have a very large family and this seemed like the way to go. A great place to go to often during summer. So I thought... My family and I went on Memorial Day weekend on Monday. It was a bit cloudy and sprinkling and that seemed to clear the park around 12:30-1:00. Made finding parking so nice! We didnt have to fight bus school groups, camps, nothing. For us we didnt mind a little rain, just started in the indoor exhibits and by the time we finished up the rain had stopped and cooled down which was great. The thing that truly just sucked was why are there so many exhibits empty?! I get that some are on the other side of their exhibit and you just need to walk inside or vice versa outside. My thing was exhibits straight up empty or under construction. It feels like all we saw were Tigers, Elephants, Giraffes, and the new baby gorilla (which was very sweet). I wish I would have just checked out a book from the library and said here kids look at these four types of animals and call it a day. Would have save a TON of money thats for sure. Its truly was a disappointment for our first family experience. To be specific theres 10 of us that went that day. That sure was a lot of walking, wagons, potty breaks, snack breaks just to see a few featured exhibits. Seriously disappointed. Now Im stuck with a one year membership. I hope our next visit proves me wrong and elevates our expectations to what the hype is. Like actually seeing animals.

Silvia Gates

My family and I came to visit the "famous and marketed" Elephant Passage. Unfortunately, we were miss guided and completely missed the elephant show because we were told to sign up for a time to walk through the new exhibit which we thought would have the show. We decided to come back again a second time and planned our visit with the sole purpose of catching the various shows. As we purchased the tickets, we were informed that the train was not working, but the front staff did NOT inform us that any other shows were canceled, even as we mentioned that while the train was not working we were there to see the other shows/feedings. The first frustration came as we walked up and saw that the sea lion feeding was canceled. We then walked to the elephant show and that too had been canceled, I was outraged, as many other parents were. Suddenly they announced the show was going to take place. With filled seats we watch the staff put on a pathetic effort to cover up the cancelled show and appease the crowd. We purposely made the long drive only to see the early morning shows. Had I known that these were cancelled, I would not have made the drive or paid for entry.

dan K

We traveled all the way from Iowa to see the mountians and have a good time at this zoo, however I was pretty disappointed. First of all I really appreciate all the shows and demonstrations that the keepers do to educate the public on these beautiful animals. They also have a fair priced BBQ place that we really enjoyed. However several times we were confused on where we were since the signage around the zoo was pretty awful. Several exhibits were moved, but at the original location they didnt post a sign saying where they were moved or if they just werent out today. Speaking of not being out today it seemed like almost half of the animals werent out and most of them didnt have a sign stating that, we had to have zoo keepers tell us there is no use looking they arent out today. This left me pretty disappointed because the admission was already kind of pricy at $17 per adult just to see a majority of empty exhibits. Speaking of pricy their suvineer shop is a joke, about $20 per small stuffed animal is laughable as well as most of their apparel. We have been to plenty of other zoos that were more fair on prices but Denver Zoo was pretty ridiculous.

Ryan Mull

From a kids perspective, this zoo is amazing. The volume of different animals is amazing and they really do learn a lot about all the animals and even their struggles in the wild or against humans and poachers. The animal exhibits really are up close and personal and create an intimacy some newer zoos dont have with the animals farther away from the people. From an adult perspective it is both impressive and amazing to see these beautiful animals, as well as a little depressing to see such small conditions for these animals. If this stuff bothers you Id suggest passing on this zoo. The same sheer volume of animals within the zoo ground also makes for such small enclosures. Obviously Im no animal expert to know how much space they need but for example, I have to assume the 20x20 enclosure for two large snow leopards just isnt enough space. Ultimately I believe the good outweighs the bad as my children are continuing grow in their respect and understanding of all the different animals and the animals needs in their lives. If they dont have these intimate encounters and are unaware of these animals, how can they ever be respectful of them.

Sarah Luchtenburg

Ive been to this zoo a million times and its stayed pretty much the same. The elephant exhibit is new, the tropical exhibit was built in the mid 90s, same with the primate exhibit, nearly everything else is from like... the 50s. I feel like the enclosures are too small, (specifically for the large mammals like giraffes, rhinos, and elephants) but its not like the Denver Zoo snatched their animals up out of the wild, most of them were bred in captivity. The animals seem happy enough but if you want them to come near you, you need to wear clothes similar to the zoo uniform so they think they are being fed. This zoo is a bit crowded, particularly on the weekends but if you are able to go on a week day during school thats your best bet. My cousin has mobility issues and my aunt takes her to the zoo all the time, Im sure there are areas they avoid (like the tropical exhibit) but they usually have a good time. The food is bad, and expensive. Just pack a lunch. Overall, I like the zoo, its not the best zoo in the world but its a good time, my kids love it.

Melissa Dangler

What a horrible experience. I have been to many zoos and safaris and have come to expect that these very large, very wild animals should have a healthy, happy, and spacious area to roam. The enclosures at this zoo were far below subpar. It was inhumane. I only stayed for about twenty minutes...just enough time to see that half the animals were cowering in a corner and the other half were desperate to escape. There was no room for them to live and in any spot in the zoo you could hear all the noises of the city. I feel terrible having given any money to this establishment would have liked a refund had that been an option. This zoo would be greatly improved by reducing the number of animals to an amount that can be sustained on its land, or being relocated outside the city. Denver Zoo should be shut down for its shameful treatment of life. If youre a Colorado resident, or have the time...go to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg. Same price, and a far better experience. Youll also know that your money is going towards helping the animals.