Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens

I visited the zoo recently during the week at mid-day. At this time it was full of school field trips and many groups of children everywhere. I did not see as many exhibits as I was expecting to see, but was pleased with what they did have to offer. I was kind of disappointed that there was not a great variety available, and the elephants were off exhibit for the day! I think that with the work they are doing now and the new area they are making it will be a great improvement. Either way, I'm sure I'll be visiting again soon. more

what a great place. We have been members of the jacksonville zoo for over 3 years. my girls never grow tired of learning about the animals. They have recently remodeled the zoo and it is much nicer than it use to be. we go about 1x a week and we just love it. .my daughters love to ask the zoo keepers questions and how they take care of the animals. A great place to go with children of all ages. more

we LUV this zoo, we like it so much we purchased annual passes for the whole amily. the settings are very serine and there are lots of huts to get shade in. the prices for water, soda, food, ect is a bit high but i guess that's everywhere you go. our 2 year old son luvs to see the moneys! the staff at the eating grounds are very friendly as are the attendants at the giftshops as well. a wonderful place to visit! more

The Jacksonville Zoo has gotten better over the years with the expansion of the grounds and addition of new exhibits. I haven't been there in a while but from what I remember, it is definitely worth a visit. I hear that there is now a jaguars exhibit -- appropriate since the city is home to a football team bearing the same name. My kids were young when we frequented the zoo but now that they're a bit older and understand more about animals, I think they would enjoy coming here. As always when visiting a park where a lot of walking is required, wear good shoes, and don't forget the sunscreen, water, and camera. more

The Jacksonville Zoo is a wonderful place to spend the day! They have every kind of animal you can think of. The Emerald Aviary is our particular favorite! You can spend all day in the aviary watching the ducks, parrots, and other birds, and you will still not see them all! The jaguar exhibit is fairly new and is gorgeous! The jaguars look so happy and at peace in their new home. Another favorite is the walkways above the African exhibit. Wooden walkways bring you up close and personal with Rhinos, Giraffes, Elephants, Deer, and more. It's so nice to be able to see animals in a more natural environment without having to look through a chain link fence! The monkey and Gorilla exhibits are nice, as are the Flamingo and Florida wildlife areas. There is a wonderful train that takes you around the entire park and a nice playground at the back of the park overlooking the St. Johns River. It's a nice diversion for the kids to run off some energy before heading home! more

My kids love this zoo!! They had so much fun looking at all the animals!! I have soo many pictures of them! :-) We will go back soon, probably after the baby is old enough... But I recomend you check it out! They have had quiet a few babys born lately too... I think the newest one was a giraffe in April... more