San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
4
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
With more than 8,500 animals on 56 acres, there's plenty of fun for the whole family. The San Antonio Zoo was first established with a donation from George W. Brackenridg in the 1800s. Two of the first cageless exhibits in the U.S. opened here in 1929 and the bird collection is one of the world's largest.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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AU$45.91
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Uptown Broadway
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311 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- hotweatherfan1Indianapolis, Indiana511 contributionsUnderwhelmedWe were so excited to finally make it to San Antonio and visit their zoo. Unfortunately, we were underwhelmed, especially for the for the cost of admission. The one thing we really wanted to see were the hippos. We did see them, but the water was so cloudy that we were barely able to see them. If you like birds, they have a lot of them. (they are pretty, but....) The zoo had a lot fewer animals than we expected. The signage is bad/confusing. We tried to download the map of the zoo but it was very difficult to read as it was blurry. Every other zoo we have been to always has staff around some of the exhibits to answer questions and just keep an eye on things. At several animal habitats, kids and adults were taunting the animals. The zoo does offer free parking, which is nice.Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns about your recent visit to San Antonio Zoo. It seems that we did not meet or exceed your expectations when it comes to your experience. We would sincerely like to apologize. We highly appreciate your feedback. It will assist us in becoming better at what we do. It is our goal to retain you as a satisfied guest and we hope you will give us the opportunity to do so. Please share your experience with us by emailing information@sazoo.org.Written 14 November 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 November 2023
- Ankur SAustin, Texas18 contributionsFun Thanksgiving trip with kidsVisited on a weekday, crowd was on the lower side. Parking was comfortable and available though ticket prices are on the higher side as they cater only to your admission. There are other activities inside for which you have to pay extra, photos with Santa and animals are charged in excess of $40, which is definitely way too high. The animals are fun and they have every animal which was claimed on their website so you will not feel disappointed. My 10 yr old son and teen daughter had a blast, esp. the kangaroo interaction was fun. Go out and enjoy for approx 3 hrs but be ready to pay extra!Visited November 2023Travelled with familyWritten 26 November 2023
- marie bWinnipeg, Canada354 contributionsAmazing zooWe went on a rainy December day, had the place to ourselves. No one was there. They had lots of up charges, but I’m ok with that, it goes towards the animals. Paid to feed the giraffes, see butterflies, petting zoo, ride a carousel. Lots of animals, was impressed. Right up there in top 5 zoos I have visited, and we pretty much go to every zoo when on vacation. Helpful staff. Free parking, which is a plus.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 December 2023
- Deb DColumbia, Missouri48 contributionsWe had good luck with animals moving about and not just laying in the shade.We had an amazing visit to this zoo and greatly enjoyed the animals. We had good luck seeing animals moving about; the lion walked out of his indoor space just as we were about to give up on seeing him, and walked all across his outdoor enclosure. The extremely large snakes, I think pythons, have a large pool in their enclosure and one moved all about and into the water, across the pool and back out the other side. It was a great day to enjoy learning about and viewing animals.Visited April 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 23 April 2024
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4.0
2,053 reviews
Excellent
955
Very good
659
Average
259
Poor
96
Terrible
84
Wilson2B
Fahaheel, Kuwait15 contributions
May 2020
Warning: Prices are not accurate on Trip Advisor/ outdated. It's not $15 per person. One way to shut a Zoo down.. To purchase tickets and get in now to DRIVE only is complicated..
Review of San Antonio Zoo
Reviewed today
I believe I came here many years ago as a kid. Was a great experience.
Now considering the World "Scare" going on, understandably it's a drive through. I mean it costs a lot of money to keep it going, understand.
HOWEVER, just trying to get the facts if they are open is complicated. The voice automated answering recording does not give you the details needed.
Going on line you find out that they play this only members go get tickets game.
Annual or auto Monthly charge.. The on top of that you buy a ticket.
Long story short, Im just amazed that a lower quality experience "Drive through" they are turning people away by nickle and dimming people..
"Online convenience fee" , convenience for who, the Zoo? I hate this..
This will put the Zoo out of business ,Poor animals,
Tickets
Drive Through Zoo - Monthly Member (per vehicle)
Friday, May 22, 2020 10:00 AM
1
$32.00
$32.00
Monthly Membership Processing Fee - Supporter Plus (per person)
4
$20.00
$80.00
Online Convenience Fee
$2.25
Total to drive family through in your car.. = $114.25
Review of San Antonio Zoo
Reviewed today
I believe I came here many years ago as a kid. Was a great experience.
Now considering the World "Scare" going on, understandably it's a drive through. I mean it costs a lot of money to keep it going, understand.
HOWEVER, just trying to get the facts if they are open is complicated. The voice automated answering recording does not give you the details needed.
Going on line you find out that they play this only members go get tickets game.
Annual or auto Monthly charge.. The on top of that you buy a ticket.
Long story short, Im just amazed that a lower quality experience "Drive through" they are turning people away by nickle and dimming people..
"Online convenience fee" , convenience for who, the Zoo? I hate this..
This will put the Zoo out of business ,Poor animals,
Tickets
Drive Through Zoo - Monthly Member (per vehicle)
Friday, May 22, 2020 10:00 AM
1
$32.00
$32.00
Monthly Membership Processing Fee - Supporter Plus (per person)
4
$20.00
$80.00
Online Convenience Fee
$2.25
Total to drive family through in your car.. = $114.25
Written 22 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rick Kretschmann
New Braunfels, TX51 contributions
July 2020 • Family
Moderately expensive, until you get in to realize there were endless charges for nearly everything else. So many venues had extra charges such as $2 to enter approx 400 sq ft enclosure to look at butterflies. Times this x 5 for our family and x other extra charges for things like feeding the giraffes then things get expensive quickly.
A completely unexpected and exciting attraction was Longnecks, home of the worlds most expensive and slowest cooked hot dogs!!! At 8 bucks a dog and a minute of cooking time per dollar in series, you can spend a lot of cash and time here.
My 3 y/o girl couldnt get enough of the bat exhibit which I thought was well done and allowed great viewing of the bats.
The displays were good but were mostly roped back so you couldnt go the the glass or edge of the exhibit. The kiddie stuff was all closed off as well, but the tickets were at a discount presumably for that reason.
Overall, there are much better zoo's in other cities but it was worth a trip if one lives in San Antonio and doesn't wish to travel far to teach the kiddies about animals.
A completely unexpected and exciting attraction was Longnecks, home of the worlds most expensive and slowest cooked hot dogs!!! At 8 bucks a dog and a minute of cooking time per dollar in series, you can spend a lot of cash and time here.
My 3 y/o girl couldnt get enough of the bat exhibit which I thought was well done and allowed great viewing of the bats.
The displays were good but were mostly roped back so you couldnt go the the glass or edge of the exhibit. The kiddie stuff was all closed off as well, but the tickets were at a discount presumably for that reason.
Overall, there are much better zoo's in other cities but it was worth a trip if one lives in San Antonio and doesn't wish to travel far to teach the kiddies about animals.
Written 25 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melody B
Moore, OK5 contributions
Mar 2021
Truly, this zoo was a mistake. We paid $120 for our family of 4 to visit this zoo. I saw more birds than I did animals and even my 8 year old (who loves our zoo at home) had a horrible time. It was so crowded, you could barely move at times and there were more birds than anything else and I am not a fan of birds. If i want to see birds, I will look out my bedroom window. The only wonderful part of the zoo was the workers. Adam and another guy I can't remember who were working in customer service/lost and found. We thought I had lost my wedding ring at the zoo and they were amazing in helping keep an eye for it and helping my husband. Adam even said he would pray that it was found at our hotel (and it was). But besides the workers, the layout and animal selection for the price I paid was a joke. I really wish I could get a refund. We could go to our zoo for 30 bucks at home and see a bigger selection and it's so spread out, that it's never crowded. I will never waste my money at this zoo again.
Written 22 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Renee S
San Antonio, TX38 contributions
Aug 2021
The zoo is fantastic, They are doing great things.
BUT if you purchase annual memberships - be careful. I purchased a 2 pack Advocate for me and a family member. If you want to use your zoo membership pass to get a discount for other places, know that the name of the other family member will not show (except on the scanner at the zoo) and they won't be able to use the discount unless you are present. I was told they couldn't refund and let me do it correctly nor could they reissue her pass in her name. In the digital world today, that is so silly. The office said my family member could show the other business my pass and let them read the receipt that it was a 2 Pack...
BUT if you purchase annual memberships - be careful. I purchased a 2 pack Advocate for me and a family member. If you want to use your zoo membership pass to get a discount for other places, know that the name of the other family member will not show (except on the scanner at the zoo) and they won't be able to use the discount unless you are present. I was told they couldn't refund and let me do it correctly nor could they reissue her pass in her name. In the digital world today, that is so silly. The office said my family member could show the other business my pass and let them read the receipt that it was a 2 Pack...
Written 3 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ScreaminEagle2009
Key West, FL44 contributions
Feb 2020
We spent a day at the zoo and I would have to say it was definitely worth the time and money (only about $15). We took the bus from downtown San Antonio and it was an absolute pleasure. The variety of animals, fish and birds was truly unbelievable. Highly recommended.
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sugar9225
McGaheysville, VA27 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
We were so excited to see the zoo, and extremely disappointed when we got there. The young man that handled the scooters didn't know how to business. I couldn't walk well, but EVERY single scooter was charging. It takes overnight to charge, so I was forced to walk as well as I could. The bears, cougar, elephant, and several other large animals exhibited severe behavioral problems with anxiety pacing, lethargy, and heat prostration. Certain pens needed cleaning. We waited over 40 minutes to eat a $12.95 cheeseburger that was tepid, overcooked, and tough. The Cafe was filthy, and had no ketchup. Overall, seeing the animals was a treat, but the Zoo itself needs staff that can handle all aspects of animal care and business practices.
Written 9 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
compton49er
Oklahoma City, OK407 contributions
Mar 2021 • Family
My last visit to the SA Zoo was over a decade ago. When I saw the hefty $29.99 price tag I thought they must have made a bunch of improvements and be really nice to command that ticket price. Nope. I've been to many zoos across the country and never paid a price that high. But, I've been to much better zoos. Even with the high admission cost, they were still nickel and dime-ing with the extra attractions. The grounds are really small and not laid out very well. There were several dead ends that we had to backtrack out of. No paper maps was a huge detractor. Navigating their poorly laid out trails on a phone screen was difficult as best. Especially in these times, I try to give benefit of the doubt to restaurants and attractions, but they've dropped the ball here.
Written 18 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mitch23
3 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
This zoo has most animals living in environments way too small and often alone. One jaguar by himself in an enclosure I wouldn’t feel was big enough for a dog and the lone elephant stood in one spot rocking back and forth looking depressed living on concrete and packed dirt, no grass or shade. This zoo needs to be shut down or expanded to 10 times the size it is. I left feeling sad and would suggest you go to six flags instead.
Written 15 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CharlaVass
Greeley, CO14 contributions
June 2021
We have been to other zoos in various cities and we felt that the San Antonio Zoo was well worth the money! There were several interactive experiences available and we loved the beautiful walkways. There were lots of places to sit and great shade. Our 11-year old daughter had a lot of fun and so did my husband and I. Definitely a must-do vacation experience!
Written 28 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mpuente2016
San Antonio, TX18 contributions
Oct 2019
The Zoo hosts a family-friendly, non-spooky Halloween event every year. It's a great attraction for the little ones along with the adults! Kids go in costume; event has face painting, and stations that give candy. It's an awesome time for a day or evening out!
Written 5 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are the Experiences (giraffe feeding, Flamingo Mingle, Lory Landing, Butterfly Rainforest, Zoo Train Ride) available year round? Like in January?
Written 28 August 2024
They're supposed to be available year round unless there's bad weather. We went on a chilly day though, and there were several things not being offered.
Written 28 August 2024
Yes, you may exit and re-enter. You need to keep your entry ticket from that day and get your hand stamped when you exit in order to re-enter. This is for same day only. No re-entry on another day. I hope this helps answers your question.
Written 11 April 2022
Hi there,
So sorry for the lag. I called and called the San Antonio Zoo, no person to talk to. I resorted to email.
Yes, if you present your Houston Zoo membership when you get your tickets at the San Antonio Zoo, they tell me that you will get a 50% discount.
Their zoo is great, you’ll have a good time!
Best,
Tim
Written 23 October 2021
The zoo seems like a lot of walking. Are there trams or trains or other ways of getting around?
If not are there different parking areas in different sections of the zoo?
Written 13 February 2020
The above answers are correct....no trolleys or trams. But I'm a senior citizen and found it quite easy to get through it all as it is not as large as other zoos I have visited. Very doable in one day.
Written 5 March 2020
Jet12363553279
San Jose, California
Are the souvenir cups good just for that trip or are they good for refills (at a lower cost) for the summer or all year long?
Written 28 August 2019
Yes they are but you have to check in with the front office when you arrive.
Written 28 April 2019
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