About ABQ BioPark Zoo
ABQ BioPark Zoo offers a unique experience with well-cared-for animals in spacious accommodations, making it a family-friendly destination. The zoo features engaging animal displays, particularly of penguins and gorillas, and provides a pleasant environment for picnicking.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Family outings, especially with young childrenBirthday parties in open areasEducational trips for school-age childrenToddlers (2-4 years) enjoy animal interactionsChildren (5-12 years) can engage with various exhibits and enjoy picnics
Why families love it
- Interactive penguin exhibit where they engage with visitors
- Well-maintained animal habitats
- Clean picnic areas for families
- Friendly peacocks roaming freely
- Free parking available
- Annual pass option for local residents
Insider tips
- Visit early in the morning to avoid heat and crowds
- Check the zoo's website for updates on open attractions before visiting
- Plan for a full day if visiting the aquarium and botanical garden as they are 2 miles away
Good to know before you go
- Visiting during peak hours when crowds are high
- Days when many attractions are reported closed
- High prices for refreshments, e.g., $8 for a small icee
- Parking difficulties reported
- Some animal exhibits and facilities were closed or out of service
- Crowds
- Busy during weekends and school holidays; visiting early in the day is recommended to avoid crowds
- Value
- General admission prices are reasonable, especially for non-residents. Combo tickets for the aquarium and botanical garden provide good value, but be aware of potential hidden costs like high food prices.
- Food
- Food and drink options are available, but prices can be high; parents may want to bring snacks for children
- Accessibility
- No specific accommodations mentioned, but general accessibility is implied as the zoo is family-friendly
- Safety
- Staff is friendly and attentive, but some concerns about visitor behavior were noted
What parents say
"We love to go to the zoo to see the penguins. The king penguins are curious and will stare at people near the glass. The polar bear is cool too if you’re lucky to catch him while he is swimming. Lots of nice animal displays! The gorillas and their babies are also cute. There’s a nice plot of grass in the middle that’s good for family picnicing as well. Recommend going early in the morning while it’s not so hot though, if you can. If you live in ABQ then get the annual pass because every time you go you could see different animals without feeling rushed and overwhelmed."
3 weeks ago
"Zoo was nice. The prices for a small icee was 8$! Parking was a nightmare. Staff was friendly but thw other people in the zoo was very rude. Alot of people have their kids there sick or allowing them to throw things at the animals. The bathrooms was tricky.. half the doors didn't work or was out of service. The animals tho was nice."
2 weeks ago
"I had such a good time here, i didnt expect it to have so many animals. Granted, it’s smaller and definitely no comparison to the space they get in the wild but the animals seem to be well taken care of and are there for rehabilitation/ because they are unable to survive in the wild if released. We had a birthday party un the open area and it was so lovely! Very clean :)"
2 weeks ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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