Indianapolis Zoo
4.5(20,465)4.5 out of 5 stars, 20465 reviews Indianapolis, IN
About Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo offers a diverse experience with animal exhibits, a botanical garden, and an aquarium, making it a multifaceted destination for families. Unique highlights include interactive animal encounters and engaging shows like the dolphin performance.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families looking for a half-day outingParents wanting to engage children with animal interactionsAll ages, but particularly engaging for children aged 5-12 due to interactive exhibits and shows
Why families love it
- Active animals during cooler weather
- Vibrant butterfly exhibit
- Orangutan building and kangaroo exhibit where kids can pet them
- Dolphin show
- Animal chats with zookeepers
- Carousel, rollercoaster, and dolphin show
Insider tips
- Plan to visit during warmer months for full experience
- Bring a camera for capturing memories
- Consider skipping the train ride to save money
Good to know before you go
- Visiting during peak holiday seasons when crowds may be larger
- Food quality does not match prices
- Train ride has minimal views and is loud, making it hard to hear commentary
- Crowds
- Can get busy during holidays and weekends; visiting on weekdays may provide a quieter experience
- Value
- Tickets are approximately $35 for adults, offering good value for the variety of experiences compared to other zoos, but be mindful of additional costs for rides and food.
- Food
- Food quality is reported as average; parents may want to bring snacks or plan for alternatives nearby
- Accessibility
- No specific accommodations mentioned in reviews, but staff is friendly and helpful
- Safety
- No specific safety measures mentioned, but the presence of staff suggests a focus on visitor safety
What parents say
"This was our first time visiting the zoo and while the animal feedings weren't open for the season yet, there were many animals out and enjoying the cooler weather being very active. The monkeys were racing around and a lot of fun to watch. The butterflies were especially vibrant and a joy to walk through. The food was just okay for what the prices were, but I expected as much. Overall a very great day!"
3 weeks ago
"It’s always hard to rate a zoo in another city when we’re members of the STL zoo which is amazing and free. But we visited here while staying in Indy. And it’s a very nice zoo. The grounds were well maintained and lots of flowers were blooming in April. Highly recommend the orangutan building, kangaroo exhibit (where you can pet them) and dolphin show. They have a carousel, rollercoaster and sky gondola. There are also opportunities to feed some animals (giraffes and flamingos). They also have animal chats where zookeepers provide additional info about the animals at various times posted throu"
2 weeks ago
"This was our first time at the Indianapolis Zoo. Tickets were just under $35 for anyone over 12. We've been to quite a few zoo's around the country and we were quite happy with what Indianapolis Zoo had to offer. The website has it listed as a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden. The grounds were beautiful and there is lots of marine life available to see. I would love to come back when it's warmer and everything is blooming. All of the staff members we encountered were very friendly and knowledgeable."
4 weeks ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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