It's time for everyone's favorite objective rankings of the nation's animal facilities! Like previous years, there are 4 categories with 20 nominations each (nominated by a panel of mostly family vacation bloggers and a couple zoo industry consultants). The categories are Best Zoo, Best Aquarium, Best Safari Park, and Best Zoo Exhibit. Voting is done online and you can vote in each category once per day until April 13. Now I know this list isn't a comprehensive list of the best zoos in the US or even a good one in many cases (Neither San Diego Zoo nor the Bronx cracked the top 10 last year) but it is still a way these zoos can market themselves. So if your favorite zoo is on the list, vote! It can only help your favorite zoo expand its reach. The more people they reach, the more money they can bring in to improve their facility. I think that is especially important with nearly every one of these facilities needing to close or partially suspend operations with the virus. Also, unlike any rankings us zoo enthusiasts make on this forum, this is actually a list that USA Today readers will see and potentially make plans based on it. Best Zoo: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - AZ Audubon Zoo - LA Brevard Zoo - FL Bronx Zoo - NY Brookfield Zoo - IL Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - CO Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden- OH Columbus Zoo and Aquarium - OH Dallas Zoo - TX Denver Zoo - CO Disney's Animal Kingdom - FL Fort Worth Zoo - TX Houston Zoo - TX Living Desert Zoo and Gardens - CA Oakland Zoo - CA Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium - NE Saint Louis Zoo - MO San Diego Zoo - CA Smithsonian's National Zoo - DC Zoo Miami - FL Best Aquarium: Adventure Aquarium - NJ Aquarium of the Pacific - CA Audubon Aquarium of the Americas - LA Dallas World Aquarium - TX The Florida Aquarium - FL Georgia Aquarium - GA Monterey Bay Aquarium - CA Mystic Aquarium - CT National Aquarium - MD Newport Aquarium - KY North Carolina Aquariums - NC Odysea Aquarium - AZ Oregon Coast Aquarium - OR Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies -TN Shedd Aquarium - IL South Carolina Aquarium - SC Tennessee Aquarium - TN Texas State Aquarium - TX Vancouver Aquarium - BC Wonders of Wildlife - MO Best Safari Park: B. Bryan Preserve - CA Bearizona - AZ Busch Gardens Tampa - FL Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center - CO Disney's Animal Kingdom (don't know why its in two categories) - FL Fossil Rim Wildlife Center - TX Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center - MT Lion Country Safari - FL Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch - TX Northwest Trek Wildlife Park - WA Out of Africa - AZ Safari West - CA San Diego Zoo Safari Park - CA Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari - NJ Virginia Safari Park - VA White Oak Conservation Center - FL Wildlife Safari - OR Wildlife Safari Park - NE The Wilds - OH Best Zoo Exhibit: Asian Highlands - Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo - NE Boyd Family Asian Trek - Zoo Knoxville - TN California Trail - Oakland Zoo - CA Congo Gorilla Forest - Bronx Zoo - NY Devereaux Tiger Forest - Detroit Zoo - MI Elephant Lands - Oregon Zoo - OR Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear - Nashville Zoo - TN Gorilla Treeway - Philadelphia Zoo - PA Judy and Jerry Kent Family Sea Lion Sound - Saint Louis Zoo - MO Kathrine G. McGovern Texas Wetlands - Houston Zoo - TX Land of the Tiger - Jacksonville Zoo - FL Painted Dog Valley - Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden - OH Polar Frontier - Columbus Zoo and Aquarium - OH Predator Ridge Encounter - Denver Zoo - CO Reed Family Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley - Sedgwick County Zoo - KS Rocky Mountain Wild - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - CO Russia's Grizzly Coast - Minnesota Zoo - MN Simmon's Hippo Outpost - Dallas Zoo - TX Walkabout Australia - San Diego Zoo Safari Park - CA White River Gardens - Indianapolis Zoo - IN I would like to know what everyone else's nominations would be and what you would replace if you had the power to. For example, I would nominate Lincoln Park Zoo instead of Brevard Zoo and I find the inclusion of White River Gardens as the zoo exhibit nominee from Indianapolis Zoo very odd as it doesn't even seem to be an animal exhibit. Where's Africa Rocks? And some of the exhibit nominees aren't even the best exhibits in their respective zoos so I find that list odd.
I was never aware the exhibit for Philadelphia was it’s own thing. I always assumed the 360 trails weren’t exhibits on there own. For Philadelphia i would rather have big cat falls nominated seeing as its the most well rounded exhibit in the zoo
The zoo category seems like a pretty good list. There are none that obviously do not belong, unlike years past where there are always a couple head scratchers. The only one that might be out of place is Audubon Zoo, though I have not been there myself so I can't say for certain. I am very happy to see two of my all time favorites there: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and The Living Desert. Aquariums I am not familiar enough with to comment, though it seems like cheating to let all three North Carolina aquariums count as one. Safari Parks is where things break down. Maybe there aren't enough true safari parks to make a coherent list, but some of these places are not what I would consider a safari park. Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center is a small walk-thru zoo with - well - grizzly bears and wolves and very little else. It is not a safari park in any conventional use of the term. White Oak is mostly closed to the public (except for guided tours on select dates) which I feel is reason enough not to include it. However I am happy to see Northwest Trek which IMO is the best on the list and one of my top five US zoological facilities. Exhibits I have not seen enough to comment, though I find it interesting they include some very old ones along with newer ones. I agree with Echobeast that the omission of Africa Rocks (San Diego Zoo) is odd.
Very difficult to decide. From the zoos I have seen in the US, I can't pick one out. All have their advantages and disadvantages. All I can say is that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo definitely NOT belong to the Top 10 US-Zoos. Ref. Safari parks, the decision was very easy: San Diego Safari Park, followed by Disney's Animal Kingdom. The best aquarium to me is Shedd. However, also Georgia Aquarium is very impressive (my no. 2), while Monterrey Bay is a league of its own quality wise. By the way: Why no vote for marine parks?
The Audubon zoo definitely belongs on the list. After visiting recently its a truly unique zoo. It feels a lot bigger than most zoos just because the paths are huge. Also some of the exhibits are amazing such as the whole Louisiana swamp exhibit which should have been put on the exhibit list. The Asia and pampas areas are very solid as well. Then you have the nocturnal house which is superb the habitats are large and immersive. In Asia you the elephant habitat which is humongous. You also have the Barasingha habitat which provides unique viewing opportunities. One concern for the zoo was that most of the big cat exhibits seemed small but I’m still an amateur zoo goer so I can’t tell. The zoo feels like what a New Orleans zoo should. It should definitely be in the list.
Probably because there aren't enough to make a complete list. Besides the three Sea World parks, what else is there?
Your're right. Except of Seaquarium Miami, nothing pops up in my mind. On the other hand, it is still "unfair" to leave them aside...
As a UK zookeeper, I have worked and seen a lot of zoo exhibits in my time, but out of every zoo I personally have been to, nothing compares for me to the Congo gorilla forest at the Bronx. Not just from a visitor or animal point of view but from a functional zoo keeper point of view, it is flawless. A lot of zoo exhibits from the keepers view have faults but this is spot on and just stunning to see
I agree with you on nominating Lincoln Park Zoo over Brevard- I was shocked they were a nomination in general. I also agree that it's surprising Africa Rocks is not a nominee. I was happy to see Congo Gorilla Forest and Russia's Grizzly Coast on there though
Just an update that these competitions have been suspended until later this year. The votes cast so far will carry over when voting reopens. Unfortunately, they have taken the nominees and standings off the site for now so we don’t have the most recent results.
Voting for the contests has resumed. You can vote once per day in each category until July 6. Current leaders as of writing this post although the results are changing by the minute as zoos are beginning to advertise the contest: Best Zoo: 1. Fort Worth Zoo - TX 2. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - CO 3. Dallas Zoo - TX 4. Brevard Zoo - FL 5. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - AZ 6. Audubon Zoo - LA 7. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden- OH 8. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium - OH 9. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium - NE 10. Saint Louis Zoo - MO Best Aquarium: 1. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies -TN 2. Mystic Aquarium - CT 3. Aquarium of the Pacific - CA 4. Dallas World Aquarium - TX 5. Georgia Aquarium - GA 6. Odysea Aquarium - AZ 7. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas - LA 8. Wonders of Wildlife - MO 9. Monterey Bay Aquarium - CA 10. Shedd Aquarium - IL Best Safari Park: 1. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch - TX 2. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center - TX 3. Wildlife Safari Park - NE 4. Disney's Animal Kingdom - FL 5. Lion Country Safari - FL 6. San Diego Zoo Safari Park - CA 7. B. Bryan Preserve - CA 8. Bearizona - AZ 9. Busch Gardens Tampa - FL 10. Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center - CO Best Zoo Exhibit: 1. Rocky Mountain Wild - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - CO 2. Land of the Tiger - Jacksonville Zoo - FL 3. Simmon's Hippo Outpost - Dallas Zoo - TX 4. Asian Highlands - Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo - NE 5. Congo Gorilla Forest - Bronx Zoo - NY 6. Judy and Jerry Kent Family Sea Lion Sound - Saint Louis Zoo - MO 7. Devereaux Tiger Forest - Detroit Zoo - MI 8. Elephant Lands - Oregon Zoo - OR 9. Kathrine G. McGovern Texas Wetlands - Houston Zoo - TX 10. Polar Frontier - Columbus Zoo and Aquarium - OH
Some odd decisions here. I haven't been to any of these, but... There is absolutely no way Natural Bridge is better than SDZSP in any aspect - isn't Natural Bridge a pretty grim facility? And the aquarium rankings are interesting to say the least. Shedd at the bottom, a Ripley's facility up top? Now I see why you called them the ultimate objective rankings - it seems to be essentially decided by how many people vote for their home collection
I think (I hope) you are mistaking Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (near San Antonio Texas) with Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch has its flaws (mostly in presentation: you have to “squint” to see it see it as a representation of a natural order, like you do with most zoos, although as a representation of a changed Texas Hill Country Megafauna Ecology maybe not so much....but the jumble of species is kind of jarring if that’s important to you), but on the whole it’s a well kept facility. Check out the photo gallery on this site. I first visited NBWR in 1985, last visited in 2015. I love the place. Outside of maybe Fossil Rim, it’s the best representation of the drive-thru safari park. Natural Bridge Zoo: I have never been. Have heard it is indeed, grim.
As a Drive-Thru Safari Park, yes. Taken together, I would probably place Northwest Trek, The Wilds, and Fossil Rim above it. I think San Diego is in a class by itself.
Odd maybe, but not surprising given what list this is! Fort Worth is a nice zoo with some really good exhibits (and some bad ones), but there's no way it's the best zoo in the USA. Likewise, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies is even more ridiculous, it's a standard chain aquarium.
The zoo list and exhibit list intrigue me the most, I need to get out to other zoos ASAP. Some exhibits that are left out that seem weird would be Africa Rocks like @Arizona Docent mentioned, it’s become my favorite exhibit just due to its sheer size, openness, different biomes, and varying species. One that I feel may be left out and yes it comes with bias for my hometown, Elephants of Asia from the LA Zoo. I love the rotational habitats for all the elephants, a couple with great panoramic views, a waterfall for Billy to bathe in, and a bonus of small exhibits for Reeves Muntjac and Sarus Cranes.
This poll is nothing more than which zoo can rally it's locals the most to get votes. I also can't understand the logic of it to be honest. We have 10 different "Best" zoos every year (not quite, but close to it). Surely none of these zoos change so much in 1 year that there should be a totally new ranking. For example, 2 years ago St. Louis was the number 1 zoo. Now it's not even cracking the top 10. You can't tell me the other zoos improved that much or it declined that much in 2 years. It's just ridiculous. That being said, I voted for the reasons that @Echobeast outlined in his original post. I voted for: Best Zoo: St. Louis - I have been to 5 zoos that are nominated in this category: St. Louis, Omaha, San Diego, Brookfield, and DAK. I would rank them in that order. Brookfield doesn't even belong in the same conversation with the first three. While having a large and impressive collection like the others, it's exhibitry is miles behind. The only thing I would say is outatanding at Brookfield is there wolf exhibit. DAK's animal exhibits are great, but not enough to rank it with the others for me. The other three our superb zoos. San Diego falls to the number three spot because of its level of commercialization, which was a huge turn off for me. Exhibit wise it has very few flaws, but I believe visitor experience plays a role in ranking zoos. Omaha and St. Louis our pretty even for me, however, the latter stands out as the one with fewer flaws in exhibitry. Omaha's giant buildings are fantastic but their shortcomings have been discussed on endlessly on here. Best Aquarium: Shedd Aquarium - In fairness I have only been to one other aquarium on this list, Ripley's. Shedd's biggest flaw in my eyes are the 4 halls that are pretty much barren fish tanks. I realize these hold a very impressive collection of fish, but the tanks are so boring to look at. Can't we throw some fake weeds and rocks to add a bit of color at the very least? That being said, it is no competition between those two. Shedd is the far superior aquarium. How Ripley's can be second currently, while Shedd is 16th is beyond me. Safari Parks: San Diego Zoo Safari Park - Very limited knowledge in this category again as this is the only place I have been to. However, I know enough about the others to think its in a league of its own. Best Exhibit: Russia's Grizzly Coast - Going to be frank. This category makes 0 sense to me. Even less than the others. I could see voting on the best exhbits that opened this year, but not from such a wide range of years. That being said, I have seen the exhibits at Minnesota, St. Louis, Sedgwick County, Omaha (phase 1), Knoxville, SDZ Safari Park, and Indianapolis. This vote went to MN for me and I think it is partially due to hometown bias. I love the Sea Lion Sound at St. Louis and Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley at Sedgwick County. However, when voting in this category, complexes out way single exhibits for me. I was at Detriot when they were expanding the Tiger exhibit and it looked terrific, but loses out for the same reason. Omaha would likely have my vote, but I haven't seen Asian Highlands with Phase 2 open. Asian Trek at Knoxville has terrific Tiger habitats, but the rest of the complex doesn't hold up to make it one of the best in my opinion. Australia Walkabout at SDZSP has great theming, but is pretty limited in scope (I could lodge the same complaint about the one I voted for though). Why the hell are the White River Gardens at Indianapolis on here? I think the biggest snub in this category goes to the Detroit Zoo and Arctic Ring of Life, honestly. I had planned to visit many of the zoos in the poll this year, but COVID 19 has derailed those plans. Hopefully next year!
This is the first time I've heard someone on Zoochat say this, and I ... completely agree with you. A really great collection of fish, but after a while it feels a little monotonous. As for what I voted for, for best zoo I went San Diego (my personal favourite, love the collection, atmosphere and most of the exhibits), for best aquarium I voted for Georgia (Whale Sharks and Manta Rays, what more could you ask for) and for best safari park I went SDZSP (no explanation needed, easily the best safari park in the US). Best exhibit was a little trickier; I've personally seen 5 of them, although one I wouldn't consider an exhibit (Gorilla Treeway) and two of them weren't very impressive (Simmons Hippo Outpost and Painted Dog Valley. That left only two exhibits Congo Gorilla Forest and Polar Fronteir, and as much as I enjoy Columbus's Polar Bear exhibit, CGF is brilliant and what I voted for.
As a contrast, the 4 halls of tanks are part of why I love Shedd so much and why I have voted for it. For me the collection is not just great, but can hardly be compared; it is a taste of what may well be the continent's largest species collection, with a wide taxonomic and geographic range of native and exotic freshwater fish, marine fish, dozens of herps, and invertebrates. So many aquariums focus on making pretty displays of just popular or colorful fish that Shedd's decision to keep and utilize its historic gallery displays feels like a blessing to me. I can agree that many of the tanks look dull and uninspiring, but for me the collection is more than enough and I like that there's no gaudy or overplayed attempt at beautifying them. It's an older style of exhibition, but one that I think is increasingly undervalued. Of course, more immersive exhibits are also essential and ideal I think - fortunately, Shedd shines here too with Wild Reef and Amazon Rising. I also voted for Saint Louis Zoo, as well as Congo Gorilla Forest (which I have yet to see, but from what I've read and heard it still holds up as an exhibit masterpiece two decades after opening).
