Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

The Animals seem well fed and cared for. The facilities are clean and there are tons of things to see and do. The food we had was actually surprisingly good. We bought the buffalo chicken fries and were shocked by how delicious they were, the portion was good for the price as well. I'm tempted to get an annual pass now. The Zoo is currently decorated with light up structures for an event and everything is beautifully decorated. Highly recommend. The only negative thing was not being able to buy a ticket in person there. You could only buy a ticket online which didn't make sense to me. We just bought the tickets online at the entrance.

Jan 06, 2025

Visting family in the area and decided to take a trip to the zoo. This zoo and garden is so beautiful and looks like it is very well kept. Very family oriented for kids but also great for adults as well. Some of the animals, such as the primates, weren't in their enclosures, perhaps due to the weather being kind of cool the day I went, but overall, a really nice zoo. I would visit again.

Jan 05, 2025

We decided to take the kids to the Jacksonville Zoo Light Show, because nothing screams holiday cheer like animals staring at you under the glow of twinkling lights. We even splurged on early entry tickets to maximize the fun—or so we thought. Now, we've been to this zoo more times than we can count because our daughter practically considers the animals her extended family. But this visit felt more like touring a construction site with bonus giraffes. So many areas were closed off that we started to wonder if they were secretly building a Jurassic Park. Here’s where things got a little wild (and not in a fun, “look at the monkeys” kind of way): that early entry fee didn’t cover any of the classics. No train rides, no carousel spins, and no feeding the giraffes. That’s right, folks—extra money for… walking. Had I known, I would’ve skipped the VIP stroll and just power-walked my way to the light show with a little more cash in my pocket. Speaking of the light show, it was… fine. Not exactly "wow, this is magical" fine, but more like "ooh, pretty lights and hey, live performers!" fine. The kids had a great time, though, which is what really matters (and probably why parents always get duped into these things). In conclusion: the lights were decent, the live performances were cool, and the construction was… unavoidable. Next time, I’m saving my money and sticking to regular tickets unless they promise a giraffe-fed-by-me experience. Lesson learned!

Jan 04, 2025

We had a great time at this zoo! We spent hours there and still didn’t get to see all the animals. The food was not too great but that’s not why we went. I wish we were able to go at night to see the lanterns lit they looked amazing during the day. Definitely worth getting the pass to let you feed the animals the sting rays were so cool to feel and to pet

Dec 01, 2024

It was great. I haven't been there since I was a kid and now I got to take my kids. They lived it and the animals were great. Actually got to see all of them. We also did the nighttime light show. Also pretty cool. A lot better than the 4 pictures that the website gives you of it. Would definitely recommend. But as any amusement place in Florida, bring your wallet. Food was good, but expensive.

Dec 31, 2024