Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

About Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden sits at 3400 Vine Street in Cincinnati, Ohio, on 64.5 acres built on a hill overlooking the surrounding neighborhood. It opened in 1875, making it one of the oldest zoos in the nation, and has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1978. The zoo's own figures put its collection at roughly 1,800 animals representing about 500 species, and it draws an estimated 1.2 million visitors a year, making it one of the region's most visited attractions.

The zoo is internationally known for its record in the protection and propagation of endangered animals and plants, and it engages in research and conservation projects worldwide. Because the grounds were built on a hillside, paths throughout the zoo include a number of inclines, though benches and rest areas are placed along the way and staff can direct visitors to gentler routes.

Cincinnati Zoo's grounds combine themed animal habitats with a botanical garden component, plus rides, seasonal attractions, and a wide range of dining options spread across areas including Vine Street Village, Mai Thai's Marketplace, and The Grove. The zoo is perhaps best known in recent years for Fiona, a hippo born six weeks premature who was too small to stand or nurse and required around-the-clock hand-rearing by the zoo's care team before surviving against the odds.

History

Cincinnati Zoo opened in 1875, and it has held Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation continuously since 1978. Built on a hillside site, the zoo has grown over its history into a combined zoo and botanical garden now spanning 64.5 acres and housing close to 1,800 animals. The zoo has developed a particular reputation for hand-rearing challenges, most publicly with the premature hippo calf Fiona, whose survival story has become closely associated with the institution.

Exhibits and habitats

Cincinnati Zoo's grounds are organized into named habitat areas visitors move between on foot or via included rides. Roo Valley is home to free-ranging kangaroos and wallabies, while the Africa area includes Giraffe Ridge, where staff run scheduled giraffe feedings, and an Exercise Zone near the African lion habitat used for weather-permitting demonstrations. The Veldt houses African savanna species, with Rhino Reserve situated nearby.

The World of the Insect building includes a seasonal Butterfly Aviary, and the Children's Zoo features a Goat Yard along with Blakely's Barnyard Bonanza, a demonstration of barnyard animal behaviors. Elsewhere on the grounds, the Wings of Wonder Bird Experience runs a free-flight bird demonstration seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and the Elephant Trek area includes an overlook near the Trunk Stop snack stand. The Galapagos Tortoise Yard gives visitors close views of the zoo's giant tortoises. Dining and shopping cluster in Vine Street Village, Mai Thai's Marketplace, and The Grove, which sit alongside the animal habitats rather than apart from them.

Animal highlights

Cincinnati Zoo's published figures describe at least 500 species listed on the zoo's website, spread across roughly 1,800 individual animals. The collection ranges widely, from African elephants, western lowland gorillas, and bonobos to Sumatran orangutans, cheetahs, snow leopards, and Komodo dragons. Aquatic and semi-aquatic species include Florida manatees, American alligators, and hellbenders — the largest fully aquatic salamander species in the United States. Smaller and more unusual residents include aardvarks, aye-ayes, binturongs, fennec foxes, naked mole-rats, and a wide range of birds such as hamerkops, named for the hammer-like shape of their bill and head crest, and multiple penguin species including African, king, and little penguins. The zoo's cheetah-focused programming also involves ambassador servals, a red river hog, and a crested porcupine used alongside the cheetahs in public demonstrations. The zoo highlights a handful of specific animal facts in its own materials: hippos can open their mouths about three times wider than a person can, red pandas spend up to 13 hours a day foraging for bamboo and eat only the youngest, most tender leaves, and hellbenders — found on-site — are the largest fully aquatic salamander in the United States.

Conservation and programs

Conservation sits at the center of the zoo's stated mission, and the zoo describes itself as internationally recognized for its work protecting and propagating endangered animals and plants through research and conservation projects carried out around the world. As an AZA-accredited institution, it takes part in the accreditation body's broader emphasis on conservation science across its member zoos and aquariums.

Planning your visit

As listed on the zoo's website, Cincinnati Zoo is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for most of the year, spanning January 5 through November 18 in 2026, with member early entry beginning at 9 a.m. on select dates. Parking is $10 per vehicle, payable by QR code or at ticketing windows, and the zoo offers electric vehicle charging with 20 ports in its Euclid Street lot and 8 in the Vine Street main lot. Members receive free parking as a benefit.

Rides including the train and carousel are included for Gold, Platinum, and Donor members, and available to other visitors for a per-ride fee, typically $4–$5 depending on the ride. Dining options are spread throughout the grounds, from Hops and Base Camp Café to LaRosa's pizza, Taco Caja, Trunk Stop, and several ice cream and snack stands serving Graeter's ice cream and Skyline Chili; outside food, drinks, and coolers are permitted, with the exception of alcohol and glass containers. Guests can also purchase Zoo Bucks, a gift-certificate system usable for admission, food, and merchandise anywhere on the grounds except the Zoo's website, and the zoo has phased out plastic bags as part of a sustainability push, encouraging reusable totes.

The zoo's Zoo Access for All program offers discounted general admission, ride, and membership pricing to SNAP/EBT cardholders — general admission for eligible visitors is listed at $3 for children and seniors, with an unlimited rides add-on at $4 — along with reduced-price single and double strollers, manual wheelchairs, and electric wheelchairs, available at the Welcome Center on a first-come, first-served basis. Active and veteran military members receive a 10% discount on all membership levels, and visitors holding membership at a reciprocal AZA institution can also receive discounted admission with proof of membership and photo ID. The zoo also provides two dedicated nursing nests, six calming rooms including a dedicated Vine Street Village Calming Room, sensory bags, and sensory-friendly social narratives for guests with developmental disabilities or sensory sensitivities; service animals are permitted under ADA guidelines, though emotional support animals are not recognized as service animals. Same-day re-entry is allowed with a ticket stamp at the turnstiles, and lost and found can be reached through the ticketing windows, Welcome Center, or the zoo's Visitor Experience line. Because pricing, hours, and animal viewing depend on the season and weather, confirm current details on the official Cincinnati Zoo website before visiting.