Zagat rated the Cincinnati Zoo one of the top zoo's in the nation. It's also been rated as 1 of the top 10 zoos for kids. With all this in mind, it seemed like it would be a fun idea to check it out.

We parked at the zoo- which cost money. We paid our entrance fee to the zoo- it costs less for young children (under 12) than adults. It was your typical price to enter the zoo- reasonable as long as you intend to stay for at least a few hours to get your money worth. We got our zoo map at the door (which you need because this zoo is large) and headed in.

There are 500 animals and 3000 different plant species at the zoo so it was kind of overwhelming to know where to start. Elephants have always been one of my favorite animals so we headed over in that direction first. As we walked I noticed how clean the zoo itself was. There are lots of visitors, but there was no litter or sign of unruly crowds anywhere. The sidewalks were nicely manicured and clean and although there was a slightly zoo-y smell (as one would expect in such a large zoo) it was not too noticeable.

The animal habitats are very nice- this is not your typical zoo with animals in cages with steel bars and a little pool and a few trees. It really looked like natural habitats- lots of lush plant life and greens, and a very jungle like feeling for the jungle animals. The bears had a lovely and large pool. I know the zoo is also known for conservation and animal care, and it definitely showed. You could tell that great attention was paid to having the animals be comfortable and feel at home. This made me very happy. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable in zoos because I feel like the animals are just stuck in human made cages for our amusement- but here I felt like they were really there because the zoo cares about the animals and teaching kids about animals and conservation.

Overall I would highly recommend a visit to this zoo. There is every kind of animal you could expect to see, from the typical snake and lizard and monkey house to the cute little polar bears and pandas. The zoo also has traveling exhibits that come in periodically throughout the year so you can see other animals you would not necessarily expect or get to see at your average zoo. They do a really good job making sure everything feels natural for the animals and that everything is clean and nice. The one down side is the only refreshments/snacks at the zoo were quite expensive- but again I suppose this is to be expected when you have a monopoly on the market. But I recommend you have lunch before you go to avoid the problem.

Cincinnati Zoo is worth a trip for people of all ages and I thoroughly enjoyed my time here as part of my birthday surprise. It’s a vibrant, busy, bright, and noisy place, famed now as much for its conservation work and research as for its entertainment value.

The zoo is world famous and was rated the number one attraction in Cincinnati and one of the top five zoos in the nation by Zagat Survey. It has also been recognized by Child Magazine as one of "The 10 Best Zoos for Kids." Over 1.2 million people visit the 500 animal and 3,000 plant species annually, set in award winning exhibits.

The zoo is the second oldest zoo in the US, having first opened its doors in 1875. It's 70 acres in size and sometimes it’s hard to believe that you are actually in the middle of the city, as the landscaping of the zoo, allows you to forget all that is outside. This is not a huge zoo, and does not demand a great deal of walking, yet there is a great deal to see. The best parts, by far, are the newest. The award-winning jungle trails, on the site of the old car parks, are quite simply superb, featuring jungle trails in among rain forest plants and trees where you'll encounter bonobos, orangutans, and lemurs. The indoor exhibits (Wings of the World, Manatee Springs, Insect World, and the Nocturnal House) are as good as you will find in any zoo anywhere. They have all the big animals to, but for me the biggest attraction was there Sumatran Rhinos. These are so endangered there is a chance they will become extinct in the wild in our generation. Cincinnati Zoo has successfully bred the first ever Sumatran born in captivity, called Andalas. I would suggest seeing this strange creature while there is still the chance.

I had an excellent time here and the way the zoo is designed means that you can get to almost touching distance of the animals. This gives excellent photo opportunities throughout. There were a few problems though that were slightly worrying. Many of the animals seemed to be anxious and stressed and were carrying out the same repetitive routines. Animals showing these symptoms included the Sumatran Rhinos, Polar Bears and Cats. Some of the enclosures also seem much too small, for example the bears.

The zoo’s opening hours are between 9am and 4pm in Winter and 9am to 5pm, in Summer. Admission to the zoo is $12.95 for adults and $7.95 for children. Parking is $6.50, but there is free parking right outside of the zoo, and in the surrounding roads. The zoo is easy to find upon reaching Cincinnati and there are full directions on their website depending on where you are travelling from.

More information can be found on their website at http://www.cincyzoo.org, or by phoning +1 (513) 281- 4700. The zoo can also be reached by email at info@cincinnatizoo.org.

My grandchildren (pictured) LOVE this zoo, especially when Papa pulls them around it in his big red wagon. Founded in 1875, it is America's second-oldest zoo and is consistently rated as one of the top zoos in the nation. In these 75 acres are 500 animal species and 3,000 plant varieties, drawing 1.2 million visitors per year.

There is far too much at the zoo to list it all here. A few of our favorite sections are:

Wings of the Word
Lords of the Arctic (polar bears)
Manatee Springs
Children's Zoo
Gorilla World
Cat House
Elephant House
Jungle Trails

And there's a whole lot more, so you'd better plan to make a day of it. There are several fast-food restaurants, picnic areas, and shops within the zoo grounds.

The zoo is open year-round, but hours vary with the season. A special time to visit is just before Christmas when the place dances with a million twinkling lights.

If you are going to visit the zoo more than once, a family season pass is a good deal.

Directions:
From I-71N take the Dana Ave. Exit and follow the signs, or from I-75 N take Mitchell Ave., Exit # 6, and follow the signs.

Phone:
513/281-4700

The zoo is absolutely enormous, one of the top zoos in the nation. Cinci is an older zoo, right in the hustle-and-bustle of the city. It's hilly (like much of Cinci), but water stations are frequent, shade is abundant, and the crowds are very friendly--everyone will get a turn to check out the animals. The zoo staff seems to be at every turn to answer questions and share stories about the animals with the kids. The petting zoo is especially fun.

The Cheetah Encounter was just starting when we got to the zoo so that show was the first thing we did. It lasted about twenty minutes and we met Dawn, a nine week old mountain lion. Three zookeepers were in a large fenced in area with the cats and they brought them out from their cages one at a time. The cats would walk freely next to the trainers and the trainers had them do tricks and things for food. We also met an African Serval which is the only cat that has both spots and stripes. The star of the show was the cheetah. A dog that was raised as a brother to the cheetah was brought in and they ran around the area together.

The Jungle Trails is an incredible section of the zoo, and definitely my favorite. Visitors are immersed in the sights and sounds of African and Asian rainforests. You will start off walking through a mist of fog searching for the animals in the exhibits beyond. The white handed gibbons and an orange orangutan cohabitate in a large outdoor exhibit on the Asian trail. Inside the African section you will see rare animals such as two Bonobos and an Emperor Scorpion. I was introduced to the Grey’s Crowned Ghenons which are unique looking animals in the monkey family. They were very playful when we were there and one guy had amused me because he was having a lot of fun looking at himself in a little mirror dangling from the ropes.

The zoo also features rare animals including White Lions, Komodo Dragons and Sumatran Rhinos. The Sumatran Rhino is the smallest and oldest species of rhino and is one of the most endangered species on earth. His horn is not as large as black and white rhinos, and he has shaggy hair on his body. In an effort to conserve this rare species, scientists at the zoo helped their Sumatran Rhinos produce the first of their species born in captivity in 114 years. Emi, the mother, gave birth to a baby boy, Andalas about two years ago and he just moved to the Los Angeles Zoo. Debbie at the Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife explained their story and we were even able to watch Emi give birth. Emi is now pregnant again.

We spent the rest of our time looking at the amazing Manatees in Manatee Springs, wandering through the Cat House, and spying on the Bald Eagle and Stellar’s Sea Eagle in Eagle Eyrie. We got very close to a giraffe at the Vanishing Giants section and also saw an Okapi, which is a relative to the giraffe, and some elephants. We finished our trip at the Children’s Zoo where we go to watch two otters wrestling in and out of the water at Otter Creek.

What an amazing zoo! I suggest planning on spending 4 or 5 hours at the zoo to see it in its entirety.