Cameron Park Zoo

It was better when we went there 5 years ago. This time the elephants, bison, hippo and zebras were gone. My little guys wanted to see zebras, hippos and elephants really bad. The rhino was there but all we could see was his butt because he didn’t want to show his face. Pretty disappointing… They should have something on their website that lets people know if the majority of the larger attraction animals are not there to let the public decide if it’s still worth the trip for them. Especially since most of us probably travel from out of town.

We took our boys 3 month, 3 years and 6 years old. They had a blast. I loved the amount of play areas. They enjoyed seeing all the different animals. I was not impressed with the cafes in the zoo. I have been to many zoo’s on the east coast and they are 10 times bigger and free… but this zoo is priced pretty well for a few hours of entertainment and a good way to get your kids to pass out on the car ride home. The animals were very active when we went. Our favorite part was the slide that goes through the otters tank. The amount of restrooms were great aswell. Especially with young children with tiny bladders. Parking was very close unlike dallas zoo.

Nice sized zoo for a town of this size. We were here on a lovely Sunday in January and many exhibits were closed. One thing that I noticed having children with me, restrooms were not scattered around conveniently. The thing I suppose that bothered me the most was the size and condition of the exhibits. The larger animals were pacing and appeared extremely distressed. The zoo was not overly crowded either. Additionally, the concession stand was closed and should have been the one opened as it was the one we came to first after walking through the entire zoo and as well, the soft drink machine, although reasonable, and located at closed concession stand, only accepted one dollar bills; no change made.

This was a great place for my family to spend the day. Prices are a little high but caring for exotic creatures isn’t cheap.
This place is near a sketchy side of town on the drive over, but once you get there, it’s nestled amongst some trees and has some serene views.
There’s a membership option for admission with different tier levels which has different perks including other affiliate zoo admissions. That’s certainly a better value and benefits the zoo immensely.
Awesome animals and aesthetically pleasing layout. Family friendly. Easy to read maps and signs. For being 23 years old, the place is well maintained. Only minor gripe and 1 star reduction is at times you may not see all animals on display. We didn’t see the gibbons, orangutans, or lions. The giraffes were inside a feeding area with a very blurry Plexiglass view. Of course it was super cold, and the ticket attendant did warn us at the entrance.
A second gripe is lack of high quality concession options. The café near Asian Forest area of park was closed and the «café» near entrance seemed like more of an amateur homemade type set up. For example I saw on the menu Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches for a dollar. Some of the items were handwritten, and the employee seemed more interested in chit chat with the person in the lobby.
Best part is the zoo was almost empty on a Friday at noon. We really maximized the opportunity to take full advantage of our visit and time there. Our kid had a blast, and we did too.
Highly recommend this stop!

Cameron Park Zoo is one of the highlights of Waco. The Brazos River and orangutan exhibits are fairly new and fun to walk through. The zoo itself is very parklike (as the name would suggest) so there’s lots of shade everywhere except in parts of the African section. It’s a great place to bring kids or adults!

Nice and Awesome Zoo! I love the enviroment that they setup for each different kind of animal. Is a great place to go with your family and have a good time.

We have been going to the Cameron Park Zoo for ten years, and didn’t think it could get any better. We were wrong, it is still changing and improving!
The herpetarium has changed some exhibits so the snakes and amphibians are more visible. The Brazos by Night exhibit has a wonderful collection of owls and other nocturnal creatures, and the new porcupine is settling in nicely, with a sign outside his area asking that visitors not tap on the glass and please keep their voices down, since he is still a little scared of his new space. These folks care about their animals! Some animals were off-​exhibit because of the below 70 degree temperatures (for example, the Galapagos Tortoises and meerkats) but that again shows that the animals’ comfort and health is of primary importance at this zoo.
The signage all over the zoo is easily seen and very informative. The grounds are very will maintained, and benches are provided so you can either sit and appreciate the view, or rest a bit.
There is also a play area for children and an adorable photo-​op where your child can stand behind a cut-​out of a butterfly and have a picture taken with his/​her face as the butterfly’s face.
No matter how many times you have visited, there is always something new and interesting to see at the Cameron Park Zoo.

Lived in Waco a few years, have been several times. I have a 2 year old and she loves animals. Good exercise, not too large to walk around a few hours. Ridiculous to be told when entering the zoo to throw away my beverage, and then the water fountains don’t work and there seems nothing available to buy. Wonderful to see the animals, a few seem to need more space. All in all we will continue to visit as there isn’t a ton to do in Waco.

If you have small kiddos you will LOVE this zoo! There were lots of animals to see and learn about. There was a park inside where kids could run off some energy. There is no shortage of seating for you little ones to stop and rest or eat. The only reason I didnt rate this 5 stars was because of the wagon rentals. They were dirty, expensive ($ 10) and in poor shape (broken seat belts etc).

Definitely a lot of animals, a lot more than I would ever expect, especially in Waco. Kid friendly, lots of shade.

I was pleasantly surprised by this local zoo. It is larger than first glance would have you believe and offers every exhibit that any normal zoo might offer. For the adult admission of only $ 9, it is well worth the visit of you are in the Waco area.

I’ve been here before and well… It was much better then. Thankfully, they were cleaning some cages and such, but there should be a reduction in price if all animals aren’t present… Or at least, one should mention it as a disclaimer upon arrival. Bears, some monkeys, otters, & few others were kept out of the public eye. Water was scarce in certain exhibits. Food court restrooms weren’t functional.
Not coming back for a while! #ratchet

Amazing! We paid for a family season pass before we even went in — all we’d have to do is go twice and it’d be paid for due to our family size (6). Definitely do not regret it! It’s not a gigantic zoo but it’s not microscopic either. It is neat in that once you get on the path it basically loops you through all of the zoo and all of the exhibits. Most zoos you’re constantly lost and back tracking trying to find everything and not miss something, not a problem here. Lots of bathrooms. Workers are nice. Very clean park with lots of shade. There is one small concession type stand restaurant (I don’t think we’d eat there — they need to upgrade that area. But it’s handy to get some AC or grab some over priced water, Gatorade or juice $ 3-​$ 4 each). Bathrooms are a bit old but at least there are quite a few of them. The zoo is just great though. A little bit of everything. Definitely highly recommend everyone to check it out!

Product– product being the animals for the majority of the zoo. The animals were awesome! Only one main animal that wasn’t there and that was bears, they were working on the pen that day. If you are walking through and get hungry definitely stop at their café about halfway through. I’m always afraid to see prices for a café inside a park where children go. They normally are way way over priced. The one here is priced reasonably with just a little higher than normal so a plus. ⁵⁄₅
Service– they were quick to get you in and the park itself is priced reasonably. Concession stand workers were nice and the gift shop was nice and air conditioned and had plenty of stuffed animals for the little ones. ⁵⁄₅
Image– the park looked great no stray trash and they unkept everything real well. Loved how it looked. ⁵⁄₅
Park was great will definitely be back again in the future.

Not a bad little zoo. but I guess if your used to the fort worth zoo you could be a little
only took us not even two hours to get through the whole zoo. which the Fort Worth zoo takes all day. they also had a couple of exhibits down. still overall not bad. if your in town and looking for something to do give this place a shot.

This is a great little zoo with lots of different animals. I spent a good 2 to 3 hours with my daughter walking the whole zoo. We really enjoyed all the exhibits and all the animals looked taken care of. There were lots of shaded areas and the walking paths were wide and clean. Cameron Park is a short walk from the zoo and has areas to grill and picnic. We will definitely be back here with the rest of the family.

We have been visiting Cameron Park Zoo every other year when our Thanksgiving is in Waco. Since. It’s normal cool outside the animals are up and about. The park itself has nice wide paths and it is set up for a walk around the park for easy navigation. The reptile house and generally any of the indoor viewings were warm and the air was stale, but that’s my only complaint. This is a normal part of our Waco Thanksgiving weekend because the adults and kiddos always enjoy our visits.

Delightfully wild and nicely tucked away near Cameron Park.
The Cameron Park Zoo is a little gem in little olé’ Waco. Located right next to the park the zoo surprisingly hosts several wild and exotic animals, and even has an impressive aquarium section. Although it is smaller in comparison to larger city zoos Cameron Park Zoo makes up for it in aesthetics and layout. The zoo is neatly organized with enough attractions spread out to keep first-​time visitors busy for several hours. Honestly, this is a great zoo and I love visiting it whenever I get the chance. Overall, If you’re passing by or staying in Waco this zoo is worth a visit if you can afford the time, and if you love zoos this is a must visit. Prices are $ 9 for adults, $ 6 for children, ages 3 & under free (super inexpensive!).
Side note: you’re gonna enjoy this sweet little zoo.

OMG this zoo is so adorable and quaint. I know quaint can have a negative context but in this instance it really isn’t. It is cute, and cozy, with all they shade cover it feels very relaxing. To be honest. I wasn’t expecting much but I was very pleasantly surprised. For $ 9 a person it’s a great way to spend a few hours (yay free parking!). Like Chris said, the animals are very lively and look comfortable in their enclosures. The grounds are clean and there is plenty of shade and benches and rocking chairs. My son loved their playground and otter slide. I really liked how they staged their exhibits because it allows you to get a better view of the animals.
If you’re passing through Waco, it’s a great place to stop and stretch your legs

My little boy and I decided on a whim to come here and enjoy the first breeze of fall and the over cast skies. We were the first people in the zoo! It was SO nice, it seemed like we where the only people in the zoo for the longest time! All of the animals were so active, most looked happy. My son really enjoyed the small aquarium room and the reptile room.
What a pleasant way to spend a beautiful day with my little boy. We cannot wait to come back!