Milwaukee County Zoo

This was our first time we drove up all the way up from Washburn Wi! My husband grew up in Milwaukee and has wanted to take our kids there for a long time now. My 3 year old LOVED it! It was amazing as a mother to see the monkeys carrying their babies around! Heart Melting! We will definitely be back!

We looked up top things to do while in Milwaukee. The zoo was in the top 10, so, we thought we’d give it a shot. Expecting a quick run through, after noting it was relatively small in size compared to some others we’ve been to, imagine our surprise to see moose. Not many zoos house moose & having come to Milwaukee from North Dakota, it was like being back home! Other surprises were hippos & rhino.
I was torn between 4 and 5 stars. The enclosures allowed for some amazing views and awesome pictures. They didn’t allow for as much roaming as others I’ve seen. Maybe that’s just as well to the animals, maybe it isn’t. It certainly allows for spectacular viewing opportunities… this is why I was torn. Ultimately, I dropped a star on behalf of the animals and their potential betterment.
Back to the positive: The layout flows smoothly and there is ample room at each area, preventing congestion. The only animal that was camera shy was the wolf. We saw almost every exhibit, but did not attend any of the shows. We did book an extra night after spending a full day out the Zoo, Public Market, & Leon’s. Tomorrow, we check out the beach towns!
I recommend checking into the pass over daily admission. Our home zoo is on the pass list along with Milwaukee, meaning we could have paid an extra $ 15 for year long access back home along with today’s entry… opps

I love that I got to see a male LION ROAR in my face, and then the same day a Tiger GROWLED at me. Either they wanted me for dinner or I must have smelled really bad for me to have that reaction out of those 2 different cats! YIKES! Anyway it was a great site to see. I love the monkey house, they are very active and they do interact with humans. The food isn’t the greatest there, but not expected to be. The pricing is OK and there is plenty to see. Definely one of my favorite zoo’s.

I had to make sure to go the Milwaukee Zoo once more before I moved out of WI. The animals are well cared for, and seem happy enough. I really wanted to check out the Dinosaur exhibit they had. It was not advertised that admission to this special exhibit was extra than park admission, but it was only 2 or 3 extra dollars. The special exhibit was nice and minimally interactive, but I still liked it. Obviously a great place for kids and the young at heart.

«Where else can you go, and check out a grizzly bear? You can’t walk up to a cobra in India, cuz he’ll bite you and you’ll die… The zoo is cool!» — MKE band Couch Flambeau.
No, you’re not going to die, you’re going to have fun. The MCZ really is pretty cool. They have lots of exotic animals that are exhibited in what appears to be their natural habitat (at least for a zoo). The different species are grouped geographically by continent. They even have animals together on display that would normally eat each other, but looking closer, you’ll see they’re separated by a moat.
My personal favorites are the Mandrils, the big cats, and the elephants.
There are so many exhibits inside and out that you can easily make a day of it, and you should, especially if you paid full admission price. It’s not cheap, but reasonable, when you compare it to other top ranked zoo’s. There are family free days throughout the year, check their website. If you visit more than a few times a year, the zoo membership would be a good investment. They have many events, Zoo a la Carte, and Sunset Zoofari being the most popular.
Other things I love about the zoo. The Mold-​A-​Rama, The smell from the vending machine takes me back to my childhood (much like, but better than leaded gasoline). Also, the train. it’s where I got down on one knee and proposed to Nancy G in front of a crowd of people.
Here’s a link to «The Zoo is Cool»
If you made it through the whole video, check out «Santa Claus Skips Cudahy» It’s one of my favorite holiday songs, and It’s only 90 seconds… here’s a gratuitous link to it.

Really great zoo — my only complaint would have to be the price and the expensive charge for parking. But if you realize this and accept it beforehand, the visit will be great. Even on a cold day you could see almost all the animals, as most of them have indoor homes that you can visit them in. As others have said, the elephants did look a little squished in their indoor exhibits but all the other animals looked like they had a lot of space. The displays were very well done and informative. Also found the peacocks roaming around so funny!

The zoo is free!!!
Anyway, I always love to go to a zoo. I think this zoo has different kinds of animal. Staffs are nice. Polar bear station has a volunteer stands outside and explains stuff about the bear. The animals seem healthy as they should be. I wish they have more space for elephants and some big animals to run around.

We came here early in the morning since we left early from Tomah, WI the night before. There was some road construction which was a little confusing. But, we managed to get there on time but there was a line for parking. We saw people walk so then realized there was a parking fee of $ 12. Luckily, we had Como Zoo membership so admission free except for parking. So, overall it was a win for us to pass through the parking quickly and get a spot close to the entrance. The park opened at 10AM and we managed to finish up the entire zoo in a couple of hours. We really liked the layout of the zoo and loved the penguins exhibit better than the Minnesota zoo. Plus, there were plenty of large mammal exhibits which had free range to roam. Our only complaint would be the pachyderm exhibits which looked a prison cell. The same goes for the Big Cats exhibits which didn’t have an outdoor exhibit but totally indoor. Oh well, this is definitely a step up from Como Zoo as well as Minnesota Zoo. My wife thought that she much preferred the indoor exhibits at Minnesota Zoo. So, I tend to agree with her especially for the larger animals. Still, the one to beat would be Omaha Zoo which is by far the extensive and very large in size. I have yet to visit San Diego Zoo but have visited the San Diego Safari which is in a world of its own. Overall, this zoo has its charm and we recommend for both young at heart like myself and my wife and for the young ones too. Oh by the way, I collect Moldaramas and this zoo by far has the most closest to the Twin Cities besides Como Zoo.
MOLDARAMAS
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1) Black Bat (Small Mammals)
2) Green Gator (Fish/​Frogs/​Snakes)
3) Black Gorilla (Primates)
4) Brown Three Monkeys (Primates)
5) Yellow Lion (Big Cats)
6) Orange Tiger (Big Cats)
7) Orange Giraffe and Baby OUT OF ORDER (Pachyderm)
8) Gray Elephant (Pachyderm)
9) Blue Hippo (Pachyderm)
10) White Polar Bear (Polar Bear)
11) Grey Skull (Harbor Seal)
12) Brown Kangaroo (Australian Outback)
13) Purple Moose (Australian Outback)

After hearing about how great this zoo was, I was left with total disappointment. After spending $ 40 (admission for 2 + parking) on a weekday, we went in only to find that most of the attractions were closed. Apparently, they only operate the rides & shows on the weekend. We walked around and saw some animals and that was pretty much it. There were no docents or zookeepers around that could answer any questions either. I feel they should have only charged half of the admission since there was really nothing else to do. Maybe I’m spoiled with our Lincoln Park and Brookfield Zoos, but… Sorry, Milwaukee… I wasn’t impressed.

Talk about mixed emotions here… $ 56 for a family of four, one of us being free. That included the $ 12 for parking. I’m starting to feel like this trip will end poorly. My kids (ages 9 and 2) did both have a good time as did my wife and I. The highlight of the trip was the zip line for my nine year old daughter and the little kids rope walk for my 2 year old son. This of course comes at an extra $ 12 for my daughter and $ 6 for my son. There is also a large playground that looks to be a recent addition and is of great quality. As far as the actual «zoo» part of visiting the zoo, this must be a bad time of the year to visit. There were many closed exhibits and we missed the dinosaur exhibit they pushed all summer, which was fine. Also understand that everything here is outrageously priced… A 20oz Coke from a vending machine is $ 3 for example. No thanks. The real buyer be ware moment happened in the gift shop where either they are either poorly trained or willfully screwing shoppers. My wife left with a closed checkbook after she discovered the stuffed plush toys that were marked at $ 14.99 were ringing up for $ 17.99 at the register. The clerk informed her «those are labeled wrong, the price the computer is ringing up is correct» no, that’s not how it works in the state of Wisconsin. It’s a statute that a customer must be refunded the difference if an electronic POS device rings up a higher price than is marked on the item. We left without purchasing anything from the gift shop.
Bottom line… Go, eat before you get there and double check every item price in the gift shop.

Since we have a certain 3 year old who just happens to love elephants… we decided to make the trek up to the Milwaukee County Zoo for Elephant Appreciation Day. We were not disappointed. Great zoo… a lot of the exhibits give nice close up views of the animals. And the extra little things they had for Elephant Appreciation Day were enjoyed by our daughter. She even got a free carousel ride with her elephant ears!
We also did a train ride on the miniature train that goes around the zoo. It was a popular attraction… don’t see a ton of the zoo from the train though. Was still fun enough.
Overall, while I don’t think this will replace Brookfield Zoo as our favorite zoo… it will be a close second. Well worth the drive.

Wow Great Zoo!!!
I go here every once in a while, and I love it! They have at least 100 animals here, and I only live 10 minutes away so it’s a big plus. Even though I have no children and no husband, I love this place! There are so many animals that you could spend 5 to 8 hours here! There are so many fun options like Zoo Pass and Zoo Pass Plus. If you do upgrade to these options it is totally worth the 100 dollars I think it costs. I want to buy it but I don’t want to spend the money on it, and I don’t go to the zoo all of the time. I love the special exhibits during the summer! This summer it’s Expedition Dinosaurs! It’s totally for kids and had moving molds. 2 out of 10 spray water. If you don’t like your child getting wet, take them past them. Tips when they are doing to spray water: They Growl and Stop Their Feet. Then comes water! This zoo is awesome and is worth the money to get in!

I have a 2 year old. …so we go to the zoo… a lot.
One of the best things about living in Wauwatosa is the fact the we can be there in 5 minutes. Many people complain that the entrance fees are too high. Let’s just say, they only way to make the zoo affordable for family visits is to have a zoo pass with parking. It makes it possible to pop in for just an hour or two without the obligation to see everything in one day.
The zoo offers so many different buildings and exhibits, you could never get board. Our favorites include the primates building, the giraffe exhibit where you can get eye level with them, and the underwater polar bear viewing.
This summer they have a dinosaur exhibit. We went during the member’s free preview, so it was really crowded. The dinosaurs were neat to see with their movements and sounds, especially the life-​size roaring T-​Rex. It’s great for the dinosaur enthusiasts of the group but the added admission costs can add up fast for a large family, If you have a small one, it might be best to skip it, or you might be leaving with a crying toddler… not that I’m speaking from personal experience.
Don’t miss Sunset Zoofari in July. They have music and it’s always fun to see the zoo at dusk as it’s less crowded and the heat of the day has usually subsided.
On your way out, be sure to hit the zoo train and carousel.
See you at the zoo…

Coming from Vegas, where our zoo was pitiful and I think non-​existent now, this place was amazing!
The boyfriend and I went on a Friday, July 3^rd, so you can only imagine how crowded this place was, and we still had a great time!
The zoo was huge, and I think the boyfriend compared it to half the size of UNLV. Plus it was as clean as can be. Wherever we went, the staff was extremely nice and personable. I remember going to the gorilla area, and 2 members just started chatting it up with us about the family.
Hahaha… My favorite surprise was that they had farm animals in the zoo. I never knew zoos would include cows, but hey… It’s in Wisconsin.
In regards to the size of the crowd, this place is manageable compared to the San Diego Zoo. I can also say that most (family) groups here are more considerate. I think my boyfriend said it was a Midwest characteristic.
Another thing I appreciated about the zoo was that it wasn’t all about getting its visitors to buy souvenirs. When I say that, I mean there was only the entrance area I noticed for a gift shop.
I’m hoping to see some hyper sea otters next time I visit ’cause there was only 1 asleep in its area when we went.

This was probably one of the best zoos I have been to in America. I loved the layout of the zoos, cleanliness, most of the enclosure are big enough for the animals they are holding and one of the best aviaries I have ever seen. Actually, the best Aviary I have seen! Most of the birds were allowed to fly freely and one kept dive bombing me. The rest of the exhibits had a clean, airy feel to it. We became members of this zoo, if that helps you decide to visit this zoo.
Tip: Get your credit card or money ready, because you pay at the parking booth. $ 12.00 for parking, $ 14.99 per adult and $ 10.99 3 – 12 year olds.

I’ve been to the Milwaukee CO Zoo many times and it has never disappointed! They have a large variety of animals and the exhibits are always well kept. The zoo offers tons of options for entertainment including a petting zoo where you can feed goats!

As a nanny I have seen my fair share of Zoo’s! This one is a grand slam! I love bringing my littles here all year around! There is always something new to see in a very well kept facility. All the animals looks happy and healthy! There is something for all ages. I was in a group of 5 adults that all had a great time roaming the almost 5 miles of «wild life»! We even had time to stop for a tasty hot dog and soda which were to be expected in prices. We chose to park down the street and avoid parking fees. The Milwaukee Zoo is one of my absolute favorites!

What can I say about my home zoo that doesn’t sound biased? Not much! The Milwaukee County Zoo is ranked one of the best zoos in the country and was at the forefront of exhibiting predators and prey together. It only looks like the big cats can jump the walls and attack the zebras, antelopes, camels, gazelles and ostriches! There is a wide, deep moat separating the exhibits so if the cats did try to jump, they’d fall into the pit and land in a net.
This zoo is also the leader in Bonobo (a lesser species of chimpanzee) breeding and conservation efforts.
The best way to «do the zoo»:
Upon entering the zoo from the parking lot, your best bet is to head to the right. Hit the aviary, then the primate building. Next, go to the fish and reptiles and then stay to the right and hit the small mammals building. Don’t go down the hill off to the left next to the concession stand, you’ll miss stuff. Come out of the small mammal building and head to the right down a big hill surrounded by woods. You’ll go under a bridge and come out by the caribou. When the path eventually splits, at the concessions building, stay to the right. See the seals, sea lions and polar bears, then circle back to the right, past the moose yard. Pass the Dall Sheep and Grizzly bears and head into the Australian building. Out of there, head into Wolf Woods. Head straight past the rhinos and camels and stay to the right. Past the zebras is the entrance to the cat house. As you exit, walk around the little courtyard… there are a couple animals hiding in the perimeter. Now, if you’re visiting in summer, it probably won’t matter which path in front of you that you take, because the animals are most likely in their outdoor exhibits, some of which you already passed on your way to the cat house. If it’s winter, however, you may have to zig zag the area to see the animals indoors. You emerge with the giraffes right in front of you. Head to the left and keep the elephants on your left. At the next «intersection», turn right and then head into the children’s zoo. When done in there, head to the right, up a hill and under a bridge. Now you’re back at the entrance! To the right are the carousel and the train and to the left is a huge, wooden, aerial obstacle course.
Keep in mind that there are a few little extras all along the above stated tour. The signage is really good, so keep your eyes open so you don’t miss anything!
One of the nice thing about this zoo, is that you can bring in your own food. Once you pay to get in the parking lot, you’re in, so you can leave your food in the car while you explore the zoo, retrieve it when you’re hungry and sit in one of the picnic areas at the zoo’s south end. You can also haul it around with you in the actual zoo, if you want.
If you love zoos as much as I do, the zoo pass is a great way to support the animals. Depending on the level you sign up for, you may get free parking, behind the scenes tours or invites to special events not open to the public. You will also be able to get into zoos nationwide at a reduced rate (usually half off) or free!
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I love my Milwaukee zoo! Seriously, though, just buy a zoo pass. If you balk at the price of admission and parking, visiting 4 times a year will easily even out the cost. I go at least once a month, sometimes (usually) more. If the weather is bad or it’s too crowded, I can just go home and come back another day without feeling like I wasted a wad of cash. In all honesty, I support the zoo in any way I can afford like donating a few bucks to upcoming projects or taking part in the giving tree at Christmas time :)
They have many events that go on throughout the year that can be taken advantage of. Free days, behind-​the-​scenes days, Sunset Zoofari with extended hours into the evenings. Have you heard of Zoo a la Carte? Boo at the Zoo? That’s a big list of reasons to just get out and visit the zoo. Also the animals. They have some pretty neat creatures.
Bring a lunch or something to snack on. There are places to eat throughout the zoo but they can easily get crowded and no one likes to stand in long lines on hot summer days. With a plethora of benches and green spaces all around the zoo, just pack something in a small cooler and rest beneath the willows by lake Evinrude or at any of the benches and enjoy people watching. It’s the best way to make your visit more memorable and cost effective. But please don’t feed the animals or leave a mess. And don’t forget to visit the family farm. Not only do you get to see a working milking parlor, there is an ice cream shop!

The zoo is always a fund adventure. They have a rally nice gift store also! They had a baby kangaroo and lions and tiger and bears, oh my! Peacocks walking around everywhere too. It was a fun day!

This is my favorite zoo! I never appreciated Milwaukee’s zoo until I went to Honolulu and was severely disappointed with their zoo! We are so spoiled here!
Our family decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday by going to the zoo. My son loves looking at (and talking to) animals. He was intrigued by the penguins, the flamingos, the lions and other cats. He loved the birds, elephants and the peacocks roaming the grounds. There is so much offered here, but we did not get a chance to see everything on this visit. I am sure we will be able to tackle that the older he gets.
Admissions/​Parking: Lot’s of spaces, admission can be pricey. If you intend to go a lot, get the yearly pass.
Food: Expensive! Pack some snacks and water. If the kiddos don’t want to eat the snacks, walk around until you find a place that has good prices. The popcorn is tasty by the way.
I will be back of course.

I guess I’m used to free zoos like Lincoln Park and Madison, because there was definitely some initial sticker shock when we pulled up to the gate and were told it would be $ 40 for two adult admissions and parking. Ouch.
I quickly got over it and we had a great time. The zoo is pretty easy to navigate, especially on a weekday.
Highlights:
*A black bear curled up in a hammock taking an afternoon nap
*A newborn seal pup being nursed by his mama (see photo)
*An orangutan being pulled around by his genitalia by his brother (see photo)
All of that was worth the price the admission.

I’ve been to many zoos in the states and overseas and this is still by far one of the best and most well kept up zoos that I enjoy visiting. I have been here at least 30+ times and I still enjoy coming here.
There is a huge selection of animals here. One of my favourite exhibits is the reptiles. The zoo is very large and a family can easily spend three hours here, longer for those who belong in the zoo.
When I’m in town I take my niece and my boys here and they love riding the train. It’s super cool how they have a mini train and I can see the conductor filling it with coal.
The children’s zoo part is a must visit for any parent. Kids can feed the greedy goats and watch a cow be milked. They have a ice creamery on the spot where anyone can enjoy many flavours of ice cream.
If you are visiting Milwaukee, this is a great place to visit. You’ll be glad you did.