Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Designated a National Historic Landmark, and a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, the zoo and botanical garden are a haven for more than 500 animals and 3,000 plant species. Join a panda chat or insect encounter, learn the stories of the zoo’s inhabitants, listen to live music in the garden—or get involved with the zoo’s conservation efforts.

• The zoo has several restaurants and food trucks. You can also take your own food.

• The zoo and garden are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers (and both are available to rent), but some hilly areas can be difficult to navigate.

• If you are a member of a different zoo, see if it has a reciprocal program with the Cincinnati Zoo. You may be eligible for a discount.

You can get to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden by car, bike, or bus. If you’re driving, take I-71 to exit 3, then turn right onto Martin Luther King Drive, then right onto Vine Street. Zoo parking is on your left. If traveling by bus, take route 1, 38x, 46, or 78.

If the weather is nice, expect the zoo to be crowded by midday. To avoid the lines and parking delays, get there just after the zoo opens or in the late afternoon. If you’re there around the winter holidays, don’t miss the PNC Festival of Lights (mid-November through early January).

The Cincinnati Zoo focuses on endangered and threatened animals from across the globe. Meet the African painted dogs, Africa’s most endangered carnivores; marvel at the polar bears; see the black rhinos. This is just the beginning of the list of species you can discover at the zoo.