I would definately give this zoo an above average rating, and an excellent rating for a zoo in a smaller-sized city. We stopped by the zoo on an unusually warm day in December (set the record actually). The zoo had very few visitors (due to it being midweek and December of course) and was very easy to navigate. The enclosures... more

The Riverbanks Zoo is a very nice zoo especially considering the size of Columbia. It has a very nice bird house that has a penguin display as well as other nice exhibits. The fish and reptile exhibit are also wonderful. I love the tropical reef tanks. The zoo also has some animals that aren't common in medium size zoos (kaula... more

I've seen a lot of zoos. Philadelphia, San Diego, Bronx, NC Zoological, Disney, London- so I've been able to sort and compare the positives and the negatives. Riverbanks is not a bad zoo, but it is not the best either. Some positives: in September it's not crowded on a weekday (I visited on a Thursday); lots of animals out of... more

The Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia South Carolina was the special attraction with which I was raised. Every birthday, holiday, or good report card was celebrated with a trip to the zoo. We even spent the night here on an elementary school field trip complete with the most ultimate behind-the-scenes access I could ever imagine. So, even today, I find myself... more

This is my favorite zoo I have ever been to. We live about 45 minutes away from Columbia and go up there all the time. My 2 year old niece loves it. The animals are well taken care of and the grounds are beautifully kept. I alway throughly enjoy going. I know since I was little I have been at... more

We are British visitors who have been vacationing in Columbia, SC for many years. Having visited the zoo about four times previously this year we went to the 'lights before christmas' event which runs from Thanksgiving thru the last of the year 6 - 9pm each evening. We went with friends who have children - 8 year old and twins... more

We took our family, including five children, to this zoo and it was a hit with all of them. The oldest ones are twin 14 year olds- one of whom is hard to "impress" with anything lately! She loved it- we caught her smiling many times. Our other 14 yr old, 12, 6 and 2 year old also had a... more

We had a great time at the zoo! I've been to bigger zoos before but this one had a lot going on. You can feed the giraffes (the only thing is that they have to want to come over and when we went they weren't really into it). They have different types of monkeys, birds, sea lions, tigers, bears, etc.... more

Having just returned from a trip to the San Diego Zoo, I must say that I am very impressed with Riverbanks Zoo. The layout and landscaping are absolutely beautiful and the exhibits are varied. The penguins and koalas were favorites amongst our group. Not to be missed also are the gorgeous botanical gardens that can be reached on foot or... more