Zoo Boise
4
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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See what travelers are saying
- AnilAggarwalKurukshetra, India7,143 contributionsSmall but maintained zooZoo is small but we'll maintained having many animals like tiger, lion, zebra dogs, hyena, giraffe, penguin, hornbill, vultures, baboon, red panda etc. Time required is 1-2 hours. Timing is 10am to 5pm Ticket prices Below 2= free 3-11 years = $6.50 12-61 years = $9.50 Senior 62 = $ 6.50 Annual membership available. Restrooms clean EnjoyedVisited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten December 10, 2023
- BeckyW1010Flowery Branch, Georgia232 contributionsFor $3 Thursday it was totally worth it. The animals are old and it’s nice they have a place to live.It is winter. Many of the animals were indoors. Many were also sleeping. The giraffes were inside and were active rubbing its neck. The lion is very majestic, sitting on a rock. We did go on $3 Thursdays in Feb and it is totally worth $3!Visited February 2024Traveled with friendsWritten February 9, 2024
- Timo van den BergOvertornea, Sweden868 contributionsSmall cages, small zoo, short stayIt was our only thing visit in Boise when we were in the city, because we used Boise as a short visit on our way to the next state. The zoo was not the best one I've seen. It was so small, that animals did not look healthy at all, and we were done looking around after 2 hours, including having some food in the zoo. We were quite disappointed by the zoo, but the things that we've seen were ok. I would say, search for another thing to do in the city of Boise, or make a short visit, but know that it could be a bit boring.Visited October 2023Traveled with friendsWritten March 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
632 reviews
Excellent
230
Very good
225
Average
117
Poor
33
Terrible
27
Richard I
4 contributions
Oct 2020
Do not waste your hard earned money at this zoo. Not only was just about every exhibit closed and barricades set up throughout the park making it feel like a war zone, the staff we extremely rude and discriminatory against those with health issues. It was my daughters 9th birthday and all she wanted was to go to the zoo with her bestie. She was very disappointed by the lack of visibility of the animals and all the closures.
Because there is no requirement for what type of mask, rules for if someone has touched the handle of a door and then their mask, put their mask on and off again numerous times, etc., a much more effective way to stay safe is to physical distance. I watched so many kids (and adults) touch the window, the rails, their masks, then the next exhibit. They did not use hand sanitizer in between and they crowded around the food area - no distancing. Two weeks ago we went to the Omaha Zoo in Nebraska - the second largest zoo in the country - where visitors are able to roam freely between enclosures outside with no masks. They watched that everyone social distanced. That is staying safe. Zoo Boise did NOT do that!
The contrast between this tiny, arrogant zoo and the Omaha Zoo were night and day. As much as we loved Zoo Boise in the past, we will not be supporting this facility in the future for their behavior last week. My daughter even cancelled her Homeschool Zoo date this week because of it. We are very disappointed.
Because there is no requirement for what type of mask, rules for if someone has touched the handle of a door and then their mask, put their mask on and off again numerous times, etc., a much more effective way to stay safe is to physical distance. I watched so many kids (and adults) touch the window, the rails, their masks, then the next exhibit. They did not use hand sanitizer in between and they crowded around the food area - no distancing. Two weeks ago we went to the Omaha Zoo in Nebraska - the second largest zoo in the country - where visitors are able to roam freely between enclosures outside with no masks. They watched that everyone social distanced. That is staying safe. Zoo Boise did NOT do that!
The contrast between this tiny, arrogant zoo and the Omaha Zoo were night and day. As much as we loved Zoo Boise in the past, we will not be supporting this facility in the future for their behavior last week. My daughter even cancelled her Homeschool Zoo date this week because of it. We are very disappointed.
Written October 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
x7p3p
Atlanta, GA78 contributions
May 2021
We did not enjoy our visit. The staff member who greeted us at the ticket booth was welcoming and friendly but it went down from there. Many small buildings were closed, animals were off exhibit, and what was available to see was run down and frankly dirty. I don't understand how people can visit this zoo and think this is well-kept or worth the fee for admission. It was a sad, depressing visit and since it was during covid we were looking forward to a fun, outdoor activity - boy were we wrong.
Written October 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Desiree G
32 contributions
Jul 2021
I really enjoyed this zoo! I was nervous about going because of some of the negative reviews here, but I found that most of those negative comments were, to me at least, not true. The animals seemed well taken care of, and the enclosures seemed appropriate (it’s a zoo, the animals are going to be in enclosures!). We went first thing in the morning, so many of the animals were lively after having just eaten breakfast - while some of them we got to witness eating their breakfasts! We even had the cutest crane (her name was Claudia) do a dance for us! There are a lot of interactive exhibits as well, with opportunities to feed a couple of the animals, a butterfly garden, a petting zoo, and a fun playground for kids. The only thing I was somewhat disappointed about was that the boat ride was not open. Other than that, I had a really great time seeing and interacting with the animals.
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lindabrinton
Boise, ID3 contributions
Sep 2019
As the only zoo for a thousand miles or so, Boise zoo is home to many children in the State of Idaho and and other states near by. I love taking my grandsons here so they can run wild and learn more about our endangered animals. Boise Zoo has expanded its complex and has made it really enjoyable for a small state.
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kimberly T
2 contributions
Jan 2020
For a large town like Boise, this zoo is an amazing resources. The leadership has taken a long-term vision in improving the animal's facilities and comfort along with establishing out reach programs throughout the world. This is a comfortable stroll, two hour experience. Lots of wholesome energy. Active kids will enjoy being close up to the animals. The zoo is located along a beautiful river-side walking path (The Green Belt) that connects several beautiful parks and makes exploring Boise a pleasure. Walk your heart out, enjoy the river, then call a car service to get you back to your hotel. Have fun!
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suzette S
5 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
I have lived in the Boise Valley for over 30 years, raised my 4 kids here and now enjoy spending time with my grandchildren. We used to love to go to the Boise Zoo when our kids were younger, but sadly, this zoo has really gone downhill and after visiting there today, I won’t be going back with the grandkids and would recommend that people don’t waste their money going to the Boise Zoo. More than half of the animal exhibits/enclosures were empty. The few animals that we did see seemed to be depressed or lethargic even though it was a beautiful day with temperatures in the mid 70s. The enclosures are not well-maintained and I feel the entire zoo should be managed better.
Written June 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wanda R
Greenfield, WI736 contributions
Sep 2022
Since we had reciprocity and had time to kill we decided to visit. I wondered if all the bad reviews I had read were true. They kind of were. Let me start by saying the zoo has potential. There is a wonderful theme that permeates through the buildings which ties all the buildings together. The unfortunate thing is we hardly saw any animals. The highlight was the river otters. Giraffes were nice. Go to the Children's Zoo area because they have the best giraffe shaped slide I have ever seen. We didn't really see any zoo staff walking around. The animal areas weren't that attractive. The zoo seems to be highly sponsored. Seemed like every exhibit had a sponsor. And yet the zoo seemed like it had no life to it. We visited another much smaller zoo in Idaho Falls which was far more appealing. I would have been extremely disappointed if I would have paid for admittance. If you have recipricoty and have time to fill check out this zoo and then appreciate what your local zoo is.
Written September 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy P
3 contributions
Jan 2021
I was hoping to enjoy my visit to this zoo, but honestly it's depressing. The animals are in tiny, dirty enclosures. They appear emaciated, drugged and sickly. It was a sad visit, and I left feeling like a terrible human being for paying an entrance fee which then supports the continued existence of such an awful place. It needs to be moved to a new, bigger location - or shut down.
Written January 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julia G
60 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
The Boise Zoo is a nice little place to take the kiddos. We really enjoy it’s park like setting. It’s not too big, but big enough for an hour or two. We brought some snacks, there are picnic tables. The petting zoo required masks, so we skipped it.
Thursday’s are discount days 😉
Thursday’s are discount days 😉
Written August 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AnilAggarwal
Kurukshetra, India7,143 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Zoo is small but we'll maintained having many animals like tiger, lion, zebra dogs, hyena, giraffe, penguin, hornbill, vultures, baboon, red panda etc. Time required is 1-2 hours. Timing is 10am to 5pm
Ticket prices
Below 2= free
3-11 years = $6.50
12-61 years = $9.50
Senior 62 = $ 6.50
Annual membership available.
Restrooms clean
Enjoyed
Ticket prices
Below 2= free
3-11 years = $6.50
12-61 years = $9.50
Senior 62 = $ 6.50
Annual membership available.
Restrooms clean
Enjoyed
Written December 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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