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Henry Doorly Zoo

Henry Doorly Zoo

Henry Doorly Zoo
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This world-class zoo is famous for its involvement with breeding endangered species from around the world.
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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See what travelers are saying

  • GoingGone2018
    Dayton, Ohio72 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very impressive zoo.
    Amazing zoo. They currently have 4 baby elephants which are close in age. They play like puppies - it is the cutest thing. Very well done and the animals have a decent amount of space to live in. Very impressive place.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 11, 2023
  • Ar B
    88 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Always a pleasure Henry Doorly Zoo
    We always enjoy visiting here when we are traveling cross country. We create photography books of AZA accredited zoos around the country and Henry Doorly is in progress. We needed some additional photos and our day was filled with success. There was one problem for the day and that was purchasing sky ride tickets at the kiosk (it didn't print them) and then finding out we had to walk all the way back across the zoo to board (the nearest boarding platform was closed). Otherwise, another great day at the zoo and aquarium!
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 22, 2023
  • NewfiePupLover
    Des Moines, Iowa367 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Once Again The Henry Doorly Zoo Impresses
    On a perfect October day the Henry Doorly Zoo once again proved that it is one of the premier zoos not just in the U.S. but in the world. This was the first time I'd been back to the zoo since their significant African area was expanded and improved, and it is certainly a wonderful upgrade to this facility. The animals have lots of space to live and interact, the places for human visitors to view from are very nice, clean, with lots of room. The Great Ape exhibit is currently undergoing major renovations & replacement so we did miss seeing most of Henry Doorly's ape population which is a major draw of this particular zoo, but the new facility is now much anticipated for our next visit to Omaha. If you've never been to the Henry Doorly Zoo you should make it a destination on your next trip.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 28, 2023
  • Carrie D.
    Cleveland, Ohio2,418 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Zoo!
    The Henry Doorly Zoo was on my bucket list for a while, so this was our plan for the one day we were passing through Omaha. I was really bummed to only get to see part of the zoo—I got sick and spent some time in the first aid center before I could catch an Uber back to our hotel…the staff at the first aid center couldn’t have been more helpful. But, I did see some of it. The aquarium was awesome. I loved seeing the sharks and turtles and the puffins and penguins. There were really cool jellies. The jungle was probably my favorite part. I could have watched the otters and the monkeys (especially the baby) all day. The Desert Dome was pretty neat, too, but incredibly hot. I’d love to go back one day and ride the sky ride and see the rest of the zoo. It’s back on the bucket list!
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written December 24, 2023
  • MATT G
    Dubuque, Iowa53 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lived up to the hype - an excellent Zoo
    The biggest zoo I have ever been in. So much to see - it took a good four hours. A nice day in February seemed the perfect time to go, crowded but not overbearing. The aquarium almost stands on its own as an attraction. The place was clean. Staff were friendly. A lot of walking = good exercise
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 3, 2024
  • Michelle245248
    Sioux Falls, South Dakota219 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Always a Great Time
    We visited on a weekday so we were pleasantly able to see things with very little crowds. Parking was plentiful and there’s a good balance of indoor and outdoor exhibits to warm up if it’s chilly out. Volunteers shared info about the elephants and giraffes.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 15, 2024
  • WestportTravelGuy
    Westport, Connecticut150 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sad that many exhibits were closed
    I had wanted to come to the zoo for years. We finally had a chance to visit Omaha. We spent about four hours at the zoo, but we soon realized that February is not the best time to visit. Many animals are off exhibit and very few vendors are open throughout the zoo. We found one place to grab a quick bite of an overpriced lunch. Quite honestly, if the zoo wishes to give visitors 50% of the experience, it should charge visitors 50% of the price.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written February 22, 2024
  • Lori H
    29 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great family adventure
    We had a great time at the zoo even though it wasn't fully open yet. It was jam packed and a lot of walking. They had strollers and wagons for rent that are reasonably priced. I would recommend going later in the season to get the full experience. Take your own food and drinks to save money and there are many places to picnic, and the lines are long at the eateries which are kind of pricey.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 14, 2024
  • OnTheRoadAgain8180
    Gardiner, Maine406 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Combines aspects of a traditional zoo with some very unique experiences
    We visited on a very cold March day and opted primarily for indoor exhibits, which was our priority anyway. Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night and Scott Aquarium were all great (loved the tunnel at the aquarium), but the Lied Jungle topped the list. It is a very large rainforest setting with a wide variety of animals in an open environment. We were a little bummed that the tram and Skyfari weren't operating that day due to the cold temperatures, but we felt the Henry Doorly Zoo absolutely did live up to the hype as a world-class zoo.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 31, 2024
  • Scouternurse S
    New York City, New York633 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    a nice zoo; not the best, but good to see once
    Looked forward to seeing this since watching Marlon Perkins hosting a show about animals from here 50 years ago...great assortment of animals; however quite a number of exhibits were empty! Loved the airy aviary; the gorilla habitat was awesome. There were a few signs talking about the research projects led by this zoo; I was expecting to see many more such stories. It is rated #1 zoo in the country; I've been to loads; and while this would rate top 5 to me; I don't think it's a #1. TopTop cafe was good; oh, it is quite expensive to get tickets there; look for discounts where ever you can. There was a huge gift shop. None of its extras were running when we went
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 17, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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jharris77
Garland, TX26 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
We were in Omaha for the SlumpBuster L.L. World series, and had heard that the Omaha Zoo was one of the best in US. Maybe it was in the past, but we were highly disappointed. It cost us over $100 for a family of 4 to visit, but most exhibits were closed "for the safety of the animals". Of the exhibits that were open, about half had no animal. Then, the walking in between habitats was ridiculous! We would walk forever down a shaded path, but not see anything except trees and bushes. The zoo is way too spread out between animal habitats and nothing to see.

Another huge downside was that the attractions closed 2 hours before the zoo closed. We were hoping to ride the Skyfari, but when we reached what we thought was the entrance, we were greeted with a closed sign. The had closed one entry and were forcing everyone to purchase round trip tickets. By the time we made it to the other side of the zoo to purchase a ticket, they were closed. Which made no sense, the zoo didn't close for another 2 hours.

Another disappointment was the lack of snack and drink kiosks. We saw several, but they were closed. The few that were open had such long lines, we had to wait 30 mintues to get a water. On a hot June day, more drink kiosks should have been available.

The zoo was nice, but definitely not the top zoo I've been to. Waste of money.
Written June 30, 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.

Suzanne P
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020 • Couples
I am a zoo lover and we try to visit area zoos wherever we travel. Had heard much about The Omaha zoo BUT was very disappointed! No directions for first time visitors at entrance area. Most of the exhibits closed (COVID I get it). but other zoos we have been to this month had glassed in enclosures so you could still watch the animals. Very few to no benches to just sit and enjoy the animals that were out. And so much grasses and bushes you could only get a peek at them. Tram was an extra $4 / person and was like “over that wall is the elephants and behind these bushes are the giraffes.” Three of four stops were either construction areas or eating areas. $47.90 For two seniors. Spent over $60 all together and bought no food or drinks. Wouldn’t pay $8 for six inch cheese pizza. This zoo drops to last place in my rating. Want to see number one? Go to Minot ND. I live in OK.
Written September 13, 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.

Francisco O
Iowa City, IA125 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019
This Zoo is well maintained and reflects investment in growth. I was told that the Zoo had recently been expanded and it was far larger than I remember when I visited in my youth.

The animals are well maintained and have ample space to walk in their enclosures, this is not always the case in other zoos.

I highly recommend a visit as you will learn a lot about the animals while getting your steps in for the day.

My little one and wife enjoyed themselves as well.

Word to the wise, if you are traveling from out of town choose to stay at a hotel with a shuttle. Zoo parking has not expanded enough to reflect the growth for the zoo and it is crazy to find adequate parking.
Written February 18, 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.

Scott B
Wantagh, NY715 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
It has been many years since I was at the zoo, and it has become much more commercialized than it used to be. They have many of the same attractions, but there are advertisements around now, and the walking paths have been widened, a lift put in, and other things making it feel like more of an amusement park now than a zoo unfortunately. They have lost the home town feel that they used to have, and turned corporate.

That being said, we did go on a busy holiday weekend, so the crowds were abnormally large and many of the exhibits took a while to get through and we felt pushed along because of the crowds.

Some of the zoo exhibits have been remodeled such as the giraffes, large cats, monkeys on the island and a few other things to give the animals more space so they are not as stressed and pacing the cages as they did before. This was a big improvement which I had noticed.

The prices have gone up accordingly too, and are a little on the high side for a family. Over $25 a ticket for an adult now, and the discounts for students and seniors was $1 less only. Whoopie, we saved a dollar!
Written July 23, 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.

Nicholas H
Orlando, FL83 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
This was truly a surprising and delightful experience. My family and I have been to many zoos and we usually plan in a half day experience, however, here we heard amazing things and scheduled in a full day. If you take your time and take part of all of the experiences and activities for kids you will need 2 days to visit this zoo. The exhibits are all designed very well for viewing and the variety is amazing. The children's activities are amazing from the river area to the splash pad and other activities, my daughter was exhausted from running around. Only complaint i had was that there are limited dinning options and the lines for these are excessive (waited over an hour for lunch)

Would absolutely recommend this zoo to anyone a must see!
Written October 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.

Jay W
Beaver Dam, WI360 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Our family of 5 visited the zoo on a weekend. The zoo was quite busy even though we arrived right when it opened. We liked that the exhibits had lots of animals, which made for less walking but created more congestion. On the day we came, there was a thunderstorm, but we felt safe inside the desert dome and jungle building. We considered the trams to minimize our walking (they go counter clockwise around the main loop). There are lots of restrooms, benches, and food places around the zoo. Definitely a top three zoo in the US with San Diego and the Washington DC zoo.
Written August 8, 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.

ksufan88
Wichita, KS6,801 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
We had other commitments, so we only had about three hours to spend at the zoo. Since this was our first time to the zoo, we were not familiar with the zoo layout. We should have printed the map of the zoo before visiting since they are not currently handing out maps (due to COVID-19). We had to rely on the map on our cellphone screen which was hard to see in the bright sunlight. There are still some exhibits closed and lots of construction which are listed on their map that you can download from their website. Needless to say, we did not see everything!! However, what we did get to see was great! We probably spent way too much time in the desert dome, but we enjoyed watching the birds and looking for all of the animals in their displays. We also enjoyed watching the baby gorillas play and see the giraffes try to reach tasty leaves that were just out of the reach of their long tongues. We ended our visit at the Aquarium and Jungle. So much to see!! We could have spent 5 or 6 hours here if we attempted to see everything.
Written July 19, 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.

CherylAM2020
15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Friends
The staff was amazing! They were helpful and friendly. The zoo boasts a wide variety of animals and Skyfari. We chose the Skyfari to see more of the zoo because one needs two days or a full day to see it all.
Written August 14, 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.

mrscriss
Bonner Springs, Kansas3 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
I was so excited to visit the zoo. I had heard so many amazing things about it, BUT I was so disappointed. First and foremost I know that we can not control the weather, so with that being said, since it stormed the night before and the power was knocked out why did the zoo open. Well the zoo had a delayed opening on that day, so we assumed everything was still operational BUT it was not and we was not informed about the closing of several(9) attractions until we bought($25) our tickets and walked over the threshold, that is where we was met by some attendants telling us of the closures. I was so mad and disappointed, I probably will never waste time to visit again. And besides we came over 2.5hrs away, just to visit with a crew of about twenty(20) folks.
Written July 14, 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.

Brenda
Savage, MN1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Friends
I had heard this was a great zoo. Wanted to end the girls trip on a fun excursion. We scheduled to spend a full (open to close) day at the zoo.
The visit started in the desert dome and worked our way thru the exhibits. A few of the exhibits were closed for renovations and most of the concessions were closed. We went towards the end of September.
At the end of exploring everything we could, we were done 3 hours before closing. Huh? We were very surprised and now either needed to revisit some of the exhibits or find something else to do. (We chose something else-the gardens about a mile away).
After thinking about why it was so short a visit, we concluded that there just wasn’t the amount of animals to see that we thought there would be.
No Zebras, bears, maybe 1 tiger, 2-3 lions.
Granted we did not do the sky ride(closed) or the tram tour, but the amount and variety of animals was very disappointing. Especially for the amount of money we paid to enter.
I personally would not recommend this zoo to anyone and neither would my friend who loves to visit zoos.
Written December 2, 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.

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Henry Doorly Zoo - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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