We love to visit new places, especially when we step into a particular state, city, or country for the first time.
Family outings are great opportunities to tighten the bond among you and create memories.
For animal lovers visiting Texas, there’s a host of zoos and other sites where wildlife is kept.
Some of the zoos you can see in Texas are Fort Worth, Caldwell, Cameron Park, Houston, and San Antonio. Each of these locations has its attractiveness.
We’ve collated the 20 best zoos in Texas that you can visit. Read on to find out what they are.
The Best Zoos in Texas to Experience Amazing Wildlife
1. Fort Worth Zoo
The Fort Worth Zoo is often at the top of any list, and for good reasons. It is one of the highly recommended zoos both in Texas and in the United States as a whole.
It originated in 1909, making it quite old. When it started, there was only one lion, two bear cubs, an alligator, a peacock, a coyote, and some rabbits. The number has since increased.
There is currently an estimate of 7,000 animals, all of which are grouped into 542 species.
These include 72 mammals, 148 birds, and 172 ectotherm species. You also get the chance to see some endangered species, more than 100 of them.
Fort Zoo also organizes events to keep its visitors entertained! You won’t just go there for the animals, you will learn about them while having fun in the process.
Additionally, there are major exhibits they have. There’s the African savanna, where you get to see animals like the giraffe, and the Museum of Living Art (MOLA), with like 5,000 animals on display.
Fort Zoo is open 365 days a year, with half-price admission on Wednesdays.
2. Caldwell Zoo
Caldwell Zoo is known to have animals gotten from around the world. It measures up to 85 acres and is specifically located in the city of Tyler.
It officially began in 1953, and a few years after that, it already had over 500 animals from 87 species.
It had a setback in 1970 when many animals have killed thanks to a break-in.
Money was raised, and they bounced back after purchasing their first elephant.
The Caldwell Zoo offers an encounter with the animals through their animal ambassadors.
This alone draws in a lot of visitors per year. You get the chance to learn about the animals while viewing them up close.
This zoo also has summer packages for children, as well as a ZooSchool.
They are open between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and you need entry slots.
3. Cameron Park Zoo
The Cameron Park Zoo is located in the park of the same name, right in the city of Waco, located in Texas.
It measures up to 52 acres and is described as a natural habitat zoo located close to a river.
The Cameron Park Zoo was first established in 1955 as the Central Texas Zoological Park.
In 1981 a place was set for an expansion, and by 1993 the zoo got established.
There are currently over 1,700 animals, all grouped into 300 species. These animals come from North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.
There are many centers of attraction at this zoo, including a reptile house, an African lion display, and Lemur Island. There are also many areas to explore.
The Cameron Park Zoo is only closed on New Year’s Day, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving. Besides those days, it is open all year. The opening time is 9 a.m.
4. TGR Exotic Wildlife Park
The TGR Exotic Wildlife Park is on a smaller scale compared to the three others we’ve seen so far, but that doesn’t make it less qualified to be on this list.
It is located at Sherrod Lane Spring in Texas. The TGR Exotic began thanks to a couple named Troy and Gwen Scott.
They first purchased a pig, then got a llama in 1992, and from there, they grew.
As the name implies, the TGR Exotic Wildlife features over 100 exotic animals that you can view up close.
All these animals are classed into more than 25 species, some of which are endangered and may hardly be seen anywhere else. This isn’t a spot for the regular.
To make your trip there even more fascinating, the TGR Exotic Wildlife Park organizes special events and programs for you to learn.
Many of these programs are educational, an example of which is the “Zookeeper for a day,” where the workers pull back the curtains for visitors to see how things work.
The park is usually open from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
5. Houston Zoo
The Houston Zoo is located within Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, United States, and it measures up to 55 acres.
With over 2 million visitors trooping into the zoo each year, it is considered the second most visited zoo in the United States, surpassed only by the Disney Animal Kingdom Theme Park in Florida.
The zoo was established in the 1920s, starting with a single bison named Earl. There’s a wide difference between the zoo in its infancy and now.
The expansion was gradual, and it doesn’t seem like they are ending anytime soon.
The Houston Zoo was operated by the city of Houston till 2002, when it moved to a non-profit organization.
Houston Zoo houses over 6,000 animals, all grouped into more than 600 species.
Some of these animals are endangered and rare, giving you that taste of uniqueness when you visit. Houston Zoo is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
6. Gladys Porter Zoo
The Gladys Porter Zoo is located in Brownsville, Texas, and it is both botanical and Zoological.
It measures 31 acres and holds the history of being the first zoo to have successfully bred the Jentink’s duiker.
It was established on September 3, 1971, and is named after a lady named Gladys Porter, who helped stock and plan the zoo. It is currently owned by the city of Brownsville.
This zoo is home to over 1,600 animals, all grouped into around 400 animal species.
47 of these species are endangered, which means you get the chance to see some rare species.
It has a specific program for these endangered species where it works to protect animals at the edge of extinction, like the Philippine crocodile, the American ocelot, and the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. There’s even a train ride!
The Gladys Porter Zoo is open both weekdays and weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
7. Abilene Zoo
The Abilene Zoo is located in Abilene, Texas, and measures around 16 acres. It is funded both by the Abilene city and an official non-profit known as the Abilene Zoological Society.
It was first built in 1919 in Fair Park (now known as Rosa Parks). In 1963, the Abilene Zoological Society was formed to get funding for a large zoo. This became a reality in 1966.
The special thing about the Abilene Zoo is how each animal is given a personality.
You can read about these animals on their website and get acquainted with them before visiting. Animal lovers enjoy this.
The Abilene Zoo has many exhibits, including the Giraffe Safari, the Caribbean cove, the Reptile House, and the Elm creek backyard. Similar to other zoos, Abilene starts at 9 a.m. to end at 5 p.m.
8. San Antonio Zoo
The San Antonio Zoo is located in Brackenridge Park in San Antonio city. It is measured at 50+ acres and gets an annual visitation of over 1 million people. This makes it one of the most visited zoos in the United States.
The San Antonio Zoo was created in 1914 by a colonel named George Washington Brackenridge (not to be confused with President George Washington).
He placed a couple of animals, like bison, deer, monkeys, and African lions, on land that later became Brackenridge Park (named after him).
As it is currently owned by a non-profit organization, it helps conserve endangered animals and protect them from eventually getting extinct.
There are over 750 species, and amongst them, you’ll find some exotic animals like rainbow lorikeets.
9. Frank Buck Zoo
The Frank Buck Zoo is located in the Texas city of Gainesville, specifically in Leonard Park. It currently measures around 30 acres, a modest zoo with not up to 70,000 people a year.
It was first called the Gainesville Community Circus in 1930 when it was founded by A. Morton Smith.
After a fire happened in 1954, the store was renamed the Frank Buck Zoo after an actor and director of the same name. It was then moved to Leonard Park in 1962.
One major aim of the Frank Buck Zoo is to educate people on the conservation of animals, a worthwhile endeavor.
To achieve this, the Frank Buck Zoo allows for school field trips at affordable programs.
The zoo is open throughout the year except on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving.
10. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is a property of Texas, and it is often termed an African Safari, Texas Style.
It is described as a heritage property and has been in existence for over 100 years. It measures over 400 acres of land.
There are over 500 animals on this ranch, all comprised of 50 species.
What’s more, there are numerous packages that visitors can enjoy. One of these is the Safari Adventure Trek Tours, with some animal experts giving you satisfying information.
The environment also allows for a drive-through experience as you can easily move in with your vehicle and watch the animals freely thrive without cages.
If you prefer viewing animals being wild and free, this is your best option.
11. El Paso Zoo
The El Paso Zoo is one that’s located in El Paso, Texas. It measures around 35 acres, though it has recently increased in size following the addition of a new African exhibit that features lions, giraffes, and zebras.
The zoo has gone through numerous transformations since it was first founded.
El Paso Zoo came into existence in 1940, though no one is quite sure who created it. It was a humble structure at the start, but eventually, it began attracting curious visitors.
The increase in visitors brought more income, and in time it was remodeled. By 1950, the El Paso Zoo became popular, and it only went uphill from there.
The zoo is currently divided into four categories, based on where they were gotten from. We have Africa, Asia, America, and the Chihuahuan Desert.
This makes it easy for you to go towards the category of animals you want to see.
There are over 220 species in the zoo, including some endangered ones like the Amur leopard and the Aruba rattlesnake. You will also find some exhibits.
12. The Texas Zoo
The Texas Zoo is smaller than the aforementioned zoos, but it has its attractions. It houses over 100 animal species and still reaches out to the endangered ones.
Many animals staying in the Texas Zoo were rescued and given a place to stay.
To keep their visitors entertained, the Texas Zoo hosts a lot of events. Some of them are the Haunted Zoo and the Zoo Boo festivities, both tied to the Halloween celebration.
There’s usually nothing for Christmas and Thanksgiving, as the zoo is usually closed during those periods, but you can visit every other time of the year.
13. Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge
The Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge is currently under the National Foundation for Rescued Animals, and as an organization, its main aim is the rescue and protection of big cats.
Working with experts from different fields, they ensure that endangered cat species get the protection they need. This is why it is called a refuge.
To make the animals feel at home, their refuge contains habitats that are set to look like the original ones.
This allows you to study these big cats as if they are in the wild. Here, you’ll find lions, tigers, and a host of other big cats. There’s also a section for smaller creatures.
14. Austin Zoo
The Austin Zoo is similar to the Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge in that they both are meant for animals in need.
The Austin Zoo is a non-profit organization dedicated to being a rescue for animals. They even let visitors get close to the critters.
There are currently over 300 animals under their care, some of which are the Bengal tigers, the African lions, the black bears, porcupines, and ring-tailed lemurs.
This zoo first started as a goat ranch before it expanded to become the Good Day Ranch in 1990, set to meet the needs of animals already at that point.
The Good Day Ranch housed animals like goats, ponies, donkeys, and pigs. The number of animals gradually increased, getting to 1994 when the name was changed to Austin Zoo.
You can get to meet these animals through scheduled encounters, giving you sufficient time to learn about them.
15. Dallas Zoo
The Dallas Zoo is also known as the Dallas Zoological Park, and it is located south of downtown Dallas, specifically in Marsalis Park.
At a measurement of 106 acres, the Dallas Zoo is the largest zoological park in Texas. The only other place bigger than it is the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, which isn’t a zoological park.
The Dallas Zoo was established in 1888, giving it an added record of being the oldest zoo in Texas.
It first began with two deer and two mountain lions, all of which were gotten at $60 from a private seller. In the 1890s, more animals were added after the zoo got funding.
It was first situated in City Park, then made a few moves till it got to Marsalis Park, where it expanded to the size we know it today.
The zoo has many animals, counting over 2,000, all representing 406 species. The number alone is a lot to keep you busy, but it doesn’t stop there.
There are exhibits like the Travis and Zach landing, where you can find birds, as well as some other attractions.
The zoo is open all year except on Christmas Day.
16. Topsey Exotic Ranch and Drive-Thru Safari
This is the second drive-thru wildlife experience on this list and one listed for those who may prefer observing animals from the comfort of their cars.
This safari is dedicated to the conservation of exotic animals, which they’ve been working on since 1988. Topsey Exotic Ranch currently measures up to 350 acres.
The place is always open to guests as they want to allow animal lovers to interact with different creatures, including exotic ones.
There are some guidelines you’d need to follow to avoid some difficult situations, but other than that, you have no restrictions.
17. Exotic Resort Zoo
The Exotic Resort Zoo is similar to the Topsey ranch in that you can view the animals without stepping out of the car.
There are over 700 animals of 45 species, all of which roam free in the resort.
This place should be on the visiting list of any animal enthusiast because of the many tour options and opportunities for fun.
One such tour is the drive which allows you to explore the surroundings while driving your car.
Of course, that’s not the only one. You could participate in a guided tour if you don’t have a car or you just prefer the company of others.
18. Amarillo Zoo
The Amarillo Zoo is located in Thompson Park, Texas, and it is a great place for a family retreat.
This place has been functional since 1955 and has been instrumental in supporting both caring for animals and educating the general public on these creatures.
There are so many amazing creatures, including the American badger, the American crested porcupine, and the Texas Longhorns.
In addition, you’ll also find invertebrates like giant cave roaches and blue death-feigning beetles.
19. Franklin Drive Thru Safari
The Franklin drive-thru safari is measured over 100 acres and is another drive-thru option that you and your family can get a lot of memorable experiences.
Visitors on the safari get to see numerous animals, including the emu, camels, and the llama.
The Franklin safari also comes with different packages, so it’s not only about you driving through. It offers exhibits like the Reptile house and the exotic aviary.
20. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
The fossil rim wildlife center is the final option on our list, and it happens to be a drive-thru park.
Some will describe the center as being on a different continent, especially as it was made to look like an actual place in the wild.
Here, you get to see animals thriving in their natural environments, and a lot of them are exotic.
There are over 1,000 animals, and the park goes on for 7 miles, so bear in mind that you will spend a lot of time in this environment.
Hold your binoculars so you can see any animals from afar, and if you get hungry, there’s a restaurant within.
Final Thoughts
Wildlife attractions are great to visit, especially for animal enthusiasts, and you will find a good number of special ones here in Texas.
We have listed the best zoos in Texas. Ensure to follow any set regulations, don’t feed the animals unless you’re allowed to, and be respectful towards the creatures.
