The Fort Worth Zoo could make it’s case to be the best zoo in Texas. In 2020, the Fort Worth Zoo was named the ‘best zoo’ by the USA Today’s Readers Choice awards. The zoo is fairly large. The layout is more or less a straight line, with the entrance in the middle. So you pick your direction, go see that side of the zoo, and then circle back to the other side. I like zoos with a natural layout, and this one feels pretty natural. There are several highlights to this zoo. In doing a Fort Worth Zoo review, it’s tempting to just talking about their large animal exhibits. They have elephants, giraffes, gorillas, and more. However one thing that stood out to me was their Texas Wild! section. It is very well themed, and a bit different than what you’d traditionally see at a zoo. We haven’t visited the Houston Zoo yet, but based on the Texas zoos we have visited, I would argue this one is the best. The zoo is continuing to get better. A new predators exhibit was under construction during our visit, slated to open in 2023.
Highlights:
- Texas Wild! – This section is very large. It includes the Down on the Farm Play Barn, and a small Texas town feel. It also includes the Wild Texas Tour, with alligators, bears, mountain lions, otters, and jaguars. And finally the Texas Gulf Coast, with pelicans and other birds you’d find near the coastline.
- Elephant Springs – When we visited in 2022, the zoo had a young elephant calf, making this a very crowded destination. But there was a lot of viewing area. There are also several watering holes and waterfalls to provide beautiful backgrounds to view them.
- Saltwater Crocodile – This is a small outdoor exhibit. But there are few zoos that showcase their crocodiles well, and this is one of them. Sometimes the crocodile likes to hide below the viewing area, but if you are lucky enough to see it, you’ll enjoy the show!
- MOLA – This is a small building, but unique and fun. The museum of living art has a variety of animals, and ends by opening into a beautiful garden.
- African savanna – Although not the highlight of this zoo, this is a nice section. There is a giraffe feeding deck, and some other animals included. If you walk around to the other side of the exhibit to see the hippos, you can look back and see the savanna in its entirety.
Lows:
- Raptor Canyon – Most of this zoo is updated, with good viewing areas and space for the animals. Raptor Canyon is neither of these. It’s a bit difficult to get there, and the viewing is rough through the old chain link fences.
- World of Primates – Some might disagree here. But I didn’t think the viewing areas were that great for the primates. It’s positioned behind the elephants, so the placement is a bit awkward, and you have to double back a few times to see the whole exhibit.
Thanks for reading our Fort Worth Zoo review. Want to see how it compares to the other Texas zoos? Check out our comparison here.
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