Not only is the St Louis Zoo one of the best in the midwest, it’s absolutely free! That makes it worth the 5 hour drive for us from the Chicago suburbs. The zoo is a little bit old school, but has newer exhibits like the grizzly bears, polar bears, and penguins to keep it fresh. I do recommend getting the adventure pass (1/2 off with AZA membership) as it gets you into the sea lion show, children’s area, sting rays, and rides on the train and carousel. This zoo took home first place in the 2018 USA Today Reader’s Choice awards, and it’s Sea Lion Exhibit took home the award for best exhibit.
Highlights:
- River’s Edge – this is a long, winding exhibit, but it’s tremendous. Along the way you’ll see cheetahs, hippos, and multiple elephants with waterfalls and plenty of room for them to roam
- Sea Lion Sound – as mentioned above, this exhibit has garnered national attention – it’s a can’t miss attraction if you visit the zoo
- Penguins – by far the best penguin exhibit we’ve seen – the indoor portion is kept at 50 degrees – makes you temporarily uncomfortable, but allows them to have emperor penguins and puffins
- Children’s area – costs extra, but worth it – several interactive opportunities for kids
- Insect house – we missed this on our first trip, but it’s definitely a fun attraction – includes a butterfly house
Lows:
- Parking – We’ve personally been able to get into the main parking lot each time we’ve come here, but you have to arrive early – otherwise you’re stuck walking
- Red Rocks – One of the only things keeping this zoo from challenging Columbus and Omaha to me is their Red Rocks area with hoofstock and big cats; the concept of having the visitors elevated and the big cat exhibits beneath you is unique, but not well executed as they can be hard to see; would also like to see them switch to a savannah area instead of individual exhibits for zebras and giraffes
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