Columbus zoo and aquarium exhibits free#

You can find a lot of the typical North American animals in this area, but one of the highlights is the Polar Frontier. L grabbed a comb to brush there hair and B just walked around to stare at the different types of goats. There were so many goats and all of them were pretty subdued. In this barn and, of course, there are is a walk-in petting zoo area with goats. We started in North America and one of the first things we came across was the Bob Evans My Barn.

It’s not easy to get lost as most of the zoo works on circular paths but the exhibits are very spread out so expect to do a lot of walking. There are signs pointing to the different regions as well as to specific animals all throughout the zoo. The zoo is divided into regions of the world. We walked past this area because we weren’t there to ride rides. Admission to the water park includes admission to the zoo. The Zoo and Zoombezi Bay are a package deal. Zoombezi Bay is a huge water park that costs about $10 on top of your admission to the zoo. They can be paid for either with an all-inclusive wristband or individually. Both parks used to be part of Wyanadot Lake. When you get through the gates, the first thing you really see is the path to Jungle Jack’s Landing and Zoombezi Bay which are amusements parks. I have to say, I don’t usually get so excited about walking in to a zoo, but this is one I’ve always heard so much about…and this is the zoo Jack Hanna made famous when he was director from 1978-1993.

Columbus zoo and aquarium exhibits free#

The cost for two adults and a child (B was free since he’s still under 3) was $27.

Luckily for us, we’re still members at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek which gets us 50% admission at most zoos around the country through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums reciprocal list. If you live outside of Franklin County, adults are $20, kids 3-9 are $15. If you live in Franklin County, admission is about $5 cheaper all around. Pricing for the zoo is based on where you live. There are two stand alone ticket booths near the front gate as well as a couple built in to the gate as well. On a busy day, you could either be walking a long, long way to get to the gate or you’d have to take a shuttle. We were pretty early in the day and the skies were threatening rain so we were able to find a spot pretty close to the main entrance. There is a $10 for non-members to park which is paid for at a gate just before you get in. The Zoo is kind of out in an area by itself but still pretty close to civilization. The zoo is on the corner of Powell Road and Riverside on the banks of the Scioto River. It’s located in Powell, OH about 25 minutes from Downtown Columbus. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is actually northwest of the City of Columbus.

We started with breakfast before heading to the zoo around 10:00. We drove to Columbus Friday night after I got off work so we’d wake up ready to go Saturday morning. Go to the zoo on Saturday and lunch with friends on Sunday. We have friends in that area whom we haven’t seen in years so we decided to make a weekend out of it. We finally decided to pull the trigger this year. We have been talking about a trip to the Columbus Zoo for quite a while. We fit the zoo in as part of bigger excursion, but there are a few zoos that are worth being the main focus of a vacation. Those zoo trips were usually planned around other trips. Binder Park, John Ball, Brookfield, Lincoln Park, Potawatami, Miller Park, Peoria, Indianapolis, St. Turtle back zoo catering.We’ve been to a lot of zoos over the years.