Last Updated on 2 November 2023

The following list is the Official Definitive List of the 100 best zoos in the United States. I averaged 51 different ranked lists of “best zoos in the US” to get this definitive compilation.  See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including the full spreadsheet and links to all 51 lists that were averaged.

  1. San Diego Zoo: San Diego, CA
  2. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium: Omaha, NE
  3. Bronx Zoo: New York City, NY
  4. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden: Cincinnati, OH
  5. Saint Louis Zoo: St. Louis, MO
  6. Brookfield Zoo: Brookfield, IL
  7. Columbus Zoo & Aquarium: Powell, OH
  8. Denver Zoo: Denver, CO
  9. Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Washington, DC
  10. Houston Zoo: Houston, TX
  11. Lincoln Park Zoo: Chicago, IL
  12. Zoo Miami: Miami, FL
  13. Audubon Zoo: New Orleans, LA
  14. Philadelphia Zoo: Philadelphia, PA
  15. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: Colorado Springs, CO
  16. Fort Worth Zoo: Fort Worth, TX
  17. Memphis Zoo: Memphis, TN
  18. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens: Palm Desert, CA
  19. Woodland Park Zoo: Seattle, WA
  20. Brevard Zoo: Melbourne, FL
  21. Indianapolis Zoo: Indianapolis, IN
  22. Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Bay Lake, FL
  23. Dallas Zoo: Dallas, TX
  24. Oakland Zoo: Oakland, CA
  25. Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium: Pittsburgh, PA
  26. San Francisco Zoo: San Francisco, CA
  27. Oregon Zoo: Portland, OR
  28. Alaska Zoo: Anchorage, AK
  29. Minnesota Zoo: Apple Valley, MN
  30. Kansas City Zoo: Kansas City, MO
  31. ZooTampa at Lowry Park: Tampa, FL
  32. Phoenix Zoo: Phoenix, AZ
  33. San Diego Zoo Safari Park: San Diego, CA
  34. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: Tucson, AZ
  35. Oklahoma City Zoo: Oklahoma City, OK
  36. Detroit Zoo: Detroit, MI
  37. Lion Country Safari: Loxahatchee, FL
  38. Como Park Zoo & Conservatory: Saint Paul, MN
  39. San Antonio Zoo: San Antonio, TX
  40. Bear Country USA: Rapid City, SD
  41. Toledo Zoo: Toledo, OH
  42. Nashville Zoo: Nashville, TN
  43. Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens: Hilo, HI
  44. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden: Columbia, SC
  45. Milwaukee Country Zoological Gardens: Milwaukee, WI
  46. Central Park Zoo: New York City, NY
  47. Zoo Atlanta: Atlanta, GA
  48. Sedgwick County Zoo: Wichita, KS
  49. Out of Africa Wildlife Park: Camp Verde, AZ
  50. North Carolina Zoological Park: Asheboro, NC
  51. Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens: Jacksonville, FL
  52. McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary: West Palm Beach, FL
  53. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: Cleveland, OH
  54. The Wilds, Columbus Zoo: Cumberland, OH
  55. Roger Williams Park Zoo: Providence, RI
  56. Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo: Fort Wayne, IN
  57. Reptile Gardens: Rapid City, SD
  58. Safari West: Santa Rosa, CA
  59. Cape May County Park & Zoo: Cape May, NJ
  60. Los Angeles Zoo: Los Angeles, CA
  61. Virginia Zoo: Norfolk, VA
  62. Alaska SeaLife Center: Seward, AK
  63. Franklin Park Zoo: Boston, MA
  64. Busch Gardens: Tampa, FL
  65. Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary: Sacramento, CA
  66. Living Coast Discovery Center: Chula Vista, CA
  67. Maryland Zoo: Baltimore, MD
  68. Orange County Zoo: Orange, CA
  69. Wildlife Learning Center: Los Angeles, CA
  70. Zoo Knoxville: Knoxville, Tennessee
  71. St. Augustine Wild Reserve: St. Augustine, FL
  72. Honolulu Zoo: Honolulu, HI
  73. The High Desert Museum: Bend, OR
  74. Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium: Tacoma, WA
  75. Bearizona Wildlife Park: Williams, AZ
  76. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary: Jupiter, FL
  77. Austin Zoo: Austin, TX
  78. Wildhaven Ranch: Cedar Glen, CA
  79. Zoological Wildlife Foundation: Miami, FL
  80. Santa Barbara Zoo: Santa Barbara, CA
  81. Lion Habitat Ranch: Henderson, NV
  82. Safari Wilderness: Lakeland, FL
  83. CuriOdyssey: San Mateo, CA
  84. Turtle Back Zoo: West Orange, NJ
  85. Henson Robinson Zoo Springfield: Springfield, IL
  86. The NEW Zoo: Suamico, WI
  87. Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Exotic Petting Zoo: Sevierville, TN
  88. Parrot Mountain and Gardens: Pigeon Forge, TN
  89. Louisville Zoo: Louisville, KY
  90. Hogle Zoo: Salt Lake City, UT
  91. Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum: Tulsa, OK
  92. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center: Anchorage, AK
  93. Albuquerque Biological Park: Albuquerque, NM
  94. Promised Land Zoo: Branson, MO
  95. Cameron Park Zoo: Waco, TX
  96. Rosamond Gifford Zoo: Syracuse, NY
  97. Buffalo Zoo: Buffalo, NY
  98. John Ball Park Zoo: Grand Rapids, MI
  99. Birmingham Zoo: Birmingham, AL
  100. Akron Zoo: Akron, OH

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