Topeka Zoo

"Visited the zoo today with my daughter and my mom. We've never been there. And I have to say I'm very disappointed in it. Half of the enclosures were empty. And the animals that were there looked miserable! The enclosures were so small. The giraffe inside literally paced back and forth. The tiger paced along side of the fence. The elephant rocked back and forth. I'm very disappointed. It's spring. Clean the place up! Clean the enclosures!! I'm glad I didn't pay full price."

"The Topeka Zoo is a fantastic place. I can measure decades with how long my family has been going here. Fantastic photo opportunities as well as a true joy to just walk around. They have all kinds of special events quite often. Such as the Zoo Lights yearly, as well as walking with the dinosaurs display. This zoo is not gigantic! So it is pretty fantastic for families with smaller children. It has been remarkable getting to know about the animals as well as learning more and more about conservation and animal care. Oftentimes, they have zoo keepers with small displays to show you all kinds of various things such as pollinators or pelts of animals. Over the years they have had many babies born! Tigers, giraffes, orangutans, swans, even the Golden Lion Tamarin! We really love the rainforest building, every time we play, "find the sloths!" The playground area is fun for the kids. In the summer they usually have a shaved ice truck there in the zoo. They do have a food area too! Great souvenir shop. The zoo continues to add more and more amazing things to check out and learn about. Constantly looking for all the cool things they have. My family loves this Zoo! Also, right across the street, the playground is fantastic, they have a mini train that runs in the warm months, and there is a carousel not too far away."

"A very excellent location I enjoyed all of the animal exhibits also the educational booths were very nice has a very interesting tropical experience and the zoo lights set up was beautifully done highly recommend this location for Your Kansas Zoo experience list"

"Great little zoo with some awesome events. The new giraffe exhibit is nice, and the Japanese garden is a MUST SEE. The staff are wonderful and informative. It is a very affordable way to spend a morning or afternoon in Topeka. And right across the street is a great park with a Choo Choo train! I also would be remiss if I fail to mention the great events put on by the hundreds of staff and volunteers, such as Brew at the Zoo, the Holiday Lights, and the special private events that can be held there. The Japanese Garden is a beautiful location where you can host your event."

"Overall, the Topeka Zoo is clean, easy to access and family friendly. During our particular visit, we found that several of the "crowd drawing" animals were not viewable - though there could be many reasons (including animal welfare) for that. Overall, the animals appear to be well cared for and, generally, in appropriate enclosures. Oddly, the highlight of our visit was the Japanese Garden. While it feels a bit random, it was beautiful, well cultivated and peaceful. I would have appreciated it if the Zoo had labeled the various plants and included a written explanation of the design and artistic intent of the garden itself. Those small steps would have significantly enhanced the educational value of the garden. I'm a big believer in the importance of conservation, and I appreciate the role a quality zoo can play in that process. So, my review is not a critique (or endorsement) of that end of the conversation. Purely from a "visitor experience" perspective, the Topeka Zoo was -- okay."