Cameron Park Zoo

"2/5 for animal happiness and habitat. We witnessed 2 pelicans attempting to eat a small Spiderman toy and after calling the zoo it still took nearly 10 minutes for someone to respond and remove the danger. Most of the animals live in concrete cells with only their minimum living requirements being met. There was a group of penguins housed in what appeared to be a concrete cell, with a tiny pool. There was barely enough room for all the penguins to stand on the surface without being crowded. The bats in the “bat house” were not even visible due to the amount of feces on the windows. The water in nearly every exhibit smelled and looked absolutely rancid. We witnessed 3 dead animals decomposing in fish tanks that have clearly been there longer than they should have. Most of the animals seem depressed and severely stressed. I was so sad to visit this zoo. They have really degraded over the years."

"This zoo is beautifully maintained and offers a perfect blend of natural habitats and well-designed exhibits. The animals are clearly well cared for, we saw some of the staff feeding the penguins which was cute! The diverse collection ensures there's something for everyone to enjoy. The layout of the zoo is easy to navigate, with shaded paths that make it comfortable to explore, I personally loved it! The interactive exhibits, especially the splash pad and playground, are a hit with kids. Whether you're a local or just visiting Waco, Cameron Park Zoo is a must-see. Five stars all the way! Highly recommended!"

"For a town the size of Waco, I was very much impressed by the size, variety of animals, and quality of facilities at this zoo. I am avid zoo goer, so you can trust me when I say this is worth your time. I was surprised to find an abundant display of both reptiles and aquatic animals in addition to the normal zoo fair, such as tigers, Bob cats, lions, elephants, etc."

"We love our zoo and CANNOT WAIT for the Penguin Attraction. Cameron Park Zoo can we please have meet the penguin opportunities? Buy tickets if you can in advance if you can but be sure they are downloaded or emailed to you before you enter. They have a great playground area, there are several opportunities to find shade, and 99% of the animals prefer Texas to their country of origin. ;)"

"You'd have to be crazy to go to a zoo in Texas in summer right? Not at all if you go to Cameron Park zoo. This place is built to bust the heat. The covered walkways create the perfect shade as you walk along. There are plenty of COLD water stations along the way to quench your thirst and refill your water bottles. The exhibits are also a mix of indoor air conditioned spaces and outdoor spaces. Walk outdoors a bit and just when you're getting hot, there's an indoor exhibit with a water station and clean bathrooms. The exhibits and habitats were all well maintained and the animals seemed well taken care of. You could get really close to some of the animals here. There's a really good mix of native animals and others from around the world to enjoy. They're doing a bunch of upgrades around the property, lemur Island was closed and the new penguin exhibit wasn't open yet, but it looks really fun. We ordered food at the cafe for lunch and it was better than expected. The staff was friendly and active taking care of the facility."