Minnesota Zoo
Published on HivePostify by @byzantinecat · Sun Sep 06 2026
How's it going?
This is my second post on Minnesota zoos. I actually visited the Minnesota Zoo right before the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory but I posted about Como Zoo first because it was smaller. Originally, I had budgeted 3 hours for the Minnesota Zoo but I decided to spend extra time due to all of the shows available.
These are my reviews of Minnesota attractions:
K1: [Como Park Zoo & Conservatory](https://peakd.com/travel/@byzantinecat/como-park-zoo-and-conservatory)
K2: Minnesota Zoo (this post)
I'm up-to-date with my Minnesota reviews - there is currently no backlog!
All of the pictures in this post were taken by me except for the map of the zoo. If you want to use any of my photos, please contact me to first obtain permission.
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MINNESOTA ZOO
13000 Zoo Boulevard Apple Valley, MN 55124
Website: https://mnzoo.org/
Hours:
Open Daily, 10 AM - 6 PM.
Members get early access from 9 AM - 10 AM.
Cost (as of 2026):
Adults (Ages 13 - 64): $25.95 Adults (Ages 65+): $23.95 Children (Ages 3 - 12): $19.95 Children (Ages 2 and younger): FREE!
Reduced pricing for school/youth groups of at least 8 people and other groups of at least 15 people.
The Minnesota Zoo participates in the AZA Reciprocity program at the 50% rate. Members of all other participating zoos (whether those zoos participate at 50% or 100%) get 50% off the admission rate at the Minnesota Zoo. And Minnesota Zoo members get 50% off the admission of all participating zoos (regardless of whether that zoo participates at 50% or 100%).
Since I was a member of Buttonwood Park Zoo, I got 50% off admission so I only had to pay $12.95 instead of the full $25.95.
Parking is an additional $10 for cars and vans.
Estimated Time: 2 - 4 hours.
The Minnesota Zoo is a medium-sized zoo where you can probably view everything in around 2 hours. If you want to attend most of the shows and animal encounters, you may want to add an additional one or two hours (partly for the show and partly to criss-cross around the zoo to reach the show in time). I spent around 4 hours and 15 minutes but that included 2 animal encounters, the Wings & Things Show, the Sea Lion Discovery show, and the World of Birds Show.
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SUMMARY
The Minnesota Zoo is medium-sized. I would summarize the sections of the zoo as thus: The North Trail is the largest area and includes Red Panda Forest (tiny), the Family Farm (small), Llama Trek (small), and Grizzly Coast (small). The main building includes Discovery Bay (small) and the penguins (tiny). In the eastern buildings you have Tropics Trail (medium), Minnesota Trail (small), and Dino Hideout (small).
The highlights of the Minnesota Zoo were the various shows, the red panda, and llama trek. I also got good pictures of the tiger, leopard, and sand tiger sharks.
The red pandas were elusive and I was lucky to see one. The first two times I stopped by they were nowhere in sight. Just as I was leaving, someone said they saw one outside but I had just missed it. After patiently waiting for over 5 minutes, I finally got a good glimpse of the adorable critter! The exhibit could be designed better to offer improved viewing of the red pandas.
Llama Trek is an area with between half a dozen to a dozen free-roaming llamas. This is reminiscent of the free-roaming kangaroo areas that many zoos have, only this time it is for llamas. Guests need to stay on the path so that shy llamas can have privacy on the grass. However, some llamas will sit right along the path, allowing visitors to get really close to them! Don't harass them or they might spit at you!
While I saw most of the key animals I wanted to see, there were a number of animals that were not viewable when I stopped by: the brown bear, puma, wolverine, Komodo dragon, Hawaiian monk seals, African fruit bat, red river hog, and golden lion tamarin. Although I got brief glimpses of the sea otter and North American river otter, I wasn't able to get any good pictures of them.
Also the zoo is currently constructing a new snow monkey (Japanese macaque) exhibit so they are currently off exhibit as well.
I did not have the time to do the upper level Treetop Trail (I did see all of the Northern Trail animals at the ground level though) nor was I able to visit the Dino Hideout.
Overall, I would rate the Minnesota Zoo as a solid, "good" 3 stars.
Minnesota Zoo offers a variety of free daily programs:
Sea Lion Discovery is around 10 minutes and is offered twice a day (11 AM and 2 PM). It is best to book free tickets online and they did scan my electronic ticket as I entered. The show was thoroughly entertaining (4 stars). There are a lot of neat tricks that the sea lions performed while the music and audience participation contribute to a lively atmosphere.
Wings & Things: Passport to the Wild is a relatively new show that started in the past year. It is offered twice a day (10:30 AM and 1:30 PM) and lasts around 15 minutes (add another 5 minutes if you want to see some animals up close afterwards). I thought it was pretty good (3 stars). Although kids would enjoy it the most, it's still fine for adults. The theme of the show is that two keepers are out in the wilderness and they encounter various animals. Each of the animals has some tricks that they have been taught and lets them make a brief appearance. Afterwards, guests can get a closer look at some of the animals. However, those animals were just an African millipede and a snake - it would have been better if they were cuter and fluffier critters.
The World of Birds show is three times a day (11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM) and available only before Labor Day. This is the longest show and lasts around 25 minutes. The show features a variety of birds who have been taught various tricks. Although you can book free tickets online to ensure you are allowed in, they didn't actually check any of the tickets on my visit. Compared to the other shows, the World of Birds is in a bigger amphitheater but that also means the birds are farther away and you don't get as good of a view. I would just rate this show as average (2 stars).
I also attended two animal encounters at 10 AM and 1 PM (I didn't stay around for the 3:30 PM one). The 10 AM session featured two cute porcupines (North American & cape). The only problem is that since it starts at 10 AM, it is easily accessible only to zoo members who can enter at 9 AM. The zoo opens to the general public at 10 AM and even though I rushed to get to Treetop Trailhead, I arrived only at the end of the animal encounter when they were starting to take the animals away. The 1 PM session featured a bullsnake, which wasn't nearly as interesting or cute as the porcupines. I stayed for a few minutes before heading to the bird show.
Here is how the Minnesota Zoo compares with other zoos:
5 stars:
- San Diego Zoo (San Diego, CA) - Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield, IL) - Taipei Zoo (Taipei City, Taiwan)
4 stars:
- San Diego Safari Park (San Diego, CA) - Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, OH) - Oklahoma City Zoo (Oklahoma City, OK) - Milwaukee County Zoo (Milwaukee, WI) - Houston Zoo (Houston, TX) - Oakland Zoo (Oakland, CA)
3 stars:
- Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL, Free) - Zoo Atlanta (Atlanta, GA) - Buttonwood Park Zoo (New Bedford, MA) - Butterflies of Cape Cod (Bourne, MA) - International Crane Foundation (Baraboo, WI) - Henry Vilas Zoo (Madison, WI, Free) - Indianapolis Zoo (Indianapolis, IN) - Sacramento Zoo (Sacramento, CA) - Santa Barbara Zoo (Santa Barbara, CA) - Fort Worth Zoo (Fort Worth, TX) - Fort Wayne Zoo (Fort Wayne, IN) - Zoo Knoxville (Knoxville, TN) - ZooTampa (Tampa, FL) - Busch Gardens (Tampa, FL) - Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens (Los Angeles, CA) - Detroit Zoo (Detroit, MI) - Virginia Zoological Park (Norfolk, VA) - Virginia Living Museum (Newport News, VA) - Minnesota Zoo (Apple Valley, MN)
2 stars:
- Audubon Insectarium (New Orleans, LA) - Audubon Zoo (New Orleans, LA) - Sarasota Jungle Gardens (Sarasota, FL) - Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center (Sarasota, FL, Free) - San Francisco Zoo & Gardens (San Francisco, CA) - Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA) - Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, MA) - Capron Park Zoo (Attleboro, MA) - Taylor-Bray Farm (Yarmouth Port, MA, Free) - Racine Zoo (Racine, WI) - Ochsner Park Zoo (Baraboo, WI, Free) - John Ball Zoo (Grand Rapids, MI) - Potter Park Zoo (Lansing, MI) - Antalya Zoo (Antalya, Turkey) - Marine Mammal Center (Sausalito, CA, Free) - Santa Ana Zoo (Santa Ana, CA) - San Antonio Zoological Society (San Antonio, TX) - Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, TX) - Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX) - Caldwell Zoo (Tyler, TX) - Peoria Zoo (Peoria, IL) - Miller Park Zoo (Bloomington, IL) - Scovill Zoo (Decatur, IL) - Potawatomi Zoo (South Bend, IN) - Como Park Zoo & Conservatory (St. Paul, MN, Free)
1 star:
- Cosley Zoo (Wheaton, IL) - Stone Zoo (Stoneham, MA) - Timbavati Wildlife Park (Wisconsin Dells, WI) - Binder Park Zoo (Battle Creek, MI) - Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (San Jose, CA) - CuriOdyssey (San Mateo, CA) - Columbian Park Zoo (Lafayette, IN)
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RED PANDA FOREST
Tags: #travel#travelblog#wanderlust#minneapolis#stpaul#minnesota#zoo#animals#art#giftshop