The Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley is a top family destination, featuring a wide range of animal exhibits and immersive habitats from around the world. With interactive experiences like Discovery Bay and Tropics Trail, visitors can get up close with wildlife while learning about conservation. Open year-round, the Minnesota Zoo offers fun and educational adventures for animal lovers of all ages.
Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
15004 Google Reviews
MN Zoo has really developed nicely. Very impressed! The exhibits are well done, ample space and clean. The outdoor exhibits are especially well done. Outside was amazing. We got to see some staff and cars team work with animals. It’s amazing to see the animals enjoy the interaction. The treetop path is a really great feature. I wish I could come here daily and capture pictures of these lovely animals. All the staff we talked to were friendly and very informative! My dream would be to be on the Minnesota Zoo Photography Team!
The Minnesota Zoo is a fantastic place to explore and connect with wildlife. From the lush Tropics Trail, where vibrant birds and playful monkeys roam, to the expansive Northern Trail with its majestic bison and wolves, every area offers something unique.
What stood out most was the immersive feel of the habitats—they’re thoughtfully designed and make you feel like you’re stepping into the animals’ worlds. Discovery Bay was especially fun, with hands-on opportunities to touch stingrays and learn about marine life.
The zoo is clean, well-laid-out, and perfect for all ages. Make sure to catch a feeding or animal presentation if you can—it adds a lot to the visit. A perfect way to spend the day for animal lovers and families alike!
We had an overall enjoyable experience during our visit, although the first portion of the day left us feeling somewhat underwhelmed. For about the first 80% of the day, we found that most of the animals on display were the kind you could easily find at a local petting zoo, which didn’t quite meet our expectations for something more unique. However, toward the latter part of our visit, things became much more interesting. We were excited to finally encounter some of the more exotic animals like camels, tigers, and leopards, which made the end of the experience far more memorable and enjoyable.
Was pretty busy on a Sunday, was hoping the cold would make it not as popular but the internal parts were still pretty packed. Still had fun, lots of cool animals. Sadly some really good ones like lynx and otters are out of their habitat right now.
The restaurants inside are way overpriced ($17 for one sandwich) so plan on packing your own lunch.
It was a slow start and we wondered if the outing was a bust. If there were more lights on the walking trail the experience would be much better. If there was information about the event history, the process of carving and the artists on the lit advertising signs it would be more meaningful. But the carved pumpkins were magnificent!!! When we came to the full display we were soooooo impressed. Hats off to the artists!
Great zoo! Bring your walking shoes; it’s HUGE. I was really impressed with how large the enclosures were. It’s beautiful with a trail that overlooks a large natural lake. We did get to see two tiger cubs; this zoo is very successful at helping breed endangered tigers. Happy to support them. Definitely family friendly too, of course.
Jack-o’-lantern spectacular was awesome! Sadly only once a year, so enjoy it while you can. The pumpkins are carved by various tattoo artists and are the most detailed pumpkins I’ve ever seen! Definitely going again next year!
We love this place! Lots to see and do! I wish they had the playground areas open sooner in the season and more opportunity for bird and sea lion shows etc.Definitely pack a lunch tho unless you want overpriced, mediocre food!
