Reviews of Rosamond Gifford Zoo (Zoo)

gabbies channel

Didn't see a ton of animals but it was a wonderful experience. Exhibits were beautiful and spacious. Employees were kind, helpful and friendly. Will definitely go back some time.

Trent Lytle

Great place to take the family! Not too big, not too small! The exhibits are really cool.

Scott Arnold (Good Food Junkie)

We love the zoo so much - have been coming with our kids since they were in strollers. Have even been to a wedding here!

Phillip B

Love going to this zoo. Just a heads up if you are going to go, right now you have to have reservations. They limit attendance to 750 people a day. Search for the zoo and follow the links for the reservations. They go fast so log on early and at least a day or two before you want to go. A tip: if you are going with more than one person, you have to create a "family group" and list everyone that is going. I did not realize that and almost didn't get the three reservations I needed. None of the outdoor food stands are open during the week, only the weekend. The cafe is not open at all. You can pack snacks or a small picnic. Alcohol is not allowed. Not all the exhibits are open and only one of the indoor buildings is open. There are still plenty of animals to see so it's still worth going. The penguins and the elephants were my favorite animals to see. There are several new exhibits under construction, not sure what animals will be in them; but some new animals are coming! Masks and social distancing are mandatory. Hardly saw anyone not wearing their mask. Did not see many employees out walking around and the few I did see, they didn't seem to be enforcing the rules. There is plenty of room throughout the zoo to keep social distance, you may come upon small groups of people around some of the exhibits. There are hand sanitizer displays all around but the two I tried either were out or weren't working. If you are looking for a nice family getaway, you can't beat this zoo.

Mary Brezzo

It is very small zoo. They have small primates and tamarins in the Rainforest. Outside they had Chili penguins that we get to see right before they were fed inside, and than they did not come out outside to swim at all. Tiger was very far from the view, he was behind far fence, we got to see only his back for a second and than he disappeared in green. Got to see white Gray wolves. The only reason I put 4 starts is that staff/lady let us know when she is going to feed the primates, so it was fun for little ones to see how animal enjoy their food. They also had Komodo Dragon behind the glass.

Alexandria Faulkenbury

It was a wonderful Zoo for my first time. Not sure if it was because of covid but the place was under renovation so it cud have been more

Kat C

Very cute place. My husband, daughter and I enjoyed our time here. It's not a very large zoo but it does have some great animals. And the staff is friendly. We spent about an hour and a half here. It's worth a visit. And the kiddos really enjoy it.

Ryan O

We really enjoyed it here! It's small, but that's nice for the littles. We really love the animals' natural habitats. Most of the food places are still closed and we couldn't go to the aquarium. Definitely will go back!

Max Factoria

Yes

Jaclyn Kemp

Visited on 10/18/18. It was perfect. Barely any people were there and the animals that are usually hiding or sleeping on the hot summer days were up and about. Off season is the best season

Kelly Tompkins

Enjoyed the animals! Peaceful and beautiful zoo. Could use more adult items at gift shop.

Richard Tuper (Orgosia)

Zoo is nice but small. The wild animals were kept with multiple layer of protection. It is hard to see these animals which is the main reason to come to the zoo.

John Schumann

Great zoo. Had a great time. Soon as everything is fully open, 5 stars.

Stephanie Colomb

Amazing zoo, we are proud to be members in our family and take the children on weekends here.

Christopher warren

Winter Extravaganza with Westhill Harmonizers was outstanding!!!

Amanda Snay

Always a pleasure to go to. We went for the Asian Elephant Extravaganza.

Doug Bray

Awesome zoo but when I went the aquarium was closed but everything else was great

Michelle D.

Great zoo for kids, but little short for adults. Did the entire place in almost three hours and it was great, especially for the price. Awesome zoo to check off the list.

Elle Town

Pros Nice and friendly staff, cheap admissions, not crowded, nice and clean restrooms. Cons Very small zoo comparing to Jacksonville & Houston zoos, most of the animals are asleep and almost impossible to find them (you feel like walking between empty cages), the food in the restaurant is bad quality and expensive.

Paige Cimino

Price for adult entry

Will V

When I went (10am sat.) it was about 50-60°f and cloudy. Some of the park was closed off because of construction, but wasn't a hindrance. The park was clean, well lit in places that needed it. And the animals were mostly out and about. Some glass could use some extra cleaning for it being opening morning. But other wise a good visit.

Jamie Melville

We visit several times per year. Its always a joy to visit. The animals appear well cared for. Really enjoy the layout of the zoo

John Etherington

The zoo was under construction, possibly new areas? Some areas were closed due to "current events". Kids still had a blast.

Marjorie Sanpietro

We love the Zoo♥️ Does feel like every time we go the exhibit we want to see is shut down for some reason or other! But we still enjoy ourself

Ahc Ylsm

Great Zoo for being smaller sized and hiring for summer jobs

Steph Caronna

They are really improving the zoo. Enjoyed visiting.

Strange Man

Good prices, nice place and good and clean food court.

Pamela Gardner

It was pretty fun and just the right amount to do in the heat! Loved seeing the animals... Free the animals!

BluebirdsForHim

Great spot for a first date or family outing. Not your biggest zoo but there were a few exhibits that I had never seen before. For example, none of the zoos that I've been to so far had any ocelots.

Otto Isenberg

Family friendly and lots of animals to see!

Craig Waterman

The Syracuse Zoo keeps on improving their exhibits and has friendly, informative staff. The animals all appear to be very well taken care of and are usually pretty easy to spot. It's a great place to spend a few hours and a relatively cheap destination. If you live in the area I would recommend purchasing a zoo membership, it pays for itself rather quickly, especially if you have children.

Jason Main

This was a wonderful little zoo. The entrance fee was very low and reasonable. The habitats for all the animals were very spacious and clean. The variety of goats and sheep were a particular favorite of mine. Will definitely be back.

Erik Rogers

Probably better if all the animals came out to play. Seems like every zoo I go to has more animals locked away than outside, and the ones outside are hiding!

Dan Rice

Small but definitely a good amount of animals, very nice.

Jessica M

Cute zoo. We really enjoyed the elephant as well as the noctural exhibits. Very clean.

B Elm (Reave)

Great zoo. Big enough to enjoy a few hours but not too big it is overwhelming. Great staff. Very clean.

Alejandro H

Family loved it we always do, hope the dinosaurs come back in the future!

J Ab

So many different animals. Definately affordable! Best prices Ive seen for entrance. And love how the animals are placed

Rebecca Johnson

Really nice zoo..exotic animals tigers, elephants, chimps etc.... loved it !

Brandi Cole

This was a great place to go I loved it

Geog Adventures

LOVE THIS ZOO! Well, we love all the Zoos around. But they each bring something beautiful and unique to their own Zoo. Gift shops are all different and so are the Animals. Fun for the whole family!! Lots of walking for those who need wheelchairs. Everything is wheelchair ready for all to enjoy the exhibits! My family always has a BLAST at this Gorgeous Zoo!!! CAN'T WAIT to return when the weather is more predictable :)

Stephanie Lowery

Not expensive. N good time to spend with family

Timothy Kupelian

It's actually a great little zoo. I do wish the buildings were better air-conditioned. It was a bit rough coming into a warm humid building from the warm humid outside.

A J Hernan

The zoo seems clean enough but the big animals all seem bored and lonely and cramped

Ada

Beautiful day the zoo is the perfect size,not to hard to navigate the exhibits are not crazy far staff were extremely helpful and friendly. All the guests were pleasant and it was an all around great experience. I totally recommend going with the family or on a date .

MoMo Meditation

Thought they had more animals. Cost was very good

Carrie Wood

Haven't been there in 25 years. Pretty cool

Kadin Davis

We looked at everything that was open in under two hours. It's very small and some is under renovation. What they're doing seems nice, but this is not a full day event. I'm used to much bigger zoos and this is tiny. Decently kept, but tiny

Fara Clayton

It was awesome!! Only other animal they need is a hippo!!

Jason Persaud

Lovely Zoo. Very well priced for the amount of animals there. ($9 adult and $5 children) The zoo, amenities and exhibits are well-kept. All staff I saw there (only a few) were friendly and helpful. …

Amos Mainville

Very nice very clean. I have gone 3 times this summer. Go in different weather conditions you will see different animals.

Selena Rodriguez

Awesome for the kids. A good size zoo.

Linda Smith

Had a great time at the zoo very nice place first time going.

Bobbi Lent (Dragonparanormal)

Such a beautiful day and great exhibits. Part of the zoo is still closed due to covid restrictions but enjoyed what we could see!

Phillip Gioia

This was a intimate small zoo that has all the bells and whistles of a large zoo except giraffes. The concessions were over priced but I guess that's standard for all zoos. The gift shop is very cute and had a large variety of stuffed animals and random nick nacks.

Stephanie Capolupo

Very nice establishment. Affordable with lots of on site parking. Quite a few nice special events to keep it interesting. Easy to walk for families or people with limited mobility.

M.K.

Very cool little zoo. Clean, organized and always changing things up.

Mariah Hadlick

Great experience and my kids loved it. But there's still a bit you can't use, do, or see that is closed because of COVID. Not the Zoo's fault, but a reality of the experience nonetheless. The talks throughout the day that are given are a great way for the kids to learn more and have an opportunity to ask questions and get a better look at some of the animals. If you plan to eat there, be aware that the food options are limited, pricey, and likely to run out before you can order what you want. (As I write this, the only place to buy food right now is at the outside Cafe, where you will likely wait in a long line unless you get lucky. Even though the people in front of you know what they want, they -and you- will take forever trying to figure out what else on the small menu will work because they're out of what your picky eater will eat.) Or, save yourself the trouble and be more organized than I am and pack food and drinks to bring with you. They're allowed in (except for alcohol). Be prepared to walk around a lot and for the fact that the upper loop is on a good incline (meaning, of course, a good decline going back down). The Zoo is pretty wheelchair friendly. (Except for the person who has to push someone up that hill.) The gift shop is exactly what you would expect. If you are going to buy anything, prepare to spend too much for it and remind yourself it's helping the Zoo. There's some neat stuff in the shop, but probably not anything you can't live without if you decide to skip it altogether. I didn't see any drinks or snacks in there, so you can't grab anything like that for the drive home.

Mrs_ Kermes

Had a great time! Well love to visit again

Steve “TheEpopt” Duffy

Love this zoo, been going annually for 25+ yrs. animals always look healthy and happy. There are some big renovations taking place a few Exhibits are closed. Cafe is still closed but a snack shack was serving food.

Tina Schwind

Featuring a science-focused, conservationist dialogue embellished with amusement park-like presentation--including a life-size model submarine which serves as a path to a hallway made to look like an underground cave--this zoo invites its guests to view and enjoy the animals on display, while providing them with the knowledge to consider the role of each creature (humans included) in the natural world. Thoughtfully designed exhibits house well cared-for animals, while dedicated and passionate staff share their knowledge and love for them. A must for families and visitors to the city, the Zoo is one of the best things about Syracuse.

Patrick Stagles

Little heavy on the Italian-American kitsch but it is still cool. The food was loved by all and comes in generous portions.

Donielle B

Unfortunately the zoo is not back up and running yet...Many of the animals that were there before are no longer there and there seems to be fewer of each animal as well. And many of the attractions are under renovation. So the tood news there are plans in the works to have a few better exhibits as well and a new animal medical center!

Daniel Hoffman

Weekend

Naseem Jawad

Even though the reptile exhibits were closed for renovations, there was still a lot more to see. Finally saw the grey wolf!!

Linette Vary

Tough time of year. Lots of construction projects and empty exhibits but for the price it was great. Lots of potential. I have a feeling in the next few months it's going to be way better.

Jonathan Hollander

I'll caveat by stating this zoo isn't too big. This is a great zoo in that its not like the San Diego and Cincinnati Zoos, but that also might be a negative consideration as well. You won't find the same size collection of animals as the larger zoos; however, they still have interesting exhibits and you won't find yourself racing through exhibits to see it all before closing. The family really enjoyed the leisurely stroll as we saw all of the available attractions. Perhaps, due to the Rona you will have to schedule your visit time. I enjoyed this as it prevented too many people from entering at the same time. I'm curious and eager to see what the zoo looks like in full capacity. We will definitely visit this zoo regularly.

Melissa Donohue

Great way to spend a few hours :) very nice zoo

ElizaLibrarian

Great time. You can tell the animals are really cared for there. We will be coming back

Stephanie Crain

Wait time

Raven

My family really enjoyed this zoo. It’s the perfect size for a half day trip and still see it all. We especially loved the sleepy owl, the raven that said “hello”, and the guinea hens that escaped their area to harass the wolves. The different exhibits throughout the zoo were all well cared for and fun to visit. The cafe had a good assortment of healthy options as well.

Cyndy Harnett

Very nice, new aquariums on the way. Well worth the low admission. Wide variety of animals, good for a few hours. Recommended.

Mikenzie Ogrady

Very inexpensive for admission - only $9 per adult and $5 per child. We visited the zoo during the Dinosaur takeover so it was a blast! During the dinosaur takeover there are very realistic dinosaurs placed throughout the zoo within the attractions and vegetation. They had realistic sound and movement so my son really enjoyed it! This zoo has a lot of animals and interesting facts at each habitat. We spent about 3 hours and were able to see everything so it was a great way to spend the afternoon. The gift shop is full of fun goodies.

Trevor Christian (Ondjage27)

The staff are absolutely amazing. The park was clean and well kept except for the few masks that some inconsiderate park goers tossed to the ground. All in all it was a great family outing.

Michael Slaunwhite

A nice zoo to spend and afternoon with your family.

Austin George

Visited on

Cloud Wilson

Super fun and very affordable. The only thing I could complain about is not an easy fix. I would love if it was bigger! You can see it all in a couple hours tops. Hopefully one day!

Roberto

Great zoo for the CNY area. We have been here many times, but this was the first time post-COVID. The marine area was closed down, so that was disappointing. In that spot they have all the different fish, seahorses, turtles, crocs, etc. Another disappointment was the big cats that weren’t there. I don’t think they have lions anymore, and we didn’t see the tigers either. Overall, it’s still fun - just for something to do. Currently, there is only a snack stand with stuff like nachos and hot dogs. When food is available, I think they offer pizza, salads, burgers, etc…don’t let the full parking lot scare you away. Once inside, there is plenty of space for social distancing. Oh yea, they also have a big gift shop and a few of the souvenir coin machines.

Allegra Lambert

Not sure

Jessica Hale

Great zoo. Lots too see. Friendly employees. Great value for the cost.

John Firsching

It's a smaller zoo, but I had so much fun.

Claudette

The lines were short, the animals were cool, and baby goats are adorable! 8/10 would zoo again!

Jason E Ortiz

I love the zoo! I have lived in Syracuse my entire life, so I've bewn coming to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo my whole life. They take good care of all the animals. There's always a lot to do for kids. They even have a carousel now. Which im not fond of. I feel it scares the animals. Not a fan at all. But it is a wonderful place to go. You will see so many beautiful and majestic animals!

Victor Shierly

Great nature centered place walk and study animals family place

Sammy Houk

$6–10

Mark Kabbash

There were plenty of animals to see despite the snow. Including some you don't see at every zoo (sloths, ocelot, fennec fox). Great place to visit.

Sega Genesis

Nice little zoo. Areas are still under construction such as the aquariums.

Riley

Animals enjoying the weather

Massimo Cotza

Always beautiful! One of the best zoo's!

Alexandra James

Wait time

Michael Gailor

Reservation recommended

Randy Ford

Love the elephants so much. Had a blast w the fam!

Bailey Kirkland

We always enjoy this zoo!! Nice day with the kids!!

SAMANTHA PITCHER

Visited on

Andrew Cohen

Can never give this place a bad rating, have loved it sense I was a little one, still do to this day. Although I wish all the enclosures were open, my favorite part happens to be the fishies!

Night Wolf (Alicia Freeman)

Had a great trip labor day weekend and the whole family enjoyed the visit.

jim catalfamo

Such a fun time! Loved seeing all of the animals, especially the elephants! Only had thing is it's overpriced for water/soda, so definitely bring your own

Chris Thompson

No lions and no bears made me a sad boy. Lucky the elephants, tigers and various avian exhibits saved the day. Also have to commend them on their spacious enclosures and cleanliness for the guests and inhabitants alike.

Tom Edwards

The Zoo is one of the nicer family entertainment venues in central New York. They have adapted well to the Covid pandemic. No entry fee for Veterans with ID and their small family groups. Like any zoo don't expect all the residents to be active and available for viewing. The elephant paddock is new and much more open for elephant watching. A big hit for the younger kids is the very large "sand box" area. You can expect to spend a lot of time with the kids in this play area. The Zoo has changed a lot over the years and I think for the the most part, for the better. I recommend a visit.

Jean T

A very fun and interesting place to spend a day touring. Very affordable.

Carolynn Steele-Law

Had a good day strolling around. Compared to years ago there are fewer animals and exhibits. Expected so with covid, hopefully it will get back to its glory days.

Chandra Theetge

Always worth the trip from Rochester.

Jessica Garofalo

Such a wonderful place! I wish the aquarium and bird exhibit was open, but still enjoyed.

Nathaniel Todd

Nice sized zoo for the city it's located in. Great for little ones since they don't have to walk long and there are plenty of kid activities to do. Right now they are going through some renovations, so there isn't a complete loop at the zoo. But once it's open, it should be pretty awesome.

Elizabeth Visco

Excellent zoo. We always have a good day here.

Holly Pollack-Hoyt

Very clean and family friendly. Nice animals and good animal presentations. Knowledgeable staff

Canig Etawoot

My entire family loves coming to visit the zoo. All five of us have our own favorite animals to see and we make sure to take time to visit each enclosure.

Thomas Emm

Many of the animals were not out, or the exhibits weren't open. A bit disappointing, but glad to have the opportunity to explore in the face of Covid!

Rachel Vandusen

Much more than we were expecting. Lots of animals and well kept enclosures. We had a great time. We will be back in the summer.

Sherry “ZOMBIE QUEEN” Thompson

My Daycare kids love going to see the animals, we make a whole day of adventure.

Kimber Michelle

60° in Feb visit was amazing...????. Great little zoo with many attractions to see.

Anna Tiburzi

I had a great time taking my daughter to the zoo for the first time. I think that the zoo will be back to a 5 star zoo once the construction on the elephant enclosure is done, but when we were there, there was a lot of construction sounds, and entire paths were blocked off. With that being said, I cannot wait to go back to the zoo in a few weeks when the weather is warmer and the construction is done. I am sure it will be a 5 star experience!

daniella voce

We had a great morning at the zoo today... the grandkids, all of us enjoyed ourselves. Staff was great, lunch there was very good. The animals were quite active and seemed happy. We saw the new baby monkey and submitted our name choices. Fun day! Thank you!

kerr p

Nice place to visit fornot only the children but also the old people. Animals of different species can be seen. Good news is that there is a baby elephant but we didn't have a chance to look since it is still under care. Posters for education on wildlife and environment are seen everywhere.

A Place for Little Sprouts to Grow

I've been to probably 20 zoos in the last 15 years and this was hands down one of the best. Clean, easy to traverse, great care for the animals and lots of cool sights!

Dan Werner

Don't go when the sun is out. The animals are all hiding in the shade. Best to go on a cloudy day. Liked the elephants. The life like bugs that moved and made noise were cool. Kids enjoyed that. Enjoyed the penguins.

bobabooey goth

It was really cool, I just wish the aquarium and the restaurants were open, (but covid) it seemed alot of the smaller animals weren't there. And a couple enclosures were being rebuilt. It was also annoying how you have to buy tickets in advance.

Peter LoRe

This was a nice zoo, but not as big as I thought it would be.

Dadpool Polski

The elephants are the best! Some areas were empty tho.

Local Monke

Amazing collection of cold weather Asian animals. Loved seeing the Amur Tigers out in the snow. Inside exhibits include marvelous aquatic species such as sea horses. You should visit now to watch the Red Panda babies, Loofah and Doofah. Enjoyed veggie pizza and great fries for lunch.

Danielle Walker

Fun place for the family

Kristine Knoll

Took my granddaughter to the Noon Years Eve event. Lots of fun and things to do for the kids.

Brittany Marks

Love the dinosaur exhibits through out the zoo food is a little overpriced however there is a concession stand that's more reasonable

Gurkan Kose

Wonderful Zoo! My family had an amazing time. The workers and volunteers are very knowledgeable and kind.

Denise ulate

We stopped up to see the Dinosaur exhibit before it closed. Had an amazingly fun family day, even got to meet a sloth!

Kate Howard

They're opened in winter! This is such an exciting thing- not common for the zoo's I have been to. We took the kids up for some mid-winter open-air, social-distancing fun. The red wolves and timber wolves were out and active, and even the tiger was out playing in the snow! Gift shop was great too.Affordable, and a great selection of fun items.

Sam Hoyt

Took my granddaughter to the Zoo on a cold February Day. It was cold and windy but we had a great time and enjoyed the howling wolves and the tiger rooming in the snow-covered thicket. Will definitely be back when it warms up and other animals are wondering. Would highly recommend a safe visit, which they do provide.

Felix A. Munoz Oquendo

Had a lot of fun at the zoo love all the animals ❤️

Amy Ilardi

Took my nephew and he loved it.

JoAnn Jojo Willis

Great job with the reservation system, directional signage to keep you on track, animals looked great, friendly staff, wonderful afternoon visit to the zoo! Cooler winter days are great because animals are active!

Marleah Tkacz

Amazing exhibits, beautiful animals!! Loved the area with the exotic birds that flew right over your head! So many amazing animals and lots of fun for the kids, and adults too!! The penguins are adorable and we learned a lot from the information painted on the walls, much we didn't know about penguins its very interesting!! The elephants were a sight for sure!! The information is displayed in a manner that catches the eyes of everyone, kids and adults alike!! Very bold and clear understanding!! We appreciated the educational activities mixed in that engaged the kids and gave them a better understanding of each exhibit!! The dinosaur exhibit was beyond amazing!!! What an impressive set with extremely lifelike scenes!! This was a true unbelievable experiance for us, which we have shared with many people!! GREAT JOB ROSAMOND GIFFORD ZOO, GREAT JOB!!! THANK YOU so much for the adventures you provided to our families!! ????????????

Maddy Griebel

We love the zoo. We had a fantastic time. We enjoyed to new Elephant Exhibit. Beautiful and clean! The Komodo Dragon was the highlight of our visit!

Glaring Eagle

I love this place and it was free for us miltary! It was clean and most animals were out even with the 90 degree weather! I cannot wait to go back and see the aquarium!

swansong butterfly

Out of town from Houston and I loved it!

Sue Anderson

It was good but most of the animals were to where you couldn't see them!

Kathryn FoxGroves

No wait

Lorraine Caldwell

Winter Extravaganza was awesome with Westhill Harmonizers singing last week!!!

RJ Nation

Wonderful experience with absolutely fantastic staff!

Clairese Patterson (Claire)

No wait

Colleen C

I love it here! Hoping they get a giraffe exibit soon!????

Simon Ouderkirk

We came during a Halloween event with our four-year-old daughter. There were many children in costumes but a good amount without we went to visit the zoo we did not know about the event. There were 7 or 8 stations throughout the zoo where they would give you a small piece of candy my daughter without a costume and 4 years old went up and was denied. Disgraceful that this zoo would omit a child a 3cent peice of candy. My daughter said thank you and walked away but I saw other children crying. What the hell is wrong with the management at this zoo? Disgraceful. Will never come back.

Vayne Howlett

Its been a while since I visited Rosamond Zoo. It was a nice quiet Monday. Some exhibits were under construction but we were able to see quite a bit of animals close and some were awake and roaming their cage. The Tigers cage can use some upkeep. There was a nice exhibit in the center of the zoo for the primates. It was nice to see the monkeys enjoying the ropes. Overall a nice hot and calm day with the family.

Meg N.

Great place to visit for a day trip. Lots to see, great for the little kids. I do wish there were a few people around to help direct 'traffic' and maybe some fun facts about different animals that were there. Overall, fabulous place. I highly recommend it!

D Z

Great zoo with lots of animals. The elephants were amazing, happy and majestic. Also got a sweet view of the tiger who was sleeping right near the glass. So cool! Very inexpensive at 8 for adults and 4 for kids. I recommend it.

Heather Stever

Really great place. This park has it all. From swimming pools to elephants.

Subodh Ashok Bansode

Small but fun zoo with a nice modest collection.

Kenneth Regner

It is a beautifully kept zoo ! A fun walk around the loop . The animals are interesting , the people are beautiful,especially the children . It is a feel good place !!!!

Jeremiah Jaeger

Overall, not a bad zoo. Some animals (the elephants, deer, wolf, and a few others) had nice enclosures, but most others were very sad (the tiger, lion, kookaburras, and more). There is a dinosaur exhibit throughout the park with moving, roaring dinosaurs which the older kids seemed to like. My 22 month old, however, was TERRIFIED! I've never seen him more scared. And it was impossible to avoid them because they are all over the place! He enjoyed the live animals, but the dinosaur robots were traumatizing. I noticed other toddlers seemed afraid too. Something to keep in mind if you have little ones!

Timothy Taber

Reservation recommended

Mandi “TabbyCatt” L

Most of the exhibits are under construction and there aren't alot of animals out right now. It was pretty cheap all things considered. Military is free.

Zachary Maricle

As work continues it is getting better and better. We love the Rosamond Gifford zoo.

Laura Snow

Sweet little zoo highly recommend it takes about an hour and a half to walk around, kids loved it what more can you ask for.

Nicholas Vann

Beautiful. Educational. FUN. AMAZING! Our FAVE! Asian Elephants!

Jan Rowland

GR8! TIMEZ WAS HAD BY ALL!!

Kate Mattison

Rosamond Gifford Zoo had done a great job with social distancing and keeping things safe for visitors. The signage is easy to follow. Many exhibits are open with guides available to explain and answer questions.

Felisha Francisco

Was very good but needs more people to get out and get away the animals need to be seen show appreciation to animals

Darlene Sloan

Very lil animals on display.no water in the exhibits fo the animals to drink on a very hot day grey wolfs ear was very bloody and not being treated and the penguin exhibit had a massive amount of algae. Very dirty tank i am concerned about the animals

Emrick Benedicto

Good for the whole family.We all had a good time.I highly recommend taking your whole family.

Beth

Weekday

David Addante

Went here for our 5th anniversary and it was very nice.

Tiffany Richards

Great small City zoo

elbita aroche

I came here for the first time since I was a kid, and I was pleasantly surprised by all of the improvements! The animals have lots of space and it's nice and spread out. My favorite part is definitely the bridge where you can feed ducks.

John Smigle

Kids had a good time for a winter visit. Zoo still has plenty to offer even with closed sections for Covid precautions

Office Oli “OliDayTours” Grieb

Cute zoo. Going during a nice Winter day was worth it. Animals are active and no crowds. We had a nice time.

Joshua Ramsdell

Very small (not their fault) however a lot of information placard's backlighting is burnt out so you cannot tell what is on it. A lot of the time it was the placard that tells you what species it was so that was somewhat annoying. Can walk through at a slow pace in about 2 hours.

Life with Marj

Always clean always improving. Family fun and great fresh air walking.

Joshua Caron

Really great zoo. Lots to see, even with the restrictions because of the virus. The elephant exhibit is fantastic and looks like a natural habitat.

Brittney Riegel

We always love coming here! A little sad that soo many things were closed off due to renovations but excited to see what's coming!

Tom Hockin

You can feed the ducks. Pretty awesome.

Alison Lampe

It was a great zoo to see some popular animals with an older family member with the number of exhibits viewable under shade or inside

SAINT NOLA

First time visiting. This Zoo is nice and very well kept. Fun for any age.

Khin Moh

I work at a zoo. This place is a nice zoo. Not too big , but a good variety of animals and well kept enclosures.

Tyler Lawrence

Great zoo and part of the Natl Zoo assoc Pass. We got it free with out pass.

jjvalle26

Visited on

Erick Duenas

Wow compared to the hometown zoo (Buffalo, and only one I've seen), this place has a lot of room to walk and the exhibits are big - like big - giving them room to walk and grow. The elephant exhibit was inspiring - the minimum amount of space they should have.

Heather Relyea

Was a great time. Just some exhibits are changing. The space for the animals is really good.

Rami F.F

Reviewing this for what it is. Good size zoo. Can do the whole thing at a comfortable pace in about 3 hours. Two adults and two youths is about $28. Lunch items at the restaurant/cafeteria is about $7, includes items like burgers, hotdogs and sandwiches. They also sell snack items like pretzels. The zoo is open 362 days of the year (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's only!). Note in winter (when we went) quite a few animals were not present. This is understandable I think so be prepared. Parking is free.

Gary Wildey

Nice zoo that doesn't take too long to walk through and has a good variety of animals.

Timothy Lunderman

The weather was beautiful and the crowd was light. This is very clean with a good variety of animals. We stopped here on an afternoon in town on our way over to Utica. Glad we made the decision.

PugzPlayz

Our first visit to this zoo in many years. It was an awesome experience. The zoo is very modern in appearance. Despite a full parking lot, the zoo is large enough to never feel crowded. They have a nice variety of animals to please everyone. Cannot wait to return!

Becky Claffey

Nice redone looked the Dinos and enjoyed the day with the family

Madhuri C

Was a great day despite the rain and cold. My family has gone there almost every mothers day since I was a kid. Never disappoints!

Shy__ Love fries

Syracuse zoo. Great place too visit

Courtney S

I wish there were more to see there. But overall good experience. I’ve been there plenty of times. My favorite time I went was when the photography contest was going on. That was pretty cool they let us in for free!

Roanna Abborino

This zoo has done amazing at moving up with the times and leaving a natural feel. I'm not sure why the dark hall is so dark, though. You can't see in the enclosures in the dark hall. And those animals could care less if it's dark. They still slept behind rocks and inside their holes. So a very dark hall where it's easy to trip and run into another person makes absolutely no sense to me. At least throw some rope light down on one edge of the floor. I legit had a blue light headache after leaving that little dark hall. And I don't get why they weren't serving any kind of real food ????‍♀️ there's no real reason for that. ????‍♀️

Shannon Kauderer

An enjoyable 90minutes outside looking at animals. They're having 30 people per half an hour during COVID. There was supposed to be a one way path through the zoo, but the signs were limited (I saw four total) and people choose to go clockwise or counterclockwise pretty much at random. (Counterclockwise is correct.) Many of the animals were out and active during the winter which was lovely. A few exhibits were undergoing renovations. Overall I thought it was fine for the cost of the tickets. The gift shop was particularly nice. One of the most affordable, with high quality items, I've been too in a long time. Everyone in my group ended up leaving with a plushie! (Only 20$)

Nan Waring

Always love coming to the zoo it's now an annual family trip we saw every animal the food is a little pricey but you can always bring your own.we always enjoy the informational shows they put on and then you can see them up close afterwards I have never be able to say I had an owl 3 feet from my face before and he was beautiful

Check1two

Great place.

Stacey Maranville

30–60 min

mikhail kuzmich

Wonderful place for kids and adults alike. The elephant exhibit is my favorite!

bulldod23

I enjoy going to the Zoo with my camera so we signed up for the membership program. Now that the sanctions are starting to lift, I can look forward to more exhibits being opened up.

Nita Kemmer

definitely recommended 100% is good and fun ????

Plasmic

All of the animals were very happy and easy to see early in the morning. I only with there was an out house in the parking lot for familys that came from far away but were early before they opened.

Stota Freak

Drove over an hour to get there and it definitely was not worth it at all. Was very disappointed in the lack of professionalism. Everything at the gift shop was over priced, horrible quality and also there was a lack of stock to chose from. Also horrible advertising and more than half of the animals weren’t even out and also some of the ones that they said were going to be there were not. And half of it was under construction. Not at all worth the money.

Briana V

Love the animals

Bobbie Logsdon Scott

It was a great zoo very clean, everywhere animals where clear & were taken very good care of. We were there little over 2 hours but 3 hours would been better. ❤❤❤❤

Jessica Mainville

I've never been to the Zoo in Syracuse & for a rainy day it still was a delight.

Tammy Jackson

Prices were great and the layout made walking through the zoo very pleasant. They have feeding or education shows/demonstrations so try to plan being at one or two. Great cell service throughout the park, plenty of places to snack, or get a basic lunch menu items. Bring your kids, camera, and sunscreen and have fun!

Bee hatin shabs

Always a great experience. The staff was very helpful and answered all our questions. The animals are well taken care of

Alisse Clark

Love the zoo. Great Asian elephant exhibit. It's not what it used to be, but still a good time.

Janet Evans

Really nice place, and family friendly. Staff very helpful and always ready to answer any question.

Lisa Heinrich

Drove over an hour to get there not knowing I had to Reserve spots then pay there. I had to call before going in and the lady who answered was rude, animals were hardly out, most if it was under construction. Didn’t have the aquarium open, no bears, didn’t have much of anything and no food or snacks. The gift shop was overpriced, poor quality and not a lot to choose from. Would have been better if they had more stock to choose from anywhere between having hats for sale to shirts especially for adults.

sodu curtis

Reservation recommended

Gary Fitzgerald

Great time for adults out for a fun day! VETERANS AND FAMILY are FREE! see rules on website!

Erica Pontiff

Fun like always. Just a lot of remodeling

Erik Millerd

Visited on

Kaitlyn

The kids had a really good time!

Enid Scutt

The woman at the ticket booth came across pretty rude until I basically was walking away with my kids and then she tried to change her attitude. The zoo was a great and fun day for me and my wife and our kids they had a lot of cool animals that we liked. Loved the penguins and the elephants.

brian K.

My kids love this zoo. We get a membership every year. The new dinosaur exhibits are a great addition as well.

Jessica Evarts

Love going to see the animals! It's our go to place when we want to get out of the house. I have found that going around 2 the animals are more active

Taylor _2192

Can't really rate much bc most things were closed down.

Spooky Aldridge

Sad. The place has need of repair.

Feather

What a nice mid sized zoo, very affordable at 9$ for adults. The Asian elephant exhibit is the best that I've seen, with active kind elephants craving your attention and a young female who loves to play with tires and toys. I experienced many beautiful moments today, with their tiger, octopus and bear. <3 Thank you guys!

Jon-Stacie Beers

I love the zoo. I enjoy watching the animals & looking at all the different ones. My favorites are the penquins, elaphants and flamingos. They're doing a great job there. Hope to get a lion soon.

brandy korn

The inside isn't all the way open yet .

Wanda Liz

First time visiting the zoo and I got to say I loved it. Exhibits were beautiful. The staff was very kind and friendly.

Samantha Doyle-Sharma

This zoo was a good size with lots of animals. The entrance is tucked away and down a winding road but there was lots of free parking. At this time you have to walk into the visitor center to purchase tickets so have masks ready to enter …

Angela Harrison

I just found out they are vaccinating their animals against covid 19. I will not be taking my child here anymore. How sick!!!

Rajesh Bhargava

Very nice zoo, nice people

Ashley Palin

The place was very nice and large with lots of exhibits! Some animals were closed from viewing due to construction or covid. I really liked the outdoor hike. I only wish some of the animals had more room to move around in- their enclosures seemed too confined. Still a great experience.

Drew Newby

Rosamond Gifford Zoo is one of the better zoos I've been to. The cost of admission, souvenirs, food and drinks is minimal in comparison to bigger city zoos. The charm and cleanliness of the zoo are also on point. If you have children, add the Rosamond Gifford Zoo to your list. The zoo is kid friendly with many attractions and activities for youngsters to enjoy.

Joseph Stacey

Yes

Susan Celestian

Wait time

Andrew Kress

A nice 90 minutes walking around. Enough parking for a week day. Relatively inexpensive.

Jacqueline Place

It was so cold but great. The price was amazing. Loved seeing all the animals my Girl Scout troops loved it.

Mr. Steele

Today was my third or fourth visit to the Rosamond Gifford (Syracuse) Zoo. It is generally clean, has a good variety of animals, and I like the layout. It nicer to visit in spring or summer, but we've been in the winter too.

Jency Wright

A great place to get outside and enjoy a nice day while watching some animals

Audrey Rakich

Must make reservations. Buying a membership is very beneficial. Love the zoo. So many animals. The penguins always put on a great show!

Anthony Schillo

Great variety of animals, very friendly staff and fun set-up for the kids. Worth the trip everytime

amanda hayes

Went in January so the ticket prices were discounted due to the cold weather - $5 for adults. Only things open were the primate house and outdoor exhibits (minus the elephants). It was around 20F the day we went and 80% of the outdoor animals were not visible and the undisturbed snow in their enclosures showed they hadn't been outside all day. The primate house was the best part since all of the animals were active and the only reason worth visiting the zoo in the winter.

Hart “Hart” G.

Zoo is small lt, it took under 2 hours to go through the whole thing. There is no hands on with any animals for the kids

Bridgett V

I enjoyed it, although, the animals seemed agitated. The bear and leopard were pacing a lot. They should get a second bear and leopard. Aside from that, I enjoyed it.

Joy I-W

No wait

Jill T.

Disappointed that so many exhibits were not open, the aquatic indoor exhibit closed. It was a very hot day and it limited the cooler activities.

MESO HANO

The best Elephant enclosure so far out of all the zoos my family has been too. They are diverse in species and the bear was so lively. I would definetly take my family back again, it was also free admission for veterans.

Annie McDonald

5 star zoo when you consider the cost and how busy it is. There isn't crowding at exhibits, and there are things here that large zoos don't have. The Red Panda exhibit is far better than what I saw at the National Zoo in DC. Winter and the shoulder seasons aren't as busy but there are some missing amenities. Glad we have it.

Andrew L King

I grew up going to this zoo. It use to be fantastic. My last trip was lack luster though. No lions. No bears. No baboons. No bison. One tiger. The indoor cave with all the cool creepy crawlies was closed. I would say at least 3-4 exhibits were closed for renovations. The elephants were the best part. Atleast they put them in a large enclosure where they use to keep the bison. They have the space, just need to fill it with some amazing animals again!

Matt D

Love the set up, people are so long to answer questions about the animals and the animals seem well cared for

Chloe WB

Love it for the family! Plenty of animals to see, even in winter. Winter discount rates help, too. Big enough to be a fun variety but not so big it is hard to troop kids through. Friendly staff, too. Been a few times and will be back.

Parzival m

I took my teenage daughter here after a doc appt for a little mother daughter time. We had a lot of fun! There was one area they were doing construction on. They made it a part of the zoo experience by having a large zoo like informative sign about the construction workers! They are so creative. If we did go again we would try to go earlier. The animals had just had lunch so they were a little lethargic. Except for the penguins and turtles....it must have been mating season for them. Ha ha!

Ashley Pedersen

We used to love the RG zoo, but we went today and it was a HUGE disappointment. Lots of the exhibits were under construction or the animals were off display without any for-warning. We saw the tiger and some elephants but that was it. There were no keepers or anyone to talk to about the animals, either. Also, I was SO disappointed that there was no memorial to the baby elephants who died. I wish they had done more.

PCJF

Always great, always a bargain! Been coming to this zoo for well over 10 years and it never dissapoints. With the cooler weather the big cats were very active today! Snow leopards make the most adorable sound. Recommend this zoo highly!!

Lillys awsome chanel

They are currently working on a new health center and the animals here are very cute and healthy I can wait to visit more in the future.

Mark Nix

Very nice for a small zoo. Several animals weren't visible or not in their enclosure. Staff were informative. Very enjoyable!

Mary Beth Germann

Excellent place to go with the family that doesn't cost a fortune and entertains everyone!

Paul L

Very nice here. Had a really nice stroll around the park. The enclosures were beautiful. Had a really nice time. Would recommend

Emilee d 13

Wait time

Hannah Gies

Got in early enough to see most of the animals!!! Loved being able to walk around easily to view them was great!

Marshall

So much fun great for all ages

Kimberly Wilcox

Reservation recommended

charles stockmeister

A wide variety of animals and many different exhibits to explore! The Roamond Gifford zoo is a must visit in the Syracuse area. One of my favorite parts is the lead up to the tiger exhibit. There is an off trail where you can find tiger tracks in the concrete as theming. Another secret is in the rainforest exhibits near the primates. In the room where you find golden lion tamarins there is a large tree you can go into and see spiders in a glass box. Now it's hard to see being dark in there, but turn on the flash and there is a hidden bat statue hanging inside the tree! After all the years I've been there I discovered it last year. It all reminds me a bit of Disney's animal kingdom with their theming. I wish they did more of that. Little things and secrets to look out for on your visit.

R Bruns

Beautiful day to see some of the wonderful animals. This place has been a special time. Loved the ????, ????, ????, penguins, ???? and the ????.

Lindsay Varga

The animals are well taken care of, the staff is friendly, overall was a great time!

mary delmar

Nice pretty zoo. Hope they open the restaurant and snack booths. Absolutely love watching the elephants coming out to eat!

Javan Wright

Small and nice zoo however not worth the 9 dollars to get in.

00 Coyote

The zoo is well layed out with a great variety of animals

Brittany Anthony

Always a great place to take the kids! Prices are very reasonable and even on a busy day like Memorial Day the bathrooms are surprisingly clean. We will be going back soon!

lindsay krajewski

is it the most brilliant zoo, no but will you have a great day with your kids and build a memory for you and your kids to look back on, YES!. only $14 for me and my 13 year old son. to me that is a low price considering the great expense of maintaining the property, animals, staff, utilities, health cost, food and so on. people don't think of the huge cost it takes to run these place and think a couple bucks bring in big profits. anyways their are so many different animals here that will keep yours and your kids eyes popping. but you do always feel bad for the animals living in such small places. like the one fennec fox that was quickly pacing back and forth. you knew he was distraught. the elephants seemed to be the same. other than that we where happy to go.

Mama Wolf Moon

We had a wonderful time the employees were very friendly Many animals to see . The zoo has a nice layout and atmosphere for all ages well worth the drive from Buffalo New York????

Brandon Wolfenden

Great place fair prices. Would like to have seen more animals, but due to the warm temperature most were not very active. Grandson loved seeing the elephants. Was the highlight of his day.

Andrew Lyons

This Zoo is amazing, beautiful, and so clean! We had a blast! The staff was awesome with questions.

Julie Bigelow

It's the best zoo in the surrounding area. I love that it's open all year and has a lot of inside exhibits!

Michele Waser

My kids still love going to the zoo! They're older now, but still beg to go when they're home from school. That's a lasting impression that will keep them interested in conservation and preservation of our environment and our endangered species.

Jhomo O'Connor

A lot of the exhibits were closed, and at this point I'm not really convinced that that's really necessary. All the inside exhibits, and the restaurant were closed. But what was open was nice. Seems like we came at a time when most of the critters were sleeping. (12pm - 1:30pm). Also, the penguins were molting and weren't swimming around.

Wendy Dawkins

Clean, easy to navigate, saw most of the animals, friendly and knowledgeable staff!! Will return.

Jean-Francois Désilets

Free the birds!!!!!!! Seriously though it was the saddest zoo I have seen. The animals were so lethargic and just plain looked miserable! But the worst to me was seeing birds tethered to what appears to be sign boards!????

Jesse Costa

Had a great day... just a few different exhibits were closed.. little disappointed.. but overall it was good!

Heather Bushnoe

Such a nice local zoo...great exhibits and friendly staff.

Tonya Barra

It was fun but we weren't able to see half the animals

Anne Bordynski

Nice Zoo !

Billy Daly (Billy D)

Nice staff, just sad to see the elephants especially. Kinda heartbreaking. Kids had fun though

Maxwell Sparks

Awesome for the fam! Miniature Bronx Zoo

Ivey

Great family zoo. All of the animals were out and about today.

Meg Allen

I love this zoo! It's small enough that you don't feel worn out but big enough to be worth the trip. You'll almost definitely see animals you haven't seen before!

Jack OBrien

We visited the Rosamond Gifford Zoo on a recommendation from friends. I must say that for the price it's a great place to visit. It's not huge but any means but we had a great time. If you want to visit a zoo that won't take you all day to tour then this is the place for you. The staff was super friendly and answered all of the questions we had. We even were able to see some of the elephant training while one of the staff explained what was happening. Don't miss this incredible zoo whole in the area

Richard McIntosh

Nice place, animals kinda lazy as it was 80 degrees, but park is pretty clean. Lots to see in a small space, outstanding elephant enclosure, nice penguin area too. Definitely worthy of visiting

Shane Bressette

Nice with 2 year old

Lisa Rusyn

Cutest zoo with great variety of animals, we always have to come when we visit the area!

Brandon Smith

Great zoo! Super clean, animals appear very healthy and staff are very friendly and helpful. All animal enclures were very clean, the animals did not appear stressed. The pathways were well marked and there were short but helpful descriptions of the animals. There is a nice mixture of animals, fish, reptiles, primates, and play areas. I can't wait until the renovation is done and we can see the new elephant area. Excellent price for 2-4 hours. The jungle Cafe is reasonable and the food is varied. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating for a meal.

Lisa Wheeler

Loved it, and the prices were really not bad at all...loved the animals

Diana Mayers

Animals were active today.

J E

No

A Winter

It is smaller than I remembered, but the variety of different types of wildlife is amazing.

Jenna Montroy

We chose the Rosemond Gifford Zoo to attend recently becasue their animals have been featured a few times in The Week Junior, a national news magazine my tween receives. Right now during reopening in pandemic times, admission prices remain the same but online reservations are required for admittance, except for members. Most of the outdoor animals are viewable, but the darkroom and aviary are not open at this time. Overall, we found out recent visit to be fun even with the pandemic restrictions, and that many of the animals have changed since our last visit. The lemurs were very active and are always worth a trip to see. *A few months later... We returned and got the VIP treatment by going on an animal encounter with the two-toed sloth, Arana. We were able to see her in person and speak with the handler for a half an hour. It was awesome! I was in communication with the Director of Programs, Heidi Strong, and mentioned that my daughter had saved $ for a donation to adopt the turkey vultures. To ride along with the encounter, she organized a special visit to meet the turkey vulture care taker, Lucas. He had the male turkey vulture make my daughter a painting. It was really an amazing experience, above and beyond what I had been expecting! In addition, winter is a perfect time to visit the zoo because a lot of the animals are Asian species and enjoy the colder weather. The snow leopards, tigers, Stellar's sea eagle, and numerous other animals were very active today during the near-freezing temperatures.

Paul Westbrook

Great small zoo with an open format!

Kevin Warkentin

Nice little zoo. Quite a few exhibits were closed due to renovation but it seems they are doing a great job sprucing up the place.

James Carrow

I've been going to this zoo since I was a baby in a stroller. It's a source of so many good memories for me. But why I rate it three stars has to do with the animals. They seem sad and their spaces are so small. The flamingos are pale pink instead of a vibrant color because they don't get enough shrimp, the monkeys just run in circles and I feel as though the animals diets and enclosures aren't up to par. I understand this is a zoo and I in no way think they harm the animals at all. Every time I see a worker interacting with an animal they're very gentle and very sweet. It's just sad to see so many magnificent creatures locked up.

Kenny Lagasse

They have done a lot of construction and it has really come alive. Very beautiful

Antonio Mcnair

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is a wonderful conservation success story. The Amur leopard cubs are just part of the story. Together with their parents they represent more than 1% of the entire world population of this critically endangered species. Come check out the cubs and all the other conservation successes at the zoo as we try and keep the wild wild.

Nancy Lopez

I absolutely love that RGZ provided a social story for the Zoo Boo! It will be our first time going and this will be so helpful for our son!

Dennis Edersheim

Perfect for kids and adults alike. Customer service was very helpful with a season pass. Will be back again

KareemA Davis

They’re incredible people and really care for their animals. It’s always amazing to go to the zoo. My favorite visit was on Valentine’s weekend where they give “valentines treats” to all the animals to inbox and enjoy. It was amazing and sights I’ll never forget.

Susan Morey

Always a great time at the zoo! Cant wait for the new walkway to be finished

j b

Wonderful day and all the animals were out to see.

Tom Forcellini

We love the Rosamond Gifford Zoo! It's filled with beautiful animals and they keep it so clean and well maintained. It's definitely a must on the list, if you're visiting Syracuse NY.

Layla Mahmoud

I went with my girlfriend and had a blast!! The zoo was very clean and easy to navigate with multiple areas for viewing animals. So we never really had to wait to get up close to the attractions. A smaller area with mini goats, alpacas, pig's, and a donkey that you could touch and interact with!! The goats are too cute! All the animals looked so happy and peaceful which makes the experience more enjoyable, and we saw a few employees taking out a huge Owl and we're allowing it to fly back and forth between them. I like it that the animals are so well taken care of and it shows in their actions. My favorite place was the Aquariums, the salt and freshwater ecosystems they have developed are very detailed and visually stunning. Many different species of aquatic life are available for viewing even an octopus and huge puffer fish!! The parking was easy and wheelchair accessible parking available. Concessions stands were easy to find and offered snacks as well as meals. Restrooms are clean and located throughout, with family and wheelchair accessibility. There is a photo booth for couples pictures and have different animal-related themes and could be printed out, as well as text or email options to receive copies. the tickets were only $9 per adult (18-61), $5 for youth (3-17), and children and active military and U.S. Veterans are FREE!! Great way to support the men and woman, who keep our country safe and allow us to enjoy activities like taking our loved ones to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo! This was a great experience that earned my 5-star rating from start to finish.

Kenneth Greggs

Wide open exhibits for most of the animals. Plenty of seating around the park if you get exhausted at any time. They also have a few interactive activities for kids.

Anony Mouse

Many many animals to see in decent sized enclosure. While the elephants weren't outside it looks like in Summer they have a ton of room to roam in their enclosure. Our kids really like the leopards and monkey house. We made our reservation as late in day as possible and must be feeding time is closing time because many animals were getting very active. Lady who we paid at front was very short and rude and cashier in gift shop was not very friendly but zookeepers taking care of animals were mostly very friendly and nice. Would definitely go back.

Kevin Banse

Good place to have family fun. My kids were excited.

Blaine Pierce

Small but fun zoo with nice staff.

Dan Talcott

The price was very good and they have elephants.

Karen Mucitelli

I loved watching the penguins!

Maryjane Gawel

I was so impressed with this Zoo. I did not have rond memories of this zoo from my childhood but it surpassed my expectations. We went during this time of COVID and felt very secure and safe with their precautions.they had a lot of sanitizing stations and require masks for all visitors over 2. The slight hills made me and my kids feel like we were on safari making animal discoveries along the way. There were ample staff present to answer any curious kid questions as well. The elephant enclosure was HUGE and had a baby (1.5 years) and an adolescent (5 human years). They were our family favorites but we enjoyed all of the outdoor enclosures. The open indoor enclosure had enough animals to occupy us and was very well ventilated. We were pleased with the variety of animals and the layout and space available for the animals to roam. Plenty of information was available about the choice of animals in order to withstand our harsh winters. It was comforting to know the animals natural habitats are considered in choosing to be at Rosamond Gifford zoo.

Mike C.

Great little place

Crystal Chaffee

This zoo is extremely high quality despite its small size. With a true dedication to teaching and conservation, it is extremely obvious that this establishment cares about its animals. The zoo staff is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and was able to answer many of my questions regarding the animals.

Sybil Morley

My kids absolutely love this place, and my wife can't get enough of the monkeys!

Andrew B

Great improvements, and wonderdul expansions!!!! Still wierd to not smell burger king after all these years!

Brad Chaffee

Love our zoo here in Syracuse. The baby leopards are adorable enough to steal your heart, but I'm totally taken with our octopus!

Molly Kolb

I had a wonderful experience on my birthday..with the animals...Loved it...

Lynnette Paton

Such a cute zoo! Came from Buffalo to see the Syracuse Zoo and it was very cute. Loved feeding the ducks and seeing the sloths were my favorite

Sarah

A very well-done zoo experience.

Lori Kamrowski

Great zoo with plenty of exibits for everyone

Ken Duvall

Really nice local zoo with a variety of animals including penguins, Asian elephants, and wild cats. A lot of (free) parking available. Great place for children. The cafe isn't open, so there are limited food options on site just a snack bar, however there are benches and you can bring food in.

Jonathan Weeks

Can't beat it for the price. A few animals not out seeing it's winter. Completely understandable Will deffinanetly be back in the summer!!!

Shannon Yoder

Most of the animals were sleeping, or very far away. It was hard to view them. The monkeys had a very cool exhibit though. The red panda was adorable.

Chris Morency

Great place and nice Family Fun. Unfortunately, not many animals to visit outside in the cold; "Mostly Humans". But, a nice place to visit for some family time. Will visit again and see if we see more animals outside.

jessica cooper

Weekday

Migell Wedderburn

I took my son here for the first time during the summer and we loved it. He loves the dinosaurs throughout the park. We enjoyed lunch in the cafeteria. We will be back next summer.

Faith Schmidt

Best Zoo in the area. A Great place for families. My family goes about 1 every month or so. Would go more if it was closer. Even better it is owned by the city so it is a local place. A clean facility and staff always are willing to provide answers and education. Also renovations are always happening to improve the Zoo.

David Schertzl

Great day to spend at the zoo and to see the baby elephant! Beautiful zoo well put together great day with the granddaughter

E C

Had to have reservations & then most things we're closed!! Very disappointing

D O

Was visiting the city for a night and decided to take a peak. Loved the placed! From elephants all the way down to penguins; lots of animals and the Zoo was very clean and tidy. Too bad elephants was stored inside as it was in early Dec. The tiger was my favorite and he could not care less lol. Great experience!

donna el bayadi

Loved sending time with my grandson and Daughter Danielle Ross schlenker. At Rosemont Zoo.

Pauline Smithler

Great little zoo in Syracuse. The newly renovated elephant area looks really nice. Don't forget to visit in the winter too when some of the animals are very active in the cooler weather.

Gina Lindsey

The Syracuse zoo is good, but certainly a bit small. There are quite a few animals you might expect to see that aren't here such as giraffes and rhinos. Some highlights though--lots of elephants, an octopus, a fantastic penguin exhibit with partial underwater views, quite a few primates, and a decent selection of fish, including Dory and Nemo lookalikes. A brief tip: Apple Maps users will be directed to a neighborhood adjacent to the zoo entrance which has been frustrating for us. The actual entrance is slightly further down the road and features a zoo sign.

Quinn Hoffman

What a wonderful day with family at the zoo!!!

Stephanie Rosendahl

Great, friendly staff.. My 10yr old son loves it here.. Definitely going again..

Josh D

Really cute zoo that you can walk and do in a day! A lot of animals are housed inside too so if it’s raining it’s still a decent trip.

Erin Reitz

We love going to the zoo. They are always working to improve and make it better for people and animals. We are really sad the lions are gone.

Brett Hager

I Love It!????

Brandy Fenton

Love going here. Prices not bad. Staff friendly.

Samantha Spencer

It was great! Kids loved it and the staff very nice

Sherry Stone

Although I am not a fan of zoos in the first place, I must say that this changes my perspective a little bit. I have always imagined zoos like a place that doesn't treat the animals well, and I have unfortunately stumbled across some exaples of this before. However, this is not the case for Rosmond Gifford Zoo! I saw that the workers really cared for the animals well-being and that the zoo was designed for the animals best. There were huge paddocks for the animals so that they could move freely. Also the temperatures were matched with the normal temperatures the different animals live in. This makes the enviroment good for the animals, which also makes it a good zoo!

Scott Conroe

First of all this is a very nice zoo for kids and normally a good time. However, the Zoo is undergoing numerous renovations and most exhibits inside are closed. Knowing that, they should at least give a "renovation" discount until the entire Zoo is open. It will be nice and will warrant more stars in the future.

cangie snyko

Had fun took grand kids they love it

James Close

Smaller than average but dense with attractions, and one of few zoos with wolves!

Olivia Gannon

Loved our time here , unfortunately it was so hot the day we went that not only were we melting but the poor animals we also and were hiding just trying to stay cool. All in all we had a Great time here , and definitely we'll go back .

chad scholes

Great place to get some steps in on your step counter and see some beautiful animals. There is a lot to keep your children entertained and hopefully ware them out a little. They are in the middle of quite a few changes to give the zoo a facelift. The penguins are always fun and tend to play with you when looking through the windows. The clouded leopard is very beautiful and I've included a picture. They have restrooms in a few convenient locations and are very wheelchair friendly. They even have a food court to get your grub on if you work up an appetite enough. Their gift shop has plenty of trinkets to choose from to take home a souvenir of your favorite animal too.

Pedro Perez

Nice sized zoo for the area. The big attractions are the elephants, tigers and lion. Part of the zoo is indoors which makes it nice on rainy days. Nice variety of animals too.

Adam Moskowitz

I bring my family once or twice yearly. The trail is great. The aivery is too

Thomas Hudanish

A lovely way to spend an afternoon!

Karen Pike

The animated dinosaur invasion they had going on was awesome. The zoo itself was nice but a petting area would have been great.Had a great time

Albert Jepsen

My daughter had good time there specially with Asian Elephant...but tiger was disappeared.

Michael Brittjiij

Great place for kids. Lots to do but not too big. Well priced. I like that you can bring your own food.

morsal tokhie

This is a great place to visit! A lot of it was under construction but we were able to see a lot of the animals. Walking through it it didn't feel like a zoo...which was great. Definitely recommend it.

Nicole Sarsfield

Love this place. We drive 2+ hours several times a year to go here

Jay Mo

Everything was down so it was just main animals not bad suveners are super expensive

Dave Polner

There were many animals here, but I feel like it needs more hands on activities for both, children and adults. Maybe a splash pad, or a few pellet & petting stations where you can feed nice animals, would liven it up, but there was lots to see. I like the station where kids can "milk a cow", and the "mining for gold". That past was fun and funny!

james godek

A fine zoo that underwent a needed upgrade A few years ago. It continues to future proof by reworking trails, traffic and enclosures. The elephants are a highlight here.

Lillian Mcquage

A lot of the animals were out really enjoyed ourselves with the family

Lillian Fisher

We have been a few times. The staff is always friendly and helpful. Animals seem to be exermly well cared for

Chris Hogbin

Great way to spend an afternoon. Surprising variety of animals for the size of the zoo itself. And OMG baby goats!! So adorable and friendly. Pokémon hunting abounds for the older kids in your group, caught some fairly rare ones.

Family Adventure

Not too crowded. Inexpensive. Great for families. Lively animals. What more could you want from a zoo?

Stefan Kunkoski

Always a wonderful experience. We also loved the huge bug exhibit!

Justin Steenken

Even if this zoo wasn't free for active duty ID holders & family, I still would've GLADLY paid the general admission price. This day trip was not only fun for my 3 year old but for my husband & I, as well as visiting family. Even though it was packed, there was still tons of room to walk & space to view the animals. As we were walking around the aquarium part, we saw workers cleaning out certain tanks so I know they must care about the animals & the presentation. Absolutely nothing disappointed me! We will be returning again & again until we no longer live here.

Charlie Hanford

They have an owl. It is highly photogenic. Their sloth is cool too.

Miss Jill

We love the zoo, are members and visit often!

Jackie Richards

I love this zoo! I always have a lot of fun with my kids here! Our go to in Syracuse.

Verri Raines

Love the experience. Was very impressed with the elephant enclosure. I've been to alot of zoo's but one was great

Victoria Barnello

Nice little zoo. Unfortunately there wasn't a huge variety of animals. I blame that on partialclose due to covid. But I still highly recommend going, especially now since it's discounted!!

olivia melinski

The price is reasonable and we had a nice day, but we were a little disappointed by the exhibits because many were empty. We were expecting to see more animals than we did. But for the price, I guess it was a good deal. Also, all the food concessions were closed but that may be leftover from Covid. The animals mostly have nice habitats that resemble their habitat in the wild so that is nice. Overall I think it is worth a trip there for an enjoyable couple hours.

Paul Conner

Good time great variety and until labor day they have animated dinosaurs

its esozaaa

Is this a zoo? Like really though, is this is considered a zoo? It’s more like a nature preserve with the rare occurrence of seeing an animal. A ton of the animals were not even out or the exhibits were closed. The ones that were out, looked depressed. The bear and tiger were not even on the premises. Sorry to say, but this zoo is straight garbage. I will not be recommendIng this zoo and I will not be coming back. It was a waste of the entire hour it took to get through and the money I spent to look at empty exhibits.

NoLimits Lifestyle

Nice, small zoo. Most of the animals were in hiding that day. Lucky for us we caught it during the dinosaur exhibit. While the kids loved that, I really took them to see live animals. Nothing special to see here but it was a nice walk. The grounds are clean.

Melissa Clarke

Almost everything was open and crowds were pretty minimal. Animals looked well taken care of, staff was friendly, and the zoo was nice and clean. Great day trip at a great price!

alpha wolfy

I went to the zoo today to do zoo boo with my four-year-old daughter I purchase the tickets online which were $9 to do zoo boo I was under the impression that that is all I had to pay until I drove 40 minutes to the zoo and had to pay another $9 for myself and $5 for my daughter just to enter the zoo to do boo boo lady that cash me out told me I had to wear a mask and it has both of them asked as she herself has her mask pulled all the way down! She was extremely rude and I will never go back to the zoo because of that the wild in Chittenango is way better we barely seen any animals today to have to pay twice when we didn't even want to go to the zoo all we wanted to do it was ridiculous

V Nesterov

This place is amazing! It is more than 100 years old with vivid history and heritage. Very well maintained. What surprises is how some birds and animals live together and interact. In birds diversity area you can find many species that friendly share common space, fly over you head and just walk around. This park feels like at home, stuff is friendly and welcoming.

Holly Kelly

FANTASTIC. Kids loved it, we did too!

Richard Brill

Clean, big and lots of fun for anyone

Kansas Ceasr

No wait

Robin Dennis

First time being here and the kids had a blast. The bridge/trail that goes around a lot of the zoo is well built and maintained and the variety of animals was a great change from our local zoo! The octopus was the biggest hit!!

Apurva Shah

Right now alot of stuff is not open and alot of animals were not out or sleeping. We did have a nice time though. I loved they gave the kids flags. My 18month old loved it

Natasha Decker

Very reasonable price! Lots of cool animals and exhibits. Some exhibits were empty or under construction but there were lots of others to enjoy. We went on a Tuesday after school started up again and it was great. Not to busy and close parking.

Michele Charlier

Love it. We go year round.

Kampnich0243

Beautiful wedding and reception. Staff was friendly.

Mark Losee

So many cute animals and enough spacing to not be annoyed by h the humans.

Manda Semans

Very nice zoo with plenty of animals to see, including a cool bird enclosure you can walk through right with the birds. It's not nearly as big as some other major zoos in the country, but still a nice zoo. They even have animatronic dinosaurs scattered throughout.

Susan Walker

Very educational. Its not a giant zoo. For what it is it is worth the trip. Lots of animals. The kids will surely love it. Pretty clean and put together. Active duty get in free with dependants. Lots of events going on there. Very very scenic during the summer/fall time. Not bad in the winter either. Lots to do inside.

Thomas ONeil

While it's reservation only and the indoor part of the zoo is currently closed (thanks Covid) - it's extra chill right now. Fewer people seems to make the animals a lot less stressed. The Elephant enclosure is huge now, which was a major problem in previous years. Now if some of the bird enclosures we tripled or more in size I'd give it an even higher rating. Great for the kids and looking forward to the whole place reopening in full!

Debbie Talada

It's a source of so many good memories for me. But why I rate it three stars has to do with the animals. They seem sad and their spaces are so small. The flamingos are pale pink instead of a vibrant color because they don't get enough shrimp, the monkeys just run in circles and I feel as though the animals diets and enclosures aren't up to par.

Tracy Kratzer

Nice little zoo. Very clean. The walkways have some decent shade to them.

W Snyder

We took our two kids in the afternoon and had a good time. The zoo is smaller, so it was easily walkable by younger kids. It looks like they're doing work on some outside exhibits, so there were some empty sections. The elephants were active and a highlight. We watched them for a while. We also saw a cool octopus, penguins, red pandas, armadillos, a variety of monkeys, apes, and lemurs. For small zoo, they had a good selection of animals. They had animatronic dinosaurs throughout the zoo, but that's only there a few more days.

James Pagan

Love this place, this was my 2nd visit and it was just a blast. Please enforce masks as I had my 4 year old niece with me and so many people refused to mask up. Spoiler we are in a pandemic

Diane W

I had my sons 3rd birthday party there they charge me 417 dollars what I got was burnt pizza they said arts and crafts and it was crayons with a ghetto mask the main lady that runs it kept on asking for more money and wouldn’t leave me alone the girl that’s supposed to be in the room kept on leaving I asked if I could have an animal in the room they said it’s another 100 dollars you only have the room not even an hour and they rush you out of the room btw there’s no animals there either waste of time the wild in Chittenango is way better don’t waste your money here I tried getting some of my money back and they kept on ignoring me and my mom messed up

Sheldon Overlock

Perfect sized zoo for those with a toddler.

Eric Schiffman

Great zoo! Very nice enclosures and a great variety of animals. Elephants were amazing! Vets get in free with guests too, so that doesn't hurt.

A. H.

LOVE Syracuse zoo!!! We go there often as it is free for military ???? my daughter loves it and we have never had any issues going here. Staff is friendly, nice environment, zoo is clean, bathrooms as well. Always fun.

Serena Guarino

We really enjoyed the zoo. Food closed and some attractions not open. We would certainly visit again.

Diana M

Always worth the trip

Joseph Rule

I had an amazing time at their Pokémon Go day in October. The red panda was the star of the day. I can't wait to go back.

Joshua Pultorak

We always love this zoo. They have some construction going on right now but are working really hard to keep it accessible to guests.

Derek Egan

Love the elephant walkway. This zoo is always so clean, and you can't beat the price!

Calvin Trevor

The people were nice and they have a wide variety of animals to see

Tonia Morter

With Covid everything changed. Make an appointment before you go to the zoo. Unfortunately not to many animals to see or things to do.

Stephen Piusz

Weekday

Danielle Singletary

Nice and clean. Price of admission is very affordable,you can bring the whole family

Christina Shoemaker

We love this zoo! We're local and members so we go often and there is always something new and fun!

Betsi Gallagher

Great little zoo. Wonderful experience for small kids: good stuff to see but all at once short enough if your kid needs to leave early, or stuff to hang around with if they are enjoying themselves. Elephant exhibit is second to none, professional.

Jason Staie

$6–10

sherrie kniskern

We had a wonderful day at the Zoo!

Colleen Dixon

This is the first zoo I've been to where, on average, the animals don't look sad and forlorn. Good zoo.

Beatrice Fivecoat

Vets and active duty military service members are entitled free admission along with up to 3 guests. I went with a friend and her 6yr old daughter and had an awesome day. I'm going back alone soon

Marty Mauro

Excellent zoo. Family friendly. Clean.

Abel Castellano

A charming zoo tucked away in Syracuse. I've gone several times and each time something changes. You can tell this isn't just a zoo for entertainment but a zoo that wants to teach about conservation and preserving what we have. This is a place that cares for the environment and makes a point to let guests know. Zoos are really changing from what they used to be. These places give animals a second chance to live and reproduce so we don't lose certain species forever. Highly recommend this lovely zoo.

Raymona Ross

Early season visit... good only to get better with warmer weather

Chris Turner

I came from buffalo ny area to see some animals... And for what my husband and I paid was not at all what I had hoped for... /: We went when they opened @10:15am(ish)12/12/21. Almost all the animals were either not in the exhibit or asleep, wow. We wanted to see the aquarium, but sadly it was closed due to being re renovated(doesn't say this on front door or any website??) Bummer.. we figured it was a flop, and let's check out the other animals .. well the tiger was asleep, the bear was asleep, the monkeys were in their habitat? The Komodo dragon(was super cool but was half asleep..and the rest of the cages were either empty or had a sleeping animal inside.. /': we were not impressed at all.. when we go to the Buffalo zoo(back home) it always has animals to look at! And or they aren't always sleeping.. not worth the drive or trip to go here! Will not come back..

Frank Catalano

We went to visit 5/26/18 and enjoyed it!! My son and his best friend enjoyed the visit and seeing all the dinosaurs. They had a good time and it was a beautiful for the visit.

Lindsey Dodge

Cute little zoo, great for a couple of adults for a few hours.

Tanya Crary

I love.this little zoo. It was an easy walk through my my 5 year old. We saw the red panda, elephants, leopards, penguins, ...everything! It was not too busy and the staff were awesome. We hope to go back when the new animal health center opens. I'm not sure how interesting that will be for my 5 year old, but I wanna check it out!

The Boss

Enjoyed going here with my family. The elephant exhibit is amazing.

Lucius Laurie Jeffers

Visited on

Jeanne “Jeanne”

It's a great zoo to visit, lots of variety between species, and very awesome habitats. I've been here several times and it's always a good trip :) I do however wish there was more help for disabled and elderly, not much room to maneuver a wheelchair between exhibits and kids running all over, so it makes it difficult to bring anyone with special needs who doesn't like bigger crowds. Otherwise, a great place to go when you have a day off with the family or friends.

Pia Thao

Very easy to walk around. All the areas look great and clean and the animals seem incredibly comfortable.

Anna

They are doing a great job social distancing and following the proyocalls! Everything to do with them and their animals is so friendly and amazing !

Yahaira Gonzalez

Really nice zoo, you don't have to backtrack to get out! The elephants were our favorite.

James Moore

Unfortunately due to the current situation with the COVID19 going around the Zoo was operating on a reduced capacity and the best portions of the Exhibits were off limits but other than that it was alright

dvdrmcgrdy

I love the zoo and my kids do to the animals are everything and I will keep going to the zoo

Ashley Marvin

We had so much fun! Perfect for my almost 2 year old. There was alot of stuff under "construction". Overall nice facilities can't wait to go back when everything is done!

Andrew (BT 7274)

Absolutely beautiful facility. Animal exhibits are exceptionally well maintained and the animals themselves appear to be very well cared for. Not to mention the sheer diversity of animals. 10/10 would recommend.

Lauren Waszkiewicz

A quiet day to spend with the family. Some parts are blocked off, but still enough is open to enjoy and walk with the family.

Frank Chatterton

We are members and go to the zoo all the time and never get tired of seeing these amazing animals!

daniel camidge

Price for adult entry

Tiffany Middleton

We had a great experience at the zoo. We went as soon as they opened and were able to see most of the animals eating. Lots of staff showing and explaining information about the animals.

Derrik Walton

Small zoo, but extremely personable. We had a wonderful conversation with the three elephant care givers. Cool day, so the animals were all very active.

Shannon Cook

The zoo was a beautiful zoo in Syracuse

Anne Majkowycz

Awesome place for adults and kids.

Jacob Blakley

Always a great time. Nice walk & exhibits. Highly recommend.

Tanya Geer

Kids had fun but some the animals looked very depressed and not taken care of ...was charged full price even though aquarium was closed due to covid which I think is silly considering you have to make a reservation to come in the first place and you're wearing a mask the whole visit

Frank Swierk

This is a fantastic little zoo. Very accessible for wheelchairs and no steep hills as you go around the park.

Adam Wiley

Weekday

Erica Toomey

The zoo is on the smaller side but I love going and learning about their conservation efforts. The elephants are a particular favorite!

Brian Schweitzer

Wait time

Dulce Hernández

A lot of exhibits were under construction, not a lot of animals were out. We did see a mountain goat give birth, which was awesome!

Greg T

Winter is an OK time here but lots of animals are elsewhere. Some have died or been sent to other zoos: python, lions, crocodiles. But lots to see. The habitats created for the animals are amazing. Plus, rates are lower in January and February.

Lili M

They have new exhibits with dinosaur themes and staff answering questions around the zoo. As a veteran, you get in for free with up to 3 additional people. My dau9and I spend a lot of time here and we love it every time

Kimberly Stevens

Just held a retirement party at the Zoo. Worked with Stephanie and her staff. Amazing experience. The guests absolutely loved the venue. Very memorable time. All staff, top notch. Stephanie rocked it. The sloth ambassador, the owl ambassador and the camel bothers, wow. Seriously epic experiences for our guests. So happy we chose the Zoo.

Johanna Bloss

This zoo is very fairly priced with plenty of animals to see inside and out. You can spend a couple hours walking around it's not too big or too small. Would be a lot of fun for kids. I went on a warm day in the winter so a few things were closed but i think it may be worth it to go when they are open again.

Kathy McDonnel

This zoo used to be awesome. Looks like it's going down hill a bit. A lot less animals to look at. You are better off going to The Wilds where you can feed the animals

Peter K

Good experience overall. However, couldn’t see the tiger. I guess there are certain days where you can see it.