Reviews of Niabi Zoo (Zoo)

Morgan Waterman

Loved this place. The staff was very friendly to my kids. The train and carousel were enjoyable and the zoo as a whole has lots of open space.

David-Michael Wallace

It was ok. Not alot of animals. Not to many things to do. Many people don't follow 6 foot rule or masking.

metal marc

Kids love coming here! We do Boo at the Zoo every year and enjoy seeing the Halloween decorations. The exhibits are great, we love feeding the animals ($.50 for a good amount of grain, bring quarters, change machine was broken last visit). The giraffe exhibit is another favorite. The only thing I am not fond of is how small the Great Pacific Octopuses exhibit is, depressingly small for such an intelligent creature. The Marmosets exhibit is also very small, located in the aquarium exhibit. I understand space is difficult to come by, but these exhibits could both use a revamp. Interactive activities are great, and renting a stroller for tired feet was only $5.

Carla Lott

Absolutely awesome thank you for the great experience our family really enjoyed it we will be back

Midwest Mama

So sad to see how this zoo looks now days. Train wasnt working when we were there, most exhibits weren't open and weeds growing up it was almost impossible to see the animals. There were lots of empty cages. Very disappointing.

Dusty R

The grounds were overgrown and the buildings needed a coat of paint. Very few animals in the petting zoo. I was a bit embarrassed to take our Chicago kids and grandkids there.

tiffany hood

Niabi Zoo is a small, well kept zoo. Some of their enclosures were closed. We went during the pandemic, and they were letting in a small amount of visitors.

Enpei Zhu

It was fun to see everything but not enough time. They're kind of late they should stay open longer than 3 it was fun to feed the fish I threw up on the merry-go-round now just kidding overall fun

Trevor W

The facilities are clean and well maintained. Staff is knowledgeable. Great place to visit!

Tatiana McCorkle

Great zoo, small, but inexpensive and well kept. Boo at the zoo was great as well. Get there early.

Tiffany Cox

I don't recommend having a birthday party at the zoo. I was told we would have time to set up our own decorations and a solid 2 hours. We did not. They let the other party run into our time and took forever to clean the room. When we went back to take our stuff out, gates were being locked and we almost couldnt get back in. Its def not worth the hundreds we spent.

Seth Nelson

What kind of Zoo doesn't have Elephants ? The grass was so over grown you couldn't see the animals. I understand the whole GREEN thing but it was way over the top. $4.00 for a bottle of Pepsi SMH. The zoo really needs a lot of work.

Navi S

$6–10

Jonathan Wilkes

Very nice Zoo but then you get more animals the price was too much and they charged you for parking I don't mind paying for parking I'm paying to get in I think you get more animal

Katie

This zoo.is the perfect size for little feet! There's plenty of diversity in the animals to keep the kiddos entertained, there's plenty of concessions and restrooms through the park. We walked it in about an hour and 15, but it could be done in less, we had a crabby 2.5 year old. The service is great and helpful, and the prices are very affordable. It wasn't difficult to get to at all. We had alot of fun here!!!

Dee Hayburn

Nice little zoo for nice little town. Very friendly staff. Train ride awesome.

Odonata

Overall I really enjoyed the visit. I. The bird area, an attendant kept yelling at my child and gave her so much anxiety she will not visit bird areas anymore and we left shortly thereafter. We loved and enjoyed the rest of zoo. I have felt very hurt and upset by the actions of the attendant towards my child. I realize she is not the most coordinated child but continually yelling at her does not make it better. We visited almost a year ago.

Aaron McKay

It's a nice small zoo. Enclosures are clean and decently sized. Food is overpriced like most zoos and a word of advice, skip the bird feeding. They give you a half inch amount of seed on peanut butter on a stick for two dollars. Overall nice zoo if you love close. Don't make a long trip.

pz9 julian

Great zoo for the family. Lots of animals inside and out

Damon B

Reservation recommended

Sayra Jimenez

My son and I had a great time! His favorite parts were the train ride and monkeys!

Joshua Brandenburg

Reservation recommended

Savannah Slays

It is a nice small zoo. Playground was good and things are clean. Do wish they would had some train or carasel tickets to buy day off. I understand covid but if the train isn't full we could have bought tickets.

Tawnya Stiles

Fun place. Lots to do went on a field trip with my son. He loved it he was five . staff is great and friendly.lots of activities for kids. Also fun little store. Great cheeses.

David M

The zoo looks very nice. The Bats were amazing to see. Petting zoo was better than I remember. Sad I missed the tortoise Turtles. Sad no Bears though.

Amber Tew

Awesome place to take the kids and to get a good afternoon walk. It is a smaller zoo but a pass is well worth it if you plan to go more than a few times in a year. We go there for evening walks and just to let the kids play on the playground.

Brent Weber

I ordered tickets online yesterday and purchased for the whole family with train rides etc. because of the rain did not even show up it is bad enough that I will not be getting my refund but for the zoo not even able to set up a different date after spending all of that money online is just wrong!!!! I spoke with an employee there and then the manager and neither did anything! Needless to say we will never be going back to Niabi Zoo which we would go to several times throughout each summer and fall.

Melissa

Nice little zoo that takes about 3-4 hours to walk through. It's easy to find and not too expensive. Great you don't want to deal with the crowd and congestion at Brookfield. It's perfect for younger kids. My 6 year old nephew and 4 year old daughter had a blast. They also have a miniature train ride that kids really enjoy.

Brandy Wade

We went during the colder times so many animals were already put away for the season. Alot of them seemed a bit sad but most were by themselves. Also most likely due to the colder weather. Aquarium area was awesome. Cant wait to see it during the warmer time of year when everything is out. Think its amazing they have a flower haven/the "whats with all the weeds"

Hailey Arnburg

small zoo clean and easy to walk around to see everything in 2 hrs. giraffe feeding was a rip off. $4 for water or fountain drinks. bathrooms and fountains available.

Maya NS

We visited your zoo on Wednesday, July 29th. Not only were VERY few things open, but the train was not ‘open’. However, the train CONTINUALLY ran across the track the entire 2 hours that we were there. This was absolutely TAUNTING to our 3 year old. He was crying the ENTIRE time we were there. We drove an hour to come visit, with other older children as well, or we would have left right away. The train was apparently ‘training’ another person on how to drive it. I had stopped a man driving a Gator, to obtain this information. I even stopped the train to explain our frustrations, and the man driving the train yells ‘nope, we gotta keep moving!’ And he just drove off like we were not important to his job whatsoever. I was disgusted by this situation, and can’t believe the disregard to small children! I mean come on, we pay full price, only have a 3 hour window to be there, see a quarter of what we would regularly see, and then during those 3 open hours, you need to taunt our 3 year old by running the train by him the ENTIRE time. You may as well have been sticking your tongue out. Lastly, there are no tigers, no bears, and water is $4! This establishment is NOT run well. I rarely leave reviews, but I am making a point to leave one here.

Muriel Melgoza

Saw very few animals, maybe because it was hot. Tried to do the train ride but, phone died and could not do it unless you booked it on line. Very disappointed. Dang covid.

nangka 4667

There was no food at the stands and the director will treat 40 year old adults like bastard children. He needs replaced!!!! Every issue I have with that zoo revolves around him. I will definitely drive to Brookfield zoo and spend 6 hours in the car before I or any of my family ever go back to niabi zoo. Thanks for the crappy experience Lee.

Victor Espinoza

Had a great time with the family. Very clean, knowledgeable staff and wonderful variety of animals.

Monica Lambert

Had a great time. My 1st time there. Grand kids had a wonderful time

Monica Solis

Monkey cage smelled extremely bad of rotten eggs, price is high considering most the cages were empty and the ones that did have animals they were hidden in the over grown grass, they now charge for parking and to enter the bird cage with all the free flying bird. Was not impressed at all and I've been here many times. Won't be back

Ronda Bearce

First and last time I will ever go. They sell tickets at the front gate to feed certain animals but do not disclose the times of the feedings. I bought a ticket at 2:20. Walked back to the giraffes, and apparently the feeding was at 2. I had arrived at the exhibit at 3:30. When I tried to get my money back I was told the feeding went from 2 until 2:20. So because it was sold before the end time it was valid. They did not refund my money. They either need to disclose the hours at the gate where they are selling tickets or tell them before they buy. Finding out after the fact is no way to go. So that was 4 dollars a person (3) so 12 dollars down the drain. So if you like spending money on services you do not receive, perfect. If not, I'd stay away.

Amanda Harmon

It is a smaller zoo but still worth it to go. Every so often they have informational showings where you can listen about a specific animal which is very informational. You can also feed a giraffe but the wait is very long so we did not do that. You can take a ride on a train through the park which is very relaxing. They also have a petting zoo, but the llama does spit haha.

Kendra Kinyon

It is what it is coming out of a Covid year, but sad we cannot go into the domestic animal area now. However, I get is about safety of the animals. There is a strong possibility the giraffes are at risk to Covid infection. Who Knew!? Better safe than sorry!!

Helen Medina

Early in the year, so not all the animals were out, everything else was great, my only issue they need to advertise the oceans exhibit better, it's right next to the ticket sales and we didn't know about until the end

Stacy Moressi

Several exhibits, animals, birds and several more to see. Our nephews loved it! Gets better everytime we visit. Staff were friendly and knowledgable. Rides were fun, they even had little learning stations. Memories were made here.

Jayme Cathcart

Love it!! Great place for a family outing.

Wendi Reed

No wait

Nicole Money Smith

No wait

Abby McKnight

1st time visiting. My little girl loved it. Due to the made up pandemic "Covid", most of the attractions were closed. I rated it 5 stars because If it was open completely, It would deserve that rating.

Sean Hudson

Great little zoo..very clean and updated . I go back there again..

Teresa Martens

Lots of animals to see we were surprised at how many animals were out especially since things are still restricted. You have to pay for your tickets and parking online also anything extra like the train, feeding animals, carousel. They do have concession things like hot dogs, chips, pretzels, cotton candy, drinks. Go onto their website so you can see what they have. Everything was very clean and nicely trimmed, all the animals had fresh water. You won't be disapointed!

Angel Harper

We really had a great time! Our daughter LOVED the "choo-choo". The zoo is good for the community. Since we have been to other zoos outside of the midwest, we would like to see different exhibits. Places like the Oregon Zoo are what we reference when we think of a top rate zoo. We would love to have something similar here in the Quad Cities but understand that would take lots of funding. We will go back more and more and donate every time!

Angel Mundschenk

Great animals, friendly staff. The set up was very easy to walk and see all exhibits. Only downfall was price of concessions.

Koral Carroll

Kids and I had a great time. Place looked great and employees were friendly and helpful

PRINCESS

I rember being so excited to come here as a kid and loving the amount of animals that were here but now there are a lot less animals and the ones that are there don't look like they are not in good condition

SPZ Aruba

Love the animal ???? it's a really chill place to take the family and have fun

Jesse Enck

LOVE THIS PLACE!! ALWAYS HAVE ALWAYS WILL!!!

Julie Wall (Pixie)

Grandpa's girls had a great time!

Rachel Smith

A nice family zoo...not big but exciting for children!!! They let you bring in your own food so my wife packs a cooler and our family enjoys a picnic at the zoo!!

Beach Lover

Great experience. Unfortunately the train was down for the day but the rest of the zoo was a treat as always.

Susan Maurice

Actually surprised this place is still open. They claim to have 600 animals but if they do 560 of them are the birds flying around and 30 are the fish in the koi pond. The bigger animals that most people would actually want to see like the big cats are hard to even see due to the height of the weeds and grass in and around the enclosures. For some reason they also thought it was a good idea to cover up the sides of the leopard /jaguar enclosures so you can only view from the front and will likely never see them. If you are 6'5" you can see over the fence on the side but if not you are out of luck. I would advise if you are going to go there do it on a free day and don't waste your money.

Cyndy Harnett

No

Andromeda Dickey

Maybe I'm not remembering correctly, but the upkeep of the zoo seems to have deteriorated drastically since I was last here in 2012. I am sorry to see signs that claim that all the weeds are some sign of environmental wokeness to attract pollinators, etc. "No-mow zones" are one thing, weeds everywhere (including poison ivy and other obnoxious weeds) are something else entirely. Not impressive. The train was broken down. They did offer us a refund for our prepaid train tickets. Still a net negative. I did appreciate the fairly gentle enforcement of the mask mandate. Feeding the koi was a real highlight! Feeding the giraffes was nice, but with safety precautions, it was too long a wait for young kids. All indoor facilities were closed, including my personal favorite, the reptile building. Understandable, but not cool nonetheless. The animals seemed well cared for, and they have a nice variety of animals, especially large cats. We timed it well to see the big cats eating, which was fun to watch. The amur leopard is so rare that it's really cool to see one. It's beautiful. The kids really enjoyed the carousel. That was another highlight. Overall, the zoo needs better tending. They almost made three stars, but not with how unkempt it is.

Mike Jacobs

Not sure if it was just the time of year we went or the small cages ani.als were kept in, just didn't see alot of the ani.als and the ones we did seemed very sad....

PorchMatt

Very good love the customer service ????

Ana Mora

We have been going to Niabi Zoo for years and have always enjoyed it, however, I must say, we are definitely loving the recent changes and updates to the zoo and are excited to see what's coming next! The staff were knowledgeable and friendly. The zoo is always clean. The animals seemed to have fresh food and water. For first-timers, the train ride is a must! A nice little ride around the park to get a glimpse of everything. The new playground is an awesome addition! Our boys, ages 8 and 9, loved it. Feeding the giraffes is fun. A little pricey, so we don't do it at every visit. Remember to bring quarters, so you can feed the koi fish at the pond and the goats at the little animal farm. :-) One comment on the downside. My husband says putting the bluegills in the koi pond is probably a mistake, as he says they breed very quickly and he's afraid they will take over and the koi will die out. Hopefully not, that would be a shame. The new bunnies in the domestic farm area are absolutely adorable! Don't miss them ♡ We really liked the location changes for some of the animals. The carpeting and the gift shop in the bio building (sorry, I can't remember what it's called) are fantastic new additions! It has such a more welcoming and comfortable feel now. All in all, we were impressed and so happy we are zoo members! Will definitely be updating our membership when it expires! Can't wait til June, when the new "Oceans" exhibit opens!!!

S Newberry

Not a whole lot of animals out, but a good experience!

Barbara

Nice, well kept grounds. Go during a weekday if you can. Buy the train tickets. We didn't pay for feeding the giraffes, but watched as eveyone who did fed them. Bring quarters for buying food to feed the animals are the petting zoo. Food & water are very pricey. There is a water fountain next to the bathrooms.

Emily Smith

Best zoo experience ever. Feeding the giraffes is the best part! This zoo is very clean and nice. Perfect size for a few hours of family fun. You can make it thru this zoo with little ones and it's not so big they lose interest you get to feed birds and fish this is a must go to zoo!

Gummi Marie

I visited with my mom and sister on a Thursday. The zoo is smaller but very cute. My favorites were the giraffes, which were out walking around. Unfortunately, we went when it was raining (and then pouring) so a lot of animals weren't out, but a worker said they don't force them to stay out which I appreciate. 4 stars because there was no food available and we didn't eat beforehand (which was our fault).

Holly Johnson

Small, but well maintained zoo for a nice stroll outside on a nice day. Most of the animals were active in the morning. Very well kept and clean.

Shelby Gier

It is a Zoo, we are beyond lucky and fortunate to have a Zoo in the Quad Cities. Is it a little pricey maybe, but remember they also have a lot of people donating a LOT to keep it going to feed the animals and keep it safe, clean, and the animals well groomed. NO it is not a county Zoo, however, it is extremely cool and we are lucky and they need to continue to keep "raising the bar" to make sure to keep our interest in the Zoo at the same time for generations to come. Thanks and keep up the hard work and efforts!

Ann Bowser (Annie)

Great place to take the young kids. Able to go thru and see everything in a couple hours.

JoWyo21

It’s a great zoo to take the family to and spend the day. Nice to take a walk around the park or take the train to see everything.

i.tactical.563

The lines were a little long upon entry and they could've opened up more windows. All in all it was a nice visit. The kiddos loved it!

Lora Carrera

Ok. The pandemic hasn't been kind to interactions. Not a huge variety in animals. Perfect for very little kids or a short zoo adventure.

Lisa B

There have been many updates to new attractions. Most of the animals were not able to be seen and cages appeared to be over grown with weeds. There should be a discounted price since several areas were closed for covid.

Bryan Colvard (Badmonkey)

We went to Boo at the Zoo.. It sure is advertised like its going to be this spectacular event. Not many candy tables at all. They also made people close their booths early. We we're very disappointed, especially still having to pay full price to get in.

Dwayne Wojtowicz

Very nice Zoo but then you get more animals the price was too much and they charged you for parking I don't mind paying for parking I'm paying to get in I think you get more animal

Nick Ludwig

Alit of empty cages lots of weeds expensive drinks what the kids did see they enjoyed but it differently needs alot of updates onweb site dont have half of what they says Chicago zoo is better and that is where i willgo next time

Shante Mitchell

We had a really nice time visiting the zoo. It has lots of animals but wasn't so big that my 5 year old and 1 year old got tired. Very nice for a fun family outing.

Meowzerz Gaming

Enclosures are very over grown. Most of the exhibits are empty. And the exhibits they did have, the animals looked miserable. All of the tickets are sold out for things. I took my son for his birthday yesterday, and he was disappointed he couldn’t ride the train due to it being sold out, but every time it came by, there was between 8 people at most, two people at other times. It was super disappointing and we left not even after an hour to change the tone of our day. Save your money, we drove over an hour there to spend less time at the zoo than we did driving.

Kelly Carver

First time visiting. Was a sweet zoo but very upsetting to see the animals with green limited water or no water at all. Very little shade for some of the animals. Many cages empty. Staff was very friendly. I hope the water conditions improve. Would be nice to have more information on exhibits the just the species.

Laura Weiman

Some of the exhibits were not ready because it is still too cold. The face painting lady was gone and very inconvenient to purchase carousel tickets. I still had a great time!

Sandra Fitzgerald

Great experience! You were able to see quite a few animals very close up. Wish we could have ridden the carousel but it closes at 4:30 even though the zoo doesn't close until later. Note that there is a charge for parking per vehicle so try to group up if possible.

Nadine Mayo

Some of the exhibits were closed, petting zoo. We had a large group of children extremely disappointed. They were moving an animal in one of the buildings so we were not able to go in there either.

Carla Powell

This is a pretty good zoo. The kids love it but it leaves much to be desired after you've experienced any other bigger city zoo. It's convenient to go based on location and they have a decent animal selection. This zoo is great for a quick/short trip with younger kids (think ~2 hours). Several of the enclosures are closed or no animals present / visible. The general upkeep and maintenance of the grounds could be well improved. Some of the newer animal exhibits (like the giraffes) are wonderful. Others (like the rhino(s)) are just kind of sad. Unlike other zoos where they put an incredible amount of emphasis on care, rehab, etc. for the animals in every aspect of your visit, there is less emphasis on that here. We will go back simply for the convenience and relatively small size that's great for small kids. If you're looking for a 'great' zoo experience in the area, you'll need to go to St. Louis, Milwaukee, Omaha, or possibly Chicago, Des Moines, and Minneapolis.

Carla Powell

This is a pretty good zoo. The kids love it but it leaves much to be desired after you've experienced any other bigger city zoo. It's convenient to go based on location and they have a decent animal selection. This zoo is great for a quick/short trip with younger kids (think ~2 hours). Several of the enclosures are closed or no animals present / visible. The general upkeep and maintenance of the grounds could be well improved. Some of the newer animal exhibits (like the giraffes) are wonderful. Others (like the rhino(s)) are just kind of sad. Unlike other zoos where they put an incredible amount of emphasis on care, rehab, etc. for the animals in every aspect of your visit, there is less emphasis on that here. We will go back simply for the convenience and relatively small size that's great for small kids. If you're looking for a 'great' zoo experience in the area, you'll need to go to St. Louis, Milwaukee, Omaha, or possibly Chicago, Des Moines, and Minneapolis.

jeff lauber

I always love going to Niabi its so fun and it hasn't changed in the years that I've been gone i recommend going.

ItsTitan LoL

Overall a nice smaller zoo! The grounds are beautiful and not too big, so you don't have to do a ton of walking. They do charge $3 for parking, but I don't mind paying if it goes toward the animals. General admission for adults was $9. We also paid $3 for parakeet feeding and only $5 to feed the giraffes! Both experiences were neat. I would definitely recommend feeding the giraffes- very cool! We spent about 2 hours total at the park, which is really all you need. All of the staff members we met were very friendly and helpful! I do wish the animals had more enrichment in their habitats. Some of them looked quite bored and did not seem to have any toys or interactive objects to play with. Would love to see more of that- may be lack of funding.

Kyrie McConnell

WOW a brilliant zoo! We saw all the animals, released butterflies, pet goats, fed the giraffes & birds. A fun filled day.

Erin Ehrhart

Public holiday

Angela Gilliam

Visited on

David Leamy

The zoo is making progress and constantly updating exhibits. Good place to spend an hour or so. Grounds are clean and spacious and they let you bring in your own food and beverages.

Paula Lamb

This is the sweetest, cutest zoo. My daughter and the grand kids had a lovely day. This place is spotless and well run. Will go back.

Linda Thietje

My 9 year olds favorite place to be!

Vamp Raver

Everything was clean and the animals were happy. I even bought works of art made by some of the animals for charity and enrichment toys. The carousel and the train is fun. Wonderful Zoo!

Joan Kranovich

Very nice zoo! No bugs for us!

J Shollen

Only complaint was that it wasnt open longer wonderful place to go with kids.

shavell york

Great little zoo for the area, always clean just a really nice place to spend the day with the grandkids!

Andy Bravo

While the pony rides were gone this year and the peacocks and elephants were removed a few years back, I found several other interesting tidbits my family and I really enjoyed. For example, there were two species of animals they had that were critically endangered. One of which was the red fox and there are less than fifty left outside captivity. There is another type of large cat that there are only forty left in the wild. On the other hand, we saw neither die to the large enclosures and talk grasses. I would suggest they at least offer pictures of these animals which they do not even though there are camera to monitor them. I would've also liked to see an Artic type habitat but I know that would be extremely costly for them. Seeing as there were six of us, were were very appreciative, or at least our wallets were, that coolers and snacks were allowed which was surprising. We were also able to purchase tickets to feed the animals such as giraffes and birds which they should have thought to do long before. The staff and interns were very knowledgeable and helpful which made the day that much more educational. The staff really impressed me!

Cynthia Claver

We have been to 4 different zoos this year, including the St Louis zoo and this one is great! Smaller than St Louis of course, by far, but the habitats are nicer and the animals seem happier too! Very very cool, will definitely be coming back next year.

rebecca Bowman

I have been coming here for serval years. On today's visit my family decided that it is just not worth going here anymore. Prices going up every year and less animals to see. It seems like they are trying to improve the park but without success. The Australian exhibit has no kangaroos for quit a while and looks very lame. There are only birds to see and you are not allowed to walk through that area unless you pay for it. The long gone elephant exhibit got replaced with camels . So now they have 2 camel exhibits. It seems like they just place one kind of a species over the park to make it look fuller but variety on species itself decreases from year to year. I know it is expensive and a lot work to maintain a zoo but I don't think charging ridiculous prices for a small park like that just drives visitors away. They should think about lowering prices parking fee , admission and extras like feeding, train and carousel so people can actually afford it and would consider to spend the extra money . Lower prices attracts more people and brings more money in the long run. So long story short. My visit was disappointing. You pay more and see less with each year.

Jason Dohse

It's nice little zoo, perfect for families with little children. The only thing I don't like is their online tickets purchase, it's not user friendly and in error I bought a regular kid ticket and senior ticket instead of ticket for 2 year old and regular adult ticket. Called their phone number and they said to purchase tickets that I need and they will refund me the other two. So hopefully it will work and I definitely recommend to buy the tickets on tablet or actual computer because on phone the website is super confusing. Other than that I like this place!

Ali Gilbreath

Not happy with our visit to the zoo. The maintenance of the zoo was awful, exhibits over grown and just the general grounds were overgrown and alot of weeds. Most of the bathrooms were closed and the ones that were open were dirty and no towels in them. Then alot of exhibits were empty of animals. Not a very expensive zoo but still not worth the money for not a whole lot there.

Alex Thomson

Always a good time for the kids. The giraffe feeding is fun. The big cat cages are difficult to see with the overgrown grasses. The train is always popular with the kids. The playground is a huge hit as well.

Jacqulin Rice

Its a great place to go with the kids to see the animals. And the membership is definitely worth it! Especially if you do enjoy going to the zoo a lot.

Austin Barker

This is a fun little zoo with several species I've never seen before. The submission and activity pricing was reasonable. I just hate the COVID restrictions had some areas closed. I'd definitely recommend stopping by if you're close.

Nefty Rod

The zoo is small but nice. Very clean. They have lost some key animals in recent years such as the elephants and bears. The giraffes were a nice addition though.

N.A.T.I Nutrition

Not bad as far as zoos go. Mother's day was crazy busy. They do stop the train because of inclement weather so be sure to get in line if the weather looks like it will turn South.

Nicole Palacios

Very disappointed in our visit to Niabi Zoo today.. Brought friends from Arizona here and I was embarrassed. Not like it used to be with petting zoo, mountain goats, bears, music playing, butterfly chairs among other animals Not worth paying full price also now charging for parking would not recommend it.

Hotpepper gyrl

Was very please with this Zoo. Good selection of animals, and not a lot of them sleeping!! Small enough footprint to be able to see everything in a decent amount of time, BUT I have no tolerance for a ridiculous policy like the one that requires you to buy ride tickets ahead of time in very specific locations. DUDE... I have American currency, why don't I just hand it to you and get on the carousel?

Tricia

Ive been coming to this zoo since i was in school. Now im 62 and this is my last trip. We drove 2 hrs and it was awful. Not the same zoo at all. Looks like it will close any day. Yes and a bottle of water is actually 4 dollars! Hardly no animals. Guess its the end of an era. Would really like a refund but i guess they need it worse than i do.

Ian Buck

They are doing an awesome job opening up the exhibits as permitted and keeping the park clean!

Erin Orchard

Neither a huge place not does it have a variety of specimens. But it is good place to take kids, where they can walk, watch animals and still not get tired. The whole zoo took like 3-4 hours to finish. The zoo has train ride and a carousel which is $2 per person. Giraffe feeding needs tickets and is at 11am and 2pm only, where kids are allowed to feed them. It will be a relaxed visit if you have young kids.

G. Neil Holmquist

Covid taking a toll here too. Prices ridiculous--$4.00 a Gatorade and $4.75 for a hot dog. Ladies bathroom not very clean. A fair number of exhibits closed, including Petting zoo.

Harshal Joglekar

We went to the zoo yesterday and I have to say I was very disappointed. 30% of the animals cages were empty and some of the others that animals were in you could not see them due to the high weeds which they say they're trying to better the habitat. We paid $46 to get 2 adults and 4 children and $3 for parking and we were in-and-out of there and an hour and a 1/2 and I have to say we were very disappointed.

Brian Hunemuller

Nice place,But the animals seem off some were pacing back and fourth,A little expensive but love it great way to spend some quality time with the family

Beverly Gardner

A great place to take the kids. The exhibits are limited, and there aren't many animals, but the staff is dedicated and kind. I expect things to continue to improve. The old elephant enclosure is being upgraded for an Indian Rhino. The train ride is great. You can see everything in a half day.

Gwen Lowe

I traveled from Minnesota driving 8 hours to visit this zoo just to show up to pay full price and not be able to see most of the exhibits including the kid interactive exhibits. Let alone the train was not running when I arrived and never gave anything to make up for it. We weren't even given the feeding food for the fish nor tickets for the ride. The masking of everyone for only short distances and FORCING people to buy masks for ridiculous prices that will barely be used is disgusting.

Greg Grieff

Went to this zoo on a whim with my dad (I'm 17). It is a great smaller city zoo. Diverse selection of animals and not too many of any one type. Very clean and affordable. The staff were awesome as well. The animals set to be well-cared for in good-sized clean enclosures.

Michael Amico

I was there Saturday at noon- 3pm. There was several empty animal enclosures. The petting zoo was lacking and closed. The staff was doing lawn maintenance during open hours with guests present. However; my grandaughter enjoyed the carousel and the feeding of the giraffes.

Eric Braun

This zoo is very run down. Half the exhibits are over grown, and so many fake leaves are put up where you can’t see the animals. The lion is always sleeping and looks miserable. There are so many empty cages and empty spaces. This zoo is miserable.

matt hermens

Well, your gonna be disappointed if you are used to larger zoos. And definitely don’t go in the afternoon, morning seems to be the only time to see animals. Nothing was out, lots of areas closed. “Tickets” to do any rides, train, feedings if they exist were already sold out by early morning. You could go to a free park and get the same outdoor experience. The Australian area was basically pet store parakeets. Won’t be back. Des Monies Zoo is much better, and no mask requirements

Kevin Young

I've been here dozens of times since I was a kid. It's a relatively small zoo, but they are always updating and adding new animals. The carousel, train, and koi fish are always my kids' favorites. The pricing is always changing and there are often new experiences that cost extra, so you could easily spend much more than originally intended.

Gravy Train

Great little zoo for young kids as you can do the whole zoo in a few hours. They also have a carousel, giraffe feeding, bird and fish feeding, petting zoo, playground, and a train that takes you around the zoo which my kids LOVE! The prices are great, we go every year!

Jim Carr

Always have fun here. Today was myself and my 4 year old grandson.

The Kash Girls Imagination World Too

Took the little boy there today and we had a blast.

Scott Bohlmann

Love this place. We buy members passes every year and use them all summer. Great way to spend the day. If you are a member there are extra perks like night visits and early openings with less visitors. Lots of animals to see and zoo staff is very helpful. Just opened the oceans exhibit and we were very impressed .

Nathan Murphy

Limited time to be there currently with the virus, you have I think 2 hours in the park. However it’s plenty of time to enjoy everything. We had so much fun!

Your New Pupper

Wonderful little zoo outside of the Quad Cities. Great for little ones with a petting zoo and bits feeding area. For a small fee you can even feed the giraffes!

Paul DuBois

Most of the animal enclosures were very over grown with grass. The poor lion looked like it was dying it was very sad. Some of the animals looked run down and just overall sad and it broke my heart. They do have a carousel ride snd train ride but not sure if the cost is worth it. Overall for a small zoo it’s fine but I feel bad for the poor animals. All interactions with employees were limited and most were not very friendly.

crystal northrup

Over priced for lack of animals all they have are birds everything looks miserable and the entrance and exit is ridiculous! The only thing that's some what cool is the train ride and playground. Other than that id rather save my money and not go

Jeremy Nesemeier

Lots and lots of great memories made here with my family now. My favorite are the big cats (Amur leopard is my buddy)

Alethia Schroeder

Weekday

Heather Carlson

Price for adult entry

Eugenia Strong

It's a nice place. It does lack a lot that other zoo's offer in variety and interactivity. It has been updated and is clean and easy to navigate. Could use more variety, complexity, and be a better value, as it will cost a fortune to take a large family here.

Michael Foss

Friendly staff. Beautiful small zoo. Peaceful. They've done a great job! Can't wait to come back and do more activities. Feed koi fish, ride train and ride carousel!

Taffy

Such a wonderful zoo! Reasonable prices. Interesting content, such a special day trip. Each exhibit was clean, helpful staff. Will return here again with my family

Madison Morgan

This zoo used to be amazing. Such a disappointment anymore. I know the elephants left but so did the peguins and the male lion died the Emus werent out in the adventure walk anymore. Entrance and parking has improved but nothing to see anymore. I will always love the pond and feeding the fish and turtles, best part of the day.

Leo R.

Cheap entertainment for kids. A little bit on the boring side. Been there a few times. Most animals sleeping and stuff is always closed.

Jerry Villarreal

My family went on a very hot day and the Lions did not have and water in there exibit they also didn't have any toys. The rest of the zoo was just kind of basic nothing to exciting

Suresh

Wait time

Cindy Ryan

The zoo was great. There are an abundance of species represented and educational information and fun facts about all of them. There are still some areas that can't be visited, but that's because of Covid-19, not because they want to deprive you the experience. Most of the zoo is open and they're only enforcing mask wearing in buildings or close encounters. The encounters include a delightfully themed carousel ride, a train ride and an opportunity to feed the giraffes and Koi (not at the same time). We have visited a lot of zoos and we recommend this one.

Crys Ann

People who rate it 4 or 5 stars must not have experience at other zoos. I have never been to a zoo with overgrown weeds in all the enclosures. They even try to justify it with "why all the weeds?" signs saying that the animals like it. This is ridiculous. I've been to numerous zoos: Brookfield, Lincoln park, Chattanooga zoo, Tampa zoo, national zoo, and more. There are NO zoos that let the exhibits get overgrown! The animals look miserable there is no shade in exhibits. I thought the lion enclosure was abandoned because of how bad it looked but was sadly mistaken. We went to the zoo on a weekend trip, and it was the worst zoo I have ever been too. It was super hot this weekend in the sun and they didn't notify anyone that the only drinking fountains, concessions, and bathrooms were in the entryway to the zoo. If you want a bottled water from a vending machine or concessions it was $4. This zoo is a huge let down. Every zoo I have been to has misters to offset heat. They dont even have working drinking fountains! And please dont pay to feed giraffes unless you're prepared to stand in the sun for 40 straight minutes. We ended up forfeiting the $10 because it simply wasn't worth it. At Tampa zoo, if you got a ticket, you could feed the giraffes whenever. At Niabi, you can only do it within a half hour time frame and wait FOREVER! Please take the 4 and 5 rating with a grain of salt. The only reason I went to the zoo in the first place was because people said it was so great. I assure you, it is not and was a waste of money. In fact, most of the animals have inhuman living conditions.

Heather Daniel

Great small little zoo to visit with your family and at a great price ????

Maya NS

My kiddos had a lot of fun but unfortunately it's not the same as I remember :( koi pond is looking very empty

Abigail Dickens

Niabi zoo located close to quad city airport. The entry ticket for adult is $9 and the car parking ticket is $3. Note: they are not accepting amex card right now. Go go with cash or use alternate one if you have. The exit is close to the entry not the same gate. It’s clean and well maintained. They have small train which round the zoo. Giraffe feeding was closed. We missed it. I expected that lion can be seen with a glass between you. But it was in a area with fence. So you won’t get close shot. Food court is inside.Gift shop available close to the exit. Don’t miss to see the camel at the exit.

Heather Daniel

Was told the train & carousel closed in 10 minutes when we walked in so we picked the train since it was closer. About an hour later got back by the carousel & it was still going & we had very upset 5 & 7 year olds since the tickets were all the way up front & then we didn't have time to get them & back! A little later our 5 year old got stung by a bee in the reptile house so one lady gave us a sting relief wipe which worked but dried up quickly so on our way out we asked for another. The girls in the gift shop tell us in order to get one we have to fill out a time consuming accident report! The animals were ok but we won't be back.

Roel Debruyn

Clean. Small but educational

Felicia Johnson

Friendly staff. Beautiful small zoo. Peaceful. They've done a great job! Can't wait to come back and do more activities. Feed koi fish, ride train and ride carousel!

Stefanie Cornelius

Wonderful time with my family! Really enjoyed feeding the giraffes.

Isabella Farris

We had a great day. The breeze kept the bugs away.

Chris Chapman

Almost all exhibits were open and animals looked good. Fun times.

Melanie Petersen

Very poor! You should inform people of all the things that are closed inside. I understand Covid, but more businesses are opening up and you should too. Most of the areas could be cleaned up by cutting some grass, at least do that. Been there many times but this is not worth it now...

TiredMomOfTwo

Reasonable prices, a very nice playground, some exciting animals and a nice little train ride! Our family loves this place for a special day out. It's very convenient if you're in the Quad Cities, and worth the short drive.The Gift Shop has trinkets for 50 cents, so you can let your little one pick out a small item for just a couple quarters!

Dan .k

Come for the animals. Stay for the peep show.

Jonah Sommerfeld

This zoo has gotten worse as the years have gone by. The best part of the entire zoo was the giraffes. Many of the animals enclosures are over grown and all the animals look miserable.

Kevin DeVocht

Big city prices for a less than mediocre zoo. Half the animals are "put away" due to unknown reasons and half of the ones actually in their spaces are hidden by overgrown natural landscape. An 3/4 of the animals that you can see in most other zoo's aren't in this one. The extras such as train rides and feeding giraffes are overpriced for what they are. It would be a perfect place for a short stroll if the prices were right, however they miss the mark

Cuz J

They have a lot of animals and it's very family-friendly. However, I would not recommend buying a ticket for children to feed the giraffes. There are only 2-30 minutes timeframes to participate each day, the line gets ridiculously long (which is hard on the younger kiddos), and each ticket only provides 2 leaves to be fed to the giraffe.

Shannon Gilbraith

Wonderful time with my family! Really enjoyed feeding the giraffes.

Kelly OBrien

Weekend

Kai Swanson

Had a blast, unfortunately, it was very hot, but we had a good time.

Glen Williamson

this is a poor zoo. Lots of stuff have no animals, way to many things closed up. Feel ripped off for the 50 bucks it cost us to take two children to see mostly nothing. Too many exhibit not set up for small kids to see well. This used to be a good zoo, maybe its day is over, and it should be closed.

HockeyCat

Only thing good was feeding the giraffe and the train. Not enough animals more like a farm. Needs more exotic.

Donna Karpovich

Been going to Niabi since I was a kid. I have a kid of my own now and took him on his first zoo trip. Things were pretty much exactly as I remember which was great. Admission price was good. Only issue is concessions and gift shop were awful pricy. Other than that, it was a great experience. Even for a kid under 1.

Tonia Whitehead

Visited on

Travis S. (Travisimo)

The zoo was okay ! Not many animals at all ! The part that got me , was when I went early & hardly no one there ! Yet , I had to pay $3.00 to park my own car !! A 20 oz. Pop out of the machine is $3.00 ! The concession prices are way above what I would pay ever !

XGame ClipsX

I have been going to niabi most of my life. This last visit was the most expensive (and we didn't do the train ride or anything extra). There weren't as many animals as previous visits. Only parakeets (that you weren't allowed to go into without paying extra) and a black goose in the Australian exhibit. Wasn't thrilled with this visit. I could have gone to Peoria and seen more for less.

Magen Duffy

With covid alot of the exhibits were closed. Took less than an hour to see everything. Carousel also was not running on the day we went

Jessie Hills

The train ride was not even 10 minutes long. And the animals seem to be too hot and not provided with any way to cool down. The chickens appear to be sick as normal chickens have no bare spot on their bottom. It was waayy hot even inside the buildings that should be air conditioned. There were no singing dogs in their enclosure inside and out. I was very dissapointed. Last time i was here was 12 years ago. And i Would have rated it a 4 or 5 star. But now, i would rather drive to Blank Park Zoo than come here.

Deborah Arocho

Was a fun little zoo for my daughter to enjoy..

courtney jordan

Limited ticketing temporarily, must pre-purchase online, the reptile house, biodiversity building, tropical bird building and petting zoo are temporarily closed, but all else is open. Great mix of large cats, hooved animals, birds; owls, vulture, eagle and cattlebird; Gibbons, colobus monkies, giraffe and koi pond, and more!

Briannah Torres

I love the Niabi Zoo! It's just small enough that my son can walk around and not be too sore or tired but big enough to have a large assortment of animals that you don't normally get to see around Iowa/Illinois unless you go to a much larger zoo. The prices are reasonable and it makes for a great day trip.

James Middleton

My family loves Niabi Zoo and I've loved it since I was a young child. It's reasonably priced, clean and everybody is friendly. Thanks to Sara at the admission booths for being so awesome!

Austin Maas

It's a nice clean small zoo but get more and more disappointed every year because they keep taking animals away. Not worth the amount of money they ask for addmission.

Morgan Waterman

Loved this place. The staff was very friendly to my kids. The train and carousel were enjoyable and the zoo as a whole has lots of open space.

Heather Wakefield

Nice clean park but extremely pricey for what animals they have. Alot of animals were gone out of their cages or just dont have them anymore. On top of all that they now added another 3.00 parking fee is which is ridiculous. 2.00 for a soda out of the machines. Train was great for kids and the carousel. Most the animals are not active or hard to view.

Brock Martin

Nice little zoo. Good for younger kids. Feeding the giraffes was so fun. As was feeding the parakeets. Train was down the day we went, but I have rode it before and it's also great.

Jessica Milner

It was decent enough for the money. Spent $40 for 3 adults and a 4 year old. All buildings were poorly ventilated, bathrooms smelled like an outhouse and gift shop was a joke. The aquarium was closed and we didn't eat at the grill.

Kim Adams

I would love to see a local zoo like this flourish. It has a lot of potential, the grounds are perfect for exotic habitats. I am not sure if this zoo may have been hit by the pandemic, but no joke we saw about 3 animals. A giraffe, the lion, and a zebra. Everything was shut down. I couldn’t believe there was a whole area labeled “Australian Outback”. Already somewhat disappointed, I decided to give the section down under a chance to prove me wrong about Niabi. There were maybe 10 parakeets. I could have gone to Petco for that. Like I said, the grounds have a lot of potential, but for now I think it’s work the 4 hour drive to St. Louis. The zoo down there is amazing and free.

Gary Neil Holmquist

No

MomoPfeif

It was my first time visiting my daughter took me I loved it had a nice time seen a lot of animals it's better then Glen oak zoo

Willis Barr

Ok for around here but definitely not a lot of animals. It seems like they are always getting rid of animals but not replacing them with anything new. You can get through the whole zoo in an hour or less so definitely not a day trip. We usually go once a year for boo at the zoo. Last year they made you start to pay for parking which I think is silly since you aren't even the four an hour!

Alandra Stupp

Is a fun little place to go walk around. They do have pretty nice exhibits but it was a little bit out of the way, about an hour drive for me

Kammi Church

The cutest smallest zoo I had ever been to! With 3 kids it took us about an hour and a half to see everything. Very well maintained

Jodi Hunt

Fully support the zoo, just wish it had more animals and if they took the time to clean (glass) or replace their fish tanks that would be awesome. Bathrooms were clean, train driver very nice. I should also add the staff in general was very nice

Sarah

Price for adult entry

Tracey Roberts

It's cool to make my daughter happy but the prices are outrageous 4 dollars for a bottle of water the acutally cost 1.29 4 effing dollars and it's hot as heck so bring your own drinks unless u don't mind getting ripped off

Julie K (CurlyJulie)

It's a nice small zoo that you can take it all in a few hours. Affordable, clean, it could use a few more attractions but overall a great zoo with great employees.

Matthew Rairden

Reservation recommended

Shelley Swan

Super beautiful zoo! Definitely worth the trip from Cedar Rapids. They have everything you'd wanna see at a zoo and more. It wasn't super busy on the day I went but the zoo was very well taken care of. I got some beautiful pictures. Would visit again!

Trish Hays

I try to visit the zoo at least once a year. My grandkids love it. They need some chill zones though, it gets really hot during the summer.

Pamela M

Weekend

Dennis Erickson

Weekend

Danny Gates

Great small zoo. Worth a day walking around. Well thought out exhibits.

Suresh “SV” Veeramani

4 ???? star's just so you have room to improve. It's a very nice zoo small but nice. Beautiful animals and a few was young as well that was nice. I has just wanting x2 the zoo it was over to fast.

Drivebywire222

My husband and I drove 2 1/2 hours to go to a different zoo and we are so happy we did!!! It was great. Animals were great. Got to feed the domestic animals. Got to feed the giraffes up and close. So much fun. affordable. Parking was close and cheap. . Small enough to see everything. Can’t wait to go back.

Kate T

As an annual pass holder I would encourage you to support our Zoo. And buy an annual pass!

Stephanie Steele

I absolutely love this zoo! I have been coming here since I was a small child and even as an adult I still love and appreciate this wonderful place!

Matt Winquist

The older gentleman that was the driver of the train on July 8 was very rude and yelling at the passengers to fill seats according to filling up the rear seats first. Our family spent 50 dollars for my grandkids to ride the train, and I didn't appreciate them and others getting yelled at by him. The Zoo should be a fun experience! Especially what it cost! I don't care if he was having a bad day, you don't yell at people! He had my youngest grandchild crying! People who want to ride your silly train will fill the seats on their own! They don't need to be yelled at to do so by your employees! He had a lot of families upset! I know it will be awhile before my family ever goes back to the zoo!

Jamie Wagoner

This zoo is very expensive for what there is. And now they charge you for parking. $3 seriously... Adults $9 kids $6.50 Train $3.75 Carousel $3.50 Feed bird $3.00 Giraffe $5.00 A membership is $75 and does not include a train ride or carousel I'll make the long drive to Omaha which is cheaper and includes a spray park. And a lot nicer with free parking.

Christine Edwards

A great little zoo. Clean and nice employees. Good place to take littler kids as its not a huge zoo so more manageable for youngsters.

Camden Behrens

It was a really nice zoo. Even got a cool glitter tattoo!

Steve Reed

Nice zoo a little small but it's nice

Duolingo Bird

Great small zoo for a nice price. Just wish the train didn't cost extra. I liked feeling like we had time to see everything in a day.

April prestridge

It is a small zoo with limited animals. But it is good for small kids whom you want to familiarize with the animals who live in the jungle. They have toy train running around the zoo with a paid value. They also have rented carts for the kids in case you don't have a stroller.

Drew Suhr

Wonderful zoo built for families. Great use of space and easy to see everything in one day. Also wonderful for little kids that get bored easily because of the size and how easy it is to see all the exhibits.

Amanda Matya

Hardly any of the exhibits were open. There was no notification of this in advance. Admission price was not discointed. We drove over 60 miles to get there and then had this experience. We have been there previously and had a much better experience.

Tina Baker

small zoo, it was a once and done. My three year old was bored in about 20 min. Cleqn place, but not worth the price.

pauline ndichu

I loved Niabi zoo.took me to Africa.It was great to see giraffes,???? king of the jungle ???? and tortoise.my daughter loved train ride a highlight of her day.We missed the kangaroos though.

pauline ndichu

I loved Niabi zoo.took me to Africa.It was great to see giraffes,???? king of the jungle ???? and tortoise.my daughter loved train ride a highlight of her day.We missed the kangaroos though.

RigityRighty

This zoo is big enough to enjoy a vast number of different animals and small enough for the little ones to enjoy the entire zoo before getting worn out and cranky ????. Plus the train ride was terrific!

Marisa Bersch

$140 for a run down zoo Very disappointed. Will not return. The animals seem so sad. I will travel next time to Saint Louis

Mikey Fresh

Disappointed that it didn't say anything about masks on the website about masks inside the buildings other then the giraffe feeding. Other then that it wasn't too bad. Concessions are way over priced as well.

Kat

Visited on

Natalie Miller

This is a great small zoo which is perfect for families with small children. Which is why I gave it 3 stars we have teens who were disappointed that there was not more to see or do it only took 1.5 hours to view everything which included the 6 min train ride

Eileen Matz

For the price it isn't worth what's there. Many other bigger zoos have figured out how to keep costs lower and they have more animals. Just not impressed. Most animals can't be seen or are not out. Parking for 3 dollars? No thanks. The price to do the extras is ridiculous they should make a bundle for families that want to do everything

Kris Sikkema

Bigger signs for restrooms, exit and things in general would help navigation. For a small zoo, the amenities were clean, staff very friendly, and feeding the giraffes a cool experience!!

Christina C

Love the small zoos. This place was very nice.

mo barker

The ocean exibit is completely inhumane for those animals. Especially the sharks and dog fish. One can't even turn around!! The two we're beyond stressed out. You can tell it's just there to attract more people to their zoo. Very sad conditions for the animals in the ocean exibit. Most people seeing the zoo do not care so I know nothing will be done. And clearly the zoo doesn't care either. Rest of the zoo was okay, some animals had better enclosures than others. Most of the zoo employees looked like they would rather be anywhere else than there. So many unhappy employees.

Dustin Hess

Had a lot of fun here with our son despite the heat. I wish we had realized you couldn't get fish food at the pond (only at the ticket booth) and the petting zoo was closed, along with the giraffe house.

Mike Vander Stelt

This is such a great little getaway spot. Every time I'm he visiting family I spend an afternoon here with my kids. They love the lions and giraffes. But mostly they love the train ride. And whatever political nonsense happened shouldn't affect the zoo or the animals. Thats all management.

Ben Berry

Just okay. My biggest issue is with the lion. It is always sleeping or laying down when we've visited, I figured he's probably just bored. Our last visit I noticed the lion was actually extremely malnourished, like very, very thin. Not sure if the poor thing is sick, old, or not being fed but either way you cut it that is unacceptable. I feel so bad for him. Besides that it is extremely difficult to see the other big cats due to the way their spaces are set up. Like other reviews have said it's very difficult to see with all the fake leaves and the glass fogs up all the time. When we have been able to see the big cats they're also sleepy but could be bored. Otherwise my experiences have been good with Niabi. Ok admission pricing, my 3 year olds favorite part is the train. Not sure if we will go back after seeing that lion the last time though I can't in good conscience support a zoo that isn't caring for its animals properly.

Traci Klepack

Fantastic smaller zoo with lots to see. Loved the giraffes and you can feed them treats for a small fee. Fantastic place for kids of all ages.

Lexi Carretto

Nice little zoo. Little being the key word. Very few animals for what you pay for. We couldn't find half of the animals in the exhibits. Some of the grass & weeds in the exhibits were so overgrown you didn't stand a chance of seeing anything. They charge for parking, charge to get in, $4 for a small bottle of water. Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines is a much better option.

Michael

Froze for Candy.... I would say this was poorly put together. We stood for 45 min in line freezing with 2 children of our own under the age of 6. Forty.Five.Minuets my friends. Had I of known that it was also scheduled for the next day (it was gorgeous and 62°) I would have waited. It was poorly advertised in that regard. I think it would be better if they charged a straight fee, like $25 for parking, per car, "cash only" venue, payable to the parking attendants when you pull in. Boom, no lines, no screaming children (ok, less screaming children) and no mile long lines! I feel Niabi Zoo just set us up for failure as parents with this one.

Vincent Ralston

Wait time

Christine Degroot

Excellent place to spend the day or a few hours with the family. Super kid friendly and has an awesome train ride around the zoo. Great selection of animals from around the world. Highly recommend.

Melody Reid

I have no idea what set backs the zoo must have from the Covid situation but, the state of the zoo is not ok. Today was 94 degrees and we felt that only two animals (the rhino and some of the petting animals) had proper shade. There were several empty cages and even less that had more than one animal out.the exhibits were in terrible condition with weeds up to two feet high and the animals had no shade, limited water, no visible food and no toys! I used to love coming here as a kid. Now, I hope they stop and revamp if they have the funding or they need to get loans or sell this place so the animals have proper care. I would never come back of this treatment continues. There has to be a standard of good care for the animals.

S Martin

My family and I have been going here for years. It may be a smaller zoo, but we always have a great time. More than enough for two small children to enjoy and of course the train ride.

nathan diss

Some of the exhibits aren't open right now but we sure made an afternoon of it! Great day trip!

Kristina White

Prefect zoo for families with small kids. There is a nice variety of animal, small train ride, playground and carousel. My kids and I can do the whole zoo in about 2.5 hrs.

Amy Leingang

Overpriced. Not much to see. Nobody to give you info. I'd recommend going to Peoria, St. Louis or any other zoo. Cost too much to enter plus parking. If you want to ride the train or go on merry go round then you must pay for tickets at the gift shop Nobody told us until trying to get on merry go round. Trying to buy any food or beverages is over priced. Just bring own drinks if you can. Australian exhibit is a small walk with little to see. Same with most exhibits. Overall I'd just highly recommend going to a different zoo.

Aaron Curry

Beautiful smaller zoo! My husband and I have been here several times. It never disappoints us. Great place to spend a day. Reasonably priced as well. We only wish you could ride the train as many times as you wanted to. It costs us $28.50 for 2 adults with train rides for both. Most animals were very active today. Good time for the whole family!

Draven Reisen

We came from out of town and was not known that they were SOLD OUT! What the heck....not going to be coming back. That was a joke. They need to make that apparent and VERY CLEAR online and at entrance so people don't wait in line to find out you can't go in. Your outside...reduce numbers!

Andrew Gardini

Took my grandchildren, she loved the exhibits at her level.

Adrienne Z

Nice local zoo. They have a lot of different animals. It's a bit on the expensive side. I think a bottle of water was 4 dollars. There was a 3 dollar charge for using the parking lot. The ocean exhibit was nice. I wish they had more to offer

Stephanie Fanning

not many things were open but can't complain because it was a beautiful day and free admission. also there was only a few other groups besides ours, not over crowded at all ????

Debbie Aird

First day open from lockdown. Not everything open but still a nice time.

Shawn Krueger

$6–10

Shawna Renee'

Always enjoy visiting this zoo, especially the Pallas's Cats

Kelly Vogel

We moved to Florida 7 years ago. We always enjoyed going to the Niabi zoo. There are some great changed but some things stayed the same lol like the train. I dixids se we ong Kathy Shaboom. Our oldest granddaughter Ashley Cogley brought us and had a wonderful time.

Caitlin .Howard

Can't see the animals in enclosed buildings,train and carousel was not working. but felt the did there best to keep distance and let you know where to wear your mask. Bathrooms and grounds were clean.

Tammy Critten

The lines were a little long upon entry and they could've opened up more windows. All in all it was a nice visit. The kiddos loved it!

Chuck Johnson

The price for admission is fair and so are the prices for the activities. It's not an overcrowded zoo so it's easy to view the animals and take your time. There is giraffe feeding, carousel, train, koi fish feeding, and a nice park. I would not suggest eating the food there. I overheard a snack bar employee on the phone with their boss complaining about how dirty dishes have been neglected all week. Also, the prices are very inflated. $5 to $10 price range for food and drinks. Also keep in mind to enter the zoo you will need to wear a mask or else it's $4 per mask. This is a nice and calm place to visit. However I took away a star as the lion sanctuary is totally overgrown with weeds and knocked over trees. It really does need to be maintained.

Chuck Johnson

The price for admission is fair and so are the prices for the activities. It's not an overcrowded zoo so it's easy to view the animals and take your time. There is giraffe feeding, carousel, train, koi fish feeding, and a nice park. I would not suggest eating the food there. I overheard a snack bar employee on the phone with their boss complaining about how dirty dishes have been neglected all week. Also, the prices are very inflated. $5 to $10 price range for food and drinks. Also keep in mind to enter the zoo you will need to wear a mask or else it's $4 per mask. This is a nice and calm place to visit. However I took away a star as the lion sanctuary is totally overgrown with weeds and knocked over trees. It really does need to be maintained.

Jeff Ingalls

Tried to order tickets online since that is what is required at this time. When going to check out there is no option to input credit card information to pay, and I couldn’t purchase tickets. The number on their website is constantly busy, and if you happen to get the line the operator doesn’t answer. I finally got ahold of someone in the gift shop, and she said I had to email her boss that is in charge of customer service-that she doesn’t do phone calls. UHM, WHAT?! She assured me that her boss would get back to me right away..it has now been more than 24 hours, and I have yet to hear from anyone. Absolutely terrible customer service, and one very upset toddler. Will never be going there.

Tom Ranney

No

Jennifer Broghammer

Nice small zoo made for an enjoyable day

Gage Cantrell

I love this zoo. It isn't huge but it has a lot to see. And several new exhibits this year. And the ability to get so close to the smaller critters is really nice.

Jackie Timmons

Lovely small zoo. Well thought out. Plenty to do/see for all ages.

Sarah Croft

It was okay, not enough variety animals to see. Too many exhibits were empty. They now charge $3 for parking. Kids are only $6.50 to get in but all the add ons from train ride, feeding birds, carousel is also each $3.00 so it can easily be $15 per kid. Adults $9 with out any add ons. Once you get to the ticket booth they ask, did you park a car today? Uh... Yes. I kinda wanted to reply, "no we teleported" They have multiple of the same animals in different areas. Attractions are pretty spaced out, wear tennis shoes, bring a stroller. Lots of walking. They do have some nice shaded areas to sit.

Sue Cooper

My Grandson Zekey and I had a wonderful day and enjoyed the zoo under the circumstances of Covid-19, can't wait until next year when everything is open.

M Smeltser

I absolutely loved this zoo! Adults were $9 children $6.50 with a $3 parking fee which is one of the cheapest I have seen. We were the only ones at the zoo the day we went because of the bad weather. (Call me crazy) we still rode the train, fed the giraffe's, and saw the majority of animals. We spent about 2 and a half hours here. The only thing I was upset about missing was the face painting but, I understand why they didn't have it going. The gift shop was fair priced we purchased 5 stuffed animals, toys, a youth hoodie, and a lion on a stick and had only spent $105 which to me was amazing considering the zoo's I have been to want OUTRAGEOUS amounts of money for a stuffed animal and the Niabi was VERY FAIR IN PRICING!

Victoria McKown

Taken all of my kids here. Small but treated very well zoo.

Terri Reynolds

Reasonably priced and just perfect for taking my 2 year old too. He loves the train ride❤

Elayna Keime

Always so much fun to go to the zoo! And they're taking a lot of extra precautions which is great to see. Make sure you buy everything online before you go cuz you can't buy it at the zoo.

Ralph Caddel

Not sure

Andrew Nelson

Great up going to this zoo. Has it's flaws like any other place. Just hope they keep improving as they can!

Kevin Fletcher

Lots of fun for a family outing especially if you have little ones. I love that they provide scooter rental for those that can't walk around easily!

Amber Kaczinski

Is a smaller zoo but a great place to take the kiddos

Sean Smith

Very disappointing. Many of the exhibits were closed up. Didn't get to see too many animals. The grandkids enjoyed feeding the fish , riding the carousel and riding the train.

Meagan Nielsen

Absolutely beautiful zoo and park. INTENSE procedures with covid to get in and all indoor enclosures are closed. But once you get in, good experience, great animals. Nice staff. Masks were required but once you get in, you can pull them down and pull them back up when near others.

Ben Houtekier

Perfect size of zoo! Great animals and there is a very fun TRAIN that allows you to see nearly everything by riding it!

emily erickson

This is a great zoo for this area. My kids love it and the membership is a good deal. Very walkable for young kids without a stroller.

tina kerres

Had a great visit. Lots of helpful volunteers and easy to see animals. My only complaint is they change extra for everything, making your experience significantly more expensive if you want to feed animals or ride the train.

Bee Rok

We are a family of 4 kids our grandmother took us thinking it would be a blast. First of all in my opinion it was overpriced for what was advertised vs. What we actually saw. The food wasn’t half bad... it was all bad. And all of soft drinks were flat and the slushes where all sugar with nasty food coloring. The best thing was the playground and we could have just gone to the local park - Lily, age:11 It was pretty crappy. Everything that was actually fun costed and added 30 bucks. The Hot dogs tasted like they came from a Can. -Lucy ,age:8 I’m angry, the food was terrible. Do they make the food in a fire on the floor? Charlie,age 6 Okay you are a bad zoo like the only fun things were the train and the playground and I hate the shushes like did you put sugar in water and dyed it blue and red I hate your zoo and everything costs so much money and you need tickets for everything ,at Peoria zoo you don’t need tickets you just need money ,your zoo was not very fun and you wasted my grandmas money- Leah age 9 I drove an hour to take my grandkids to your zoo we always wanted to go. But we were very disappointed the food wasn’t edible My grandson’s hotdog was hard as a rock as is my granddaughter’s pretzel it was obvious that they had been cooked a long time beforehand. Compared the the Perioria Zoo there just wasn’t many animals. We won’t be returning any time soon. Debbie age 60

Chris Bierman

Waste of time and money. Be ready to pay an extra $3 for parking on top of the outrageous prices for admission and train ride. Also, pack a cooler. The beverage machine charges $4 for bottle water. Many of the exhibits are empty and under construction. What a shame to see what this has turned into.

Virgil DeVilder

Nice, clean zoo. Everything cost extra aside from looking at the animals. There were a lot of exhibits that were empty with signs indicating a new exhibit was coming soon. Many areas that can improve.

Debra Price

Many exhibits are closed but they have renovated some of the enclosures.

Ben Allbee

Was a lot of fun. Some animals werent out. Was too hot for them. But not the zoos fault. Was a great time.

Rick Kowzic

No bathrooms or place to get drinks open in big part of the zoo. Hard to find staff to ask questions. Loved seeing all the animals and kids had fun.

Tessa Geerts

Price for adult entry

Emily Cole

This is not a very large zoo but it is well taken care of. All the habitat and enclosures are clean and kept up. All the people working there were friendly.

Darlene Hann

This zoo is great with the aspects of train rides and the animals, but now that COVID restrictions are set, you need a mask to enter the gift shop. Not a big deal, right? However, they SELL masks to those who didn't bring them. And if one was to leave an item behind in their car, they cannot re-enter the zoo. Just about everywhere masks are GIVEN OUT FOR FREE if it's required, nobody should have to buy them if they're required. Absolutely dissapointed by this.

Catalina Critten

Nice zoo. Not too spread out. Kids enjoyed being able to feed giraffes and the petting zoo. The train is a fun way to get a look at where you want to go for a closer look

Susan Moulden

I used to love taking my daughter to this zoo. She is 7 and every year since she is born we take her once maybe twice a summer. I went this past weekend and was so upset. First of all now they charge parking!!!!! They charge 3.00 for parking okay I was like okay let it go is just parking. We used to buy the tickets at certain places if we wanted to get on, you know we see the train ok... let's get on and we pay for the tickets there. We wanted to feed the parakeets and okay lets pay here is so convenient. We had to walk back to the counter to feed the birds and when we get to the birds it was a joke the pretty colored green ones are not there any more now they have those store birds such a waste of time and money since we didnt get that much food. I am honestly so upset with this zoo. I will not be going anymore. I rather just drive and go to chicago at least the animals are there.

Nicole Conger

This place is amazing I can't wait to back again. Wish they had some gorillas and maybe some bears. But still amazing thou!

MB S.

Perfect zoo to bring a child to. There are a lot of animals to see but it was small enough that you could get through it fairly quickly.

Carol Nolan

Not many animals to see. They charge to get in and then they charge for the train, Carousel and feeding the giraffes which is pretty much all you can do since there aren't really any animals.

Allen Clayton

Grandbaby had fun but too much closed due to covid. Reptile house closed but come in and shop at the souvenir shop?? Buy tickets on line ahead of time but no refunds if weather is bad for the day you bought, not fair?

Taylor Jackson

Nothing to see except petting zoo. Only other animals we saw were 2 Giraffes, one Wolf, and one Zebra. All other cages were either empty or animals hidden from the public. Gift shop was clean but not much in souvenirs. Snack shack (only one we saw), had pretty much no good choices. Lots of room for improvement.

Lindsey S.

I wanted to give it NO starts but I couldn't...they now charge $3 for parking and $9 for walking thru a zoo with half the exhibits closed or coming soon. If all your animals are not there don't charge full price! Won't be back...

Heidi Pedersen

Fun day with my grandson. Loved the animals but wasn't crazy about paying 4.25 for a bottle of water. Prices went up a lot since I was there 2 years ago. I would have cost over 100$ if I took my other 3 grandkids. Not counting food or gift shop.

Cindy Michel

Lots of great things to see and friendly staff. Feeding the birds as an extra was amazing, do it! feeding the giraffes though you'll be rushed and through a gate. It's not the staff's fault, but for 5 bucks it'll last you about 8 seconds, it's still a great moment.

Kyle McKee

Great place to spend the day. Rated 4/5 stars only because the food options (especially for kids) was pretty lame. Kids lunch options were two items - PB&J or a hot dog. I will be packing a lunch for future trips. But there's a great variety of exhibits and the train ride was fun. Great playground as well.

Zac Weismann

DONT visit this zoo, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. We paid full price to see some of the animals and ZERO exhibits, they should let customers know that especially since you have to make a reservation to visit. No bears, no elephants, and most animals were sleeping or hidden in areas where they cant be seen. Lastly the grounds keeper was a very rude nasty older guy who made his presence known numerous times throughout the trip.

Randall Lashbrook

Yes

Brianna Fernandez

Not worth the price. We payed $57 for 4 people. 1 adult, 1 kid, and 2 toddlers. It was hot so many of the animals were hidden and the animals we did see were farm animals like chickens, donkey, rabbit, and goats. Being from Iowa, we see those on a regular basis and if you want to do anything else you have to pay quite a bit for it. It's not a terrible place to be at but definitely not worth the price.

Tim & Carolann Manon

Great zoo, would absolutely recommend it. Yes, it's pricey, so what? And, you can't blame the zoo for you not being able to see the animals. It's hot, they're living creatures, they get hot, get over it.

Kristina Blake

This place is awesome. My daughter had a blast riding the train and feeding the animals. The 3 hour time blocks for families during the pandemic was such a smart idea. We got done with all of it just in time and we didn't have to worry about crowds or long lines for any events. My family is gonna be going here a lot in the future

David Wallace

This was the first time going to this Zoo, I went on Sat Sep 24, 2016 Well never will I go back again. First I had to Pay for 4 adults and 2 kids which cost me almost 60.00 to get in. Once in there are very few animals at all most of the cages were totally empty. The animals that were there were so sickly looking even a camel was laying totally on its side with its back leg twitching I thought it was dying. Not one cage did I see any food for the animals, or fresh or clean water to drink. There were a few water holes in maybe 3 of the cages but the water was so green and bubbles or soapy looking on top that it looked as if poisoned. The only time I seen any food for any animal you had to pay for it. Had to pay $4.00 for two little leaf of lettuce for my son to feed the giraffe, and $2.00 for a little cup of some kind of green juice to feed the birds in this one cage. Other then that most of the animals there were available to see on a farm. Pigs , goats, chickens, rabbits, lama's and cows. If I wanted to see that I would have gone to a farm to see that. This place was a total disgrace for a zoo or even saying they are a zoo. IF anything someone should contact the local authority and report animal cruelty. Hell even dogs in a pound have it better then these animals had it. Little to no shade, no water, no food, dirty cages, smelled bad, and cost a lot for nothing there but sick looking animals. I even tried to look for someone who worked at the zoo to report the camel which was laying on it side and couldn't find anyone other then the people collecting money at the door. Don't waste your money going there, Hell what you pay you can put into gas and drive to St. Louis to a real Zoo.

koreighsheighn

Very disappointed with our last visit. Prices keep going up. Train ride is ridiculously priced. Now charging parking fee as well. A Lot of exhibits down or coming soon. More animals being taken away every time we go. A Lot of enclosures looked really run down and full of weeds especially leopard areas. They never used to look like that. Many animals just pacing back and forth. Looking very sad. On a good note it is just right for a toddler. Not tons of walking. Giraffe enclosure is very nice. But definitely shouldn't be charging full price if half the exhibits are down.

Bonnie Hanz

Visited on

Robin Cooper

Great smaller zoo. We were able to see everything without it taking from dawn until dusk. Kids loved the play area just inside the entrance. One minus: Wish the train and carousel were included with admission. One plus: It is nice to have some zoo personnel telling you about the exhibits.

Bob Ward

Quite impressive for a small local zoo! It doesn't have a lot of the frills and extra features that a larger zoo would, but that's not what we go to zoos for, anyway. Surprisingly, there were a few animals that I have not seen at other zoos before. The highlight of our visit was getting to feed lettuce to the giraffes. There weren't many people there, so we got to talk to a staff member about the giraffes for quite a while.

Lynn White

Very disappointed in our visit to Niabi Zoo today.. Brought friends from Arizona here and I was embarrassed. Not like it used to be with petting zoo, mountain goats, bears, music playing, butterfly chairs among other animals Not worth paying full price also now charging for parking would not recommend it.

Angie Bencze

Great little zoo for young kids as you can do the whole zoo in a few hours. They also have a carousel, giraffe feeding, bird and fish feeding, petting zoo, playground, and a train that takes you around the zoo which my kids LOVE! The prices are great, we go every year!

Rhinda Skinner

We loved seeing the animals and the atmosphere. Not many people were there when we last went. Well worth the trip.

Caren Freil

Covid taking a toll here too. Prices ridiculous--$4.00 a Gatorade and $4.75 for a hot dog. Ladies bathroom not very clean. A fair number of exhibits closed, including Petting zoo.

Alexander Butler

Its not a large budget zoo. I'd love to see it in full operation but currently you only have a 3 hour window to see half the exhibits at full price due to Covid. We considered it more of a donation to support the animals by going.

Daniel Rhea

Great little zoo! Lots of different animals to see. Great for kids and it is an easy walk. Has a train around the zoo and parakeets you can feed. New things are being added and exhibits are being updated. So check them out!

Sulabh Jain

Niabi Zoo is a great smaller city zoo. We have great animals- giraffes, snow leopards, bobcats, parakeets, fish, birds, snakes, meerkats. They have a great train and a carousel. It is always fun. But tonight was a fun raiser called "Pints for Preservation". No animal houses were open, but there were a LOT of beer tasting stations. As a non-beer drinker, I still tried some. A couple were quite good. It was a disappointment to not see many animals out, but hopefully the money raised will make the zoo even better.

Bret Hochstetler

Though the zoo has definitely improved in some areas, there's still a lot of work to do and it pales in comparison to other zoos in similar metro areas. Still, I have great memories of Niabi Zoo ever since I was a kid riding the train for the first time. The giraffe's are definitely a highlight for me, and if they ever got rid of the train, I doubt I'd ever come back. They are in the process of replacing the elephant exhibit. There's also a carousel, a little petting zoo, and a cool Australian area. If you live in the Quad Cities, it's really your only choice in a decent zoo, but if you're willing to drive 2-3 hours, there are much better options. Also, at the end of this season in 2016, there has been a change of leadership and quite a few employees have left. It will be interesting to see how things shake out and if the zoo can thrive next year.

James Cheek

Had a great time with my granddaughter I ♥️❤️ the Sloth but he was sleeping so I didn't get to see his cute face.but the other animals we did see were awesome.

Jim Posthemus

I enjoy having a zoo close to home.. and the gardens and grounds are wonderfully kept... but now you have to pay extra to park (used to be free)... pay extra for the train.. pay extra for the carousel and pay to go into feed the birds (used to be free) and the water at the water fountains was disgusting :(

Olivia juarez

Worth a visit if you live in the area. I was surprised at the variety of animals. I wish more things were free. Gets kind of pricey if you want the family to do a train ride, feed the parakeets and feed the giraffes...all have separate fees. The reason I give 4 instead of 5 stars is I thought the visibility of the animals could be better. Many that were behind glass were behind very dirty glass. A little a Windex would go a long way towards a 5 star rating.

Pamela Myers

Seems like not all the animals are out when we go. But still the kids always have a great time! I love all the shade this zoo has. Prices are high with food and drinks but thats to be expected. Over all alwayw enjoy our selfs. Very helpful crew who know lots of facts about all the animals.

Beverly Nixon

Sorry to say but it was a waste of time. I know they say the weeds are natural habitat but it was ridiculous. You couldn't see the animals through the weeds. I was very disappointed with the way the zoo is kept up and the number of animals they have. The large bird house was full of parakeets. Nothing to exciting.

Janelle Thies

A very fun little zoo. Lots for kids to do and mildly entertaining for adults. It is a pretty small complex overall but there looks like there is a lot that is going to happen. The food at the park was bad however. Cheap, but bad. You get what you pay for. I would suggest bringing your own food, but otherwise, very fun.

Lillian Hubl

Definitely not as nice as the years and experiences I had as a child or when taking my children and grandchildren there. The exhibits were full of so much grass and weeds that you had to search for the animals. This might be due to the fact we spent the last year dealing with Covid-19. Hopefully it will shape up better for summer. Many of the animals were not it their exhibits and 3 buildings with exhibits were closed to the zoo visitors.

Lillian Hubl

Great zoo, small, but inexpensive and well kept. Boo at the zoo was great as well. Get there early.

Oh Yeah

All the animals looks unhappy some where over weight. The petting zoo only half 2 different types of animals you could pet one of which was afraid and looks as tho if you pet him he would bite you. The cages for the animals were small the zebras had no grass just a bunch of dirt to walk on plus they had an ostrich in with the, but the giraffes had plenty of grass most of the cages were so crappy you couldn't see the animals or you'd be so far away and then almost all of the cages were empty I'm sorry but you ganna charge someone $9 a person make it worth the while cuz I went thru that whole zoo in less in an hour. This zoo use to be great now all the animals look so unhappy I went to the Omaha zoo and they were great the animals were happy moving around playing with each other it was fun one more thing the prices on everything at this zoo over rated... screw this zoo shut it down and send the animals to a place where they will be happier because your zoo sucks I will never go back there again.

Khloe Sissom

Perfect day for the Zoo we seen all the animals and the bugs were not terrible! Had a great time with my girls ❤

Carly Siriann

Worst experience drove 6 hours and spent $130.00. Not hardly a animal to be seen!!!!! Talk about a RIPOFF!!!!!! would NEVER RECCOMEND THIS PLACE!!!! SHOULD POST NOT ALL ANIMAL CAN BE SEEN. Said no tickets available for train but it was continued to run. No where on the website nor was it posted anywhere nor were you told that half of their attractions and exhibits were closed it would have been a little different if they would have said or let you know before you wasted money on tickets. This is a sneaky way of basically selling a lemon to you basically theft .

Brianna Ryder

It is nice for a small zoo. For bringing small children too it seems perfect since it takes only about an hour to an hour and a half to look through. By that time the kids are usually ready to sit and eat. There is a playground with plenty of picnic tables as well if they want to play some more. Also, not too expensive, they have a train ride, a carousel, option to feed goats, fish, giraffes, and birds. Those all cost extra, the cheapest being feeding the goats or fish.

Kjerstina House

Wait time

Aimee S.

This was a very nice zoo! Had a great time feeding the giraffes and checking out the other animals. Zoo was very clean!

Jenna Hart

Great Little Zoo. Clean. Nice exhibits.

Hillery Chambers

Nice but wish the buildings were open. Even due to the covid. Makes it pointless if you can't get into half the stuff and out of the heat.

Richard Shewmake

Went and paid $9 and saw a half empty park. Train ride is ridiculously priced. Now charging parking fee as well. A Lot of exhibits down or coming soon. They never used to look like that. Many animals just pacing back and forth. Looking very sad. On a good note it is just right for a toddler. Not tons of walking. Giraffe enclosure is very nice. But definitely shouldn't be charging full price if half the exhibits are down. I would of seen more animals at a farm. Plenty of shade so that's nice.

Kent Ferris

I wanted to give it NO starts but I couldn't...they now charge $3 for parking and $9 for walking thru a zoo with half the exhibits closed or coming soon. If all your animals are not there don't charge full price! Won't be back...

Genevieve Lawrence

Such an enjoyable place. I've been to many zoos across the US and even though this is a smaller zoo than the major cities, I was so impressed with the variety of animals. I've seen the big animals at every other zoo so I don't always get that excited for them but what Niabi has, besides some big animals, are many small animals I've never seen in person and a few I've never even heard of. The large animals they do have were easy to view. The giraffe feeding encounter was amazing. The grounds were well maintained and had peaceful surroundings. It was large enough to keep us busy for almost the whole day but not so big we had to rush or couldn't see everything. I thought the prices were very reasonable compared to many other zoos I've been to. And the staff was so friendly and relaxed.

Bryan & Lacey Thirtyacre

Our grandchildren love the reptile house. I love the slow motion movements of the stately giraffe. Our 4 year old favors the new playground, train ride, and merry go round. Chili dogs our favorite lunch.

Lea Ann Bishop

We have been members of the Niabi Zoo for 3 years and love it! They are constantly improving! They have great programs! We love breakfast with the animals and Boo at the Zoo!

Taylor Reid

Great little zoo, very affordable. One of my kids' favorite places.

Jonna Gagnon

Visited on

Christine Henderson

Loved this small zoo! Just the right amount of things to see and it was very pretty and clean. Great for taking little ones. Wish we would have known about it sooner.

Pearl Gibson

This is the perfect sized zoo to meander for an afternoon. It’s affordable and clean. Small enough for our Grandparents to not get too tired trying to keep up with rambunctious kiddos!

Robert Bethke

Don't bother. We went on a rainy day and knew not a lot of animals would be out but expected to be able to view the indoor exhibits. NOPE NONE of the buildings were open. One outdoor exhibit said opening in May, it was locked. We visited on May 15th. $40 down the drain. Might consider going back on a nice day but I'll be making sure the whole zoo is open.

GOHAWKSWIN

October is a best-kept secret at Niabi. Smaller crowds make for more interactive animals. The zebras came out to greet my grandson, and he was thrilled! Thanks, Niabi, for more great memories!

Doug Bonick

A perfect day at the zoo! It's nice to see the changes being made.

D. T.

$4 for a disposable paper mask if you'd like to enter indoor buildings, such as gift shop. Excellent way to take advantage of customers. Also a $4 parking charge per vehicle. Peoria zoo is much larger and has free parking. St Louis zoo also has free options. Seems like they are nickel and diming quite a bit.

Diana Johnson

Very few animals out. Couldn’t go in animal houses without a mask. Even tho the mask mandate has been lifted. Just all in very disappointed. Not worth price of admission. Heck, not even worth the drive.

Lori H

This is a small walkable zoo perfect for toddlers. It's never too busy. It's Koi pound and domestic animal area is sure to peak you little one's interest. Good way to spend 1 to 2 hours.

Andrea Hickerson

Not a bad little zoo. Paid for a family membership, which if you live in the area and plan to visit often it seems like a good deal ($75). Not a great selection of animals but enough there to keep kids entertained.

Elizabeth Burns

Beautiful day to go to the Zoo!! 1 of my favorite places!! Great Zoo make your reservation while you can!!

Tristan Green

Visited on

susn thor

The train ride is fun and so is the merry go round but they no longer have many animals. They do have a animal feeding part that has some donkeys, goats, a type of cow, rabbits, and chickens. They have a time to feed the giraffes, but I would rather make a drive to Chicago or Peoria

Terri Mohler

Go between 75 and 80 degrees temperature to have the best possible experience and have the animals out and moving. It was the best day ever and I've been to the Niabi Zoo 4 years in a row. Perfect for a daycare or parent with multiples as it is open and easy to keep up with little ones. Two stars for the food but I can't take that out on the zoo as I could have easily gone elsewhere to get a bite to eat close

Leah D

Small but well kept. Plenty of unique animals for a zoo of this size. Can easily be done in about three hours, but admission is only around $12 with parking.

Jodi Larson

Niabi is really starting to look better. The newer little oceans exhibit is cute. It's too bad that there are rarely any free/discount days and that you have to pay for parking but I also understand why. Hopefully all we'll see is more improvement and growth here at this small town zoo. It's been a place I've been going to since I was I child and now a place I've been taking my kids for the last 14 years. Keep up the good work!

Marj Osborn

Clean and perfect size for small children(and their grandparents). Hard to see some animals because their settings are made to be as natural for the animals as possible which is understandable. Train ride and merry go round are a nice break from the walking. Not a large amount of animals.

joel drury

Had a great time at World's Lion's Day at the Niabi Zoo. We did all attractions and experienced every featured animal on the property. Awesome educational and fun experience!

Aaron Boyer

Great place to go and spend the afternoon, disappointed the Australian exhibit was closed for the season, besides that overall it was great.

Realdealchs ____

I was so disappointed with all the weeds supposedly natural habitat for animals. I had granddaughters 3 & 5 who became bored. Almost impossible for them to see animals! Had to lift them up to see and get a certain angle just to barely get a glimpse ! Every thing was $$ $3 to park before even getting in! I had always enjoyed this zoo won’t be back anytime soon ????

Debbie Brady

I will never return to this zoo again it was very boring and small. They didn't really have no animals to look at me and my family was highly disappointed when we left. Totally as waste of our time and money.

Tracy McIntosh

Not terrible for a small zoo but kind of pricey for what you get. A lot of exhibits are coming soon or under construction. To exit the zoo you have to go thru a turnstile, but it is not big enough for an electric wheel chair, when we asked a staff member where can we exit since we couldn't go thru the turnstile and they just directed us back to the turnstile. We told them again the wheel chair won't fit and he just told us he didn't know then.

Melissa Elliott

Very disappointed in this zoo. We registered online for our tickets. It said nothing about closing at 3. It said nothing about some of the exhibits being closed. Nothing about the carousel and the train being closed. The snow leopards had no water at all. They looked miserable. I paid for my grandkids to look at basically nothing for an hour. The website is very hard to understand. It said I bought tickets at 2 pm to go to the zoo at 9 am. That doesn't make much sense does it??The hours say they are open till 4. They made us leave at 3. I've been going to this zoo since I was a child. This is the worst I've ever seen it. The upkeep is horrible. I will not be going back to this zoo. I had to tell my grandkids that I will take them to a real zoo soon. Sad. Just sad.

Hadley Smith

$6–10

Mario Gluck

Great place for kids. They have reasonable number of specimens including large cats. Giraffe feeding costs money but is an interesting activity for kids. The employees are very knowledgeable and kind.

Charles Morrison

Its was a lot of fun there and extremely kid friendly!! My boys had a wonderful time and all of the animals were out and about loving life as best as they can be. Worth the trip if you are around the area.

Alexandria Contreras

No wait

Meghan Evans

Love the zoo,would like to take my grandkids more,but it is a real costly day..I think to charge for parking is crazy and 375 for train ride?Sure you are making plenty to keep it running without such a high price.

Carol Hightower (The Hightowers)

The zoo was an enjoyable experience. Lots of things to do for the kids. And the bird calling out “ momma, momma” was memorable as was the giraffe feedings was a really cool way to see them up close.

Sue Cole

The zoo was looking pretty run-down, and the staff screwed me out of $51 by not accepting my Fun Bundle pass. I am VERY disappointed, and will not be renewing my membership next year.

george c.

Great small zoo with lots to see and do, awesome spot for toddlers. The train alone was worth the trip.

Chad Rentfro

Wait time

Nicole Covington

Great small little zoo to visit with your family and at a great price ????

CheriAnne Bethke

Great time! We love going and spending a few hours checking out the animals. Only thing is it's getting a bit pricey to enjoy the full experience.

Koree Clymer

This is a great zoo to take the kids to, obviously it’s not a huge city zoo! But if you are in the Quad City area (or live in Eastern Iowa or Western Illinois) it’s definitely worth doing once a year or more with kids!!!

christin maiers

Some exhibits are still closed but overall a very fun time for the family.

Emy Miller

My grandcuties really enjoyed the zoo. Its pretty small, not a lot of variety of animals

Dan Oliver

Super excited to be back after this shut down. If you don't mind getting stalked by a leopard you'll love it to.

guitar jamming

Great afternoon at Niabi with 1st Grandbaby ! Very clean ! Just the right size zoo for taking an 8 month old baby .

S. Ramirez

Only picking 1 star because it could not be zero. This was the worst zoo trip ever. Only saw 3 animals. All of the others were "closed" because the inside one's closed due to covid or it's too cold. Last trip to this zoo.

Turtle T.

Very disappointed with the shape this zoo is in. The weeds were so overgrown, the animals didn't have a place to cool off, all the water was green and stagnant! If the staffing is short due to covid-19, then something needs to be done for these poor animals. They all looked miserable, well the ones you could actually see. Which is very few. The Australian outback exhibit is a joke, parakeets really? This used to be one of my favorite zoos and I'll definitely not be returning here. Paid $4 for parking and the lot was empty, just a joke!

Stephanie Ertz

The grounds were overgrown and the buildings needed a coat of paint. Very few animals in the petting zoo. I was a bit embarrassed to take our Chicago kids and grandkids there.

Jennifer Craig

We went on a Tuesday because the tickets were discounted. While the zoo is small the low price made it very reasonable and we were willing to pay to feed the birds and ride the train. Our kids had a great time.

Debra Hadenfeldt

I have been going to niabi most of my life. This last visit was the most expensive (and we didn't do the train ride or anything extra). There weren't as many animals as previous visits. Only parakeets (that you weren't allowed to go into without paying extra) and a black goose in the Australian exhibit. Wasn't thrilled with this visit. I could have gone to Peoria and seen more for less.

michael skirmont

It's a decent zoo, great for kids, they love it! They are adding a lot if new animals soon, we currently have bats, that's new and different.

Rachelle Akerson

This so is ok, but was much better before the pandemic. As of this writing, they are still oddly operating in a pandemic state. Masks are required, indoor attractions are mostly closed, and many animal exhibits are as well. You have to buy tickets for the zoo and "extras" ahead of time, and extras (like the train) are operating at greatly reduced capacity so no extras are available at time of visit. We certainly won't go back until they are operating normally again.

Gerri Atkins

Don't waste your money. There are many exhibits that are empty with no animals. The animals are unhappy. They need to build better exhibits and bring in more animals and up the ticket price to help with costs of doing so. I'd rather pay more money to see an improved zoo.

Nathan Lewis

Nice local zoo to visit and take the kids, grandparents or a group. My daughter always enjoyed riding the train. It's not quite the same without Cathy Shaboom, (The elephant). I cannot remember how many years she was there but she sure was LOVED by many.

julia martin

No wait

Jennifer Carlson

I enjoy walking with my girls in the stroller around the zoo. It’s a good size for an afternoon excursion. They take good care of their facility and have fun events like Boo at the Zoo.

Pam Huber

I really hate to leave a bad review for this place, but the cost just makes it not worth it. We go to this zoo about every two years. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's lacking. This time, it was lacking. Our visit was $27 - two adults, parking, 2 people for the parakeets. I can't believe they charge for parking. That's nuts! And $3 to go in the parakeet area? The amount of seed on the stick you can feed them is about the size of a dime. It was gone in 30 seconds. So many things cost extra INSIDE the zoo. And a lot of the exhibits were "coming soon" or in transition. No elephants, no penguins, no parrots or wallabys, no bears. Drink vending machines were $4 and the water fountains were cloudy and smelled like bleach. I really want to see this place succeed. I feel like if they lowered the prices of some of the things, more people would come. No one wants to see a zoo fail, esp for the sake of the animals in its care. But this place needs work. Several years ago (five?) it was in really decent shape. I will say that I do like the "natural" prairie that's in place of the grass. That's a nice touch; environmentally-friendly, too.

Valery Rapier

It was beautiful day and the animals were active and the crowd was nice. My grand daughter and I had a great day. P.s met a group of people from out of the area and they thought it was great fun.

John Freiburger

What a joke zoo, every time I go it gets worse n worse. More than half the exhibits are empty & the ones that actually have animals all look half dead and their terrarium is overgrown and gross. The attractions are either broken (the train) or cost extra..and the consession stand is only open at the front gate, so if wanting to refill your souvenir cup you have to walk all the way back. Also, now they charge for parking. The only thing I liked was the fish pond.

robert W.

Wait time

David Trigg

My grandkids loved it. The interactive exhibits were their favorite. Feeding the parakeets and giraffes. Their mother was recording a video and you can just hear the excitement and wonder in their voices. It is a bit pricey though. Especially the food and drink. I understand they have to maintain and feed the animals. But $4.00 for water, I didnt see any water fountains so you have to pay for it. They do rent, 2 mobility chairs, wheelchair, and strollers.

Dan Sheehan

To me it looked sad and overgrowen... half the exhibits were closed and the truth is we were disappointed... it was the first time for my husband and myself and we were talking with some people visiting there and they said that it used to be much better...we had hoped for a better experience.

Richard Juarez

Weekend

Mackenzie Wakela.sWakela

Visited on

K M

Weekend

Stephanie Lock

It was Awesome! First time seeing a White Rhino! We will be back!

Benjamin Dickerson

I feel like the petting zoo should be open and organized with safety of course. Just like they have the giraffe feedings. But not have anyone pay for the petting zoo. Also one of the exhibits was closed the whole time but stated they would return shortly from disinfecting the exhibit. The lion was out cold.

Heather Williams

We just visited this zoo and really enjoyed it! At first we were skeptical because of online reviews, so asked friends on Facebook. Many recommended it. Made the 2 hour drive and didnt regret it. The grounds were nicely kept and was busy but didnt feel like there were people in your way. Prices were comparable to other zoos.

Kim Schmidt

You have to pay for parking but no one checks for it and there are plenty of open spots. Very small zoo. Unless you are very bored of have tiny children would not recommend. Snack shack is a mess with the typical unhealthy soda and chips. I got loaded nachos and some of the ingredients were cold.

Elizabeth Witt

The staff and young volunteers were wonderful! Loved all the animals...I will come back.

Ry2d2

Reservation recommended

carolyn neff

It is a nice small scale zoo with a train, carousel, koi pond. At this time alot of the enclosures were closed, empty it sleeping. All we really seen were the giraffes. I would wait until fully open and the enclosures had actual animals instead of weeds.

Maria Vazquez

Very disappointing!! We get there, had to pay for parking which there were no signs saying that, then paud full price, no train was running, petting zoo was closed and half the exhibits had no animals to see. There was only one indoor exhibit opened. Was a waste of 48.00 if you ask me. I understand there is covid going on but the price should reflect that. Brought my grandkids who are visiting from another state and it was just disappointing. Won't be visiting again this year .

Sue Grchan

Nice zoo with some good animals. Long time since been to zoo. Kids liked it.

Mary Hebeler

Nice smaller zoo. They have desert chameleons I have not seen at larger zoos. My favorite was being nose to nose with an African porcupine. Everyone should take a train ride. Grounds are in native plants to support native bees and butterflies.

Kenneth Muldoon

Niabi is a well maintained small zoo that is perfect for young children, their parents, and grandparents! Plenty of trees and prairie to make the walk cool and peaceful. Just enough animal experiences for the very young.

nicole koehn

Said all the exhibits were open but barely any animals like most were empty.

Travis Poulin

Had a great afternoon at the zoo with the family. Very beautiful animals and unique reptiles. Not expensive... And very fun...

Lavon Macko

Our star gazing was lots oh fun. The qc astronomy group was out and setup weather worked out was nice night for it

T tsholt

Great for little ones, carry in coolers allowed and plenty of picnic space! Giraff feeding was amazing, and no real crowd. We look forward to coming back with our baby next year since it's so low key.

Joshua Gray

It was kind of different have to have an appointment to get into the zoo get to have your tickets already online but they have a rhino there now which is nice and it's the best zoo in town

Kathy Pica

We have a season pass and love everything about this place. How you can bring your own lunch to the park and eat it there for a nice picnic. We love the train & carousel rides too. Getting to feed the fish and goats are my favorite. Getting a season pass lets you go to private events like the Easter egg hunt they have there yearly that my four kids always enjoy!

denice mcpartlin

Fantastic ????, cool weather animals were out. Train ride always a delight!!

Erran Pratt

Great zoo for an area our size. Lots of beautiful animals, clean park, lots of fun for our kids.

Randin Letendre

Too far to travel for the price, half the exhibits were closed. I only went because of my grandchildren, I will probably not return.

Beth Martens

This seemed like a fun place to go, but when I went there wasn't much there. I mean I loved seeing the animals and the petting zoo was great. There just wasn't enough. I would recoomend this place for a child.

Jennifer K

Reservation recommended