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January 2024 by Barb N.
The zoo was great BUT we Parkes in a handicapped spot and made sure the placard was hanging from the rear view mirror and got a ticket two hours later for not paying to park. Three of us and mom in a wheelchair and none of saw any signs saying we had to pay for parking. I doubt there are any. Why punish us when they didn't have any visible signs by the handicapped parking. It's crap! Would not recommend going for that reason.. animals were great!
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January 2024 by Ina T.
Came for a field trip with my daughter. I was first in line so I got in right when they opened and as I made my way through you could clearly feel they were still opening. Went to the Keiki zoo area and nothing was ready/open Workers were still cleaning up preparing things, no hello or nothing to tell us when they'll be ready. We left and walked around the zoo, many exhibits seemed empty. No Tiger, elephant, etc. Thankfully I'm Kamaaina and had a discount, if I paid full price I would've been so disappointed. My daughter is only 5 so she was ok but as the paying adult when we are clearly coming to the zoo to see these beautiful animals and they're not there even after making rounds to come back to specific ones that weren't there earlier, it was a bummer. Her class only stayed until 12 and even then didn't get to see some of the animals still.
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January 2024 by Michelle H.
The Honolulu zoo on the edge of Waikiki is a great place for locals to take younger kids, especially if you get an annual membership (starts at $50 for 2 adults, kids 2 and under are free). It is definitely a smaller zoo and the animals are often hiding from the hot sun, but the walking paths are great, and you are allowed to bring your own food inside, which is a huge added bonus. Would recommend coming as close to opening as possible, when the day is a bit cooler. There are various animal feedings throughout the day, which are definitely fun if you're able to catch them. They also have holiday specific events and special tours/after hours concerts throughout the year.We enjoy the playground and great lawn in the middle of the zoo, as well as the interactive goat petting area inside the Keiki zoo. Annual membership is a great value, though the price was just raised last year. Individual day pass prices are a bit high for the zoo experience, in my opinion, especially without a kamaaina discount. The parking lot directly outside is reasonably priced, although it gets very crowded especially on the weekends with Waikiki beachgoers competing for spots as well. There's also nearby street parking and free parking at Waikiki Shell if you don't mind a little farther of a walk.Make sure to apply sunscreen and bug spray. Be aware that there is always a huge line at the entrance at 10 AM opening each day. There is a separate line on the right hand side for members only. If you plan to visit at least twice, consider an annual membership with your family!
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January 2024 by Darwin P.
I would've gave this Zoo a 6 star if I could've. There is plenty Zoo parking, so the drive here is good. After getting your admission tickets, you are met with the Zoo Shop, which is very big, and you can start your trail. The zoo counts with beautiful wild life, including birds, lions, cheetahs and even a Komodo dragon. Since it was a rainy day, some animals weren't willing to be outside, but most were enjoying the weather, so we got a great experienceHalfway through the zoo, there is a resting area, counting with restrooms, food spots and seating. My drink was a lemonade, and the group got a pizza we shared. My favorite animal was the laughing Kookaburra, who is an extremely vocal bird! This Zoo has to be one of the best in the US, and is a MUST when coming to Hawaii
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December 2023 by Kree J.
Our visit to the Honolulu Zoo left me thoroughly impressed on multiple fronts. The service provided was exceptional, with staff members who were not only knowledgeable but also eager to enhance the overall visitor experience. Their enthusiasm added a welcoming touch to the day.The variety of animals at the zoo is impressive, showcasing a diverse array of species. From majestic big cats to playful primates, the exhibits are thoughtfully designed to provide a captivating glimpse into the animal kingdom. Educational and entertaining, the zoo's collection makes it a must-visit for both families and animal enthusiasts.The atmosphere at the Honolulu Zoo is delightful, with well-maintained pathways and lush greenery creating a pleasant environment. It's a serene escape within the city of Waikiki, offering a perfect blend of nature and wildlife.
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December 2023 by Steph F.
The Honolulu Zoo as at the end of Waikiki, closer to the Diamond Head side. It's a fairly small zoo compared to the San Francisco Zoo or Oakland Zoo in California. My family and I came a little before opening and there was a line already. Since you can't buy tickets ahead of time, there was a wait before we could pay our admission fees and enter. It's $21 for adults and $13 for kids under 3-12 years old. They do have a military discount and local residents discount. There is a fairly large bird exhibit there. My kids enjoyed watching the monkeys. They were always up to something and making a lot of noise. It was nice to be able to see giraffes, elephants, and tigers here as well. There was a decent variety of animals and exotic/native plants. I enjoyed having my kids burn off their extra energy at the playground before we left to go get lunch.
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December 2023 by Kylie D.
The zoo was great but they are in the middle of redoing most of the exhibits which cause up to skip a bunch of animals. They still had a bunch of animals to see but we payed full price to skip a lot. It was still beautiful and can't want to see when they are finished!
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November 2023 by Christina S.
Nice way to spend 2 hours with a toddler. It's a small zoo that is stroller friendly.
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November 2023 by Sheri C.
This is a small zoo, and you can walk through it very slowly and stop for a lot of breaks and see everything in less than 2 hours. They don't have a lot of the bigger animals. That said, it was a nice stroll and the animals appear to be well cared for. A few exhibits were closed. The gift shop doesn't offer much and is over priced.
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September 2023 by Connie G.
The last time I visited this zoo, it was 2002 and my daughter was 2 years old. For the most part, it hasn't changed-but there have been major improvements. It was nice to visit and have a familiarity, even after so long. When you take into consideration that there's a zoo in Honolulu, you've got to be curious as to who the residents are. Touring the zoo would take about 3-4hours of your day. If you go in the morning, parking isn't too bad-and the best part is that there's actually parking dedicated for zoo patrons! I took my nephews this time and they seemed to enjoy the time spent there. The monkeys, endangered tortoises, birds, endangered Sumatra tiger, hippos, reptiles, and the children's zoo area were talked about by my 4-year old nephew the rest of the day. Money and time well spent if you're wanting to do something different that is family-friendly and won't take up too much of the day.
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August 2023 by Aubrey C.
This review goes out to Lin ( hopefully its spelt right.)Today was my bfs bday and his first time in the zoo in a long time. We entered the keiki zoo and stumbled upon this petting zoo for the goats. Its only open from like 10-1145 am. No one was in there but I think once we got in, everyone who saw us followed. Lin taught us about the goats and information about them. She told us their origins, their family tree, their names, why they were named the way they were, how to take care of them, etc. she also took the time to tell us about the pigs and their origins as well. Didn't think id get so emotionally attached to them all. BEST experience at the zoo and most memorable and literally made our day. But for basic info on the zoo that helped us, we brought in our own snacks and water. Thankfully we did because theres only like one snack area for food and drinks. They have real food but we didn't try it, menu seemed appetizing tho. Theres one dip n dots station near the elephant that we went to. Parking is payed via meter with your license plate and card. You have to type in your plate in the meter, pay, add your number just incase to fill hours via text on your license plate and put it on your dash. It also texts when the time is almost up so you can refill the time with the card connected. We did 4 hours for $6 but we barley stayed more than 2. We went around opening and parking wasnt too full. We got back around 1ish and it was pretty full after.
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August 2023 by Kimberly P.
The Zoo was wonderful! There were fewer animals than the Bay Area zoos we are used to but the area was well spaced! We heard it was a small zoo but it didn't feel small! Much of it was shaded with really nice grassy areas but much of it was also super sunny! I planned to spend two hours but it was a hustle to see everything and get in and out in two. Give yourself time here.Given the humidity and heat we struggled a bit with the sun and tried to take breaks in the shade where possible but shade was not always present. My toddler had an absolute blast! I suggest bringing a little cooler with cold srinks and snacks! They were a lifesaver with the heat. We skipped the playground at the end but it looked like a lot of fun!We were rushing out for a nap and my toddler had a meltdown over skipping it, so plan to hit it first or walk by it fist if you want to skip it like us at the end.It felt hot even though it was 82, that sun was brutal but totally worth it!
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May 2023 by Jason H.
Love the location Very convenient to the beach and WaikikiEntrance fee is great for localsParking is plenty extremely reasonableYou can picnic in the zoo!!!The kids like be it! Great playground and open areas for kids to run around! The variety of animals is really good! The atmosphere and surroundings are beautiful! Nice way to spend some time.Definitely recommend
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April 2023 by Kingston W.
I have passed by the "Honolulu Zoo" many times. Curiosity finally got to me, and I paid a visit. The zoo's gates are open from 10:00am to 3:00pm daily. If you visit honoluluzoo*org, the entry fees are listed.As an adult traveling alone, I arrived at 10:30am. I took photos and videos. I enjoyed the exhibits--but I completed my visit in about an hour. I think that I may have aged out as a zoo goer. I don't think I would call this a "must see"--unless...If you are travelling as a family with children, I do suggest considering this attraction. I think that the Honolulu Zoo is really programed with kids in mind. There's enough for them to see and get excited about; but not too much that they will get overwhelmed. And you can explore the entire facility before the kids get tired and cranky. If you take the family in the morning, the kids might feel that they got to do something centered on them, leaving the rest of the day for other possibilities.On the day of my visit, a lot of local schools were conducting field trips. There were a lot of visiting tourists as well.The bottom line is that I didn't see a child there that wasn't having a great time.
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March 2023 by Todd L.
This zoo sucked. Worst zoo experience ever. I've been to great zoos (Cincinnati and San Diego) and some lame ones (Sacramento) but never have I left a zoo saying this zoo sucks and I feel sorry for the animals. The sign in front of the chimp cage stating 90% of the chimps are dead or farmed out to another zoo is depressing. Looking into the tiger cage, the lion cage, the rhino cage, the sloth cage I saw nothing. Other exhibits say they are under renovation but they are just cages overgrown with vegetation. Treats me right for going to a zoo in Hawaii when I should be at the beach but I love animals and zoos so I gave it a try. Please clean some of the cages and add some enrichments that appeal to the animals. Also check out Cincinnati Zoos website and how they promote animals via social media as it can be another source of revenue to help improve things here.
