Indianapolis Zoo – 1200 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46222

We love making new friends and what better way to do it than with over 3,000 animals at the Indianapolis Zoo.

As lovers of all animals, one of our favorite things to do when visiting a new destination is to explore the local zoo, so when we came to Indianapolis and heard there was a zoo, we knew we couldn’t pass it up! One of our very first dates was at the Maryland Zoo & National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. Ever since that very first trip, we’ve visited some of the most incredible zoos throughout the United States, including the Columbus Zoo, the Bronx Zoo, Hershey’s ZooAmerica, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC, and of course Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Park.

Side note: The San Diego Zoo is bucket list for us, and we had a trip booked for June of 2020 and then the world shutdown. That’s something we’re looking forward to in the future.

DYK:

Did you know the Indianapolis Zoo is the only zoo in the United States to receive accreditation as a zoo, an aquarium, and a botanical garden? It’s true! Not only is there a massive population of animals at the Indianapolis Zoo with over 200 animal species represented, but the plant life at the Zoo’s White River Gardens is uber impressive and should not be missed.

• The Indianapolis Zoo was voted one of the top ten best zoos in the nation in the 2023 USA Today 10 Best Reader’s Choice Awards 
• The smallest critter who calls The Indianapolis Zoo home is the honeybee
• Students interested in animals can learn more about the wildlife in Indianapolis with Indy Wildlife Watch, an Indianapolis based citizen science project
• Check out what life is like at The Indianapolis Zoo with their webcams

From the International Orangutan Center where you’ll find the largest group of Orangutan’s in the United States (did you know their arm span is up to 8-feet?) to African Elephants where you’ll find Sophi – a 9,000+ African Elephant, the Indianapolis Zoo has so many remarkable exhibits to explore. We mention the African Elephants because in today’s world, it’s rare to see Elephants at a zoo – atleast in our experience.

Our favorite exhibits were the Cheetah’s – especially the exhibit where you could time yourself in a race against a Cheetah (spoiler alert: the Cheetah always wins) and the loveable Kangaroos of Kangaroo Crossing. Recently opened during the summer of 2022, the Kangaroo Crossing exhibit was immersive and very educational. Here, Kangaroos roam freely among guests and you’re able to interact with these cuties – if they choose to approach you. We weren’t lucky enough to have any of them approach us during our visit, it was mostly nap time for these sweet roos, but we would like to say a very big THANK YOU to Susie inside Kangaroo Crossing for taking the time to teach us so much about these adorable animals.

When to Visit

With most zoos, we’ve found the animals to be more active during the mild months of the Spring and Fall seasons. The same can certainly be said for the Indianapolis Zoo. Also, zoos generally tend to be more crowded during the summer months as the students are on school breaks. With that in mind, you may want to consider a seasonal event when planning your trip to The Indianapolis Zoo.

The Indianapolis Zoo is home to a number of events year-round including:

• Animals & All that Jazz – June through August
• Zoo Boo – September through October
• Christmas at the Zoo – November through December

We visited during Zoo Boo, where Halloween meets the zoo with animals, pumpkins & some of the cutest activities, costumes & of course – trick-or-treating. There was a DJ spinning tunes in Pumpkin Town where we had our very own dance party in the Zoo (not many people can say they’ve done that!), and we had a blast in the Mirror Maze!

Must Know

• The Indianapolis Zoo is very kid-friendly with free admission for guests under 2.
• As of May of 2023, The Indianapolis Zoo has made the move to a completely cashless system, so make sure you leave the cash at home and bring the plastic.
• Reservations are not required to enter The Indianapolis Zoo. However, if you’re looking to save on admission there are two options: Purchase the Visit Indy Attractions Pass or Purchase your Zoo Tickets online via The Indianapolis Zoo to save up to 50% on select dates:
  • Admission at Gate is $32.75 USD/per adult & $28.75 USD/per child ages 2 & up.
  • Admission online during select dates is $15.00 USD/per adult & $13.75 USD/ per child ages 2 & up.

Where to Eat

While at the Zoo, don’t skip on the food because as a 501(c) non-profit, every dollar you spend goes back into the Zoo. There are plenty of food options that can be found throughout the Zoo, but we had a lovely lunch outdoors at Café on the Commons during our visit where we enjoyed chatting with staff, other visitors, & watching the overhead skyway pass by. The Café is open year-round at the Zoo, and serves a variety of quick-service options.

Getting There

The Indianapolis Zoo is easily accessible via rental car with plenty of parking, ride-share access, or if you’re staying downtown, consider walking or biking from your downtown Indianapolis hotel to the entrance of the zoo via the White River Trail. It’s a beautiful one-mile outing along the White River. During our visit, there were many school buses parked in the parking lot, and students were having picnic lunches outside the zoo gates during lunch hours.

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Thank you to our friends at Visit Indy for hosting our time in Circle City!

We hope our Guide to The Indianapolis Zoo will help you discover everything this incredible city has to offer, including the charming & immersive Indianapolis Zoo! Let us know what attractions you’ll be visiting first & safe travels 🙂

The comments, opinions, and views set forth on this site are the reflected personal positions of the site’s creators.  This site is not an affiliate of Indianapolis Zoo and all opinions are our own.  The comments, opinions, and views set forth within this site are not the official positions of Indianapolis Zoo, and they do not reflect the agency’s position.

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