10 Best Zoos in Florida: Conservation, Education, and Enjoyment

I grew up in Miami in the 1980s, an animal lover, with a new zoo practically in my back yard. Miami Metrozoo was a cutting edge facility at the time, one of the best zoos in Florida if not the country. I spent weekends and summers there, learning about animals and conservation in different parts of the world.

At that time, Metro Zoo was one of the first zoos in the country to move away from caged animals and embrace wide open enclosures, even if that meant the paying public didn’t always see their favorite animals. 

In the thirty years since, zoos have continued to incorporate this ideology. As the paying public, we have a duty to hold zoos to a high standard of animal welfare while understanding the important role these facilities play in conservation efforts.

Why are Florida Zoos Unique and Important

Not too long ago, many zoos exploited animals, kept them in tiny cages. The small size of these zoos and cages meant the animals suffered from squalid conditions and lived in a way they were never meant to live. While some opponents of zoos believe they should go the way of the circus, today’s zoos hold an important place in education and conservation.

According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), modern-day zoos hold a high standard for education, research, animal welfare, and conservation. In Why Zoos and Aquariums are Beneficial, AZA contends that “In 2019, AZA and its members spent more than $230 million on field conservation work in 127 countries, focusing on population biology and monitoring, reintroduction, conservation education, and more.”

Dr. James Borell, a conservation scientist, also points out that zoos play a large part in animal conservation by reintroducing extinct or endangered species to the wild, acting as a living museum, and setting up “insurance” populations at their facilities.

Now that we know why zoos are important, why are zoos in Florida particularly important? Florida’s unique climate, particularly in South Florida, means that those Florida zoos are uniquely equipped to naturally provide the tropical and subtropical climates that many animals live in. And this means as a visitor to one of these facilities, you might see animals you won’t find in other zoos in the United States.

There are many zoological parks and animal facilities in Florida. These ten, however, are considered the best because of their excellent animal welfare record, history of education, and top notch facilities. The next time you visit the sunshine state, consider adding a Florida zoo to your itinerary.

Table of Contents

1. ZooTampa at Lowry Park
2. Zoo Miami
3. Brevard Zoo
4. Jacksonville Zoo
5. Central Florida Zoo
6. Palm Beach Zoo
7. Naples Zoo
8. Lion Country Safari
9. Disney’s Animal Kingdom
10. Busch Gardens Tampa

3. Brevard Zoo

• Size: 50 acres
• Location: Melbourne
• Conservation efforts: Sea Turtle Healing Center, shoreline restoration
• Special recognition: USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Best Zoos (2021)

One of the smallest zoos in Florida, Brevard Zoo is also the world’s largest community-built zoo. More than 16,000 volunteers donated their time and talents to build this facility in the early 1990s. 

Like many Florida zoos, this one has a special exhibit for Florida wildlife. Other unique parts of this zoo include Treetop Trek, a zip course high above the tree canopy; kayaking through the Africa exhibit, the only zoo in Florida where you can go kayaking; Paws On, a shallow water splash area for children; and the Sea Turtle Healing Center. 

Brevard Zoo works on conservation efforts at home as well as globally. The major conservation efforts include the Sea Turtle Healing Center, restoring living shorelines in the Indian River Lagoon, and conservation efforts for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse and Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. Learn more about Brevard Zoo and get tickets to Brevard Zoo here.

5. Central Florida Zoo

• Size: 116 acres
• Location: Sanford
• Conservation efforts: Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (Eastern Indigo Snake)
• Special recognition: 2020 AZA Significant Achievement for Research, 2018 AZA Volunteer Engagement Award

There’s so much more to do at this zoo in Florida than, well, zoo stuff. There are zip lines and obstacle courses, family sunset pricing and night hikes, and the botanical gardens found throughout the zoo. 

Of course, there are also animals. Central Florida Zoo opened in its current location and iteration in 1975, occupying 106 acres on protected wetlands beside Lake Monroe, with Jack Hanna as director. Since then, the zoo has added animals and exhibits. Some of the favorites are the reptiles, the birds, and of course, the Florida animals. 

In general, this zoo seems to be most popular with families though it also draws an adult-only crowd with their Sunset at the Zoo events, held occasionally on a Friday evening to kick off the weekend. Find out more and grab your tickets for Central Florida Zoo here.

6. Palm Beach Zoo

• Size: 23 acres
• Location: West Palm Beach
• Conservation efforts: Florida Wildlife Corridor, Florida’s coral reefs
• Special recognition: 2018 AZA North American Conservation Award

Palm Beach Zoo is the smallest of the best zoos in Florida. A well-thought-out layout makes it easy to walk around the entire zoo without backtracking, passing through sections twice, or missing parts of the zoo. 

There are four main sections – Tropics of the Americas, Asia, The Islands, and Florida Wetlands; unique animals in each section have been drawing visitors since 1969. Those include white alligators, Patagonian cavy, and Chilean flamingos. 

Though small, or perhaps because of it, Palm Beach Zoo offers an intimate experience for visitors lasting two to three hours. Learn more and get your zoo tickets here.

7. Naples Zoo

• Size: 43 acres
• Location: Naples
• Conservation efforts: fully funds the annual salary of 27 conservation staff working in the field across the world
• Special recognition: 2016 AZA Wildlife Emergency Response Award

Naples Zoo began as a private botanical garden in 1919, created by Dr. Henry Nehrling to house and protect his rare plant collection. The gardens were opened to the public in the 1950s as Caribbean Gardens and began exhibiting animals in 1969. 

The zoo is laid out in a large loop, approximately one mile in length, with several exhibits. Favorites include Alligator Bay, Backyard Habitat, and Primate Expedition. The primates in this last exhibit reside on islands located in the lake and can only be seen by taking the primate expedition cruise. 

Naples Zoo suffered storm surge flooding and wind damage during Hurricane Ian in 2022. Despite the hurricane’s record-breaking destruction, the zoo lost no animals and was able to reopened in only 17 days, thanks in part to the Glass Animal Hospital, a hurricane-proof building where animals and staff rode out the storm. Get more details and your tickets for Naples Zoo here.

8. Lion Country Safari

• Size: 600 acres
• Location: Loxahatchee
• Conservation efforts: wetlands restoration, Great Grevy’s Zebra Rally, Southern Giraffe Species Programme
• Special recognition: USA Today’s 10Best Readers Choice Best Wildlife Parks (2021)

Lion Country Safari often ranks as one of the best zoos in the country, including 3rd best zoo in the United States by USA Travel Guide in 2009. The most unique feature of this Florida zoo is its four miles of drivable exhibits. Visitors enter the park with their own car and drive the safari road slowly. 

Most of the animals roam freely throughout the park though they keep the lions and chimps separated from the cars for safety reasons. Lion Country Safari also provides a home for chimpanzees who have been used in research or entertainment previously, providing them a place to just be chimpanzees.

After driving through the zoo, guests enter Safari World, a 33-acre theme park. Safari World has a small water park, water slides, giraffe feeding, a petting zoo, mini golf, and paddle boats. 

If a unique zoo experience is what you’re looking for when visiting a zoo in Florida, this is definitely one to consider. Find out more and grab your tickets to Lion Country Safari here.