Zoo Knoxville Reviews

Zoo Knoxville has an overall rating of 4.1 based on 84 reviews. Customer feedback on Zoo Knoxville is mixed: Zoo Knoxville reviewers highlight positive aspects like friendly staff, engaging activities, clean facilities, and informative exhibits, which strongly appeal to families with children, school groups, and animal lovers. However, Zoo Knoxville is often criticized for its limited parking, high admission prices, crowded on weekends, and lack of food options.

4.1/5.0

84 reviews

5 Stars

13

4 Stars

9

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5

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All Zoo Knoxville Reviews (84)
eddie_Lundgren83
May 21, 2026
"Great spot for kids to burn off energy"
I took my kids here and they had such a good time in the play areas. There was plenty for them to climb on and run around, and I liked that I could sit close by without feeling like I had to hover the whole time. I asked one of the staff where the best spot was to keep an eye on them, and they basically said, “You can sit right over there and still see everything,” which was true. It was a really nice break in between walking around and seeing the animals.
barthunter6404
May 21, 2026
"My kids learned a lot here, which shouldn’t…"
My kids learned a lot here, which shouldn’t feel as surprising as it does. They came home talking about what they did and seemed more confident each week. Makes you wonder why some other places make it look so hard, but I’m glad we found this one.
hello_katheleen716
May 19, 2026
"Took my two kids on a…"
Took my two kids on a Saturday and they had the best time. It was easy to walk around, the stroller was no problem, and there were plenty of places to sit whenever they needed a break. i was feeling impressed with how smooth everything went. Then, out of nowhere, I was like, okay kids, we are NOT stopping every five minutes. But overall, it was a really good outing.
JamesToo_83
April 17, 2026
"Expected More Zoo-Themed Options"
I was expecting a lot more zoo-related stuff to choose from, so it felt a bit underwhelming. There wasn’t much variety, and it didn’t really match what I had in mind going in.
mildred1992
April 17, 2026
"Super easy to use"
I just used zooknoxville.org recently, so it’s still fresh in my mind, but it was a really smooth experience. The site was simple to figure out, and I found what I was looking for without getting annoyed or running into anything weird. Everything felt clear and worked the way I expected it to. Based on my latest visit, I’d definitely use it again.
robert1985
April 06, 2026
"Pretty much what I expected"
I had a good feeling about this place before going in, and the staff confirmed it for me. Everyone I dealt with was nice, helpful, and easy to talk to. Just a pleasant experience overall.
WRIGHT
April 02, 2026
"I really liked seeing how much…"
I really liked seeing how much care the animals seem to get here. The habitats looked clean, and the staff came across as patient and calm... not like they were rushing through anything. It made me feel good about supporting them. I just hope they keep putting the animals first, because that’s what matters most to me
pamela-Simpson
February 27, 2026
"Busy, but still a good time"
There were definitely some crowds in the popular spots, but it never felt too overwhelming. We could still walk around, take our time, and enjoy everything easily. Weirdly, I remember there was one guy carrying a giant bright yellow umbrella even though it wasn’t raining, and I kept spotting it in different places. Overall, busy but still really enjoyable.
DouglasTremblay
February 20, 2026
"Fun night out with the kids"
I went to see the winter lights with my kids we loved it. I was a little confused at first about where to go and what the route was supposed to be, but once we figured it out, it was really nice. The lights were beautiful and the kids had such a good time
Robin_connolly84
February 18, 2026
"The food was better than I expected for…"
The food was better than I expected for a zoo. The chicken tenders tasted fresh, and the fries came out nice and hot, so that was a pleasant surprise. To be fair, the prices were on the higher side, but that’s kind of what you expect at places like this. My kids enjoyed the pizza, even though I thought the crust was a little dry. Overall, I’d say the quality was good with no real complaints. I’d eat there again, just probably not every single visit.
joan-Bilodeau
February 17, 2026
"Easy, fun day walking around Zoo Knoxville"
We had a really nice day at Zoo Knoxville. The walking paths were super easy to follow, which I appreciate so much because I don’t want to spend half the day trying to figure out where I’m going.

There were some shaded spots and places to take a break, so it didn’t feel overwhelming at all, even with kids. We literally just took our time, wandered around, and still ended up seeing a lot.

Everything felt clean, simple, and easy to get around. It was just a relaxed, low-stress kind of outing, and I’d definitely go back again.
michael1993
February 07, 2026
"Tons of animals to see"
I took my kids here and didn’t expect there to be so many animals. We saw big cats, reptiles, birds, monkeys, and a bunch of other stuff. We were kind of rushing around trying to fit everything in, but it was still a really fun day and the kids stayed entertained the whole time.
Vicki_mullins91
February 06, 2026
"Fun evening, but they really should manage the crowds better"
I went to an evening zoo event and had a really good time. The atmosphere was fun, and the staff were kind and seemed to be doing their best. That said, the lines got long, and I do think it’s only fair that if they’re selling that many tickets, they should make sure the crowd levels are more manageable. Overall, it still felt organized and enjoyable, but a little more crowd control would make it much better
Monty.andrews
January 28, 2026
"Better Than I Expected"
I spent about 3 hours at Zoo Knoxville and had a really nice time. I wasn’t expecting it to be so easy to get around, but the layout was simple and not overwhelming at all. The animals looked well cared for, and the staff were friendly whenever we had questions. The red pandas were definitely my favorite part. The food was a little pricey, but that’s pretty much what I expected for a zoo. Overall, it was a fun day and I’d definitely go back.
hello_david919
January 28, 2026
"The kids had such a great time…"
The kids had such a great time at the splash pad. They also really enjoyed the animal talks, which were a nice bonus for the day. A few of the lines got a little long, but we still had a really fun afternoon overall
hello_selina363
January 26, 2026
"Restrooms were actually super clean"
We went to Zoo Knoxville with my kids, and honestly... I was surprised by how clean the restrooms were. We ended up using a couple different ones during the day, and both were stocked, clean, and didn’t have that gross smell you sometimes expect at busy places.

And yeah, that might sound like a small thing, but when you’re walking around all day with little kids, it really matters. It just made the whole visit feel easier and a lot less stressful, so I definitely appreciated it.
Toby_dick03
January 23, 2026
"Not many animals out today"
We went expecting to see a lot more animals, but most of the exhibits felt "empty." The few animals we did see were just lying around and looked kind of "bored," so the visit was a bit underwhelming.
Roderick-ruffin
January 22, 2026
"I had to wait forever just to…"
I had to wait forever just to get some help, and when someone finally came over, it kind of felt like they were annoyed I even asked. Nobody really answered my question either, so I left feeling frustrated. Am I wrong for expecting a little more than that?
Richard_coury04
January 11, 2026
"The kids really liked it and had…"
The kids really liked it and had a good time, so that part was nice. But it was crowded, which made the whole experience feel a bit chaotic. I also never got any kind of follow-up afterward, which was disappointing. A quick check-in or message would’ve been nice.
Robert_collett86
January 11, 2026
"Fun little ride, but a bit short"
I took the little train ride with my kids, and they had a great time. It was a nice chance to sit down and take a break from all the walking, and the driver was really friendly. I do think it felt a little short for what we paid, but overall it was still a fun and worthwhile part of our visit

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