utica zoo

A great place for kids and families. It would be nice if they had some more types of animals, but what they have is decent for a zoo this size.

The Utica Zoo has made a lot of changes, for the good. It seems to be under new management and making improvements. The kids loved it and I appreciated the reasonable prices for food.

This zoo is a wonderful place for kids to become acquainted with loads of types of animals without having to travel to a large city. It has seen a great improvement over the last couple of years and, as long as one isn't expecting it be the San Diego Zoo, it makes a good, reasonably priced morning of afternoon for a family with young children or grandparents looking for a good, educational place to spend time with grandchildren besides the omnipresent, noisy indoor fun parks. They have done a great job with hard to come by funds.

This zoo has so much land that they could do so much more with. I don't know the exact circumstances of this zoo but it seems like it has been neglected for a few years and someone new has taken over and is starting to make repairs. What they have is neat but it isn't a lot. The highlight for most is probably the sea lion feeding as it was great watching their girl sea lion doing little tricks. I enjoyed all the animals I saw but they don't seem to be paid much attention to so most seem scared or even upset. As my title states, I think this zoo has lots of potential, I just hope it is being run by someone that sees it and is willing to make it live up to it. Support this little zoo if you are in the area, kids are sure to enjoy!!

My family and I enjoyed the Utica Zoo. The kids and we had fun seeing the animals and shopping in the gift shop. We will definitely be back!!!!

We are members of the more well-known zoo in Syracuse (Rosamond Gifford) but ventured to Utica this week to check out their zoo. It was so much better than we expected! While smaller in size, it made for a more intimate experience and felt like we sort of "connected" with some of the animals. Highlights included lions, zebras, boas, Mexican wolves, and, surprisingly, a porcupine that walked up to the bars to seemingly greet us before putting on a climbing show. All very cool! We actually enjoyed this zoo more than Syracuse and will be sending them our membership dollars.One negative I wish they would address; we arrived at opening (10:00 a.m.) and expected it to be clean. While the animal enclosures were spotless, the glass on many of the exhibits was covered in finger/handprints, many of the trash bins were overflowing, and the lone bathroom facility (one men's room, one women's) was filthy. I would have thought this would all have been taken care of before the gate opened.Still, it's well worth the trip.

I hadn't visited the zoo in over twenty years. As a kid in the 70s I thought the zoo was the greatest place to be but I also saw its decline. My girlfriend and I decided to check it out and wow were we surprised. They do a lot with little financial resources. The new outdoor exhibits are world class open enclosures such as the wolves or lions. The children's area is also pretty cool. The only thing that still is old and needs significant updating are the primate cages. Overall worth the visit for old and young alike. Kudos to the staff.

Not a huge zoo. But great for young kids and an afternoon or morning out. Clean enough. Not much of a gift shop. Great pricing for what you get.

For the size of the city of Ytica, this is a very nice zoo. We had visited probably 10 years ago and it was in very bad condition, so we were happy to that it is recovering. We were surprised to find that a zoo this size had three African lions. and the North Trek path was very nice and had some nice enclosures in a wooded area.The Children's Zoo was very large for a zoo this size as well and was well worth visiting, even for older visitors. The staff, while very young, were very knowledgeable and obviously had a great love for the animals. While not worth a long drive, if in the area, especially with young children it is worth a stop.

Having been to a number of very good zoos, I must say we hesitated going to the Utica Zoo in fear of being disappointed. We were pleasantly surprised! The setting in the woods is just gorgeous and there was a fine array of animals to visit. While some of the animal enclosures could be enlarged (they have plenty of land!), the entire facility was clean and staffed with pleasant people. The leadership of the Zoo is certainly brought this treasure back from the brink and has things moving in the right direction!

Went to the zoo for a field trip from about 1 1/2 hours away. The power was out the whole day which I recognize was out of their control. However, the primate building was closed and many animal enclosures were empty. There were very few animals and some looked ill. It looks run down in many parts of the zoo. Never would recommend this place or return.

Great Zoo! Great interaction with the animals. Beautiful walk throughout the compound. Very delighted to not have all the animals hidden like so many other zoos. Absolutely worth it! A cute little show with the sea lions every day, twice a day and included in the price!

Utica zoo is quite small but the fresh air and native trees smell wonderful. The hilly trail is great both for viewing African animals and wolves and for stretching your muscles. Most of the animals seem happy in their enclosures and the entrance fee is very modest. Drop by for a pleasant morning or afternoon.

My extended family of 13 enjoyed over 2 hours exploring the zoo! We enjoyed the trails behind the lions to see the white foxes, an amazing white peacock with its feathers opened, and many other animals. The zoo is making many renovations of new exhibits.

The Utica Zoo is a great location for year round family enjoyment. With many exhibits recently acquired or rehabilitated, the zoo has seen a rebirth in the past few years. Sporting big attractions like lions and seals as well as numerous smaller animals, you can easily spend a whole day before you see it all. Make sure you check out the wilderness trail at the top of the hill. It affords not only a great view of the city below, but also a chance to see many animals like wolves in their native environments.