Phoenix Zoos & Aquariums
If you love zoos or aquariums, are a kid at heart, or are just looking for some family friendly fun in Phoenix, there are actually multiple zoos in the Phoenix area. I, for one, go to zoos in the Phoenix area mutliple times a year. Though they often have the same animals, you never no what kind of monkeying around the primates will be doing or what kind of cute, playful activities the otters are up to.
The three most recognized Phoenix area zoos and aquariums are listed below with more information about what makes them great places to visit in Phoenix.
Wildlife World Zoo
OdySea Aquarium
Phoenix Zoo
Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park
If you live in, or are visiting the western part of the Phoenix valley, then the Wildlife World Zoo is going likely be the closest of the Phoenix Zoos and Aquariums. It is located in the Northwestern part of the Phoenix Valley, of Northern Ave and the 303 in Litchfield Park, AZ.
The Wildlife World Zoo is listed first because it's actually our favorite of the Phoenix Zoos! Don't get us wrong, we still love all of the other zoos and aquariums in Phoenix, but this one seems to just keep getting better and better.
One of the reasons for our love of Wildlife World Zoo, also known as Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium or Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is just that...it is a combination of a Phoenix zoo and a Phoenix aquarium all rolled into one! It's a huge zoo that you can get really good unobstructed views of the animals and often times very close views. On top of all of that, it's part amusement park, too, with different types of rides for all ages!
Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium is open 365 days a year...and one can spend all day here and still not see everything (trust me, I've done just that). I do recommend starting your day with the zoo portion and then going to the aquarium if you're getting closer to closing time, as their aquarium is open for an hour longer than the zoo itself.
If you're like me and one of the reasons you go to a zoo in Phoenix is to enjoy the weather and maybe get some extra steps in in a more fun way, you can walk quite a bit here. Fret not, though, if you'd like to rest a little. Not only are there a decent amount of places to sit down and take a rest, but there are multiple rides available that will also get you good views of the numerous animals available here.
The Animals at Wildlife World Zoo
Per their website, World Wildlife Zoo has Arizona's largest collection of both exotic animals and endangered animals. This zoo in Phoenix, AZ, has over 600 species on display. Yes, a good part of this animal diversity is different exotic birds, but that's really just a bonus. Even not considering the numerous birds, there are a ton of different types of animals, so everyone in the family can see their favorite!
I'm not going to sit here and list out every single animal. Of course they have Lions, Tigers & Bears (oh my) and the usual zoo staples of giraffes, zebras, and plenty of cute little "monkeys"...I know, I know, they're technically not monkeys, but you know what I mean. The one thing missing here is an Elephant (at least the last time I visited), but they have a ton more to see.
There are a number of reptiles, with some in the zoo area and some in the aquarium section, which also has sharks, penguins, seals, and otters (always a hit being so cute and playful and fun to watch). I love all of the big predatory cats, and you can get some really good views of some of them. One of my favorite visits was watching a white tiger cub playing with a big red ball for a while. Going back to the good views, you can actually get some really good unobstructed views of the kangaroos because you get to walk right in with them! You can also feed the giraffes and Lory Parrots.
The Lory Parrots are just one of the many many exotic birds at the Wildlife World Zoo. You can spend a ton of time just viewing all of the different birds here. If you're a bird lover, then this is definitely the zoo in the Phoenix area for you! Before even founding the Wildlife World Zoo, the founder was raising exotic birds, and I believe providing refuge for those exotic birds that were no longer homed and also not suitable for the wild.
I could really go on about all of the animals here. I think one of the easiest ways to see what all is at this Pheonix area zoo, though, is to take a look at the Wildlife World Zoo's (ever-growing) map located here: www.wildlifeworld.com/maps