The Ultimate Family Guide to Animal Experiences at the Columbus Zoo

The best family summer stories usually start with a sentence like, “Want to go see something cool?”

Maybe it turns into feeding a giraffe. Maybe it becomes an up-close sea lion presentation that leaves your kids talking the entire drive home. Or, maybe it ends with a behind-the-scenes tour you never expected to book but absolutely loved.

At the Columbus Zoo, those moments happen every single day.

Recently voted the Best Family Attraction to Spoil Your Kids and Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners in the 614NOW ColumBEST 2026 Awards, the Columbus Zoo continues to be one of Central Ohio’s favorite places for families to spend time together, discover wildlife, and create memories that stick around long after summer ends.

Whether you're looking for experiences included with your Zoo admission or hoping to surprise your family with an upgraded adventure, here are some of the best ways to experience wildlife at the Zoo this year.

So, what's included with Your Zoo day? Plenty.

One of the best parts about visiting the Zoo is discovering just how many animal experiences are already included with admission. From daily Keeper Talks to immersive animal encounters, there are opportunities all around the Zoo to slow down, watch wildlife up close, and learn something new together.

Make Time for the Lakeside Theater Presentations

If your family loves seeing animals in action, head to the Lakeside Theater in our Adventure Cove region.

These daily presentations are included with Zoo admission, accessible for all abilities, and packed with unforgettable animal moments. Guests can sit together in the amphitheater while Zoo team members introduce animal ambassadors and share stories about the incredible care they receive.

Encounter the Wild, daily at 11 a.m. This presentation helps guests discover their connection to wildlife through feathered and furry animal ambassadors who call Adventure Cove home. Families will witness natural animal behaviors up close while learning simple ways they can help protect wildlife in their everyday lives. It’s educational, entertaining, and full of those “did you see that?!” moments kids love.
Sea Lion Training Tales, daily at 12 p.m. There’s something magical about watching California sea lions glide through the water at full speed. This presentation gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at how Zoo team members work with sea lions through positive reinforcement training, healthcare participation, research, and enrichment. Plus, the sea lions tend to steal the show in the best possible way.

Animal Experiences Families Love

Some experiences are quick surprises you stumble upon during the day. Others become the highlight of the trip.

Around the Columbus Zoo, guests can:

Feed giraffes
Meet and feed lorikeets
Walk through the kangaroo habitat
Touch and feed stingrays
Stop by Keeper Talks happening throughout the day (presented by Fifth Third Bank)

Some of these experiences are included with admission, while others may have a small additional fee. Either way, they offer families a chance to connect with animals in totally unique ways.

You can browse the full list of experiences here: Columbus Zoo Animal Experiences

Want to Upgrade Your Adventure? Go Behind the Scenes.

Sometimes you want to turn a great Zoo visit into a once-in-a-lifetime memory.

The Columbus Zoo’s premium Tours and Experiences program offers small-group adventures throughout the year, giving guests access to special wildlife encounters and behind-the-scenes moments most visitors never get to see. These experiences are offered at an additional cost beyond Zoo admission and are proudly presented by Nationwide.

Featured New Tour: Zoo Insider - A Guided Wildlife Tour

This newest experience gives guests a chance to see the Zoo through the eyes of the people who know it best.

Guests travel through the Zoo aboard a private cart while expert guides share animal stories, conservation insights, and details about the care animals receive every day. Along the way, guests visit featured animal areas and experience wildlife from perspectives most guests never encounter.

And here’s the fun part: no two tours are exactly alike.

Featured animal areas rotate throughout the year, helping create fresh experiences for returning guests. This summer’s featured animals include cougars, sloth bears, elephants, lions, river otters, Aldabra tortoises, and even sloths.

Some tour stops may even include stepping inside animal spaces, visiting care areas, or feeding an animal a favorite snack. It’s the kind of experience that leaves families saying, “Okay...that was incredible.”

Don’t Forget the Zoo App

Trying to map out your day between animal feedings, lunch plans, stroller routes, and “we HAVE to see the elephants again” can feel like its own expedition.

The Columbus Zoo’s free mobile app helps make the day easier by offering:

Walking directions throughout the Zoo

Animal and experience schedules

Food and indoor location guides

Sample itineraries

In-park notifications about nearby experiences

Search for Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in the Apple Store or Google Play before your visit.

The Best Part of a Zoo Day? The Memories You Didn’t Plan For.

Maybe your kids fall in love with sea lions.

Maybe you finally book that behind-the-scenes tour you’ve always talked about.

Maybe your family ends the day exhausted, sun-kissed, carrying souvenir cups, and already planning the next visit before you even leave the parking lot.

That’s the beauty of a day at the Columbus Zoo. Every Keeper Talk, every animal encounter, every splash, roar, laugh, and wide-eyed moment helps bring families closer to wildlife and to each other. And somewhere in-between, summer memories quietly start taking shape.