Toledo Zoo review, pics, hours, and info – Less than 90 minutes away from The Detroit Zoo, The Toledo Zoo is a fantastic day-trip option for Metro Detroiters who are looking for an alternative to The Detroit Zoo.
Toledo Zoo Review
The Toledo Zoo features all the great animals and sights you’d hope to find… Toledo Zoo animals include seals, zebras, giraffes, elephants, hippos, penguins, otters, rhinos and more! At the Toledo Zoo, there are lots of great play scape for the animals. Tree houses and hammocks for the monkeys. Ladders for the red pandas to climb. Slides for the otters. Plus, the animals’ living space is set up so visitors can see the animals pretty up close. One example is the Tembo Trail… this is a new exhibit with a path that could surround you with elephants on three sides, at one point even possibly coming eye-to-eye with one! The Tembo Trail has removed the old style “indoor/outdoor” barriers, making you feel closer.
Toledo Zoo Review – Africa! Overlook / Feed The Giraffes
You can feed the giraffes from the Africa! Overlook tower. You can purchase lettuce daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend and feed them from the Giraffe feed deck. Africa! is home to dozens of animals you can observe from the deck including cheetahs, zebras, and the giraffes.
Toledo Zoo Review – Toledo Zoo Aquarium
The newly renovated Toledo Zoo Aquarium reopened recently and is nearly four times the volume as the previous Aquarium. The new Toledo Zoo aquarium has stunning hands-on stations where kids can touch stingrays, starfish, crabs, sea urchins…the kids love it! The new aquarium also has a large jellyfish display, turtles, sharks, glittering tropical fish, and so much more.
The penguin exhibit was also a great time. Located right next to the aquarium, visitors can walk through the exhibit and see the penguins up close. There’s also an under water exhibit for viewing.
Toledo Zoo Review – Hippoquarium
The Toledo Zoo offers a Hippoquarium – the world’s first filtered underwater viewing of Nile hippos. It was amazing to see the size of the hippos through the glass at the underwater viewing Hippoquarium. This indoor portion of the zoo features viewing areas for the hippos and river otters.
Toledo Zoo Review – Reptile House
One of our last stops was at the Reptile House where we saw some great turtles, chameleons, snakes, and Baru – the longest saltwater crocodile in the Western Hemisphere measuring approximately 17′! PLEASE NOTE: The Reptile House is currently under renovation through 2026. We can’t wait to see the changes to Reptile House.
Toledo Zoo Review – Toledo Zoo Splash Pad & Fun for Kids
The Splash Pad is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day and is INCLUDED for FREE with your daily admission to the Toledo Zoo. Kids can also feed the animals in the barnyard animal experience, we already mentioned the giraffe feeding experience. The Zoo also offers an aerial course complete with climbing wall, zip-line experience, and a TreeRunner-type climbing challenge course.
Toledo Zoo Review – Lights Before Christmas
With over one million lights, the award-winning Big Tree and 200+ illuminated animal images spread out across the Zoo, the annual editions of the electrical spectacle is sure to be both merry and bright.
The Toledo Zoo hours for the entire 43-day span of Lights Before Christmas are from 3p-8p Mondays through Thursdays and 3p-9p on weekends. The Toledo Zoo is even open to see the Christmas lights on on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.
Toledo Zoo
2 Hippo Way
Toledo, Ohio 43609
www.toledozoo.org
Toledo Zoo Review – Toledo Zoo Hours – Summer
10a to 4p daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Zoo closes at 5p. Guests have until 5p to complete their visit.
TOLEDO ZOO REVIEW PHOTO CREDITS – Toledo Zoo Pics Non-Watermarked are Courtesy of the Toledo Zoo with Full Permission. OCM Watermarked photos are courtesy of Oakland County Moms via Lisa LaGrou & Maysoon Nasharty
Toledo Zoo Events
November 21 through December 31, 2025 (Weekdays from 3p-8p / Weekends from 3p-9p)
Toledo Zoo Events – Lights Before Christmas
Toledo Zoo & Aquarium (2 Hippo Way, Toledo, Ohio 43609, www.toledozoo.org)
Check out 200+ festive, holiday animal displays throughout the zoo and over one million Christmas lights at this annual spectacular. Reserve your tickets HERE.
OAKLAND COUNTY MOMS TRAVEL REVIEWS
For more info on this Toledo Zoo Review and Toledo Zoo Pics, contact www.toledozoo.org
