Best Zoos and Animal Sanctuaries for Indiana Families

No matter where you live in Indiana, there’s a zoo near you! Animal lovers will have a blast at these Indiana zoos and neighboring state zoos that are less than an hour’s drive from the state border.

RELATED: 11 Awesome Waterparks for Indiana Kids and Families

Top Three Zoos in Indiana

These are the zoos every Indiana kid should visit at least once in their childhood.

Indianapolis Zoo

Indianapolis, IN
Where in Indiana can you pet sharks, feed flamingos, and mingle with butterflies? At the Indianapolis Zoo! This 64-acre zoo also includes an aquarium and botanical garden.

When to visit? The zoo is open 9AM to 4PM Monday through Wednesday and 9–5 Thursday through Sunday. Spring is reportedly the best time to visit, but the zoo is open all year round. Animals are more likely to be out and active during the cooler parts of the day.

Admission & Parking? Buy tickets online ahead of time and lock in a lower price instead of purchasing at the gate. The earlier you buy, the better the price. Contact the zoo for more information. Parking is free for members and $8 for non-members.

What to see? Visit over 2,000 animals, including elephants, lions, and orangutans. Take a whirl on the endangered species carousel, tour the zoo on a train, or watch orangutans at play from the Skyline ride. Be sure to reserve a seat at the popular dolphin show prior to your visit. Check the daily schedule for more event offerings.

From March 21–September 2, make a beeline for the Butterfly Kaleidoscope exhibit. More than 40 species of colorful butterflies will be fluttering around at this exhibit, located in Hilbert Conservatory, a lush, exotic indoor garden of 5,000 square feet of tropical greenery at the White River Gardens. Admission to White River Gardens is included with Zoo admission. Visit the FAQ page for more information.

This Spring 2019, the zoo offers opportunities to feed flocks of flamingos, an aviary of budgies or lorikeets, and giraffes. Tickets are $3 per feed, but all feeds and rides are included in the “Total Adventure Package.”

Looking for more? Swim with dolphins, or participate in a family overnight. This summer, the zoo will also host a family overnight on July 26 (fall family overnight on October 25). That’s right! You can sleep over at the zoo! Get info on this and other family programs here.

Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo

Fort Wayne, IN
Have you ever wanted to experience the Australian outback, African wilds, or an Indonesian rainforest? At the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, you can!

When to visit? The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo opens for the 2019 season on April 27. See all upcoming events on the events page. For hours and admission rates, check here.

Admission & Parking? Adults are $15 and children aged 2–18 are $10. Tickets and zoo memberships are available online here. Rides and animal experiences require tokens which cost $1 each. Parking is free.

What to see? Hundreds of animals await at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. The zoo is organized into four major sections: African Journey, Australian Adventure, Central Zoo, and Indonesian Rainforest.

The new Monkey Island exhibit opens 2019 and will be one of the first things you see upon entering the zoo. Be sure to check out the sea lion feeding and show, presented daily at 11:30 AM and 3PM.

Little ones will love interacting with goats, sheep, and a miniature donkey at the Indiana family farm exhibit, and playing researcher at “Dr. Diversity’s Research Station.”

For a few tokens, you can ride your own dugout canoe and explore The Outback on water. At Central Zoo, children aged 12 and under can ride a pony and families can cruise through the farm and along the lake on an original C. P. Huntington locomotive.

Listen for the loud call of the peacock, which wander freely throughout the zoo!

Looking for more? For an additional cost, this zoo offers behind-the-scenes, guided animal encounters with penguins, giraffes, stingrays, African birds, and reptiles.

Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden

Evansville, IN
Take a break from urban living and escape to Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden. Lush gardens and exotic animals are around every corner of this 45-acre local zoo.

When to visit? The zoo is open from 9AM–4PM, however visitors may continue exploring until 5PM. Hours and admission rates may change, so check here before you go.

Tip: There are lots of hills, so bring a stroller for the little ones. If you plan on renting single or double strollers, get there early to claim yours as they cannot be reserved in advance.

Admission & Parking? Admission is reasonably priced at $9.50 for adults and $8.50 for children aged 3–12. Kids 2 and under are free. Vanderburgh County residents get $1 off admission. Mesker Park Zoo offers free admission for active and retired military personnel (with ID) on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day.

What to see? The zoo has over 700 different animals to see, including tigers, zebras, and Mechi, the painting rhino. Check out the Komodo Dragon and rhino in the Kley Memorial Building along with other reptiles. Peacocks also wander freely in this zoo, so keep a camera ready for those showy feather displays. Stop in the indoor Amazonia greenhouse and feel like you are in the Amazon with the lush jungle plants, free-flying birds, and other animals including howler monkeys and the jaguar.

Kids will learn all about animals at the Discovery Center, where they can take in animal encounters and walk the surrounding Discovery Trail. At the Children’s Enchanted Forest, kids can climb, play, brush donkeys, goats, or sheep, and pet animals (call ahead for availability). More gardens are scattered throughout the grounds, so be sure to stop and enjoy those as you tour the zoo. Download a map to find locations of all gardens and exhibits.

Looking for more? Mesker Park Zoo’s attractions include giraffe feedings (11 AM and 2 PM), budgie feeding, paddleboat rides on Lake Victoria, carousel rides, tram rides, and bumper boat rides. Some of these attractions may be unavailable in inclement weather, so contact the zoo before your visit. Rides and attractions require tokens.

Other Great Zoos in Indiana

• Potawatomi Zoo–South Bend, IN

• Washington Park Zoo– Michigan City, IN

• Columbian Park Zoo–Lafayette, IN

Exotic Animal Sanctuaries in Indiana

Looking to go off the beaten path and get up close and personal with the animals? These animal sanctuaries are worth checking out if you love animals and want to learn more about them.

Black Pine Animal Sanctuary–

Albion, IN
Over 100 animals call Black Pine Animal Sanctuary their home, including lions, black bears, monkeys, and more. Many of these animals were rescued from unhealthy situations and now have a permanent home for the rest of their lives.

Make the most of your trip by going on a tour and learn the stories of these incredible animals. Black Pine offers informative guided tours, private tours, workshops, and other special events. More info on admission fees and special programming can be found here.

Exotic Feline Rescue Center

Center Point, IN
As the name suggests, this animal sanctuary rescues big cats who are unwanted or have been mistreated or abandoned. The Exotic Feline Rescue Center is one of the largest rescue centers for big cats in the US.

EFRC offers guided tours during normal hours of operation. Dress comfortably and be prepared to walk for about an hour on gravel paths. Refer to the FAQ for more information. For hours of operation and admission rates, please visit EFRC’s website. Click here for upcoming events in 2019.

Wolf Park

Battle Ground, IN
Wolf Park is a unique research and education center dedicated to studying and advocating wolves. See wolves in large semi-natural enclosures (some will come straight up to the fence!) as you take a guided tour of the park. Tours are 45 minutes long and follow a half mile walking trail (see FAQ).

Wolf Park also offers special events like an animal birthday party day, dollar day, pumpkin party, and turkey toss where you can feed the wolves their favorite bird treats! See the calendar of events for more information.

Children 5 & under visit free. Click here for all admission prices and hours of tours and Howl Nights.

Zoos In Neighboring States

Each are less than an hour’s drive from the Indiana state border!

• Louisville Zoo– Louisville, KY

• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden– Cincinnati, OH

• Lincoln Park Zoo– Chicago, IL
  • Check out the Shedd Aquarium while you’re in the city!

• Brookfield Zoo– Brookfield, IL

Zoo Locations and Contact Information

All photos courtesy of the respective sites.