I’ve been a Nashville Zoo fan since I was a kid. I remember visiting with my parents when it opened in Cheatham County in 1991, not too far from our home in White Bluff. We were initially dubious when it moved to the Grassmere property in 1996, but we’re a big bunch of animal lovers and visited often despite the longer distance.
Now that I’m a parent, I’m there all the time. It’s such a great place for animal lovers of all ages. As an AZA-accredited nonprofit facility, the zoo is dedicated to conservation efforts and research. If you want to make the most of your next zoo trip, here’s my advice.
I was a little disconcerted by this tiger’s interest in my daughter. (Margaret Kingsbury / City Cast Nashville)
🦎 Must-See Animal Exhibits
If you don’t visit often, exploring the entire zoo is worth the extra time. Since we go a lot, we each pick one animal exhibit to see. The zoo is big, and by choosing a few exhibits to check out, we know we'll get to them all without getting too overwhelmed. Here are some of my favorites!
- 🐅 We love visiting the tigers, and the exhibit now includes three tiger cubs! The tigers often get right by the exhibit window, so you can get an up-close look at them.
- 🐉 The new Komodo dragon exhibit by the vet center is amazing. They are so cool! And sometimes you can see zoo critters at the vet clinic, too. Fun story: We saw the Komodo dragons when the exhibit first opened, and on the way up there, I overheard a zoo visitor leaving, complaining about how the Komodo dragons aren’t “real dragons,” and it’s false advertising to call them that. We all know dragons are fictional, right?
- 🦎 The Unseen New World building includes amphibians, fish, reptiles, and lots of endangered creatures. In the summer, it’s a great place to cool off. The enclosed botanical garden sometimes includes a sloth, but I’ve only seen it twice!
- 😍 The meerkats are adorable!
- 🦩 The flamingoes are often cranky and get chatty with their complaining.
- 🦒 The giraffe exhibit is currently closed for renovations, but when the exhibit opens, definitely check them out.
🍽️ Where to Eat
I don’t love the food options at the zoo, but it’s a lot better than it used to be. It is, unsurprisingly, expensive. If you have a membership, you get a food and drink discount, so make sure to mention that at checkout. Snack bars are located throughout the zoo, and one central eating area is near the Unseen New World building. Here’s where we eat:
- ☕ I don’t drink coffee, but my spouse’s first stop at the zoo is Fat Cow Creamery, right across from the playground. Without it, I’m not sure he’d make it too long. 😂
- 🍞 If you’re allergic to gluten like me, go to the Screaming Gibbon Pizza Kitchen for a gluten-free pizza, or Quills Cafe & Grill for a burger on a gluten-free bun. If you’re really sensitive to gluten, though, it might be best to pack your own food. 🍗 My spouse, who has zero issues with gluten, always eats at the TN BBQ Depot.
- 🍦 My daughter just wants Dippin' Dots, which, for better or worse, are offered at stands throughout the zoo.
Komodo dragon friend is just chillin’. (Margaret Kingsbury / City Cast Nashville)
Other Attractions
The zoo also has several non-animal attractions. We’ve done them all. Most cost extra, in addition to your ticket. Some are worth it, others aren’t.
- 🎠 The carousel is a zoo classic. If you have a kid, you gotta go on the carousel (which they will remind you of as soon as they see it). $2.
- 😀 The zipline is also fun, though short. We don’t do this every time. $2
- 🎥 We went to the 4D theater for the first time recently, and enjoyed it. The films are only 15 minutes long, so keep that in mind. $4
- 🚂 I’d skip the train. It only goes in a small circle. I have friends who love it, though. $2
- 🛝 The zoo’s giant, accessible playground is one of the best in Nashville. If you start there, your kids won’t want to leave. It will be hard to see any of the animals! There’s also a wooden section where it’s very difficult to see your kid.
- One thing we haven’t done is the backstage pass tours. Is it worth it? Let me know! $30+
Are Memberships Worth It?
If you plan to visit more than twice a year, it’s worth buying a membership. As a three-person family, if we went to the zoo today without a membership, it would cost $71, plus $8 for parking. Memberships start at $95, and include free entrance and parking as well as discounted food and drink. We have the Household membership ($175), which gets in two adults and up to six kids for free. The zoo does check IDs when you use a membership card. You can add an unlimited ride pass for $75. This didn’t seem worth it to us, but if you go a lot, you should probably add it to your membership.
