Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo
Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is a great day trip if you are camping at Hillsborough River State Park. The zoo is a short drive away from the park and has everyone’s favorite animals.
If you’re interested in camping at Hillsborough River State Park, check out last week’s blog post.
Location
Lowry Park Zoo is located in the heart of Tampa on West Sligh Avenue. It is a short distance off of I-275. Parking is free and there is plenty of it available.
Price
If you have a zoo membership to another zoo in Florida, chances are it is a reciprocal zoo with Lowry Park Zoo. That means you can get in for 50% off. I was shocked that it was still expensive even with our zoo membership. It was nearly $80 for our family of 5.
They are currently running a special where you can pay for the day, and then come back all year for free. Adult prices are about $34.95 and children 3 to 11 are $25.95. Be sure to check their website for all the details.
Animals and Rides
Our kids loved the variety of animals at Lowry Park Zoo. We saw everything from alligators and primates to elephants and zebras. Most of the animals are in large open enclosures. We were happy to see this compared to the small cages at our home zoo.
We loved the Expedition Africa ride. Of course, there was a long Disney-type line. We waited for about 30 minutes. The ride itself went behind the scenes of the zoo. We got to see a few animals that you can’t see from the main zoo. We also got to see the elephants and giraffes up close. It was definitely worth the wait!
Disappointments
Unfortunately, during our winter visit, a lot of stuff was closed. The kids were super disappointed to find most of the kid rides closed. Every time we turned around we found something closed. It was quite frustrating.
The upkeep of the entire zoo also was lacking. There was a huge section closed so they could build a water ride. I would have much rather seen them put the money toward improving the zoo and bringing more animals. A water ride seems unnecessary. Of course, my kids would tell you that their favorite part of the zoo was the carousel and rides. Our home zoo doesn’t have rides, so I know they would enjoy the zoo even without rides. Why not put animals in some of the vacant enclosures? There were huge enclosures in the Africa section with nothing but weeds inside.
There are a good number of eating areas inside the zoo. Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Edy’s, ICEE, and some cafes are available. Some are seasonal! We took a chance on the food and were disappointed. The prices are high for what you get. We spent close to $50 and left hungry. The food itself was okay. If we go again we would definitely bring a picnic lunch. There is a very nice park with picnic tables right outside the zoo. You can walk to it from the zoo parking lot. I wish more reviews would mention things like that. Spending nearly $200 to visit the zoo is not easy or affordable for many people. And that’s with a zoo membership.
Return
Would we return? Maybe. Especially if we had a zoo membership. When we have memberships we try to make the most of them and use them often.
What is your favorite zoo? Leave me a comment.
- Rediscovering the Brevard Zoo
- Viera Wetlands with Kids
- Canaveral National Seashore’s Playalinda Beach
- Titusville’s Enchanted Forest Sanctuary with Kids
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own. I was not compensated for this post.
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