Updated for September 2026

The Best Zoos in Charleston

How this list is ordered: by how complete our listing is — how much we hold on opening hours, ticket prices, accreditation, photographs, animals and facilities. It is a measure of our own coverage, not a judgement of the venue. We hold no visitor scores or conservation assessments, so “best” here means every zoo in Charleston that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.

Listed alphabetically

  1. Animal feeding experienceOn-site diningParking

    South Carolina Aquarium

    Zoo & Aquarium in Charleston

    Over 5,000 animals are shown in exhibits spread over two floors. The building sits on Charleston Harbor, with views taking in the USS Yorktown and the Ravenel Bridge.

  2. Turtle Survival Center

    Zoo in Charleston

    Turtle Survival Center is a zoo in Charleston, United States.

Our ranking methodology

This is not a ranking. The 2 venues above are listed alphabetically by name, the same order used throughout this site. We do not collect visitor reviews, star ratings, ticket-sales figures or a conservation-impact score, so none of those exist here to rank by — “best” in this page’s title means every venue that qualifies for this list, not first-to-last by quality. If we ever add a data source robust enough to support an honest ranking, this note and the order above will change together.