Updated for September 2026
The Best Zoos in Florida
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 Florida that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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Keeper talk or showParking
Brevard Zoo
Zoo in Melbourne
More than 900 animals of over 170 species, drawn from five continents, are held. Feedings, kayak trips, backstage tours and the TreeTop Trek ropes course are among the activities offered.
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Disney's Animal Kingdom
Zoo in Orlando
The Experiences division of the Walt Disney Company owns and operates the park. Its 580 acres made it the largest such park anywhere at the time of opening. What sets it apart from the neighbouring Disney parks is the pairing of rides with hundreds of live animal exhibits.
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Keeper talk or showRides and attractionsImmersive media attraction
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Zoo in Jacksonville
The grounds cover about 122 acres and hold more than 2,000 animals alongside 1,000 plant species. Attendance runs to more than a million visits a year. A jaguar called Zorro is named its most significant animal.
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Guided tourAssistance animal policy
Lion Country Safari
Zoo in Loxahatchee
More than 1,000 animals are kept across seven sections of a 4-mile preserve, alongside a 33-acre amusement park. USA Travel Guide placed it third among the nation's zoos in 2009.
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Animal feeding experienceGuided tour
Naples Zoo
Zoo in Naples
The layout is a single mile-long loop threading through the botanical gardens. Animals on show include Lion, Giraffe, Cheetah, Malayan Tiger and Bornean Orangutan.
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Behind-the-scenes tourEducation programParking
Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
Zoo in Gainesville
It occupies ten wooded acres on the western side of the college's main campus. Tours are led by students in the programme and must be booked in advance, though self-guided visits are also possible.
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St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Zoo in St. Augustine
It opened on 20 May 1893 and counts among the state's longest continuously operating attractions.
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Parking
Zoo Miami
Zoo in Miami
The zoo is divided into five exhibit sections, covering Florida, Asia, Africa, the Amazon and Australia.
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ZooTampa at Lowry Park
Zoo
ZooTampa at Lowry Park, opened in 1930, is a zoo in United States. Animals on show include Florida panther, Gharials and Hamadryas Baboons.
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Animal encounterMobility equipment loanWheelchair accessible routes
Butterfly World
Zoo in Coconut Creek
It opened in 1988 and has been described as the biggest butterfly park worldwide and the first of its type in the Western Hemisphere. Roughly 20,000 live butterflies are kept on site.
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Animal encounterPlaygroundParking
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Zoo in Sanford
About 400 animals of close to 100 species are kept, and the zoo runs as a not-for-profit body.
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Gulf Breeze Zoo
Zoo in Gulf Breeze
The site divides into 20 acres of walkable exhibits and a 30-acre free-roaming area toured by guided train. More than 900 exotic animals are kept, orangutans, gorillas, hippos and rhinos among them. The zoo backs breeding in captivity as well as wildlife and habitat conservation schemes.
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Jungle Island
Zoo in Miami
The attraction reopened after major renovations following damage from Hurricane Irma. Current draws include pop-up waterslides, an outdoor wind tunnel, zip lines, escape rooms and a Nerf battle stadium.
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Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium
Zoo & Aquarium in Sarasota
The laboratory has been based in Sarasota since 1960 and on City Island since 1978. The aquarium acts as its public face, showing over 100 marine species tied to staff research; a second site, the Mote Science Education Aquarium, operates at 225 University Town Center.
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Night and evening openingAssistance animal policyParking
Palm Beach Zoo
Zoo in West Palm Beach
Hundreds of animals, many of them endangered, are kept across 23 acres of tropical planting. Amenities include a play fountain, a carousel, a cafe, gift shops and a bronze by Geoffrey C Smith, and more than 35 keeper talks are given each week.
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Animal encounterOvernight stayGuided tour
The Florida Aquarium
Zoo & Aquarium in Tampa
The aquarium stands in the Channel District downtown and holds upwards of 7,000 aquatic animals and plants, both local and foreign.
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Animal encounter
Marineland
Zoo in St. Augustine
Marineland is a zoo in St. Augustine, United States.
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Keeper talk or show
Reptile World Serpentarium
Zoo in Saint Cloud
Run by the herpetologist George Van Horn, it shows over 75 snake species along with lizards, crocodiles, alligators and turtles, and puts on venom extraction demonstrations alongside the displays.
Our ranking methodology
This is not a ranking. The 20 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.