Updated for September 2026
The Best Zoos in South Carolina
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 South Carolina that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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Keeper talk or showRides and attractionsBehind-the-scenes tour
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
Zoo in Columbia
Over 2,000 animals are held, spanning mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Part of the site reaches into West Columbia. It is overseen by a commission made up of two members from each of the three governments involved, plus one at large.
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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.
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Parking
Greenville Zoo
Zoo in Greenville
Greenville Zoo, opened in 1960, is a zoo in Greenville, United States. The first giraffe calf here, Kiko, was born in October 2012 to Autumn, a Masai giraffe on breeding loan from Franklin Park Zoo.
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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 4 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.