What's up with all the plastic in the animal exhibits? I love how close up the animals are and how small the zoo is especially worth a toddler so it doesn't have to be an all day adventure but my heart aches for the animals. They seem sad and like they need more space. The Polar Bear paced back and forth on his rock like he was stuck although he wasn't but it broke my heart. Half the primate exhibits didn't have primates, they must've been behind the scenes but there were tens of mice in each exhibit and although that was fascinating for the toddler that kind of grossed me out.
apple g.
It is our first time to attend the live music event at como park conservatory. It is a really unique experience. If you love music and natures and get bored during winter time, como park winter concert worthwhile to check it out.
Ted R.
The Como Zoo and Conservatory is one of the true gems of the Twin Cities for residents, as well as for visitors. It's located very near the Minnesota State Fair off of Snelling Avenue in St. Paul. Not only is it easy to get there, there is no admission charge and no charge for parking. However, a small donation is requested. There are two very different parts, the first being the Zoo. When this Zoo was first built in 1887, it was typical for it's time with small cages for animals. However, the zoo has been modernized many times and continues to do so. Although the zoo takes a more modern approach, the animals are ALWAYS easy to find (either outside in warmer weather or in their indoor exhibits). This makes it much better for children than the larger Minnesota Zoo, which has exhibits that make it often difficult to find the animals. Kids and adults will enjoy themselves here. You can walk through the zoo in an hour and see most of the animals, although you certainly can spend more time here. The other part of the Zoo is the Conservatory, which is like a walk through heaven when it is cold outside. One room is dedicated to the Tropics and to walk inside and feel the heat and humidity is like being instantly transported to the Amazon Rain Forest. Your skin and your soul will thank you. Be sure to find the Sloth in his usual place near the exit. Watch him for 15 minutes and you will witness a true champion of slow! If you walk the other way at the Conservatory, you will walk through different areas with different species of plants. In addition, there is a room called the Hidden Garden, which has seasonal changes and is always spectacular. The Conservatory is the one place in the Twin Cities guaranteed to reduce high blood pressure and stress levels.
Linda Boisvert
Floor could use a vacuum.Starbucks coffee was yumI nice break with a blueberry muffin.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chicken Tenders
Baltic A.
Went to como with my husband to see the flowers, but couldn't get in. They had a special orchid show with a fee (usually free). We arrived at 3:30, they close at 4. I went to customer service/info booth and spoke with a manager (Laura). I shared that my dog died two days before, drove 45 minutes from WI and needed to see the flowers to experience some joy. I told her that when I googled sunken garden before I left home their special show was not listed and no pop up appeared, She told me it's on their website and I couldn't go in. I asked about going in 15 minutes before the place closed, at 3:45. She said no and to come back at 3:50 and "maybe" we'll let you in. I did not get to see the flowers.
Rebecca M.
Spent the day here while visiting from out of town. This zoo has been around for a very long time and a family staple for many. You simply donate to enter and you have access to so much. We enjoyed the gorilla and gardens the most. The zoo is older and publicly funded I believe so it's not very updated but that didn't cause any problems. Will come again.
Alexa B.
Como wasn't too busy on the afternoon of New Year's Day! Many young families were there. I always enjoy going to Como with my family when I'm home for the holidays. The free admission plus a great variety of animals makes this a no-brainer for some quality family time. We had three disappointments on this trip, in order of greatest to least disappointment: 1. We were not able to see the baby giraffe, Ivy. Despite hearing much on the local news and from family about the recently born baby giraffe, we did not see her during our visit. We checked the giraffe exhibit multiple times between 2 and 4pm but only saw the adult female giraffe Clover. We saw a zookeeper cleaning up some toys when we got to the exhibit around 2, so we think that we just missed Ivy. However, it would have been helpful to have an idea of when the baby giraffe would be out and about for viewing-- something as simple as a schedule like Como has for the Sparky shows. This would be helpful for expectation-setting for children and adults alike. Also, even using the screens to show videos of the baby giraffe (or a live cam?) would help for those who don't get to see her in the exhibit. 2. The Sparky show was moved to a much smaller viewing area. Dozens of families were ready for the 2:30 Sparky show in the amphitheater, but as it was about to start a staff member came to say that the show would be on the side. When we walked to that side, it was clear that there wouldn't be enough space for us to comfortable see. Given the cold and limited viewing, it just wasn't worth it for us, so we moved on. 3. Many of the animals were asleep. This is obviously not Como's fault, but it may be helpful for parents to explain to children and set expectations for their visit that many of the animals may be sleeping during their visit (I imagine that this is because it is winter and most of the sleeping animals are form much warmer climates). For example, many of the primates and cats were asleep and difficult to see. I will note that the arctic foxes and bison were quite lively. Como has a large and delightful gift shop, and the conservatory is always lovely (especially on a cold Minnesota day). We'll be back next year, and hope to see some baby animals!
John K.
First, it's free! Plus it has A LOT more than what you expect from a free place. I didn't expect much but wow, this place is a charity to the state and provides all the animals and services anywhere else would be a lot of money. I really enjoy this place and about to sign up for a membership so we can pass these opportunities to those who enjoy animals.
Morgan W.
We went to the Zoo in early November and it was AMAZING! Highly recommend going this time of year as there is not a huge crowd and you can get up close to see the animals with your kiddos. We got there right when it opened which I would suggest doing as it did seemed to fill up by the time we left around noon. The Zoo is completely free to visit but they do have a donation box at the entrance they you can donate to if you can. The new baby giraffe, Ivy, is a mist see- she was adorable! Tip: The toys in the store are a bit spendy so if you don't want to spend money during your visit try to avoid taking your little ones in.
Michael E.
We came to Saint Paul Minnesota for the Eagles concert, but spent three days, trying to pack as many other activities into our schedule as we could. Visiting the Como, Park, Zoo and, Conservatory was one of our top events. Walking through the zoo was really great. We saw giraffes, we saw zebras, we saw gorillas and snakes and Lions and all sorts of other things. Moving over to the conservatory was equally impressive. I could spend all day sitting in the various garden areas viewing and listening to the birds fluttering around through the luscious tropical plants. Just a wonderful experience.
What a gem! This zoo is fabulous and FREE! How is that possible?!? We gladly donated. We are avid zoo enthusiasts so we truly appreciate conservation efforts. We originally only went to see the gardens and conservatory but ended up visiting the zoo part as well . We loved the Tropics exhibit as the young man working there from Brazil was a birder and so informative. We also viewed the primate exhibit, seal show and giraffes. The seal show was short as the seals weren't interested in the training session. I appreciated that they don't push the animals to perform. Rather they leave it up to them. It was a cold day so the giraffes were inside and we got to see the new baby up close. We then moved to the Starbucks cafe for coffee and walked to through the indoor gardens. Even in late fall they were stunning. The fern house was so peaceful and tranquil. We walked through the outside japanese garden as well. Overall I can't say enough about this place. Everyone was so friendly and inviting. I 100% recommend going.
Nikki N.
I live by here, and I scooter over here pretty often, on most days. The animals, I want people to know that I have talked to several of the zoo keepers. Many of their animals are rescues or they are elderly. Many people give como zoo a bad rap based on the look of their animals. As someone who has done rescue with several different species, including reptiles, if they are sick or aren't cared for properly before they come to como zoo means that damage can be done that can't be reversed. When it comes to weight, big cats tend to lose a lot of weight when they become elderly. Many people think they aren't feeding the male lion, when it's just due to his age. These animals are actually very well taken care of for being a donation zoo. Please remember that those donations go to the food and vetting of the animals. If you donate, you're helping improve the care of the animals. Last night I went up to go see the wolves, because you never get to see them as they mainly only come out at night. There were two, and they were very curious to see me. They were nice sized wolves, roughly 140 lbs, beautiful coat. It is very interesting how much they look like and act like dogs. 5/5 recommend.
Kangni X.
I love this place!! The conservatory has three main sections. The section with international spices and edible plants is great. Not something I was expecting but it was so cool to see an actual growing pineapple, pomegranate, cacao pods, etc! The zoo is also well organized and open all year round. The entire place is free admission. I highly recommend support this endeavor.
Evelyn F.
Como Zoo is the perfect zoo for families. It's small size is perfect for those who can't handle long walks, and they have a good variety of animals to enjoy. I recommend going on their website to view their event calendar to see what's coming up. They have zookeeper talks and their well-known sea lion show daily. I've been coming here for many years. I personally enjoy their primate exhibits, especially the orangutans and gorillas. There are plenty of indoor exhibits when the weather bad. The conservatory and tropical exhibit are the best places to visit during the cold winter months.Como Zoo is AZA accredited, which means the animal welfare is a top priority, as well as conservation, education, and staff well-being. Free parking in lots and on streets. Accessibility - Wheelchair and electric scooters are available to rent at the front desk by the gift shop. Just note that there are a lot of hills and inclines within the parks. There are ramps wherever there are stairs. - There is sensory-friendly info on their website.
Markiesa B.
Came here one day while in town visiting, the zoo was free and so was parking. Pretty much all the animals were out and not hiding or anything like that: zoo is a bit on the small side so won't take long to cover it all: we caught the seal show and that was pretty cool to see: I did feel like the space for majority of the animals were on the small side. Of course they don't have all the animals there like: black bears, grizzly bears, kangaroos, camel, elephants etc but have a handful of other ones. Overall fun thing to do while visiting
What's up with all the plastic in the animal exhibits? I love how close up the animals are and how small the zoo is especially worth a toddler so it doesn't have to be an all day adventure but my heart aches for the animals. They seem sad and like they need more space. The Polar Bear paced back and forth on his rock like he was stuck although he wasn't but it broke my heart. Half the primate exhibits didn't have primates, they must've been behind the scenes but there were tens of mice in each exhibit and although that was fascinating for the toddler that kind of grossed me out.
It is our first time to attend the live music event at como park conservatory. It is a really unique experience. If you love music and natures and get bored during winter time, como park winter concert worthwhile to check it out.
The Como Zoo and Conservatory is one of the true gems of the Twin Cities for residents, as well as for visitors. It's located very near the Minnesota State Fair off of Snelling Avenue in St. Paul. Not only is it easy to get there, there is no admission charge and no charge for parking. However, a small donation is requested. There are two very different parts, the first being the Zoo. When this Zoo was first built in 1887, it was typical for it's time with small cages for animals. However, the zoo has been modernized many times and continues to do so. Although the zoo takes a more modern approach, the animals are ALWAYS easy to find (either outside in warmer weather or in their indoor exhibits). This makes it much better for children than the larger Minnesota Zoo, which has exhibits that make it often difficult to find the animals. Kids and adults will enjoy themselves here. You can walk through the zoo in an hour and see most of the animals, although you certainly can spend more time here. The other part of the Zoo is the Conservatory, which is like a walk through heaven when it is cold outside. One room is dedicated to the Tropics and to walk inside and feel the heat and humidity is like being instantly transported to the Amazon Rain Forest. Your skin and your soul will thank you. Be sure to find the Sloth in his usual place near the exit. Watch him for 15 minutes and you will witness a true champion of slow! If you walk the other way at the Conservatory, you will walk through different areas with different species of plants. In addition, there is a room called the Hidden Garden, which has seasonal changes and is always spectacular. The Conservatory is the one place in the Twin Cities guaranteed to reduce high blood pressure and stress levels.
Floor could use a vacuum.Starbucks coffee was yumI nice break with a blueberry muffin.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Chicken Tenders
Went to como with my husband to see the flowers, but couldn't get in. They had a special orchid show with a fee (usually free). We arrived at 3:30, they close at 4. I went to customer service/info booth and spoke with a manager (Laura). I shared that my dog died two days before, drove 45 minutes from WI and needed to see the flowers to experience some joy. I told her that when I googled sunken garden before I left home their special show was not listed and no pop up appeared, She told me it's on their website and I couldn't go in. I asked about going in 15 minutes before the place closed, at 3:45. She said no and to come back at 3:50 and "maybe" we'll let you in. I did not get to see the flowers.
Spent the day here while visiting from out of town. This zoo has been around for a very long time and a family staple for many. You simply donate to enter and you have access to so much. We enjoyed the gorilla and gardens the most. The zoo is older and publicly funded I believe so it's not very updated but that didn't cause any problems. Will come again.
Como wasn't too busy on the afternoon of New Year's Day! Many young families were there. I always enjoy going to Como with my family when I'm home for the holidays. The free admission plus a great variety of animals makes this a no-brainer for some quality family time. We had three disappointments on this trip, in order of greatest to least disappointment: 1. We were not able to see the baby giraffe, Ivy. Despite hearing much on the local news and from family about the recently born baby giraffe, we did not see her during our visit. We checked the giraffe exhibit multiple times between 2 and 4pm but only saw the adult female giraffe Clover. We saw a zookeeper cleaning up some toys when we got to the exhibit around 2, so we think that we just missed Ivy. However, it would have been helpful to have an idea of when the baby giraffe would be out and about for viewing-- something as simple as a schedule like Como has for the Sparky shows. This would be helpful for expectation-setting for children and adults alike. Also, even using the screens to show videos of the baby giraffe (or a live cam?) would help for those who don't get to see her in the exhibit. 2. The Sparky show was moved to a much smaller viewing area. Dozens of families were ready for the 2:30 Sparky show in the amphitheater, but as it was about to start a staff member came to say that the show would be on the side. When we walked to that side, it was clear that there wouldn't be enough space for us to comfortable see. Given the cold and limited viewing, it just wasn't worth it for us, so we moved on. 3. Many of the animals were asleep. This is obviously not Como's fault, but it may be helpful for parents to explain to children and set expectations for their visit that many of the animals may be sleeping during their visit (I imagine that this is because it is winter and most of the sleeping animals are form much warmer climates). For example, many of the primates and cats were asleep and difficult to see. I will note that the arctic foxes and bison were quite lively. Como has a large and delightful gift shop, and the conservatory is always lovely (especially on a cold Minnesota day). We'll be back next year, and hope to see some baby animals!
First, it's free! Plus it has A LOT more than what you expect from a free place. I didn't expect much but wow, this place is a charity to the state and provides all the animals and services anywhere else would be a lot of money. I really enjoy this place and about to sign up for a membership so we can pass these opportunities to those who enjoy animals.
We went to the Zoo in early November and it was AMAZING! Highly recommend going this time of year as there is not a huge crowd and you can get up close to see the animals with your kiddos. We got there right when it opened which I would suggest doing as it did seemed to fill up by the time we left around noon. The Zoo is completely free to visit but they do have a donation box at the entrance they you can donate to if you can. The new baby giraffe, Ivy, is a mist see- she was adorable! Tip: The toys in the store are a bit spendy so if you don't want to spend money during your visit try to avoid taking your little ones in.
We came to Saint Paul Minnesota for the Eagles concert, but spent three days, trying to pack as many other activities into our schedule as we could. Visiting the Como, Park, Zoo and, Conservatory was one of our top events. Walking through the zoo was really great. We saw giraffes, we saw zebras, we saw gorillas and snakes and Lions and all sorts of other things. Moving over to the conservatory was equally impressive. I could spend all day sitting in the various garden areas viewing and listening to the birds fluttering around through the luscious tropical plants. Just a wonderful experience.
Restaurantji Recommends
What a gem! This zoo is fabulous and FREE! How is that possible?!? We gladly donated. We are avid zoo enthusiasts so we truly appreciate conservation efforts. We originally only went to see the gardens and conservatory but ended up visiting the zoo part as well . We loved the Tropics exhibit as the young man working there from Brazil was a birder and so informative. We also viewed the primate exhibit, seal show and giraffes. The seal show was short as the seals weren't interested in the training session. I appreciated that they don't push the animals to perform. Rather they leave it up to them. It was a cold day so the giraffes were inside and we got to see the new baby up close. We then moved to the Starbucks cafe for coffee and walked to through the indoor gardens. Even in late fall they were stunning. The fern house was so peaceful and tranquil. We walked through the outside japanese garden as well. Overall I can't say enough about this place. Everyone was so friendly and inviting. I 100% recommend going.
I live by here, and I scooter over here pretty often, on most days. The animals, I want people to know that I have talked to several of the zoo keepers. Many of their animals are rescues or they are elderly. Many people give como zoo a bad rap based on the look of their animals. As someone who has done rescue with several different species, including reptiles, if they are sick or aren't cared for properly before they come to como zoo means that damage can be done that can't be reversed. When it comes to weight, big cats tend to lose a lot of weight when they become elderly. Many people think they aren't feeding the male lion, when it's just due to his age. These animals are actually very well taken care of for being a donation zoo. Please remember that those donations go to the food and vetting of the animals. If you donate, you're helping improve the care of the animals. Last night I went up to go see the wolves, because you never get to see them as they mainly only come out at night. There were two, and they were very curious to see me. They were nice sized wolves, roughly 140 lbs, beautiful coat. It is very interesting how much they look like and act like dogs. 5/5 recommend.
I love this place!! The conservatory has three main sections. The section with international spices and edible plants is great. Not something I was expecting but it was so cool to see an actual growing pineapple, pomegranate, cacao pods, etc! The zoo is also well organized and open all year round. The entire place is free admission. I highly recommend support this endeavor.
Como Zoo is the perfect zoo for families. It's small size is perfect for those who can't handle long walks, and they have a good variety of animals to enjoy. I recommend going on their website to view their event calendar to see what's coming up. They have zookeeper talks and their well-known sea lion show daily. I've been coming here for many years. I personally enjoy their primate exhibits, especially the orangutans and gorillas. There are plenty of indoor exhibits when the weather bad. The conservatory and tropical exhibit are the best places to visit during the cold winter months.Como Zoo is AZA accredited, which means the animal welfare is a top priority, as well as conservation, education, and staff well-being. Free parking in lots and on streets. Accessibility - Wheelchair and electric scooters are available to rent at the front desk by the gift shop. Just note that there are a lot of hills and inclines within the parks. There are ramps wherever there are stairs. - There is sensory-friendly info on their website.
Came here one day while in town visiting, the zoo was free and so was parking. Pretty much all the animals were out and not hiding or anything like that: zoo is a bit on the small side so won't take long to cover it all: we caught the seal show and that was pretty cool to see: I did feel like the space for majority of the animals were on the small side. Of course they don't have all the animals there like: black bears, grizzly bears, kangaroos, camel, elephants etc but have a handful of other ones. Overall fun thing to do while visiting