by Tim Froberg
Zoo visits are part of summer fun in Wisconsin.
Zoos offer a combination of conservation, education, and entertainment, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to connect with the animal kingdom in a safe, accessible setting.
They appeal to people of all ages, especially children, and are extremely popular with families and nature lovers. Many zoos operate year-round, but summer — with its longer days and warmer temperatures — is the ideal time to visit one.
Whether you’re checking out the big cats, primates, or penguins, zoos provide hours of fascinating, educational fun. The animals live in expertly crafted, temperature-controlled habitats that mimic their natural environments, from freezing Arctic-like conditions to warm, southern African shores.
Aside from their enormous entertainment and educational value, zoos serve an important role in protecting endangered species. Many zoos participate in captive breeding programs designed to increase the population and genetic diversity of endangered or threatened species, helping to ensure long-term survival.
The San Diego Zoo is the most-visited zoo in the United States. Located in Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo is home to more than 12,000 animals and 650 species. San Diego is a wonderful city to visit, and a day trip to one of the world’s finest zoos is a must.
The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb., the Bronx Zoo in New York City, and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio are also ranked among the top U.S. Zoos. The Henry Doorly Zoo spans 160 acres and houses 17,000 animals and is famous for the Desert Dome, the world’s largest indoor desert.
The Bronx Zoo covers 270 acres and is one of the world’s largest metropolitan zoos, with over 10,000 animals from 700 species.
The Columbus Zoo is famous for its former director, renowned zoologist and television personality Jack Hanna. It is home to more than 10,000 animals from 600 species.
Fox Cities residents have two excellent zoo options, both within driving distance: the NEW Zoo and Adventure Park in Suamico and the Milwaukee County Zoo. Both are year-round facilities that are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The AZA is recognized as the “gold standard” for zoological facilities and ensures the zoo meets rigorous standards for animal care, welfare, and safety.
NEW ZOO & ADVENTURE PARK
The NEW Zoo & Adventure Park in Suamico isn’t a large facility, but it is well regarded. It was named as the 27th-best zoo in the U.S. by hospitality organization, Time Out, in 2025 despite being significantly smaller than others on the list like the top-rated San Diego Zoo and the Henry Doorly.
The NEW Zoo is an affordable, well-maintained, family-friendly zoo that provides an intimate, up-close look at the animal experience. It won’t overwhelm you like a big-city zoo, but it is packed with a nice variety of animals and makes for a pleasant afternoon.
The NEW Zoo offers more than 200 animals from 90 different species and is paired with an adjoining high-adrenaline activities park that contains a 1,000-foot dual zipline along with a climbing wall and ropes course.
Animals that reside at the NEW Zoo include mammals such as African lions, alpacas, giraffes, penguins, red pandas, snow leopards, Canadian lynx, bobcats, moose, American bison, American Elk, wolves, goats, North American black bears, otters, and white-tailed deer.
Reptiles include American alligators, boa constrictors, Aldabra tortoises, and bearded dragons, while African penguins, pelicans, bald eagles, and whooping cranes highlight the bird section.
One of the zoo’s most popular interactive activities is a high feeding tower in which visitors can nourish the giraffes with leaves and lettuce. There are also opportunities to feed animals like penguins, pelicans, otters, goats, cows, and alpacas.
The big cats, giraffes, and penguins are definitely worth checking out, along with the zoo’s giant Aldabra tortoises, Al and Tootie.
The zoo offers a Wild Encounters program in which visitors can get a closer behind-the-scenes look at their favorite animals.
“We have a lot of really great ways to get very close to the animals,” said Angela Kawaski, education director for NEW Zoo & Adventure Park. “We have a variety of daily opportunities to get up close and personal with the animals through things like our giraffe, penguin, and otter feedings and our snow leopard VIP experience.
“We have an outdoor tortoise experience where you can go inside the habitat with the giant tortoises. There are a lot of really cool hands-on experiences.”
A couple of baby American red wolves were born in late April.
“Red wolves are an endangered species, so they were exciting births for us,” Kawaski said. “They should be more visible as the summer moves on.”
Make sure to take the Neil Anderson Canopy Tour: a 1,400-foot treetop walk from Adventure Park to the zoo over a dozen suspended bridges and platforms up to 15 feet high, providing unique zoo views.
Check out the Billy Goats Gruff Tower. It is a multi-level climbing structure inside the Children’s Zoo that accesses two goat yards through a bridge, allowing the zoo’s 12 domestic goats to showcase their climbing skills. Meet Jo, the internet sensation whose googly-eyed photo went viral in September of 2025, drawing millions of views after the zoo posted his picture on its Facebook page.
‘We’ve made new improvements to our habitats,” Kawaski said. “Aldo (the black bear) has a new swimming pool, and our whooping cranes have a new wading pool.”
The NEW Zoo is open daily from 9-6 p.m. until Oct. 31 and 9-4 p.m. in the winter months. Admission fee is $14.50 for adults and $10 for children from ages 3-15.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO
The Milwaukee County Zoo is a 90-minute trip from Appleton and is worth the drive. It is a large metropolitan zoo (190 acres) and draws 1.3 million visitors annually.
Operated by the Milwaukee County Parks Commission, the zoo started in Washington Park in the 1890s before moving to its current location on Bluemound Road in 1961. It is a world-class zoo considered to be one of the Midwest’s finest and has been ranked among the nation’s top 10 by multiple sources, including Ranker.com and Rave Reviews.org.
“We have a bigger zoo feel, but you can walk around and not get exhausted,” said Megan O’Shea, communications director for MCZ. “It’s a nice, convenient loop and an easy zoo to navigate. We have some great animals and a lot of opportunities where you can get really close to them.”
The Milwaukee County Zoo is home to more than 340 species and 3,000 animals, including headliners like elephants, rhinos, lions, tigers, seals, penguins, apes, zebras, and giraffes.
African elephants are a prominent part of the zoo’s popular Adventure Africa exhibit, which includes rhinos, hippos, and red river hogs.
“We’re the only zoo in the region that has elephants,” O’Shea said. “The next closest is in Indianapolis.”
One of MCZ’s most recent zoo additions is located within the Adventure Africa exhibit: the Ladish Co. Foundation Rhino Care Center, which opened in December. The $22.6 million, 62,000-square-foot facility provides state-of-the-art indoor habitats for its two Eastern black rhinos, Zuri and Kianga. The two arrived in October, marking the return of rhinos to the zoo for the first time since 2021.
“With that, there’s indoor space for rhinos and an indoor space for hippos on the other side of the building,” said O’Shea. “It also includes renovated outdoor yards. So now we have zebras and red river hogs over there, and the rhinos can go outside along with the hippos.”
Make sure to visit Florence Mila Borchert Big Cat Country. There, visitors can check out the three Amur tigers, Natasha, Kash, and Tula, who rotate through the indoor and outdoor habitats along with rare snow leopards and the zoo’s beautiful pride of lions, which includes lioness Patty and her daughters, Amira and Eloise.
The Stearns Family of Apes of Africa exhibit is also impressive, featuring Western lowland gorillas and one of the largest groups of bonobos in North America. Orangutans, black-handed spider monkeys, and De Brazza monkeys are among the inhabitants of the Primates of the World exhibit.
Have you ever seen a king cobra, a green anaconda, a Grand Cayman blue iguana, or a giant Pacific octopus? You can check all four off the list by stopping by the Aquatic and Reptile Center.
Are you a bear’s fan — as in the hairy four-legged type? Stop by the North America exhibit and observe grizzly and Alaskan brown bears along with American elk.
Tired of walking? Take the zoo’s North Shore Safari Train, which provides a scenic 20-minute MCZ tour.
The zoo also offers animal encounter events, a petting zoo, and a gift shop.
The Milwaukee County Zoo uses flex pricing. Ticket prices range from $12.75 to $19.75 for adults and $9.75 to $16.75 for children ages 3-12. Buying tickets online usually provides a discount.
This article was originally published in the June 2026 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
