Accessible Zoos & Aquariums

Zoos and aquariums across the US with wheelchair-accessible paths, viewing areas, parking and restrooms, each verified with a detailed accessibility summary. 90 destinations, ranked by accessibility score.

• Alaska SeaLife Center (Seward, Alaska) – score 5/5 – A Seward aquarium and marine-mammal rescue center with accessible parking, elevators to every floor, and a loaner wheel…
• Mystic Aquarium (Mystic, Connecticut) – score 5/5 – A marine-life aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, with free wheelchair loans and a family restroom near the cafe.
• Smithsonian's National Zoo (Washington, DC) – score 5/5 – A free Smithsonian zoo in Rock Creek Park. The grounds are hilly, but every exhibit is reachable, and manual wheelchair…
• Audubon Aquarium (New Orleans, Louisiana) – score 4.7/5 – A Mississippi riverfront aquarium in downtown New Orleans, with two lobby elevators to the exhibit floor and free wheel…
• Maui Ocean Center (Wailuku, Hawaii) – score 4.7/5 – This Wailuku, Hawaii aquarium has flat pathways throughout and wheelchair loaners at check-in.
• Milwaukee County Zoo (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) – score 4.7/5 – A major Milwaukee zoo with an official accessibility guide, wheelchair-accessible attractions, sensory bags, quiet area…
• San Diego Zoo (San Diego, California) – score 4.7/5 – A large canyon zoo in Balboa Park with steep grades in places, a free ADA shuttle inside the grounds and wheelchair and…
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs, Colorado) – score 4.6/5 – Colorado Springs zoo built high on Cheyenne Mountain. Paths are steep, but two elevators and a wheelchair shuttle reach…
• Newport Aquarium (Newport, Kentucky) – score 4.6/5 – A large aquarium on the Ohio River across from Cincinnati. Elevators reach the exhibit level, and monthly sensory hours…
• Adventure Aquarium (Camden, New Jersey) – score 4.5/5 – An indoor aquarium on the Camden waterfront with sharks and hippos. Wheelchairs rent for $8 at the Information Desk.
• Minnesota Zoo (Apple Valley, Minnesota) – score 4.5/5 – A large zoo in Apple Valley with a raised Treetop Trail loop, accessible by ramp and elevator, plus free wheelchair loa…
• ZooTampa at Lowry Park (Tampa, Florida) – score 4.2/5 – ZooTampa at Lowry Park is a family-focused wildlife park in Tampa, organized into themed habitats covering African, Asi…
• Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach, California) – score 4/5 – Aquarium of the Pacific is a Long Beach, CA aquarium that gives Accessible America travelers a concrete, plan-ahead sto…
• Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, Massachusetts) – score 4/5 – Boston zoo operated by Zoo New England.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey, California) – score 4/5 – Monterey Bay Aquarium is a Monterey, CA aquarium that gives Accessible America travelers a concrete, plan-ahead stop wi…
• Rolling Hills Zoo (Salina, Kansas) – score 4/5 – Zoo and wildlife museum near Salina.
• Saint Louis Zoo (St. Louis, Missouri) – score 4/5 – Free-admission zoo in Forest Park.
• Tennessee Aquarium (Chattanooga, Tennessee) – score 3.7/5 – Two aquarium buildings on the Chattanooga riverfront, following water from mountain streams to the sea. All exhibit gal…
• Bronx Zoo (New York City, New York) – score 2.1/5 – Home to over 4,000 animals, the Bronx Zoo offers world-class wildlife experiences with accessible paths and facilities…
• National Aquarium (Baltimore, Maryland) – score 2.1/5 – Baltimore's world-class aquarium brings ocean wonders to life with fully wheelchair-accessible exhibits across multiple…
• Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, Illinois) – score 1.9/5 – A free, world-class zoo in the heart of Chicago with strong wheelchair accessibility and inclusive programming for all…
• Lincoln Children’s Zoo (Lincoln, Nebraska) – score 1.8/5 – A hands-on zoo where kids can feed giraffes, ride a train, and get nose-to-nose with animals in an intimate, wheelchair…
• New England Aquarium (Boston, Massachusetts) – score 1.8/5 – Boston's beloved aquarium brings marine life to eye level, with 98% wheelchair-accessible exhibits and free admission f…
• Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) – score 1.7/5 – A 77-acre zoo and aquarium where paved pathways wind past animals from six continents, with wheelchair-friendly exhibit…
• American Dream (East Rutherford, New Jersey) – score 1.5/5 – A massive indoor entertainment complex featuring an aquarium, indoor ski slope, amusement park, and hundreds of shops i…
• Hogle Zoo (Salt Lake City, Utah) – score 1.5/5 – Utah's Hogle Zoo brings wildlife from around the world to the foothills of Salt Lake City, with accessible pathways and…
• Seattle Aquarium (Seattle, Washington) – score 1.5/5 – Explore Pacific Northwest marine life up close at this waterfront aquarium, where underwater worlds meet accessible des…
• South Carolina Aquarium (Charleston, South Carolina) – score 1.5/5 – Charleston's waterfront aquarium brings the wonders of Southern marine life to everyone through fully accessible, multi…
• Sunset Zoo (Manhattan, Kansas) – score 1.5/5 – A walkable hilltop zoo in Manhattan, Kansas, where wildlife encounters and family-friendly paths make every visit memor…
• The Florida Aquarium (Tampa, Florida) – score 1.5/5 – Explore underwater worlds and marine life at Tampa's premier aquarium, featuring interactive exhibits and immersive exp…
• Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield, Illinois) – score 1.4/5 – One of the largest zoos in the US, Brookfield Zoo Chicago offers world-class wildlife experiences with strong accessibi…
• Idaho Falls Zoo at Tautphaus Park (Idaho Falls, Idaho) – score 1.4/5 – Known as the 'Best Little Zoo in the West,' this AZA-accredited gem in Idaho Falls houses around 130 species across 10…
• The Maryland Zoo (Baltimore, Maryland) – score 1.4/5 – A beloved Baltimore zoo with paved, accessible pathways and wheelchair rentals, connecting visitors to wildlife from ar…
• Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle, Washington) – score 1.4/5 – Seattle's beloved zoo blends wildlife encounters with lush Pacific Northwest gardens, and it's designed to welcome visi…
• Houston Zoo (Houston, Texas) – score 1.3/5 – Home to over 6,000 animals, Houston Zoo offers interactive exhibits and wheelchair-friendly paths through one of Americ…
• Oregon Zoo (Portland, Oregon) – score 1.3/5 – One of the Pacific Northwest's top zoos, home to endangered species and immersive habitats across 64 lush acres in Port…
• Roger Williams Park Zoo (Providence, Rhode Island) – score 1.3/5 – New England's oldest zoo offers 40 acres of wildlife encounters with accessible paths winding through beautiful woodlan…
• Wonders of Wildlife (Springfield, Missouri) – score 1.3/5 – One of America's largest immersive wildlife attractions, featuring world-class aquarium and wildlife galleries in Sprin…
• Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Columbus, Ohio) – score 1.2/5 – One of America's top-rated zoos, offering world-class animal exhibits and aquarium experiences with strong accessibilit…
• Custer State Park Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour (Custer, South Dakota) – score 1.2/5 – Ride through Custer State Park on a guided off-road jeep tour to see free-roaming buffalo, elk, and pronghorn up close.
• Mystic Seaport & Aquarium (Mystic, Connecticut) – score 1.2/5 – Explore maritime history and marine life on Connecticut's scenic shoreline, where both venues welcome visitors of all a…
• North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro, North Carolina) – score 1.2/5 – One of the world's largest natural habitat zoos, spanning 500 acres of North Carolina woodland with accessible pathways…
• Aquarium of Niagara (Niagara Falls, New York) – score 1.1/5 – Discover marine life at this Niagara Falls aquarium featuring interactive exhibits and AuSome Aquarium days designed fo…
• Beardsley Zoo (Bridgeport, Connecticut) – score 1.1/5 – Connecticut's only zoo, home to over 300 animals across 52 acres in Bridgeport, with wheelchair-accessible paths and in…
• Brandywine Zoo (Wilmington, Delaware) – score 1.1/5 – A compact, walkable zoo in Wilmington's Brandywine Park where all exhibits are wheelchair accessible and sensory-friend…
• Fort Wayne Zoo (Fort Wayne, Indiana) – score 1.1/5 – A fully wheelchair-accessible zoo where every exhibit, path, and boardwalk welcomes visitors of all abilities.
• Indianapolis Zoo (Indianapolis, Indiana) – score 1.1/5 – A world-class zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden in one location, with wheelchair-accessible grounds, rides, and exhib…
• Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (Kansas City, Missouri) – score 1.1/5 – A 202-acre zoo and aquarium in Swope Park with wheelchair-friendly paths, rental mobility devices, and sensory-inclusiv…
• Long Island Aquarium (Riverhead, New York) – score 1.1/5 – Dive into underwater adventures at Long Island Aquarium, where sea lions perform and marine life thrives in fully acces…
• Maine Wildlife Park (Gray, Maine) – score 1.1/5 – Home to native Maine wildlife including moose, bears, and eagles, this state park offers close encounters with animals…
• Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (Norwalk, Connecticut) – score 1.1/5 – Explore Long Island Sound's marine life at this waterfront aquarium with strong accessibility programs and hands-on exh…
• Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (Nashville, Tennessee) – score 1.1/5 – A fully ADA-accessible zoo featuring paved paths, wheelchair rentals, and an inclusive playground designed for visitors…
• Oklahoma Aquarium (Jenks, Oklahoma) – score 1.1/5 – Oklahoma Aquarium brings marine life to the heartland, featuring bull sharks, sea turtles, and hands-on touch tanks in…
• Philadelphia Zoo (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) – score 1.1/5 – America's first zoo offers fully wheelchair-accessible exhibits, rentable mobility devices, and wildlife encounters for…
• Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (Columbia, South Carolina) – score 1.1/5 – A world-class zoo and botanical garden in Columbia where most exhibits, rides, and facilities welcome visitors of all a…
• Tulsa Zoo (Tulsa, Oklahoma) – score 1.1/5 – A 124-acre zoo with rentable wheelchairs and scooters, offering immersive animal exhibits and paved pathways through di…
• Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo (Orange Beach, Alabama) – score 1/5 – A fully wheelchair-accessible zoo spanning 25 acres with 118 species, offering complimentary wheelchair rentals and wid…
• Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (Smyrna, Delaware) – score 1/5 – A premier East Coast wildlife refuge where tidal salt marshes meet accessible trails, observation towers, and a 12-mile…
• Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (Omaha, Nebraska) – score 1/5 – One of the world's top zoos, featuring indoor exhibits and accessible pathways across 160 acres in Omaha, Nebraska.
• Wildlife Safari (Winston, Oregon) – score 1/5 – Drive through 600 acres of free-roaming wildlife from your own car, with most animal encounters designed to be wheelcha…
• Como Park Zoo & Conservatory (St. Paul, Minnesota) – score 0.9/5 – A free zoo and conservatory in St. Paul offering wheelchair-accessible exhibits, tropical gardens, and year-round famil…
• Dakota Zoo (Bismarck, North Dakota) – score 0.9/5 – A beloved Bismarck zoo where over 600 animals and accessible pathways make wildlife encounters enjoyable for every visi…
• Oklahoma City Zoo (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) – score 0.9/5 – A 119-acre zoo and botanical garden where families can explore wildlife from around the world on accessible, paved path…
• Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) – score 0.9/5 – Explore a stunning underwater world with thousands of aquatic animals, interactive exhibits, and a moving ocean tunnel…
• Southwick’s Zoo (Mendon, Massachusetts) – score 0.9/5 – New England's largest zoo offers wildlife encounters across 300 acres, with accessible pathways, scooter rentals, and a…
• Tupelo Buffalo Park & Zoo (Tupelo, Mississippi) – score 0.9/5 – Mississippi's largest zoo spans 175 acres with roaming bison herds, over 260 animals, and hands-on feeding experiences…
• Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (Eureka Springs, Arkansas) – score 0.9/5 – A top big cat sanctuary in the Ozarks offering guided tours, a Discovery Area, and tram rides through habitats of rescu…
• Atlantic City Aquarium (Atlantic City, New Jersey) – score 0.8/5 – A charming waterfront aquarium on the Atlantic City boardwalk, featuring marine life exhibits and hands-on touch tanks…
• Miami Seaquarium (Miami, Florida) – score 0.8/5 – Experience marine life up close at this 38-acre oceanarium featuring dolphin shows, sea turtle exhibits, and stunning M…
• Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (Tacoma, Washington) – score 0.8/5 – A waterfront zoo and aquarium in Tacoma where Pacific Northwest wildlife meets accessible family fun.
• Reptile Gardens (Rapid City, South Dakota) – score 0.8/5 – One of the world's largest reptile zoos, featuring exciting shows, botanical gardens, and a tropical Sky Dome in the Bl…
• Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies (Gatlinburg, Tennessee) – score 0.8/5 – Walk through an underwater tunnel surrounded by sharks and rays at one of America's most visited aquariums, fully wheel…
• Shedd Aquarium (Chicago, Illinois) – score 0.8/5 – One of the world's largest indoor aquariums, Shedd Aquarium connects visitors to ocean, river, and lake life on Chicago…
• Tanganyika Wildlife Park (Goddard, Kansas) – score 0.8/5 – A hands-on wildlife park in Goddard, Kansas, where visitors can feed and interact with over 500 animals along paved, wh…
• Tennessee Safari Park (Alamo, Tennessee) – score 0.8/5 – Drive through a wildlife safari park in Tennessee where exotic and native animals roam freely, offering close encounter…
• Wildlife Safari Park (Ashland, Nebraska) – score 0.8/5 – Explore wildlife up close at this family-friendly safari park, where nature and adventure meet across Nebraska's rollin…
• North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina) – score 0.7/5 – Explore North Carolina's coastal marine life at this wheelchair-accessible aquarium featuring exhibits from mountains t…
• Red River Zoo (Fargo, North Dakota) – score 0.7/5 – A family-friendly zoo in Fargo featuring animals from cold-climate regions around the world, with wheelchair-accessible…
• Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas, Nevada) – score 0.7/5 – Walk through underwater tunnels surrounded by sharks, rays, and exotic sea life at this immersive Las Vegas aquarium.
• Virginia Safari Park (Natural Bridge, Virginia) – score 0.7/5 – Drive through 180 acres of free-roaming exotic animals at this unique safari experience in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mounta…
• ZooMontana (Billings, Montana) – score 0.7/5 – A wildlife park in Billings where families can meet native Montana animals up close on gentle, walkable grounds.
• Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (Draper, Utah) – score 0.3/5 – One of the nation's largest aquariums, featuring ocean, rainforest, and Antarctic habitats in a fully wheelchair-access…
• Jackson Zoo (Jackson, Mississippi) – A charming 110-acre zoo in the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, offering wheelchair-accessible paths and up-close wildlif…
• Blank Park Zoo (Des Moines, Iowa) – A zoo on the south side of Des Moines where paved, ADA pathways run through the grounds and wheelchairs are free at the…
• Connecticut Beardsley Zoo (Bridgeport, Connecticut) – Connecticut's only AZA-accredited zoo, on Beardsley Park grounds in Bridgeport. Paths are stroller-friendly and loaner…
• Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta, Georgia) – A large downtown Atlanta aquarium with free wheelchair loans, accessible parking on deck Level 3 and low-sensory hours…
• Louisville Zoo (Louisville, Kentucky) – A 134-acre Louisville zoo with more than 1,200 animals. Wheelchairs and electric carts rent for $11 to $40 a day at the…
• Oregon Coast Aquarium (Newport, Oregon) – A Newport aquarium of Oregon Coast marine life, with ADA-accessible buildings and wheelchair rentals, though outdoor pa…
• Sedgwick County Zoo (Wichita, Kansas) – A 247-acre AZA zoo in Wichita with wide, mostly flat paths and wheelchair and scooter rentals available to reserve in a…
• Turtle Back Zoo (West Orange, New Jersey) – Essex County's zoo in West Orange, built on a hillside with some steep paths. Free loaner wheelchairs at Guest Relation…