Go Wild for the Best Zoos in America

Considered by many to be the gold standard of zoos, the San Diego Zoo pioneered the concept of open-air, cageless exhibits that re-create natural animal habitats, with different species living side by side with native vegetation. The San Diego Zoo also operates the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, which comes in at a not-too-shabby no. 4 in the rankings.

Never heard of the Henry Doorly Zoo? TripAdvisor reviewers didn't just rank it no. 1 in the country; they ranked it the no. 1 zoo in the world. Reviewers raved about the many activities and programs at this zoo and aquarium and its backstage tours and workshops.

What began as a single exhibition during the 1904 World's Fair has grown to be the St. Louis Zoo with over 700 different animal species. If you've got little ones, don't miss the children's zoo and its see-through slide through the otter pool and up-close animal encounters.

This private petting zoo outside of Miami is home to many exotic animals. The Zoological Wildlife Foundation is particularly known for its one-on-one encounter experiences with animals such as baby tigers, lemurs, and monkeys.

Free and open year-round, the Cape May County Park & Zoo is a popular attraction with families. You'll find lions, tigers, giraffes, monkey, cheetahs, zebras and many other species, as well as scavenger hunts and arts-and-crafts workshops for kids.

America's only mountainside zoo spans 140 acres and boasts a collection of more than 750 animals, representing nearly 150 different species. Don't miss the wildly popular giraffe-feeding activity.

Open since 1965, the 40-acre Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is home to more than one thousand animals in Franke Park. You'll find animals from different parts of the world, such as Africa, Australia, and Indonesia. Don't miss the ever-popular penguins and otters, and be sure to feed the giraffes. 

For more than a century, the 76-acre Memphis Zoo has graced Overland Park in downtown Memphis. The zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species, including the Giant Panda. In 2008, Memphis Zoo was voted the no. 1 zoo in the US on TripAdvisor.

The largest and oldest zoo in Florida, Zoo Miami is also the only tropical zoo in the United States. There are four main exhibit sections in the zoo -- Asia, Africa, Amazon and Beyond and Australia. Don't miss a ride on the air-conditioned monorail, which provides an aerial view of the zoo and a convenient, comfortable way to move between sections.

Known as the San Diego Wild Animal Park until 2010, the 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo Wildlife Park houses a large array of wild and endangered animals from every continent except Antarctica. The wildlife park is operated by the San Diego Zoo, located 32 miles away.