As most zoos go this is like most others except for some of their activities. In the summer they have a night time experience for children called night eyes. It is like a sleep over. During the summer they also have wine night where they have music entertainment, beer and wine for adults which alows everyone to have an enjoyable evening at the zoo.
This zoo may seem small to seasoned zoo trekkers, but this zoo is a great value and visit for any family who wants to see a bulk of what is great in zoos. This zoo has great paths that equate out to a fluid way of getting around easily. There exists a large area where one can pet lammas, goats, sheep, ect... there is even a Coy fish pond that one can feed the fish at. This zoo is small in size but large in what it offers. I particularly like the feeding area of the Lions and the large pane that allows you to get very close to them. They have a small jungle room as well in case you visit on rainy days. Any day is a great day at Blank Park Zoo!
I wouldn't say this zoo is a must see but it's a nice little zoo to take your little kids to. They have a nice little variety of animals.
We love this small zoo for our 4 small grandchildren. It take 2-3 hours to stroll through the zoo. Just right for the little ones. Don't miss the camel ride, there is approx a $5 charge for this, well worth the money. Also check the web site for giraffe feeding times.
Love this little zoo. New updates are nice. Only about a half day experience. Kids love it. Animals given plenty of space. A Must do if you love animals and are visiting Des Moines
Not enough variety of animals. Kids kept asking about elephants, bears, gorillas, and snakes. Other than that the park is a good size and have more than just seeing animals things to see and do.
Blank Park Zoo was a great little zoo. Not as big as some other zoos but it did have some cool exhibits and animals I haven't seen anywhere else. Was a really good value and they had extra activities you could pay a couple bucks to do. My son really enjoyed feeding a giraffe! Plan to make another visit in the spring.
The weather was beautiful, so we paid a visit to Blank Park Zoo. We've been here several times before, so it wasn't a surprise that there weren't many animals. However, I was surprised that there were so many animals without indoor viewing areas. They were cleaning the seal lion tank, so we saw four huddled in a holding tank, some macaque apes, a bald eagle, and two tortoises within a 45 minute visit. The rest of the animals were not available to be seen by the public due to the season and repairs.This is a small zoo, and we do enjoy this in the summer. While not impressive in size, the Australian and African animal exhibits have been redone since I was a youth and allow up close viewings. It's nice to have something educational and fun, but in comparison to Henry Doorley's shark tanks, pseudo-swamp, and desert biodome (Omaha) or Lincoln Park Zoo & Brookfield Zoo (Chicago & suburbs), Kansas City Zoo, St. Louis Zoo, or even the free Como Zoo (Minnesota), it doesn't leave much scope for the imagination.
I love our little zoo. It isn't huge, but the animals and features that are there are well-maintained. You can see most everything in an hour or two. The train is a kid favorite!
The Dsm zoo is small but it packs a punch with the many animals you can see. Perfect little outing for something to do in the morning with young ones.