Reid Park Zoo

Reid Park Zoo is Tucson's community zoo — a compact, excellent facility that delivers a high-quality zoo experience at a fraction of the cost of larger metro zoos. With over 11,600 reviews and a 4.6-star rating, it's clearly well-loved by both Tucson families and visitors who discover it as a day-trip alternative to Phoenix Zoo.

The zoo's manageable scale is actually an advantage for families with young children. At 24 acres with 500+ animals, you can see the entire zoo in 2-3 hours — a duration that works perfectly before younger kids hit the 'I'm done' wall. Exhibit quality is high, with naturalistic habitats for giraffes, lions, zebras, Asian elephants, South American species, and numerous other animals from around the world.

The elephant program is Reid Park's standout feature. Tucson has maintained a respected Asian elephant exhibit for decades, and the keeper programs and habitat design create opportunities to observe elephant behavior in detail. Scheduled keeper interaction times offer additional insight into the animals' lives.

For Scottsdale families planning a Tucson day trip, the optimal itinerary is Reid Park Zoo combined with Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — two completely different experiences (traditional zoo vs. living desert ecosystem museum) within 30 minutes of each other in the same metro area. The combined experience covers almost every animal and ecosystem type a family could want, and Tucson's outstanding restaurant scene (particularly its Mexican food) makes the full day trip genuinely excellent.

Admission is significantly more affordable than Phoenix Zoo — adults $14-18, kids $7-10 — making it a meaningful value for family budgets.