Reid Park Zoo: Things to Do with Kids in Tucson, Arizona

If you aren’t from Tucson, you may not realize we have a family friendly zoo in town called Reid Park Zoo. I like that it’s constantly adding not only animals, but also kid friendly activities and events. The zoo itself is not overwhelming for younger children. A visit can usually last a couple of hours, which is long enough when you have a toddler. And it’s one of my favorite things to do with kids in Tucson, Arizona.

We have a family membership to the zoo, and it’s well worth it. Not only is it our go-to place during the weekend, but it also has Membership Benefits like reciprocity or discounted admission to other zoos in the United States such as the Phoenix Zoo (which is another great zoo in Arizona).

Reid Park Zoo: Things to Do with Kids in Tucson, Arizona

Here are some of the reasons we really like Reid Park Zoo:

The Animals

The Zoo has most of the major animals in residency like lions, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, bears, and elephants.

Our favorite are the elephants, especially Nandi! Nandi was born at the zoo and she has literally grown in front of our eyes. She is a sentimental favorite among many Tucsonans for that very reason.

The elephants enclosure is especially lively with music that’s usually played over the speakers (it inspires many children to start dancing!).

Interaction with the animals

One of the more popular activities at the zoo is being able to feed a giraffe for $2. The last two times we’ve gone, my son has been able to feed carrots to Eleanor the Giraffe.

And recently, the zoo has added camel rides, which cost extra.

The Wildlife Carousel

The Carousel is also one of the more recent additions. For our family, a visit to the zoo is not complete without a ride on the Carousel. As you can see from the pictures below, it’s quickly become a family favorite 😊

(My son wasn’t actually scared in the pic above, I told him to make a goofy face and this is what we both came up with, lol!)

The splash pad

The Zoo added a slash pad so that children can cool down during the hot summer months. The splash pad is called Kenya Get Wet.

Speaking of hot summer months, the Zoo opens earlier during the summer months. Regardless of the month, though, we like visiting the Zoo first thing in the morning - usually the animals are active during that time. The Zoo is definitely one of our favorite places in town.