Reasons to Visit the St. Louis Zoo

Living in St. Louis has its fair share of benefits. First off, it’s St. Louis. Second, it’s St. Louis. And third, admission to the St. Louis Zoo is free. There are tons of reasons as to why you should live in St. Louis. The affordable housing, the overall culture, and pretty much everything about it. But one thing that people usually overlook is the incredible amenity that is the zoo. It’s open almost every day of the year, and houses countless different species of animals. There are some small fees to get into certain exhibits, but overall it is well worth it.

There are six zones at the St. Louis Zoo. They are, River’s Edge, The Wild, Discovery Center, Historic Hill, Red Rocks, and Lakeside Crossing. Each zone has its own unique set of animals, and they all contribute to what makes this zoo so special.

River’s edge has animals like elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, hyenas, and more. River’s edge is the zoo’s first immersion exhibit. It is a 10 acre exhibit that immerses you in the lush greenery and most naturalistic habitats of all kinds of animals. It has exhibits from four continents, with limited barriers and few buildings in sight you will feel like you are truly in the wild.

The Wild is home to all types of bears, penguins, orangutans, chimps, and gorillas. Currently, the penguin exhibit is temporarily closed, but the exhibit is still an incredible sight to see. This exhibit is designed to show that natural habitat, and the natural abilities, of these animals. The zoo boasts that you will see the animal’s natural behaviors, meaning that their exhibits are close replicas to the wild.

Discovery Corner is home to the children’s zoo, butterflies, goats, meerkats, alpacas, fennec foxes, guinea pigs, and kangaroos. This is one of the zoo’s most hands-on, interactive exhibits, and it is fun for all who go there.

Historic hill is home to all sorts of birds, otters, turtles, reptiles, sea lions and more. It is one of the oldest parts of the zoo, and has a sort of old timey feel. There is also a refreshment stand right next to the bird house that was built in the 1920’s. It has that historical flair that people are drawn to, and the animals that make them stay.

Red Rocks has all of the African animals like lions, tigers, zebras, and giraffes, among countless others. This is where the wild part of the zoo really comes to life, and onlookers can see some of nature’s most majestic beasts in a habitat that is as close to nature as the zoo can get.

Lakeside crossing is where you can touch sting rays, no worries though, their stingers have been clipped. This is also where the souvenir shops and refreshments are. It is where people go to relax after a long day learning about animals.