Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

It may be a small zoo, but its a wonderful one! All of the animals seem to be well taken care of and happy. There is a lot to see and do, seal lion shows, penguin feeding shows, feeding the giraffes. Also ropes courses for older and younger kids, and the skyway is now open! It does take you from near the carousel to the botanical gardens and back. Make sure if you have littles that you bring a bathing suit, water shoes, and towels for them! There is a small water park in the botanical gardens! It was fairly packed when we went, but would of been fine if we brought her swimsuit. There is also a dinosaur dig site you can actively dig in the sand for dinosaurs! My daughter absolutely loved that! It really is a great zoo. Not a lot of hills (when you compare it to Asheboro.) One of my favorite zoos for sure, and we will be again many times!

This Zoo is truly fenomenal, it’s so clean and well kept. The animals are healthy and happy, it was so much fun feeding the birds. It was very hot because we went around 11 in the morning, it’s best to go around 8 am. There is so much to see, gardens, beautiful gardens with gorgeous flowers. This Zoo is one of my happy places. Must visit!!

🐘🐒🦒 Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is truly one of Columbia’s greatest treasures. Whether you are visiting in the summertime 🌞 or during the holidays 🎄, it is always a wonderful experience. The zoo is beautifully maintained, easy to walk, and thoughtfully laid out with a great mix of animals 🐯🦓, shaded paths 🌳, and stunning garden areas 🌸 that make the visit enjoyable for all ages. 🦁🐼 In the summer, it is a perfect place to spend the day. There is so much to see and do, from the animal exhibits 🐊🐧 to the peaceful botanical gardens 🌺, with plenty of spots to slow down, take photos 📸, and enjoy the scenery. It is educational 📚, relaxing 😌, and fun 🎉 all at the same time. 🐾 One thing I really appreciate is how Riverbanks gives back to the community. The free Fridays in January for local residents are such a generous offering and a wonderful way for families and individuals to enjoy the zoo together. ✨🎄🦌 The Christmas lights were absolutely magical this year. The entire zoo was transformed into a glowing winter wonderland, with beautifully designed light displays that were festive, joyful, and incredibly well done. Walking through the lights felt peaceful and special, and you could really see the care and creativity put into every detail. 🦜🌿 Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is a place you can visit again and again. No matter the season, it never disappoints, and I highly recommend it to both locals and visitors looking for a memorable experience in Columbia.

Absolutely wonderful zoo! I Cannot recommend enough. Everyone from the workers to the animals seemed happy to be there. We had many great conversations with workers at the enclosures throughout the park. The sky ride is a great addition and the splash pad was perfect for our toddler.

Riverbanks Zoo is clean, organized, and really well planned. The layout is easy to follow, the grounds are well maintained, and it feels like a great place for a family day out. Not all the animals were very active during our visit, but there was still plenty to enjoy. The zoo and gardens are beautiful, and the food was surprisingly good too. Overall, a very nice experience and definitely worth visiting.

We really enjoyed our visit to the zoo! It was a bit pricey, but that’s pretty typical for places like this. We were a little disappointed that the splash pad wasn’t open yet, we missed it by just a week,but there was still plenty to do. There are lots of fun add-ons for kids (for an extra cost), like the carousel, farm area, train ride, and even giraffe feedings. There’s a great variety of animals, though quite a few were resting during our visit. One highlight was the souvenir cups!!! they were definitely worth it! We also appreciated the many shaded areas throughout the zoo, which made it much more comfortable to walk around and take breaks. Overall, a fun experience, especially for families! I WILL SAY THO one thing to keep in mind, if you plan to walk to the botanical gardens, be prepared. The walk is longer than it seems and includes a noticeable incline, which can be pretty tough if you have young kids, strollers, or wagons in tow. Take the ride across!! Overall, a fun experience, especially for families!

Took my Dad here for Father's Day and had a lot of fun! It's a huge space between the zoo and the garden. I think we got 10,000 steps in. We both had a great time, my only complaint are some of the features/experiences you have to pay for. They're not expensive, but I just didn't feel motivated to pay additional money. Hopefully I can take my nephews!

Really enjoyed my first ever visit today! All of the exhibits, skyride and botanical garden were awesome. You can tell they truly care about conservancy here. Enjoyed my first visit so much that I went ahead and got my annual pass! Special shoutout to Jack W in Guest Relations for assisting me with the annual pass, I appreciate it!