Chattanooga Zoo in Tennessee offers close-up views of animals from around the world, plus opportunities to feed giraffes, brush giant tortoises, and actually step inside animal habitats. Read on for our favorite experiences, details on the animal encounters, and tips for planning your own visit!
Quick Look at the Chattanooga Zoo
🐾 8 animal areas featuring 150+ species from across the globe
🦒 Giraffe feedings and Aldabra tortoise feedings in Spring – Fall
🍍 Dole Whip and funnel cakes at the new Sloth Serve
🍔 Coffee, burgers, chicken tenders, and more at Wild Burger
🛝 Nature playgrounds, petting zoo, carousel, and Zoo Choo
🎟️ Tickets starting at $12 for children and $15 for adults; save $3 buying online!
🕘 Open daily, 9 am–5 pm; last admission at 4:30 pm (closed some holidays)
📍 301 North Holtzclaw Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37404
🚗 Free parking directly outside the entrance
Thank you to Chattanooga Zoo for providing zoo admission and access to animal experiences for us to share these with our readers.
Watch our visit!
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Explore Exhibits at the Chattanooga Zoo
Zoos are one of our favorite ways to learn together as a family, especially when we can see the animals up close and have experts answer our many questions. At Chattanooga Zoo, we could hardly turn a corner without finding an employee or volunteer ready to help us learn!
The 14-acre zoo is home to more than 150 animal species, from giant tortoises and giraffes to rare snow leopards and red pandas. There are even peacocks roaming freely across your path!
Allow 1–2 hours for exhibits, or at least 3 with animal encounters and playtime. Plan to pick up a zoo map at the entrance to guide you through the eight themed areas.
Cape of Africa
When you first enter the zoo, you’ll be inside the Cape of Africa, newly opened in 2024. Check out the Aldabra tortoises across from the gift shop first. These are the second-largest tortoise species in the world, taking 40 to 50 years to reach full size and weighing up to 550 pounds.
Farther in, you can spot a Cape porcupine. We found one curled up asleep against his exhibit window! Two warthogs take turns coming outside in Cape of Africa, rooting in the mud and receiving the occasional treat from zookeepers. Another enclosure rotates two species of wild cats, caracals and servals, right next to a 20,000-square-foot outdoor yard for the zoo’s giraffes.
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Makazi Ya Twiga
Makazi Ya Twiga is home to the zoo’s bachelor herd, a group of male giraffes named George, Porter, Kuzco, and Hardee Star. The herd is made up of reticulated giraffes, recognizable by the netlike patterns along their bodies.
Shaded benches wrap around the enclosure, making it a lovely place to sit and watch a while. Their outdoor yard stretches into neighboring Cape of Africa, and there is an indoor viewing area to watch the giraffes in the barn on cold or rainy days, too.
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Himalayan Passage
Himalayan Passage was one of my favorite areas of the zoo. There are two adult red pandas, visible in indoor and outdoor exhibits, and a new baby red panda born just before our visit! The new baby is female, and a public naming contest is coming soon—so be sure to follow Chattanooga Zoo on Facebook and Instagram to participate!
We were also blown away by a beautiful snow leopard. These animals are sometimes called “ghost cats” due to their extraordinary rarity and difficulty to see in the wild. Yet at Chattanooga Zoo, we were able to see the snow leopard from just a few feet away when we looked up at it from the path!
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Deserts & Forests of the World
The Deserts building has some neat smaller animals, including meerkats who patrol and stand alert just on the other side of the glass. The fennec foxes are another amazing sight, darting around in their desert enclosure. My oldest was particularly fond of the naked mole rats, which we could see crawling through illuminated tunnels.
Continue through the back of the Deserts building to reach Forests of the World. Here, we met a two-toed sloth named Berry, an eerie American alligator sinking and rising in the water, and a large Komodo dragon flicking its tongue in and out.
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Gombe Forest
We were greeted in Gombe Forest by a tall crowned crane that danced for us! According to the zookeepers, this fellow can be relied upon to give frequent performances for passersby.
The chimpanzees were the stars of Gombe Forest, with viewing windows on several sides of their enclosure. However, our favorite was the baby black-crested mangabey named Sully. This adorable baby, born in May 2026, delighted everyone by running laps, peeking at us through the windows, and literally bouncing off his mom and dad!
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Corcovado Jungle
If your kids love monkeys, then plan to take your time in Corcovado Jungle. This section includes several kinds of tamarins and Geoffroy’s marmosets. The tiny monkeys leap from branch to branch, and it was amazing to see their little faces in so much detail.
Corcovado Jungle is also home to jaguar brothers, Jean and Phil, who have grown up together since birth. Be sure to say hello to the macaws while you’re in Corcovado Jungle, too. They might even answer “Hello” right back, so have your camera ready when your kids greet them!
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Walkin’ the Tracks
Take a detour into Chattanooga’s railway history aboard the red Cougar Express! Inside this retired train car, you can look into the cougar habitat and explore educational displays about the cats and the train’s history. Farther along Walkin’ the Tracks, we spotted white-tailed deer and several varieties of tortoises.
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Warner Park Ranch
Families will love Warner Park Ranch on the other side of Walkin’ the Tracks. This farm features a petting zoo with goats and babydoll sheep, as well as a Zoo Choo train ride encircling some miniature horses!
Learn more in the exhibit directory.
Want to check out even more animals in Chattanooga? Add the Tennessee Aquarium to your itinerary!
Animal Encounters at Chattanooga Zoo
Meet some of these animals in seriously unforgettable ways when you check out the keeper chats, animal feedings, and WILD Encounters, too!
Keeper Chats
Check the daily schedule for Keeper Chats included with admission. These range from casual conversations outside the enclosure to live demonstrations of unique animal behaviors.
We caught Keeper Chats about Berry the sloth and Everett the warthog. The chat about Berry was full of funny details about sloth behaviors, while the presentation on Everett included demonstrations of his training—he could sit, kneel, lie down, and turn on command!
If you can, try to catch the daily Keeper Chat with the chimpanzees, which showcases some of Chattanooga Zoo’s most advanced animal training.
Animal Feedings
Tortoise and giraffe feedings are available Wednesday through Sunday, weather and temperature permitting. Animal feedings pause in winter due to the cold weather.
Our family fed Odin, the Aldabra giant tortoise, and this was a major highlight for our kids. Each child took a turn holding out lettuce for him to nibble, while the others scratched his shell with a brush. He even wiggled and danced to show his enjoyment of the back-scratch!
Feeding the giraffes was my personal favorite experience. We each received a generous handful of lettuce, and Porter the giraffe came right up to us to eat. With no barrier between our faces, we were able to look right into his stunning amber eyes, appreciate all the tiny details in his beautiful pattern, and laugh as his tongue caught our fingertips while gobbling up the lettuce!
Tickets for animal feedings are sold separately at their habitats, and you will want to confirm availability before your visit:
- Aldabra tortoise feedings: 10–11 am, $10/person or $8/members
- Giraffe feedings: 10 am–3 pm; $5/person or $4/members
Please supervise your children closely during these experiences to make sure they follow zookeeper instructions. Hand sanitizer is available following the feedings.
WILD Encounters
For a more intimate animal encounter, we cannot recommend highly enough that you reserve a behind-the-scenes WILD Encounter! These 30-minute experiences include zoo admission and a feeding opportunity, with five animal options:
- Meerkat
- Prehensile-tailed porcupine
- Komodo dragon
- Giant anteater
- Red panda
Participants must be at least 7 years old, and children under age 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Due to the direct nature of these encounters, participants must be able to remain quiet, move carefully, and obey zookeeper instructions. The nature of interactions varies by encounter, so be sure to ask what is included for each animal.
We got to experience the meerkat encounter, and it was truly “wild!” We were given protective shoe coverings and face masks, and then walked directly into the meerkat exhibit. They scurried all around our feet as we tossed mealworms onto the sand, even nibbling some directly off our shoe coverings!
Prices range from $90 to $250 per person. Packages include a souvenir photo and pictures on your device, and discounts are available for Chattanooga Zoo members. Book early, because some of these encounters fill up months in advance… Red pandas, we’re looking at you!
Planning a visit to Chattanooga? Get a taste of the city’s railway history when you book your stay at The Hotel Chalet!
Homeschooling with the Chattanooga Zoo
As a homeschool family, we were thrilled by the educational opportunities at Chattanooga Zoo. As we explored, I kept noticing how many wonderful places there were to spread out and do schoolwork. We even saw one girl with an art set spread out in front of her, and learned she was on a quest to draw every animal at Chattanooga Zoo.
Nature-Based Play
Two nature playgrounds provide space to run and burn off some energy, too. We loved the giant bugs and climbing honeycombs in the larger Nature Play area in Warner Park Ranch, and we spent a good amount of time on climbing logs in the Play Zone by Walkin’ the Tracks. Play Zone is also conveniently located next to a hidden highlight of Chattanooga Zoo: authentic Dole Whip from Sloth Serve!
Guided Learning Programs
Consider booking a zoo tour! These seasonal, 30-minute tours can accommodate 2–15 participants and focus on different animals depending on the day.
Homeschool Days are offered annually in September, with discounts available and special learning stations, scavenger hunts, and animal meet-and-greets throughout the zoo. Watch the events calendar for future dates.
Live Animal Cameras
The best thing we found? You can bring the Chattanooga Zoo home with you. With their live animal cameras, you can follow some of their most popular residents from your own home!
Tips for Planning Your Visit
Ready to visit Chattanooga Zoo? Here are a few practical details to know before you go.
Learn More About Chattanooga Zoo
- Can we use a reciprocal zoo membership?
- How much do the rides cost?
- What food and drinks are at the zoo?
- Where are the restrooms and nursing area?
- What sensory and accessibility accommodations are available?
- What else can we do nearby?
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Can we use a reciprocal zoo membership?
Chattanooga Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Reciprocity Program, as do Greenville Zoo and Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. If you currently have a membership at any of these zoos, you should be able to receive 50% off admission at the others with proof of membership and your photo ID. We recommend confirming each zoo’s continued participation and discounts in this program before your visit.
How much do the rides cost?
The Zoo Choo is $5 per person, or $4 for members, and runs 11 am–4 pm, weather permitting. The carousel is $3, or $2 for members, and runs 9:15 am–4:45 pm. Tickets are sold onsite.
What food and drinks are at the zoo?
Wild Burger serves burgers, chicken tenders, salads, coffee, and more. Sloth Serve offers Dole Whip and funnel cakes, and snack carts provide additional treats and drinks.
Where are the restrooms and nursing area?
Restrooms are at the entrance and behind the petting zoo, with a family restroom at the entrance. The Gombe Interpretive Center has a private nursing pod accessible through the Mamava app, which nursing mothers may want to download in advance to save time.
What sensory and accessibility accommodations are available?
Most pathways and exhibits are wheelchair accessible, and strollers and wheelchairs are available to rent. Ask at the ticket booth about sensory bags and the weighted lap pad, and look for the quiet area in Warner Park Ranch.
What else can we do nearby?
Chattanooga Zoo sits within Warner Park, which also has a playground, walking paths, and sports facilities. During summer, families can cool off at the Warner Park Pool and splash pad. Admission to the pool facility is separate from zoo admission, currently $3 per person, with ages 2 and under free. Check the city’s swimming page for seasonal hours before visiting.
Chattanooga Zoo
301 North Holtzclaw Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37404
423-697-1322
Looking for more travel ideas in Chattanooga? Here’s our Guide to Vacationing With Kids in Chattanooga, TN, with everything you need to plan a great family vacation in Chattanooga, TN.