Greenville Zoo - Greenville, South Carolina - Zoo

Greenville Zoo is situated at Cleveland Park Drive in Greenville, South Carolina. The 10 acre site is open seven days a week, closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day with admission from 10 am to 4.30 pm. Smoking is not permitted in the zoo.

The zoo is located within Cleveland Park, which is a 126 acre area also featuring tennis and volleyball courts, softball fields, playground, fitness trail, and picnic shelters. Visitors are welcome to take pets to the park but cannot bring them in to the zoo. Visits to the zoo will normally take approximately 60 to 90 minutes, and there are plenty of play areas for children to enjoy as well.

There are a number of animals housed at the zoo including the elephant enclosure, which contains one resident that has been at the zoo since 1977. The zoo also boasts lions, primates, leopards, giraffes, orangutan and red panda. At the far end of the site visitors can see alligators as well as a number of birds including toucans, flamingos, ducks and hornbills.

A farm exhibit contains a number of animals such as cows, goats, pigs and sheep and is a favorite for younger children. The reptile features a number of lizards, iguanas, snakes and other reptiles. Visitors are unlikely to witness the main feeding of the animals as they are generally fed before the zoo opens and at closing time, however crackers can be bought to give to some of the animals.

Food can be purchased on site at the concession stand, which is close to the Reptile House. Here visitors can buy drinks, hot dogs, chips, popcorn and candy or they can bring their own packed lunches as there are many picnic tables in the zoo and the park. Greenville also has more than 70 restaurants concentrated in the downtown area offering local fare as well as Italian, French, Japanese, Thai, Greek, Mexican and Dutch cuisine.

The Safari Shop by the concession stand sells many zoo themed gifts, t-shirts and toys. Shelters inside the zoo are available on a first come, first serve basis, whilst there are also some located just outside the zoo which can be rented. The zoo is wheelchair accessible with ramps and stairs leading to all exhibits, but wheelchairs, wagons and strollers cannot be rented from here

There is an education building on site with the zoo offering several programs for students of all ages, as well as other education events and career day. Children's birthday parties can also be held here. Staff request that children do not to bring bikes, roller blades, skates or skateboards in to the zoo for the sake of public safety.

Generally visitors find it is a nice zoo albeit not very big, and probably only somewhere to visit if you happen to be in the area. It is ideal for smaller children given it is quite a small zoo and doesn't require much walking. Reviewers also commented on how well maintained the site was with plenty of restrooms if required.