Valley Zoo

This zoo has come a LONG way from the days of old. I remember visiting here in the 80s. It was a decrepit tourist trap that played into the stereotypes of what zoos were suppose to be. It’s refreshing to see them flip the script and create a zoo experience that is nothing like you would expect.
For anyone who is travelling from a far, take note that this zoo is constantly renovating. They have some amazing plans for the zoo and when it’s all complete, it will be a crowning jewel of Edmonton. Don’t let that deter you from visiting though. The areas that are completed and open have a lot to offer.
They are really aware of natural ecosystems and self sustaining environments. The layout of the zoo is very open and tells a fantastic story about the ecosystem and environment of Alberta. There is an area situated in the back that tells the story of glacier waters running from the mountains and into the rivers of Alberta. Along the way kids can interact with the exhibit by climbing on glaciers, rocks, paths and a beaver den. Along this pathway is a really beautiful seal enclosure that makes the Vancouver Aquarium look like an amateur.
The enclosures for the rest of the animals are natural and offer them a lot of space. Having such a large piece of land for the zoo, is great. It means that the animals have ample space to roam. Especially Lucy, the iconic elephant of the Valley Zoo. This old lady is amazing to watch. She is completely in her element when she roams the zoo. Well really, the zoo is technically hers. I’ve seen her playing hide-​and-​seek with the staff, taking a stroll through the grounds, visiting her favourite spots and just enjoying the atmosphere. My kids had a great time seeing her up close and personal. Being an old elephant you know her time is almost up. Which is sad but it’s what happens. I REALLY hope that the zoo erects a huge life like statue in her honour, at the front entrance of the zoo. She deserves it. THe people of Edmonton deserve it. The ignorance of outsiders and environmentalists have tried with all their might to see her go, for some unexplainable reason, but here she remains. I like to think it was her publicity that has helped the city and the valley zoo development society reshape the Valley Zoo. I think it is Lucy’s spirit that has guided the Zoo down a road of greatness. When she is long gone, we will still talk about her.
If you haven’t been to the Valley Zoo, go. They are open all year. They have this amazing festival of light exhibit in the weeks leading to Xmas. In the summer your kids can attend summer camps and programs. Take a look at the renos they have planned. It will blow your mind. This place will be amazing when it’s done.

I like the size. you dont feel like you have to be there all day. The inside animals are SO SMELLY! I haven’t experienced that in other zoos so im not sure whats going on there. Ive visited 3+ times now. The Otter en-​closer is great, they are very friendly and come right up to you! Seeing the new baby zebra is super sweet too.

I look forward to my annual trip to the Edmonton Valley Zoo each year. My mom and I usually go in spring/​summer/​fall, and we always have a great time. The zoo in Edmonton is a nice place to walk around and be outside, but as far as the zoo as an attraction goes, it’s pretty close to the bottom of the list of the zoo’s I have visited in Canada and the US.
The zoo recently completed a large, multi-​year expansion project, and my visit this past weekend was the first time I have been there since the expansion has been finished. I was hoping the expansion would modernize a lot of the older exhibits, but it appears that they have just built on unused land adjacent to the existing zoo. The new guest services area and entrance area are fantastic. There is a large washroom area, with a gift shop, café, and plenty of space to line up for tickets, and wait for anyone you may be meeting at the zoo. Inside the zoo, the expansion is pretty darn disappointing. A significant portion of land was landscaped with plaster rocks and fake props and numerous short walking paths, but there was only one animal enclosure added (Arctic seals). The walking paths and areas are supposed to teach about tundra landscape, and, according to one of the signs, the source of the north Saskatchewan river. Places on the map that read «Beaver Pavilion» are in reality a wooden play structure for kids that mimics a beaver lodge, and a bronze beaver statue. This is a zoo — are there any animals? The lack of any interactive content, limited signage and no animals to see (aside from some rainbow trout in a pool) makes for a quick boring walk through the new expansion.
The zoo still has some good pros; a new baby zebra that is beyond cute, the daily walks around the ground by Lucy the elephant, a low admission cost (makes it great for larger families or groups to visit), and a genuinely pretty location in the river valley. If you are visiting Alberta as a tourist, save your time and go to the Calgary Zoo, but if you’re in Edmonton and want a pleasant outdoor outing for a few hours, the Edmonton Valley Zoo will do the trick.

Wow, the zoo really has improved in the last several years! I was there for The Arc Project Zoolander fashion show last night and I really enjoyed wandering the zoo when it was closed to the public (outside of our event that is). It was awesome seeing the capybaras (my favourite animal at this zoo), the zebras, the alpacas, llamas and of course Lucy the elephant.
The entrance to the zoo is way more beautiful than it once was. I love the areas where children can play and while there are a few ridiculous things (like why would you want to go find out what the arctic feels like when this is Edmonton which gets mighty cold/​windy as it is?), the zoo is pretty awesome, if perhaps a bit small. The walking paths are nice and the zoo employees are really knowledgeable and willing to do things like show off the animals or the wares of the zoo gift shop among other tasks.

It’s been a while since we’ve been to the zoo so we went there last weekend. The renovations are nice and the zoo looks more modern. We saw Lucy going out for her afternoon stroll and she drew a big crowd. I thought some of the animals looked like they had given up on life. I would too if I was locked up in a small space or the only species of my kind (think of Lucy being the only elephant). So 4 stars for the renovations.

This review is for the meeting space at the Valley Zoo.
I booked a business meeting here for 70 people. The booking process was very easy, through the City of Edmonton. The rate for the room was quite reasonable, and we were allowed to bring in any caterer we wanted. We booked a picnic site for our lunch, and had a local BBQ restaurant cater.
The meeting room one of the best set up rooms I’ve used. There were two walls, all floor to ceiling windows, but they had blinds that could either total black out, or let some light through. There is a projector screen, but there was an issue with the sound system. We did bring our own.
My one major complaint is the glass door to the room was broken, so there was no door to close. Many kids were coming through the building (our meeting was in June… prime field trip season), and they were so loud. I asked one of the employees the zoo to put up a sign saying meeting in process, and that did help a little. However, as a City of Edmonton facility, I would expect they be able to fix a door in a timely manner. It had fallen off the hinge, and doesn’t seem like it would to be impossible to fix. The door was off when I viewed the space several weeks prior to the event, and I was told the noise would not be a problem.
Our event coordinator was very helpful with anything I needed.
Overall, our guests were completely satisfied and I highly recommend using these facilities. Just maybe make sure the door is fixed before your event.

Stop bringing your kids and your self to zoos
It’s not a way to learn about animals
Go see them in the wild it’s much more beautiful!
This zoo is to small and the animals don’t look happy
It’s not a way of life
They may not know any differently
But would u like living in your bedroom every day for the rest of your life all alone
Not knowing freedom
Do yourself myself the animals everyone! A favour
Don’t support zoos
It’s a thing of the past now

Wow… we’ve had an amazing week at Zoo School! If you’ve not visited our wonderful Edmonton Zoo recently… You should! It’s truly beautiful in the winter and the animals seem to be way more available for viewing! The zoo has great plans for some amazing changes but it’s still quite lovely to see in the meantime! An under-​appreciated gem in our city!

Edmonton Valley Zoo, you’ve made a fan out of me. My previous review was 2 stars and since then the zoo has made significant improvements and expanded animal habitat space.
We visited over the weekend on the City of Edmonton Attraction day and were most definitely impressed at the additions! Particularly the Polar Extreme & Beaver Climbing Lodge for kiddos.
It’s still a bit hard for me to go with 4 stars as I’ve been spoiled by world class zoos such as the San Diego and Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle) but the updates here are MILES ahead of where it was previously.
The staff are always friendly and informative.
The new entrance is attractive and spacious enough for vendors as we saw this weekend.
Another improvement from our last visit is that the carousel and train ride is no longer an additional fee and thank goodness! We pay $ 50ish to get in for the day as a family and the last thing I want to do is then fork out $ 4 for the carousel and $ 4 for the train. I mean, you’re gonna get me in the gift shop anyway ;-)
Keep on doing what you’re doing Edmonton Valley Zoo!
PS — Two thumbs up for the addition of Wild Earth Café indoors rather than the only option being burgers and dawns by the carousel.

Decent zoo. Great programs that are interactive and educational. You get the best experiences if you go to the animal talks. Great for walking and seeing animals.
Ive been to zoos in many cities. And edmontons zoo is small. But dont let that deceive you. Just bc its small doesnt mean its not worth it. By all means… edmontons zoo is worth it.
First off… free parking. At every zoo in every city ive visited. Zoo parking costs are outrageous from $ 10 to $ 25 a car! Not here… parking is free! So save that cash to buy snacks and this trip is gonna be more economical than any other zoo ive visited before!
Admittance is average pricing but alot of income generated goes to support the animals in the zoo. I find the annual multi attraction family pass is the way to go. It gives u unlimited access to all of edmonton city attractions for the cost of three visits!!! If you live in edmonton. Its worth it. Plus it gets you in front of the line to most special events.
Now the zoo has been aging… but its had a facelift the last few years with many new areas added to make it funner for the kids but more easier to navigate as well. They have added the polar winter area for seals. Its great. A much nicer enclosure than what these animals had before.
But my sons favourite thing at the zoo is the igloo with rock formations. For older children its a fun place to get some climbing skills and let parents relax by the rocks. I shake my head at parents who let the little children climb without assistance and complain about it being unsafe. when they are just too lazy to either disipline their child for not climbing bc they are too small or just letting them climb too high than they should. if you supervise your children proplerly they wont hurt themselves. I have seen 4 or 5 year olds climb unnecessarily high then fall. But their parents were always far away or not watching them. So bad bad parents!!!
Anyways…the best thing about this small zoo is the programs. The animal talks are the best ive been to in a ton of zoos. They are small but super educational and really leave a message for kids to either recycle, reuse or even be aware of products that you buy that endanger certain animals. Not those boring talks where u see some other kid dress up and make a fool out of themselves which is so boring. From recycling cell phones, to driving slow on highways (mountains) to saving habitats. You will always learn something. So try to make it out to as many talks as you can!
One of my faves was at flight meadow they would let the birds fly to a pole right in front of the kids. (Birds of prey) but they removed this talk after the exhibit moved. So im hoping it will come back. It was super cool to watch and you got to see the eagles, barn owls and other birds up close. It still remains my sons favourite animal talk even though it has been stopped for several years… maybe it will come back soon.
Also special events or weekends are the best times to visit. Ive seen puppet shows that were outstanding., kids activities for all ages and even a jumpy playground bus on the premises. In the summer there are sometimes roving street performers too. So come on a special event bc the crowd get the animals active and makes it a more fun experience!
Lucy the painting elephant. The french speaking tiger… monkeys…wallabys…seals…eagles…reptiles…even a sloth. Theres something for everyone. Support the edmonton zoo bc if we didnt… im sure it would surely be missed!

I visited the Edmonton Valley Zoo with my family for the first time this past weekend. Judging by the entrance, architecture, landscaping, signage… I expected a great zoo experience. Far from it. The living condition of some (if not most) of the animals is, from my point of view, totally unacceptable: cages are too small for animals like monkeys, hawks, eagles, tigers… even the brand-​new red pandas they brag about. Honestly… in some cases I had to look the other way. The City of Edmonton can do a lot better. Invest in animal well being and recreating habitats, not just cosmetics.

The new entrance is up and running, as is the new Wild Earth Café. Getting something to eat should no longer be an issue, even in the off-​season.

Been to a few other zoos and this one was by far the worst. Not sure if we came on a «cleaning» day or what but there were almost no animals in their designated areas save the birds, otters and an elephant. Nice set up, but without the animals around there’s no zoo.

I had my first trip to the zoo today in a number of years and was fairly pleased with alot of the changes I saw. They dropped the «Storyland» part out of the name and seem to be working towards a more modern look similar to that of the Calgary zoo. Alot of new enclosures have been built like the beautiful new home for the seals and others have been expanded to give the animals more room to roam.
Food and beverage options seem to have also been improved upon with the zoo setting up a small indoor café near the front entrance which is a much more desirable option then the outdoor stands if you happen to get caught in the rain during your trip. The gift shop seems to have also been given a face lift and now offers much more merchandise that actually has the zoo name on it versus the cheap little five dollar knick knacks and poorly made stuffed animals from before.
I wanted to make this a four star review but I had to take a star off due to the extremely unsafe and bizarrely placed igloo structure set up near the big horn sheep enclosure. I did not really understand what it adds to the zoo experience and the whole area is surrounded by large rocks that I witnessed numerous children attempting to climb and subsequently almost fall down off of. I understand obviously parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing and control their behavior but the very fact that something so unsafe was built in a family attraction with no signs to discourage people from climbing on the igloo or on the big rocks surrounding the igloo was a grievous error of judgement on the zoo’s part in my opinion.
It’s still not the five star experience that one could have at the Calgary zoo but I am definitely interested to see what’s in store when the renovations are done and highly recommend checking it out for yourself at least once.

I love the Valley Zoo. What can I say? I had the opportunity about a year ago with work to have a behind the scenes tour with the zoo vet, and it was great. He talked us through a lot of the plans that are being, or have been, implemented, and my husband and I got a chance to go our I with our son to take a look for ourselves today. The rents are coming along wonderfully. I have lived in Edmonton my entire life, have been to the zoo many times, and things are only getting better. The transition stage is making things a little awkward, as there are a lot of old and outdated enclosures that have yet to be replaced and removed, but the stages that are done are amazing. No, even with all the renos complete, it’s not going to be the most spectacular zoo I the world but that’s not what they’re going for. They want to be great at what they have, and I think with the improvements, they are right on track to hitting that goal.

Seriously? Yes, the animals are in pretty serious condition; not surprising since they’re mostly either (or a combination of) injured, maimed, aged, rejects, if healthy are en passant to another zoo or have come here from another place to die. God bless.

Yesterday (September 29) was free day at a bunch of Edmonton area attractions at the Edmonton Valley Zoo, so my friend and I decided to go. She’d never been, and I’d been a couple times, but it had been about 15 years since my last visit.
Lot’s about the zoo seems to be pretty similar from my memories of being there when I was five and in kindergarten. They still have the train and the carousel, which brought back fun memories. The exhibits at the Edmonton Valley Zoo are not very big, and there are a lot of, more local animals, especially at the petting zoo. Still they do have some more exotic mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds in their collection. Recently the zoo acquire a new red panda from a zoo in Wisconsin, but we didn’t see him (or any of the red pandas). It was quite cool when we visited, and I think several of the animals we hiding out from the cool temperatures. That’s the thing about visiting a zoo though — you’re not exactly guaranteed to see any particular animal. I did get to see some of my favourite animals like the river otter and the wallaby.
The zoo is quite small, we were only there for about 90 minutes and I think we got through a good portion of it, but not everything. They’re building a new arctic exhibit that looks like it will be pretty spiffy (I think there were seals there, but there was a lot of people so actually see the animals were sometimes hard). I think the indoor exhibits, the Saito Centre and The RoundHouse could be improved and expanded. The Saito Centre people were entering from both sides and there was a bit of chaos trying to navigate in there, especially when it came to people who had strollers, because they had no room to move. Maybe the zoo can set a turnstile up, so people can only got into the Centre at one side. Upgrades to the zoo are definitely needed, and I think the arctic exhibit is a good start.
Finally an odd qualm, but at the Arctic Fox exhibit there was a sign saying one of the baby foxes was named Echo, but there were two foxes. The rest of the exhibits have information about the animals, which is great, but I kind of wanted to know the names of the other animals (the infamous Lucy the elephant notwithstanding). My friend and I basically decided to name the animals as we went along. We decided that the bald eagle’s name is Jim, but we were unsure if the bald eagle was male or female (that’s also not really specified on the exhibits), so if the bald eagle is a girl then Jim is short for Jimberly. You’re welcome Edmonton Valley Zoo.

It was a sunny July day when we went to the zoo for a visit. I like to visit zoos and usually go to the Valley Zoo every few years. It doesn’t compare to other large zoos that I’ve been to but they do have a range of animals. My favourite are the red pandas who are located close to the children’s merry go round. It’s a zoo that hasn’t had any major renovations in years so expect crowded indoor exhibits and outdated exhibits and buildings. For the kids there is a kids’ area, green grass, and animals for them to enjoy. The admission price is just over $ 10 for adults and I’m sure there is a family price. It’s a decent way to spend a couple of hours outside.

Visited the zoo today to get out of the hotel room and see some of the things Edmonton has to offer. I really love zoo’s and just seeing the animals. I always have a great time walking around.
I did enjoy getting to this zoo early, around 10am, to beat the kid crowd. I was expecting something more based on zoo’s I have been to over the years. The prairie dogs where out running around, so cute! The wolfs were howling, probably because they were waiting for breakfast. I loved that the owls were down near the fence for me to seem them. They were so big! Of course also enjoyed Lucy the elephant!
The enclosures are not anything spectacular and some of them see far away so the animals look small. One example being the zebra exhibit. I did feel bad for the sea lions because they are in a small enclosed exhibit but I understand they are building a new area for these guys. The red panda’s where not out and that was a disappointment and there were a lot of empty exhibits. I understand animals moving to new areas, but just seemed odd how many were empty.
I didn’t get a map walking in and was hoping it was easy to get around, which it was. They have good signage to let you know where everything is. The park is kind of like a big circle so you really can’t get lost. I would definitely go again because I enjoy seeing the animals but I wouldn’t go on and on about how great this is.

There are some really nice things about the valley zoo; the lemurs have a huge area, the red-​tailed pandas seem happy, some of the outdoor enclosures are really quite big, and most of the animals have somewhere that they can go to ‘hide’ from the public. The prairie dogs are adorable, and watching them communicate and go about their little lives is fascinating. In general I really like seeing some of the less ‘exotic’ Canadian wildlife that we never get near usually. The zoo also does quite a good job with its signage, giving some context to all of the animals, a few details and some notes on their endangered level etc.
On the other hand it does seem to still be a work in progress; the seals and sea-​lions have tiny pools (a new building for them is currently under construction), and the elephant house is quite small and sad. I am not completely sure whether or not I am a fan of zoos, and I don’t judge zoos on their size or how ‘unusual’ the animals are. I feel that the Valley Zoo seems to be trying really hard to do a good job with the budget that they have, and they succeed in making a visit an interesting experience.
From a selfish point of view, why is there such a ‘kids-​only’ atmosphere at the petting zoo? Everyone likes to pat a goat or sheep now and them.