These Are The 5 Best Zoos To See Penguins, According To Visitors

Penguins win over the hearts of many people. Not only do they look cute and cuddly, but they act like sweet little goofballs waddling around and making funny noises and gestures. While it's pretty hard to see one in the wild, as none live in the United States, you still have the opportunity to see some for yourself thanks to zoo exhibits. If you want a chance to see these creatures in settings similar to their natural habitats, you need to visit one of the zoos with the best-rated penguin enclosures. 

Having one of the nicest penguin exhibits is about more than just building an enclosure for the species. The animals must be provided for, have enrichment, and enjoy themselves. While there are a lot of zoos that take care to protect their species and try to make a difference in the world, there are unfortunately some that don't use their animals for anything more than to make money. 

These aren't the kinds of zoos you want to support. That's why this list was made not only based on reviews of visitors who went to see the penguins, but those who looked at the zoo as a whole to see if the animals were treated correctly with high-quality exhibits, plenty of space and enrichment, and alone time away from people. You can feel assured that the five zoos below passed the test when you go to see their penguins. 

Missouri may often be an overlooked state, but there's a lot to enjoy and see here. It is not only full of quaint towns nestled in the Ozark Mountains, but it has an incredibly impressive zoo as well: The St. Louis Zoo. 

At this park, there are four different species of penguins — the Gentoo, Humboldt, King, and Southern Rockhopper — and there are also two kinds of puffins in the same exhibit. The habitats for the penguins are nice, even mimicking natural lighting reminiscent of where they would be found in the wild.

If you want a chance to see the penguins without glass blocking your view, you're in luck. The zoo offers a penguin encounter for $100 per person. During this adventure, you get a chance to see many of the penguins up close and personal, learn about the conservation issues surrounding the different species, see some behind-the-scenes care, and even tour the exhibit. For those who have always wanted to visit the enclosure, but haven't had the chance to do so, there's still the opportunity to see St. Louis Zoo's penguins. The zoo provides a live camera that people from all over the world can watch. It runs live between 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Outside of those hours, past recordings will play for anyone who tunes into the camera. 

Seattle may not be your final destination, but it's worth taking a day to explore the zoo and various in the city before moving on to your next adventure in the San Juan Islands. Unlike other zoos on this list that have cold weather penguins, the Woodland Park Zoo has a species more accustomed to coastal regions near Peru and Chile. The Humbolt penguin is considered endangered, as their nests are often destroyed in the wild to be used for agricultural fertilizer. 

If you want a chance to see more of these unique penguins, the best time to visit is during the weekends. On Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30, keepers share more information about these penguins, including how their spending their time at the zoo and any bird drama that might be happening while giving these adorable animals their afternoon snacks. 

The zoo has had a pretty good history with its penguins. Since they started their penguin reproduction program back in 2010, they have had over 90 babies successfully born. For the safety and comfort of the baby penguins, however, they are generally kept away from viewing areas until they're comfortable leaving the nest or wandering on their own. The species is relatively shy as is, and the babies tend to be nervous and easily frightened at first so they are given space away from guests until they build up some confidence.

The Henry Doorly Zoo is a zoo and aquarium, and you're able to visit both for one ticket price. In the aquarium section of the park, you'll find aquatic animals like fish and sharks, but also ones that enjoy both land and sea, such as penguins. There are three species of penguins in the enclosure: Gentoo, Rockhopper, and King. The exhibit is so impressive, it was impossible to exclude it from the list. There's nothing especially fancy or unique about the enclosure that makes it stand out, though. It's just a really nice exhibit done exceptionally well. 

Visitors at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarian note that the enclosure is clean. Where many partially aquatic habitats often have grimy windows due to the water, it's easy to get a clear view at the aquarium. There are also plenty of viewing opportunities while the penguins are swimming and wandering around on land. It's not only a great enclosure for guests, though. The space is quite large, and actually offers a decent amount of deep water. The zoo also worked hard to provide an environment as similar to their natural habitats possible, even making snow occasionally fall from the ceiling. Because it is purely water, the mixture is perfectly safe for the penguins to play around in it and even eat it if they want.

If you time your visit right, you have a chance to feed the penguins. The public is allowed to get involved with the feeding regime every day at both 10:30 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon, forbearing any extreme circumstances. 

Brown County is one of the prettiest places in America for stunning fall foliage; however, you don't want to miss the sites in the heart of Indiana, including the Indianapolis Zoo. If you like penguins, this is the place to visit, as guests will view two species: The Gentoo and the Southern Rockhopper. While the Gentoo is considered to be of least concern when it comes to conservation, the Southern Rockhopper is listed as vulnerable due to several factors, including climate change and pollution.

If you don't mind paying extra, there's also the chance to go behind the scenes and see the care the Indianapolis Zoo puts into treating their animals. Zookeepers will take you step-by-step through all the parts of making the zoo run and the details that go into caring for these species. At the end, you also get to see some of the animals up close, including your favorite feathered friend. 

The penguins also make paintings by walking over paper with painted feet. If you want a unique experience, you can book an event and have these beloved birds make one especially for you. It's pretty pricy, usually upwards of $400, but well worth it if you're looking for an unforgettable activity for penguin lovers.

The Cincinnati Zoo is often ranked as one of the best in the country, and the penguin exhibits don't disappoint. They have several different species, including King, Rockhopper, Magellanic, Little Blue, and African penguins. If you've gone to the zoo before, you might have heard about the penguin parades. While those are now over, as the penguins get too old to continue the adventure, the penguin exhibits at the zoo are still quite impressive on their own. And, if you get a behind-the-scenes pass, you also have a chance to interact with some individuals and watch them paint. 

Not only is the Cincinnati Zoo part of the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums), proving they care for their animals, but they're also involved in the AZA SAFE program. This helps focus on saving endangered species from extinction through funding and raising awareness. The zoo is concentrating on one group of penguins in particular as part of SAFE, which is the African species. The population has dropped dramatically in the last few decades, and the zoo is raising awareness about the dangers these penguins face in their natural habitat as well as working on reproduction and reintroduction. 

The zoo works hard to make sure their penguins, and other species, are as happy as can be. The exhibits feature RFID data-collection tools that allow the zoo to track the penguins to learn more about social behaviors and the parts of the enclosures they often avoid or ignore so they can make life better any way they can. The habitats are full of enrichment, including fans, misters, sprinklers, and even a system to create waves in the water. Knowing all of this, seeing their exhibits, and the chance to interact with the penguins up close and personal is why the Cincinnati Zoo had to be the final zoo on the list for best penguin exhibits. 

Though these five above are often recommended for their penguin exhibits, they aren't the only ones worth visiting. Central Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in America and has an impressive penguin exhibit as well. Additionally, there are several notable mentions not included on this list because they don't actually qualify as zoos. However, if you're looking to see penguins, they are equally worth checking out. After all, they are not only found in zoos, but aquariums. For example, two of the best aquariums in America, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, are often recommended for their penguin exhibits as well. 

The five zoos above were chosen based on mentions on various blogs, reviews, and discussion boards. They were picked, not only because they have exhibits that allow you to get a close look at the penguins, but because they provide great care for their animals. Fantastic behind-the-scenes opportunities, education, and enrichment also played a part in picking the Top 5 locations to see penguins.