Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is Middle Tennessee’s most-visited wildlife attraction, drawing over a million guests a year to a 188-acre property where modern animal habitats sit alongside a preserved 1810 farmhouse. Before you go, the questions that matter most are practical: what does it cost, when is it open, and what should you actually plan to see?
This guide covers all of that, plus the zoo’s unusual backstory as a merger of two separate Nashville institutions, its animal collection and conservation work, and tips for making the most of a visit.
Quick Answer
Nashville Zoo is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, with hours generally running 9am to 6pm in spring and summer and 9am to 4pm in fall and winter. General admission uses date-based dynamic pricing (roughly $16-$28 for adults and teens depending on the day), youth ages 2-12 save a few dollars, and children under 2 are free. Parking runs about $10 per vehicle and is free for zoo members. Always confirm exact hours and pricing for your visit date on the official Nashville Zoo tickets page.
A Zoo Built on Historic Ground
The Grassmere property was originally a farm owned by Michael and Elizabeth Dunn, whose home dates to 1810 and still stands on the grounds. Their descendants, the Croft family, deeded the land to the Children’s Museum of Nashville in 1964, which grew into Grassmere Wildlife Park. Meanwhile, a separate Nashville Zoo had been founded in Joelton in 1991. In 1997 that Nashville Zoo relocated to Grassmere and merged with the wildlife park there, creating the combined institution guests visit today.
That history is why Nashville Zoo feels different from most AZA-accredited zoos: you can walk from a clouded leopard or Amur leopard habitat straight into a two-century-old farmstead in the same afternoon.
Planning Your Visit: Hours, Tickets & Parking
Nashville Zoo closes only three days a year — Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day — and is open every other day. Hours follow a seasonal pattern: extended daytime hours (around 9am-6pm) run from early March through mid-October, shifting to a shorter fall/winter schedule (around 9am-4pm) the rest of the year. Some special-event days have earlier closing times, so it’s worth double-checking the calendar close to your visit date on the official hours and directions page.
Admission is priced dynamically by date rather than a single flat rate — expect somewhere in the $16 to $28 range for adults and teens depending on demand for that day, with youth ages 2-12 discounted a few dollars off the adult rate and kids under 2 admitted free. Advance online purchase through the official Nashville Zoo tickets page typically locks in the lowest price for a given day, and active-duty military can present ID for a discount at the gate. Groups of 20 or more qualify for reduced group rates.
Parking runs about $10 per vehicle for non-members; zoo members park free. If you plan to visit more than once a year, a membership can pay for itself through free parking and discounted guest passes alone.
What to See and Do at Nashville Zoo
Beyond the animal habitats, Nashville Zoo has several attractions worth building extra time into your visit for. The Soaring Eagle Zip Line lifts riders about 110 feet before sending them back to earth at roughly 28 mph (riders must be at least 42 inches tall, and those under 47 inches need an adult). The Wilderness Express Train and the Wild Animal Carousel are gentler options that work well for younger kids, and the Adventure 4D Theater adds multi-sensory effects like mist and moving seats to short films.
Two of the most popular stops are hands-on animal encounters: Kangaroo Kickabout lets guests walk a path through a red kangaroo habitat while the kangaroos roam freely nearby, and Lorikeet Landing is a walk-through aviary where visitors can feed the colorful lorikeets for a small per-bird fee (the aviary itself is free to enter). Ride and attraction access is sold either à la carte or through an all-day Adventure Pass, which is worth it if your group plans to do more than two or three activities.
For animal viewing, don’t miss the big cat habitats (clouded leopards and Amur leopards), the elephant and giraffe exhibits, Alligator Cove, and the primate areas — all part of an ongoing master plan that has steadily modernized the grounds in recent years.
Animals and Conservation
Nashville Zoo’s collection spans more than 350 species and over 3,700 individual animals, including elephants, giraffes, big cats, and flamingos. As an AZA-accredited institution, it also runs active conservation programs: reintroduction work for eastern hellbender salamanders, Puerto Rican crested toads, and native Nashville crayfish, plus international efforts such as giraffe translocation work in South Africa.
Tips for a Great Visit
Arrive at or shortly after opening — animals are typically most active in the cooler morning hours, and lines for popular attractions like the zip line build up by midday. Buying tickets online in advance not only tends to secure the lowest price but also lets you skip the ticket-window line entirely. Plan for at least three to four hours if you want to see the major exhibits and do even one or two attractions, and check the day’s schedule for keeper chats and feedings, which are a good way to catch animals at their most active.
Nashville Zoo hours, tickets, and what to see FAQs
How much are Nashville Zoo tickets?
General admission is priced by date, typically ranging from about $16 to $28 for adults and teens, with youth ages 2-12 a few dollars cheaper and children under 2 free. Check the official tickets page for the exact price on your visit date.
What are Nashville Zoo’s hours?
The zoo is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Hours run roughly 9am-6pm from early March through mid-October and roughly 9am-4pm the rest of the year, with some early closures on special-event days.
How much does parking cost at Nashville Zoo?
Parking is about $10 per vehicle for non-members. Zoo members park for free.
Is Nashville Zoo worth visiting?
Yes — it’s routinely rated one of Middle Tennessee’s top attractions, combining a large, well-modernized animal collection with the historic 1810 Dunn farmhouse and hands-on experiences like Kangaroo Kickabout and Lorikeet Landing that aren’t typical of most zoos.
How big is Nashville Zoo?
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere covers about 188 acres, including preserved historic farm buildings alongside modern animal habitats.
How many animals live at Nashville Zoo?
The zoo is home to more than 3,700 individual animals representing over 350 species, according to the zoo’s official figures.
When did Nashville Zoo open?
The current Nashville Zoo relocated to the Grassmere property in 1997, though the original Nashville Zoo was founded in Joelton in 1991, and the Grassmere site’s wildlife park history dates back to 1964.
Does Nashville Zoo have rides and a zip line?
Yes. Attractions include the Soaring Eagle Zip Line, the Wilderness Express Train, the Wild Animal Carousel, and the Adventure 4D Theater. These are sold individually or through an all-day Adventure Pass.
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