frank buck zoo

SPH2228

This zoo is very easy to access being right off California St. and I-35. I have been coming to this zoo since I was a child, and now I am bringing my kids here. Every time we visit, they seem to have made improvements, and the animals seem well cared for. There is one main loop around the entire property, so you will be able to see the entire zoo in one visit. The park in front of the zoo is great for picnics and letting the kids burn off some energy. The city pool next door has been upgraded, and I plan to take the kids to it this summer. In all, this is a great day trip for anyone, kids or not, and you should not be disappointed. The only negative I can think of is if they or the park are super busy, parking can be problematic, but at least it is free.

wonderlust86

Passing through Gainesville and saw the sign for the Frank Buck Zoo. Decided to take the chance. We weren't expecting much so we were pleasantly surprised! The zoo is very charming! The zoo is very clean and it looks like the animals are well cared for. My two children really enjoyed it. The only path around the zoo goes in a circle so you know you have seen everything. Admission is a good price and the staff were friendly. The only negative I saw was the small bear cages. They are in the process of developing new habitats so hopefully the bears, wolf, and foxes can be moved to a larger habitat. The zoo is in a nice park that has a playground, train, and small water park outside the zoo. I would definitely come back to spend the day at the zoo and other surrounding activities.

leiismimi

Took the grandkids and really enjoyed it! Zoo is small and easy to navigate with youngsters. Would it be better with more animals? Maybe. But for the price of admission it is worth a visit. Also loved having a picnic in the park in front of the zoo as well as the train ride. All in all a fun day! Staff is very nice and helpful.

738ChrisO

My wife and I were looking for something to do for an hour or so while in the area on vacation from Pennsylvania. She loves zoos and since we were going to be in Denton on this day, we decided to head a bit further North to check it out. Granted, some of the displays are small but we were very impressed with the "safari" area. Our local, larger zoo has nothing even close to that. It was nice to not have to walk for miles to see all of the animals and we both enjoyed the Frank Buck Zoo.

Phaayen

Have been to zoo enough that I bought Grandparent pass. It is a great value if you plan to go more than twice in a year. The zoo is just the right size for young children and park outside zoo is wonderful. My grandchildren like more than Dallas Zoo

Frankredbeard

This is a real treat. From the Leonard Park fantastic playground to the train ride to the magnificent ZOO, this is a hidden gem

601charityh

I walked to this zoo from my hotel for something to do. It killed a couple of hours. It's a nice zoo for children and there is a park at the entrance, too, but for an adult, it's ok. I love animals and I hope they are the ones that are being rehabed or have been rescued and not captured mainly to be a part of the attraction. I still feel bad that they have small spaces to live in.

CupcakeThighs

Boyfriend and I drove here from Thatcherville. It was only about 30 minutes away, $6.50 to get in plus the money we spent to feed the giraffe. Once you pay, you can get in all day. They have quite a few animals: bears, zebras, goats, wild cats, and surprise for me - A TWO TOED SLOTH!

ronr432

Traveling up or down I35 between Dallas and OKC can be tiring. Stopping in Gainesville, Texas for a little while can really help. We decided to take a look at the Frank Buck Zoo, what a treat.It's a small zoo built in a circle, easy for old folks like us to walk in an hour or so. Their best display is the savanna where the giraffes and zebras roam. It is surrounded by an elevated boardwalk that puts you eye level with the giraffes. There is a fine park with a miniature train, it would be a great place for families with children.

DASH1965

This is a very small zoo but was quite surprisingly good once we got over the small enclosures for the Brown and Black bears. Being native Ft Worthers and knowing how big the Bear enclosures are at our local zoo we had to surmise there must be a particular reason for such small enclosures. Being so close to the animals was a real treat and most other enclosures were animal size appropriate. My grandkids ages 5 & 6 really enjoyed it and the park out front is really nice too. There is also a small waterpark making it a great summer Trifecta.

ConnieG137

This is the perfect place to spend the day with younger kids. We took our grandsons, age 2 and 4 and had so much fun. They loved the petting zoo and feeding the goats. The visiting dinosaurs was also a big treat!!

JanetDianne1964

Great place to take the children or grandkids. They love the train. Then you can spend time at the playground right next door.

219jackl

Nice stop along busy I-35 north of Dallas Fort Worth. Very scenic zoo with shady park and small water park adjoining the zoo. Friendly and helpful staff.

txninja

We went here based on reviews. For the size of the town this is a pretty good zoo, but as far as zoos go in general, it isn't that great. It didn't take us long to navigate it, and we felt as if the entry fee per time spent there wasn't really worth it. You can tell by the limited setup of some of the animal exhibits why this zoo is not accredited. The staff was friendly, and the giraffe exhibit was by far the best.I will admit that between the zoo and the park next to the zoo, you can definitely have some fun with your kids.

112kmk

Frank Buck Zoo used to be a run down, sad collection of cages on the creek in Ganesville, but the renovation has worked miracles. The habitats are larger and no longer just a collection of cages. The animals seem more content and less neurotic - especially now that Gerry II has been moves to an elephant sanctuary in Tenn. where they have other elephants to be with. The fee to go in is in line with other zoos in the N Tx area. It stands out as a very well run collection I'd place on par with the Ft Worth Zoo for style and design. I'm really pleased and gladdened at the changes that have been brought to what was once a very depressing place. They now run a Boo at the Zoo Halloween program for kids and the whole park puts on a light show at Christmas. The narrow guage train is still the kids' favorite though.