Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, South Carolina, United States

4.5 (2.940 reviews) Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Ranking #5 in Columbia Nature & Wildlife Areas • Zoos • Gardens

We go multiple times every month!

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is home to nearly 2,000 animals that represent more than 350 species from around the world. A visit to the Zoo will play host to an array of wild adventures from a diving expedition on a Pacific coral reef to a safari through the plains of Africa to an interactive Outback encounter with a flock of sociable lorikeets. The Botanical Garden boasts 70-acres of unparalleled beauty and is considered one of the America's best public gardens. Dramatic and themed gardens showcase more than 4,300 species of native and exotic plants, providing a living classroom for gardeners and non-gardeners alike. The Garden also is the gateway to natural river views and spectacular valley overlooks. In addition, guests can view structural remains dating back to the early 1800s with South Carolina's textile industry and the Civil War.
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Address

500 Wildlife Pkwy, Columbia, SC 29210-8014

Mobile

+1 803-779-8717

Website

http://www.riverbanks.org/

Working hours

Monday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Current local date and time now

Tuesday, May 07, 2024, 19:52

User Ratings

4.5 based on (2.940 reviews)

Excellent
71%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%

Reviews

  • 4wagmal 5:00 PM Aug 7, 2021
    A beautiful zoo but don’t load your card on a rainy day!
    We enjoyed our rainy day at the zoo, the only Reason I’m not giving 5 stars is we loaded money onto the extra credit card for feeding the giraffes, birds, visiting the goats and riding the carousel. Luckily we went straight to the giraffes and a little later made it to the goats because once we got to the birds the exhibit was “temporarily closed until severe weather passes” but it was only sprinkling. Same for the carousel. As our little gal is a huge bird lover we were very disappointed. We ended up leaving with $16 left on our card and are from more than 10 hours away therefore we won’t likely return to use it again. I could completely understand if it was a major downpour or lightning but neither were happening.
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  • 4Roy C 5:00 PM Mar 14, 2022
    Another Nice Zoo
    There is only one reason I only give 4 points... I compare all zoos with the wonderful North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, and this one doesn't quite measure up, though it is a very nice zoo. We enjoyed our visit and actually spent more time than we had allocated for our visit. They gave us a nice discount because of our zoo membership here in North Carolina. The entry fee covers entry and parking both for the zoo and the gardens. Beware, however, there are extra fees for things such as watching animal feedings, visiting the petting zoo and so on. We did not do any of that. One can walk to the gardens, but it is not a quarter of a mile as advertised. It is a quarter of a mile, up hill it turns our, AFTER crossing the long bridge connecting the gardens with the zoo itself. As a result, we drove around. Of course, it was only 1 March, so the gardens weren't really in bloom, but the promise most certainly was there. The gardens also have a large area designed especially for children. Don't miss them if you go to the zoo, because the entry fee covers both the zoo and the gardens.
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See also

More Things to do in Columbia