October 8, 2025

Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

3701 S 10th St, Omaha, NE 68107

“Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.” - Wikipedia

A friend asked if I would be interested in going to the Omaha zoo and of course, I said “Yes.” The two-hour drive from Des Moines made this a great day-trip. I visited this zoo about two years ago by myself and remember having mixed feelings about the zoo. If you look at lists of the “best zoos in the US” the Henry Doorly Zoo will almost certainly be near the top of every one. Maybe I had higher expectations on my last trip and came away a little disappointed. This time, knowing what I was going to see, I went in with a different mindset, and had a great visit.

The Henry Doorly Zoo is a large zoo with a wide variety of animals. Some highlights include the Lied Jungle, the Scott Aquarium, and the Desert Dome. I was impressed with the African elephants, the gorillas, and the aviary. The lions, cheetahs, and tiger were sleeping (not unusual), but the beautiful snow leopard was active. The facilities were very clean and the staff and volunteers we interacted with were very friendly.

While the Henry Doorly Zoo is not on top of my list of favorite zoos, it did move up quite a bit, and I will be back.