Fort Wayne · US

Fort Wayne Zoo

Set in Franke Park on the north edge of Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Fort Wayne Zoo turns a sunny afternoon into a walking tour around the world. Across roughly 40 developed acres, some 1,000 animals roam themed landscapes that re-create African savanna, a rainforest, the Australian Outback and an Indiana family farm—all stitched together by rides, feeding stations and plenty of places for kids to climb, splash and run. Originally opened in 1965 as the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo and renamed in 2025, it has quietly built a reputation as one of the country's best family zoos, drawing well over half a million visitors a year. What makes the place special is how hands-on it feels. You can stand on a high platform to feed a reticulated giraffe a leaf of lettuce, glide 38 feet above the African plains on the Sky Safari, brush a goat on the Family Farm, or step into the sea lions' Coastal Cove habitat. The zoo is self-supporting—no tax dollars, just admissions, rides and donations—which has fueled a steady stream of new exhibits, from the 2009 African Journey to the 2023 Asian Trek and the 2025 Coastal Cove.