Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium has been named the #1 best zoo in America for the third year in a row in the 2025 USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards.
The zoo was acknowledged in four separate categories, which were voted on by USA Today readers. Omaha’s honors included Best Zoo, Best Safari Park, Best Zoo Exhibit (Desert Dome) and Best Zoo Membership in the nation.
USA Today praised Omaha’s zoo for the world’s largest indoor desert and the Scott African Grasslands exhibit, which offers 28 acres of habitat for iconic African animals.
A panel of experts nominated candidates for the best-zoos competition, based animal care and enrichment and meaningful interaction between visitors and the animals. The list then went before the voters, who weighed in with their opinions over the past month.
Here are USA Today’s top 10 zoos for 2025:
1. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (Omaha, Nebraska)
2. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
3. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Powell, Ohio)
4. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (Jacksonville, Florida)
5. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, Ohio)
6. Brevard Zoo (Melbourne, Florida)
7. North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro, North Carolina)
8. Audubon Zoo (New Orleans, Louisiana)
9. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (Columbia, South Carolina)
10. Saint Louis Zoo (St. Louis, Missouri)
Top 10 Zoo Exhibits
1. Desert Dome at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (Omaha, Nebraska).
2. Rocky Mountain Wild at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
3. Hippo Cove at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, Ohio)
4. Penguin & Puffin Coast at Saint Louis Zoo (St. Louis, Missouri)
5. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus at Zoo Knoxville (Knoxville, Tennessee)
6. The Great EscApe at Oklahoma City Zoo (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
7. David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care Center at ZooTampa (Tampa, Florida)
8. Primate Expedition Cruise at Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens (Naples, Florida)
9. Flamingo Mingle at San Antonio Zoo (San Antonio, Texas)
10. Toyota Elephant Passage at Denver Zoo (Denver, Colorado)
Best Zoo Memberships
1. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (Omaha, Nebraska).
2. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
3. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, Ohio)
4. Brevard Zoo (Melbourne, Florida)
5. North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro, North Carolina)
6. Louisville Zoo (Louisville, Kentucky)
7. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (Columbia, South Carolina)
8. Saint Louis Zoo (St. Louis, Missouri)
9. San Antonio Zoo (San Antonio, Texas)
10. Audubon Zoo (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Henry Doorly Zoo was not the only Omaha attraction to be recognized in this year’s USA Today’s 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards. Lauritzen Gardens was ranked the #5 best botanical gardens in the nation.
Top 10 Best Botanical Gardens
1. Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, Pennsylvania)
2. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, Ohio)
3. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Coral Gables, Florida)
4. Tucson Botanical Gardens (Tucson, Arizona)
5. Lauritzen Gardens (Omaha, Nebraska)
6. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (Sarasota, Florida)
7. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
8. Sarah P. Duke Gardens (Durham, North Carolina)
9. Botanica, The Wichita Gardens (Wichita, Kansas)
10. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay, Maine)
