Reviews of Riverbanks Botanical Garden. (Other) in Columbia (South Carolina).

Riverbanks Botanical Garden

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394 Comments

Other

Botanical garden

1300 Botanical Pkwy, West Columbia, SC 29169, United States

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Information of Riverbanks Botanical Garden, Other in Columbia (South Carolina)

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Open hours of Riverbanks Botanical Garden

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Reviews of Riverbanks Botanical Garden

Lee Gandy

Great place to go to get away from it all. Annual pass is a great bargain. Highly recommend parking on the Botanical Garden side and take the Woodland Trail and Riverwalk trail to the zoo (best kept secret!) it's a beautiful walk by the river with some cool historical significance (I won't spoil it).

Mar Pepin

This was a beautiful experience. So many different plants, and educational. Lots of different ways to explore. One of my favorite parts had a wooden walkway. There also is a water play area, but it was closed when we went. I think it would have been super cool to see that, but maybe next time! This is definitely a great place to take your kids, there are a lot of kid-oriented things here!

Dean McCaughan

We are fortunate to have such a wonderful botanical garden. Try the wilderness walk from the zoo bridge to the garden instead of the tram. It’s a nice walk (not for strollers) along the river and some historical remains and up through the woods and brings you in at the rose garden.

Dina

It was nice to walk around, although it wasn't the biggest or had the greatest variety of plants and blooms. I will be honest and say that I've been to other botanical gardens that "wow'd" me more. But maybe it was the time of year? I will go back here to visit and give the garden another shot later in the spring/early summer. I did really enjoy the hidden trail to the factory ruins, that was very cool to see and take in a bit of history in the area.

Amanda Childs

We had a great time at the zoo! Been coming since I was little and now I'm bringing my little one. Splash pad is cool, the exhibits are cool, lights before Xmas is fun. Membership is worth it if you live nearby enough to go at least 2-3 times a year. We've been going a lot lately.

Jimmy Sadler

Wonderful place for unique flowers. I love how the zoo connects over the river. It is may 1st, and there seems to be a big turnover to spring flowers. Give it a week or two, they are working hard on the grounds.

Liliana Ivanova

Very, very beautiful public garden. It has dramatic and themed alleys with a rich variety of flowers, trees, a vegetable garden, a children's playground, end beautiful alley with fountains. Whenever you visit Riverbanks Garden there are always wonderful views with unforgettable memories. the place is wonderful for wedding events.

Elaine

I'm a frequent visitor with a membership. Some positives about my recent visit: the otters were out! Got great pix. I liked the food at the restaurant across from the komodo dragons. Staff very friendly. But the negatives were such a long wait to get the food, and no ketchup for the tater tots was painful. Also, paid 2 dollars for only 1/2 cup of nectar for the lorakeets. Asked for more, but was told no, the birds are getting too full. Seems extreme there, but I'm not a bird keeper. Overall, though, despite the frustrations, a decent visit.

Ryan Klasmeier

Gorgeous garden. Huge walled section that is carefully maintained and curated. They have a wonderful food and kids garden as well as plenty of kids activities.

Shakia Rhome

It was awesome. Beautiful creatures. Truly enjoyed it. Until a black snake went across the children's playground area.

Tai Sanders

A little bit of a walk from the zoo but it's well worth the trek. We made the trip in March and it was beautiful, I imagine it's even more stunning when everything is in full bloom.

david milam

Once again we really enjoyed the Riverbanks zoo and botanical garden. The tram wasn't running from the zoo up to the garden so we enjoyed the .3 mile walk, however, I think I'll wait for the tram next time, 47 isn't a spring chicken on a 12% incline walk lol. Overall, great trip and became season pass holders.

matthew stasney

This is a spectacular place to take the family and just have a great family day out. Take a drink with you as any drink is $4. So many animals but with all the viewing areas you can see them all great.

Jason Brandt

Great zoo, lots to see, staff was friendly. Gardens was nice also

Sarah Ratajczak

Beautiful garden to admire, friendly staff, and lots of activities to keep kids busy

Pamela Carroll

I'm afraid to mention the splash pad because it seems to be a well-kept secret but truly it was amazing. One of the most relaxing, fun afternoons we've had in months. So well done.

Venkata Rami Reddy Madduri

Really nice place to spend time with family and kids can enjoy a lot.

ann W-Fitz

I love this Garden so much I became a zoo member. I only visit the animals maybe once out of every 10 times that I come here because the garden is where I spend most of the time

Rebecca Davis

I have been going to the zoo for almost 30 years but had never been on the garden side. So beautiful. Our 18 month old granddaughter loves it. They have a family pass and she had to show us all around. The toddler splash zone is so well done. I really can't express enough how much we enjoy it

James Willcox

Fabulous gardens. Thoughtful design with striking combinations of color and texture. A must visit for any garden enthusiasts or professionals.

Mark Widdis

Absolutely love this place! To gain access to the garden from the zoo side. You can ride the tram or take another path back behind the garden. The path is Highly recommend. You can also park on the botanical garden side too. They have a water feature for the kiddos, only open during the summer months. Fun area to explore! 😀

Grant Bell

Always love the gardens at the zoo. Something different to always see and always so well maintained. Lots of walking trails and love the movie nights. Have to buy an orchid everytime they have the flower sale. Waterfall junction is amazing and the kids love walking the tree houses. Trams are getting to be very long waits so adding the second bus was helpful but they took that one away.

k rumker

A nice bonus to a Zoo visit, great variation of plants.

Nate Shapiro

This is a large facility with a variety of beautiful flowers in multiple gardens as well as several other things to do, including a splash zone, playground, areas with education on garden herbs, and even a sandbox with fake dinosaur bones for kids to excavate and play paleontologist. There is also a team that connects the gardens on one side of the river to the zoo on the other. The price of tickets is pretty high given that at the moment some areas (splash zone, tram, etc) are closed due to COVID restrictions, but when the gardens fully open up and everything is connected with the tram this will be a great deal for families.

Angie Kelly

If you're looking for a place of perfect peace with an abundance of beauty, then the Botanical Garden at Riverbanks Zoo is for you! My family and I love it! The kids get a kick out of the play area. There's something for everyone definitely. Not to mention, the garden is a part of the zoo so it's a win win for real! However, if you're not an animal lover, the garden has a separate entrance, in case you are all about the flowers.

Mackenzie Mick

Peaceful, beautiful garden. The flowers blooming were very nice to look at. Currently the tram between the garden and zoo is closed, its walkable but a little bit of a hike coming from the zoo.

Christina Roland

Such a beautiful place!! Saw some kids on the elevator fighting... then realized they were mine 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️ …

Sean Westgate

We came in October and it was still pretty beautiful. It looks like there's some cool stuff to do in the summer when the water is running. Looks like a great outdoor area for kids to play in a waterfall.

Dean Trac

Very nice addition, yet...the restaurant was closed, and the vending machines were not working. The waterfall area was closed. Otherwise I'd be happy to give 5 stars. Had to use our phones, unfortunately, to look up some of the plants and flowers that were labled.

Natalya Kosyanenko

If you're visiting Riverbanks zoo, the garden is a nice place to take a break and enjoy quiet beauty of plants and fountains. Train to the garden is currently not working due to pandemic. It's within walking distance, but a bit steep on the way there. Included in zoo admission.

Wendy Weiser

Closed too early.. we almost missed tram because signage with hours is behind you as you walk in...don't recommend walking up or down that hill!!!

Niki Mastny

This is such a beautiful zoo! There are lovely formal gardens you can get to when taking the tram to the back area. The back area also has a tree house area where kids can run and play, a fairy garden area, a dinosaur digging area, a water play area, open grass area where they have parachutes and hula hoops and other games. They also have some tiny learning houses. You can feed the birds on the zoo side too. This is the first zoo we have had success doing this and it was amazing.

Benson Francois

Its a zoo, what more is there to say. It's a great sized place; you could see everything you want to see in a day and not feel like you've missed out. There is also enough there to make multiple visits fun. The botanical garden is amazing, especially for young kids. The splash park wasn't open when we went through but it should be around April or May. Getting a season pass or whatever they call it is worth looking into because it can get you into other zoos and museums around the region.

Ryan Speidel

We always have a great time at the zoo and botanical gardens! There's a lot more for kids to do and see at the gardens since our last trip about 3 years ago. Our family really enjoyed visiting this weekend!

Eric Davis

I’ve had a membership to Riverbanks for about a year now, but we’ve never made it over to the botanical garden section. This time we went and it was a blast. Don’t forget to walk over or ride the trolley to the botanical gardens, especially in the spring or summer times, you will not regret it

Tina B. Proctor

Always love visiting the zoo! Just a nice stroll through the gardens and down to see the animals! Love making memories with the family at Riverbanks! Weather was PERFECT! The animals were out playing with each other, and we were able to get some great pictures!

Brewer Leggett

I'm in a power chair. Lovely bride needs long walks. RBG offers long walks, accessible walkways and a lovely setting. Spring growth will be fascinating to watch.

Bethany Sehorne

I have mixed feelings about this Botanical Garden. Let's start at the beginning...we entered through the actual entrance to the Gardens, not through the Zoo. It's pretty much a fend for yourself, see yourself around kind of place. There were no maps provided at the entrance, but there are strollers available for rent and the lady working the front desk was very nice. The waterfall area was faded and the pond filled with algae. The treehouse boardwalks were very interesting, the kids loved them and I love that they are handicap/stroller accessible. The actual gardens had places where the gravel made it a bit difficult to push the stroller, some of the plants needed pruned away from the sidewalk, but overall, pretty cool. The major attraction of the Gardens is the play area. Lawn toys, hula hoops, etc were on the nice turf by the splash pad. The splash pad must be the main focal point for most who come. The buildings, although I was expecting greenhouses with exotic plants, were just restrooms and reception areas? Overall, if you are wanting a place for the kids to play in the water, it's nice. However, it was not quite worth the $62.00 and 40 minutes we spent there. If you choose to go, make it an addition to your Zoo visit.

Tamala McIver

Went to a wedding and the Garden was beautiful. Flowers were in full bloom. The scenery was breathtaking, I can only imagine how the brides pictures will turn out. Although it rained on her big day it was still a beautiful site.

Lauren Winslow

Beautiful zoo. Lots to do. There are add-ons though. Petting zoo, train ride, carousel, rock climb are an extra cost. There is a water junction area that is included that is so great for kids. Splash pads, lots of Green space to run around in with games and toys, Dino dig (sand play). The staff are helpful and friendly everywhere you go. You can bring in your own snacks and water but there are water refill stations around also.

McKenzie “Mac” H

My folks have had a membership to this place ever since I was a kid. I’ve always enjoyed visiting the zoo as a family. Oddly enough, the COVID-19 precautions actually make the zoo more fun since there isn’t all the hustle and bustle. Make sure to reserve your times online (as of late June 2020) and be prepared to walk between the gardens and the zoo. Love Riverbanks, but I do wish two things would change: 1 - increase the free roaming space for animals who need it (I.e. bears, lions and tiger) or don’t host them at all, and, 2 - Keep the place open after 5 on the weekends, especially during the summer. We don’t all have time to visit during the early hours of the weekend, and by noon it can often be too hot to enjoy for more than an hour or two.

MiChelle Kirk

It was hot as Hades but that isn't any fault of the zoo. However, it would have been nice if water (mini bottles) would be made available to the patrons on such a hot day. Especially when waiting for the tram in the hot sun. I loved the fact that ALL of the animals were out. Nice touch with the farm...it's cool that there are animals there to pet (my Grandflower loves petting the animals) Love the fact that there is a large sink with soap, water and paper towels right outside of the farm. My Grandflowers enjoyed the Water Junction in the Botanical Gardens. That was a pleasant treat.

Beth Banco

The gardens are absolutely spectacular this time of year! The flowers are exquisite. We love to go and see the fountains and gardens and take the kids to Waterfall Junction. It's a splash park right next to the gardens. There is so much to do for the kids....water park, huge two story treehouse in the forest, building with giant legos, vegetable gardens, flower gardens, and more. Great family outing. And you can ride the tram down across the river to the animal side of the zoo too, or walk the path through the woods to get to the others side. Highly recommend!

Stewart Grinton

Hadn't been to the botanical gardens since Waterfall Junction was built. Took the kids and they enjoyed it very much. Shoot, I enjoyed it very much as I too was walking around in the splash pad with my infant son strapped to me. He enjoyed getting his feet wet. Saw some huge bullfrog tadpoles in the natural pond at the bottom of the falls. The treetop boardwalk was cool but some of the kids activities / exhibits were in poor shape. And of course the dinosaur bone dig area was awesome.

Garrett Roberts

Great kids area and garden is stunning but it is a little small and the tram service took a second to get is and bring us there. I would still reccomend going since it was free with zoo admission

GiGi Grauman

This is a beautiful park. Lots of shade trees with convenient seating. Super helpful on a hot summer day. Like any other tourist spot - expensive food, drink and souvenirs. But since it goes toward keeping the animals healthy and happy it's worth it. Best part for kids is the Waterfall Junction. They could play here all day. Again lots of seating for parents and grandparents.

yevgeniy skachko

I really like this place, even though it isn't big botanical garden, but it is beautiful and romantic. From the zoo you can take their train, that goes for zoo to the garden and back. Or you can walk up the steep road that leads to the garden. But once you get to the garden, you will be greeted with a beauty of fairyland. I highly recommend to visit this beautiful garden.

Jason Langford

Loved it just wish itwas a spring time visit. The place is nice in January but can only imagine how beautiful it is in spring. Lots of animals a very pleasant surprise.

Mazzy

The Riverbanks Garden is very peaceful and beautiful. I think the best time to go is in April because it's not too hot and the plants are in their prime. I love this place! The black iron tables are a wonderful place to sit, with plenty of shade and lovely plants to look at.

Adam Tillman

The gardens are well manicured and something is always flowering. Some usual plants and quite a few unusual or unique specimens. The wait for the tram was longer than I wanted to wait, so I walked up the foot path. It's steep, but not bad at all if you are in shape. If you're not in the best shape, waiting on the tram will be the best idea. Either way, the gardens are a cool place with an air-conditioned building and clean bathrooms which is a plus esp if you walked.

jose morales

Was and amazing time.. will be back again

Samantha the Local Guide

Such a beautiful place to visit. My husband and I had our 1st date here many years ago but before that I remember when they first opened this area when I was a kid. It's always so beautiful and well taken care of no matter the season. My only wish is that they would bring the gift shop that used to be there back. I loved it!

Libby Emler

The staff is always friendly & helpful. The zoo & garden is very disability friendly and I had no issues getting around in a wheelchair. There are plenty of places to sit & rest if you are more mobile and they have fans & misting stations throughout the zoo to help you cool down. This was our thrid visit to the zoo, but our first visit to the garden. We didn't see much of the garden itself because my 7 year old wanted to spend most of her time in the dino dig and the wayer fall. Who can blame her? She had more fun than anyone there, guaranteed. There was a lot more for her to do in this area than we were able to accomplish in one visit, so we will definitely be back. We will probably be purchasing a membership here, which we never do anywhere. It is worth the price & worth the trip.

Deborah Howard

My daughters and I love all of the new changes to the Botanical Gardens. The giant tree house is amazing! The is a green space with hula hoops and giant Legos and other things to play with. There's a vegetable garden and dinosaur digging area. And there's a water play area. My youngest daughter is wheelchair-bound and even she loves to play in the Gardens.

Will Bynum

We absolutely loved this zoo! The ONLY problem is that it doesn't seem large enough to accommodate the amount of traffic. It was so overcrowded that it was impossible to see everything. I would suggest going on a weekday. Edit: We went on a weekday and it was amazing!

S Gomez

The lay out of the Botanical Garden is beautiful. It has lots of pleasures for the young and old. There is rabbit tunnels, tree houses, water park area, dinosaur sand box and other kid areas. For the young at heart they have benches along the walking paths, a lovely half circle of arbored swings to rock and enjoy the view. The center water feature is not only a beautiful site it is a relaxing sound just to sit on the seats near and enjoy. The terrain is easy to navigate for strollers and there are bathrooms located in two areas.

Harihara Krishnan

Steep climbing road to the garden. Tram cant be depended upon. Not so much worth the pain for elderly people. Toilets are neat and clean. Atmosphere is pleasant.

Kratos_Adventures

Even though we went during the fall, it was still great to see all the flowers and plants in the garden. Being able to see the zoo was a great addition as well.

Madi Hankinson

The botanical garden side of the zoo is beautiful! It's so serene and the blooms anytime of year of gorgeous. Great place to take the kids too. The waterfall junction on this side of the zoo is amazing for family as well

Jojo

A beautiful place to spend a whole day! The animals seem to be happy there, and the staff are super friendly. My only complaint is how crowded it gets in the afternoon, but this is easily avoided by going earlier or later. I also loved the garden! As most people forget that its there, its not too crowded.

Summer Baker

It was a fun experience and I went with my boyfriend of 6 years who has NEVER been to a zoo and he had a great time it was really good, especially if ur there when they open to get to see them put the animals out and they all run out and its cool

Timothy Gosey

Awesome, absolutely wonderful experience. Very knowledgeable staff. Very clean and well maintained. The year membership is definitely worth it, I live about 90 minutes away. I highly recommend if you live closer and have young children, get the family pass! So many things for them especially in the Watershed area! Truly amazing experience! I have always enjoyed going to this zoo, but today was even better!

Tammy Bowen

This was a great experience. If I lived in Columbia I would get a membership. This place had so much for kids to do. You could come and enjoy small portions each time. Maybe the botanical gardens with the child waterfall splash area one day and part of the zoo with the train or an activity center the next time. I loved this vacation spot.

Cheryl Johnston

So beautiful! I love the incorporating of the Alphabet with the plants. I saw plants I've never seen. The waterfall junction is so much fun for your children.... My only issue is the supervisors don't do much about disturbances. A man was walking and jumping around with all the children in the water but he was DRINKING A CAN OF BEER! He almost fell on some small children. The supervisors were told but they said nothing to the man, thankfully the people he was with got him to leave.

Crystal Riggs

We love seeing the animals at the zoo! The splash pad area is such a nice addition which we also love in the hot months. My only complaint is that there aren’t lockers in the splash pad area. We try to only take a few things buts it’s difficult to take young kids and also keep your zoo pass/keys/wallet dry. It forces one parent to have to stay with your belongings while the family plays in the water and has fun. Forget about going single parent with young kids, not sure what they are expected to do with their belongings. Our family has visited other water parks where they have full electronic lockers so there’s no tracking keys down, this is really what the splash pad area needs.

Dominique Anderson

Great place for the family and kids. I love the openness of the zoo! We also had so much fun at the dinosaur exhibit with the life like dinosaurs. There is so much for every age group!

Amy Plemons

The garden area is on the small side, but very beautiful. I had my kids and they were not interested in flowers. I would LOVE to visit on a separate occasion without kids. If you like visiting gardens I would highly recommend checking it out!

Deji Akinpelu

Awesome place even for adults. It was the big cats, the rhinos and the conservation deck for me

BUTTERCUP1 Snell-Anderson

For kid show and sale at the riverbanks botanical garden today was free entry. It goes on Saturday and Sunday. So beautiful. Today's weather was perfect 65 degrees partly cloudy. 💗💜💚💙💘💛. Take your sweetie for Valentine's day. Workings are anywhere from 5 dollars to some that I didn't even ask about. …

Rebekah Giesen

Quite lovely, only complaint was the water fountain was flooded in the morning and me and my family couldn't go through that way

Elaine Taylor

Beautiful relaxing walk through the gardens does the heart good. They, also, have a walking trail along the Saluda River.

Bobby Mcabee

The kids love this place and even so myself 😁 …

Shelly Hewett

This time of year the flowers are showing off! Absolutely gorgeous!

Jennifer Bjorn-Muellner

Love every part of this place! A true gem in the Midlands of South Carolina. The gardens are as pretty to walk through in winter as they are in the spring. Super clean. Friendly staff. Animals are active earlier in the day...try to arrive as soon as they open due to that reason.

Jamie Amanda Williamson

This is such a great place to take your kids. The splash pad located in the botanical is great. My kids had an awesome day

MyroSlava Strembetska

Very beautiful and interesting garden, well maintained and easily accessible. You can take a tram or walk for about 10 min to get there. Totally worth visiting. Plenty of entertainment for kids too.

Anna Everson

My family loves visiting the animals we go a few times a year. We'd go more but we live over an hour away.

Joe Rinehuls

Nice gardens! Lots of things for kids to do. Including a splash pad and a climbing wall. Admission to the zoo includes admission to the botanical gardens.

Bankrupt Reptiles

Really nice place to visit! The best part is the splash are area for the kids. Well worth the admission to the zoo which alone is worth the visit.

Ethel Scank

Great places to take the kids after the zoo to play plenty of restrooms and plenty of places to have a picnic

Amy miner

Included with your zoo ticket! This place would be especially incredible when its hot outside. There are so many water features to play in. The play area for kids is huge and so engaging. Plan for at least an hour, but easily longer! The bathrooms were clean and equally thoughtfully decorated (kids loved the stall doors)

Kimberly Ann

I absolutely love going to our zoo!!

Robert Bernard

Great zoo and very accommodating.

Matt R

Got here through the zoo, Tram took me the just over 1/4 mile trek. Nice gardens, place for kids to run around, and good labeling of various plants.

mike allen

It's a truly beautiful Botanical Garden. Anyone who loves flowers, and the outdoors. Should definitely visit the gardens.

Hunter Horne

It was nice, first time at a zoo. Spent about 2 hours here and saw everything. My favorite was the giraffes.

Carla Morningstar

Beautiful flowers and setting were magical.

Megan G.W.

Awesome place for the whole family. Beautiful gardsns, large splashpad, kids play area, and food truck.

Joe Cheeze

Amazing zoo! Fantastic place, very easy to see animals and caring staff! Definitely will come back!

Jared S

Great place to spend 3-4 hours, at minimum. The exhibits have vastly improved since my first visit 25+ years ago, though I do miss the polar bear. The Grizzly Bear exhibit is pretty amazing as there is only a thick layer of glass between the bears and yourself, which they love to spend time sleeping next to. The gorilla exhibit is also amazing as you can get up close with them without a pit; just a thick glass panel. Highly recommend the giraffes and feeding, as well as the barn and pony rides and for small children.

Caroline B

One of the nicest zoos around. Animals are active & healthy in beautiful surroundings. Great family place. A must see.

Renee Edwards

Excellent zoo. Fantastic hands on experiences for everyone. Great little water / splash area on a hot day. The entire family loved this zoo.

The Wayward Nurse

I grew up going here all the time, it's a wonderful little garden! Great place to spend the day if you have little kids, or great to hang out for a few hours with friends

Dakota James

The botanical garden at Riverbanks is really neat. They have lots of pretty flowers and even some fruits, vegetables, and herbs to look at. Best of all, your ticket includes access to the zoo, so it's an amazing value. I'd highly recommend this place to anyone.

Stacy W

So beautiful!! Garden area wasn't crowded like the Zoo side was!!

Hilda DiBenedetto

Gorgeous garden filled with flowers I hadn’t even seen before. Going back for the walking trail soon

Gray Gamer

Beautiful Gardens! Well-maintained Zoo too! Great place to get your walking in.

Steven Selwyn

Absolutely stunning garden . Highly recommend

Happy Rodes

Beautifully maintained gardens with shaded seating areas so you can take time to relax and enjoy.

Marina Kerouac

Always a great time here. My son's favorite is the dino dig. In the summer he loves playing in the water, too

Sandra Anderson

Me and my 2 best friends from when we were in school met up with our children (we have 2 a piece) and we took pictures for Mothers Day gifts. it was FANTASTIC!

James Polly

Awesome to visit while at zoo. Bring extra clothes or towel for kids for splash pad.

paula jackson

Wow! Beautiful flowers. Natural setting. Splash pad. Dino Dig. Dole whip. What could be better? Such a beautiful fun day!

Keena Alexander-Lagard

Clean family fun. Entertaining and friendly staff. Lots to see and do. Take your walking shoes and pack snacks to spend a few hours.

Candace Lowry

Love this zoo! Great place to visit with kids and they have a splash pad for kids to cool off.

jason Taylor

Variety of never before seen plants by me never gets old. I usually visit here a dozen times a summer. It's not without its winter charm also.

Sammy Poteate

Beautiful, interesting place to visit. 24.00 per adult ticket.

Koki NutHouse

There are so many beautiful plants and flowers to see, depending on the time of year you go. There are also several fun areas for kids: playground, dino dig sand pit, splash pad, etc. One of my favorite parts of Riverbanks.

Luvleeh Poetiklocks

Be careful of the trail leaving up I sliced my foot open walking on the stone step... otherwise a beautiful experience. Great for a date or bday celebration like I did. I couldn't enjoy fully limping around with blood coming out my toe... but i didn't let pain destroy a great experience. Sadly no pics bc i was trying not to pass out. The pic is down the trail... of the ruins... sill beautiful. Oh and like I've mentioned on The zoo review WATCH FOR SPIDERS!!!

Ben Williams

Really cool gardens, part of the zoo. Not a lot growing in the winter but excited to come back when it warms up.

firouz king

The children enjoyed it and it's free with the zoo pass.

Sarah Smithers

This is such a peaceful part of columbia. And they do a well job keeping up with it. I just wish they had more activities and hands on things when it comes to the gardens.

TRU FACTS

It's The RiverBanks Zoo... The crew that works there are very respectful and helpful... Congrats keep up the good work.. 👍🏿 …

Robert Maxwell

The Botanical Gardens are always such a pleasure to visit. I've been coming here as a kid for over 20 years and have always enjoyed it, and happy I can bring my own kiddo along. Perhaps my favorite part now is the woodland and river trail in the Rose Garden that leads down to the ruins of the Saluda River Factory. The trail comes out by the bridge to the zoo and is always a fun experience.

Megan Moran

Hot day in Columbia when I went, 93 with 68% humidity, but completely worth it.

Halsho Aziz

A pretty place with flowers and plants.

Erica Howard

it was sooo beautiful at botanical gardens!!!!!

Lydia Porter

The gardens are lovely . Calm nooks and cool side areas . A wonderful place to spend an afternoon or even just pop in for an hour if you have a Zoo membership.

Chad Holder

Its been upgraded, lots to do for all ages. Only reason i didn't give out 5 stars is because there is only 1 place to get actual food. The line was crazy long.

Rene Lowery

Zoo has great animals, splash park, ponies rides, petting farm, train rides, Dino sand digging area, and tree house!!!!

Happy Rodes

There is always something different to see in these beautiful gardens. I love this place.

Delana Davis

Lots of cool animals up close! Beautiful gardens!

Nadya Ivanova

Very nice zoo

mike reitzel

Really enjoyed the garden at Riverbanks. This is a very educational and informative arrangement of plants and water features.

Cristiano Oliveira

Very nice even during winter. Looking forward to return during summer months.

Steve Reindl

A perfect way to spend an afternoon! The gardens connect to the Zoo so there is plenty to do.

Wii

Beautiful garden even in late fall. Can't imagine it in spring and summer

A Cooper

Love the addition of the waterfall junction. Only wish that they would add more free standing water fountains and alot more fan misters and other things to help with this SC heat.* Hint, hint* (@RIVEERBANKS ZOO) I know from personal experience the if I am comfortable the longer I will stay and the longer I stay the more money I spend.

Robert Rollins

This place is absolutely gorgeous and full of different plant species to learn about and observe. This is easily my favorite part of the Riverbanks Zoo. The trails are fun if you're up for a small nature walk and there's a little hidden surprise for history buffs within.

Rebekah Jones

Soooo....I'm hoping I'm just going at the wrong times and missing the beautiful flowers. This was my second visit and I was again disappointed. We went once in late July so I understand most things being out of bloom but mid-April? It was just not hitting. My neighbors yard looks better than the botanical gardens. Is it hard to get good help to grow nice things? I'm hoping this isn't the usual.

Rob Cruz

Beautiful set up and the entire family haves something fun to do and check out.

John Raymond

What a beautiful place, location and gardens. Enjoyed taking pictures and walking around.

Juan Lazo

Very pretty place and nice trail walk

Kaylee Stewart

Beautiful garden. I wa3a honestly surprised at the amiunt of fruit and veg they had growing. It inspired me to plant some new things next season.

Pat Junge

Great botanical garden and children's educational center!

Richard Byer

Expensive, but with it. This place will give you lots of creative energy to apply to your own garden. While we rarely visit the zoo itself, we may become members just so we can visit the gardens more often.

Williewill Cleveland

Cool spot to relax or have a event.

Rebecca Day

Love it! We had been to the zoo side many times and I wish that we would have checked it out sooner!

Ruth Collins

Granddaughter loves it here. We've been here almost daily since I purchased the family Explorer membership

doug hale

Fantastic. We went with a group of 17 seniors from our church. One of our members planned ahead and got a hotoculturalist to personally show us around. He told us the names of many different plants and flowers that made tge experience that much more enjoyable. Well done and a great couple hours spent around such beauty.

Austin Ziegenfuss

The view from the bridge on the way to the gardens is amazing. The gardens are nice as well.

Kayla Engquist

Amazing garden! You can trolley up or walk it. Best view and worth every penny

Jennibeans

This place is so cute and clean. I just moved here about 6 months ago and went back already 2 times in 2 weeks. I bought a camily pass which is well worth it. The garden is beautiful and my kids love the play area up by there. Just bring your walking shoes.

Scott Cleveland

Its always great.......we are very lucky to a big zoo like this in SC

Nate K

Wish the water splash pad had been open, but it was fun nonetheless.

Ducky Angel

Lovely zoo and botanical garden with lots to see and do and friendly staff

Kelly

Always have a great time there. The lights before Christmas is beautiful, and the Santa is great!

Alan Baierl

Nice garden that's a part of the Riverbank zoo. Extremely disappointed at the high cost of entry and then everything is an up charge. The Taxpayers of Richland and Lexington Co pay for the zoo and then it's ridiculously priced compared to other regional zoos.

Mark Schurman

Love it. Should do work on water park in winter so it is open all summer. Not great idea.

Rhine D

Great diversion from the Zoo side. Water park for kids also. Seasonal plants changed seasonally.

Bob Hay

We hadn't been back to Riverbanks since the gardens were finished. We were so impressed with the beauty, peacefulness, and variety of plant life. The pterodactyl pit was good fun for the kiddos!

Christopher Simpson

One of the best zoos I've been to. Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a great place to walk, relax, or just unwind. Hopefully, they will get their one Meerkat some company soon!

Angela Privette

Had a blast with the family. Got the year pass for the family and it covers all the family.

Peggy Sammons

What a beautiful gem! I have only good things to say about this lovely space and would 100% recommend visiting, or if you are local, getting that annual pass. There are many great aspects, but the boardwalk through the towering woods captured my heart. There is a small waterfall in a bog garden and a fountain that can be enjoyed in the shade or sun. Lots of fun components with the children in mind. Stroller friendly. Metal art. All around I enjoyed the Riverbanks Botanical Garden.

Caitlin Kruse

Had a great time seeing all kinds of plants. I went on a sunny day and got to see photo shoots going on. The garden is a great place to spend the afternoon.

James R

As awesome as zoo

Christopher Jolly

Good place for kids to play. Bring a book or something to work on and let them play for an hour. A lot of moving around and it's connected to the zoo

Elouise Lee

This place is beautiful. Parts of this place reminds me of the beach. Great place to take small kids

Karen Ward

So nice! Staff was great, helpful and very knowledgeable. Loved the day at the Zoo and Gardens.

Chris Rawlings

A beautiful and serene place to visit. I love it more every time I go!

Erinn Drake

I'm sure this place isn't as frequented as the zoo, but it's really worth a visit. Depending upon the time of year, there are tons of beautiful plants and flowers to see and the way that they are arranged is interesting and engaging. There is a children's play area also that is quite large, really. There is a large area filled with pea gravel where kids can dig and "excavate." Also, there are some little buildings and an area with large building blocks, and a couple of other play areas for them. For something a bit quieter than the zoo, check this place out. I will say, though, if you're not coming from the zoo to the gardens from within the zoo, finding the place can be a bit tricky to say the least. But that's my only complaint!

Christina McFarlin

It was beautiful! I will definitely be back and come prepared to have our little one enjoy the water park!

Parish Killian

I really enjoyed walking through this garden. It was beautiful.

Katie Ratcliff

The best garden in columbia! So many pretties all year round! The different garden zones are fun to explore, and the splash pad and kid zone in the summer is a blast for littles. They've got tree houses and little mailboxes with information for kids to explore! Definitely worth visiting by itself!

Eliana Lopez Feliciano

Gorgeous garden with good music and plenty of activities for kids

Lilly

If it wasn't so hot outside it would've been perfect. Wasn't crowded, the splash pad was great. We always get dippin dots when we come. The new additions (seals, sea lions, rhinos, sea otters) have made the zoo even better.

Victoria Wrightson

My family has always loved the zoo and gardens

Wendi Wilcox

Had a great time! So peaceful here and clean!!

Dave McBride

Nicely located with the zoo. Two attractions in one. Sort of a hidden gem. Visiting? Don't miss it. Are you local and haven't been? Try it. Allow a full day to see both. Nice uphill hike but I made it and not in shape lol

William Case

One of the best foods I've ever been to just always pack full of fun. Always have a great time learning about all the different animals and is different animals And the splash pad and botanical gardens are just as amazing along with the river hiking trail to get there

Aaron Edester

Lots of great animals to see and plenty of activities for kids.

Jackie Kellett

Riverbanks Zoo is incredible! The Zoo and animals are well maintained and cared for. The Tropical Reef has gorgeous fish! My Granddaughter and I had a wonderful day! Don't miss the Splash Pad! Lots of water fun and activities for children!

Carmen Sauceda

Riverbanks Botanical Gardens was lovely and beautifully maintained. While the gardens themselves were much smaller than I anticipated, it does have a large splash pad/water play area what is wonderful for playing and cooling off as well as a tree house area for kids to explore, outdoor checker set, and children's garden area. This is a fabulous way to spend an afternoon and a free tram is available from Riverbanks Zoo.

Shaun Levesque

Fantastic!! I wish we spent more time here, there was a storm rolling in and we cut our visit to the garden short. Very peaceful and beautiful!

Cookie Boot

Flowers were nice and a nice walk too!

Brandon Saxon

Absolutely gorgeous, and the staff was friendly and helpful. Parking can get a little crazy and the options for snacks are a little limited, so you may want to plan ahead. If you have little ones, definitely stop at the splash pad!

George Garza

Very good place get some exercise by walking. From the main entrance to the top of the gardens and back is a over 2 miles.

Robert Owens

My wife and I went yesterday morning for the annual Spring Plant Sale open to members of the Riverbanks Zoo Society members. Excellent selection of plants to choose from. Staff were very knowledgeable and helpful.

Barbara Trepal

Fun day at the botanical gardens and zoo.

Dan Torrico

Awesome zoo, plenty of attractions. Decent concession deals and above average food. My family and I had a blast!!

Farin Burgess

I rode on the shuttle bus through the botanical garden and to the water splash area it was all very beautiful but it was very hot and I suggest to go when it's not so hot

Jason Simmons

Great place to take younger kids for fun. For our family the fun ages that like to go are 2-6. Bigger kids can go but the limitations around no running and how many little kids are around make it difficult for anyone older to have as much fun.

Carrenaese Williams

Beautiful, Great for Family and Friends, will visit again

Ana Lalli

Lovely trails full of colors. . Great for all ages .

Bella Stone

Well, I enjoyed my visit BUT we did go in the off season. Most of the flowers were not in bloom. The tram was down so it was a bit of a walk, but I still enjoyed myself. I'm sure the pandemic has not helped things. Hopefully a return visit in the summer will merit different results. I hope the staff is able to find seasonal flowers that can be viewed during the colder temps for the area.

Jack D

Always a great place to visit with anyone you are with.

Amber Leonard

We loved our experience there minus one thing. The man who worked at the splash pad would walk around getting in all of the children's faces shouting at them.

Jordan Kuhn

Went to a wedding here. It is a very pretty place to walk around.

James Harris

Going there during the week is an amazing trip, as it isn't as crowded. The botanical garden is very serene, and the kids enjoy it very much.

Erika “EA” Acre

The membership is seriously worth it, you get your money back in one trip and the visits are endless lol. It's always clean. The children safety is top priority. Staff is great. Animals are interactive and well taken care of. It can be expensive if you decide to not purchase a membership but every purchase goes towards their care. Worth it!!!

Scott Rosene

Beautiful gardens, easy tram ride and nice addition to our zoo trip.

Sheeja Natesan

Really pretty. Great for kids and family time. We really enjoyed ourselves.

Geoffrey Montgomery

One of the best botanical gardens east of the Mississippi.

Kyle Parker

Amazing zoo with gardens and splash park for the kids. Great way to cool off on a hot summer day! We were visiting family and took kids ranging in age from 18 months to 10 years old, and everyone had a lot of fun. If the gardens/splash park are your primary objective, be prepared for a hike to get there - from the main entrance, you have to walk through a large portion of the zoo to reach the trolley that takes you to that section. For adults it's not bad, but for excited and energetic kids, it's tough staying focused - they wanted to run off and explore all of the other parts of the zoo that we had to walk through. Overall, it is one of the best zoos we've visited.

Dinah

Great timing for us. We arrived at 11am and left at 5pm. We visit every inch and had lunch at one of the restaurants. I must say it was Hot 🔥. Went thru 2 small bottles of sun lotion. I must of went thru 4 waters, 2 slashes, 1 ice cream and 1 powerade. On the ride down from Gardens we were hit with powerful rain. We had to change our shirts before we hit the road. This trip was awesome for the 4 of us. Its a must see adventure. You must do everything. I know we did😜

makeupmanda88

Great zoo! My little one loved all the animals and cooling down at waterfall junction!

Nechesa Lewis

I came here for a meeting and was pleasantly surprised by the garden. Even in the winter it was full of life. I’ll visit again in the Spring to see the blooming plants.

Margie Smith

Wonderful place to walk and look at plants and animals

Carvenia Corpening

Most beautiful garden! A site to see. Take a short walk to the tram or you can walk up. Either way is worth the view...

Erica Rosenbauer

Beautiful zoo, super clean and lots to do. The water park is perfect, the gardens were beautiful and all the exhibits were great! There were little water stops along the park, fans with mist and lots of shaded areas. A few exhibits had AC so it was nice to be able to get a break from the SC heat! I have a season pass and I plan on using it as much as possible! Best zoo I've ever been to!!

David R. Delabar

Great walking path to river Sauna mill was interesting

Amber Lee

Riverbank Zoo is such a wonderful family oriented, child friendly place. It's clean, great layout, many activities, and great amenities. The splash pad is excellent as well. It has both a big and little kid area, so older children aren't trampling toddlers. Such a wonderful place to be. The animals are very well provided for and their caregivers have great relationships with the residents! I feel like I'm supporting a great cause when I come to the zoo. The animals are happy. Highly recommend.

Brenton D

The facility is alive and their and all the updates look great

Nathaniel Viens

The garden itself is small and is more for children, but it is still a gorgeous place. There is a lot of information on a lot of plants including their vehicle garden. The tram runs often, about every 15 minutes. Honestly, I would have walked and it would have been faster. They do have a great space for weddings, but after looking at getting engagement photos there, my fiance and I probably won't. It's $150 just to have your photo shoot there, not including the photographer.

Iluv music75

Beautiful place just the right amount of flowers and the fountains add a nice touch. Great place for the wine tasting in my opinion..

Lisa A

Gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy the sights. They have a garden area especially for your children complete with a playground and splash pad. there is a stand that sells drinks (including alcohol) and snacks. There are fountains and tons of gorgeous flowers. There is a free tram that will take you to and from the zoo or you can walk as well. A wonderful way to spend the day!

Phil Allison

So beautiful. An array of seasonal plants all year round, garden areas for kids (and adults) to explore. A splash pad water park, that is open most of the year as well. The gardens are well laid out and great to just stroll around and look at. When the roses are in bloom it is a great sight to behold. I highly recommend it as a peaceful place to just enjoy part of a day.

Melanie Brunson

It was beautiful, but no tram was running to get there and it was a long steep climb. Once there it was very peaceful any had a lot of variety. The plants were many different colors and textures and all the paths could be navigated with a stroller. Theyalso have a fruit and vegetable garden, but it is really neglected right now.

Quintin Boyd Jr

If you did not know this place has a amazing water park hidden inside. Kids will love it

Stephi Dalen

We go here every week with our son and he loves it. Very kid friendly and less crowded than the zoo side. Plenty of play areas. The toddler splash pad is great and their education programs are phenomenal

J Shlds

Always having fun here! Free parking, free guest passes, beautiful gardens, lots of play areas for the kids plus all of the amazing animals! They have just about everything you need including close parking & scooter rentals for the handicap. Only downside is the food, it does not taste great and is a bit pricey. We started bringing our own and it works out nicely with plenty of shaded benches to sit and eat at. Best value is definitely the yearly family pass!

Mario Truax

Everyone was so helpful and friendly! The garden was absolutely amazing! I even loved the veggie portion! A wonderful way to get out and do something new during this quarantine era. Highly recommended. Bring your camera!

Angel Coe

Took my three year old to the zoo and she had a blast. She loved seeing the gorillas and their babies. The flower gardens were just amazing in their full bloom. I recommend staying a full day to really enjoy everything they have to offer.

Amy Haselden

The botanical garden is beautiful. So many flowers and trees. There is even a natural walk trail you van take to enjoy the beauties of nature itself. You even walk along the river. It's so relaxing. Also at the garden is the splash pad and play area for the kids on those hot summer days.

Joy Wright

The best splash pad my kids enjoy it and love the revamp so it's not slippery anymore.

Christie D

We had a wonderful time! My 8 yo had a great time at the rock wall and doing Sky High (ropes course). We fed giraffes and birds. They have a great new area in the botanical gardens that includes a splash pad and lawn games. There is also a huge sand play area. We spent the entire day at the zoo and botanical gardens.

Island Sound

We worked closely with their catering and special events department and I have to say I could not have been happier! They had great communication leading up to the event, and day of was even better. Whenever we encountered a problem they were quick to work with us to find a solution in a fast and professional manner! If you are looking for a beautiful event space with a phenomenal staff I could not recommend the Riverbanks Botanical Garden catering and special events staff more!

Mark Engelbrecht

We loved it so much that we bought a family pass for the year. That came with 6 guest passes so I was able to take my family and my niece last time we went. The zoo is very walk-able, but a stroller might be needed for the very little. We pack a lunch and there are picnic tables next to the parking lot. The staff are cool about you coming and going in and out. The gardens and splash pads are a good walk up hill or you can wait for the tram (20-40 minutes). I did the walk pushing a stroller and it was not that bad. I gardens are nice, but the splash pad was a great reward for the hike up the hill. There are other features like zip lines and thing but we have not done those and I think you need to book in advance for that.

Wendy Ledbetter

Great fun! If you park at the gardens you have to exit the gardens. We didn't know this and was late getting out. If the tram isn't running, it is a big walk up the hill to get back.

Chandler Hill

The botanical gardens were nice but it was hot and hard to enjoy them when we went. If you bring of change of clothes you can splash around in the water fountains and stuff they have there. As well, there is a trail you can take back down to the zoo that is wooded pretty cool little hike.

Stephan Benson

Riverbanks zoo botanical gardens is my favorite place to take my kids!

Megan Davis

Best zoo I have ever visited. They have an impressive variety of animals along with some fun activities such as a carousel, climbing wall, and an elevated obstacle course (costs extra). In the summer, my children also enjoy the splash pad at the adjoining botanical gardens.

Timothy Chaffin

The garden is nice but a little smaller than most dedicated botanical gardens. Still nice and worth it considering it is bundled with the zoo for a good price. Bear in mind the trams aren't running right now and it is a bit of a trek from the main zoo up to the garden.

Lisa Gray

Always love going to the zoo! I've been going since a child and now enjoy taking my 2 boys. I do wish it was a little more affordable but understand the cost is to maintain the zoo, pay staff, and take care of all the new amenities! The splash pad is our new favorite way to end the day, but was slightly disappointed that a lot of equipment for food and drink services were down making it hard to get anything we wanted. It would also be nice if more people were considerate about the younger children that cannot see and the way some people will just stand in the way for so long it makes it difficult for others to experience all the animals. Remember to pack plenty of patience when going!

Ashley Watkins

Excellent zoo! We took the time to drive from Salisbury, NC (after having gone to the NC zoo all my life). It was well worth it. The animals were easy to see. The staff was very friendly. My kids absolutely LOVED the splash pad. We will go back and spend more time here in the future!

Amànda Wilson

Gorgeous!!! Connected to the zoo. You can walk or take the (FREE) tram between the zoo and gardens. Both attractions are included in the ticket price. If you're bringing children, be sure to visit the kid's area in the gardens... we really enjoyed playing with giant legos and splashing in the water areas! There's also a dinosaur dig and a playground.

Mary Gillespie

The kids loved playing in the splash pad! The gardens were beautiful to walk through.

Dwight

Really nice place. Splash pad is a lot of fun for the kids. Gardens are amazing, and don't forget about the hiking trails down by the river. Just like the zoo, get there early for better parking and to get ahead of the crowds. And, membership is recommended if you live in the area.

Wendy Williams

Calm areas, fun for kids, and clean grounds. The flowers are lovely, wish there was more color and grander gardens. However, stop very pretty and fun to visit. Kids have their own section packed full of exploration and fun. In the summer there's a splash pad and lots of water fun to be had.

George Nacarato

The "splash pad" is an awesome place to bring children for a fun day in the sun. Calling it a splash pad is too small of a word to describe it. Multiple splash pads, a tree fort that is wheelchair friendly, a large grass area for family friendly activities that anyone could enjoy make it worth a visit even without a trip into the zoo.

Miranda Moore

Amazing! The facility was clean and well organized and everything was priced accordingly and not outrageous. The staff were amazing. My son did the rock climbing wall and would get about half way up and then drop because he was scared but the sweet lady working it hooked up and climbed next to him so he wouldn't be scared and with her help he made it to the top. Amazing people that work there and amazing variety of animals. We will be back again soon.

Chae

Our favorite zoo we buy the family membership for $99.00 it saves us money for more than one visit a year. Their water feature for kids is beautiful and fun. We really enjoy every visit as a family. I love how close the animals are to you.

Joel Beachum

The gardens are quite picturesque and they have quite a variety of plants and flowers to see. The location and the atmosphere are just perfect. Would recommend to grab a trolley car to the top are you can take the long hike for some good fitness. There are things to do for both the adults and the children. Highly recommend checking them out.

Rachael Outlaw

Beautifully kept, clean, and has much to offer.

Kortni Painter

I seriously love this place! It's always clean, there are a lot of exhibits that my daughter enjoys, we go to Boo at the Zoo every year & the membership is so worth it. The water park part of it and everything around it is so fun for my 4 year old!

Andrew Martindale

The gardens are somewhat small in comparison to some of the other attractions on the property. The fact that they are connected to Riverbanks Zoo (by tram or short walk) is a huge plus. Doing both in a single visit is doable, but makes for a long day. Definitely a good way for the kids to burn some energy.

Patt Kovach

Was allowed to come in at 1:30 in the afternoon it was very hot and I am a senior, the zoo was wonderful I love the new parts, was concerned about the grizzly bear he looked emaciated. A lot of exhibits were closed a lot of shops were closed and I understand all of that. But what was very upsetting was the botanical gardens it was my first visit and I drove over from the zoo. After walking around the zoo for an hour, and walked around the Gardens for an hour, it was time for me to leave but I couldn’t find the exit I wandered around in the hot sun for an hour looking for the exit I finally saw one staff person and he took me to the exit to the parking lot. After walking around the zoo for an hour, and walked around the gardens for an hour, it was time for me to leave but I couldn’t find the exit I wandered around in the hot sun for an hour looking for the exit I finally saw one staff person and he took me to the exit to the parking lot. Very disappointed in the Rosegarden it looked very neglected. Trailers were closed and gates locked everywhere. Will not be going back to the gardens. I was literally on the verge of calling 911 to get me out of there. When I told the lady at the gate she just laughed. Three hours of walking in the hot sun was excruciating.

Raven Lee

Beautiful place. We saw lots of exotic animals. The giant turtle was my favorite.

Rebekah Shilling

Improved allot!! The gardens and kids area is amazing and interactive. The animals are healthy looking

John Mak

Beautiful garden and vegetables and you have access to the kids area with lots of kid friendly fun things to do -tunnels, sand area, big Legos.

Amy Kirby (Phoenix)

Beautiful flowers. I've been here loads of times over the last 8 years and besides adding the waterfalls place for the kids the flowers are the same. They need to update a bit. The zoo on the other hand is awesome. More animals! The Sea Lions are the BEST!

Scott and Lisa Chun

We love this place. For a little under 150$ we got a family membership for the year with most activities included. We go on the carousel, feed all the animals you can, and more for free with membership and discounts for most things as well as guest passes. My 2 boys are 4 and 5 and love this zoo. There's a water area (free w any admission) in the gardens half for when it's really hot, a playground area, and so much more even if you dont pay for the "extras". We joined a month ago and have been 3 times already easily paying for itself. Staff are all very friendly. I will definitely be renewing it and honestly the best $150 I ever spent on my kids.

Anothercountyheard Baldwin

Beautiful gardens supplemented with a low key water park, sprinkling fountains that spray water, very welcome on a hot August day. The water feature makes the place kid friendly and provide a good incentive for children to walk through the gardens that they might not otherwise be interested in. The gardens themselves were well-maintained and full of blooming and colorful plants, and was very worth the visit.

Cassie Curtis

Nice, clean and fun. Some of the enclosures need updating, but it's clear they're working towards this. Extras are expensive, but I recommend the wristband pass. It's worth it, especially if you go fairly often. My kids Must climb the rock wall and ride the carousel Every Time we go!

Jac David

I love Riverbank Zoo. My kids and I enjoy going to this zoo. One of the best Zoos I have ever been too. The employees are great and the animals are even better. My kids enjoy coming to the Zoo and we love to feed the birds. AWESOME place to bring you children and have a wonderful day looking at different animals and learning about them. Thanks for the enjoyable time we have ever single time we go to Riverbank Zoo.

Teddy Hodges

Great Gardens wonderful kid areas splash pad and games.

Emily Duska

We held our wedding here in April and it was a perfect venue! McKenzie met with us (with many many emails as well) as much as we needed. The food was delicious and we still have guests that are talking about it! The staff was great and helpful throughout the evening.

Amy Mcgrew

Really enjoyed the zoo and garden area. Took my daughter, husband and mother in law last weekend . Affordable ticket prices . Food prices are okay as well as drinks . I've been to other places that charge you around 15.00 for a drink with .99 cents refills . So I can't complain lol . Would recommend to bring your kids. They will love seeing all the animals . If you have younger children they will enjoy the water area .

Rebecca Brown

They have upgraded from what I remember. Don't forget to bring the kids bathing suits. There's fun water activities and play areas. Allot extra time for the gardens portion of your visit. I do not recommend walking in lieu of the tram if you're not looking for a workout. It's mostly an uphill walk from the zoo.

Barbara Bradham

Love the zoo, the Botanical Gardens, and the water park. You can play, or relax. Many lovely shaded areas. The animals are awesome. The petting zoo is not as expensive as other locations, but it's still nice. A wonderful family venue.

Dorothy Skoland (Journey to Entrepeneur)

We love the splash pad! On this trip we also had lunch with the giraffes, talked to the zebras and cooled off in front of the large aquarium tank. I love not feeling pressured to get my money's worth by trying to get all of the zoo in during my visit. Having an extended membership is wonderful!

Ryszard Dyrek

The botanical garden is attached to the zoo. It was really nice, but the building and some other areas were closed off. It would have been nice to see the whole garden since we are on vacation, but even without those parts, the garden and zoo were great.

Marissa G

Loved the botanical gardens! Love how everything is labeled- catching the tram into the zoo was awesome too

Splenda

Beautiful, especially since I got a nice photo before a thunderstorm

Susan Sanders

Nice pleasant place to check out. They had some interesting specimens and a beautifully landscaped reflecting pool. I especially liked some of the featured theme beds of plants & flowers. It's not large enough to want to go several times a season, but a beautiful inspiring spot. There's a lot more for children to experience & explore in a separate area, as well as the adjoining zoo.

Joe Westbrook

Was laid out nice lots of shade,adult admittance $21.99,friendly knowledgeable staff awesome bridge that stands across the Saluda River,wasn't aware of the float/tube ride 3 - 4hrs long plannin to go back 😀 …

Samantha Wilson

My kids love seeing all the animals and playing at the splash pad. I don't know when they started serving alcohol but it was a very good choice.

Will Glenn

This place is always beautiful, always clean and always relaxing. There are many areas to sit and relax or meditate, some shaded, some not. There is a specific area for children to play that includes water activities, so the rest of the garden is relatively quiet and enjoyable. The nature trails for hiking have been closed about a year now, but the main gardens still present plenty of walking activity.

Jonathan Havird

The garden is a beautiful place.

J B

Beautiful location. Difficult walk for those who are out of shape or handicapped. Easier access by tram, but wait times can be excessive. They've shrunk the size of the gardens to add kid friendly features such as a water park, wooden tree ramps, and green space for families and dogs. Not as many plant species or as many trails, but it's still a lovely place. Can be crowded, lots of people taking pictures, can be a plethora of professionals taking photos for weddings, catalogues, or other business venues.

Kecr888 R

Beautifully designed and executed botanical gardens, connected by a bridge to the Riverbanks zoo. Gardens also have large interactive areas for children of various ages to play

Nichole Gray

Best place to go for a day out.

Paula Wood

Beautiful, even in early February. Many winter/cold loving plants were in the beds, including vegetables. I can't wait to see it in the other seasons! Lots of fun things for the kids to do: playground, etc.

Ken Breivik

While there are larger and nicer botanical gardens for what it is this is worth going to. There is also a building in the middle that can be rented out that has space enough for a good size banquet or meeting. They have recently added a slip and slide area for younger kids which the little ones seem to enjoy. And I believe Riverbanks Zoo will keep expanding making it one of the nicest family friendly locations in the area.

Victoria

Lots and lots of plants. Water junction is fun for the kids big and small. You can walk from the zoo or take the tram. It's an up hill walk if you choose to walk.

Jennifer Roberson

Loved if. Can't wait for aquarium to open.

Morgan Roberts

We love the Botanical Gardens! Its always been a beautiful part of the zoo. It's only been made better with the addition of Waterfall Junction! The kids have a great time in the different splash pads, and they love the stream that connects them! There's a huge tree house and a huge sandbox where they can dig up dinosaur fossils! Plus a cute vegetable garden and a play ground!

T B

Beautiful and very relaxing! Love that they have a shuttle to the gardens so you don't have to walk so far from the zoo.

L.A Addicks

Always clean family friendly come earlier around 9:30-10:30ish when they feed the animals and plan your day out they have tons to see and it can take an hour total to walk the whole park from entrance to entrance this was timed from botanical side all the way around park in all the exhibits but no stops to the main entrance. With time and lunch you can easily get 4 hours of walking and playing in come on either a Sunday or weekday when its cool and quiet in the park to enjoy it and see it all.

Cindy Strickland

Visited for the first time today. What a beautiful place. To see and smell the flowers just made my day.

Megan Worley

Riverbanks botanical garden is always so beautiful with so much to do! The staff is one of a kind. You can tell they really hire people who are kind and care about the environment. It's always so clean and educational. The garden area has a huge sandbox with T-rex bones the kids can dust off and be little paleontologists, with brushes and buckets all there for them! They also have an awesome splash pad called waterfall junction with a big area of waterfalls for older kids that goes into a little river way that is also fun to play in that goes to an area for smaller kids! There is a small play ground too. A huge grass area with hula hoops, large legos and blocks, as well as other fun toys all for the children to enjoy. There are two small playhouses with some educational information in them. They also have a huge tree house. I mean it's so much fun. They have concession stands and the prices are so fair. This place is beautiful and entertaining for the entire family!

Haleigh Christmus

I highly recommend visiting the gardens. They have added amazing new things like a waterfall, sand box, water area...just to name a few. This is a fantastic place to bring your kids. You could spend all day in the botanical gardens!

William Hartis

Recently renovated and updated. Its an amazing zoo! The botanical gardens is a must see if you have kids. It has a huge tree house and a splash pad. Bring bathing suits for the kids. There are changing rooms available.

Becky Clanagan

I enjoyed this garden very much. Everything was so beautiful.

jennifer cisson

Beautiful. The displays are educational and beautiful to look at. They have a cool new tree top area that over looks the woods. Splash park is still separated from garden area so it remains peaceful. It's worth the money to spend a day here!

Sally Stanley

This is a great place for kids in the summer! We come all the time with our membership!

Nick Salazar

The splash Park was a great addition to the zoo. Great place to cool off while passing through the zoo. Of course the zoo's new feature of sea lions is a great exhibit as well as feeding Bruce the giraffe and the Llamas and goats. Definitely a good time for the family

Arielle Napier

I haven't been in 5 years and so many improvements have been made since then.

Lena Press

We had a nice time at the Botanical Garden at Riverbanks.

Angie Nichols

This place is everything you hear and more! It is a beautiful zoo with an aquarium and small water park area for kids. There is a trolley/train that takes you from the bridge up to the garden. I saw animals I have never seen anywhere before. Definite two thumbs up!

Bobbie Lynn

The zoo is always an amazing experience. You'll get your monies worth by purchasing the explorer membership, as it included things like the carousel, rock wall, and giraffe feeding, plus discounts in the souvenir shops and special events. The new dinosaur walk is super cool! The souvanier cups are great because you can bring them back and get soda refills for 1.50. We have such a great time, weve been over 100 times and it is still so much fun every time we go!

Mary Backman-Snyder

Beautiful Botanical Gardens!!!

Angel Lynn

Beautiful place but of course there are no flowers during winter. If able it would nice to have some winter type plants or something interesting to look at around the garden in the off season because the animals are still very active here even in the winter months.

Brittany Staples

So much to do and see. We love wandering around to see the animals and riding the marry go round. The splash pad/play area was nice & the kids really enjoyed all the activities out there.

Kristin Doyle

This is our favorite part of going to the zoo. The kids can spend all day just in this area.

Tim Payne

Great place. Love going and taking toddler grandson. I'd recommend bringing your own supplies of drinks and snacks if using the botanical garden entrance because I've never seen the refreshment place open there. I think its for private functions.

Majed Salaymeh

Very nice. Splash pad for kids is very impressive

Robert Keen

Awesome Zoo. I was blown away by the plant and flowers in the Botanical Garden. Took a lot of amazing photos. Very clean and modern compared to other city Zoos.

Jeremiah Riel

Beautiful gardens and landscaping. Kids got board within 5 minutes, but cool place for pictures before heading to the splash area.

Heather McCullough

I love the splash pad. So does my daughter the only recommendation we could make is that they give numbered wrist band so no one else can leave with your child. So small and large and crowded at the same time that I worry that in the busy crowd someone could slip away with her. They already have somebody sitting at the gate they should just check printed wristbands.

Joey Chapman

Beautiful gardens, awesome water park, and just a short hike from the zoo! What more could you ask for?

Corrine Liljegren

We had a blast! The addition of splash park with a huge space to run around in was fun. My boys especially enjoyed digging in the little part you can find dinosaur bones and play with sand toys!

Joseph Ross

It smelled lovely but it was small. The boardwalk area was closed, but that would have added some excitement. It felt more like I was in my grandmother's back yard than in a botanical garden. Looks like a nice venue for events.

Kelly Wright

Fun family outing. I suggest going when you have 3 or more hours to spend there. The new Waterfall Junction is a great addition to the Garden area of the Zoo. Bring swimsuits or extra clothes...they will get soaked!

Rhi Vue

My son keeps asking to go back. We had such a great time! Feeding the giraffe and the petting zoo is my favorite!

Pam Marshall

What an amazing & beautiful place! Everything is in bloom, if you love the beauty of nature, this is your place. They had activities & food, cold beer & souvenirs. Informative explanations of each & every kind of plant or flower or tree. We will definitely visit again.

Crystal Mysteria

It was beautiful, I have been going here for years, the beautiful of the fauna is calming and listening to the fountains is so relaxing. They have Waterfall Junction for the kids to play in.

Elizabeth Hooker

I love flowers, greenery, gardens, fountains, etc. Though I went during the beginning of summer & the heat had killed several of the plants, the garden was still beautiful! I loved seeing all the foliage & just viewing all the c many varieties of plants I could possibly have in my yard. Would be a beautiful place to have a wedding. Loved my time there!

Janis Lynch

This is such a nice zoo for the little ones. It's just the right size for small kids. They have a good mix of all the animals you want to see and some shows. They Lso have a few animal encounters as well. This was my second time visiting and I really enjoy this zoo for kids 7 and under. There isn't alot of walking required to go from each exibit. Get in early to get closer parking.

Priscilla D'Amico

Clean park with many activities.

Whitney Parham-Roberts

I love this place and so do my kids. The lay out makes it easy to navigate through and see all of the animals. Last time I went they were adding a new farm animals section so I can't wait to take the kids back to check that part out.

Anthony Rodriguez

Fantastic place with an amazing variety of plants. Their selection of herbs is impressive and my daughter loves waking though looking at them. It is right next to the waterfall junction which makes it super convenient and as a bonus it is free with zoo admission.

Matt

We love it! The best zoo, renew membership every year, money well spent....

Brian Kelly (juggernautical)

I had a wonderful time at Riverbanks yesterday. It wasn't crowded as it was a week day. I spent the whole day wondering around seeing the demonstrations and admiring the animals. For lunch I ate at Tuskers. I had a great Sesame Ginger Salad. After my meal I walked to the gardens to see the plants. Riverbanks has added a lot of attractions since I last visited. I was very impressed with what they have done. I highly recommend people visit this wonderful zoo.

Nancy Brown

Had an amazing time at the Botanical gardens with my new friend, Melody Smit.

Leon Robinson

They have been doing some renovations to the zoo and gardens and it was much needed. There is a small water park for the kids in the botanical garden entrance now that is pretty nice for a hot day. The zoo is cleaner now and the parking lot is getting a much needed face-lift.

Betty Lee

Abundant, beautiful, very organized, walking among it makes me feel thriving!

michael hope

I could care less about the garden but thankfully there is so much more over in that side of the river. There is a huge splash area for the kids to play in. A place to dig in the sand for dinosaur bones. A massive tree house. A fields with big Legos and hoops and blocks to build with. Love spending time with my kids over there. It's a bit of a walk but the zoo provides a tram. Fair warning it can get hot waiting in line for it though on busier days.

Gregory Smith

New section at the zoo for us. Takes a little effort to get there. Very hot, so try the snow cones! Still under construction, so I’m sure will be more user friendly by the end of the summer. Splash pad for kids.

H Nelson

It was my 60 year old mother's first time at the zoo and my nephew's first time as well, he's 10! They absolutely enjoyed themselves, running all over the place from exhibit to exhibit giggling like tickled babies! It was absolutely beautiful and it made our week!

Anita Smith

Very nice zoo, great variety of animals. The zoo was laid out very well. The gardens were beautiful, even though we were there after the "bloom" season. Would visit again if in the area.

Charles Nostrant

The setting was lovely. There was plenty of wine, maybe too much. More food would have been nice but the available food was very delicious . The nondrinkers were not offered any nonalcoholic beverages other than water.

Derek Matchette

The Garden side of Riverbanks has always been my favorite. As a biology person I've always leaned more towards plants in my interests. The grounds are beautiful and well kept with many interesting things to see. The location just feels good right along the Saluda River. Theres a paved trail through the woods (not handicap accessible I'm afraid) that shows off some rock outcroppings, stunning trees and even ruins of the old mill. And then if you want walk over the bridge to the actual zoo! They are responsible for a lot of conservation both plant and animal and it's just a great place that does great work.

Joel C

We visited the Botanical Garden during a very hot day so your visit may vary drastically during cooler times. There were some nice displays and plants as well as a nice aqueduct/stream. To get to the location you need to take a tram (pretty decent 15 min wait) or walk uphill for about 1/3 of a mile. We chose the walk and it wasn't so bad. The temp on the day we visited was in the 90s.

Queen B

When my family went we had the greatest times.. they have a big play area for the kids yo play in the water, on the grassy area for games an other activities.. we rode the "train" to the actual zoo part to explore the animals.. awesome experience an very kid friendly an learning.

Hulon Ferris

This place is amazing. The plants, the birds, the butterflies, it is kid friendly and EVERYONE can enjoy if you are willing to brave the heat!

Beth Tharp

Great place to take kids. Love waterfall junction. Prices are decent. I would recommend getting a membership if you plan on visiting more than 2-3 times. Has improved over the last few years. Prices in gift shop are kinda steap.

Julia Begeman

The gardens attached to the zoo are gorgeous and they are great to just meander through for a while. They also make use of some native plants and some food plants to help familiarize people with those (fancy kale makes for a pretty garden plant)

Scott Venom

Me and my fiancé love every visit we have to the Zoo and gardens! Every time we go we get lost in the moment of being surrounded by beautiful animals that seem to really enjoy the environment they are in. Everything about the zoo, from the animals, the very polite employees and the layout make it a day out to remember! One tiny nitpick is that drinks are really expensive and aren't refillable. Maybe having a single charge of around $5 for a soft drink you could refill once an hour would solve this! But overall 5/5 from me

Antonio Rosado

I went in January when the foliage was at its worst, but was somehow still impressed with the layout and colors of the various gardens they had on display.

Hyperion Warrick

The garden is absolutely stunning! There are multiple fountains and lots of beautiful plants to see. Each one has the scientific name and the common name of the plant placed on it. The Magnolia center has restrooms and the water fountain by the men's restroom has cold water unlike the one by the women's. Also, there are wedding pictures along the walls inside the center. Within view of the Rose Garden Pavilion are some porch swings looking out across the garden. I personally found quite relaxing after walking around the zoo section all day. This is a beautiful place to visit and I would recommend it to anyone reading this post.

Scott

Love the zoo and gardens. I'm the summer there is a splash pad for kids to cool off. There is also a tram That takes you back and forth from the zoo to the gardens. This is the best thing Columbia has to offer!

Sonja Barton

The botanical gardens are beautiful any time of year. My 7 and 9 year old grandsons just love it. We went last weekend and played checkers on the giant checker set!

Justin Diebolt

I came here last October for a wedding/reception. Of all the weddings I've been to, this was hands down the most beautiful venue I've ever been to. If you're local and looking for a place to the the knot, I can't say enough about how wonderful this place is. Check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed!

Steve Boykin

Something was a little off on this visit. I was seeing all the negative publicity and threatening their funds is one reason I decided to go but was a little underwhelmed. I stood at the information counter for a good 5 minutes to ask directions and the staff continued/completed their personal conversation before even acknowledging our presence and we were the only people there. Not good. Wont be a priority to go back any time soon.

Kelly Smith

This is an excellent little zoo. It's amazing how many people visit each year, given the size of the Columbia metro area. Our girls especially love the new Waterfall Junction section of the zoo near the botanic garden. It's a great place to go and cool off on a hot South Carolina summer day. The sea lion exhibit is really good too. It can get crowded when there are school field trip groups and during the summer, so we try to go on cooler, rainy days. The animals are more active then anyway. The botanic garden is nice, and the trails are great.

Jessica Graves

Overall we had a great trip here! Very few exhibits were under construction so there were plenty of animals to see. Grounds are beautiful and so much to do! Staff could be friendlier and smile more. Food is pricey but tasty. "Baskets" should include fries but do not, there for, they shouldn't be called baskets. Elephants seemed lethargic and have what seem like a small enclosure. Lion seemed sickly, but most other animals seemed well cared for.

Jayson Drury

Riverbanks zoo is simply a wonderful experience for the family. It has a beautiful and simple layout. The animals seem to be treated well. There's lots to do and the children are always thrilled to go.

Liese Lynch

Love this zoo! We give a family membership to our grandkids every year. We came early in the day during the week when it wasn't too busy. We enjoyed feeding the Lorikeets. Even the kids (ages 3 and 2) were able to hold the little cup of food while the Lorikeets landed on Grandma and Grandpa's arms. The tram ride to the Gardens was a fun way to end our day at the zoo. We watched the staff preparing the spring planting in the beautiful formal gardens. This zoo is a wonderful destination anytime of the year!

Heather L

It is natural, some pretty flowers. Tram is nice to save the hike up the hill but i am certainly glad we did it early as that line was more than halfway across the bridge.

Ryan VanMiddlesworth

Very nice little botanical garden. A great way to finish a day at the zoo. I recommend taking the trail through the forest instead of the zoo tram if you like a good hike.

Michelle “Chelle” D.

beautiful and fun for the kids. you can't beat the splash pad

Hannah Warren

Great family friendly place. Well worth the money to join!

Tally Guzman

This place is very underwhelming. I’m from Brooklyn, NY originally. We have a beautiful Botanical garden that looks more like a park then a garden. I was expecting something similar. All there was, was a small garden. The plants looked like they were dying. Nothing big or wowing. There was a small fountain in the middle of the garden, but water wasn’t running. They big wow factor at the botanic garden, was the water park. Which is ok and great for kids. I wish they could expand their garden, add southern flowers and exotic flowers.

Amber Goff

Riverbanks Zoo is awesome! Not only are the animals great, but the activities for kids is top notch from a carousel, horse back rides, and a huge water area. I highly recommend making the zoo a part of your life regularly.

Jessica Glass

It's really pretty with all the different plants and the way that they have it set up. The kids area is ok, they have soooo many rules for the water area. They have a slide looking spot, and kids can walk down it, or sit in one spot, but they are absolutely NOT allowed to sit and push themselves across the ground (why, I do not know). They have a huge grassy area where they have over sized games that look like they would be a lot of fun. We will go back, but mostly for the zoo, this part would only be an afterthought.

Peake EP

Great place! Clean, friendly, and always something to do. The botanical garden is my favorite, I really enjoy looking at the gardens and the hiking trail, it's excellent for family events. The new addition is great too!

Hannah Camp

Love coming here for the kids. The water park is so awesome and has plenty of things for the kids to do. There's a jungle gym, small kid's sized houses, places to order food and the part for the kids to dig fossils.

Allie Douglas

Very beautiful zoo! The animals were very active! They also have a great waterpark splash pad for young children where your kids can be thrilled for hours!

Emerson Funez

Wow is a amazing place

R Emerick

Difficult walk for younger kids. Tram was not in service. Beautiful once we made it though.

Elizabeth S

Been going to this zoo for over 30 years and it's ALWAYS great! My mom took me & my brother when we were young. She was a single, working mom but said she felt like splurging on a membership every year was such a worthwhile investment and I agree. My husband & I maintain a membership now & we take our 3 kids all the time. We all love it there & the ppl are always friendly. Whether they're in the ticket booth, at a concession stand, or the animal caretakers, the ppl we encounter are always helpful & pleasant.

Charles Hickerson

BRING A BATHING SUIT!!! little hidden gem in there is a small water park for kids and adults. Very clean and a lifeguard on duty. We love taking our son there to play and see the animals.

Sherrie Harmon

Just a great place to spend an entire day! The animals seemed to be as happy as we were! The botanical gardens are amazing! Sorry the water park was closed...maybe next time.

Susie Haworth

This place was amazing. I loved the tour and the guide who shared so much History. The property was gorgeous and the house and its history was Beautiful.

Bradley Cook

This place is absolutely amazing and beautiful especially in the spring. They have a trail that you can hike that starts were the tram picks you up and leads right into the garden that is nice and peaceful.

Natalie Smith

Our family loves Riverbanks Zoo & Botanical Gardens! Our boys are 6 & 4 and there is so much to do - lots of animals to see, activities and play area for kids, plenty of shade, and the Gardens side has the awesome splash pad area and Dino dig that the boys love. Highly recommend a membership!

Vicky Ross

A love zoo's. Some zoos I leave feeling sorry for the animals. After leaving it was a wonderful zoo. The atmosphere was wonderful. The staff was wonderful and they all seem to be as happy as the animals. The admission cost is very reasonable. You won't be disappointed.

Toni Always

The garden is a beautiful and very peaceful place to visit, read, take photos. They really have done an amazing job with this garden over the years.

Mack Snell

Beautiful and Peaceful. Well groom.

Cassie Taylor

The weather was nice & everything was so fun! Train ride & bird feeding are our favorite!

Robbin Smith Coleman

Great for family fun food

Kong Yang

A must see garden. The artwork of landscape with relaxation environment. Good for spring/summer pictures or a photo shoot. You'll enjoy the designs and different layouts of the garden.

Daniel Morbitzer

This is the hidden gem of Riverbanks. My kids loved the kid area and digging dinosaur bones. It's the hidden gem away from the main crowds.

Sun Diamond

Beautiful scenery. The kids area is over to the right so if you want to just view the garden grounds, you can. A shuttle train can bring you up to it or you can walk the trail.

Jason Colby

Beautiful gardens and the really fun splash pad area!

Jaxson Diesel

Visited at the wrong time of year this year but was still wonderful ! Couldn't have gotten any luckier with the person with me.

Dennis Goshea

I may have a bias view as I work maintenence here at the zoo. Staff is friendly, helpful, and have a genuine love for the animals.

Beth Smothers

Enjoy the animals and the botanical garden. Too small. Too expensive

Nia Love

My kids loved playing in the water. There was even a little sand area where the kids could dig up dinosaur fossils. There are lots of little play zones in addition to the water. I really enjoyed it.

Leah ChapSting

Lovely zoo and water park for kids. Top notch activities for kids learning about animals and the environmental impact of humans on the various animals. The botanical garden was a little whaa whaa but over all I'm happy I went. There are some really great views.

Breaona Hernandez

It is a really nice park for kids to play in and they have toys already there

Tsung-Hsun Hsieh

Great place for kids.

Vlad

Love the zoo, garden and especially the water park. If we would have lived closer, kids would have been there almost daily.

Terry Comerford

About 5 minutes from my house. We get the yearly membership which is well worth the money. We come here about every other week. So much to do. Water fall junction, walk to the old mill, cross the river to the zoo, zip line...

Stacy Williams

Very beautiful and fun for kids with the new splash pad/playground. Staff is friendly. Wish is was closer to the zoo because you do have to wait while for the tram.

Joby Smith

Great to work with. Great location for a wedding. The botanical garden is fabulous.

Mary DeFrieze

Gardens are always beautiful, we always go to get ideas for our own garden. It did seem a little flat this time, no "wow" factor with the flowers. Nice to see the construction is complete.

B-randy G

Beautiful place! Many fun activities for kids. Great place to spend the day with family! Lots to do and see. Definitely recommend!

Amanda Coburn

We were in Columbia for a wedding and always try to visit AZA-accredited zoos when we travel. I hadn't done any research beforehand on what the zoo was like, so I was flabbergasted at how big and beautiful it was! Such gorgeous landscaping, signage, and exhibits. They had all the big-ticket animals you could ever want out of a zoo, plus many that I had never even seen before (and we've visited a lot of zoos!) Things like tree kangaroos, a variety of unique or endangered reptiles, fishing cats, etc. I had to take pictures of the exhibit signage so I could read it later because there was a lot for us to learn! The whole zoo was clean even with the heavy crowds. Even though we didn't have our daughter with us, there seem to be a TON of things to do for families & children. This can easily be an all-day excursion if you have kids. Our only complaints were: 1) So many of the other people at the zoo were unbelievably rude. (This isn't the zoo's fault, of course.) People actually SITTING in front of the exhibits, like the gorillas, eating Icees and just whiling away the hours watching the animals. So disrespectful when there are 50+ people behind you wanting to get a view, just for a few minutes. And people letting their screaming, excited children run amok without any regard for the people around them. We actually had a really unpleasant overall experience because of this (we came just as a couple) but I obviously won't fault the zoo for it. The only solution I can think of would be to have zoo staff stationed at the more popular exhibits to help with crowd control? It's sad that that's necessary. 2) The sea lion exhibit was closed. Someone mentioned at the gift shop that it would be closed for 4-6 weeks. That is crazy! But, the safety of the animals & the public comes first, of course. They seem to be repairing broken glass so I'd rather it get done right than be done quickly. Sea lions were one of the things we were most excited about so it was terrible not to get to see them. But, granted, it's also the off-season. It makes more sense for them to repair it now than summertime or fall. Overall, an incredible zoo. If we're ever down that way again, we will be back with much more time allotted!

Mrs E

We visited for a wedding. While the venue was nice, we had to take a trolley to get there. It's a beautiful place to consider if you're getting married.

David Nance

What's not to love? Wide walking paths with lots of room to view the animals. Get there early if you plan to feed the Lorikeets. Be sure to visit Waterfall Junction to cool off in the water.

Tierra Holloway

Loved it! So much to see! Only problem is you won't have enough time to see and do everything. When I interacted with the staff they were mostly friendly and knowledgeable. Will be returning!!! Btw, they do military discounts.

David A.

If you like flowers there are plenty of them here. The water area is great for the kids. Make sure you ride the tram to get there The walk is all uphill to get there.

BzyMoM Out North West

Took our army boot camp grad here for a relaxing day. The grounds were very nice. Animals were to excited to be out in the sunshine. 10% discount for seniors & military

jm lindley

Walked the trail by the river for the first time. The river was wild with all the rain water from the last few days. The garden was mostly out of season but oddly enough there was a citrus tree in the middle that was full of fruit.

Skyblue Pink

This time of year the gardens are absolutely breathtakingly beautiful! I wish we had more time to look at it all, but we were in a time crunch.

Southkak Landlawd

Love this place! I have a family of 6 and the River Bank zoo and gardens is a great place to hang out we have a membership with them it's the best way to go...

Crispy's Place

This place was great . Family had so much fun and learned different things about animals at the different shows they had. Something for everyone. Plus a water area for kids to cool off.

Karen

Another amazing spot ❤️💐 …

Kim Kolessar

The Riverbanks Zoo is an awesome place. The gardens have a play area and a summer splash zone. The rest of the zoo has tons of different animals, some of which you can feed.

Melissa Bridgeman

Went for a wedding, it was amazing. The flowers were gorgeous, the garden art was beautiful. Lots of butterflies flying. Had a trolley to carry us back and forth to car.

VICKY CRUZ

The water center is great and fun for everyone

Sergio Vazquez

excellent a very good place to spend with family 🙏🤗 …

David Pyle

Great gardens.

Ashley Mullis

So pretty, and I love the play area for the kids! The splash pad is so cute and the my kiddos loved the dino dig. We will definitely miss this place when we move.

Sophie S

Very beautiful and peaceful garden! Enjoyed exploring it before riding the tram to the zoo.

Prick

As an avid photographer. The Botanical Garden at the Riverbanks Botanical Garden. Gave an excellent spot for photography. We went in mid-july and the flowers were all in bloom. I also enjoyed the Woodland walk leading up to the Botanical Garden and if you have time you should check it out.

Tristan Collier

Amazing place to take your children all year round! We have a family season pass membership so its worth every visit. Best deal in Columbia If you ask me!

Jennifer Carpenter

Great time with the family. We haven't gone in a while so it was great to see all the new stuff they have added. Food needs some work if you're gonna charge so much. Cold burger, yuck.

Kelly Bogedain

Everything was beautiful. We had the best time with our kids and friends. We came from myrtle so we got a hotel room and still could have used an entire second day to enjoy it all.

Zmama28

Love this zoo! A wide variety of animals who look content and well cared for. Their new splash pad is a huge hit with my son also!

Doug Smith

My 3yo granddaughter (and I) loved our Garden Friends Zoo Camp, and she also spent a couple of hours splashing around Waterfall Junction.

Bodine

Beautiful, professional, and well kept. Prices are up & parking is no longer free unless you have a membership.

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