We love the Columbus Zoo and we get lots of questions about discounted Columbus Zoo & Aquarium tickets for the season and we post them when we see them. There are some discounts available year-round though, plus season passes are a great way to save money if you plan to go several times through the year. Read below for details, events, and free days at the Columbus Zoo!
credit: Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
The best way to find out about discounts to Columbus Zoo is to sign up for email updates from Columbus on the Cheap, and like our Facebook page. When we find new deals, we make sure our readers know about them.
Special Events and Discount Days at the Columbus Zoo
Annual Discount Days
There are quite a few free and discount days offered throughout the year, but the offers aren’t usually verified until a month or two prior. Here are posts from the prior year, but they aren’t guaranteed to be offered in subsequent years – click the link for the updates!
- Half price winter admission (January 7 through February)
- Free Admission to Columbus Zoo for MLK Jr. Day: January 21
- Free Admission at Columbus Zoo on President’s Day: February 18
- Free admission for moms on Mother’s Day: May 12
- Free admission for dads on Father’s Day: June 16
- Free admission to Columbus Zoo: Military Family Free Days: June 29 – July 7
- Free Columbus Zoo Admission with Red Cross Blood Drive (typically in September, not announced for 2019)
- Free Admission to Columbus Zoo for Veterans and Families on Veterans Day
- Wildlights Stuff the Truck Food Drive (mid-December)
- Free Columbus Zoo Admission for Jack Hanna’s Home for the Holidays (typically in December)
Purchase tickets online
You can save $1 per ticket by ordering online. You can either print your pass, so show the receipt on your smartphone. You can even purchase the tickets on your phone when you get to the Zoo and just show your phone.
From the Columbus Zoo website:
Regular Admission Franklin County Residents (proof required)
- Under 3 – Free
- Ages 3-9 – $11.99
- Ages 10-59 – $16.99
- Ages over 60 – $11.99
- Parking per car – $10
Regular Admission for outside of Franklin County
- Under 3: Free
- Ages 3-9: $16.99
- Ages 10-59: $21.99
- Ages 60+: $16.99
Columbus Zoo/Zoombezi Bay 2 Day ticket (admission to the Zoo and Zoombezi Bay for both days during Zoombezi Bay Operating Season) for Franklin County residents. Add $5 for non-residents
- Ages 3 – 9 and 60+: $31.99
- Ages 10 and up: $43.99
Year Round Zoo Admission Specials
Senior Days
- Tuesdays – Seniors (ages 60+) receive half price admission to the Zoo
Franklin County Days
- Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays Franklin County residents receive half price admission to the Zoo.
*Zoo Guests will be asked to provide a valid driver’s license, state-issued ID or a current utility bill to receive the Franklin County Days discount.
Military Discount
- Active and Non-active duty military personel receive a $2 discount on up to 6 tickets when they show a valid military ID.
COTA Bus Rider Discounts during the summer
- Ride the Cota ZooBus for $2 each way and get a huge discount on admission. Admission to the Columbus Zoo is just $3 and admission to Zoombezi Bay is $10 off! Riders will receive a transfer/coupon from their driver to receive discounted admission. See details on schedule and fares.
Zoo Memberships
If you are going to go to the Zoo more frequently in a season, you will want to consider buying a season pass. You’ll get free parking (since $10 a car is outrageous), as well as other member benefits, like free preview nights for special events. There are discounts on season passes throughout the year.
Online Price for Franklin County residents ($3-$5 more if purchased at the Zoo).
- Individual Membership – starting at $54 Admits one named adult
- Individual Plus One Membership – starting at $94 Admits one named adult and one unnamed guest
- Family Membership – starting out $134 Admits up to two primary named adult members within the same household plus either dependent children OR grandchildren up to age 21 (not both) to the Columbus Zoo.
- Family Plus Membership – starting at $164 Admits up to two primary named adult members within the same household plus either dependent children OR grandchildren up to age 21 (not both) to the Columbus Zoo. This membership also includes up to two named* or unnamed* guests.
- Gold Individual Membership – starting at $124.99 This individual pass gives you access to the Zoo and Zoombezi Bay, FREE Zoo rides* (including Jungle Jack’s Landing) and FREE admission to Stingray Bay and 4-D Theater.
Zoombezi Bay Season Pass – $69.99 – $124.99
Just want to enjoy the water at Zoombezi Bay? Surf into the wildest water park ever and get a special discount on your Zoombezi Bay season pass through our online store. Zoo members save $5.
Reciprocal Discount Member Benefit
As a Columbus Zoo and Aquarium member, you can save $3 on general admission to select Columbus museums and attractions through the Columbus Member Advantage program. No coupon is necessary. Simply show your valid Columbus Zoo membership card each time you visit! Limited to 4 discounts per membership per day; can’t be combined with other discounts. Columbus Zoo members receive discounted or FREE admission to the AZA accredited Zoos in the list below
Columbus Member Advantage partners for 2019 include:
- Columbus Museum of Art
- COSI
- Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
- LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Columbus
- National Veterans Memorial and Museum
- Ohio History Center & Ohio Village
- Pizzuti Collection
- Wexner Center for the Arts
Fun Foto + Member benefit
Columbus Zoo members are invited to become Fun Foto + members. Have your picture taken by any of the roaming photographers and get all your photos taken during the in 2019 season digitally for $34.99!
Past Events at the Zoo from 2019
(These events were held in 2019, and have not been verified for 2020)
NBC 4’s Dollar Days are held on Wednesdays in June (June 5, 12, 19, 26). Bring a backpack with school supplies to drop off at one of the tents at the Zoo entrance and get admission for the your family (up to 6 people) for just $4. The backpacks and school supplies will benefit students at Columbus City Schools. If your budget allows, they are encouraging donations of more than one backpack, but only one is required for $4 admission. Parking is not included and will be $10 per car for non-members. Discount does not include Zoombezi Bay.
It can be expensive for families, but we have lots of discounts listed that can make it more affordable. Some Wendy’s locations still have coupons available at the counter as well. As far as the discount for Franklin County residents, that was put into place due to the tax levy that Franklin County homeowners pay for the Zoo. When prices increased for Zoo admission, they chose to leave the Franklin County residents admission the same since they are already supporting the Zoo through the levy.
I’m sad that the zoo is so expensive for families! If you’re not from Franklin County (and why a discount for them, as opposed to new visitors?). We’ll have to skip this event in Columbus. Too bad. We would have loved to have seen the Columbus Zoo!
If you’re Franklin County residents, the Franklin County Day would be your best bet – or you could ride the COTA from one of the park and rides and get in for $3. Details in the post – have fun!
Im needing 3 tickets for my autistic daughters birthday from any day from the 29th of August tell 9-7-2018 please could you help on fix income would be for one adult and 2 kids 8 year olds
I’m planning a trip for 2 or 3 adults and 3 to 5 kids all under the age of 10. Are there anywhere to get a discount coupon. We are traveling from Pennsylvania
Discounts are listed in the article. We don’t know of any coupons at this time.
How can I get discounts or coupons
I am looking to get zoo tickets for 2 adults and 3 kids