Great Plains Zoo
The Great Plains Zoo is a 45-acre (18 ha) zoo located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. 1963 is when its story starts. Nearby, Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science (1.9 mi) leads the list.
A zoo & aquarium inside Sioux Falls
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 8°, with about 45" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Sioux Falls
Great Plains Zoo is inside Sioux Falls, which has 91 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 70–84°. When to go ↓
An airport 4 miles away
Sioux Falls Regional (FSD) has airline service, about 4 miles from Great Plains Zoo.
Established in 1963
Great Plains Zoo dates from 1963. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather through the year
Use the months below to time a visit to Great Plains Zoo.
Great Plains Zoo
The Great Plains Zoo is a 45-acre (18 ha) zoo located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States. The zoo formerly was connected with the Delbridge Museum of Natural History, and prior to the closure of the museum, the museum displayed 150 mounted animals, including 38 "vanishing species". The Great Plains Zoo is owned and operated through a partnership between the City of Sioux Falls and the Zoological Society.
The City of Sioux Falls owns the infrastructure, land, and all assets associated with the Zoo and Museum and maintains the grounds. The Zoological Society of Sioux Falls, a non-profit, operates the facility, manages the animal collection, and maintains the grounds within the exhibit. The mid-sized Great Plains Zoo was awarded the "Quarter Century Award" by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 2016, marking 25 years of continuous accreditation.
- Type
- Zoo & aquarium
- Animals
- 1 animals · 137 species
- Established
- 1963
- Wikipedia readers
- 2.2K a year
Where to stay near Great Plains Zoo
Close by, places to stay are in Sioux Falls (91) and Brandon (3).
- 1Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science
- 2Pettigrew Home & Museum
- 3Porter Sculpture Park
- 4Hinkly House Museum
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Great Plains Zoo | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | in town | — | 91 72 hotels · 8 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 4 campgrounds | 213,748 | $292K | D |
| Brandon | 10 mi northeast | 15 min | 3 2 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 11,306 | $337K | — |
| Brandon Township | 11 mi northeast | 15 min | 3 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 778 | $346K | — |
| Split Rock Township | 9 mi east | 15 min | 2 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 3,086 | $500K | — |
| Tea | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 1 1 hotel | 8,019 | $351K | B |
| Delapre Township | 7 mi southwest | 10 min | 1 1 RV park | 2,053 | $472K | — |
| Hartford | 10 mi northwest | 15 min | 1 1 hotel | 3,635 | $258K | — |
| Perry Township | 11 mi southwest | 15 min | 1 1 inn or B&B | 863 | $386K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
While you are near Great Plains Zoo
All of these are within 65 miles.
64 mi Stadium & arenaCorn Palace
40 mi National MonumentPipestone National Monument77K visitors a year
12 mi MuseumWashington Pavilion of Arts and Science
22 mi MuseumPettigrew Home & Museum
53 mi MuseumNational Music Museum323 mi MuseumPorter Sculpture Park
56 mi National park siteMissouri National Recreational River166K visitors a year
429 mi MuseumHinkly House MuseumPhoto credits
Corn Palace: Parkerdr, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pipestone National Monument: Unknown, Public domain · Washington Pavilion of Arts and Science: Jon Platek, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pettigrew Home & Museum: Jerry from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 · National Music Museum: Charvex, Public domain · Missouri National Recreational River: Dugan Smith, Public domain · Hinkly House Museum: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
Asked about Great Plains Zoo
Is Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls?
Yes. It’s inside Sioux Falls, SD.
When is the best time to visit Great Plains Zoo?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 70–84°.
What is the closest airport to Great Plains Zoo?
Sioux Falls Regional (FSD), about 4 miles away. The nearest big hub is Eppley Airfield (OMA), about 161 miles.
Where should I stay near Great Plains Zoo?
Sioux Falls (in town, 91 places to stay), Brandon (10 mi, 3 places to stay) and Brandon Township (11 mi, 3 places to stay).
Tips for visiting, from Sioux Falls
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Sioux Falls’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.