RAD Zoo (Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo)
RAD Zoo (Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo)
RAD Zoo (Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo)
4
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Address
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Restaurants
62 within 5 kms
Attractions
22 within 10 kms
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
69 reviews
Excellent
32
Very good
21
Average
11
Poor
2
Terrible
3
Hey Now
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Couples
Having animals in small enclosures is not education, it’s neglect. Birds plucking their feathers out from stress. Animals under stress from being handled all day. This is not here to help animals, it’s for entertainment. No thanks. Enough said.
Written July 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BS
6 contributions
Aug 2021
We love the RAD Zoo. We went to their old location several times and now this new location in the Medford Mall is so nice. Our granddaughters want to visit every time they visit and we spend about an hour exploring each time.
Written February 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justine U
5 contributions
Sep 2021 • Family
RAD zoo came to my son’s birthday party and Jaime was absolutely amazing. He was so patient with the kids and so knowledgeable. We would highly recommend them!
Written September 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ingodwetrusttoday
Owatonna, MN100 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
We are from Owatonna. Our grand daughter has begun volunteering at RAD Zoo. The staff is wonderful, they work very hard to keep the environment clean. Great educational experience...
Written December 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ggmiller1
Long Prairie, MN6 contributions
Sep 2019
I feel the location is good for school children and education, but the facility needs to have a good cleaning. The smell was very bad when we first walked in the door.
Written September 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amanda
Minnesota21 contributions
Jan 2019 • Family
We visited while staying at a hotel in town with a three and two year old. It was snowy and for the first half of our visit we were the only ones there. There were a lot of animals to see but overall I was surprised by how homemade/makeshift the feel of the zoo was. That we saw, there was only one staff member present. He collected our entrance fee, grabbed a coke from the refrigerator and then dissapeared. I think it would have been a very different experience if there would have been more staff members who were friendly and interactive. A good cleaning would help as well, especially the bathroom walls and overall cobweb presence.
Written July 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kellylynn R
Owatonna, MN2 contributions
May 2019 • Solo
Lots of reptiles amphibians and a few birds as well. Animals well cared for. For a small zoo they have one of the largest reptile collection of any zoo that is on display at one time. They have some truly unique turtle species.
Written May 7, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judy P
Blue Earth, United States15 contributions
Mar 2019 • Family
This small, no frills, zoo offers up a large array of reptiles & amphibians. The staff was welcoming and accommodating . They brought out a snake for children to have an “up close encounter “ and also a young alligator. They have a seating area for daily demonstrations . Cost of admission is reasonable and you enter and exit through a small gift shop.
Written April 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patty B
Brooklyn Park, MN186 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
One of the only zoos in southern Minnesota. This place is a bit out of the way, but worth a stop if you'll be in the area. It's a little over an hour south of the Twin Cities metro region, located on a frontage road alongside the interstate. Small (about the size of a few classrooms), but understandable for something indoors in rural Minnesota and considering its narrow focus on reptiles and amphibians. Well worth the admission price. The sheer variety in animals housed here is amazing, and makes the RAD part of the name fitting. Among those I saw were iguanas, anacondas, turtles, tortoises, poison dart frogs, caimans, water dragons, monitors, skinks, venomous snakes, pythons, etc. There's even a snake once owned by Justin Bieber before he sold it at a charity auction.
This whole place gives off the feel of a community roadside attraction that still retains dignity. Could it use some improvement? Absolutely. The place could benefit from larger tanks/aquariums for some of its scaly critters, a good cleaning, a revamp in interior decor, and better signage. Some signs were ratty, torn or missing altogether. But I get the impression the owners don't have the funds for anything elaborate and need to focus on more important expenses like feeding and habitat supplies.
Should you go out of your way and travel a long distance to visit Owatonna just to see the RAD Zoo... probably not. But if you already plan to be within a 45min drive of the place to see other attractions, visit friends/family, or are passing through, then absolutely drop by. They deserve and need the support.
This whole place gives off the feel of a community roadside attraction that still retains dignity. Could it use some improvement? Absolutely. The place could benefit from larger tanks/aquariums for some of its scaly critters, a good cleaning, a revamp in interior decor, and better signage. Some signs were ratty, torn or missing altogether. But I get the impression the owners don't have the funds for anything elaborate and need to focus on more important expenses like feeding and habitat supplies.
Should you go out of your way and travel a long distance to visit Owatonna just to see the RAD Zoo... probably not. But if you already plan to be within a 45min drive of the place to see other attractions, visit friends/family, or are passing through, then absolutely drop by. They deserve and need the support.
Written February 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristi B
16 contributions
Feb 2019 • Couples
The owner/caregiver has an obvious love of the animals and in educating children, and adults, about the wonder and uniqueness of these beautiful reptiles. They are interesting, and there are many different species.This is something different and cool to do. Make a visit!
Written February 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Claim your listingRAD ZOO (REPTILE AMPHIBIAN DISCOVERY ZOO): All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about RAD Zoo (Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo)
- RAD Zoo (Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo) is open:
- Sun - Sun 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Mon - Fri 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Sat - Sat 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Hotels near RAD Zoo (Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo):
- (3.81 km) Baymont by Wyndham Owatonna
- (4.09 km) Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Owatonna, MN
- (1.93 km) Comfort Inn Owatonna Near Medical Center
- (2.68 km) Super 8 by Wyndham Owatonna
- (2.98 km) Four Bedroom, 2 Bath On Quiet Cul-De-sac
- Restaurants near RAD Zoo (Reptile Amphibian Discovery Zoo):
- (2.04 km) Plaza Morena
- (2.09 km) Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que
- (4.09 km) Torey's Restaurant & Bar
- (2.03 km) El Loro
- (2.78 km) Don Juan Cantina & Grill