Riverbanks Zoo and Garden

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Riverbanks is home to over 3,000 animals and one of the nation’s most beautiful botanical gardens.

08/31/2025

Toco toucan, Beatriz, recently celebrated her first hatch-day! 🐣🎂

Over the past year, we’ve loved watching her grow into a curious, vibrant bird who enthusiastically joins her keepers for enrichment sessions.

Next time you’re at the Zoo, swing by the South American Aviary and say "hi!" 👋

Soak up the last splash of summer this Labor Day weekend at Waterfall Junction! ☀️💦The Zoo and Garden will be open durin...
08/29/2025

Soak up the last splash of summer this Labor Day weekend at Waterfall Junction! ☀️💦

The Zoo and Garden will be open during our normal hours of operation (9am-5pm).

Bring the whole family and cool off in the Aflac Splash Zone and the Li'l Sprouts Splash Zone! A friendly reminder the water features will close for the season after Labor Day. Don't miss out! 😎

Ready to throw for a good cause? 🦏Join Riverbanks' chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers this Sunday, Augus...
08/27/2025

Ready to throw for a good cause? 🦏

Join Riverbanks' chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers this Sunday, August 31 at Craft Axe Throwing in Columbia for Axe Throws for Rhinos. The event runs from 6-8pm includes raffles, a silent auction, and more!

No need to be an axe-pert... Just have fun and know that proceeds benefit rhino conservation around the world! 🌎

Looking for a job that’s anything but ordinary this fall? Come work somewhere WILD! 🦁 We're hiring full and part-time te...
08/26/2025

Looking for a job that’s anything but ordinary this fall? Come work somewhere WILD! 🦁

We're hiring full and part-time team members! Perfect those ready to gain new skills and build a resume!

Apply now and start your adventure with us 👉 https://www.riverbanks.org/join-our-team/job-opportunities

Welcome back, college students! 📚🐾Don’t miss out! College Student BOGO Days are happening through August 28. Just show y...
08/24/2025

Welcome back, college students! 📚🐾

Don’t miss out! College Student BOGO Days are happening through August 28. Just show your valid student ID at the ticket booth to get buy-one-get-one FREE general admission. (Offer valid onsite only.) 📍

Bring a friend and kick off the semester with a WILD adventure! While you're here, take a study break and feed a giraffe! 🦒

Giraffe feeding is open daily from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM (or until they've had their fill)! 🥬

alligator snapping turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in North America? Once a heavily hunted species, these p...
08/22/2025

alligator snapping turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in North America? Once a heavily hunted species, these powerful reptiles are now protected in many areas, and their populations are making a comeback!

In our care since 1996, our alligator snapping turtle has nearly doubled in weight! Native to southern U.S. rivers and streams, they’re mostly carnivorous, though they’ve been known to snack on acorns in the fall! 🌰

Come and visit our alligator snapping turtle at the Aquarium and Reptile Conservation Center! 🐢

Just five more minutes... ⏰Maverick and Raiden are waking up on the deck and serving major Monday mood! Who else wishes ...
08/18/2025

Just five more minutes... ⏰

Maverick and Raiden are waking up on the deck and serving major Monday mood! Who else wishes they could hit the snooze button?

Fun Fact: Even though sea lions spend most of the day in water, they actually prefer catching 😴 on dry land. Did you notice their fluffy look? When sea lions dry off, their fur stands out even more. The fur keeps them warm on chilly dives 🥶, and it is a reminder that sea lions aren’t just swimmers, they’re mammals, like us.

Say hello to Nadya, Riverbanks' resident Arabian sand cat. She's a pint-sized predator built for survival in the harshes...
08/16/2025

Say hello to Nadya, Riverbanks' resident Arabian sand cat. She's a pint-sized predator built for survival in the harshest places on Earth! 🏜️

Weighing anywhere from 3 to 7 pounds these incredibly efficient hunters use their super hearing to hunt underground snacks like rodents, birds... and even venomous snakes! Sand cats don’t need to drink water because they stay hydrated through their food.

Swing by the Riverbanks Conservation Outpost Tunnel to catch a glimpse of Nadya during your next visit.

Raise your fin if you were named Best Family Attraction in the Free Times Best of Columbia 2025! 👑🎉We’re proud to also b...
08/15/2025

Raise your fin if you were named Best Family Attraction in the Free Times Best of Columbia 2025! 👑🎉

We’re proud to also be named runners-up for Best Outdoor Activity and Best Place to Take Out-of-Towners. Whether you're local or passing through Columbia, be sure to include the Zoo in your end of summer adventures! Your visit has a lasting impact on wildlife and wild places. 🌎

Get your Riverbanks experience started today at: https://www.riverbanks.org/

Attention College Students 🗣️Before you check off everything on your dorm shopping list… don’t forget Zoo tickets! 🎟️Col...
08/14/2025

Attention College Students 🗣️
Before you check off everything on your dorm shopping list… don’t forget Zoo tickets! 🎟️

College Student BOGO Days will be held August 17–28!

Just show your valid student ID at the ticket booth and get buy-one-get-one FREE general admission.
(Offer valid onsite only.) 📍

Bring a friend and start the semester off with a WILD adventure!

Crinum lilies are more than just beautiful; they are considered the cornerstone of our collection at Riverbanks Botanica...
08/13/2025

Crinum lilies are more than just beautiful; they are considered the cornerstone of our collection at Riverbanks Botanical Garden! Since the Garden’s opening in 1995, Crinum has transformed from an underused garden bulb into a showstopping favorite in landscapes across the South.

With over 150 species and hybrids in our collection, Crinum thrive in the baking South Carolina sun while tolerating a variety of soil types. These miraculous plants send up flower stalks that can reach over 3 feet tall and burst with shades of white, pink, red, or even striped!

They serve a purpose beyond their stunning looks because pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds can’t resist! 🐝

Now’s the perfect time to visit Riverbanks Botanical Garden and see the Crinum in bloom!

Happy World Lion Day! 🦁Meet African lions Lindelani and Thabisa, sisters who joined us at Riverbanks in 2017. Lions are ...
08/10/2025

Happy World Lion Day! 🦁

Meet African lions Lindelani and Thabisa, sisters who joined us at Riverbanks in 2017. Lions are the only big cats that live in social groups called prides, and females like Lindelani and Thabisa stay together for life.

As we honor lions today, we’re reminded just how important it is to protect their wild counterparts facing habitat loss, poaching, and other threats. 🌍

Address

500 Wildlife Pkwy
Columbia, SC
29210

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18037798717

Website

https://www.linkedin.com/company/riverbanks-zoo-sc

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