The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is located in Nashville, Tennessee. Originally the idea was that the zoo would contain only animals native to the American continent. Evidently that was not enough to draw the anticipated crowds. Also, the zoo was originally in Cheatam county not Nashville, that property is now a breeding facility.

We visited in May 2002 with a school trip. The day was warm, but it really needed to be on a Saturday so we could have spent more time looking at the animals.
You may get directions, dates, prices, and special events from the website http://www.nashvillezoo.org

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
3777 Nolensville Road
Nashville, TN 37211

The Nashville Zoo is open every day except Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.
HOURS OF OPERATION--- Nashville Zoo is open from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. April 1 through October 31.
From November 1 - March 31 it will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
There is a $2.00 per car parking fee also. Some zoos do not have a parking fee.

The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere will cost $6.00 per adult to enter adn $4.00 per child. Attempt this trip on a coolish day. There were animals there. Gibbons, Purple hyacinth macaws, a lion, a clouded leopard, bison (my favorite) and otters. My special favorite is the fish and reptile house.

I also really liked and always liked on previous visits to Grassmere Park the aquarium feature. This is part of the original structure at Grassmere Park. This aquarium houses many aquatic species common to the rivers and lakes of Tennessee. There are turtles, catfish, bass, bluegill, a variety of minnows, etc...

My favorite is the huge loggerhead snapping turtle, at first you think it's just a big rock, and then you see the back feet, as big as my hand. Then you stare at it with your mouth open for a minute before going on and following the outline of its huge body up to it's head, which is usually poking up out of the water. This guy is really huge, and his kind live right in Tennessee's rivers and lakes.

The elephants and other exotic animals were not on display, and the habitat for them was under such heavy construction that we couldn't even see their paddock. There are no bears at this zoo which I still haven't understood as bears are native to the region??? Go figure...

Scary Stuff
There is a great play area near the eatery. But the day my kids and I went there were scads and scads of school children from all over the state there. So, when I wanted my kids back, I literally had to go climbing up a rope ladder, through a spiral staircase, and of course when they saw me after them, the chase was on. It took over 30 minutes for me to retrieve them. I did not like that, and they found out just how much.

The trouble was, I could not be heard over all the noise. As much as I love climbing equipment and playing with kids in these areas, this one troubled me because it was so crowded and there was no way to page your child.

With the recent craze in child abductions, this is not a comfortable spot to leave a child for any length of time. But the climbing equipment is great. It is well constructed and overbuilt. All of the elevated members have two layers of mesh netting plus screen to prevent falls. By the time you go all the way up, you have climbed over 40 feet in the air, things look small from that height. Watch your cookies.

Eatery/Restrooms/Staff
There were several eating establishments on the zoo property. There was a "restaurant" which offerred sit down dining. Of course the prices were through the roof, but it appeared to be clean, no flies. There were also several vending stands that sold ice cream and sodas. The tables outside that we ate our picnic lunch were sticky as if ice cream had melted on them. There were a few yellow jackets buzzing aruond all the sweet stuff, but surprisingly few bugs to bother us. Sorry, I didn't eat any of their food that day, so I really can't tell you if it was good or bad.

Restroom facilities were spaced throughout the zoo at good stopping spots. They were easy to get in and out of. All of them were handicapped accessible. There were plenty of stalls also. They were clean and even smelled nice.

The only staff I saw was in the zoo trinket shop. There were very few zoo staffers going around in public view. That was sort of a surprise since it was an open house for school children throughout the state.

Final Thoughts
The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere has no braille or raised line images in front of any of the exhibits. There are no tapes of animal sounds, helpful for the sighted when the animals are at rest or not in view. The walking paths in some areas are under so much construction, that a visually impaired person using a cane would have problems distinguishing between the footpath and the gravel. Some of the terrain is uneven and rutted. I would not bring a person to the zoo in a wheelchair, or using a cane as a mobility device.

Who do I recommend the zoo for? Anyone who wants to see what there is at the Nashville zoo, and anyone who really wants to help this zoo out. Families with kids, middle aged adults. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes and don't expect too much.

Recommended: Yes