Tennessee's Award-Winning Zoo Stands Out With The Largest Indoor Red Panda Sanctuary In America

Zoos around the country find different ways to draw in visitors. In California, for example, the Sequoia Park Zoo has a scenic skywalk through a towering redwood forest. For the Chattanooga Zoo in Tennessee, many might point to its Himalayan Passage, billed by the zoo as the U.S.'s largest indoor red panda exhibit, as its marquee attraction. The Chattanooga Zoo has also been recognized for its high standards in zoo practices for guests and animals alike, earning the Quarter Century Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2023. The award designates consistent dedication to animal care, maintaining facilities, conservation efforts, and guest services. These attributes also make it one of the most underrated little zoos in America.

The Chattanooga Zoo, as it stands today, has over 500 animals spread across exhibits organized around different habitats from jungles to deserts. When it was first established in 1937, though, the zoo had just two animals — two rhesus monkeys. Its purpose and priorities shifted over the years, from primarily focusing on entertainment to being a petting zoo to establishing a commitment to conservation. In the 1970s, Hank the Chimpanzee was donated to the zoo after being kept by a circus for years. He became an ambassador of sorts for the zoo, known for engaging frequently with human visitors and partaking in his birthday celebrations, which the zoo called "Hank's Day." The zoo still houses chimpanzees, which were adopted from research programs. Its chimpanzees are part of the zoo's participation in the Species Survival Plan, which aims to save certain species from extinction.

As with the chimpanzees, the Chattanooga Zoo's red panda enclosure is one of its Species Survival Plan efforts. The World Wildlife Fund lists red pandas as an endangered species, with only around 10,000 left. About half of those live in the Himalayan Mountains, where the destruction of native trees and bamboo — essential resources for red pandas — is directly tied to their decline. They're also sometimes killed inadvertently by traps designed to capture other animals.

The zoo partners with Red Panda Network to support red panda habitat protection and educate locals on how to safeguard them. The red pandas of Chattanooga Zoo reside in its Himalayan Passage habitat alongside other species native to the Himalayas like snow leopards, gibbons, and Chinese alligators. The red panda living space was expanded in 2022 to also include a large outdoor area, full of vertical climbing systems to stimulate red pandas' climbing instincts. The indoor exhibit is still a highlight, though, and you can see it from the second floor of the Himalayan Passage.

As you pass through the entrance, the first animals you'll see are the giraffes, serving as the introduction to the zoo's Cape of Africa section. Having opened in 2024 as the largest expansion in the zoo's history, the area is home to a Cape porcupine, warthogs, servals, and Aldabra tortoises. Beyond the Cape of Africa lie sections dedicated to Costa Rica's Corcovado jungle, the Gombe forest in Tanzania, and, of course, the Himalayan Passage. The zoo also has a restaurant on-site, the Wild Burger, though there are some solid options for lunch or dinner just outside of the zoo. Wally's Restaurant, a 15-minute walk away, is a go-to choice for homestyle Southern food, with 4.5 stars based on around 1,500 Google reviews.

The Chattanooga Zoo lies within Warner Park in Chattanooga, a scenic city with a flourishing arts scene. It's about a 20-minute drive from the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, which offers nonstop flight connections from many major cities around the country. The zoo is open every day (excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day), with tickets available at the zoo's entrance. However, you can save a couple bucks by getting your ticket online in advance. You might want to plan your visit around the schedule of activities happening that day — talks, animal encounters, and live training are often featured. One TripAdvisor reviewer recommended, "The best time to go is early in the morning when most of the animals will be in the viewing areas." The reviewer also praised the zoo's smooth, accessible pathways.