After a morning spent at Nickelodeon Universe, I went looking for another roller coaster in Como Park, on the St. Paul side of town. Instead, I found a lovely FREE garden & zoo – the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. Let’s take a look around.
Como Town
First, let me address the little amusement park next door. Como Town is a tiny zoo-themed collection of rides, mostly for smaller kids. My goal was the Tiger Trax roller coaster, a carnival-style steel ride, but it wasn’t open. It doesn’t seem like it’s usually open, but you might have the best luck on weekends and big holidays.
Otherwise, there is a seated zip line and a swinging pirate ship, swings, Tilt-A-Whirl, train, tea cups, animal-painted bumper cars, and a tornado spinner. Just for little kids is a frog hopper, tiny cars, dumbo-like bees, and pretend pony carts. There’s also a wooden playground, a splash area and water balloon fight, plus a new Dinosaur Expedition ride coming this summer.
Rides are on a point system or with an all-day wristband. Points are 50 cents each and the more you buy, the more points you get for your money. Rides cost 7-19 points per attraction – even the playground and splash pad require a fee. Tiger Trax alone is 13, making it $6.50 to ride. The most expensive ride in the park is the zip line at 19 points, or $9.50.
Wristbands are $29 to ride everything, $21 after 3 pm, or $14 for anyone OVER 18 (but excludes the zip line.) Parking is free – the Palm Lot is the closest. Como Town has its own entrance but is also connected to the zoo in the back, though that may be roped off.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Disappointed by the lack of a working roller coaster at Como Town, I was lured next door by the beautiful Victorian architecture of the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. And speaking of rides, there is a beautifully restored and enclosed carousel near the entrance. Rides cost $3, though there are some free days. Babies under 1 year old and adults 90 and over get to ride free anytime. There’s even a spot to hold a wheelchair in place on one of the chariots.
Like Como Town, the carousel is open seasonally. But the conservatory and zoo are open 365 days a year!
Conservatory
First when you walk in are the conservatory greenhouses. These Victorian-style glass houses feature stunning rooms like a towering palm dome and a long sunken garden. There are rooms just for ferns, orchids, and bonzai. And if you walk outside, there’s a peaceful Japanese garden.
It’s not a very big place overall, but there are some big rooms and plenty of interesting plants to look at. It can be a bit sweltering in the summer, but I bet it feels amazing in the winter. Attached to the conservatory are a visitor center, bathrooms, a gift shop, and a cafe.
Como Park Zoo
Behind the conservatory buildings is the zoo. Again, it’s not very big either, but it’s a very impressive zoo for free! I didn’t get pictures of everything, but they have a primate house, a seal harbor with daily shows, African animals, big cats, and even polar bears.
Make sure to check out any keeper or garden talks, and especially the seal show to enhance your visit. It’s easy to see it all in an hour or two, so you might even plan around one. Since it’s a free zoo, be prepared for big crowds on weekends. It was pretty crowded even on my Friday afternoon visit.
I also want to give a shout out to these fun ’60s-era Mold-a-rama machines. The Como Park Zoo has four of them, each with a different animal and color. The machines melt and mold plastic while you wait, for $5 each.
Hours and Admission
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is open 365 days a year, even on major holidays. Hours from October-March are 10 am-4 pm, and from April-September 10 am-6 pm.
Admission is totally free! There is a suggested donation of $4 per adult and $2 per child, and you’ll walk by a staffed admission desk on your way in. But you don’t have to pay anything if you don’t want to. In a world of soaring prices for everything, I find this amazing! Paying even the suggested amount is a steal for what you get.
The Rest of Como Park
Como Town and Como Park Zoo & Conservatory are part of a larger city park. Lake Como is on the east side, with lots of walking trails, a concert pavilion, and overlooks and landscaped waterfalls. To the north is a large golf course. Below that, the zoo & conservatory, and south of them, several sports fields and picnic areas.
There are several free parking lots, even street parking, throughout the park. The lot closest to the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory is the Palm Lot. The Wolf, Tiger, and Butterfly lots are also close. The west picnic lot is across the street from the Palm and also a decently large lot for extra crowded days.
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