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Sunset Zoo, Manhattan, KS

Photo: John P Salvatore, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteLocal GemOutdoor Adventure

Sunset Zoo

2333 Oak St · Manhattan, KS

Why you should go…

Sunset Zoo is the city zoo of Manhattan, Kansas, home to over 300 animals from more than 100 species. You walk through regions such as the African Trail with cheetahs and okapi, Expedition Asia with tigers and red pandas, and Kansas Plains with bald eagles and prairie dogs. Founded in 1933 on land first bought as a cemetery, it still has limestone structures built by the Works Progress Administration.

  • #zoo
  • #animals
  • #family outing
  • #manhattan kansas

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Sunset Zoo, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Stay
    Local Gem

    Four Points by Sheraton Manhattan

    $50+

    A large hotel on Manhattan's west side with a three-story atrium pool, hot tub and an on-site bar and grill.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Stay
    Local Gem

    Parkwood Inn & Suites

    $50+

    A 75-room independent hotel about ten blocks from Kansas State University, with hot breakfast and a local shuttle.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Theatre & Events
    Local Gem

    Manhattan Arts Center

    Under $25

    A nonprofit community arts center on Poyntz Avenue staging mainstage and youth theatre alongside art exhibitions.

    0.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Houlihan's

    $25–$50

    A casual American restaurant and bar near K-State and Aggieville, serving scratch-made entrees, steaks and craft cocktails.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Stay
    Local Gem

    Holiday Inn Manhattan at the Campus

    $50+

    A six-floor hotel directly across from Kansas State University, two blocks from the shops and pubs of Aggieville.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Attractions
    Quirky Fun

    Manhatchet

    $25–$50

    Throw axes in lanes inside the historic Woolworth Building in downtown Manhattan, with food from downtown restaurants served in house.

    1.9 mi awayMore like this