First, the zoo recommends coming Mon-Thurs due to packed houses on the weekend days, and I agree with this. It was packed to the brim on the Saturday that we went. So if you don't want to feel rushed or crowded, I recommend taking a day off from work if you can and visiting during the week so the kids can see better and you can get better photos without feeling insanely rushed.
You can bring your own stroller or rent one (prices were $8 for a single, $10 for a double - and they hold a photo ID for collateral). I would recommend bringing your own if you go on a crowded day, as they are first-come, first-serve and do not take reservations to secure one. So you can leave yours in the car and chance it, but I wouldn't want to leave it at home and chance it.
Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 2 -12 (free for members). Children under 2 are free. Not there is also a $5 parking charge if you are a non-zoo member. I think the membership would be great if you live close by, but since we don't, the $35 for a one day excursion was fine. Train rides, carousel rides and feeding the lorikeets are all additional charges.
So things we loved while inside - the food was pretty good and while a little pricey as at most places like zoos or theme parks, I was pretty impressed that it was called out to be fresh and farm-to-table when possible with options like locally sourced salads, meats, etc. I mean don't expect perfectly healthy options all the way around, but it was nice to be able to get a salad that tasted fresh or a sandwich with real flavor, as opposed to just frozen chicken tenders (which of course were also available). The free animal encounters were great for the kids. They could pet goats and run around on a path with free roaming kangaroo and cockatoos. A1 lost his mind over these! Overall cleanliness was big here too. You didn't see much over-flowing garbage, etc which was surprisingly considering how crowded it was. The atmosphere was pretty awesome too. It felt more natural, like you were walking in the forest than some other places we have visited. You could also bring in your own food and coolers to help cut down the cost of feeding a hungry family (just no glass).
Things we didn't love - where are the lions, tigers, and bears? (oh my?) Ok so there was 1 tiger. No lions. No bears (although they had a sign that said coming soon). No hippos. No rhinos. I felt like big animals were lacking, outside the 1 tiger and the elephants. If you were looking for a wide variety of animals, this was not the place to find it. The train was only a tiny train that didn't go around the zoo, but cost the same as those that do. Definitely could benefit with a playground type area for kids to burn off the mounds of sugar readily available in the form of ice cream, chocolate covered bananas, etc. I didn't even see a splash pad for the summer (maybe I missed it?)
All in all it was a great place, but there were a few things I didn't love. But I have an overwhelming love for Nashville, so I would not only recommend the zoo but the city as a whole. It has a little bit of everything for everybody from cowboy to hipster. You just can't go wrong with Nashville :)
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