Stadiums, arenas & big events
Columbus Zoo Towing for Family Day Breakdowns
A dead battery with tired kids in the back seat is nobody's idea of fun. We send help to the zoo, the water park and Riverside Drive any time of day.
- Open 24/7, 365 days
- Flatbed-only fleet
- Price quoted before dispatch
- Licensed & insured
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium sits north of the city near Powell, along Riverside Drive and the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir, with the Zoombezi Bay water park right next door. It has been open since 1927 and pulls visitors from all over Ohio and neighboring states. Most of them drive, and most of them bring children, which shapes almost every Columbus Zoo towing call we take: the car has to be dealt with, and so does a family that wants to get home.
This is one of the longer runs for our trucks. Our yard is down on Harrisburg Pike, and the zoo is up in southern Delaware County, so a driver heads north on the outerbelt and up toward Powell. We are upfront about that: the en-route mileage is a bigger share of the bill than it would be downtown, and the dispatcher will include it in the quote you hear before we roll.
What you get in return is a flatbed that can deal with whatever is wrong. Jumps, lockouts and spare tire swaps happen right in the lot. A car that truly needs a mechanic rides on the deck to a garage near your home or to an independent partner shop that will look at it and call you with a price.
Water park days and wet keys
Summer visits often combine the zoo with an afternoon at Zoombezi Bay. That is a recipe for two specific problems. Key fobs get soaked in pockets or bags and stop working, and keys get locked in the car while everyone is changing into swimsuits. A fob that will not unlock the doors may only have a dead battery, and most cars have a hidden physical key inside the fob for exactly that reason.
If the doors are locked and the physical key is inside, our lockout service opens the car with professional tools. If the fob is soaked and the car will not recognize it, the push-button start may not work either, and a tow to a dealer can be the only option.
Wildlights and other evening visits
The zoo's winter light display brings families out on cold evenings, and cold is hard on car batteries. A car that sat in a frozen lot for a few hours may click instead of starting. A jump start usually fixes it. If the battery is old, the driver can check it with a tester and, for many models, fit a new one before you leave the lot.
Riverside Drive is a two-lane road through wooded country near the reservoir, and deer cross it often, especially around dusk in the fall. If you hit one on the way home, pull off safely, call 911 if anyone is hurt, and then call us. Our deer collision guide has more on what to do.
Telling us where you are
Describe which parking area you are in, whether you are closer to the zoo gate or the water park, and roughly how far from the entrance. If you are on Riverside Drive or another road nearby, look for a mailbox number, a crossroad or a reservoir landmark. A pin dropped from your phone is the fastest way to guide the driver.
- Roadside help: $75 flat plus $4 per mile from our yard.
- Towing: $125 hook-up, $7 per loaded mile, plus $4 per mile en-route.
- Sales tax is based on the pickup county, which for the zoo is Delaware County.
- See all the numbers on our rates page.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: what drivers ask
How much does Columbus Zoo towing cost from your yard?
Because our yard is on the southwest side of Columbus, the en-route charge of $4 per mile is a bigger part of the bill here than for downtown calls. On top of that, towing adds a $125 hook-up fee and $7 for every mile your car rides on the deck. Roadside help is $75 flat instead of the hook-up and loaded miles. The dispatcher gives you the complete figure before sending a truck.
My key fob got wet at Zoombezi Bay and the car won't unlock. Can you help?
Try the mechanical key hidden inside most fobs first. If that does not work or the car still will not start, call us. We can open the car with lockout tools. If the car cannot detect the fob, push-button starting may fail, and the fix then is a flatbed ride to a dealer or your driveway.
Can you take my car to a shop near home instead of near the zoo?
Yes. Most zoo visitors want their car to go back to their own mechanic, and we are happy to do that. Give the dispatcher the shop or home address, and the loaded mileage to that address will be included in your quote. A closed shop is no problem; the car can spend the night at our yard and go over the next day.
My car died in the zoo lot with my kids in the car. What should I do first?
Make sure everyone is safe and comfortable. On a hot day, get the children out of the car and into shade or into the zoo entrance area. On a cold day, have a plan to stay warm. Then call us with your location. If anyone is locked inside on a hot day, call 911 right away.
Is Riverside Drive dangerous for a breakdown?
It is a two-lane road with limited shoulder in places, so a breakdown there needs care. Get the tires onto the grass or gravel edge if it is safe, light up the flashers, and keep everyone on the ditch side, never the lane side. If you cannot get off the road, everyone should get out and stand well away from it. Then call us with the nearest crossroad.
Do you come to the zoo in the evening during the holiday lights?
Yes. Dispatch works through every evening, weekends and holidays. Cold winter nights mean more dead batteries, so a jump is the most common job then. Calls after 10 PM carry the overnight fee, and the weekend fee applies on Saturdays and Sundays. The dispatcher will tell you the full total before the driver leaves the yard.
Can you tow my minivan with a car seat installed?
Yes. We carry minivans, SUVs and cars on our flatbeds without removing anything inside. Take valuables, phones and anything you need for the ride home before the van is loaded. If you need a ride, ask the dispatcher about the cab space on the truck, which is limited, or arrange a ride for the rest of the family ahead of time.
Why is sales tax different for a zoo tow than for a downtown tow?
Ohio sales tax on towing is based on the county where we pick up the vehicle. The zoo sits in Delaware County rather than Franklin County; both currently carry an 8% combined rate, and the tax line on your receipt will name the county. The dispatcher will include the correct tax in your quote, and you can find more detail on our rates page.
Waiting on the shoulder?
One call: your spot in Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, your vehicle, your destination. We price it on the spot.
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Auto Lyft USA is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, its water park or its operators.
Where the trucks start
Calls from Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are dispatched from Harrisburg Pike (US-62) on Columbus's southwest side, around the clock, 365 days a year.
1620 Harrisburg Pike
Columbus, OH 43223
Phone: (614) 633-8163
Email: lisa@autolyftusa.online
Directions to the yard