The Best Zoos in New England
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We are lucky to have several wonderful zoos in New England. No matter where you are in the region, chances are that there is a great zoo relatively close by.
In New England, we are fortunate that nothing is really all that far away.
Sure, New Englanders don’t particularly like to drive, and anything over 45 minutes is a road trip that requires snacks and a change of clothes (ha!), but any of these zoos are within a reasonable drive from wherever you are in New England.
Zoos in Connecticut
Conveniently located off the Merritt Parkway in Bridgeport, you will find tigers, elephants, prairie dogs, peacocks wandering around, otters, farm animals, a carousel, and more.
You can even have kids' birthday parties, weddings, and other events at the Beardsley Zoo.
Address
1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06610
Phone: 203-332-4246
Prices
Adult: $16.00 | Senior (62+): $12.00 | Child (ages 3-11): $13.00 | Children under 3: Free
Discounts
* Veterans receive 15% off general admission with valid military ID
* AARP members receive 15% off admission for up to four people with valid AARP card
* EBT cards are accepted for a reduced admission of $6.00 for up to 3 people on that card. EBT cards cannot be used as a form of payment.
*If you have a membership to another zoo, museum, or aquarium, check for a reciprocal admission discount.
Hours | open daily
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Zoos in Rhode Island
Located in the middle of Roger Williams Park in Providence, the Roger Williams Park Zoo is a good-sized zoo to spend a few hours visiting or hosting a birthday party, photoshoot, or event.
Address
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: 401-785-3510
email: visitorservices@rwpzoo.org
Prices
Adult: $17.95 | Senior (62+): $15.95 | Child (ages 2-12): $12.95 | Children under 2: Free
Discounts
*Active and retired military receive 50% off admission with a valid military ID.
*Providence residents get free admission on the first Saturday of the month. Discount does not apply to East and North Providence residents.
*If you have a membership to another zoo, museum, or aquarium, check for a reciprocal admission discount.
Summer Hours | April - September
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Winter Hours | October - March
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Zoos in Massachusetts
Buttonwood Zoo is a small zoo, but it is a fun and inexpensive way to spend the afternoon. For just $25, a family of four will enjoy visiting more than 50 different animal species. You can also ride the zoo train and carousel or host a birthday party.
Address
425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford, MA
Phone: 508-991-6178
Prices
Adult: $7.50 | Senior/Student: $6.00 | Child (ages 3-12): $4.50 | Children under 3: Free
Discounts
*If you have a membership to another zoo, museum, or aquarium, check for a reciprocal admission discount.
Summer Hours | April - October
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Winter Hours | November- March
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Capron Park Zoo is small and is a good way to spend a few hours with the kids. There is also a splash pad in the zoo and a playground just outside.
Address
201 County Street, Attleboro, MA. 02703
Phone: 774-203-1840
Prices (Attleboro residents)
Adult: $7.50 | Senior (65+): $5.75 | Child (ages 3-12): $6.50 | Children under 3: Free
Prices (non-residents)
Adult: $9.00 | Senior (65+): $6.75 | Child (ages 3-12): $7.50 | Children under 3: Free
Discounts
*If you have a membership to another zoo, museum, or aquarium, check for a reciprocal admission discount.
Summer Hours | March - October
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily
Winter Hours | November - April
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Lupa Zoo is a 20-acre zoo a mission of conservation and education. You won't find all of the "big ticket" animals here like lions, elephants, or tigers, but if you're looking for something different to do in Western Mass, it's worth a visit. They also have a playground and a train for the kids.
Address
62 Nash Hill Road, Ludlow, MA 01056
Phone: 413-583-8370
email: info@lupazoo.org
Prices
Adult: $15.00 | Senior (62+): $12.00 | Child (ages 2-12): $10.00 | Children under 2: Free
Spring Hours | April 4 – May 29 (closed most Mondays)
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Summer Hours | May 30 – August 30 (open every day)
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Winter Hours | August 31 – November 2 (closed most Mondays)
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
For a larger zoo experience, head to Boston to visit the hundreds of animals at Franklin Park Zoo. Here you can visit The Outback, a Tropical Forest, Franklin Farm, the Children's Zoo, and more.
Address
1 Franklin Park Road, Boston, MA 02121
Phone: 617-541-LION
Prices
Adult: $18.95 | Senior (62+): $16.95 | Child (ages 2-12): $12.95 | Children under 2: Free
Discounts
*Buy tickets online and save 15%
*Massachusetts Teacher Association members receive 50% off the regular admission price with proof of valid credentials.
*If you have a membership to another zoo, museum, or aquarium, check for a reciprocal admission discount.
Summer Hours | April 1 - September 30
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (M-F) | 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (weekends & holidays)
Winter Hours | October 1- March 31
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily
Southwick's Zoo is the most expensive zoo on this list but it is well worth the price of admission. It may be located in the middle of nowhere, but it is much larger than you may think.
Plan to spend the day there if it's your first trip and don't forget to bring your wallet and some cash if you would like to ride the carousel, have a camel ride, ride the zipline, visit the escape room, and much more.
These attractions don't even include the many animals they have on exhibit, including the deer forest. You can also have a birthday party or event at the zoo.
Address
2 Southwick Street, Mendon, MA. 01756
Phone: 1-800-258-918
Prices
Adult: $29.00 | Senior (62+): $22.00 | Child (ages 3-12): $25.00 | Children 2 and under: Free | Non-Peak Admission (ages 3+) $20.00, zoo only; $30.00, all
Discounts
*Active duty military: Free | Active duty dependent: $15.00 | Veteran: $15.00
Hours | April 11 - September 29
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Hours | September 30 - October 31
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily
Closed | November 1 - April 10
Run by Zoo New England along with Franklin Park Zoo, Stone Zoo is a little smaller but has a great variety of animals to visit. They also have a train ride.
Address
149 Pond Street, Stoneham, MA 02180
Phone: 617-541-LIO
Prices
Adult: $16.95 | Senior (62+): $15.95 | Child (ages 2-12): $10.95 | Children under 2: Free
Discounts
*Buy tickets online and save 15%
*Massachusetts Teacher Association members receive 50% off the regular admission price with proof of valid credentials.
*If you have a membership to another zoo, museum, or aquarium, check for a reciprocal admission discount.
Summer Hours | April 1 - September 30
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (M-F) | 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (weekends & holidays)
Winter Hours | October 1- March 31
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily
Zoos in New Hampshire
While it may not sound like a zoo, Charmingfare Farm does have some exotic species in addition to farm animals. In addition to alpacas, donkeys, geese, llamas, miniature horses, miniature goats, and other farm animals, you can also see a wolf, coyote, black bears, red fox, and more.
Address
774 High Street, Candia, NH 03034
Phone: (603) 483-5623
Prices
$22.00 - Tickets must be purchased online.
Children 23 months and under FREE
Members and their guests (up to 5) DO NOT need to purchase tickets.
Hours | April - September
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
May and September - open Saturday & Sunday
Memorial Day
June, July, and August - open Thursday through Sunday
Closed Labor Day weekend.
Closed October - March
Check for special events to visit the zoo in the winter months
Zoos in Maine
Maine only has one zoo in the southeastern town of York, Maine which also offers a lot of things to do with families.
York's Wild Kingdom has quite a few exotic and domestic animals in their zoo as well as an amusement park. This attraction is an all-day adventure for the whole family.
Address
1 Animal Park Rd, York, ME 03909
Phone: (207) 363-4911
Prices
Adults (11+): $15.75 | Child (3-10): $10.00 | Children (2 & under): $1.00
Hours
May 28 - September 25: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Discounted New England Zoo Passes
Some zoos in New England have a set of discounts for seniors, lower-income families, and others. Some also have discounts available for active-duty military and/or veterans, teachers, or town residents. Be sure to look at the zoo’s website to see if there are discounts you can take advantage of.
If you don’t fall into any of these categories, a trip to the zoo for your family can be expensive. Another way to potentially save on zoo admission is to check with your local library. Many libraries have discounted passes, but you often need to request the pass, so reserve yours in advance.
Also, if you are a member of another museum, zoo, or aquarium, see if they both participate in the reciprocal admission discount. This can potentially save you 50% to 100% off admission.
