Roger Williams Park Zoo – Providence, RI
I am constantly amazed at how many zoos there are around New England. Both my kids and I happen to love animals so we have made sure to check them all out. Our favorite? Hands down – the Roger Williams Park Zoo. Why you ask? Primarily because of their elephant and giraffe exhibits. They have several feeding stations for the elephants and giraffes near the fences which allow you to really get a glimpse of them up close and personal. At various times throughout the day, they also have even closer interactions by watching the elephants get a shower inside or feeding the giraffes for $5.
There are also a lot of other great animals to visit as well. Zebras, camels, bears, red pandas, gibbons, kangaroos, flamingos, snow leopard, harbor seal and a variety of birds, lizards, reptiles and animals I’ve never heard of before. They have a great petting zoo area for the kids as well, allowing you to brush, feed and mingle with sheep and goat. We also watched a cute little show near the petting zoo and the kids had a chance to milk a pretend cow and collect eggs from a pretend chicken.
For an added fee, you can visit a butterfly greenhouse or take a ride on a camel as well during certain times of the year. We stopped and had lunch at one of the outdoor picnic areas and had a decent meal. They are a fairly large zoo with a lot going on, yet they don’t gauge you on ticket prices too which is nice. The only thing we really felt we were missing were the amazing gorillas that you can see in Boston.
Few things to note:
- They refuse to give you tap water and gauge you on drinks so bring your own water!
- The library frequently has coupons to reduce admission even more
- You can rent a single or double stroller if you need
- If you’re looking to spend an entire day/weekend – the Roger Williams Park also has a ton of fun stuff going on! Check out https://lifesouthofboston.com/2014/09/roger-williams-park-not-the-zoo-providence-ri/
How to get there:
1000 Elmwood Ave
Providence, RI
