Roger Williams Park Zoo

We had a lovely winter afternoon walking around for about 2hrs. Plenty of parking available. The park wasn't crowded and the animals were quite active. Several spots are indoors so you can warm up from the outdoors. Will definitely plan to visit again.

I didn’t realize this zoo was somewhat in our backyard for the longest time... now we come at least once a year. We’ve gone for the Halloween Jack-o-Lantern trail and the Christmas lights (both super cool), but nothing beats a summer daytime visit with the animals out and about. There’s a little bit of everything- inside, outside, walking paths, animals up close...so the kids never get bored. By the time we’re done, they’re passed out before we hit the highway, which automatically makes it a win in my book. We always buy our tickets online ahead of time and it’s super easy. Parking has never been an issue. And you don’t need to overthink planning.. it’s just a fun, easy place to go that keeps everyone entertained and burns a ton of energy. Highly recommend if you want a low-stress zoo day that leaves your tiny humans totally exhausted and happy.

Exceptional family time! We stayed for 3 hours and loved every minute of the show. The atmosphere is fantastic the music is loud but has such a great beat that you can't help but feel happy. The carved pumpkins are true works of art. Booking online is a must we only waited 15 minutes in line. Also, pro tip: park above the zoo for free to avoid the long car queues at the main entrance. It’s only a 10 minute walk and saves a lot of time

We enjoy coming to the zoo a few times a year. We enjoy all the extra experiences the zoo offers(dinos, pumpkins & christmas lights). Very fun time for the kids and if its summer time the kids get to cool off in the splash area. Really fun experience for the family to walk through and enjoy the animals.

I brought my family on a Sunday afternoon in December. Despite the cooler weather we had a wonderful time. There were plenty of indoor part where we could get out of the cold. We saw a bunch of animals, most were active and lively! The staff were knowledgeable and friendly. I would highly recommend this as a family activity!

Holiday Lights Spectacular was awesome last night in the snow! What a special way to spend an hour with our family while the Christmas music played and we stopped throughout the zoo. The amount of work it took to make this event happen is phenomenal. Great experience, we all loved it!

Highly recommended!! Truly incredible experience at the Pumpkin Spectacular! We booked tickets for 8 pm. Arrived with a fast moving line, which had no wait. Check in was a breeze and for a Saturday night it was packed but didn’t feel like so as the trails are wide enough to accommodate a crowd. The pumpkins are amazing to look at, especially the artist carved ones. One of the coolest and most do October bucket list items in New England! We parked above the zoo which was a 10 minute walk to the entrance as it was free. The lines to park were long and do create a wait. Parking is free or you can pay $15 for premium parking which the lot was quite empty for. Bathrooms are available and food trucks of fried dough, adult beverages, snacks etc. Definitely an awesome date night or a fun night out with the family

Absolutely incredible! The Jack-O’-Lantern event exceeded expectations. The carvings were stunning, the path was well-lit and organized, and the whole experience felt magical. A perfect fall night out — fun, family-friendly, and full of creativity. Definitely worth the visit!

This review is specifically for the Holiday Light Spectacular. We have been to RWPZ many times, both to see the animals and to experience many of their holiday events. This holiday light display is enchanting. There are *so many* lignts! Music changes as you move from area to area. A light created dessert town includes cacti. An icy blue display near the penguins. The farmhouse is decorated for the holidays and the goats were out looking for pets. Aliens and dinosaurs are near the flamingos and so much more! Holiday food and drink options are available at concessions. Santa is waiting to chat with your little ones and take a photo in the gift shop. A holiday train is making the rounds for a small fee. You can also choose an upgraded experience where the kiddos experience Christmas elves. Absolutely beautiful. Highly recommend as part of your holiday experiences. Be sure you walk up to the top, where concessions and the gift shop are, to get the full experience and hill top views.

I visited today in the freezing cold & had a nice stroll through the quiet zoo. Many of the animals were no where to be seen, presumably in a much cozier & warmer area than their public enclosures. I did spend a significant time with Oliver & Nova, the bactrian camels. They seemed to be perfectly happy with the weather. Salvador (the tamandua) wasn't out & about today, but there was some other activity in the South America building. The sloth was having a nice snooze in one of the buckets under a heat lamp. The monkeys were very active. The otter was twirling & swirling around underwater, kicking off the window (parkour style) & giving me a show. The baby red pandas were very active, too. They were pouncing & rolling & jumping around. The cuteness overload was almost too much to handle. 'tis the quiet season at the zoo, but I still love it. Great afternoon walk.

Fantastic walk, very nice duck boat ride. I've been here a handful of times in the past, always enjoyed the experience. It seems like the zoo itself is a little more pricey than in the past, but I think it would be pretty worth it for a day experience. One criticism is their website, websites and online systems. When searching for tickets to the Halloween event, the only pages that I could find informed me that tickets were sold in person. When I got there in person, I was told that I could only purchase them online. Of course they had sold out a week prior when I was searching because I guess there's multiple pages for one event? There's a bunch of extra pages, not attached to their main website that are misleading and have incorrect information on them. Someone needs to update those websites regularly, people use them for information you know...

This zoo in the center of Providence has been through so many changes, loss of animals, changing layout and supplemental exhibits. Back inna day it was smaller. Less animal welfare and smaller, but I still fell in love with it. The monkey house stunk, the lion cage was too small but we had polar bears! Now it's more appropriate for animal welfare and enrichment. My visit was my first Winter visit. Many of the exhibits were sans views of the residents, too cold. But the wetlands were open for walking, I miss access during the takeover of dinos, pumpkins and holiday lights. Support local, pay the price, walk the property and enjoy!

What a beautiful light display Roger Williams Park Zoo has at night during the holidays. We thoroughly enjoyed the lights, seeing some of the animals, the hot chocolate, and more. Snack stands everywhere. Immensely friendly staff. They still have the pressed penny machines!! 3 total in the park I think - we only made it to 2 of them. Regardless, if you're in the area you don't want to miss this. Wear warm shoes!! Total cost was $65 for 4 adults ($60 + $5 fee). Buy tickets online!!

I HIGHLY recommend coming to see the zoo's Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. This is the one thing I must go to every October. The very first visit is SO magical for children and adults alike. Dress warmly if it's cold that night. Churros, hot chcoclate, pretzels, fried dough, and much more available for purchase. Indoor bathrooms, too!

I love coming to the zoo for the animals, but if you haven't been to the Jack-o'-lantern spectacular, you are missing out!! This year was trivia night with questions throughout the park where the questions aligned with amazing carved pumpkins. There are THOUSANDS of hand carved pumpkins, YES, thousands! We also ride the Swan boats. Located right outside the park pond before entry $12 a person. Beautifully lit up where you take a 15-20 minute ride around the pond and under a bridge.

I came here a couple of weeks ago for the pumpkin spectacular with my family. I didn't know what to expect but I had an idea from talks from friends and family. My review?? It was amazing!! There were pumpkins everywhere!! In the trees, on stands and on the ground. They were all carved so intricately I was so impressed!! There's a couple snack stations at the entrance where you can grab yourself hot chocolate if you want to keep yourself warm. I enjoyed the trivia as well even though I only got 1 right haha

What a treasure in Providence, RI! The zoo is the third oldest in the country, but the exhibits are kept fresh. It is divided into sections which make it easy to navigate. The zoo is maintained very well. The animals are given caring and knowledgeable attention. My family loved seeing the animals in natural settings. They walked along the wide paths seeing giraffes, elephants, monkeys, exotic birds, reptiles and much more. The magnificent Snow Leopard was out and about today which was exciting to see. A large classic Carousel is on the grounds. Food, Dippin Dots etc. are available.

Roger Williams Park Zoo is the third oldest zoo in the country, but you can barely tell. Exhibits get refreshed every few years, keeping your zoo experience new and exciting. The zoo is divided into sections and easy to navigate. You'll start in the Savannahs, and end back where you started or if you have a little one, extend the adventure and continue on to "Our Big Backyard", a rotating, interactive play area for kids. For restrooms, I was surprised to see how well maintained they are! My favorite sections/exhibits in no particular order: Alex & Ani Farmyard: A mini version of a livestock show I'm familiar, including a petting zoo where you can pet/feed Shetland Sheep. BE WARNED: petting any of the animals are at your own risk and the Alpacas may spit! The Savannahs: visit the African Elephants - it was amazing to see them so up close. They love wandering near the gates to scoop up the grass with their trunks The Rainforest: The replicated atmosphere of a rainforest is perfect for the animals that live here. It's an open concept enclosed structure that allows tropical birds to fly free and cute monkeys to run around. The best little surprise? Seeing two sloths in the space sleeping in a hammock. Fortunately, the scarier things found in the rainforest are also located here, but are behind glass ie: anaconda & poisonous dart frogs Himalayan Trek: A bit of a disappoint with how small this section is, especially for the animal I was really looking forward to seeing: the Red Panda. Wild Woodlands: incredible, one of a kind experience to see our national bird, the Bald Eagle, out in the open -- these particular birds can't fly due to wing injuries. World of Adaptations: insanely cool to see the Komodo dragon, but wishing it had a larger space Penguin Exhibit: the newest exhibit that just opened on May 24, 2025 and already a crowd favorite! The penguin version of the Bachelorette, there are currently 11 male penguins, and one female penguin. If you didn't know, penguins mate for life and I can't wait to see which one she chooses!! If you've been to the Roger Williams Zoo prior, you may recognize this former space as the seal pool for Bubba, who has know been moved to another facility. PRO TIP: you can bring outside food and drinks

First and foremost would like to share the first Saturday of the month for Providence residences, it is free to anybody that has a Providence ID, again it's the first Saturday of the month. Get there early parking is overwhelming. There are some animals not out but also new ones as well. Bring your own drinks/snacks it's a little pricey. You cannot bring any emotional support animals or service animals. Handicap accessible. Lockers available. Gift shops affordable. Lots of shaded areas. Great for younger kids.

We've had a family membership to this lovely zoo since our oldest child was a baby. She's 22 now and we still love going here! Today I went with our youngest child and we had a great time! I had forgotten that it was a holiday and the parking lot was packed at 9:15, only 15 minutes after opening time. Entering the zoo was a very efficient process - no line at all! A staff person outside the entrance scanned my digital membership card, checked it against my ID and we were inside a split second later. Even though the parking lot was packed, the zoo didn't feel overly crowded and we were able to see everything we wanted to see without difficulty. The new penguin exhibit is great and it was really fun to watch them from above the water and also watch them through the large window as they zoomed around underwater. Some of our other favorite animals at Roger Williams are the giraffes, the red pandas, the tree kangaroos, the gibbons and the flamingos. We also love seeing the golden tamarins and the sloth in the rain forest house, and the ant eaters in the same area are really interesting as well. Today we enjoyed the armadillos who were very active and seemed to be having lots of fun when the keeper sprayed water from a hose for them to run through. One great thing about this zoo is that there is lots of shade, so even in the summer heat it is still pleasant to visit. I also love not having to lather on the sunscreen since so many areas are shaded. There are also misting areas, and a few exhibits are air conditioned. We didn't visit the Big Back Yard playground area today, but this was always a hit with my children when they were younger. We usually bring our own water and snacks, but there are many food options available at different stations throughout the zoo. Our visit today lasted about 2 hours and we saw everything we wanted to see. I think you could easily spend 3-4 hours here if you wanted to go at a more leisurely pace, stop for snacks, and enjoy the play areas. We've loved coming to Roger Williams Park Zoo for 22 years and I hope we keep on enjoying it for many more years to come.

I went with my family while we were on vacation and we enjoyed our selves. Entry price ....eh! Even with my military discount It seemed like a lot. (I'm pretty sure we're the ones paying for the renovations) It took about 2.5-3 to walk the entire zoo, which could have been longer but certain places were closed off and they are still doing renovations. Certain places weren't open like small kiosk that would have served drinks or snacks which would have been helpful considering all the walking that we did. Maybe we went on a bad day ...idk. I will say some of these animals looked sad. You can't really explain it unless you're there and you know certain bigger animals don't belong locked up. Being from Boston and trying NOT to compare the zoo to our own was kinda hard considering the effort we put into the city zoo. I guess this was more for the kids enjoyment than our own but overall I'd love to come back and see the difference once the renovations are all done.

Overall we love the zoo! The annual membership is the way to go if you are thinking about visiting more than once. Otherwise it can get pretty pricey. My only real complaint is that you have to be extra for the dinosaur exhibit and that really adds up. And of course now that my son knows it's there he wants to walk through everytime. Otherwise the variety of animals are great. Food options are a little sparse and what they do have is always super crowded. I wish they limited the tickets a bit more to the Jack O'Lantern Spectacular so it didn't feel like you were literally just being pushed in a sea of people and parking/traffic is always a nightmare. But it is still amazing what they create!

The Roger Williams Park Zoo was a pleasant visit. The park is very large, has a vast amount of animals, every staff member was helpful, and you could get very close to each exhibit. Since it was cold, I enjoyed how visitors could go inside the elephant and giraffe exhibits, where the temperature is comfortable. There, you could see them at a close distance and take photos/videos. The gift shop is large and has a vast selection of zoo items and apparel. FYI.....make certain to ask about discounts when purchasing tickets. They provide many (Teachers, students, military, veterans, seniors). If you're in the Providence area, don't hesitate to stop into this zoo and enjoy your visit.

So .. I have had a membership to the zoo since 2009. Unfortunately right now they are doing a lot of construction throughout the zoo, which is bothersome to the animals as it is to guests. This is going on during zoo hours which I feel is ridiculous, seeing that the zoo closes early. They could be doing this at other times. It's very uncomfortable for some guests, especially those who are handicapped, have disabilities, or special needs.. hopefully they finish it up soon so we can continue to enjoy this beautiful zoo we have here in Rhode Island.

Roger Williams Park Zoo's 33rd annual Zoobilee! Party with a Purpose was on Saturday, June 28th. Every dollar raised helps save wildlife and supports the Zoo's mission of conservation and education. Prior to this event, I received an email from the Volunteer Management Office asking for volunteers to support the success of the major fundraiser. Also, each completed volunteer shift earns one complimentary ticket to Zoobilee (unless otherwise noted) ($125.00 retail value). My friend and I signed up for the Friday, June 27th 1:00pm-5:00pm - Set-Up Crew shift. We were asked to do various tasks such as moving tables and setting up composting bins. We had a great time volunteering. The next day, we arrived for the event about 15 minutes earlier. Guests started to form lines to check in and our IDs were checked to ensure all guests were 21+. At 7:00pm, the gates opened and we started checking out the vendors. First up was Holukia Shaved Ice, Massage Envy, Johnson Brothers, Del's, and Kristi's Kraftails. As you walk deeper into the zoo to the elephants and giraffes, and then up to the farmyard and rainforest building, we were indulging in delicious bites from top restaurants and sipping on refreshing cocktails. My friend and I were stuffed by 9:30pm and we even had leftovers to take home. We really enjoyed the chicken tikka masala from Kabob & Curry, 1/2 Shake Shack burger, and the dessert tent. It was really nice that some of the vendors had coupons and giveaways, we got to see some animals, and zookeepers were around showing and talking about some animals. There was also a Photo Booth and live music from a band. Overall, Zoobilee! Party with a Purpose was a really fun night and I can't wait for the 34th annual Zoobilee! Party with a Purpose!

Cute zoo with Many animals to see, plenty parking. They also have another area for a Botanical garden, swan boats and zip lining. Park nearby, playground and water. Seasonal events offered here too. Expensive food tho and Drinks weren't cold; vending machines not filled. A lot of options ran out on a Saturday at that during the day.

This is a fantastic zoo! It is an AZA accredited facility and it has a wide diversity in wildlife on exhibit. The Big Backyard is a fun playground and my kid enjoyed the zookeeper/veterinary activities that they did at the beginning of the year. There are lots of bathrooms and snack options available throughout the zoo. The gift shop is big and has a lot of different options. There's a good amount of parking, but I have seen the lot fill up quickly for special events or free entry days.

Positives: - The zoo is well designed and has a nice flow to it. - There are several areas where you can interact with the animals. - Well placed resting areas. - Ticket prices reasonable. Negatives; - Animal variety not the best I've seen. - Some exhibits were closed. - Parking lots are tight and narrow. Can be a little messy on busy days.

My husband surprised me and took me here for a few hours. What an amazing zoo! We loved how much room the animals had, how educated the workers were, how natural the habitats were, and that the animals had privacy if they needed it. This zoo requires a lot of walking and although they don't have a ton of animals they had a good variety. We will definitely be back and highly recommend stopping here if you are in the area.

I love a good zoo and I love to visit zoos when I visit new places. While visiting an old friend in Rhode Island, she brought me to the Roger Williams Park zoo. We came with her son on New Year's Day. It was a slightly overcast day and we pretty much had the entire zoo to ourselves. The zoo is quaint and has very nice exhibits. I was blown away by how close you feel to the elephants and giraffes in their enclosures. I feel like most zoos have a tremendously large barrier between the animals, but not at this zoo. Given the size of the state of Rhode Island, this zoo felt very appropriate. You can spend a pleasant morning or afternoon here and still have plenty of time to do other things.

This was my first year ever seeing the holiday lights and it was such a fun experience (although I was absolutely freezing and couldn't believe how cold it was). There was so much to see and they even had little sections to buy snacks and refreshments. I ended up getting a hot chocolate and although it was probably the same one I could buy at a grocery store it was the best $7 of my life. There's also a s'mores section with little fire pits and you can pay to get all the ingredients to make them.

Great zoo that allows visitors to get fairly close to the animals and lots of opportunities for good sightings. So happy they still have elephants which a lot of zoos have phased out. The petting zoo portion was nice, my toddler enjoyed it. It seems odd the zoo store is in the middle of the zoo and not at the end of the loop. We tried to go in the tropical house but it smelled musty and moldy so we immediately left. It was nice they accepted our home zoo's membership for a discount (as we were tourists to this one).

Roger Williams Park Zoo is getting bigger and better. I've always loved this zoo ever since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Getting a membership is the way to go, you can bring a guest and you'll get your money's worth within a few visits. Concessions are reasonably priced but the gift shop is outrageously expensive. Soon the park will have a learning center and a new penguin exhibit. I'm glad that they also have misting stations to cool off with on hot days.

My family and I had an awesome time at the Roger Williams Park Zoo last week while we were up in Warwick visiting for a couple of days. I didn't know what to expect. My sister was under selling this zoo and I thought it was just a small little local zoo. Well, I was wrong! This zoo was great! My kids loved looking at all the animals - the elephants, giraffes, red wolves, camels, and beyond! The staff were SO friendly. Some staff explained what the animals were doing, or how they take care of them. Other staff members told us to look here or there to see other wildlife (like the cool snapping turtle as we crossed a bridge). We were lucky enough to also catch a bird show. It was so cool to see all the different birds land right above us. Everything at the zoo was so informative! I also added the dino exhibit to our tickets. I was unsure if I wanted to add that extra cost to each ticket ($9.00), but I am glad I did, as my kids were in absolute awe looking at all the different dinosaur animatronics. They were very cool to see and I must say the young dino lover in me had a great time too. The dino exhibit spills out to a little play area and thank god my kids were too beat to ask to play on any of the rides. At $5.00 a pop it was a little too expensive to spend that kind of money. Make sure to bring some water for the hot summer days. You can bring in your own! We also brought a fan that sprays water too to keep the kids cool. We went after lunch so we didn't have to spend any money on food. We had a good solid two hours exploring the zoo. The interactive areas were great too. My kids got to brush the goats and pet an armadillo. I am very impressed with this zoo. If you are in the area looking for something to do - the zoo, and the park too, is a great place to spend your day.

We love that this place is only 15 minutes away. It's a perfect go-to, especially during summer. They also have events throughout the year like Halloween and Christmas, which we have taken advantage of (fun holiday activities like smore making, although it is really expensive). We have been getting the family plus pass for the past couple of years because it's a great way to also invite out of town guests. I only wish that everything was truly opened at 9. Some exhibits don't open their doors until 10, which is an hour after the zoo opens. Other than that, it is a clean and fun zoo.

The staff was kind and helpful very nice place wide variety of animals. I got scammed and paid double for dippin dots ice cream but other than that fun experience dinosaurs are really cool

I absolutely adore Roger Williams Park Zoo, and consistently love every second of the trip (even the drive down to Rhode Island!). I had such great experiences with Roger Williams as a kid, and continue to as an adult. This is a very family friendly zoo and is fun for all ages. The staff at RW park zoo care about their visitors and go above and beyond to make the trip an enjoyable experience. Noteworthy, RW does well with conservation and creating a sustainable environment for the animals. Right as you walk in, you can tell that this is part of their mission. Animals are regularly catered to and their zones are in good condition. They are also given breaks, which is great, and so you'll often see some wildlife missing from their exhibits. As for the experience, this is a midsize zoo so you'll probably spend about 2 hours walking the exhibits. The zoo also has an outdoor eatery with a stage nearby for dining & a show. If that hasn't sold you yet-- there is also a petting zoo, an indoor "forest exhibit", an interactive ride, and soft pretzels sold throughout the park. Come check it out!

This is my local zoo and I really like it! The have elephants (although they will be leaving in a few years, 2027 I think?) which is rare for zoos I guess, and giraffes. Although it's a smaller zoo (2-4 hours with a lunch break), it provides lovely exhibits for the animals, you won't see a lot of just stone and pavement. The new rainforest building is really cool. You can feed some goats at the petting zoo too! And see a red panda (who look nothing like pandas by the way). There is a lot of construction in there right now in the section you enter into, they tore down a bunch of trees to make a new learning center. They seem to get new animals every few years too, so that's nice. Always friendly keepers too, happy to answer any questions. I love to ask them the animals names if I see them!

I haven't been to the zoo in ages and it definitely had a makeover. My friend won tickets to the Dragons and Mythical Creatures and invited me along for the ride. I'm so happy I said yes! We went on a hot day and the attendance was offering free cold water which I thought was super kind since the zoo has vending machines with bottle water. I also appreciated how the zoo has mist areas around that mist water to ensure you stay cool! There were also cold hand washing stations with hand sanitizer after petting the animals which was also refreshing. The animals seem to be happy rolling around and staff were all genuinely happy which made the experience that much more pleasant. The Dragons and Mythical Creatures was also an incredible experience. I love how they had their own stories and how much detail was put into each creature. This was super fun and I would definitely do this again but at night when everything is lit up.

Went to Roger Williams Park Zoo for the Pumpkin Halloween Spectacular. Great price online and worth it. What I did not like was the parking situation as no one seemed to know where to park. No signage, dark, no lights, it was challenging. The wait time to get into the pumpkin section was crazy and no one knew what the wait was about. Once you are in it, it is understandable. The pumpkin carving was truly extraordinary and artistic!

One of the best zoos I've ever been to, and let me tell you, I've been to a lot of zoos

The Roger Williams Holiday Lights Spectacular was such an incredible experience for a wonderful price! We had almost two hours of fun, s'mores, gift shop exploring and more in the beautiful Roger Williams Zoo! We couldn't believe how much there was to do and see for the entry price of $14 a person, and even less for children! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique, fun, budget-friendly night out with the family or the sweetheart

One of my favorite places in Rhode Island and it is a mere 10 minutes away from my house by car. I like to visit my favorite spots: the Japanese Garden and the boathouse. I often pop into the Botanical center to see the palms (only $5 to get in and worth so much more!). There is a lot of wildlife there, too - turtles, carp, blue herons, swans, geese, bunnies. So lovely!

I love a good zoo, don't you? For a zoo that isn't all THAT big, my husband and I spent more than a couple hours here and very much enjoyed ourselves. It was the middle of the week and middle of a summer day and still many animals were out and about. Some were very close too! The elephants were using their trunks to rip up juicy clover outside their enclosure. I spent a lot of time with them while my husband laughed at the red river hogs running adorably from one pile of alfalfa pellets to the next pile around their pen. It reminded us of our treat-incentivized cat. We were also up close and personal with blue macaws and small primates who are freely mobile in the rainforest exhibit. There is even a sleepy, lady sloth! A word of caution: poop happens. Also, you are required to wear a mask to protect the animals. The zoo keepers wear sea blue collared shirts. The river otters obviously know blue shirts mean feeding time because they crowded up to the glass whenever zoo staff passed by their enclosure, even if it wasn't the person who feeds them. I noticed other animals exhibiting similar alertness. I'm not saying you SHOULD wear a blue shirt to gain an exciting reaction, but ...

Rhode Island is lucky to have such a lovely, well managed zoo with so many wonderful animals! Every time I go to the zoo, I learn more about these animals and how the zoo is helping with research, conservation, and protection of them. The zoo is a great place to go with children to watch the otters zoom around their enclosure and marvel at how huge elephants are. It is also a great place for adults! A trip around the zoo takes between 1-3 hours, depending on how slow you go. A really wonderful place, cannot recommend it enough!

We came here on a Monday morning while in town visiting. It was a little crowd there but easy to move around. This zoo is a bit on the smaller end compared to other zoos i have visited. I will say the staff was friendly and helpful and plenty around. I felt bad for most of the animals because they didn't have enough living space especially the giraffes whose habitat was under construction and forced into a very small space. Most of the animals also were hiding or laying down so not very active. It was something cool to do on a Monday but that's about it.

One of my favorite zoos!! Everything is always so well kept and I can tell they take good care of their animals.

I really love my membership and I love the big back yard. It's a great play place for kids. BUT as of this summer with the dinosaur exhibit, I've emailed them and commented on Instagram that their exhibits (now the pumpkin one) are blocking handicap assessable access to the big back yard. My company put a lot of money into that treehouse to make it welcoming for all, but "all" can not get to it when they must ask for help to get through the greenhouse, which is the only way currently in and has 2 doors going opposite directions so it is impossible to do alone. I would have liked a response back, but they simply deleted my comments instead.

This review is for the Asian Lantern Spectacular. I wasn't too impressed. I was going back and forth between a 3 and 4 but decided to give it a 4 because you actually got to see some of the zoo animals so it was sort of like a 2 in 1 trip--zoo and lanterns. I thought there would be more lanterns to look at but they're scattered throughout the park as you're walking. The coolest one was the dragon, it was big and bright. I do know that a lot of work goes into making these figures so I do admire the dedication that went into this event from an art perspective. There are food shops around including hotdogs, pretzels, dippin dots, etc and the bathrooms are open. There was also a woman playing the Zheng, a 21 string instrument, and the sound was beautiful (I can't even play the 6 string instrument). Buying tickets was easy. I believe tickets are only sold online so plan ahead. The event will be on until July 4th and goes from 5-10pm. We bought our tickets for $25 each + $5 processing fee (if you are going as a pair or group I would recommend one person buy all the tickets so the processing fee is only charged once as opposed to charging it to all orders individually). We did 8pm which was perfect because it was light enough at the beginning to see the animals but got dark during the second half to see the lanterns better. If you're going more for the animals go during the day but for lanterns at night and for both 7/8pm. It took us about an hour and a half to complete. This is great for kids and families and adults who are bored (me). This park has always been confusing to me but I've gotten more used to it over time. If this is your first time visiting I would go a few minutes earlier to navigate the park. They aren't super strict with time. I arrived at 7:40 and my time wasn't until 8 so don't panic about being too early or too late (but do come before 8:30pm so you have enough time to see everything)

I love going to the zoo....it's always fun to see the animals and depending on the day, they might be doing different activities or being fed or taking part in some kind of animal encounter... This zoo is the country's third oldest zoo It opened its door in 1872. Today, located amid 40 acres of beautiful woodlands, the Roger Williams Park Zoo provides visitors the opportunity to see animals from all over the globe. Each year approximately 800,000 visitors from across the state - and around the world - enjoy the Zoo's amazing displays of animals from all over the world. Natural environments are home to more than 150 species of animals including a Komodo dragon, as well as zebras, red pandas, African elephants, Masai giraffes, snow leopards, bears, anteaters, flamingoes, sloths, and more. The major exhibits are: Alex and Ani Farmyard: Is a petting zoo where visitors can feed the animals food provided by the zoo. It primarily features animals such as giant rabbits, Guinea hogs, alpacas, Kunekune pigs, Nubian goats, a miniature donkey, Shetland sheep, and various chicken breeds. Fabric of Africa: Includes exhibits for the zebras, elephants, giraffes, cranes, river hogs, wildebeests and more... Faces of the Rainforest: Has many types of monkeys, iguanas, frogs, sloths, otters and such.. Feinstein Junior Scholar Wetlands Trail: Focuses on animals from the Rhode Island area like Canadian geese, herons, turtles, ducks etc.. Marco Polo's Adventure Trek: Has Asian fauna like camels, bears, red pandas, snow leopards and more... North America: This exhibit has bisons, bald eagles, seals, porcupines, snakes, and wild turkeys, among others.. World of Adaptations (formerly Australasia): it features animals primarily from Southeast Asia and Oceania The Komodo dragon at the zoo is the first of its kind in New England. The daily admission is about $20 for an adult. Zoo memberships are available on an annual basis.

Covid protocols ever changing I figured I would update my review! Still 5* of course. All parking spots are now open! Food carts are open! Most of the park is open and with ropes to help with one way flow. The lines move much faster in exhibits like the rain forest thankfully!! You do still need to get your tickets online and not at the gate - you chose the time you want to arrive, but can stay as long as you want! Masks are still necessary which honestly I'm glad, since you do end up getting close to people at times, but never felt unsafe. Great job handling everything!

First time going to the holiday lights and it did not disappoint! The lights are coverd over the whole zoo, helping the crowds disperse. Beautiful displays and cheerful Christmas music throughout. Can't wait until next year!

Zoo price keeps going up, but exhibits really starting to show their age. Some animals are still great to marvel at, but too many empty areas and booths closed. Gift shop pricey as well as food venue. Only one open at the time, some items not available to order. Could use an update.

We were totally mislead about they availability of mobility aids. Online,we reserved a scooter the morning. We were then told they weren't renting any because they were changing companies for them. They also has no manual wheelchairs. Thankfully my son brought one just in case. When I contacted them via email I was ignored for 2 days but finally got a response( probably because I kept sending emails) from management. Unfortunately, it was basically an " oops my bad" it won't be like that next time. All the penny making machines were broken (one of my granddaughter favorite souvenirs), many displays were closed due to construction. I will say, the animal handlers were so incredible- very knowledgeable and friendly

I have always been impressed with what an amazing zoo our little state has! The animals all look well cared for, and the employees seem happy to be working there. We decided to bEcome zoo members this year, and took advantage of a nice warm January day to make our first visit. I had a feeling that we would get to see a few animals, but most would be away for winter. We were pleasantly surprised, however, when we found nearly eVery animal out enjoying the weather as well! We were fortunate enough to see the new baby golden lion tamarin, as well as many other impressive creatures that live here. If they can impress this much in January, I can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store!

One of the reasons why I wanted to visit Rhode Island is for this zoo. I read good things about it and loved that parking is free. Arrived during Spring Break around 12PM and we had to go down to one of the further parking lots. Manageable walk. Got on the line to get our tickets scanned. Wait time wasn't bad and once you're inside, the place is well spaced that it didn't feel overly crowded. Huge space for the animals to roam. Saw flamingos, elephants, giraffes and more. Kids had a great time. I would avoid the food court here if possible. Saw several people pack their picnic lunch and there were plenty of tables at Tuskers to eat at. Hot dog bun was dry, chicken in the chicken salad was rock hard. Fries were the only thing that was decent.

I've been to tons of zoos and so has my husband. My husband even worked at a zoo for many years taking care of elephants, tigers, lions and more and he knows what to look for and this place has it all. This was one of the best zoos we've ever been to. This zoo is a fairly large zoo. It was very clean with super friendly, knowledgable staff. They have a huge variety of animals and all the enclosures looked fairly large and in good condition. I will say we got there right when they opened at 9am and it was the best decision! Most of the animals were out and active and it was not busy! Some of the animals such as a the elephants did not come out until 10am which was fine, there's plenty to see in the mean time. By the time we left around 11am, it was getting PACKED! So get there early! I would 100% recommend this place and will DEFINITELY be back if I'm in the area.