A small zoo but a decent walk! I recommend coming in the middle of the week as there aren't that…read moremany people. We were also lucky in that most all of the animals were active. My favorite was going inside the elephant enclosure building and seeing the trainers perform tricks with an elephant and catching the goats during their feeding time. A fun experience for all ages

This zoo is just OK. I think the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse or The Wild in Chittenango are…read moremuch better and more worth it. The negatives are because the zoo is very linear and small. Frankly all the animals look depressed and all the outdoor exhibits reeked. I'm fine with the zoo smelling like the zoo but it was overwhelmingly noxious. The rosamond gifford zoo also has elephants and penguins but it never reeks of poop and a fish market when we visit there. The gift shop was also small and cramped. The indoor exhibits weren't entertaining or informative either. I would say the only positive would be the outdoor playground. It was great and beautiful compared to the rest of the zoo.

My BF surprised me with this day trip. He didn't tell me where we were going, just that he had a…read moresurprise for me. We drove about an 1.5 hrs. From Rochester. The scenery was gorgeous, the sun was out, I was ready for it. I never asked where we were going, I just went with it and enjoyed the ride. It looked magnificent from the minute we pulled in. The grounds looked Immaculate, with custom waterfalls around the building, and restaurant below. Lots of places for kids to run around before even going into the park. They have a cute petting zoo. With goats, ponies, OMG! They even have a Giraffe. Perfect for little kids to feed and get close and personal with them. Then I saw what looked like a Forrest. That is when BF revealed to me that, this is a self drive Animal Park. I felt the joy of being a little girl again. I have been wanting to do this for so long, and to find out there is one so close felt like an awesome joy punch! You can also take a bus in, looked like an old school bus with the windows and window frames cut out, so kids and families can hang out and feed the animals. They all looked like they were having an amazing time. Probably the way to go with kids 10 and under. We chose to self drive. Of course there is a waiver that we take full responsibility for any damage to the car. Signed it in a NY minute. I'm so glad we did. It was so much fun X 10. After we checked our car. No damage at all We bought 2 large tubs of food, because neither of us knew what to expect, and we wanted to be ready for anything. Highly recommend doing that, these animals are very smart, and tricky, in a fun way. All animals are free range, some group naturally together. But they can choose to roam anywhere. They all appeared very healthy, happy animals, clear eyes, no lethargy. They looked really well cared for. We fed Buffalos, Zebras, Ostriches, long horn steers, emu's, deer, and much more. Our first animal was a Buffalo with big horns. I rolled my window down, food in hand, outside the window, hand flat, like they tell you to do. That Buffalo didn't care about that little bit of food. He stuck his head right through my window, and into the bucket I was holding in my other hand. I was screaming out of joy, surprise, and a little nervous of the unexpected. Lol We had a moment, when we were wondering how to move forward before he ate my whole bucket. He started retreating from inside our window. I sighed relief that he was exiting, just a wee bit too early. Because on his way out, he suddenly grabbed my bucket with his teeth, and pulled it out of the car. I was astonished It was very exciting. We made a quick pivot and evened out our buckets, and I made note to hold on to that bucket tight, and try to keep it out of site. Haha! Good luck. The animals worked together. A Zebra would stand in the road and block cars from going by, while other animals came to eat, then the Zebra would move enough for us to get by and pay, what we dubbed the Zebra toll. Lol. When we fed an Ostrich, they started pecking at my car door, when I brought my bucket in. I did not even care, and I love my car. But being up close and personal with these animals felt like a spiritual refill. Some let me pet them, I got to look some in the eye, and feel connection. I was not surprised by their intelligence. It felt like an honor to meet them at this level. Although the long horn steers worried me a bit, but they ended up acting like babies. They could have easily flipped my car. But instead they chose to lick my hand. Now don't get me wrong, these animals seemed aggressive at first to me. But they understood the assignment. They were just being who they are. Respect that, and you will have a great time. I saw some cars trying to maneuver by delicately to keep their car from getting damaged. We didn't even try. It's a lot more fun to just not worry about, like I said earlier we had no outside damage to the car. Now the inside we had spilled food all over. Hahaha! And I was NOT mad about it. They also have a restaurant, we didn't go in, but it looked nice and clean. We didn't go inside. Being a couple with no kids. We decided to eat elsewhere. I highly recommend trying this place out. Perfect for kids, couples, lone travelers. It was a completely different experience I have ever had. It worth a drive, perfect for a day trip.

After growing up in this small town, it was nice to come back for a visit and see all the cool…read morethings that have changed like Hidden Valley! We came out to celebrate some birthdays and check out all the animals. Our tour guide, Tom, was so knowledgeable and nice. He made a lot of good jokes too which I appreciated. The animals were all excited to see us since we were in the first tour of the day. My son loved seeing all the big bison come right up to the side of the bus and eat the food from his cup. The tour ended and we got some lunch at the counter service spot in the lodge. The burger was delicious and the fries tasted great too. I had a bite of the Buffalo chicken panini as well and it was so good. The best part about the food was that for two adult meals and a kids meal with drinks only came out to $30. For how the world is right now, that is so awesome to see. It made the day feel very affordable and family friendly. We also checked out the petting zoo which was filled with goats, donkeys, and even a couple kangaroos! What a great day out at the farm. We will definitely be back again.

Took extended family from new jersey. Was very close to rochester. It was a fun experience. The…read morekids got to go into the pen and feed the deer. The deer were very nice. The breeder was very informative and nice. The baby deer were hiding. It was a nice day pictures attached

Had to return for another tour. We got to feed babies again. So nice to sit with the spotted fawns.read more

A Magical Birthday Experience at the Nature Center!…read more We recently celebrated a birthday at this nature center, and it was absolutely wonderful--far beyond what we expected! The indoor nature exhibits were a huge hit. They were interactive and filled with fascinating things to see and touch--specimens and lifecycle interactive displays. It was hands-on, educational, and exciting for both kids and adults. The animals were a favorite part of our visit. There were so many more than we expected, and we especially loved the friendly bird that said "hello"! Outside, the nature trail was beautiful, peaceful, and filled with hand-painted murals that gave it a magical feel. We added our own fun by hiding tiny money gnomes along the fairy trail as part of the birthday party, and it turned out to be a big hit! You can also hand feed the chickadees along Birdsong trail. The volunteer staff was amazing--so helpful, patient, and welcoming. They really helped make the day feel special and run smoothly. Our package included a very educational 1:1 with several birds that we got to take photos with, pizza, drinks, access to facility, nature center, private room and staff to assist. All in all, it was a fantastic experience--fun, educational. We're already planning our next visit. Highly recommended!

Wild wings birds of prey facility and nature Center Is located at Mendon Ponds Park, lots of…read moreparking. They are a non profit wildlife refuge that care for permanently injured and nonrelaseable animals which are unable to survive on their own in the wild. The nature center has different animals that you can get view and learn more about. All sorts of birds, raptors, songbirds, as well as a fox, bobcat and owls. These beautiful animals are so cool to check out. They offer lots of educational programs here as well. Check out the gift shop and please consider donating. Make sure to hit up a few of the trails, birdsong is very popular for feeding the birds right out of your hand. Being birdseed!! The fairy house trail is super cute.

If you don't visit the Autumn Mist Alpaca Farm when visiting the area then you'll be doing yourself…read morean injustice. There's all kinds of animals to pet and feed around the farm and there was a friendly and helpful nice lady, Diane, This will be the greatest memory we will cherish forever. Thank you again

We found this gem last fall, and drove back there again this summer from Geneva (~45 minutes). For…read more$10 you have the run of the place and get to see, pet, feed bunnies, goats, alpaca, beautiful roosters, peacocks, cats, tortoises, pigs, horses -- and I'm sure I'm forgetting many animals! They have jungle gyms for little kids, benches, a store with alpaca yarn and beautiful products, and the people are SO nice and accommodating. This is an awesome place for a family outing and would make a great birthday party spot. If you are an animal lover, this is a must.

Tried to get in touch with owner via email regarding clown fish aquariums as a college student and…read morenever got back to me. Previously I'd tried to go to the store but they are APPOINTMENT ONLY. Went elsewhere. Not imprsssed. Place looked dirty and horded - stay away :) and get healthy fish!!!

Owners are incredibly helpful and every visit has been a positive one. A great place for…read moredeveloping the hobby, purchase vary products, or just to look. The tanks are super clean and you can tell the owner takes pride in his work. This place deserves better than a 3 star rating. Any time you introduce new fish you risk something going wrong. There is an accepted risk with most situations in general. If you cannot accept that then you cannot comprehend some basic principles that occur in most settings.

An absolutely wonderful experience. This friendly, family run business was the perfect fit for us…read more The rider-horse match up was spot on, the trails were beautiful and varied and the owners were so accommodating, especially for our special needs kid who needed a little more help but ended up singing cowboy songs with his guides. A great feature of our vacation!

We (family of 4) really enjoyed our horseback riding here. The owner was very friendly, but it was…read moreher daughter who lead us out into the relaxing woods. She was incredibly friendly. We were given some tips prior to riding and her instructions were perfect. This was the perfect activity for the family and if we ever visit the area again, we will definitely be back. A+++

One of the first things I do whenever I go on vacation ANYWHERE is make sure I hit up the nearest…read morezoo. I do that because living in Buffalo has given me access to such an awesome one. Having something as fun and as historical as the Buffalo Zoo in your backyard makes it easy to take zoos for granted. The layout and design is perfect for pretty much anyone, from kids with no attention span to adults just looking for a place to take an interesting stroll. Getting a membership and visiting whenever I feel like it has been a great decision and it's highly underrated in the winter. You basically do a giant circle and can't really make any wrong turns even though you have a lot of things to see and a lot of choices about the order in which you see them. The renovations and upgrades that the zoo has put in place have made a really great place into an incredible one. I literally try to go to the rainforest every couple of weeks during the winter because it's an instant cure for the heavy Buffalo snow. It's not necessarily related to the zoo so much as the design, but the way it faces Delaware Park and has the buffalo enclosure open for the public to see makes me smile every time I see it. TLDR: one of the best zoos in the country. Not the biggest but definitely one of the most well planned and fun to visit.

The zoo in general I give 3/5 stars:…read more Parking and concessions are overpriced. The zoo itself is one of the oldest in America and it shows. Its desperate for updating. Other than the rainforest and Artic area, I'm not impressed with anything, especially VS other zoos. I've never seen a single person or zookeeper around welcoming guests or talking about the animals. Its almost always dirty and smells. No tech, nothing interactive. I get it, its a zoo. Healthy animals are the point and star of the show. And im sure the budget is skin tight. But the zoo shouldn't resemble the 1800's anymore. Other than the updated Artic exhibit, this place is exactly the same from when I was child in the 90's. I strongly urge to you check their schedule to see if any free events are going on to enhance your experience. Zoomagination (annual lantern fest) on the other hand gets a 5/5 rating and bumps this review. Its as close to Disneyworld as you can get in Buffalo. The lantern statues are stunning in the darkness. And the late summer vibes are immaculate.

What a great park with an absolutely stunning beach area! I was pleasantly surprised to learn about…read morethis place... even tho I've lived here all my life lol! Had some family photos taken here, the location was recommended by the photographer. We meet at the parking area near the white lady castle area. We walked down to the water where there's a small opening... and bam you are greeted with the beach area. Super happy with the area and how it became the perfect backdrop for our photos!

On July 30th, while swimming at Durand Beach on Lake Ontario, I noticed a man hiding behind a tree…read morewatching women and masturbating. I got out of the water and, from a distance, he exposed his genitals to me. He is tall, with a strong build and dark skin. I recommend that visitors stay alert and that the beach administration increase security.

We had a great time with the grandkids at Stokoe farms today. We bought tickets for the petting zoo…read more- the 20 minute visit was long enough to see, pet, and interact with all the animals. The kids liked the kangaroos the best, the adults liked holding the baby kangaroos, but all of the animals were cool. All the staff were friendly, helpful & knowledgeable. From there we hopped on the wagon (dress warm!) to go get a Christmas tree. For $68, they have 3 types of trees to choose from - Douglas, Frazier & concord (?) and a discount tree area. Saws are available on the tractor/wagon or bring your own. I recommend bringing something to kneel on, but not essential. The ground is rocky, with stumps, so watch your step too. We found a nice tree - saw worked great - easy to load on the cart and staff got it on the back of the tractor. Back at the farm, staff took all the trees over to the bailer (see video) and we went inside to pay. Inside the gift shop there are snacks, fudge, and donuts plus stuffies, ornaments, and other knickknacks. We paid for the tree, picked it up outside, and loaded the tree on the car (bring cords, etc) and ate donuts on the way home. Everyone had a great time and we will probably come back next year!

I visited with my niece and nephew (5 and 7 years old, respectively) and yes, the admission is…read morepricey, but I felt there was enough to do to justify the price. Lots of activities for kids, including a petting zoo, big slides, rides, and games. That day they also had an antique car show and dog show (rescue dogs doing agility and tricks) going on. You can get a slight discount on admission if you purchase a ticket online instead of at the front gate. Overall, I think if you're okay with the admission price, this is a fun place for families to spend a few hours!