I spent two hour touring the zoo and I had a great time. They have lots of interesting animals to see like elephants, giraffes, penguins, a snow leopard, several wallabies, a capybara (new), several tropical birds and monkeys, etc. Going early in the morning is great to beat the crowds and to see the animals feed. There is a gift store, several food stands and many places to get fun pictures taken. This year they also had a VR experience where guests can spend a few minutes looking into a VR helmet and see any four wildlife visual ($8 per experience). If you are a city of Providence resident, you get free entry the first Saturday of every month. read more

See all

It had been years since I had been to Roger Williams Zoo, so that coupled with a 50 degree late winter day made me venture out. And I came away with mixed feelings. First, the staff is geat and friendly,no issues there. That said, the zoo is probably half the size I remember it being. I knew it was small, but I didn't remember it being as small as it was/is. It only took me an hour to do it, and I wasn't racing through it by any means. Secondly, and maybe this is why it seemed so small, a lot of animals weren't out. That I can understand given the weather, but it was disappointing nonetheless. The animals I did see were great, and it was a fun time. That said, I would rate RWZ behind the Bronx Zoo and Southwicks, but ahead of Buttonwoods. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

Every visit to the RWPZ is a treat! I am so excited they finished the new catio and I love the addition of an informational sign for local cat adoptions. There are so many fun things to do and cool animals to see all year long! read more

See all

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. read more

See all

Easy to navigate the park Nice selection of animals that are close enough to get a good view of read more

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! read more

Roger Williams Park Zoo - Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular - Zoos Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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! read more

See all

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. read more

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!! read more

See all

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 read more

See all

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. read more

Roger Williams Park Zoo - Penguins!!!! - Zoos Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

See all

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 read more

See all

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! read more

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. read more

See all

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. read more

Roger Williams Park Zoo - Alice - Zoos Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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. read more

See all

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! read more

See all

Great little park. The pumpkin exhibit is great! Kids love it! Do not recommend late at night.

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... read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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. read more

Roger Williams Park Zoo - Elephant - Zoos Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

See all

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. read more

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. read more

See all

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. read more

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. read more

See all

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). read more

Roger Williams Park Zoo - Elephants! - Zoos Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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! read more

See all

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. read more

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 read more

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! read more

See all

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! read more

See all

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. read more

Roger Williams Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

See all

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 read more

See all

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! read more

See all