This zoo is T I N Y. We visited here for the walk through holiday light display and it took us maybe 10 minutes to get through the ENTIRE zoo. The price for the ZooLights was reasonable so no complaints there. I'm not sure what animals they have as all we saw out was a buffalo and a bear because it was soooo cold out. The light setup was really lovely, though. I like how well organized it was with arrows to guide you in the right direction. The butterfly display was our favorite. There was a setup at the end of the walk through for small children with rides and snacks. There was a cookie decorating station and some other activities as well. We did not partake in any of that festive fun or any of the snacks. The gift shop is very small and really only caters to small children. Lots of parking available for this zoo so no need to worry about that. Easily accessible and organized. read more

I went with friends. We did the red panda experience. You get to feed treats to the little guy. He only ate 2 bites then went up on the branch and fell asleep. I was ok that we got to feed him. But I was upset that we don't $125 each to have the experience which was not much at all. Only to find out the lady that feeds him earlier fed him a big breakfast. You do not get a refund or a pass to try again on another day, if he doesn't want yo come down to eat. I think when they know they have an appointment for this you would feed him less so the experience would have a better chance of happening. The rest of the zoo was good many animals were not there because they are someplace warm for the winter. They still had several animals to see. They all looked healthy. The zoo is very clean. There was no food to buy anywhere so we had to leave to get something to eat. It was very cold today and I would have loved buying a cup of cocoa or coffee or even tea. All in all it was a fun day at the zoo. And no crowds so we could see all animals easily. read more

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I love this zoo! I love that it is so close, and my five year old can walk through it in about an hour. The flamingo exhibit is her favorite! I love the special events that we have been to here. We met Else and Anna here. Zoo lights is also amazing. This is a great place. read more

Stone Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

Recently visited Stone Zoo for their ZooLights, and I really enjoyed it!!! It was very clean and organized. It seemed like every area of the zoo was lit up nicely, and I really liked the different themed areas, especially the butterfly display. I can't comment on the actual zoo and animals, but I definitely recommend ZooLights and am looking forward to coming back for the animals at a later time. Stone Zoo is on the smaller size, but what they lack in size and quantity, they really make up for with convenience and organization. I highly recommend, especially if you have younger kids or aren't up to walking much. I brought my almost one year old, and it really is the perfect sized zoo for him. Can't wait to go back!!! read more

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This is a great spot for a short trip with the kiddos. I have the family plan and will come in the morning and leave around noon. The staff here are all lovely and one of my favorites in the dip n' dots! They have several vending machines and an actual store. There's a variety of animals and theres even a petting zoo area as well read more

Is it the best zoo in the world? No. But for being in a local town it's amazing! Great place to bring kids for some education and entertainment! It's fairly small but has some cool animals! The staff is great! Highly recommend! read more

It was good I had a lot of fun there nice animals my family had a lot of fun there I felt relaxed there and had no stress from school Also my sister wants to go there again read more

It was pretty mediocre and yet very expensive. Nothing special, no events. No one talking about the animals or confront showing of the animals. Some Animal enclosures seemed uncared for. It's too bad. I'm sure it was nicer in years past. read more

If its a nice day with a perfect temperature, DEFINITELY recommend. But if its 90 degrees and sunny. Don't recommend. Today i went with my brother and my grandma, it was fairly fun, but it was exhausting with all the heat. All the animals, were dead asleep wanting to have nothing to do with us. Which yes, I understand. But its kind of boring and annoying seeing them just look like lazy heads. But if its 70-80 degrees and partly cloudy, Without a doubt. Go. It will be fun even if you don't have kids. There's a butterfly exhibit. Where all kinds of butterflys fly. If in the area. Go check it out. read more

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The Stone Zoo continues to be one of my favorite facilities in New England. Though the size is small, I think it actually works quite well as a benefit as other reviewers have descripted their experience here feeling more intimate than you would at another, larger zoo (for example, Franklin Park Zoo, which is also run by Zoo New England, the organization who also runs Stone Zoo!). Stone Zoo is an AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) facility, which means it is held to some of the highest welfare protocols and requirements in the country, and it shows. To me, I find the welfare at Stone to be some of the best in New England. Not only that, but I find their theming around the property to be very on brand with a lot of modern zoos too - Treasures of the Sierra Madre (their North American-South American Trail), along with their Caribbean Coast Habitats are some of the best in New England, in my opinion. Notable species here, they have quite a few. I am particularly fond of the Bush Dogs, an extremely rare canid to find in captivity in North America. Not only that, but they also have Markhor, Snow Leopard, and a few other stand-out species. It's a fantastic facility but one of the things that stands out in quality from the rest of the facility is "Windows to the Wild", and I mean this in no way in terms of welfare, I am certain that the species that are cared for in this section are done so to the best of the zoo's ability, but as a personal opinion, I find this section of the zoo to be a bit outdated and in need of a refurbishment. It's simply rows of outdoor windows facing indoors to square habitats. However, that's just personal taste. I think the improvements that have been put forth throughout the zoo, including a new Barn Owl Aviary and a new Education Center with a ton of local and exotic herptiles has been a great addition to the zoo. Many criticisms of Stone unfortunately stem from the fact that the zoo is small, but that's not a bad thing as I had originally stated. I think people need to understand that small zoos have just as much importance for conservation and family outings as large zoos do. There is a Zoo New England Membership that I think is absolutely worth it for any RI or MA local who might visit these places a few times this year. Even though admission price is decent, I think the Membership might even get you further, and even encourages you to come back here a few more times and see what's new. Overall, Stone Zoo continues to be a wonderful facility for me to constantly come back to, and happy to see it continue to grow and thrive as time goes on. About me... I am a passionate zoo and aquarium enthusiast, dedicated to exploring facilities both near and far. From local treasures in New England to renowned locations around the world, I've visited over 60 animal facilities in my quest to discover the very best. My goal is to promote those that stand out for their quality, value, and commitment to animal care and conservation. All opinions are entirely my own. I personally pay for admission to these facilities to ensure my reviews are authentic and reflect what I genuinely believe to offer the best value. read more

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Fun activity to do with family and friends. So much to look at and photo opportunities along the way there was an area where you could stop to do some activities and grab snacks and hot cocoa. I absolutely loved how they did have some zoo animals outside like the reindeer. The flamingos were definitely my favorite thing to see because they're beautifully pink in the lights just made them go highly recommend doing this for your holiday activities. read more

Stone Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

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Two months ago, I visited this zoo, and I must say, it is amazing! This isn't your average zoo. You won't see elephants, giraffes, or any common zoo species here for that matter. Definitely a 7.5/10. Small, yet beautiful. read more

A little harder to get to on the T than its larger sibling but its still a wonderful time every time

I absolutely love the stone zoo. It's small and peaceful. It's such a lovely walk, there are lots of animals to see and the staff are always kind and welcoming. I love their holiday decorations and activities. This zoo is great for little kids and families looking for a peaceful walk with lots to see and discuss. read more

This such a cute little zoo! We were in town visiting from out of state and decided to go here as reciprocal members. Parking was pretty easy even though the lot was mostly full. Plus side- much of the parking is covered! Getting tickets at the ticket office was pretty easy. Children under 2 are free. The entire zoo visit probably won't take you longer than 2 hours. Perfect for little kids before/after nap time! Our favorite exhibits were the flamingos, jaguar, wolves, and the bear. The playground is great - my little guy really enjoyed it. There are a few concession stands but your best bet is to bring in your own food. read more

Stone Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

I truly struggled with coming up with a star rating for this tiny animal enclave, tucked away by Spot Pond off of I-93. This is a location that I decided to propose to my wife at during Zoo Lights, so I don't take anything lightly when it comes to what can be said about Stone Zoo, given the legacy it will always have in my life. We have also been members on and off for several years, now taking the kids as they grow up and love to see animals in the flesh. Let's focus on the positives first. It's super clean and I like how the paths will just take you around in one giant circle to basically see everything inside. Staff have always been friendly and courteous, even though they can be a bit lacking in parts. Food is moderately priced when you need a snack, bonus 10% off as a zoo member. And the kids LOVE both the petting zoo area and the playground right next door. And now for some of the issues. As others have stated, it's fairly tiny for a zoo. You aren't going to see giraffes or gorillas here, those are found at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston. You will get your fill of bears, wolves and a jaguar, which I believe are the biggest draws here but not enough to really justify a $30 ticket. I wish they had more educational exhibits, or someone speaking on an animal or even a small show. None of that exists here and it's pretty disappointing. Really, I give it a 3.5 stars overall but rounded up. It's still a solid 2-3 hour activity for the kids north of Boston for just about anyone who loves creatures big and small. You aren't going to be blown away by any means and a one day pass may not seem worth it. I'd recommend going with a year long membership plan to satisfy the needs of your family and return several times during different times of the year, plus you get FPZ included in that cost to break it up between the two locations. read more

This is such a great little zoo! It's nice to have the option to come here when we need to mix it up and go somewhere other than Franklin Park. There are several particularly cool animals- snow leopards, jaguar, bear, reindeer, and a pack of wolves. The only downside that I see is that much of the zoo needs some serious updates. There are many enclosures that look so uncomfortable for the animals. The entrance is updated, so you expect that throughout the zoo, but that's not the case. read more

Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked - Liked The zoo was fun, it was cool to visit "late night". Social distancing was in effect which made it easy to still have fun in such a weird time. It was small but perfect considering the temp! We were happy the animals were still out. Disliked + Disliked + Disliked + Disliked + Disliked + Disliked + Disliked This was advertised to be a light show and it wasn't exactly what we expected. It was decorated with lights but not as extravagent as we thought. Restrooms, not my favorite experience. read more

Stone Zoo - Flamingos - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

2 brother black bears!! Unfortunately, a few of the massachusetts bears in captivity have died somewhat recently so we make the long drive to Stone zoo for their black bears Very worth it! It was very clean there. We went on a rainy day so there were hardly any people around. It was so peaceful I was happy to see that we could spot all the animals in their enclosures even when they were chillin in their cozy nooks, so were didn't feel like we missed anyone. Would definitely come back!! read more

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I went back to Stone Zoo today in the spring and loved it! We spent over 2 hours at the zoo this time and more animals were on exhibit than I've ever seen before! Our 3 year old daughter was able to see most of the animals standing....but her favorite is still the triceratops sculpture. read more

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Here to review the festive ZooLights! ZooLights ran from November 19 - January 9 (Closed 11/25 & 12/25) in 2021 starting at 4PM and ending at 9:30 PM. Non-member tickets were $13.95. Come early as the zoo was already crowded by the time we arrived at 5. Don't expect to see many animals as most were asleep during this time or were not shown in the winter. Still, it was fun to see animals I've never seen before such as flamingos and owls. There was a sign that even announced a baby sloth was born in 2021, which was really cute! Best of all, there was festive Christmas music that played loudly and sure got me in the mood! They have a guided path so you'll be sure to visit every exhibit of the tour. My favorite parts would definitely have to go to the in-sync lights display that went along with selective Christmas music, and Santa's Castle. I know most people go here with their kids but I bet I enjoyed that Castle as much as the kids did! The vibes were just so heartwarming there, and everything felt so intricately designed. If it wasn't for the wave of crowds and the cold, I would have stayed there much longer! For the price, ZooLights is definitely worth it with the amount of things to see here. If you're looking for a place to feel festive, this is your stop! read more

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If I could give zero stars I would. This zoo is profiting off animal cruelty. All of the enclosures are far too small and don't provide enough shade and shelter for the animals. Visiting the reindeer, who was leaning up against a fan for dear life was the tipping point. Watching wolves pace in circles and monkeys scale fences because there isn't adequate greenery for them. Also watched a Mahkor scaling a fence trying to get access to leaves to eat. This place is APPALLING. read more

Stone Zoo - Reindeer leaning up against fan for dear life - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

sorry i never write bad reviews but this is pretty crappy. ZOO LIGHTS, the zoo overall during the day is ok, i have a membership and the playground across the street is really nice. but zoo lights DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY. not much discount for members, charge more if you buy tickets at the gate. charge you for 2 year olds, santa sched. is very ltd. not the whole season, check ahead. we went on opening night b/c the grinch was supposed to be there, ended up playing a grinch version of where's waldo, and never found him. they only had him there from 6-8, how much could a grinch cost? and he was just wandering around, not a picture taking thing like santa or anything. cant see most of the animals b/c it's dark. so if you have a big family you are paying alot of money to just look at lights. read more

Tiny for a zoo, but sometimes you want to spend an hour at lunch saying hello to the yak and the arctic foxes rather than taking a daylong trip to see every sort of exotic creature under the sun. Easy to park; easy to get out in the sunshine and see the animals. read more

Stone Zoo - Inca tern - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

Visited the Zoo to support the animals and donate to their care. They instituted a lot of socially distance measures such as advanced pay and one way travel through the Zoo. They have hand sanitizer upon entering as well. My favorite animal was the snow leopard. They came right up to the fence. So beautiful. The wolves were also very stunning. This isn't the biggest zoo but it provided a nice, safe outdoor activity during the pandemic. read more

We went to A Wild Affair today at the Stone Zoo. We had a great time and the food was very good. I recommend it to anyone who would like to help support our zoo. read more

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Being from Florida driving miles up to New England back and forth and every which other way. I've been to many zoos and aquariums with my family. Stone zoo is the most rundown zoo I have ever seen on top of the construction the little construction they're trying to make look good. It's just a failure. It looks to me honest to God like a jail for animals. It's so sad for them. How's beyond upset over the amount we could paid for five people $20 a ticket for adults and $16.85 for children. And they didn't even warn you in the beginning how much construction they're trying to do. That place should be shut down and they should warn people when they're going in oh you're paying this month but you're getting bent over. Just save your money and go for free to the worst place in Boston and watch all the meth heads and homeless runaround that's about equal. But it's free!!! Poor animals. Smh read more

I visited with the kids and there are more animals than there are at the Franklin park zoo. That said, not all the animals are in their enclosures probably because it's still chilly and there was some maintenance/construction happening. It's a family friendly experience offering sanitizing stations and sufficient room to comfortably physically distance from others. The bathroom visit was less less than pleasant but that's not saying much because odds are any other public restroom is also gross. The playground was a bit crowded but I still recommend going there at the end of your visit. The main thing is that the kids had fun. I can't wait to visit again in July for zoo lights. read more

I'm so sorry to write a negative review. My husband and I went to the tales and ales event. The event itself was well organized and the staff and vendors were great. However, the animals enclosures were so tiny, the water looked stagnant and green when I did see water, I didn't see anything enriching for the animals, simply caged animals. The 200 lb cougar has a smaller enclosure than my dog (1/2 acre). Two bears living in a space the size of a 3 car garage, the snakes, the alligator on a slab of pavement with the green gross water. And I was so sad by the bats tiny area. I left feeling more sad than anything. What can we as a community do to help? read more

Stone Zoo - Bushdogs - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

Boo at the Zoo on Sunday October 20 was fantastic!! Lots of activities (decorate your goodie bag, find the sloth, costume contest, color the flamingo and many others!). Expertly organized and the Stone Zoo expected over 4,000 visitors today -- there was really no waiting at any of the exhibits!! Parking was very organized too. read more

every hand sanitizer was full and the bathrooms were spotless! this is a big deal to me.

Cute small zoo with 2 snow leopards that you can get very close to! Great for humans especially kids, not so great for the animals..:(

Stone Zoo is smaller than most zoos. They claim to have all these animals but they were no where to be found. I would suggest at least putting up signs that they aren't there so people aren't trying to look forever for them. A good part of the zoo was under construction when I went so all I heard was drilling and banging noises and all of this was very unpleasant. They have a very spacious parking lot which is great. They have a bunch of field trips from schools so be prepared. I was on a date here with my boyfriend since we live so close by and this was a good spot to see everything we did get a chance to see there. Fyi- right when you walk in to the flamingos, be prepared of the smell! I pass the zoo a lot and they do a ton of events for kids. I would highly recommend checking out their calendar for events. The Halloween event looked great from the outside. read more

Stone Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Stoneham, Massachusetts

We went here as a kid and I loved it then and still love it. We had a lot of fun my wife and I. The animals were all in good health. We did a one to one tortoise time which was awesome read more

Enjoyed my visit this summer. Tickets are timed during covid-19, was easy to social distance as was not crowded at all. It was just 2 adults in my party so we got through it in about 90 minutes. Deducting a star since a lot of animals were missing from their enclosures and some parts of the zoo could use a remodel. The animals we could see were pretty close such as the bear pictured below. Parking in their lot was very easy. read more

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This is a small community zoo with a few different animals than other zoos but not worth the price. $26 per adult and $¹6 per child is very steep. We paid over $115 for our party. Also they have Dippin dots machines throughout the park at $6 per cup.. I would not recommend this park zoo read more

We came this afternoon for an activity with the kids. My friends have been here several times for ZooLights. This was their first visit in daylight. The zoo is on the small side. some of the larger animals were clearly pacing. Despite this, the kids had fun see many animals: otters, flamingos, monkeys, bald eagle, bear, wolves, couger, snow leopard, reindeer, owls, falcons and snakes. read more

We went for princess day and I was honestly so disappointed. We had timed tickets for 1:00 PM and the traffic and parking situation was an absolute nightmare. They really need to have staff directing parking. The police details were also just sitting in their vehicles and not helping with the traffic at all. After trying to park in the lot for over 20 minutes we ended up having to leave and turn around and find a spot on the main road. We didn't get inside until almost 1:45 PM. The lines to meet the princesses were extremely long and most were 90+ minute waits so my two year old never got to meet the princesses or take a photo with them. I was hoping that their would be princesses walking about the zoo but that was not the case. As far as the animals go, most looked extremely sad and depressed. The enclosures were very small compared to other zoos we have been to. I honestly felt very bad for most of them. I was expecting it to be busier with the event taking place but I didn't expect it to be so disorganized and you would think it would be somewhat less crowded with the timed tickets. I don't think we would ever return. read more

The zoo unfortunately is in terrible shape. Poor animals need more space. Zoo was dirty and a lot of the cages were empty. Food services are awful. I would hope the owner/management of the zoo either makes it better for the animals or move them to a better zoo. read more

We come here regularly with the kids over summer breaks, and always for ZooLights each Christmas. They do a great job bringing in new attractions each year (like the dinosaurs this year). One of the few things we could do as a family when the pandemic was raging. read more