Southwick's Zoo in Wellesley

I ashamed to say this, Ive never been to a zoo before. Driving was far, it was worth the drive. We had a blast, I really enjoyed the animals, staff were friendly

We love Southwick Zoo. Always so much fun from the animals to the rides. Great time for families of all ages. Feeding the deer, goats, and parakeets are a family must. The train conductor is always so friendly and welcoming. And the sky ride lets you see the zoo in a different view. Would definitely plan a trip.

This was a Beautiful place, a lot of space for the animals. Right now the Lanterns are up for the night events.We kept our distance from the animals the lady asked us to watch for, but they still saw Kona and Oh Boy were they interested in her! The Cheetah, Oxs and Giraffe all were very interested in Kona. (We got zoom pictures of then, lol)Buddy made friends with the Mandrill baby and the Lemurs, he is so small, friendly and just doesnt seem intimidating to anyone that the shy animals all come over to check him out, and he just happily wags his tail while they do.

What an amazing trip. We made the hour and a half drive. Well worth it. The only downside was that most of the food vendors were closed. But the restaurant that’s open it’s really nice. Staff was great. The zoom is a little bit of a maze but the animals are great and so are the displays

It was a beautiful fall day at the zoo! We had a train ride and a pony ride and a sky ride! Wow what fun! Free parking is always a plus! Easy access for wheelchairs, strollers and such! Very neat and clean! Food at the deli was delish! We cant wait to visit again!

The best zoo that Ive visited in Massachusetts. There is a lot to see here, so be sure to arrive early or you wont have enough time to explore everything. The petting zoo and deer forest were amazing!!!

Amazing zoo! Very much worth the trip, the staff were very kind and the prices were in line with what one would expect. Only negative is none of the small shops were open when we went to visit and the white rhino wasnt out (but thats just me being nit picky). Id expect to spend 2ish hours here.

We loved the zoo. My favorite are the giraffe s. They are beautiful. Also the prairie dogs are so cute. They also have a lantern festival. It was nice seeing all the paper art works throughout the zoo. That sadly is not during normal zoo hours and have to pay an extra fee. They also have a train and sky ride, which are also extra fees. We did do the train for $7 each because that was the only way to see the elk. The zoo is on a hill so expect a lot of walking up and down hills. Also not all the shops/food were open and only Porta potty towards the bottom of the hill. The others were back at the top of the hill by the restaurant.

Im between a 3 and 4.The good, decent variety of animals for a small zoo. Most of the grounds well kept. Attractions designed well enough we could see every animal.The areas to consider improvement, bathrooms were outdated, dark and not as clean as wed like, the signs and maps are not up to date, resulting in lost time and confusion, most (maybe allthe stands were not open for food/beverage.You will need coins to buy food for the petting zoo, they are using very old machines. I believe the vending machines were the same, but I didnt get close enough to confirm.All in all, my daughter liked the trip. Well explore other regional zoos, but Im sure we will go again sometime in the future.

I LOVED the deer forest!! It was the best part of the trip for me! During the cooler months some of the animals do get out inside because they cannot handle our particular brand of chill. We still saw a ton of animals! We took the train and got to see all of the deer maybe elk? Near the pond! My toddler loved the experience and was sleeping before we backed out of our parking spot!

Best zoo experience! The walk around the park moves at a nice pace and even for a discount weekend day the crowds were not bad and the lines to see exhibits were nonexistent. The animals are all in nice enclosures but they’re all easy to see and take pictures of from the path. The two interactive animal enclosures were a lot of fun and highly recommended. Great overall experience!

Great value zoo. Huge exhibits and plenty to do and eat.The skyfari ride is pretty engaging and unique about the zoo and was fun to experience. Better layout than the Springfield zoo and the shops were a little more organized.

Well spent a memorable day at this zoo. This Zoo has plenty of animals. Well maintained animals with nature habitats. Tickets are bit high than expected.

Great place to visit with family and friends. had really great time there. We went during august end and weather was really good. My daughter really enjoyed seeing animals first time. Only problem is bees but it’s zoo so you have to live with it.

Wonderful zoo! Tons to do with your kids, big, and small. We had a great trip, and will certainly be back!

First time going to Southwick Zoo and I loved my time there! The zoo has a parr where you can feed the deers and pet them on their backs. Also, a place for you to go to experience parakeets flying to you.The skyfari provided a gorgeous aerial view of half of the zoo. Unfortunately, didnt go on the train ride, but I would definitely come back for that experience.Below are some photos I took on my Samsung phone.

This is an awesome zoo, fun for all ages. This zoo has chimps, Tigers, lions and rhinos for unique exhibits and many more animals. A highlight is the petting zoo and the deer park where you can walk amongst the deer and feed them. Great way to spend the day.

So much fun. Awesome restaurant right inside zoo which was amazing. The skyride was a wonderful way to see the park and exhibits from a birds eye view. Had such a blast feeding the deer and parakeets. I am shocked that it took me so long I to my life to visit.

We had the best time there. The animals are well taken care of. We absolutely Loved the Deer park. You can feed them and pet them. Went to the restaurant had a delicious meal. Our server was incredible! We will definitely be going back Two thumbs up

Lovely zoo. I love the deer enclosure because you can go inside and interact and feed the deer. They also have discounts for military and veterans.

Wow what a beautiful clean zoo nice shade to walk around a great sky ride around the zoo, a really fun zip line and just very family friendly.. the deer forest is way cool! a must go, especially if your close! Me and the kids loved it.. A+

Good zoo and staff, very friendly!!Unfortunately, when we visited, the restrooms were closed due to a water issue and visitors had to use porter potties.This would not have been that big an issue, except we were initially told by employees, erroneously, that the only porter potties were located right outside the entrance.Still a very good experience!!

Great zoo. Lots of shade. Many different kinds of animals. We loved all the primates. Our favorite parts were Deer Forest and the petting zoo. You could feed the animals in both parts. Bring quarters.

Hands down our favorite Zoo experience, Weve been to The Bronx zoo Beardsley zoo and animal kingdom in Disney and this is by far the best,its bigger nicer more spacious and its fun for the kids we saw everything that you could imagine and more. By the time we were exhausted from all the walking we ended up looking at the map and we only got to see 2/3 of the zoo and we were there for at least 6 and a 1/2 hours so you could imagine all the attractions.

Such an awesome Zoo! We had a blast! So many beautiful animals so well taken care of in lots of their natural looking habitats! So much to do it was definitely a great zoo! Nice staff also!

The Southwicks zoological park is getting better every year, adding new educational experiences, updating, improving, and expanding naturalistic enclosures. Every exhibit is accessible, however there are many steep and long inclines making wheelchair use difficult/strenuous at times. Good and varied food offerings in the park.

Nice zoo with many beautiful animals! My girls had a blast. Many fun activities to do at the zoo but it is very pricey. Will definitely be back again.Parking is free at the zoo !

The zoo is very awesome, I definitely recommend going there. I was there with my family and had a lot of fun, you can try many different things there including petting and feeding animals like deer, goats, and parrots.

Best zoo in New England. The animal variety is surprising! My favorites today were the Deer Forest where you can walk among and feed deer, the young Emus, the Rhinoceros, the Lions and Bengal Tigers, so many monkey species, and even more birds. The animal enclosures made viewing easy, and the animals are clearly well cared-for. The animal care-takers were great ambassadors and truly went the extra mile answering questions for elementary school-aged kids.

What an amazing zoo tucked away in a quite wooded residential neighborhood. They have such cool things here that some other zoos dont. Like:-a goat & Llama feeding/petting zoo-35 acre forest where you can feed the deer right from your hands (bring quarters for the corn machine)-camel rides-lions (best time to see them is around feeding time 3-4pm-ish)-tigers, cheetahs, giraffes-a parakeet show-a safari sky ride-and my favorite, an enclosure where you hold up a popsicle stick with bird food on it (cost $2 per stick - WORTH ITand the birds fly right onto the stick and sometimes on your hand/arms or even your head-and so much more, including special events (listed on their website).After all that fun, you & your guests/kids will have worked up an appetite, so make sure you leave time at the end for dinner at one of the best restaurants I have ever been to, Gallifords. Its attached to the zoo and reservations are recommended as it gets busy with zoo-goers and locals from the area. Also great for the kids; they have crayons & really cool kids coloring/games paper. Make sure you go say hi to the best bartender/server ever, Brynn. She makes amazing drinks. Have fun; hope this review helps.

We loved our visit. We recommend doing the skyfari first thing. It’s a great aerial view of most of the zoo. The end of may is the absolute perfect time if you want to see the babies because pretty much any animal they have had babies. That’s pretty rare in enclosures to have that many. Even goslings were there. Elk and deer too. The road to get there was rough though and you feel like you are on a cow path at times though worth it. We paid 88 for 2 adults so it’s a hefty price. This time of year not many snack stations were open and not all the little stores were either. With all that being said still was worth the trip.

This zoo is so beautiful! I really enjoyed the ride that brings you over the zoo! Visited at the best time because all of the baby animals! The little prairie dogs were so tiny and adorable! And all of the baby monkeys just stole my heart!

This place is absolutely fantastic. I’ve visited a few times and took some amazing pictures of the wildlife that is there. It is clear that the staff really do care for the animals and provide clean and big enclosures for their animals to exhibit their natural behaviors. Of course, no zoo will ever be able to replicate the wild entirely but they are doing their best and it clearly shows. There’s plenty of activities for kids to do and plenty of fun for adults as well. There are food stops around the zoo to grab a quick snack as well as gift shops and I especially like the skyfari ride that lets you see the whole zoo from a Birdseye view. I would definitely recommend visiting this place.

Alot of hills. If your disabled, plan accordingly. Steep hills, like to the train ride. Dont have hand rails along the path. I give 5 stars. Because, everything was clean, staff were fantastic, it was a great day an a absolute fantastic experience.

My family loves this zoo!! My kids are a huge fan of the deer park! This was our first time going in early spring, we loved seeing all the baby animals!

A little expensive, but given the local options, soo worth the money. Absolutely huge, spent 2-3 hours and didnt see it all. Animals look happy and healthy, almost all were out. Friendly staff, many available to direct or inform. Restrooms, washing stations, maps, snack areas and sitting areas available every few feet. Expect to get hot, there are bugs (gnats?that youll collect in your hair, wear COMFORTABLE sneakers. Alot of walking, alot of sun exposure. Such a great place, rides and other activities available, but not necessary, you will have plenty to do and interact with

Southwick is my familys favorite zoo. It is well spread out, the enclosures look authentic and roomy & clean. Theres a huge assortment of animals, rides (closed for covidand a new playground. You can feed & pet the goats in their petting area. And you can feed & pet the deer in deer forest. (Some will let you pet them). Bring a few dollars to buy the food.

Love the feel of this zoo! It’s not too big but not too small. We’ve gone several time and always had a great time! The bird show is a must see. And make sure you bring quarters to feed the deer in the forest.

Southwick Zoo has plenty of animals for the whole family to learn and enjoy as you walk to several trails throughout the zoo. Theres plenty of toddler rides and concession stands to provide a variety of yummy treats for the entire family. Lastly, dont forget to drive through for The Illuminations during Christmas time. It doesnt disappoint. And theres even a traveling circus with tent and performing dogs and acrobatics.

Southwick Zoo is such a fantastic place and with the Illumination festival of lights its even better! You get a chance to drive through the park that youd normally walk in and you get a different perspective on the place. The sights and sounds of truly amazing!

We went for the Christmas lights what a fantastic time we had. It was worth the carload ticket price. I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to go next year. What a beautiful display of lights. You actually drive through the zoo and look at all the lights.

Been going to this zoo for many years, even had the opportunity to work a couple weekends years ago with some of my reptiles. Great zoo, great people running it and working hard there. Just went to the illumination of lights there tonight and again I am blown away. There will always be a spot in my life and family for this zoo and its animals. Till next time!

We attended the Festival of Illumination and Winter Wonderland. This experience was absolutely breathtaking! Not only is the zoo our favourite in the area, but the holiday celebrations like this one are top notch!

Southwick’s Christmas lights display was very good. I was truly surprised at the intricate details of their lighting displays and ornamental decorations. They did an awesome job. Kids of all ages would enjoy this drive-through lighted, animated winter safari. Just be sure to pack the car with as many people as possible since the price of entrance is a bit steep at $50 per car.

Loved the Chinese Lantern Festival! We approached each exhibit like it was art, marveling at the workmanship, the colors, and the composition. I read to allow 1 to 1.5 hours. We took 2. I could have stayed longer at the fire pits. It was great!

Wonderful place to visit! We go at least a few times a year, especially on weekdays when its less crowded. There are so many unique animals Ive never seen anywhere else and they all look so healthy and well taken care of. There are so many babies born each year and thats always a joy to see! Highly recommend for anyone who loves animals! 😊

Yes, there are a lot of pics but who wouldnt take these many pics. Its Southwick Zoo at night during their Festival of Illumination. We love our Southwick Zoo trips but this was our first experience with their Festival of Illumination and it was refreshingly breathtaking. Dont expect to see too many animals, most of the zoo is roped off but the animals we did see were so active. These pics do not do justice to the actual size of these illuminated displays, they must be experienced in person. Thank you Southwick Zoo, just when we thought we knew all you had to offer...wow!

Really enjoyed the zoo, was perfect weather and so many animals to see. Took the train ride with my granddaughter, she thought it was very cool seeing the reindeer up close. Take the day and just stroll around, nice outing with the little ones.

We loved it! Didnt have enough time to see all of the animals. Favorite part was the sky ride through the park and seeing the 6-week old giraffe!!! Highly recommend visiting. Great for families and nature lovers alike!!!

Great zoo for young and old. It was bigger than I expected and the animals all had big enclosures and appeared to be very healthy. The zoo is shady, so on hot days no one is sweltering in the heat. It was our first trip and I am sure we will be going again. It is a great day trip, you can bring snacks and a lunch or eat from the food vendors. There are plenty of picnic tables everywhere.