Reviews of Southwick's Zoo (Zoo)

Jennifer MacLeod

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.

Steve Cantalupo

Excellent zoo! Great play area as well!! My favorite part was the animals made out of Legos!!

Chris Rapacioli - Key To The Dream Realty Group

No wait

Amanda Bundt

Visited on

John Grande

Reservation recommended

Raja Gorla

Yes

Animal Bunch

No wait

Stacey Shackford

Wonderful private zoo, animals are cared for like their own children. What makes this zoo stand out is the woodland like esthetic. The deer forest and elk area has to be the best attraction in the whole place!

Kevin Geremia

Visited on

Crystal Roberts

Wait time

Gary Pickard

Wait time

Jennifer Dodge

Reservation recommended

Random Singer Girl

Yes, there are a lot of pics but who wouldn't take these many pics. It's 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. Don't 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!

Donna Darveau

No wait

Sebastian Iturregui-Shelton

Winter Wonder Land Lights. Really nice light display but certainly not worth $60 a car load.

Caitlin Bart

I loved this zoo for the variety of animals, good atmosphere, entertainments. Truly the best Zoo I have ever visited

Paula Stephens

Price for adult entry

Shaun K.

The best zoo around my area! So many amazing animals and a goat petting area!! Myself I would go just to sit with the goats???? they also have an area where you walk and feed deer.so much fun for the whole family.

Chris Gregoire

It was so nice to get out. The animals were so cute, a monkey wrapped itself in a blanket! Had a blast! However $35 for a wheelchair felt like robbery.

Mama T

What an absolute gem of a zoo!!! Clean, well kept, shaded..we were impressed w how nice the enclosures were...we did have some concern about the lion enclosure being so small and the females obvious and judging by the path she wore out -obssesive pacing...she seemed so stressed out...we really really enjoyed our day here!

PayItForward

No wait

Perry Lamkins

The lights were beautiful but $30 for a walkthrough that was only like 45 min was a little much otherwise it's a great park and alot to do during the day when your there to see the animals.

Christine Franklin

Love this place, we enjoyed very much. It's feel more environmental for the animals and so much to do.

James Lynch

Weekend

Nick Tiernan

Wait time

Sandeep Avachat

Visited on

David

The Zoo is an amazing experience...unfortunately our visit was cut short because there was an event later at the zoo and they closed before the usual time......we had to rush through it to try and see everything in 2.5 hrs....its a big zoo....other than that, we loved it.

Nicholas Ogden

Reservation recommended

Cindy Beba

WE HAD A BLAST HERE!!! My husband, his service dog and I travel the country for his job. And we try to visit all the zoos. Ive been on a billion zoo trips and this was my most favorite trip yet! We went on a gloomy day so there were hardly any people and we visited most of the zoo unaccompanied. The lady at the desk told us that they dont receive many service dog guests. Once we got in the zoo that was very apparent. ALL of the animals held an interest in our dog. It made for a very interactive experience. Though we did not get to visit the parts of the zoo with free roaming animals it was a blast. We want to go back without her to try the hands on experience. 15/10 loved this zoo.

Urvi Shah

I use to go there a lot, once covid hit, i couldn't go. But coming back after covid I like how well the zoo updated it and there is more to it with more exhibits, it looks a lot nicer. The only con I would have is that there were still some christmas decor at the zoo in July. Otherwise amazing experienced and have been going for years and will continue to do so. Also the restaurant there was good.

Matty Thrash

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 it's animals. Till next time!

Crystal Almeida

We had a blast here! It's the perfect size where you can see it all in a day! Tons of interactive options, it was clean, and healthy happy looking animals. We will be back!

R E D D

Yes

WhtMntHiker

Due to covid a lot of places closed which cut our experience short. But it was great to see folks around navigate through the zoo. It was an extremely hot day, hard to spot any animals I don't blame them. The zoo needs a complete renovation to be more inclusive and introducing more animals to their collections.

Durgesh Tiwari

By far my favorite zoo! We became members because of all the great events they hold. Just went to the Festival of Illumination and it was FANTASTIC!

Erik M

Weekend

holly Bruso

Great zoo for younger children, lots of activities in addition to the animals but not so much that you can't do it all in one afternoon!

K B

Weekday

Dennis Edwards

Price for adult entry

Aditya Gupta

i went with my niece today and my family. everything was great, we had fun until we went on the sky ride. my niece and a family friend went on and a little into the ride i notice the guy didn’t put down their safety bar. do you know how dangerous that is? especially for little kids? over animals as well? it is ridiculous. i told them to hold tight to the side because god knows what could’ve happen, that is so irresponsible. when we got off i told the guy down there, he said they had lifted it up, how can two kids lift that up by themselves? you have to press down on a lever and then lift it up. don’t blame the kids teach them to be careful.

Nabeel Sheikh

Visited on

Kelli Braley

Wait time

Sandy Atkinson

No wait

Melanie Shortall (Mel)

Weekday

Leila Mahmood

Not sure

Vellentie fam Vellentie

Not sure

Michael Lowder

The best zoo in the New England area. Arguably one of the best on east coast. The standout exhibit is the deer forest where you get to walk with the deer and feed them. The train ride gives you spectacular close up look at majestic elks and is worth the additional $5. The only downside is that they surprisingly have no annual membership so every time you have to pay a hefty entrance fee.

Caite Garcia

The Halloween/Fall light show is pretty cool. The kids had a blast.

Rylan Tang

Wait time

Josh Alt

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.

Nathan Halla

Wait time

Chelsea S.

Wait time

Jack Keegan

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!

Sophia Paul

Wait time

Katiuscia McElwain

We visited the zoo during illumination festival. It was simply amazing. Kids thoroughly loved it. There was a circus too which was fun as well to do with family.

Victoria

We love this place and enjoy it at least once a year. The deer park and bird aviary are some if our favorite attractions.

demond penalver

This Zoo is good. My opinion as a professional member of AZA is that it could use more directional signs and/or a better map. Signs describing the animals should be placed on every viewing side.

Danny Otero

$21–30

Sarah F.

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

Wilma S

$21–30

Jeremy Balmos

Visited on

Mikki Sandlin

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

Nicole Wood

This isn't the zoo you use to go to as a kid, it's so much better. Wear your comfy shoes, it's allloooottt of walking, it is exceptionally clean, well maintained, lots of animals, exhibits, fun facts, shows, kiddie rides, playgrounds, even a sky ride and zip line, train ride, and more. You can bring your own food or buy there, bathrooms and sanitization areas. An entire deer part where the deer just com up to you. It great for the kids, family trip or even a date. You may think at $25/ea that's a strep price, but well worth it. Oh and free parking! What's not to love!

Ashley Silvia

This zoo brings back so many memories i love this zoo but their prices are so high. Prices should come down Rodger Williams is better and way cheaper at least kids get a discount there.

Jess

Wait time

Shannon Hadley

Weekend

jeanette L

Wait time

Sarah Solomon

Great Christmas ???? Light drive thru show! The acrobat act in the tent after was also great!

Elizabeth Cafarella

Wait time

Ben Rogers

We went to the drive through light display. It was absolutely beautiful. Decorations, music, lights ect... Bit pricey but it's per car not per person so it evens out. Highly recommend it.

Kirsten Vermeulen

The zoo had a lot more than I had initially expected. The variety of animals and activities were also amazing. Can't wait to plan my next trip.

Christine Martin

We loved it! Didn't 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!!!

Angela Shaw

Visited on

Laura LaValley

Yes

Kourtney Taylor

The best zoo in the world. So many wonderful animals and very cool rides. A zip line ride and train raid as well as a skyfari. The food is great and animals are active and so special. Fantastic pricing and fun for all ages. Go early because your day will fly by and you won't want to leave. Highly recommend.

Mimsthrilla Mimi

Can see a lot of wild animals. The staff are very polite and courteous. The even provide water to fill your water bottles. The lady at the Giraffe enclosure is super friendly and really is passionate to share knowledge of the giraffe family. Overall a very positive experience. Just make sure you are carrying lot of water to stay hydrated as it takes about 3 to 4 hours to visit all the animals. The skyline is an added bonus and is not too be missed.

Dave O

Best zoo in the area. We love coming here and seeing all the animals who seem very happy and healthy.

Jill Marshall

Visited on

Dima Oli

Great zoo! Skyfari is a must. Train ride, Petting zoo, Mining, zip line.. lots of options, plan accordingly ????

Gabrielle Lavallee

Yes

Karl Schaeffer

Wonderful day trip. Enjoyed seeing all the animals and especially liked walking through the deer forest and taking the train ride through elk crossing. A little on the expensive side but worth it.

Just an Emt Trying to enjoy every day

Public holiday

Yue Xu

Reservation recommended

Kiran Perumbol

Visited on

Alisa Belova

Reservation recommended

Tiffany Bettez

Yes

Lisa Marie Laroche

It was nice, more animals than most zoos around here. Lots of rides and stands were closed but overall it was good

Melissa Dayz

This visit is one for the book. We went there on Labor day. It was crowded but everyone followed rules and had masks on. We found sanitizers' dispensers all throughout the park. We tried the zipline and the skyfari sky ride. Amazing experiences. My son did the pony ride as well, could not stop smiling. We then fed deers and amazingly found a spot to feed the giraffes. Top notch experience. We found help everywhere as employees were not reluctant to help. There are multiple places to eat. Clean bathrooms and portable ones throughout the entire park. Every employee we met was patient, kind and efficient. My son had a blast. We will surely come back.

Brian Gorman

Wait time

Mark Barnes

Up to 10 min

Inessa Moshkina

Weekend

Cbcjvm6

Reservation recommended

Gabriel Ramos

It is a great place to spend a 4-5 hours Also, try to bring coins ???? (2 * 25 cents ) to pay for animal food ( ???? sheep and ???? deer ) from a machine.

Kat Mumme

No wait

Jaz Indiciti

Southwick Zoo has plenty of animals for the whole family to learn and enjoy as you walk to several trails throughout the zoo. There's plenty of toddler rides and concession stands to provide a variety of yummy treats for the entire family. Lastly, don't forget to drive through for The Illuminations during Christmas time. It doesn't disappoint. And there's even a traveling circus with tent and performing dogs and acrobatics.

Matt Franzen

Visited on

KTP Ktphotography

Weekend

Ghia G

Southwick’s Zoo is a true gem worth checking out. Lots of awesome animals, skyline, zip line, a deer park and petting zoo with goats. Lots of fun and something for everyone!

Tyler F.

We love this zoo. Tons of stuff to see including getting to pet some animals and ride carnival rides. Lots of shade here to for those hot days at the zoo. We went here just last night for the drive thru lights festival and it was amazing.

Mike Pucci

Reservation recommended

sheila cincone

This year Southwick outdid themselves with Illuminations. The show was fantastic. It is still on until November 1, 2021. A must see. It is worth every penny. The family had an enjoyable evening.

Joanna M

Price for adult entry

Katie C.

Reservation recommended

Johanne B

My family's absolute favorite zoo in Massachusetts! It's such a natural landscape that you feel like you're part of the enclosures, and the animals have plenty of trees, shade, natural rock formations, etc. The petting zoo and deer forest are a lot of fun, as is the skytrain over the zoo. Highly recommend!

Deimarys Martz

No wait

Maryam Mehmood

Weekday

Joel Kuhns

Yes

AS A

The drive through Christmas lights were cool. They have a small carnival with games and scheduled acts. Great spot for the kids. Santa and Mrs. Claus were cool too!

Oksana Liteplo

Always our family to go zoo. We’ve been to other zoos but my kids never feel as welcome and free. Good staff and good restaurants. Bathrooms always clean, water fountains everywhere.

Molly Smith

Yes

Elisabeth Jones

Festival of lights was great. Hidden gem a little off the beaten path, but worth it for the little ones and the young at heart.. There are some rides and the animals look well cared for.

Patricia White

First time coming here! It was cool! The petting zoo attendant was super nice and my kids had a blast feeding and petting the goats. The deer forest walk was so different! In the best way! Lots of different types of animals to see. We know it was early in the season so we're planning on coming back and crossing our fingers that the skyfari ride, certain animals and such will be open! Btw, the chimpanzees were hilarious and so fun to watch! We could've watched them for hours!

Monica Johnson

Weekend

Jana L

Southwick zoo is a great place for adults and kids. There is a great verity of animals along with a petting zoo with goats and a deer forest where you can feed and pet all of them. They also have a great restaurant on sight.

Edgar Almonte

Festival Illumination of lights at the zoo was great last night. The perfect environment for the showing.

nattaly vaquerano

Southwick's zoo has an impressive number of animal exhibits as well as some incredibly fun attractions such as the skyline that flies you directly over the animal enclosures and the deer park that allows you to interact with dozens of deer. I highly recommend this zoo to all animal lovers who want a fun day full of adventure.

sowmya keshava

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!

Jeremy Scott

Friday night me and the Mrs. my 14 year old son and 13 year old granddaughter drove an hour and a half to see the beautiful lights displayed at Southwick Zoo. We were pleasantly surprised by the tent circus performers. We enjoyed the music from(Frozen) the traveling gypsie dog act and the flame twirling acrobatic performances also. We finished the evening with a delicious meal at the restaraunt on the premesis. Oh yeah they had Guinness on tap. A good time was had by all.

Mary

Visited on

Cathryn Vasconcelos

THIS IS MAINLY REGARDING HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY FOR THOSE IN A CHAIR OR SCOOTERS.The zoo animal wise is nice. I do want to let people know tho handicap accessibility is difficult. My boyfriend is permanently is a wheel chair. His mother came to visit and since we recently went to the aquarium and it was handicap accessible. I assumed the zoo would be too. I am not stating that maybe with the right power chair or scooter it might be better. But we took his scooter and he was not able to get very close to mamy of the exibits or to be able to get up alot of the hills so he missed seeing about half of the animals. Also most walkways were dirt and could be rocky at times.To get a scooter in the bathrooms is difficult as well. I did hear they have a handicap bathroom but we did not see it. I just wished it was more handicap accessible for my boyfriend as he was really looking forward to it. And I know was disappointed he missed so much.

Diane Rosas

Our new favorite zoo ???? Plan to spend a few hours..so much to do! Zip line is a fun quick ride (extra $)! Being able to walk amongst and feed and pet deer made my day! We were also able to feed and pet goats. Seriously this place is awesome! We rode a camel (extra $). There is great choices for food and bathrooms throughout. We spent about 4 hours and didn't even get to ride the train, do the maze or the skyline ride (all extra $). Can't wait to go back! Such a fun family day!

Luci Rizzo

Not too big so we all were very comfortable walking around. Some bigger zoos feel overwhelming. We even got a few National Geographic experiences while we were there. There were several babies we got to see and the evening festivities were beautiful. Lots of people arrived just for that!

Luke Hickey

This place was really nice & big. Adults $30 which was worth it, lots of animals. The skyfari was awesome. It's like a ski-lift that takes you around the park & you can view the animals below. Nice place to visit & staff was informative & friendly.

Joseph Fournier

Had a great time at the zoo yesterday! There is no shortage of animals to see here and many of the animals were awake and active. As mentioned on their website, the walk around the park is a tad difficult with a few hills and some unpaved walkways. The deer forest is obviously a key highlight, I highly recommend going with kids of all ages!

marjorie piercy

$31+

Mark W Paro

Such a fun zoo and so much to see! Lots of walking so if you have littles a stroller will come in handy. Lots of great spots to sit and picnic for lunch. :)

Linda Zajac

No wait

Sarah Garofalo

I went here with my parents and brother today (8/15/2021) and we had so much fun. The animals were very lively and playful, they were a lot of fun to watch. Best part was the Deer Forest, the deer come right up to you and you can feed/pet them!!

NHGirlathrt 14

Great place ordinarily. When they do night-time events it's even better!! Fun night of lighted Chinese lantern dioramas!

Mercy AE

No wait

MORGAN MCQUEENEY

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.

Rich Higgins

Weekend

James DeWolfe

Was a great day, however if they are going to have half their activities shut down...they should charge half price. This was disappointing! However, our group made the best of it and saw some animals we didn't see last time!

Julie Guerin

Yes

Mallory Shocik

Reservation recommended

Will Zhang

We went for the drive thru Christmas light display and it was amazing! Hands down the best around!

Holly Kennedy

I really liked this zoo. It is on the smaller side (it isn't a mega zoo like SD) but it did have some unique features. Along with a petting zoo (mostly goats), they have a deer trail were you can feed the deer from your hands. There is also a "skyfari" chairlift that goes all over above the park, allowing a bird's eye view of many of the animal enclosures. If you like zoos, this one is worth checking out.

James Hughes

No wait

Nancy Folsom

Visited on

Jan Royce

The festival of lights at Southwick Zoo was beautiful. I bought a beautiful purple and white lamp that now hangs in my bedroom. Great memories.

Karen Bartholomew

Visited on

Charles Scampoli

Such a great day! My kids 7 and 10 had a blast and so did I. The maze, skyfarie and the train ride were big hits. Definitely worth taking the trip!

JJ KING

Despite the usual Corona precautions (at this time at least), as having to wear your mask at all times, it was a great family trip/outing! These precautions are 100% necessary and we were happy to do it. Of course wearing a mask outdoors in the summer can prove slightly uncomfortable, but the kids did not even notice they had them on and my 2 year did not have to wear one (2 and under are exempt). They had water cooling stations (just a mist), and I'd say 90% of the grounds are covered in shade. We were comfortable, and most importantly, the animals were amazing! The few staff members we encountered were pleasant and helpful. This was the biggest, most diverse zoo I have ever visited. The wide variety of animals, along with the close proximity, made this an awesome trip. I have never seen a white tiger, white rhino, African leopard, or African hyena before. I loved watching my son and his amazement of these creatures. If we had access to the chimpanzee enclosure, and if the giraffes weren't hiding in the barn, I would have given this review five stars. However, it certainly deserves the four stars I gave it! I would definitely plan another family trip to the Southwick Zoo! It was worth the 70-mile, hour and 20-minute drive.

Kellie Buker

Reservation recommended

Kevin Le

Visited on

Jacqueline Brooks

Price for adult entry

Dangel G

First time family visit. We will go back again soon. There's plenty to see and activities to offer. We got a pass with the train and skyfari ahead of time. Enjoyed both. The website suggests 3 hours to visit, which is about right to see everything. Masks were optional which meant most people didn't have one on. Lots of hand sanitizer stations are available. Restroom was large that we used but several sinks out of service.

Diana Dereje

$21–30

Shelley Wurst

Beautiful zoo with lots to see and do! Ride a choo-choo train, take a trip around the zoo on the skyline to get a birds eye view of all the animals, feed adorable little parakeets, interact up close and personal with baby goats, feed an abundance of deer in the deer forest, take a camel ride, take a break and visit the playground.. and so much more!! Great deli offering salads, wraps and gluten free options. Other concession stands offering food, snacks and refreshments throughout. Bathrooms were very well kept and spotless! Beautiful giftshop offering clothing, jewelry, stuffed animals, ornaments, magnets and so much more! Staff is friendly and informative. They will answer all your questions about the animals. Drive thru the zoo or walk around on a wide range of terrain (bridges, gravel, concrete, mulch, wood chips etc.) Wear sneakers!! To reiterate...there are small hills and inclines throughout the zoo. This zoo does NOT have completely flat, concrete terrain. Strollers and Wagons available for rent. Masks required. Hand sanitizer stations throughout the entire zoo! This zoo is great for all ages. Great variety of animals from BIRDS (Peacocks, Flamingos, Parakeets, Macaws etc.) WILD CATS (Lions, Tigers, Leopards) MARSUPIALS (Kangaroos, Wallabies) REPTILES (Snakes, Lizards, Turtles etc.) HUGE variety of MONKEYS!!... and so much more.

Matthew bryant

Up to 10 min

Kevin Zhao

Reservation recommended

Joshua Rosa

This is first time in my life visiting a zoo. A lot of exabits in this zoo with great viewing areas. It can get really hot during summer, and some of the animals are hiding from the heat. There are a lot of food and drink options inside, so you don't have to worry about lunch. Oh and don't forget the bug spray, you will definitely need it. For fellow photographer, a 200-300mm minimum telephoto is recommended. You can get close to most of the animals, but some time they hide in the shade far from the view points.

Cece Devoe

No wait

Oliver Thayer

This is a real zoo and not a carnival attraction! Great spacious family friendly atmosphere! Lots for the kids to do and see bring tons of quarters and some sandwich baggies so you can buy feed so you can walk through the deer forest and feed the deer!

R Suos

Wait time

Mathew Rehbein

Yes

Tracy Benedetti

I love the wide variety of animals and I think it's so cool that they have a whole area dedicated for the deer to be able to roam freely throughout the forest! They treat their animals with love and care! ❤????

Ken Hyer

What a great day spent at the zoo. We loved having the ability to have close encounters. We fed deer, birds, goats etc. Bring $2 to do all three.

Snot Rocket

Yes

AH

$21–30

Lily C.

This zoo is build on a hill. Wear good walking shoes as there is lots of walking. Also lots of animals, but many sleeping, lounging and hard to see.

Kristina Michelle

Love Southwick Zoo! It's easy to navigate, priced well, and has great exhibits! I'm lucky enough to live about 15 minutes away and am an Earth member. I haven't taken much advantage of the membership yet but it's great to be able to go as often as I'd like with the baby and walk around!

Michael Algier

Weekend

Lisa Botelho

Went for the Christmas staycation, great place to go during the holiday. Drove through the Winter wonderland light display. Will be back next year to see what they will come up with! Happy Holiday!

KMC's Mom

Reservation recommended

RuthAnne Lansner

Weekday

Robbie Robinson

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.

Erin

This is a fantastic zoo.. the exhibits are wonderful.. the entire zoo is placed in the woods so the animals have a natural habitat. Feeding the deer and elk was wonderful experience.

Richard Finn

Price for adult entry

Mike Paolino

We were there for the Festival of Illumination. It was such a joyful experience! The artistry was just...wow...like nothing I'd seen before! BEAUTIFUL ???? (we'll have to return during the day to visit the actual zoo another time)