Who is excited to have an animal adventure on your next family day out? We certainly are, and so is Franklin Park Zoo in Massachusetts!
This New England attraction has hundreds of exotic animals from all around the world, just ready to make friends! It’s also a great place for kids to really learn about all of the animals too!
Franklin Park Zoo is divided into different main areas, so you can straight away head to the ones that interest you the most!
For those families who love those winged creatures, the Aussie Aviary and Bird’s World Exhibit are where you want to head first! These are filled with colorful and beautiful creatures who might even come and sit on your arm!
The Bufferfly Landing is also a fun seasonal oasis where kids can watch these delicate creatures fly around them, and a visit to Kid’s Corner will give them fun things to do, from learning to create wildlife habitats, and making their own butterfly mask!
Kids can experience farm life in the middle of Boston with Franklin Farm, with interactive encounters! They can visit the chicken coops, and pet animals such as sheep and goats!
At Franklin Park Zoo, you don’t need to travel the world to see all the beautiful creatures that live in it. Here, the world comes to you! You can experience Africa with the Kalahari Kingdom, Serengeti Crossing and Giraffe Savannah, with those majestic creatures – a magical experience!
Australia is calling at the Outback Trail, and explore those beautiful gorillas in the Tropical Forest.
Don’t miss the all new children’s zoo as well – Nature’s Neighbourhood! Great for those little ones to explore.
There really is so much to see and do at this New England zoo, perfect for the whole family. So let’s go!
There is only a clear glass wall between you and gorrillas, tigers, and a lion! Franklin Park Zoo is the ONLY ZOO in the North East that has gorillas…and a baby gorilla born 11/2011 too.There are no daily “shows” for visitors to learn more about the animals, but their are “zookeeper” encounter times daily posted on flyers. Visit their website for zoo party events during almost every holiday.Animals are often given interactive toys and treats with which to play. Brookline Community College also offers adult education classes including “behind the scenes” experiences with trainers…and animals.Without exception, each event I’ve attended at Franklin Park Zoo has been 5 STARS all the way…the staff, the food and the fun.I highly recommend “Brew at the Zoo,” feeding Beau the Giraffe and Breakfast with the Zookeeper!THE DEAL: Visit the zoo during the Winter for a private zoo experience.Most in Boston won’t brave the cold just to visit the animals.They get a little lonely and more interactive, especially the GORILLAS,which are part of the Rain Forest exhibit…LOCATED INDOORS!
Do you wish to see animals in their natural habitat? Look no further than the parking lot. I didn’t actually get inside the zoo, but from the state of the place and the parking lot, the denizens of the parking lot, and these reviews, I believe the 1 star will extend to cover the zoo. Witness the fist-shaking angry man pacing back and forth between two potential parking spaces so that his kid’s birthday-goers have a place to park. Awe at the tenacity of those who had their window rolled down, braving themselves against the screams and insults of those fighting over parking spaces.Just go to Southwick’s. It’s cheaper, even.
I had briefly looked at the overall rating on google before bringing my children here. I regularly take my children (2yr, 1yr) to zoos and aquariums while traveling and this has to be the worst zoo we have been to yet. The price was reasonable, and I’m not sure why other reviewers are so pumped that the parking is free. It is a terrible arrangement for parking. Far from the actual zoo, tiny dirt lots, fast traffic to cross and when we returned to our car, another zoo-goer’s window had been smashed out. We visited on a sunny, 70* day in April and there were no animals. Understandably, there is variation on which animals are out for health, maintenance, etc, but as we traversed the expansive park, +50% of the exhibits seemed to be closed or empty. The petting zoo was also closed. Our experience at the concessions was less than desirable with a soggy wrap and a lack of shaded seating. The overall layout of the zoo was not the most effective use of the acreage and lead to a lot of walking on a main drag that didn’t offer much to look at other than pasture. The indoor exhibit had narrow walkways which made for nearly impassable traffic with buggies and onlookers. The first 4′ of the windows were filthy and my son couldn’t even see through them! I was shocked. The majority of the children here seemed to be amusing themselves on carousels and jungle gyms or feeding ducks, which I hate to point out, but you can do this for free on almost any corner in Boston. I was incredibly disappointed in our experience here and will not be returning. A world class city deserves a world class zoo and I hope that they make an attempt at fixing this.
I love this zoo. I am 10 years old and it’s mostly toddlers lurking around the zoo but you’re never too old for it. The Tropical Forest indoor exhibit has a lot of cool, wild animals. The Bird House is also interesting and the playground is large and very fun with tons of kids running and crawling around but the playground is also very dangerous but that makes it fun. By far, my favorite part about the zoo is the gorillas. I know all of their names and all about them. I love gorillas and know everything (literally everything) about them. So far, this is the best zoo I’ve ever been too and I hope you visit it!-Cyrus (AKA Okie)
Came here while it was pretty cold and a lot of the outdoor animals were nowhere to be seen, but it was still a good time. Got a lot of nice photos. The gorillas were one of the more memorable parts, and through the glass you can get up very close to them. I’d definitely go in the spring or summer though.