Please note: This post was originally written in 2018, and while it should still give you a good idea of the overall experience, it may also contain some outdated information. For the most up-to-date information, please visit their website.
2018 Post:
Don’t forget to check their website for seasonal activities like their Winter Wonderland holiday event!
Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.
As the season comes to a close, it has become a tradition for my family to go on one last end-of-summer adventure before the school year sets in and things get too hectic for all-day trips.
Back in 2016 we took a little road trip to Edaville USA (and Thomas Land) in Carver, MA. Last year we spent the day at Sonny’s Place in Somers, CT. And this year we planned a visit to Southwick’s Zoo!
Source: Google Maps
Funny story. I always assumed that Southwick’s Zoo was located in Southwick, MA. That’s just a quick trip north for me.
That is NOT the case, however. So lest there be any further confusion out there, Southwick’s Zoo is actually located in Mendon, MA. Which is nowhere near Southwick, MA. And is considerably more of a hike from central CT.
Source: Google Maps
So let’s recap. Southwick, MA:
Source: Google Maps
Southwick’s Zoo (in Mendon, MA):
Source: Google Maps
Not close to each other, eh?
Anyway…
We headed up there on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend so of course, there was a little more traffic than I would have liked. But overall it was a pretty enjoyable 90-ish minute drive with plenty of rest-stops and places for pit-stops along the way (important!).
There is plenty of parking at the Zoo. The parking area on your right (as you drive in) that’s in front of the Zoo’s entrance is now reserved for the new restaurant (more on that later) and handicapped parking, but on the left there’s a ginormous field for parking. I can’t even imagine it ever being full!
As you probably guessed, if it’s a busy day you might find yourself with a little bit of a walk to get to the Zoo’s entrance gate.
Now before we go in, I need to give you a heads up about how some things work here. For starters, if you’re like me, you might be confused about the admissions options. There is regular admission, and there is also a combo ticket that includes some of the activities in the zoo.
Source: www.southwickszoo.com
While you could certainly just enjoy a day at this zoo observing and learning about the animals, you’ll quickly notice that there are actually a whole lot of add-on activities that you can purchase. And it can definitely add up! So if you think you might want to take advantage of most of them, you should definitely consider that combo ticket/wristband. In addition to saving you a few bucks, it also saves you the headache of having to purchase tickets individually while you are at the Zoo (and wait in line to purchase those tickets).
You can find out the height requirements for the different rides here (or find them on a sign outside the entrance). That may help you determine if the combo ticket is right for your family (or for which members of the family).
Speaking of waiting in lines, Southwick’s Zoo has joined the growing number of venues that allow you to purchase admission online ahead of time. Now I know that sometimes makes parents of young kids wary because inevitably, if you buy tickets the night before, your child will wake up the next morning with a fever. Right? Because that’s always the way it works. But if you take a moment to buy those tickets before you hop in the car, here’s what you might avoid:
Armed with our e-ticket (print or display on your phone), we were able to scoot over to this empty lane reserved for those who bought tickets ahead of time:
Lane 6 for online and pre-purchased tickets!
No line! No waiting!
Just a note about strollers: the Zoo is very stroller-friendly, although much of the terrain is uneven so if you bring your own stroller make sure it’s a sturdy one. Strollers are also available to rent (single and double).
A single rental stroller. The double version is basically the same, just wider.
Once in the zoo, the kids literally ran in opposite directions they were so excited to see the animals.
Kangaroos over here!
Tortoises over there! 
A friendly zoo staffer lets the kids touch a real tortoise shell and offers a little tortoise trivia.
I realized that in truth, this is the FIRST TIME my kids have been to a zoo! Now, technically, I took the big guy to Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI when he was about 2, but that almost doesn’t count because he can’t remember it. And the little guy? Really the closest he’s gotten to animals since his toddler days is the petting zoo at Manfredi Farm and feeding time at the Children’s Museum in West Hartford!
Fortunately, I was able to contain them long enough to get a look at the zoo map we received when we entered the Zoo. (You can also find the map online here.)
There is also a large map posted near the entrance.
As you can see, this is a pretty big zoo! It has lions and tigers (no bears). Monkeys and zebras and giraffes. Rhinos and leopards and cheetahs. To name a few!
American Alligator
Bengal Tiger
Look! It’s Blue from the movie Rio! 🙂
Boy could this fella squawk!
Entering the African Plains.
I just love giraffes 🙂
This was one cool cat. No really. He spent most of the time lounging in the shade, but we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him prowling around his territory.
The lady of the habitat.
I love how each animal description includes information about the global status of that species. It’s really eye-opening to see so many “threatened” labels. It certainly prompted some great discussions with the kids about things we can do to help.
One of the really nice things about this zoo is how carefully they have created the animal enclosures to really mimic a natural habitat. Even the barriers are mostly natural (like rock walls and depressed areas). In the places where there are fences, they are there more to keep the people out, rather than to keep the animals in.
Turns out sloths are actually fascinating! I could watch this guy (bottom right corner) do nothing all day long!
A great example of the natural barriers to the rhino habitat.
One of our favorite exhibits was the chimpanzees. We could have watched those guys for hours. True entertainers!
They are so much bigger in person than I thought they were!
Another unique animal exhibit is the Deer Forest. It’s an enclosed area where the deer roam freely and visitors can walk through their habitat.
Deer feed is available for purchase.
For the young (and young at heart) there is a little petting zoo. We found it to be mostly filled with goats (and baby goats), but there were also some little pigs and alpaca in nearby enclosures.
Strollers are not allowed in the petting zoo; you can park them outside.
It is soooo tempting to pick up those itty bitty cutie pie baby goats. Please don’t do it 🙂
For some reason this shot makes it look like the petting zoo is situated on a mountainside. It is not. My apologies for the crazy camera angle.
Vending machines (outside barn) with food for the goats.
Change machine (inside barn) if you need coins for the vending machines.
Good to know: There is a hand sanitizer dispenser outside the gate to the petting zoo 🙂
The Zoo has dozens of animal exhibits. In our 5+ hours there I’m not sure if we even managed to see half of them! So just walking around and visiting the animals could be your whole day at the zoo.
But as I mentioned at the start, this zoo has many add-on activities (for an additional fee) to enhance your visit. Hands down (or maybe I should say hands up!) the most unique add-on experience in my opinion is the Skyfari ride. 
You can literally get a bird’s eye view of the Zoo and the animal exhibits as this chair-lift-style ride carries you around the Zoo at tree-top level! As someone who is somewhat afraid, okay terrified, of heights, I was faced with a unique mixture of excitement and panic as the boys and I boarded our chair.
But the boys insisted this was the most awesome part of their day, which is enough to convince me to ride it again on our next visit 🙂
If you have purchased a combo ticket, Skyfari will be included. If not, you can purchase tickets at the ride entrance. The cost was $7 per person a la carte when we were there. You can find the most up-to-date ride price list here.
As you’ve probably guessed, you can’t bring bags on this ride. There is a place where you can check your belongings. Flips flops are also not allowed on the ride (for obvious reasons). You can hold them in your hand or deposit them in a basket near the entrance to the lift and retrieve them afterwards. Definitely secure anything you don’t want to drop. No one is going into the animal habitats to get it for you! Haha!
Other rides include:
Mechanical kiddie rides are also included in the combo ticket. Or you can buy tickets individually.
There is also a train ride that is about 15 minutes long and will take you through their scenic North American exhibit and local wetlands. You can get a very close look at elk and see some local wildlife such as herons, turtles, ducks, and swans.
The train departs from Woodland Station, where you can buy tickets. If you purchased the combo ticket, the train ride is included.
Although it’s not technically a ride, a trip through the Rainforest Adventure Maze is also included in the combo ticket. Or you can purchase tickets separately. Check this page for the most current ride rates.
Live animal rides are not included in the combo ticket, but you can purchase those tickets inside the zoo.
Pony rides require the purchase of tickets. You can buy them nearby at the mining exhibit, or at other locations around the zoo.
Camel ride, anyone? This activity also requires the purchase of tickets.
The Elkhorn mining activity looks really neat as well. Please note that it closed for the season 9/3/18.
You can find the Elkhorn Mine down near the pony rides.
Purchase a pail to fill with rough and see what kinds of (real!) gems you can find when you pan in the mining sluice.
If you purchase a pail it includes a trip into the mine as well. Pails can be shared by more than one family member, so it can be a pretty cost effective activity.
The zipline requires tickets as well (not included with the combo ticket).
The zipline, which launches from over near the petting zoo, towers above the Zoo. It’s one part observation, one part acceleration 🙂
And if all this is not enough to fill your day, the Zoo also offers a variety of animal encounters with giraffes, rhinos, sloths and parakeets.
There’s even a playground for your little bundles of endless energy…
As you can imagine, a family can work up quite an appetite here. Luckily there are many food options. First, you are welcome to bring your own snack or picnic and enjoy it in one of the many shaded picnic areas.
One of several picnic areas. Please be advised that there may be a lot of bees. The Zoo does everything it can to control the bee population, but it is a natural environment. Just be aware in the event that you or a family member has a bee allergy.
There are several snack bars, including this large one near the entrance.
The Zebra Cafe
There’s also a pizza “hut” nearby 🙂
That was the choice of my children for lunch.
Further into the Zoo, near the zipline, you’ll find a deli.
The deli is new for 2018! It’s at the rear of the (also new) Galliford’s Restaurant & Tavern, which offers casual yet upscale sit-down dining. You can also find the new Backyard BBQ from Galliford’s back here.
You can find information on all the dining venues in the Zoo here.
After our long day at the Zoo, the last thing I wanted to do was start the long drive back hungry. So we decided to try out the new Galliford’s Restaurant & Tavern, which is located right next to the Zoo. Despite the upscale feel and menu, it was totally fine to head in there with our t-shirts and dusty shoes. It’s made for zoo-goers! And it was the perfect ending to a wonderful day of family fun. Parties of 5 or more can even make a reservation if you plan ahead.
If you’re headed to the restaurant, you can feel free to bring your car over to the parking area in front and park there (to avoid a long post-dinner trek to the car). Please note that strollers are not allowed in the restaurant, though there is a stroller parking area (unsupervised) near the front door.
The restaurant feels upscale, but you can totally go in your t-shirt and flip-flops. It’s probably going to be filled with dusty zoo-goers like you 🙂
Galliford’s has a great kids menu, as well as enticing options for adults.
Every time I think about this adventure, I can’t help but smile. Every once in a while, it’s so nice to go completely off the grid, head out on a mini road trip and spend the day connecting with each other instead of our wireless network. I know this will be one of those days my kids always remember. And we could all use more of those, right?
Southwick’s Zoo
2 Southwick Street, Mendon, Massachusetts
Phone: 1-800-258-9182
Hours (2018):
10:00am-5:00pm every day including all holidays during the season (mid-April through October 31st).
The zoo remains open rain or shine. Although, some attractions may be closed due to weather. Be sure to check their Facebook page before you go in inclement weather!
(Southwick’s Zoo is also open with limited operations during November and December–like for their Winter Wonderland event! Check their website for more information.)
Pricing (2018):
| Adults | $28 |
| Children (3-12 years)
Children 2 years and under FREE
|
$24 |
| Seniors (62 years+) | $22 |
| EARTH Ltd Members | Free |
| Combo Includes: general admission + unlimited mechanical kiddie rides, Skyfari, Train, & *One Free Admission into the Rainforest Adventure Maze.Additional maze entries are $3 with combo admission/wristband.Does Not Include: live animal rides or zip line. |
$36 |
PLEASE NOTE:
- Combo tickets include General admission + Ride All Day Wristband
Ride wristbands may be used for: Mechanical Rides, the Skyfari Sky Ride, Woodland Express Train, & one free admission into Rainforest Adventure Maze (additional maze entries are a discounted rate of $3 with wristbands). Wristbands are only good for one day and cannot be shared. Combo admission/wristbands do not include the Soaring Eagle Zipline, Pony Rides, or Camel Rides (you can buy tickets for those rides separately at locations within the zoo). - Visit this page for more information on rides, ride tickets and pricing.
- Parking is always free!
- Admission may be purchased the day of your visit at the zoo’s entrance, or you may purchase tickets online.
- Please be sure to check Southwick Zoo’s website for more details and the most up-to-date information.
Details (2018):
Stroller Friendly: YES, although you are not able to take strollers on rides (obvi) or into the petting zoo. You are welcome to bring your own stroller, but you can also rent a single ($8) or a double ($10) stroller (or a wagon, wheelchair or scooter). Find more info on this page.
Coffee Mug Friendly: YES
Restroom: YES, there are at least two *real* restrooms and additional ports-potties throughout the park.
Baby Changing Station: YES. Plus there is also a nursing room located next to one of the family restrooms!
Parking: YES
Food for Sale: YES. There are a variety of concession stands plus a full-service restaurant.
Outside Food Allowed: YES. You are welcome to bring your own picnic into the zoo.
Cash Required: NO. All major credit cards are accepted. There is also an ATM onsite. The only thing you may need cash for is the animal feed (for the deer and in the petting zoo). The food is in dispensers that accept coins.
Dress Code: You are going to walk A LOT! The ground was pretty dusty, so I would recommend closed-toe shoes if you don’t want your feet to get filthy 🙂 Plus, the terrain is uneven in places so sturdy shoes might be more appropriate than flip-flops or sandals. Also, just a heads-up, flip-flops are not allowed on the Skyfari ride (you can leave them behind in a basket or hold them on the ride if you prefer).
Age Recommendations: All ages!
Evening/Weekend Hours: YES
Discounts: There are some discounts available in September (2018). Visit this page for more info.
Birthday Party Venue: YES. Check out this page for more info.
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