The Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI is one of my favorite places to spend a day. The zoo is located right off the highway (Interstate 95 and Rt. 10) and is part of Roger Williams Park, which offers a host of other activities from Japanese Gardens, to paddle boats, to a playground & carousel, a casino (a mansion for events, not the gambling kind), botanical gardens, picnic areas, etc. The zoo has a large parking lot that offers free parking for visitors. Concessions vary by season. Zoo memberships are very affordable and worthwhile for locals with families. The membership allows you unlimited visits throughout the entire year. With a 2-year old it is great because we can visit for a couple hours rather than feel pressure to see everything in the zoo each time we visit.
The zoo has hundreds of different species to explore including giraffes, elephants, harbor seals, penguins, a snow leopard, takins, flamingos, turtles, an anteater and baby, monkeys, exotic birds, kangaroos, moon bears and much, much more. On a variety of visits, we've witnessed elephant and giraffe feedings, baths, and weigh ins. There are many opportunities to get up close and personal with the animals. On this particular visit, I observed a new "home" for the red pandas, one of my personal favorite animals at this zoo. The home is in the same location; however, there is more room to climb and lounge.
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Look at these cuties relaxing!
Red Pandas, Roger Williams Park Zoo |
In addition, we finally got to see the King Vulture exhibit we watched being built over the summer.
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King Vultures
Roger Williams Park Zoo |
During the summer of 2010, a new exhibit called "Our Big Backyard" opened. The exhibit was sponsored by Hasbro and is absolutely engaging for children. We have visited several times since the opening and each time, Rhys discovers something new. You could literally spend a couple hours playing at this fun, outdoor space.
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| Rhys laughing in the water! |
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| Rhys fishing with his grandpa |
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| Painting on an eisel |
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| Rhys exploring with his Dad in the treehouse |
The zoo is always expanding and adding new animals. No matter what time of year you plan your visit, I am sure it will be special!
