What better time than a bright summer day to take a day trip? But, where to go? The Roger Williams Park Zoo is just a hop, skip and a jump away in nearby Rhode Island. The Roger Williams Park itself is absolutely beautiful. You will find a Japanese garden, Botanical Center Conservancy, boat rides, Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, Rose Garden, Carousel Village (located ¼ of a mile away from the Zoo), Hasbro Boundless Playground and of course the Roger Williams Park Zoo.
The Roger Williams Park Zoo is the Country’s third oldest Zoo. It opened in 1872 with a small collection of animals. Now the Zoo, supported and maintained by the Rhode Island Zoological Society, is home to more than 160 animals. During your visit you will see a vast array of animals including elephants, giraffes, zebras, turtles, bison, bald eagle, red panda and komodo dragon to name a few. Some of the animals are a challenge to spot. With a keen eye you can find them lounging in a shady or densely vegetated area of their habitat. The snow leopard, red wolves and cheetahs were not immediately in sight. Part of the day’s fun was taking the time to locate each animal and snapping a photo. Looping around the farmyard you will see where the future rainforest exhibit is under construction. As project one of phase one in a twenty year master plan the new exhibit is slated to open in the spring of 2018. The flamingos are among the animals awaiting their new home. Other future improvements include a new, larger education center, a new event pavilion, and a new tiger habitat. While many exciting changes are coming, the zoo in it’s current form offers not only an opportunity for a day of family fun but also the inclusion of learning experiences through daily zoo keepers talks (find out more on the RWP Zoo Facebook page) and discovering information about each animal. The zoo also offers animal feedings. Visitors can feed vegetation to the giraffes or fish to the seals (advance registration required to feed the seals). In addition to all that the Zoo has to offer on a regular basis, at different times throughout the year the Zoo hosts different events including “Be A Kid Again,” "Brew At The Zoo,” and the wildly popular “Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular.”
Before ending your visit, be sure to spend some time in the Hasbro’s Our Big Backyard, Beyond the Fence Naturescape and the CVS Health All Kids Can Tree House For All. Hasbro’s Our Big Backyard includes the Drip Drop Garden (bring a bathing suit or a change of clothes), Sticks and Stones Building Zone, and Creativity Corner. Beyond the Fence Naturescape is an awesome area where you can swing, climb and build forts! Additionally nearby, check out the camel and train rides available April to September.
Feeling hungry? The Zoo has you covered. The Wilderness Cafe and the Serengeti Market Cafe offer food with menus that include something even a picky eater will like. Another food option is the Carousel Cafe (located ¼ of a mile away from the Zoo parking lot next to the Carousel) and during the summer there are food trucks at the Carousel on Fridays. Prefer to bring your own food? The Roger Williams Park Zoo allows you to bring in outside food and drinks so bring your own picnic lunch and enjoy it at picnic tables located within the Zoo or put down a blanket in the beautiful Roger Williams Park grounds. You might even want to pack dinner because with all the Zoo and the surrounding park have to offer you can easily stay all day!
If you want to include other area events or activities in your day trip or turn it into an overnight adventure, be sure to check out the Providence Macaroni Kid site for all the local happenings!
