Roger Williams Park Zoo - Providence, RI

A trip to Roger Williams really isn't a quick visit.  It's a day trip.  Be sure to have a carriage, even for the toddlers because it is a LONG walk to get through the whole park.  If the kids get tired, you can skip the side path where the camels are, but even with that.  It's a big place for those tiny legs.  Be sure to pack food and drinks because the food there is good, but it isn't cheap and the food area can be crowded on spring/summer weekends.  Uncrustables and Fruitables are soooooooo easy to pack.

The General admission to the Zoo is $12/adult, $6/child (ages 3 - 12)and $8/senior (ages 62+); children under 3 are free.  In January and February, 2010: $6/adult, $3/child (ages 3 - 12) and $4/senior (ages 62+)  Still we go so often that we became members and paid $79 for the family.  We have gone WAY more than three times, so we made out fine. There are also a bunch of other places that accept membership for free or discounted admission (FULL LIST).

Parking is free but plan on it taking a WHILE to get a spot.  You may be tempted to follow the masses and drive through to the back parking lots, but if you arrive right before lunch time, you should get out of that crazy line and just check out the first parking area right in front of the flags in front of the zoo.  Many times families who didn't plan appropriately are hightailing it out of there, and you can get prime parking.

The giraffe/elephant areas are really awesome.  The giraffes come really close and our kids go wild for them.  They are also partial to the gibbon and the anteaters for some reason.

By the buffalo, there is an area called the wetland trails.  It's really a great end to the zoo visit.  It's also the area that is FILLED with pumpkins for an amazing Halloween event.

Overall this is a great zoo, but it is not a zoo that we can take the kids on a quick trip to any time of the year (like Buttonwood Zoo in New Bedford).  It's definitely a long afternoon if not a whole day, but worth it, especially during the spring/summer.