Franklin Park Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo
3.5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Franklin Park Zoo is home to incredible animals from around the globe. Visitors can stand face-to-face with the Zoo's western lowland gorillas at one of five glass viewing stations in the state-of-the-art indoor exhibit. Also, be sure to also visit the African lion in the Kalahari Kingdom, the Masai giraffe, the Grevy's zebra on the Giraffe Savannah, and the many other remarkable species that call the Zoo home.
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Neighborhood: Dorchester / Roxbury / Mattapan
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See what travelers are saying
- Lacey F24 contributionsFranklin Park Zoo and Boston LightsThe newborn baby Giraffe was so adorable. Nice zoo, the gorilla enclosure was the largest we have ever seen in any zoo. The grounds could use some Maintenance with hedging, weed eating, trimmings...everything looked overgrown and unkempt. The zoo lights at night were amazing, would definitely recommend! This is a separate charge to do but totally worth it in my opinion. I liked the Boston likes more so than the zoo.Hi Lacey, thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the adorable baby giraffe and Boston Lights! We appreciate your recommendations and will take note of your suggestions for maintenance. We hope to see you again soon!Written September 14, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 13, 2023
- T-bone15 contributionsNight lights niceWent during the day and some of the animals weren't out. Many of the exhibits had only 1 animal in them despite being non solitary animals. Not a lot of animals. Some exhibits also seemed dirty. The light show at night was nice. Great having free parking!.Visited September 2023Traveled with familyWritten September 17, 2023
- holly s3 contributionsDate nightThe displays and lights were well done. My husband and I thought it would be a quick in and out thing… 30 mins, but that was not the case. It took us two hours to tour everything, take pics and enjoy a funnel cake. It was a cute little date night and would recommend to others.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 18, 2023
- Michelle CCoventry, United Kingdom131 contributionsNice day outEven though the wind was gusty, the animals were all still out and happy. It’s a lovely little zoo, with interactive keeper sessions about the animals and just there for guest to interact with them also. All the animals were out and about and some were more interactive then others, I was able to call over the tapir and get some great photos! Nice safe paced zoo which is mainly flat so easily accessible and lots of room for everyone to see the animals in their environments. Plenty of food vending about and also eatery. I would say this is more of a summer place as various exhibits were closed but normal for the time of the year.Hi Michelle! Thank you for sharing your experience at our zoo. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed interacting with the animals and were able to get some great photos. We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again in the summer when more exhibits are open.Written February 19, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited February 2024Traveled soloWritten February 17, 2024
- Donna CBrighton, Massachusetts4 contributionsJust average.The best parts were the Gorilla Grove and Tropical Rainforest. We had the opportunity to speak with one of the gorilla keepers and the views into the enclosure were fantastic. The rest left much to be desired. Landscaping was scarce and spare for late Spring. Aside from the gorillas, enrichment seemed to be lacking. I hear that the light events are nice and may visit again for that, but zoo was lacking even standard exhibits like tigers and bears.Donna, thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the Gorilla Grove and Tropical Rainforest. Your comments on landscaping and enrichment are duly noted, and we will work to improve in those areas. We hope to see you again for Boston Lights!Written April 29, 2024This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited April 2024Traveled on businessWritten April 28, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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3.5
493 reviews
Excellent
120
Very good
151
Average
114
Poor
72
Terrible
36
Colleen P
Quincy, MA288 contributions
Oct 2020
I attended the Lantern Lights at Franklin Park Zoo the last week of October in 2020. We needed to schedule our visit in advance, therefore it was not overly crowded when we went at 7 pm. We were let in 15 minutes before out scheduled time.
We drove to the Zoo and easily found a parking spot in the lot a 1/5 of a mile down the road. There was a paved path connecting the parking lot to the main entrance. Only one entrance was open during our visit.
A leisurely stroll of the lights can be done in 1 to 1.5 hours
Overall I was very satisfied with the experience. The quality of the lights/decorations was above wonderful. Other light shows I have been to at zoo's consist mainly of Christmas light creatures on wire structures, which is nice but this was a different experience all-together. The lanterns are just that, detailed cloth wrapped structures in a variety of color and lighting underneath. Several of the lanterns moved, others oscillated in a light show, while the bulk of them were simply pretty. The scale of lanterns ranged from the size of a basketball to a giant dragon.
I very much appreciated the time and effort put into creating each display. They were grouped together nicely and the one-way, mandatory path to take took a lot of guess work and needless wandering to see each and every display. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of Asian-themed displays. There were alot a nice variety of animal and sea creature displays.
We drove to the Zoo and easily found a parking spot in the lot a 1/5 of a mile down the road. There was a paved path connecting the parking lot to the main entrance. Only one entrance was open during our visit.
A leisurely stroll of the lights can be done in 1 to 1.5 hours
Overall I was very satisfied with the experience. The quality of the lights/decorations was above wonderful. Other light shows I have been to at zoo's consist mainly of Christmas light creatures on wire structures, which is nice but this was a different experience all-together. The lanterns are just that, detailed cloth wrapped structures in a variety of color and lighting underneath. Several of the lanterns moved, others oscillated in a light show, while the bulk of them were simply pretty. The scale of lanterns ranged from the size of a basketball to a giant dragon.
I very much appreciated the time and effort put into creating each display. They were grouped together nicely and the one-way, mandatory path to take took a lot of guess work and needless wandering to see each and every display. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of Asian-themed displays. There were alot a nice variety of animal and sea creature displays.
Written November 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura W
Denver, CO50 contributions
Sep 2022 • Solo
First it really pains me to have to write a negative review. I love zoos. I’ve been to many zoos of all sizes. This zoo is at the bottom of all the zoos I’ve been to. It is my fault that I went in the heat of the day so many animals were resting. The cardinal rule is go first thing in the morning when they are the most active. So that’s on me that I didn’t go earlier. All of the birds were off exhibit due to avian flu. Not a problem. Animal health comes first. More animals were also not on exhibit. I was so glad that I visited on City Pass. I would have not been happy to have paid full price for the zoo. I think it’s fine if you have a zoo membership and can come many times for a walk for exercise. Or if you can get a discount. It’s on par with my hometown zoo which is not a massive city zoo. HOWEVER this zoo is 3 times the price of my hometown zoo. Either lower the price or improve the zoo. The gift shop is way overpriced. I know most attractions like this have overpriced gift shops but this was even beyond the norm. If you are an out of towner like I am and you are expecting a great zoo experience, this just isn’t it. I would’ve expected a much bigger and better experience for the city of Boston. I will say that all the tickets for zoo lights are sold out for the week and next week so that’s got to be a positive for them. Sad I couldn’t go. Also I do not like that you would have to leave the zoo and re-enter for zoo lights. I would’ve had to sit outside the zoo for 2 hours and it doesn’t seem to be in the best part of town or pay so much more for transportation to come all the way back.
Written September 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jerri L
Johnston, IA3,055 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
This zoo is small enough for a toddler to enjoy and to experience so much. We took our 2 year old granddaughter while visiting Boston for medical reasons. We have a zoo membership in Des Moines and were able to utilize reciprocity pricing which was nice. We paid half price for each of our tickets (regular price adult around $22.95 and the 2 year old $15.95) . Prices seemed to vary depending on time of day and days of the week and are cheaper online but if using reciprocity have to be purchased at the gate). Parking is free nearby at a few available parking lots.
We arrived at opening (winter hours 9-4) and stayed until closing. The 2 year old loved all-nighter of the animal areas that were open but especially loved the tropical rainforest, the bird, lions and farm. She took playground breaks between areas and this was something that we really loved about this zoo… the playgrounds.
We ate at the cafe and service was a bit slow with little ones, but it seemed they weren’t well staffed at that time or on that day (a Thursday around 11:30). We also took advantage of the “dipping dots” vending machine to enjoy some ice cream.
The layout is nice and easy to get around and surprisingly the 2 year old did great getting around all day without a stroller. We were able to see many of the animals although a few were away because of cooler weather.
We arrived at opening (winter hours 9-4) and stayed until closing. The 2 year old loved all-nighter of the animal areas that were open but especially loved the tropical rainforest, the bird, lions and farm. She took playground breaks between areas and this was something that we really loved about this zoo… the playgrounds.
We ate at the cafe and service was a bit slow with little ones, but it seemed they weren’t well staffed at that time or on that day (a Thursday around 11:30). We also took advantage of the “dipping dots” vending machine to enjoy some ice cream.
The layout is nice and easy to get around and surprisingly the 2 year old did great getting around all day without a stroller. We were able to see many of the animals although a few were away because of cooler weather.
Written March 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi JerriAL1, we’re thrilled to get this kind of feedback. Thank you for taking the time to review us. We look forward to seeing you again!
Written March 14, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dmmjran
Massachusetts15 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
We were pleasantly surprised by both the size of the zoo and the amount of animals we were able to see on our visit there today. We found the maps helpful in navigating our way throughout the park, and spent a little more than 3 hours there. There were lots of colorful displays and some great play areas for the kids. Also, plenty of spots to sit down, and multiple restrooms along the paths. One annoyance was the ridiculously loud music playing behind a fence in the private party area, which made it difficult to focus on and hear our own conversations. I also thought it might be disturbing the animals, since so many of them have sensitive ears. Also, we overheard a male employee driving a golf cart refuse to help a female working in the small snack shop, rudely stating “That’s not my job,” and driving away with a look of disgust on his face when she mentioned that the cooler needed to be restocked. Very unprofessional, especially in front of several patrons. Finally, I think there should be some water bubblers in the park, as the temperature was close to 90 degrees today, and several times, I felt like passing out. $4.50 for a small bottle of water and $6.00 for a glass of lemonade was a bit more than I was willing to spend. Overall though, it was worth the trip and I do recommend it to others.
Written August 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi dmmjran, thank you for your review. We would be happy to discuss your visit in more detail, and invite you to reach out to us at info@zoonewengland.org
Written August 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
803632016
Connecticut55 contributions
Sep 2022
I love this zoo more than any zoo but there is a lot wrong with it these days! Most of the animals were not in their areas with signs saying not available for viewing. There were so many animals missing that I told my daughter who I took today that we should ask for our money back. Are they caught up in this greed machine that the US has? Can they not get it together? It is very sad!
The positive side I did see people working in the large bird outdoor cage which is so much fun to go in when it is open. Closed today. The statues animals for the night light show you can tell they put a lot into them. The should discount the tickets until they get it together and I am not talking about the bird influenza. 23 dollars is a lot for a zoo missing more than half of the animals and no shows or feeding times. Also it would be a great idea dummies if you put the names of some of the animals next to their cages like the white parrot outside. Kids would love to see that!
The positive side I did see people working in the large bird outdoor cage which is so much fun to go in when it is open. Closed today. The statues animals for the night light show you can tell they put a lot into them. The should discount the tickets until they get it together and I am not talking about the bird influenza. 23 dollars is a lot for a zoo missing more than half of the animals and no shows or feeding times. Also it would be a great idea dummies if you put the names of some of the animals next to their cages like the white parrot outside. Kids would love to see that!
Written September 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
akadad
Shillington, PA486 contributions
Jul 2021
I've been to 8 of the top 10 zoos in the country along with zoos in Chicago, New York, Columbus, Cincinnati, Zurich, San Diego, and many more. Zoos are our go to when traveling.
We walked through half of the zoo before we saw our first animal (a turtle). We had to dodge construction vehicles and cars that were driving on the pedestrian path. Other than in the cafe, we didn't see an employee until we were there for almost an hour.
It was hot out and there was no visible water in any of the displays (except the turtle). I had never seen a bird pant before, but the small birds outside the displays were panting. The warthog has laying in a few inches of mud. No water, just mud.
The staff in the cafe was unbelievably rude. My hotdog bun was a stale brick. When I mentioned it, the girl said "it's just stale. All you have to do is ask for a new one". Why did I have to ask? Couldn't they give me a fresh one to start? Apparently you have to ask for the edible food.
The animal conditions were terrible, service was abysmal, and this was a total waste of money. I really expected better.
We walked through half of the zoo before we saw our first animal (a turtle). We had to dodge construction vehicles and cars that were driving on the pedestrian path. Other than in the cafe, we didn't see an employee until we were there for almost an hour.
It was hot out and there was no visible water in any of the displays (except the turtle). I had never seen a bird pant before, but the small birds outside the displays were panting. The warthog has laying in a few inches of mud. No water, just mud.
The staff in the cafe was unbelievably rude. My hotdog bun was a stale brick. When I mentioned it, the girl said "it's just stale. All you have to do is ask for a new one". Why did I have to ask? Couldn't they give me a fresh one to start? Apparently you have to ask for the edible food.
The animal conditions were terrible, service was abysmal, and this was a total waste of money. I really expected better.
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed in your visit. We take all of our guest feedback seriously and would like to assure you that your feedback has been shared with the appropriate staff. As an organization accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (a distinction achieved by fewer than 10% of licensed animal exhibitors in the U.S.), we adhere to the highest standards of animal care. Our dedicated animal care team closely monitors all of the animals here at the Zoo, so that if and when anything unusual does occur we can take steps to address it as quickly as possible. Birds do have their own form of panting to help keep cool during hot weather. One form of this is called gular fluttering. This is a combination of rapid, open mouth breathing and quick vibration of the moist throat membranes that causes evaporation. In regard to water, fresh water is provided to all of the animals every day but may not always be visible to the public depending on placement within exhibits. With the warthogs, this species does like to wallow in mud, which is also a way for them to cool off. We provide a mud wallow to encourage natural behaviors, and water is added to it regularly. The warthogs do have fresh drinking water, provided daily in a water bowl hidden inside a round concrete trough so that they cannot flip it. We would be happy to discuss your experience in further detail and invite you to reach out at info@zoonewengland.org
Written July 28, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dustythoughts
Manchester, CT2,118 contributions
Jul 2021
We came here to see the annual lantern festival, and walked around the zoo a couple of times while we were here. Since the festival technically started after the zoo closed, we didn't see a lot of animals (we only saw camels), although I would have liked to walk through the tropical forest exhibit. I also saw that they're introducing a new gorilla exhibit next spring (of 2022). The lantern festival itself was gorgeous, with a lot of whimsical displays, including a phoenix, a dragon, and a dinosaur exhibit with the Jurassic Park theme song playing overhead. They also had a wide variety of more standard animal-themed lantern displays, like bears, frogs, penguins, and pandas. Definitely a great experience for the whole family! The food here is pretty standard for a zoo (mostly fried food). The bathrooms were really clean, though.
Written August 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dubin115
Boston, MA48 contributions
Aug 2020
Boston lights amazing!,I am a frequent visitor to both Franklin Park & their sister Park Stone Zoo. It is a clearly a happy place with animals, people and employees enjoying the environment. Having been to every major Zoo Bronx, San Diego, Washington DC, Columbus, etc. Franklin Park's children's zoo and gorillla exhibit on par with the best they have to offer. Overall it's a great place to spend the day and they are continuing to improve the experience with each visit. A great place to support to continue their efforts on behalf of education and conservation of these precious animals
Written August 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tinaNtravel
San Jose, CA1,978 contributions
Sep 2021
This is a really cute, relatively small zoo that seems to be perfect for younger kids. I went specifically to see the baby gorilla. The gorillas are in the large inside enclosure with four viewing windows to watch the gorillas. The zoo also contains lions and a tiger, and when I was there, both were right near the viewing places. There are plenty of other animals to see, for example two hump camels, zebra, giraffes, etc. If you go before Oct 11, 2021 the Zoo is decorated with the Boston Lights show. During the day it looks spectacular. I really wanted to go back at night to take a look, but simply didn’t have the time.
Written September 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
auntellis
Syracuse, NY8 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
I visited the Boston Lights and thought it was a gorgeous art installation! The animals and flowers were all so beautiful! The artists who put this together really did a beautiful job. It was just a perfect way to spend a chilly fall evening, in a socially distant way. Like everyone else, I’m looking for things to do outdoors this year, and this was a wonderful way to take advantage of the zoo’s large space.
Written November 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rockwood13
Needham, MA594 contributions
Is an adult needed to buy tickets? Can my 14-year-old teenager go alone with her 16-year-old friend and a 10-year-old child?
Lenny
15 contributions
Is an adult needed to buy tickets? Can my 14-year-old teenager go alone with her 16-year-old friend and a 10-year-old child?
rockwood13
Needham, MA594 contributions
Not sure, but I would think a 16 year old wouldn't have any problems for sure. Good luck. Can always call the zoo to confirm.
Roberta S
3 contributions
Hi - was wondering what time of day you went that the gorillas were so active? Was it the same with other animals?
Larissaandkids
Needham, MA142 contributions
We always go around 10 and gorillas always on a move, at least some, other is having a breakfast. Later if we are there again they still playing and doing there things.
How long does it take, on average, to get through the zoo? I am trying to schedule a time slot.
Pat V
Narragansett, RI25 contributions
We were there about 2 1/2 hours but that was in February and some of the animals were not there at that time but there was still many, many animals to see
How long does it take , on average, to get through the zoo?
soshore
Boston, MA18 contributions
about 2 hours will do it.
Bryan G
Concord, Massachusetts, United States10 contributions
what animals are in the tropical rainforest
pattiaugh
Boston, MA2 contributions
Does the zoo have re admittance on same day? I want to pack a cooler for lunch and keep it in the car and be able to access it at lunch time.
Thanks in advance.
Michellemabelle75
Northborough, MA10 contributions
I would assume that would be OK as long as you have your tickets!
is this zoo suitable for adults ?? or it is mainly focused on kids and teenagers?? I may visit it with my brother and we are both adults, so I need to know if it is OK to visit. Thanks
Gtex78
Boston, MA95 contributions
Yes this zoo is suitable for adults. I love zoos and I love this one too but it is near our house and we have a membership. I am not sure it is a "destination" visit for all. It is relatively small compared to other zoos.
Is it open on the holiday tomorrow? ???
Sam F
21 contributions
I'm not sure, I'd call
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