This is a cute little zoo. Agree with other reviewers that you should come in knowing what to expect. It has a modest number of animals, but a lot of charm. We came in the morning on a weekday. Unfortunately, a lot of the animals were napping (lots of nocturnals) but we still have a nice time. This zoo is in a park and there are a lot of trees and shades -- it doubles as a walking path. I noticed that there were lots of benches throughout, which is nice. There was also cute decor like gnomes, fairy gardens, and animal statues. Standouts were the sand cats, penguins, lemurs, and red pandas. There were wolves, arctic foxes, and lots of other neat critters. At the front there's a petting zoo with sheep and goats, and you can feed them if you buy a cup of chow from the gift shop. In the gift shop, I noticed they sell art prints made by the animals, which is super cute! I noticed a bus stop across the street, so it seems accessible by public transit. The park its within has a lot of really neat play features too, so you could definitely make an afternoon of it. The price is right. It's only about $10 a ticket for admission, and like $2 - $3 for petting zoo food. Which, in this economy especially, is fantastic. Cute place. Worth checking out! read more

An incredible zoo experience for all! An extensive variety of exotic species, each within close proximity of the viewer. Super antique and cutesy feel to the entire property. There are high quality informational plaques as well. For those with limited mobility- the exhibits are along a relatively steep hill. Come prepared for a bit of an incline. Overall a wonderful experience!! Would rate higher than any large zoo I've been to. read more

Ross Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Binghamton, New York

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Decided to stop by Ross Park Zoo on a whim! Bought tickets indoors. Friendly staff. Came in on a rainy/light shower day, so there was virtually no one there, so it was nice to have the zoo to myself. That was the pro. Downside, since there was some rain, a lot of the animals were taking shelter. Was excited to see the red panda, but buddy was resting as well. Small, private zoo, was nice to have a stroll and take a look. Free parking onsite in the lot. read more

Small enough to look through all the exhibits carefully in less than 3 hours and the animals are all amazing. You can tell the animals are being taken great care of. Wish we could come back again read more

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They've adjusted their prices for the cold seasons but we were still able to see quite a lot of animals. It was well worth the price of admission! read more

Some might call this a small zoo I think it's perfect for a young toddler who doesn't want to walk miles. The carousel I thought was awesome as part of it but my son you'd think we were trying to put him on an alien ship the way he's just terrified of a carousel. It was a good way to spend a morning followed by the children's museum. read more

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This is a small zoo, so as long as you go in with that knowledge, you won't be disappointed. It's a leisurely walk through a beautiful forest park interspersed with some great animals. As with any zoo, it's a bit hit or miss if the animals are 'out', but when they are, it's usually nice and close to the observer(again, it's a small zoo). There is a great goat feeding area near the end of the trail(or beginning, depending on what direction you go), but you have to buy the feed cups at the gift shop for $3 each. They fill them at the feeding area, and for refills you have to go back to the gift shop-which is right nearby. I also love that there are 'step counter' signs throughout the trail to give you an idea of how many steps and how far you've walked. There is a small food stand that had hot dogs, chips, sodas, etc. We didn't try any food, so I can't comment on that. It's not an arduous walk by any means, with gentle inclines and several benches along a well-paved path. It won't fill your day, but it's a great way to spend an hour or so. read more

The birthday party by Alana and Maggie was great. Recommend for your little kids party.

The zoo itself is OK. It's basically a very long path with a few interesting animal exhibits along the way. My main complaint is that the decision makers have decided to invest in a very large number of huge, garish figures of fish, dinosaurs, pandas, etc, instead of investing in better animal enclosures or a wider variety of animals. The arctic foxes, puma, birds and others could have really benefited from larger, better accommodations. It would be nice if there were alternatives to the small enclosures and many chain link type fences that are in place. The new construction just looked like a huge waste of money for what is advertised as a zoo. I think more people would be interested in taking a walk in a beautiful nature park and seeing nice animal exhibits/enclosures than looking at large, unrealistic scenes of artificial sculptures. I am not too savvy about social media so I didn't post a video of the new exhibits. Perhaps some of the younger visitors could give it a try to see if others share my negative opinion, or whether they like the new stuff. read more

I spontaneously stopped by at this zoo on the way back to nyc. What a delight! For $7 per adult, you can enjoy a zoo almost all to yourself! I came here on a Sunday. There's a free carousel ride by the ticket booth, but it's closed.. Not sure when it will be open. I immediately ran to the goats, and took a bunch of selfies with a brown goat. He was so awesome and sniffed my forehead while another one licked my ear. This goat is so weird, he keeps licking and opening/closing his mouth at speeds of 40 mph! So hilarious hahahaha.... I admit some of the cages are too small for the animals to roam around... The saddest one for me was a beautiful white fennec fox :( it seemed so lonely and sad. It was the size of a large dog crate. My heart broke... Other than that issue, the best part of this zoo is being so close to the animals bc of the size of the zoo. I was up close to the Tigers, leopard, snow leopard, wallabies, and red pandas. Usually at other zoos, because they are so spacious, you can't really see these animals up close. It was pretty cool how the bear came over and stared at me. Well I was shaking around a bag of beef jerky to catch its attention... And it did lol see pic! Sad part is I think it was only one bear, so it's lonely :( read more

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Don't go to Ross Park Zoo!!! This zoo is sooo run down. They have a variety of animals in the SMALLEST enclosures for them. All the animals looked so depressed and are just laying down staring at the walls. The Artic Foxes, Snow Leopard have no room AT ALL and there's no snow, ice or cold during the summer months! The penguins enclosure is more than concerning, not only with the small space they have, but with a little pond coming from a hose and a small fan trying to keep them cool. No ice or indoor enclosure to keep them cool! This place should be shut down and all those animals should be rescued and put in a place where they'll be taken care off and happy. Please DO NOT SUPPORT THIS ANIMAL TORTURE! read more

i did try to go in the winter so maybe that's why but it seemed completely run down and a little sketchy

Let's set some expectation here...this isn't Philly or San Diego. It is Binghampton. And the fact that Binghampton has a zoo of its own is impressive. Let's see a few talking points here. First, it has some fun animals to see. Two-toed sloth, anyone? Wolves and coyotes? Penguins and sea-otters? All very cool. These are animals you don't see in the southern tier everyday! Secondly, it is affordable. 8 or 9 bucks gets you in the door. Moreso than Philly! Third, it is pretty picturesque and clean. It is spread out- whichas one reviewer pointed out, can be an issue for our geriatric friends- about 1.5 miles out and back. But it runs along a creek and is in a wooded, shady setting. We attended for thr Easter egg hunt today and had fun with the eggs and the animals. This is a zoo on par with the likes of Allentown's zoo, ans it is great for what it is. It is one of those things that you would miss if it was gone, and as the 5th oldest zoo in America, it is a tradition that needs to be enjoyed. I hope Binghampton continues to support their zoo, as it is a very cool part of the city's makeup! read more

Small zoo, great place to kill an hour. We were passing through Binghamton area after coming back from the NYS Fair and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, about an hour and 15 mins away, and saw that this was a attraction in the Binghamton area. We arrived at about 2 PM or so on Labor Day (Monday). There are a few lots there and the one closest to the entrance was closed so we parked at the higher lot which is located next to the children's play area. The play area has a few jungle-gym-like structures for the kiddies to play. The tickets are reasonable being around $8ish for adults and $6ish for children. I was surprised to see a sign that it is the 5th oldest zoo in the US. The zoo is fairly small. The enclosures were also on the smaller end. I am not an animal activist in any way but the animals seemed unhappy. It could be the 85-degree day (or may they had just had lunch?!) but they were very inactive, even those that you normally see active, like monkeys, lemurs and penguins. I would expect that kind of behavior from the snow leopard and cougar. The coyote surprised me the most, looking very thin and frail. I have never seen a coyote up close before, but I'm not sure if you are supposed to see rib cages. The wolf areas were massive, but we could only spot 1 wolf in each, maybe its a territorial thing. There is a small concession stand in the middle of the zoo. During our time there the only staff we saw were the concession person and the entrance person, who was also the gift shop person. All in all its a nice place to kill a few hours, though just over an hour north is Rosamond Gifford Zoo which is much much better (The admission fees are roughly the same as well). I do understand that this zoo is smaller and may not have the same resources as others, but I've been to much smaller zoos and "nature centers" in better condition. read more

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Smaller Zoo off the beaten path. Visited prior to Memorial Day weekend so there was a lot of work going on with building/repairing enclosures and habitats. Park is well shaded, both for visitors and animals. We benefited by visiting on a 70 degree day, as the animals were active as opposed to dozing away in the heat. The tram wasn't running (weekday) but seems like a good investment as its more spread out than it appears on the map and the hills could pose a challenge. Definitely not an all day thing, but a good diversion for an hour or 2. read more

A nice, smaller zoo with very low entry fees ($8 for an adult). Very quiet. With a regular-sized group, you could probably get through the whole place in an hour or hour and a half. I appreciated that there was a bit of educational material available as I like to learn about the animals as well. We went on a drizzly weekend and there were about 8 cars in the parking lot and as a result, it was generally very quiet and we were able to spend a lot of time looking at the animals with no children in the way or having trouble seeing through windows. Also worth noting that the animals were generally VERY visible and easy to spot. I've never seen a red panda so close before. Petting zoo is cute and contains goats, (very loud) sheep, and pigmy goats. Also provided: hand sanitizer out of dispensers on the wall. Food: only one food stall with predictably terrible food, and no indoor places to sit. Not as expensive as other parks and zoos though, $2 for a hot dog. ANIMAL LIST. Full list at website. Birds: Chickens, lots of owls, bald eagles, vultures, american birds of prey, crows, green aracari, penguins Cats: 2 types of leopards, a puma, and a fishing cat Monkeys/primates: Howler monkeys, tamarins, marmosets, lemurs Reptiles/Amphibians: Boas, pythons, king snake, corn snake, skink, tortoises, salamander, frogs Insects/Arachnids: 1 spider, 1 scorpion, feeder crickets. Canids: Arctic fox, red wolves Other: Red Panda, sloth, Andean bear, rabbit, porcupine, wallaby, read more

Even though its such a historic zoo, I'm afraid I have to give it 3 stars. There is nothing wrong with the zoo... everything is ok. However, that is the problem... everything is just... ok. None of the exhibits have that 'wow' factor that brings the crowds back. They have a really neat wolf and deer exhibit that I think is pretty unique. The central loop is just fenced off woods and there is a wolf pack that lives there. Its pretty cool to see them when they are not in a 'cage'. However, I have seen it already and since nothing changes, I really don't need to see it again. Besides, I live close enough to the zoo that the wolves freak out my cat at night with their howling. Tons of enjoyment for no cost! They have a penguin exhibit on the top of the hill that is, again, ok. It kinda smells but it has an underwater window to watch the penguins swim around. One of Broome County's famous carousels is here but it always seems to be out of order. Additionally, I think the steep hill scares away all the sedentary folk... which is like 75% of the population. They do host some rather cool events and fund-raisers. There is Boo-at-the-Zoo, Brew-at-the-Zoo, Fathers day, and a lot more. But it just doesn't make up for how... average the zoo is. This zoo has SO MUCH potential. They should develop some of the unused portion of the hill into hiking trails, and do something with the old entrance... which is right on park ave. They are doing some development, and they are trying to get some more exhibits, but they really need to put some thought into some very creative exhibits to get people to come back. Maybe a treetop walkway over the wolf pen or do something awesome with the penguins. Make use of the land and the native critters to really do something educational and nifty. read more

We visited the "zoo" and carousel after having visited several years ago and enjoying it. The zoo is very run down, I'm surprised it's still open. They've lost their license I believe, to have certain animals, and been citied a number of times for the animals' living conditions. We walked the zoo (it is VERY steep up a hill, with small kids / a stroller near impossible) what a weird place to put animals! Most of the exhibits were closed, saving only a few sad monkeys, birds, and reindeer. It was a complete let down. After the "zoo" visit, we attempted to ride the carousel, only to find that it wouldn't start moving. I kid you not, the music was like a bad horror movie, slowed waaaaaaay down like the battery was drained, and my husband and brother in law, along with two other men, had to jump off and push start it, running along side it to keep it going. It was extremely funny, in a sad way. read more

Wow - I'm surprised about the poor reviews of this zoo. I am pretty sensitive to animal conditions, and outside of some of the reptiles being in too small areas, I felt the enclosures were adequate. This zoo is a member of the AZA and thus has to maintain certain standards to be included. Unlike another reviewer the tigers looked well kept and relaxed to me. I am most familiar with the Philadelphia Zoo which is really leading edge when it comes to zoos, and even though there is nothing spectacular about this zoo we really enjoyed it. Yes, it is a big uphill climb, but so is the Philadelphia Zoo. It's a historical zoo, and the location can't be helped. My husband noted the nice landscaping and there was plenty of shade. What we really enjoyed was the fact that you could get very close to the animals. This is especially great for small children who can't see the unmoving animal usually in the way back of the enclosure. They had some unusual animals that I had never seen before including a red wolf, and a wallaby with a baby. We went first thing in the morning when the animals were most active and getting fed. In all I can see it not warranting another adult visit, but small children will be sure to enjoy it again and again. read more

I'm shocked that this zoo got such poor reviews here, because that's exactly the opposite of our experience. We went to the Ross Park Zoo as a party of three for their red panda wild encounter, and even though our itinerary was very last-minute and changed frequently, Ian was extremely accommodating and even got us in before we all had to fly home. The trainer for the red pandas was Stephanie, who was extremely knowledgeable and clearly had cultivated a bond with the animals. Being familiar with red pandas prior to our visit (some might say we're 'aficionados'), we weren't expecting to learn anything new about them, but learn we did. The pandas, Zhang and Mei Li, were adorable, and we got to feed them, interact with them, and were fortunate enough to be able to touch their fur. It's an experience that neither of us will soon forget. We only had time to look through maybe half of the rest of the zoo (it is a fairly small zoo), but the animals all seem very well cared for. We first stopped by the petting area with the goats and fed them - they know what the sound of the coin-operated feed dispenser means for sure. Then we headed down the lower path to see meerkats, the cougar, the snow leopard, and several other exhibits before it was time to turn around and head on our way. Ian had snapped several photos of our encounter with the pandas, and we received some prints along with a flash drive we'd provided filled with the original shots. About the only complaint I can even come close to making is that the gift shop didn't have any red panda merchandise. Too bad, but since that alone was the most memorable part of our stay, it's not enough to remove a star. I highly recommend checking out the Ross Park Zoo in Binghamton if you have the chance. Not only is it America's 5th-oldest zoo, but it's a light walk that won't take long or much out of you, and the wild encounters are extremely fairly priced. You won't regret it! read more

This place is a nice little find. Super tiny little zoo. Great cost. Family of 4 getting into a zoo for 20something dollars. I don't know how anyone could complain. It's small but has a ton of things for the kids to see. We would stop again for sure if we were passing through the area. Staff was friendly too. read more

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I had fond memories of the Ross Park Zoo from my childhood. It is a nice little zoo, but has went downhill over the years. It is in need of some financial help, I think. We went this weekend and here are the pros and cons as I see them. It is a nice, quiet park. It is clean. The walkways are paved, wide, smooth paths with nice fencing. Much of the park is heavily shaded which keeps it cool and comfortable while walking. The park is situated among hills, so yes, some of the walkways get steep, but not unmanageable. It would probably be hard to push a stroller, but my husband and I aren't in great shape and we had no problem walking with our niece. The variety of animals is enough to fulfill a morning or afternoon there, probably about 2-3 hours. However, it was disappointing that many of the animals on the map were off exhibit. I had talked about the penguins and river otters with my niece, they were my favorite when I was a child. When we reached the top there wasn't even a sign indicating they were gone, but there was one otter and no penguins. There were other animals off exhibit as well, but there were at least signs indicating if it was temporary or permanent. Also, I will say that some of the animals did look weak and sickly. The wolves and the bald eagle were actually heart breaking to see. We ended our morning with a few rides on the Carousel and a little time playing on the playground. Overall we had an enjoyable time! The few "cons" were outweighed by the overall experience. A plus to the day is that the Discovery Center is next door and it is pretty reasonable in terms of time and price to visit both attractions in one day. read more

Good couple hour visit place while in Binghamton. Gorgeous animals and not crowded, could get up close with them. Snow leopard was awesome. Rolling around like a kitten. Red pandas were chasing each other around. Very cute. Could use bigger enclosures. Nice walk. read more

Good effort and collection, except a) many of the animals are solitary in their cages; and, b) the petting zoo has sad, mangy specimens as you walk in. A solution would be to exhibit some livestock from the many farms around, if checked first by a vet. The zoo could pay for the maintenance of each animal within the loan period. In any case, you'll enjoy the walk up the hill, the joy of seeing nature not locally, based and the educational value of the visit. No car ? No problem: Take the # 3 bus from downtown. A terrific day out. read more

Amazing zoo, great accommodations to covid. A worker, Anjali, might greet you (if serve you ice cream!). Shes very pleasant and knowledgeable. I loved the lemurs, leopards and red panda! Great day for all times of the year. read more

Cute little zoo. Perfect for younger kids. Didn't have huge crowds when we were there, so we could actually see the animals and spend as long as we wanted to each exhibit. A few exhibits were closed when we went which was a little disappointing but we still had a lot to see. We have been twice this summer and had great experiences both times. Wish it were a little bigger but they do have some great animals. Our favorites were the 2 beautiful tigers, a curious + playful bear, and adorable otters who we saw during feeding. The new(ish) management team has done a great job restoring this zoo. I would definitely go back. read more

Ross Park Zoo - Tiger at the Ross Park Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Binghamton, New York

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The animals are actually very nice and it can be a very fun day for children. My problem is that the last time we attended, I noted employees disposing of recyclable bottles into regular garbage cans. When i saw an administrator do this, i did question her about there being NO RECYCLE BINS anywhere in the ZOO. She angered very easily, asked me to leave and told me that a receptacle for bottle returns was [down below]. I reassured her that I was speaking of actual recycling of paper etc. I just asked her if we were serious about this 'saving the world thing'. And she asked me to leave or she was going to call police???? I suppose a nerve had been struck, i quietly left as my family was finished at the concession. I spoke with two other staff members upon leaving the zoo, and they both confirmed that there were no recycling bins on the property. I am extremely disappointed, and amazed that our own Zoo here in Binghamton would show such little compassion for our Mother Earth. I thought that's what Zoos were all about? Nature and also Man caring for our Planet. The final outcome? Last i knew, there were no recycle bins at ROSS PARK ZOO. its been a year and we all still throw away our goat feed filled paper cups when we are done with them. We toss out our popped corn container and many other things that could see there way to the recycling plant. I'm ashamed of this Zoo and how its being taken care of. One more thing, they have crows there in cages. I don't understand the ideals behind this. Crows and Eagles. They are indigenous to this area. Why are they caged? Overall, i just don't feel good about this zoo. - read more

Very cute, small zoo. Very quiet and not crowded in May. Love it here! Amazing price, not many animals per exhibit but it's still an experience read more

I'm not a fan of zoos to start with, so bear that in mind when reading my input. However, Ross Park Zoo (whilst it is something to add to your list of things to do with your toddler) was really disappointing. The exhibits are all too small, dingy and depressing and it is reflected in the poor animals who are imprisoned there. The tigers especially got my attention. They look dirty and ungroomed ( a sure sign of depression ) and they either lie down motionless or pace back and forth incessantly. The only good thing about this place is the uphill walk when you enter was good for me (post pregnancy) and good for tiring out my son as he became a toddler and wanted to walk instead of being pushed in his stroller. Otherwise, I would say this is one to miss. If you're an animal lover, it's quite upsetting. read more

We drove over 2 hours one way to come here and stayed for roughly 3 hours. It was a very beautiful and scenic area. The animal cages were very close so you can see the animals very well. If you love big cats there is no shortage of them here. We came for Howloween and the kid activities were wonderful, my son loved it. The small reptile area did smell like it needed to have a good cleaning though. It was nice to come to a zoo and not be crowded by others. We were able to take our time and not feel rushed at all. There was even a nice size playground that my son could run around on and burn off some energy. read more

I love the Ross Park zoo! I try to go at least once a semester. It is just a nice, cute little zoo to take a few hours to walk around. It is also pretty cheap, around $5 for students! I think it is neat to say that it is the 5th oldest zoo in the world! Sure ,it's not glamorous like the Bronx Zoo or the San Diego Zoo, but it has a certain charm to it that will make you fall in love with it. read more

Ross Park Zoo claim's to be the second oldest zoo in the USA. The grounds are located in a glen, then go up a hillside which makes the layout somewhat old school. Very wooded with lots of shade. Admission is $7.00. They have a carousel which is free at the front area. The carousel is one of six in the area given to the towns and cities by Endicott Johnson Shoes with the condition that they would always be free to ride, so there is a free entrance to this ride. The animals are varied and seem to be well kept. Staff is informative. This zoo on time had a small amusement park but all that is left are some picnic pavilions. There is a small snack bar with a limited menu. If you have children you might want to also go to the Discovery Center located at the opposite end of the parking lot for the Ross Park Zoo. read more

Meh is the only word for it. My group got in free through a membership with an affiliated zoo. That was good, because nothing we saw was worth the price of admission. There were nice volunteers working on the place, but it needs a lot more exhibits and work before it'll be something special. read more