This is a cute little zoo that is free! Please do not go in with high expectations--this is a small zoo. The highlight for us were the bears, as they were active during our visit. The alpacas were also active, and we saw bison, some birds, some reptiles, and a wallaby. But this zoo definitely needs some TLC as we did not see many of the animals expected as listed on the website. I know that animals might not be active during a particular visit, but there were enclosures that either had a sign on it or looked like there was definitely "no one home." There is a small cafe with hot dogs and hot pretzels, a slushie truck, and a small gift store. The adjacent playground is a plus, and the whole surrounding park area looks like a great place to walk on the trails. Don't forget to leave a donation so that they can stay open and stay free! read more

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For us, this was a very impromptu side trip on the way to a Shorebirds game since we had a little extra time, and the weather was fantastic. Having a clue about the layout helps tremendously since things are a bit... squirrely. salisburyzoo.org/be-our-guest/map/ You've got a small parking lot (maybe 20 cars) on South Park Drive and then another lot on the other side of the zoo on Beaver Dam Drive that's slightly larger. While that seems easy enough, most of the zoo is a small maze of interconnected walkways. It's very easy to miss something or double back on yourself while not knowing where to go. The animals here are for the most part small time. Think some reptiles, crane, flamingos, a crow, alpaca, deer, goat, lynx, etc. The biggest would be two bald eagles, a few small bears and two or three bison. This isn't the National Zoo in DC or the zoo in Philly. If you're walking at a brisk pace and ignoring the empty enclosures, you could slam through here easy in 30 minutes and have seen everything. We were fast, but not that fast. Doing a slow roll through and seeing everything took about 75-80 minutes. IMHO, any review for this zoo should be/needs to be automatically skewed higher simply because it's free. I mean within reason; how do you take a dump on something that's free? With that said, know before you go what's here and what's not here to keep your expectations in check and you should have a good time. read more

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What a nice - free - treasure! Good signage, although I wish they had signs for unoccupied animal areas - we only saw one sign but several were empty (i.e. prairie dogs were getting health checks). Clean restrooms, reasonable prices in the gift shop, and adjacent to an awesome playground. Small in scale, but great fir little ones to walk the distance. read more

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I've been visiting the Salisbury Zoo since I was a child. This weekend, I visited again and was blown away that the Salisbury Zoo remains free to the public. Though several exhibits are closed or under construction, it remains an amazing adventure for families in the area. I hope it continues to flourish in the coming years. read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Flamingo Exhibit - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

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The Salisbury Zoo is such a cute, fun, (and free!) way to spend an afternoon. They have bears, a white peacock named peekaboo (who is not albino contrary to popular belief), flamingos, macaws, otters and much more. Overall pretty small, but totally packs a punch for a community zoo that runs on a donations only basis. We learned that Peekaboo the white peacock, loves to show off to guests wearing bright colors, because the female peacock that they have on the grounds, doesn't like him, hahaha. What a shame, he's so pretty! We also learned that Peekaboo thinks that he's prettiest from the back (ayeeeee) so if he's shaking his tail feathers at you, he must really think you're fineeeeeee. Too funny. read more

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The zoo was fun. It is small compared to DC's National Zoo. Parking is free. They have a playground and picnic area (bring a tablecloth & towels to sit on). Some of the exhibits (and gift shop) were closed due to covid. We enjoyed hearing the animals chattering. The flamingos were my favorite. The Emus were funny. It was odd seeing a crow in an exhibit since we see them all the time. The bathrooms were clean. read more

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Still 5 Stars all the way!!!! Please see my previous review and pictures for details. read more

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This free zoo is packed with fun areas, animals and birds. We came to enjoy the disc golf course that was recently put in next door and check out the zoo. My daughter loved seeing bison roaming around. A nice feature are the elevated walkways that go through the animal areas. You can see the animals better that way. It closed at 4:30 so we quickly walked through. The bathrooms were a mess by the end of the day without paper towels. There was a gift shop and vendors set up near the exit. We plan to visit again and get there earlier to enjoy the whole zoo. read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Capybara - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

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Nice local zoo. Something for a family especially with young kids to enjoy. We are from the area but like to go for events and every couple months to see the animals. read more

A small zoo that's tucked away in Salisbury, MD, this place is so cute with its variety of animals. My favorites was the buffalo and the prairie dogs (so cute and fat!). The admission is free, but you can support it by donating (there's a sign that says that "$1 = lunch for a llama, $2 = meal for a monkey; $5 = breakfast for a bear; $10 = feeds a flock of feathered friends and keeps your Zoo Healthy and Growing"). The guides/volunteer staff are very helpful in letting you know where the animals are. Definitely a great place to go to when it's nice and cool outside to take a stroll through this hidden gem of a zoo! +free admission :D +cute zoo i Salisbury :D read more

Definitely one of the cleanest and best zoo's I've been to. It is one of only a few zoological parks in America that is free. I particularly like that is a small park, and that it caters to a small community. I will bring my granddaughter here when she gets a little older. read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Big Bison in the distance. - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

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Free zoo with some animals that they don't even have in Baltimore, which charges $25 plus. The animals were super active when I visited and I got to see some animals I've never seen before up close. The zoo also connects to a park, so you could have an extended walk or a picnic. read more

Great zoo love it every time we get a chance for the visit is like going for the first time the animals are happy to see ya they have good days and some great days look for the good stuff in life visit and in joy read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

Saw a straight up flamingo gang war the other day. All the animals appear like they are looked after. It's a shame the alligators have such a a small area in the winter but that's to be expected. It's way bigger than you think as well. read more

We stopped here during a long road trip as a halfway point. It did what we needed. Free! Bathrooms. Nice walkways through shaded trees and bamboo. lil snack shack & gift shop. A lot was closed up for covid or renovations. But the few animals out was a nice touch. Especially since it was free. The bears came close and swim. There is a playground at the end of the zoo walk. It's not somewhere I'd purposely seek out or probably stop at again. Unless I lived close. BUT it was clean and nice little break in a long road trip. Great area for our toddler to run around and get some energy out. I gave it a five because come on. It's free, you could go to any park or playground. This one has a lot extra. It's hard to really judge or expect too much for free w/ cool animals. read more

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Nice walk with the family! There was ALOT of birds and water foul and some other animals, such as bear and bison. The enclosures aren't kept up the best though, but they do only ask for donations. It was great for my 2 year old . Not too long and didn't get bored! read more

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This place is a gem. We came today. Not busy at all which was of course nice. It was quite peaceful. We saw a lot of the animals since it was not too hot or cold. This park is a parent's dream. One side animals local and out of state/country and the other a magnificent park with a free library. The park was clean, peaceful, educational, and fun. If I lived here we'd come here weekly. This a great spot for everyone. Highly recommend! Wish there was one by me. read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

For what the zoo is, it's pretty awesome. You know you aren't getting a massive Philadelphia Zoo. They have regular events for kids, and all the animals seem to be well taken care of. I was honestly surprised by the diversity of animals considering this is such a small scale zoo. Definitely a fun time for anyone in my opinion. read more

To be honest, our expectations weren't very high because after all it is a free zoo... but it was so wonderful. We went on a Tuesday morning, so it wasn't busy at all. We did leave a donation because the animals and people who take such good care of them deserve it. We also visited the gift shop and bought some things there as well. We were able to see many different animals, a lot of birds. Glad we went there! I would definitely recommend it to young children, and adults. read more

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The Salisbury Zoo is a hidden gem in a not so awesome city(?) and I went almost every weekend when I was marooned there over the summer. It is great because: 1. A great assortment of animals: Wolves, Bear, Monkeys, Alligators, Sloths, Bobcats, Flamingos, Llama, Otters, Bison, Parrots, Owls, Jaguars, Prairie Dogs (my favorite), and a lot more, oh yeah... a deer with herpes that looks like a freak... 2. It's FREE! 3. Located right next to a large park that is great for picnics, jogging, and, paddle boats in the summer. There is a large jungle gym right next to the Zoo and then another down further in the park. There are also baseball fields, tennis courts, and the golf course is a short walk away. 4. Close to the main road (13) and just a block down from 50. 5. Decent amount of parking, completely handicap accessible. It is pretty much the cultural epicenter of Salisbury so if you are going to school there or new in town, or even just passing by, you're really missing out if you don't give this place a shot. read more

I live and work in the Salisbury area, and my family has gone to the Salisbury Zoo (just the zoo part) at least 10 times over the years. My daughters love to play at the big playground that backs up to the zoo (Ben's Red Swings). We've had picnics and I've taken my girls fishing many times in the river park next to the zoo - it's all one big area. The park, the playground, and the zoo are all free and there's plenty of easily accessible parking for the park, the river, the playground, and the zoo (multiple parking lots). The zoo/park are easy to find from RT50 and RT13. Any local will also be able to point you right to it because it's right in the heart of Salisbury. The zoo has a wide range of animals from very small and mundane to large and relatively exotic. Yes, the zoo is small, and they may lack funding for big fancy enclosures and a high staff-to-animal ratio - but it's better than not having anything. The schools and kids in the area greatly benefit from the exposure to the animals and education. Compared to the National Zoo in D.C. (which I've been to a few times), the Salisbury Zoo is tiny and not very impressive... but not every child on the Eastern Shore gets the chance to go to D.C. I recognize its shortcomings, but the value of this Zoo and park to the area greatly out-weighs the little negatives. read more

This is a great small zoo in Salisbury that we found at random (thanks, Google). We swung by on the way "down the ocean" and had a wonderful time here. Exhibits range from the ordinary (box turtles) to the spectacular (bobcats, up close and personal) to the kind of unexpected (a pond full of flamingos screaming at a parrot and a squirrel). They also have alligators, wolves, various llama-looking things, a few bison, deer, a capybara, and something that looks like a mad scientist combined a deer and a rabbit (I forget what it was called). Throw in a few monkeys, sloths, and other strange critters and you've got yourself an hour or two of gawking at nature! It's a great stop for the kids - it's no more than a mile of walking and it's well shaded and level. Everything is stroller- and wheelchair-accessible too. BYO food & drink - nothing to be had here in terms of concessions. It appears to be surrounded by a big city park, too, so there's probably stuff we missed. Entry is free, but they happily take donations. read more

Great zoo for an afternoon stroll! No admission fee (donations accepted) and a nice variety of animals throughout the well-kept paths definitely make this a worthwhile stop. Very enjoyable! read more

Unbelievable that people would actually complain about this place. Before you complain about this FREE ZOO, keep in mind most people here volunteer their time. Where else are you going to see some of nature's beauties at no cost to you? In addition, even the parking is free. We made a donation at the entrance gate. Maybe it's me. I'm from NY and we have to pay for even sneezing at the wrong time. Anyway, if you're thinking about not going based on the negative reviews, don't mind the reviews and go take a look at the cool animals! read more

Small and free. It close 4:30 pm. It have one bathroom. You can see most of the animals if they out in their habitats

A great hidden treasure for the whole family. A nice day trip from OC when you need a break of the sand. Both boys were entertained and enjoyed the trip. read more

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Great family friendly free community zoo. Lots of animals and education. So many animals including flamingos, a bear, monkeys, wolves, owls, and so many other great creatures. Huge playground (Ben's Red Swings) off one entrance to the zoo, great place to bring the kids. read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Otters at the zoo! - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

They have a wide variety of animals to view, from alligators to wallabies. They appear to be fed and taken care of properly. It's situated next to a large playground and park, complete with picnic tables. Oh, and it's free! read more

A fantastic park to go to if you are in the area. The place is not really big but just enough spend an morning at. It has really nice shaded walkways and not to mention it is "free". Please donate to help keep it nice! read more

I have to agree with Ed on this. I found this zoo to be horribly depressing and dirty. The water bowls/containers were filthy, as well as the cages, and the animals had no energy or life in them. I can't believe that it is accredited by any zoological agency (if that is even a requirement). No one who really cares about animals could possibly think the Salisbury Zoo is an acceptable establishment. read more

a fun little place. great for the kida or just a place to go walking around.

Awesome free zoo with adorable and surprising animals! The restrooms have a changing table. It is easy and free to park. read more

I've been coming here since I was a kid. It's always been a favorite place of mine and it's great bringing my children now. Parking is good and there is a nice playground and picnic area at the far end. We stop by every time we're in Ocean City either on the way to or back. read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

Amazing free zoo!!! Came on a cold wet May day with our 3yo. Such a lush environ with a great number of birds and other N and S American animals. Perfect for a 1.5 hr outing. There is also an awesome playground at one end of the zoo. Definitely will return if we are in the area again! read more

Salisbury Zoological Park - Bison and free ranging peacock. - Zoos Near Me - Salisbury, Maryland

This zoo is very well kept and an enjoyable time for the whole family. My husband and I really enjoyed walking the grounds and seeing all the work that is put into this place. Worth the trip! read more

What a fantastic zoo for a small town! Great variety of animals in a beautiful setting. Animal containment areas were large and clean. Pathways are shaded for hot days. read more

This is a great little free zoo. Please be sure to donate when you visit. We came early in the morning and it was so peaceful and pleasant. If you take your time, you can see everything is a couple of hours. Our two grandchildren really enjoyed seeing the animals. read more

Easy parking, multiple entrances, a good variety of animals, free entrance (you can leave a donation). Small gift shop, not too many options there. Pretty large zoo with lots to explore. read more

Well it's nice that there is a zoo, and that it's free. I really want to say more good things because, it's seems like such a nice public service, but I can't. I only went once, and though there are some animals I would love to visit again, (the otters were so cute, they were performing back flips over and over) I don't think I can go back. It was just too SAD... Most of the space / enclosure was too small for the animals. The bear and the jaguar was heartbreaking. Seriously. Most of the animals had a partner and another for company, but these 2 didn't, and it was just so miserable watching them be so lonely and cooped up with no available recourse. There's a sign on the bear exhibit saying to please excuse the bears strange behavior, that they are working on it with him. He bangs his head repeatedly, scrapes his face on the fence raw, and looks like he's ready to hang himself if there was some available rope. That's not strange behavior, the frakkin thing is so lonely and miserable it radiates helplessness to anyone who sees it. If most people were cooped up in a too small area with no one to keep them company - I don't think they would last as long as the bear. The jaguar - that's another sad sack. He wasn't physically hurting himself, not that I saw anyway, but I swear he's just as ready to lose it. So to summarize, nice they have a zoo and that it's free, really very nice of them. But I don't know what I can do so that when I close my eyes I would not have to see the image of that bear's anguished face in my head. read more

Nice for an afternoon out with the kids. Don't expect the San Diego Zoo; this one is small, but sweet. This free zoo ends in a wonderful playground. Between the playground & the zoo, you're set for an afternoon out. If you pack a picnic lunch & lots of water, you're good for the day! read more