Wildwood Zoo — Attraction in Marshfield

Fantastic little zoo! A good amount of animals to see for quick-paced little ones who always want to move on to the next thing, but also several little hidden nooks and crannies and tiny trails for small kiddos to explore. Not to mention ponds and creeks to see, too! This zoo is small, of course. If you're looking for a BIG free zoo like Henry Vila, this is not it. But I enjoyed THIS little zoo SO much more than any big fancy zoo I've been to. And honestly, it's up to you how long you want your visit to be. If you're only going to look at every animal for 3 1/2 minutes and move on in quick succession, you'll be in and out. Or you can wander and explore and see all the hidden gems around and about the grounds and spend a few hours. Bring a picnic lunch and you've made a day of it. (We're so bringing a picnic next time btw LOL I can't wait to go back!) You can stay on the main pathway for a straight shot quick visit, or you can walk around the sides of most of the enclosures for better views of the animals and extend your stay. There were cute, painted wood panels with the cut outs for kids to put their faces in, a lot of free space to roam and kids to run off some energy, and lots of areas to hang out and wait -- check out flowers, play on rocks, grab shade (Mom) or play tag (kids lol) under trees -- if an exhibit was momentarily crowded. There was a nature path we didn't have time to check out but I can't WAIT to go back and walk it! The bear exhibit was large, they had SO much space to roam and be bears (it even has the bridge they're happy to cross - even with a small crowd below) and yet they were more than happy to ham it up right in front of the fence for everyone to see, rather than hide and make everyone play I Spy. They were very active and lively, and not a bit shy! Honestly, these were the happiest zoo animals ive ever seen, and it was SO nice to see that - especially on a HOT day. So often as a parent I feel torn between my child's delight and the enclosed animals' obviously morose moods, but I didn't experience that feeling once today. We put the suggested donation amount as we entered the zoo in the enclosed box, and honestly, as we left, I thought "we should have given more." Next time we will. And every time. I just LOVE the freedom that this little zoo gives you, and how it encourages curiosity and exploration, instead of just systematic blocks of exhibits, one after the other, lined up like dominoes on display. Our whole family (with kids ages ranging from 2 to 13) ALL had an awesome...

Thank you! Highly appreciated your response to my comment. It's so valuable that you clarify you follow the rules strictly to protect and display the animals in this zoo. I'm looking forward to visit and enjoy the grounds and what you have to offer. I wasn't aware that these raptors had been injured and now they live in a good healthy environment. Your mission and dedication shows your commitment with the animals living here.

Initial comment. The zoo has a very large extension of area. We were there for the Fall festival. Which wasn't the main reason why I discovered this zoo and spent more time in this part. I like to visit zoos, is very altruist to support a zoo, it's wholly commitment that goes beyond having animals on display. We couldn't see the bears, looked everywhere were?. The bold eagles display looksa bit small for this size of birds of prey, raptors! Then we came across the wolf sadly he looks like he is malnourished. I may be wrong. Perhaps my experience was not accurate, some animals likely were in different settings to avoid agitation due the large crowd enjoying the Fall festival. I think this zoo is trying to educate and conservate animals, previously I said the eagles and the wolf display didn't look suitable but again I didn't come specifically to visit the zoo and that probably prevented me from having a full appreciation of the efforts and commitment involved here. I would like to comeback and see a regular day in the zoo, that likely will change my opinion because such a large facility and the maintenance you see through the grounds shows dedication...

Awesome place to bring the kids, my daughter is hands on in all that she does, that being said wildwood park and zoo has a ton to offer her. She loves interacting with the geese that don't love her back... 😂 Sometimes we can catch a painter turtle, and view all of his beautiful colors, and because she's holding it she's learning so much about it. She catches bugs such as dragon flies, and loves watching honey bees, and bumblebees move from flower to flower. She wants to hug the bears so badly not understanding she's a delicious snack. What I'm trying to say is this zoo is one of the greatest places we go as they are very family oriented, and don't mind my daughter's hands on attitude, they allow me to catch her a turtle as long as I release it happily. She knows before we leave we always donate and she loves putting money in the box. If you love this place like I do don't be afraid to donate, because that's what keeps a place like this open to make our children happy for years to come. Thanks for making my daughter's day...