This Zoo is fantastic. Overall we spent 5 hours here on our trip. We went on a weekday in summer and always had a good view of the animals. Its worth the drive (We drove about 1 hour to get there). Shops and Food: This Zoo has a large gift shop, and many smaller gift shops scattered throughout the park. They have alot of cool and unique items, however - we were disappointed they did not have any pins (as we collect) that had the name of the zoo on them. The have a full service restaurant: Galliford's Restaurant & Tavern and several smaller places to grab a bite or snacks scattered around the park. We chose to have a sit down meal in Galliford's because it was so hot about halfway through our trip. We got a stamp on our hands and wound our way up the stairs (there is also an elevator) to the restaurant. You get stamped when you enter through the zoo so you can get back in. You can also just go and eat at this restaurant without going into the zoo. The service was attentive and very friendly. The food was REALLY good. Highly recommend. This zoo is one of the most interactive I've seen. It does not hold a lot of 'dead space' that you see in some zoos. There are multiple viewing points for most exhibits and you can be much closer to the animals than in other zoos. We were super entertained the whole time. Attractions: One of the most fun exhibits was the Deer Park. It has a big walking trail (if you just want a nice stroll in the woods filled with deer.) We chose to stay on the small main trail and use one of the corn feeding machines to get a handful of corn (50 cents). I do not recommend this for anyone who has a fear of animals or very small children (unless held by parents). There deer will come right up to you and eat out of your hands (does and stags). They can be a bit pushy so be prepared. Bring wet wipes/hand wipes for afterwards as there is no hand washing station in the exhibit. The zoo also offers shows, pony rides, camel rides (weight limit is around 180 lbs for the camel ride), small reptile and insect house, animal themed automated riding scooters, and a 2-person seated automated zipline (had a pretty hard stop - so be mindful). NOISE WARNING- if you are sensitive to loud or sudden noises - wear noise reducing ear plugs - especially in the vicinity of the zipline because it is quite loud. Make sure to see the: White rhinos, snow leopard, cotton-topped tamarin, Kangaroos, Giraffe and deer! Vibes: There are also several older and defunct attractions at the zoo- like themed water fountains, county fair-esk rides etc. When we went (July) randomly christmas music was playing and there were (very few) christmas themed displays scattered around the zoo (Maybe Christmas in July?). The zoo has a quirky vibe. Parking: Huge lots are available adjacent to the zoo entrance. This is so far my favorite zoo in MA (out of the three total I've been to.) It's overall interactive-ness, animal close ups, surprise exhibits (think that is just a little stone wall? Take a look over it - it might just be turtles! or an armadillo!), access to quality food and ease of parking made it a super fun trip!