Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

Nice zoo! Went here for the holiday lights and had a lovely time with my family. Lots of people but it didn’t feel crowded. It’s a donation based experience which we loved. We brought canned goods for the donation bin. We got to see some animals and enjoy the surroundings. The only thing that was strange was no one knew where the princesses were performing. We got different info from the staff and ended up missing the show. It was cold so having kids wait for princesses that never show up wasn’t great but everything else was so lovely we can look past it. I recommend skipping the shows and walking around the grounds. They also have funnel cake which was delicious and hot chocolate to keep warm at fair prices. I really like this zoo, I would visit a lot as a child and I’m so happy my child gets to enjoy this zoo as well!

Dec 17, 2024 · Celeste

I had so much fun at this zoo. It was just big enough to be enjoyed in an hour or two. The cougars were my favorite part. One was inches away through the glass. My boyfriend really enjoyed the touch tank. Only 4 stars because (though I realize we visited late season) none of the vending machines were stocked. I understand it's late in the year and all, but at least keep something in stock. Even just water.

Dec 08, 2024 · Caitlin Dolan

First & foremost, bees everywhere. If it weren't for the huge amounts of bees I would have given more stars but it was concerning as nothing as done about all the bees. My family & I came here for on a beautiful Saturday to enjoy the day. The parking was well organized & a parking garage is very close to the main entrance. The zoo was a great experience, an awesome train ride that my daughter loved, & plenty of exhibits to check out. I was disappointed they didn't have any elephants. I highly recommend a trip here.

Oct 21, 2024 · Kris M

Amazing experience! Parents, grandparents and kids liked it very much! Strollers for rent (but do not have much space for bags), cafe is good (not only fried food but we ate sandwiches with turkey and tomatoes), a lot of trees so there was a shadow places during sunny day, train ride is pretty speedy and interesting. They even turned on sprinklers for some areas so we could cool down a bit, especially kids))) highly recommend this place!

Sep 17, 2024 · Kseniia Shevchenko

The purpose of our visit was to see the Holiday Lights Display, which was very nice. Holiday lights were displayed throughout the park. Of course our visit was in December, all the animals were not out. Great display of lights for young and old. Admission was free, but a donation of slightly used clothing and or some canned items was asked..

Dec 19, 2024 · Nick Mattera