One of our favorite things to do with Everly is hit the Franklin Park Zoo! We have been missing outdoor activities and we were so glad to see that both locations of Zoo New England, The Franklin Park Zoo and The Stone Zoo, were open. To open safely, they have set up a one way Safari Walk all the way around the exhibits. It includes: the giraffes, lions, zebras, red panda’s, prairie dogs, turtles, red kangaroos, a tiger, the spotted hyena, and so much more!
Reservations are required to visit the zoo! You will need to reserve your day and time slot in advance on their website. Our time slot was for opening at 10am and the tickets say to not arrive more than five minutes early. This helped keep the entry organized and seamless. All of the social distancing requirements and open attractions are listed on the Zoo New England website. The most important requirement is masks (or facial coverings) for everyone two and older. They have hand sanitizer stations and recommend staying 6-feet apart from other parties while on the Safari Walk. To keep everyone spaced out in front of the exhibits they have spray painted X’s on the ground six feet apart. The Giddy-Up Grill is open and has a take-out window which is great if you need to buy cold water bottles or snacks.
On Sunday we were able to visit everything we wanted to see including the red pandas, zebras, giraffes, and the huge playground. We stopped at the picnic tables to have a snack and relax too! I highly recommend bringing the following items: a stroller if your toddler will not walk for long distances, a hat, sunscreen, snacks, lots of water, hand sanitizer, an extra outfit, and a portable fan if you have it!
Everly was so excited to see other kids and families – she couldn’t stop waving to them as we walked by! She didn’t put up any fight over wearing her mask or hand sanitizing which was very surprising. I know it can be very tough to get toddlers to wear masks. We talked with Everly about having to masks for a while leading up to this and I think it helped! She would of done anything I asked to be able to see the animals and play on the playground outside. It was such a great day!
This post was created in paid partnership with Zoo New England. All content & views are my own. Thank you to Zoo New England for sponsoring this post.
