Turtle Back Zoo Reviews

I recently visited the Turtle Back Zoo with four of my grandchildren. It was a great experience for all of them, except that there is a lot of uphill walking and not a lot of shade on a sunny day. This did not detract from our experience, but I do believe people should be aware of the amount of walking that is necessary.

There was some construction going on . It's a great place for kids a few issues the staff riding on the golf carts get to close to families and aren't that careful there was a family with small children was walking slow and the staff member on the cart was getting angry why they were going slow, this is very unprofessional.

Nice zoo to visit if you live in the area. Very clean and the animals seem to be very well cared for. Not an expensive visit either and you can easily spend a few hours walking around and enjoying all the zoo has to offer.

Great zoo for adults and kids. Lots of walking. Take the free train ride for a look at the reservoir and a rest. I'm too old for the adventure climb, but the kids loved it.

How do I say this? We went back twice and both times the zoo was open but the penguin exhibit was not. The 2nd time we asked at the ticket window and they said "sure it's open." We are elderly and it is an uphill climb for us. I would hope they get better organized and have some kind of carts for handicapped.

I went to this zoo awhile back and I loved it. The giraffes were nice and we got to ride the train and the merry go round. I recommend it!

I took my granddaughter because she up in new Jersey visiting me for the summer we had a great time.

Had a wonderful experience at the zoo today ( April 11, 2022) with my two year old grandson. He had so much fun and I totally enjoyed watching his reactions. The staff was helpful and informative. One man, Ronald, at the Touch Tank, had the ultimate in patience and grace when he instructed my grandson on how to feed the Sting Rays. He is a valuable employee. I could not thank him enough!

This is a pretty, well kept zoo. Considering its small size, there were many species on display. I did have two issues, one that can be resolved easily, and the other one, not at all.
First, note that there are no maps available; you will have to depend on the map on your phone (annoying). Consider printing out your own map ahead of time. Be aware that there are lots of intersecting paths and NO directional signs where they come together. I would really like to see the zoo put them up, especially since there are lots of hills to climb, which brings me to my second point.
I was there with my disabled husband who is in a wheelchair. Some of the inclines were too steep for me to handle, and I needed to be rescued by a kind stranger when I found that I couldn't continue to push uphill (nor could I turn around and head back down). It's for this reason that I would never go back under those circumstances, and although the website indicates that the park is wheelchair accessible (it is), it is not practical for anyone in our position. I would not have gone had I known how physically challenging it would be.

This is probably the best zoo in New Jersey. I visited Turtle Back many times as a kid and always had a great time. We enjoyed our most recent visit as we saw a lot of great exhibits. We, as a family, always enjoy the penguins.

A very cute zoo with many animals. Good size with a nice playground and carousel. A slow and round-the-lake small train good for small children. The annual pass is a very good deal.

I had gone to Turtle Back Zoo in the early 1990s and it was rough around the edges. Aesthetically it wasn't very nice and the animals enclosures were tiny. However my family and I recently went and I was impressed with the transformation that had occurred. For the price and the location it is a great day trip for the family.

It's not a terribly large zoo but that adds to the appeal because you're getting closer to the animals than say the Bronx Zoo. They've added color and the animals enclosures were much cleaner and better presented to the public. They recently added a Hyena and Lion exhibit to go with their African area and that was nice. There was a sea turtle rescue house and a stingray touch area for little kids. They also had a faux farm area that had pigs, sheep, goats etc..

It has changed since last I visited. It looks better now , more animals, more stuff. It's a shame they had a lot of attractions closed .

located in west orange a wonderful place to bring kids up to age 10
you can do a train ride around the zoo in addition to visiting all the activities on the grounds.highly recommend it

A nice relaxing zoo. We went on day when a bunch of school kids were in field trips, but the layout of the zoo made it manageable.

The zoo was very nice. There were 2 multi level parking garages. We went on a Sunday and got there in the early afternoon. By then they had run out of maps but were very apologetic. We enjoyed all the walking but there was plenty of places to sit and relax. There were also cool off misters along the paths. Like any thing else there are extra costs to feed animals and train ride. The sea lion show was very entertaining. There was some construction going on adding or up dating an exhibit. The day was sunny and hot so many animals were in shade sleeping. Though some were next to the observation windows.
I would definitely recommend this place to visit especially with children but it's worth a visit as a couple.

Had a great time here. Lots to see and do. Butterfly and bird exhibit were really enjoyed. My daughter loved the stingray tank :)

We visited for the first time and were really impressed. We heard a lot of great things about this zoo and they were all true. Great exhibits, lots of animals and opportunities for little ones to get involved (touch tank, prairie dog exhibit). It was crowded but there really are lots of places with visibility to see the animals. Lots of hills to walk up and down so be sure everyone can handle that. Food was expensive but all in all, a great afternoon.

This is a medium size zoo with loads of unusual animals. One of the best I have been to. Improvements are made every year. Highly recommended. Prepare to walk up and down hills.

I visited the zoo on a lovely day in October, and it was enjoyable to wander the meandering paths seeing both rare and common animals. I did feel sorry for some of the animals in small cages with very small watering holes and without adequate stimulation. This zoo needs a total, more modern makeover and more natural environment for the animals.

Small enough to easily navigate, very clean and the animals looked well cared for, with good sized enclosures. There's alot of walking, to be expected, and some up hill, which may be a bit of a problem for some. I found the layout a little confusing-more signs would have been helpful. I made the mistake of going on a beautiful Sunday around noon, only because I happened to be in the area. Obviously VERY crowded, and too many big, double wide strollers. I would go back on a weekday, early in the morning when all the animals aren't sleeping. Lots of fun things to do with little kids. You can bring in food, tripods, price is reasonable and parking free.

Went to the Turtle Back Zoo when i was a kid and boy has it changed since then. A LOT of new attractions to come. this zoo is a beautiful place to take your friends or go on a nice weekend outing.

Nice zoo, better than expected. Timed tickets are required, so there is built-in crowd control. Really enjoyed the flamingo and prairie dog displays. The prairie dog enclosure has glass tunnels that kids could crawl thru to access the display from the middle. There is also a cage with a golden retriever and a cheetah who are friends. There are plenty of places to sit and plenty of picnic tables for food. The butterfly enclosure costs $2 extra and is basically just a small tunnel to walk thru - did not look like much. The only complaint is that there are no maps of the zoo to walk around with and very view map displays - and the few there are not marked with "YOU ARE HERE" - which would have been helpful.

First time at the Turtle Back Zoo, my daughter and I were looking for something close and different to do and well we ended here!

The parking was good they had plenty of people directing you into 2 different garages. Then you go to purchase your entry which didn't take very long nor was it too expensive. They give you a map and on your way you go! They are still in renovation mode so some of the animals were not available to see, but we did see
Giraffes, Sea Lions, Reptiles etc..they have a ropes course (sep price) boats to rent etc.. there was a rest rooms and places to sit throughout. I felt is one one of the cleanest upscale zoo I have been to - there certainly wasn't any skimping
on the park materials at all - they were doing a fantastic job and was just beautiful!

We do plan on going back soon.

Went a couple of times with our Grand Son, we all had a blast. One could pet StringRays in the pond. Learning experience.

This was the first time I had been to the Turtle Back Zoo in almost five years, and I never came in the wintertime. I had read that they had a Groundhog's Day festival at the zoo, and it was much closer to home than going to the Staten Island Zoo.

Their festivities amounted to a ten-minute ceremony with "Edwina from Essex", their new groundhog. The poor groundhog looked like it was trying to find a way to escape the way it moved around. They read a poem and then made the prediction of an early spring and that was it. No music, no kids' choirs and no school involvement. I would have thought they would have created a different program than this. It could be so much more. All who were there was staff, docents and politicians. There must have been about five patrons.

I spent about an hour walking around the zoo, enjoying the exhibits that were open, but the poor animals looked so cold that many of them walked inside their burros. The Flamingo Pool was nice, and the birds talked amongst themselves. The Penguins looked so happy to see someone and totally interacted with me. They were a lot of fun.

Going to the zoo is quiet in the winter months. The carousel and the restaurant are both closed, most of the animals are inside as the winter weather is too much for them but there is still enough to see and do here.

Even though the ceremony was disappointing, the zoo is still nice to visit and fun to walk around. I want to come back in the Spring when it is nicer. It did bring back a lot of childhood memories when I came here in elementary school and with my parents.

First time visiting and we had a blast! Love that Kona Ice was on site! Loved the giraffes! Tons of bees though! Great zoo in a nice area

A great zoo with lots of things to see and do. The train-ride was awesome as was the place where kids could feed the birds and the butterfly area. We will be back !

We took a three-generation family group to this zoo, and everyone enjoyed it. It's configured well, has a wide variety of creatures, plus you get some exercise as it's a little "hilly." Because it also has a ropes course (for a fee), there's additional entertainment watching people navigate the course high above you.The food was good but expensive - par for the course in a venue like this.

Cute and so much to see, rated #1 zoo in NJ! Local families should check out its membership program, we have it and can bring guests as well. It's so much cheaper than the a la carte entrance fee if you plan to visit more than once.
Also, during Christmas time, you get to visit at night, the music, the holiday lights and the train ride on the polar express is just wonderful for everyone.

My happy place. I just became a member last week because I went 2 weekends in a row. So my boyfriend decided it was a great way to exercise and get outside while also seeing some awesome animals. The touch tank is my favorite. They have cownose stingrays right now with baby sugar, momma tsunami, and papa vin diesel. The grounds are kept immaculate. The staff is super friendly. The membership deals are really good too. We already got our cards, but unfortunately they were out of magnets. They said we can just get them next time.

I called yesterday, as both of my jobs have closed for 2 weeks. They said they are planning to be open. This makes me so happy. I am already planing on going again tomorrow for a walk!

Simply not going to find a better children's zoo. Nice for adults, also? Mini-train ride for the kids. Events. Have nice collection of big cats including lions, leopards, snow leopards and cougars. Design is excellent. Also serves as important medical facility and breeding facility for the zoo community.

I had nice time walking around this zoo. It was small but had just enough exhibits to keep me occupied and entertained. There is a small extra charge for the Butterfly Garden.

We were last here many years ago, and were very happily surprised by all the improvements. Even with some construction in progress, everything was very clean, well maintained, clearly signed, and well staffed with friendly young employees.

We visited with a 4 year old, who greatly enjoyed the free 10 minute train ride through the woods, and generally just running around. He is still a bit young to be deeply interested in the animals, I think this zoo is best for ages 5-10. The whole place is very stroller- friendly and there are lots of families with very young kids.

Good animal exhibits, activity depends on their mood of course- bears, wolves, bison, farm animals, alligator, touch tank with stingrays, kangaroos, and many others we did not get to.

The sea turtle recovery project is a research center, maybe of interest to older kids, not much to see there. The bird enclosure with $2 feeding sticks was interesting, the $2 butterfly enclosure was ok but not amazing. The $2 pony ride was one lap on a very small pony, in a covered space that would be fine on a rainy day.

Newly updated food center with pizza, panini, burgers and snacks was very nice, with bar service upstairs. What the kids liked best was the huge, colorful concrete snake in the outdoor dining area.

Very convenient free garage parking, good restrooms all over. The paddleboats shown on website are actually on the opposite side of the lake, I think it would be a long walk for small kids.

Overall a quality place and a good family experience, moderate cost at $12-15 each, under 2 is free.

The Turtle Back Zoo is always adding new and exciting exhibits. The lion and hyena exhibits that just opened are fantastic. Our perennial favorite is the parakeet walk through. The zoo is a perfect size to do in a day trip. Also very easy to walk around the lake to the playground and paddle boats. So much to do here with the Treetop Adventure and Zipline as well.

Awesome zoo! If you haven't visited in awhile, you must return! They have renovated and added a lot more exhibits. If you love zoos but dislike all the walking and the "hugeness" of it , this is the place to go. It is a nice relatively small zoo that has something for everyone to love. It is a place to go with the entire family.

We were visiting family over Thanksgiving and wanted to visit the penguin exhibit, which opened this year. We went the Friday after Thanksgiving which was a very cold day. There were very few people, maybe they were shopping or it was too cold for them. Parking was free, usually has a small fee. We found the wolf exhibit and the wolves were right next to the viewing glass. They were large and very active running in their area. Could not see any cougars and jaguar and the snow leopards were sleeping. The black bears were active. The new penguin exhibit was very cool and we got there at feeding time which was fun to watch. We also saw the seal feeding show, a small version of what you would see in Sea World but you are much closer. The giraffes were off exhibit but you could see their heads in the giraffe house. There were a number of exhibits that were closed. There is a train that goes around the zoo as well as a carousel but we did not go on either one. It is a fun zoo especially if you have children as they have a petting zoo and a touch tank with small stingrays.

This time of year they light up the zoo with Christmas lights at night and they have some exhibits open but not all. The great thing is the night show is free but bundle up.

I love this zoo but they have been doing a horrible job with crowds. I went recently and there were large crowds of people. I am a member and got my ticket ahead of time and my daughter and I had to leave basically after showing up because I did not feel safe. There was no social distancing, people weren’t wearing masks on the walk in to the zoo and were shouting to their friends. I saw children not wearing masks who were much older than my daughter who is three and wearing her mask. Parents weren’t even trying to make their children wear masks! We couldn’t see the penguins because there were large groups of people hanging out blocking the sidewalk to get to them. The zoo needs to do a better job with their crowds.

Nice zoo with plenty to see. Bring the whole family for a good time.
Ride the train the kids love it. Very clean.

What a lovely zoo! Being from New York City, few from our group had heard of this zoo prior to our visit on the 3rd Saturday of October. It's relatively small in size as compared to more famous zoos like Central Park Zoo and Bronx Zoo but it had plenty to see and it was great that we didn't have to fight any crowds. It's clean and beautifully laid out. We didn't expect to see the giraffes outside because it was pretty late in the season and the weather was on the cool side but we were delighted to see the beautiful graceful animals out. It was especially fun to have the opportunity to get up close and personal with them by paying $3 extra to feed them two pieces of romaine lettuce. Be sure to take advantage of a significant discount to the entry fee if you have a group of 15 or more by calling and sending in your payment ahead of your visit. The zoo is undergoing some construction but there was plenty of free parking. There are also some free wheelchairs that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Takes about 4-4 1/2 hours to see all the animals,ride the train and carousel and have lunch. We visited zoo a few years ago. They have updated the food court and made improvements to other areas of the zoo. The zoo is clean and well maintained. The girls are 7 and 3 and had lots of fun. ...Seeing the animals and riding train were the highlights for them

I have been going to Turtle Back Zoo for many years, first with my children and now with my grandchildren, and I believe it is just getting better every year.

When the Giraffe enclosure opened I was thrilled but this year! The Penguins! The exhibit is just awesome. They did a really nice job. I cannot wait for the flamingo exhibit to open. My only comment is that it is a shame that the exhibit is not opening until the summer is really over and my grandkids will be back in school.

We have some favorites that never disappoint. The Butterfly exhibit and the Bird Aviary are winners. One should note that these are summer exhibits that close when the weather changes. We love to feed the goats and climb in the dinosaur playground. The prairie dogs never fail to entertain. A visit to the zoo would not be complete without visiting Sugar, the manta ray at the touch tank.

The merry-go-round, train, and pony rides will fill out your day. We usually choose one each visit.

I have to admit, I have never eaten at the cafe, so I will not comment.

We have spent many, many happy hours at the zoo.

My husband and toddler and I went to the zoo. We were excited to check out the aviary where you can walk thru with small parakeets! They even allow small treats for you to give to the birds.

What started out as a beautiful interaction, quickly went south. We were warned to go VERY slowly with our stroller as the birds gravitate towards the rubber wheels. As huge animal lovers, we absolutely inched our way thru the exhibit and multiple times requested the help of the local staff to gently “shoo” away the birds to prevent injury from our stroller.

Yet, one little bird went under the tire of the stroller and...you can guess the rest....

We were completely horrified, heartbroken and it completely ruined the entire visit for us. Why why why do they even allow strollers in this exhibit if the tiny birds are attracted to them?! We would have happily left the stroller parked outside had we known.

Please skip this aviary all together as they aren’t taking the safety of the birds seriously enough and just want to upsell guests for more $$!

Let me start off by saying the zoo itself is an amazing place. We ended up renting a party room for my son's birthday but we have problems with the room first thing the lights would not go to full brightness and then as the party continued we ask multiple time for them to bring in garbage bags and they never supplied it we had the garbage overflowing all over at the end of the party I had to go get garbage bags out of my own car. My other problem with the zoo is we try to schedule the education of the apartment to interact with the animals there and it seems like nobody worked there for two weeks try to get a hold of the apartment with no response. Finally 2 days before the party they finally responded back to us telling us it was not able to book. The customer service there is extremely rude and bad. When I called because I thought that I was overcharged the ladies on the other line were laughing about it and not being very customer friendly very bad customer service there to that point I don't know if I would ever do a party there but I would return to see the animals. It is extremely hard to get a hold of anyone working at that Zoo when you're trying to plan a good day for your kids.

I came back for a second year for Groundhog's Day to see if Edwina would see her shadow and she did. It will be another six weeks of winter. It will be cold out and was cold out. The event was held indoors because it was so chilly outside.

The zoo did a nice job with the event and the groundhog was so entertaining. Nothing fazed Edwina and she just kept chomping away at a sweet potato as all of us were taking pictures. She must have been used to it. The event took a whole eleven minutes and I have to admit that the zoo could make this a more interesting event and invite the public to join in. The event started at 8:00am so there were not too many people there. Still it was fun.

After breakfast, I walked around the zoo and visited all the animals. The cold really must have got to them because they just looked at me like they were so cold and could I take them home. They looked like they wanted to go back inside.

Some animals could adapt to it but most of them just looked cold. It was a nice afternoon though as it got warmer and sunny. Some the exhibitions with the otters, turtles and indoor exhibitions were really nice.

The gift shop has a lot of nice things and it is worth the stop.

I guess it was a little too hot the day we went, my son wasn't much interested in seeing any animals. He did enjoy the penguins.

My wife and son decided to go to the zoo and check it out. I was pleasantly surprised with the experience. It was a pretty entertaining day for me and my wife at least. I think my son 2 years old is a bit you g for the zoo. The animals were for the most part pretty active. The most fun part (that my son actually did like) was the parakeet enclosure. The birds are everywhere and some even land on you. The admission and the food is a bit pricey but all-in-all it was a pretty good day.

The enclosures for the animals are way too small. The bald eagles don't have enough room to fly! The gray fox paced furiously looking for a way to get out. The big cats, especially the panther, couldn't run if they wanted to. In the case of this zoo less would be better. Less animals with more room to stretch out.

This place is one of the few in NJ that has lake, boat, animals, entertaiment, etc. especially for kids. So in a nice weather, walk in the park is very pleasant

We have been going to this zoo about once a year and it is great. From cleanliness to the variety of animals, it is all around such a fun zoo!!!!

Well Organised. Reasonably priced. Felt safe and well maintained and the children had a great afternoon. Especially loved the adult ( ie biggest / longest ! ) zip wire.

I was extreemly surprised with the vast collection of animals that are on display at this zoo. The grounds are well kept and animals are in good condition. I love the concept of groupi g the animals to the various parts of the world they originated. The information plaques for the various animals was a great help in helping to educate users. The food court was great and affordable. I love their pizza! The gift shop was inexpensive and had unique tokens.
I cant wait to be back!!!

Turtleback Zoo is a well located, medium sized zoo. It is conveniently located from major highways, with numerous food options near it. There is a paddle boat attraction near as well.

Love turtle back zoo...it’s not too big but not too small either. The little train ride was my 2 year olds absolute favorite!

This is the most wonderful and biggest little (ever-expanding) and I’m proud that it’s in our backyard. The Giraffe and Lion exhibits are awesome. I was just as excited as my 2 yo to take our turn to feed the Giraffes. This place is a must visit.

Great place to visit with the entire family. Lotos of exhibits and educarional signs as well as the varied animals

I've been here on field trips with second graders, with my family for the Christmas lights, and with my family during the day to see the zoo animals. I wish their buildings were a little more accommodating for getting strollers through the doors, I can only imagine how difficult it is for somebody in a wheelchair. The train is cute my kids always loved it. overall it's a great zoo for being so close to home and I love the additional exhibits that they've been adding such as the Lions sea turtles and penguins.

Wonderful clean and friendly zoo. This is a GREAT day trip not only because of the zoo but also because there is an incredible park immediately behind the zoo parking lot. It is absolutely beautiful to walk around. If the weather is good I HIGHLY recommend doing that before or after the zoo and stopping at the Boathouse to eat once your done with the walk. I really enjoyed it..if you have children I wouldn't recommend the restaurant because it is pricey so I would recommend FRANKS pizzeria which isn't too far away-about 10 minutes which has great food as a family spot

This zoo started out very small and over the years, added more and more activities than you can imagine. They built a fortress in the trees, enlarged the entire property to include a restaurant, lake with swan rides and a fabulous Pirate Playground- out of Peter Pan.
You can picnic there, walk the entire lake or just plain sit and watch the sun-set.

Please listen - don't miss this place !!! Its adorable,clean,well run lots of animals and some interaction fun. We took our grandchildren, one 6 and one 4 and I dont know who enjoyed it more them or me. Its a wonderful day,get there early, it does get crowded but so worth it. So many things to do and see, so make a day of it and enjoy Marc n Ruthie

I love Turtle Back Zoo! It's fairly small, so one can easily seen everything in 2-3 hours, so it's great for families. The enclosures are well-designed and spacious for most of the occupants, and the caretakers are very friendly and knowledgeable. There's also a little train ride included in the entrance fee that goes along the reservoir. And a great new giraffe exhibit with a very large, beautiful enclosure. In the spring, they have a butterfly house and an enclosure full of parakeets you can feed. They also have fun seasonal events.

The zoo (medium sized) is completely renovated and they bring more animals each year, also It has entertainment for children and food court. It is clean and you can end your visit in the souvenirs shop.

We finally got to the Turtle Back Zoo & has a good 3 hour visit. The cafe entrance is closed for renovations so a short walk to the Educational Center entrance is needed. We enjoyed seeing the animals and they look well cared for.

Have been here several times over the many years. It is a good and a fun zoo. There are lots of animals that you might not see in the wild around here and also the animals appear healthy (in general) and well cared for.
There are plenty of places to sit, plenty of places to learn even a cafeteria.

My family and I visited the zoo for the first time a few years ago and it was good then. We are now members because the zoo has gotten even better over the years.If you have young children and live in the area you should spend an afternoon at the zoo. There are plenty of animals and more are being added. The new giraffe area is outstanding as is the new lion and hyena exhibit. There is something for all ages here, including beer and wine upstairs at the cafe for the adults. It isn't a huge zoo so if you are expecting something along the lines of the Bronx Zoo you might be disappointed. However, Turtle Back Zoo is large enough to spend at least a couple of hours. They also seem to be investing more and more into the zoo which is great to see. The staff has always been pleasant every time we have gone.
Just a warning it is a hilly zoo. You will walk up some hills but nothing that can't be managed. Just pace yourself if you have issues. The only true negative I would list are the cafe prices. I spent close to $20 for a kids chicken nugget combo and the adult cheeseburger combo meals. The food was good, nothing to rave about and certainly far from the worst. The good news is you can bring your own food and eat there as well so you don't even need to worry about the prices unless you want to eat there.
Definitely check out the sea lion feeding as well as the giraffe, lion, hyena exhibits. There is construction going on in the zoo right now but it is a minor inconvenience to guests and isn't a big deal.
This is great for kids of all ages and worth spending an afternoon or dragging it out and spending most of the day. We have done both. The special events they host are also worth checking out, especially the lights at Christmas time.
The Turtle Back Zoo is easily one of the best attractions in that area of New Jersey if you have children.

The zoo has nice infrastructure in place and its advertising has a lot of promise, but it seemed like bait and switch, because so many animals were not there. The playground is excellent, but very far from the entrance and overcrowded. Also, the terrain in general is very hilly and challenging for strollers despite being paved. All in all, this zoo really undelivered.

Really enjoyed this zoo with my children. It’s reasonable to get in, clean and has lots of things to see and do. I usually always pack a picnic but we ate in their cafe and had a large pizza for the 6 of us to share and a refillable pitcher for $24. I thought that was really reasonable!

This is great fun day out, with lots and lots of animals. Bring a packed lunch and you'll have a fantastic day!

What a difference since the last time I was there around 30 years ago. Very nice, very clean and very enjoyable time with so much to see.

I used to go to the Turtle Back zoo when I was in elementary school, longer ago than I care to admit to. In the 90s, the TBZ had some challenges that almost led to its closure. I only mention this because if you visited during that time and have an impression of this zoo, you should visit again.

Over the past 10+ years, the zoo has made major advances in the animals present, as well as the environment and other facilities in the zoo. In just the past few years, they have added lions, hyenas, giraffes, sea lions, and a shark-ray touch tank. Additional expansion is planned in the next few years. All of the exhibits are state of the art, with plenty of room for the animals to stretch out and live. The zoo also elements of an aquarium, with some animals you would not expect to find at a zoo (sea lions, penguins, a sea turtle rescue exhibit.)

Aside from the animals, the zoo has plenty of other areas to keep kids occupied. The free train is always popular, and there are also other activities at an additional cost. These include a butterfly exhibit and aviary where you can feed the birds (seasonally), a carousel, a zip-line course, and a mini-golf course. They recently expanded the cafeteria, and the food is better than the average zoo food I've had at other locations, and with two floors, there is plenty of room. They have also recently added new pathways to help minimize some of the large hills that you will find here.

The zoo also does a nice holiday lights exhibit in December, and a safe trick or treating throughout the zoo (for a charge) on or around Halloween. They also run a summer camp, which both of my children are involved in, and absolutely love. My son now works there as a "VolunTeen" each summer, and loves the information and access he gets to behind the scenes workings at the zoo.

Some insider tips ... say hello to the ravens. If they are in the mood, they will reply. The otters are off the beaten path, but I find them to be the animals that consistently have the most fun. If you are specifically coming out for the giraffes, check the weather. If it is too cold or the weather is bad, they will be off exhibit. If you live in the area, you should consider a family pass. You get free entry for a year, and discounts at reciprocal zoos around the country. It will definitely save you money if you are a frequent visitor.

My first time at TBZ was waaaayyy back in 1963 when it opened, and visited many times during my childhood. I went to see the new flamingo exhibit, and dragged by husband, who had never been to the zoo (he was already a teenager by the time it opened). There are many things that i recalled from way back (the train, of course) but it definitely has expanded over the years and in a good way. my only disappointment was that it seems that they are tearing down the original entrance.

We hadn't been to the Turtle Back Zoo since I daughter was about 10, and she leaves this week for college. We loved it then as a small, local zoo, but my goodness, how it has grown! It still has a local flavor, but there are so many new exhibits to enjoy. Bring your walking shoes -- some areas are a bit of a hike uphill on paved paths, but definitely worth the trip. Go early to enjoy your favorite animals before the crowds descend by midday.

My wife and I made a return visit to the Zoo this week in hopes of seeing the Giraffes, but unfortunately it was too cold (40-50 degrees) and they were still in the Giraffe House. I was told they aren’t let outside until the temp is around 65 or above. A couple days earlier it was unusually warm for winter and the Giraffes were outside so we just missed them. Not everything is open during the winter months, like the café and train ride, but most exhibits are. We got to see some exhibits we hadn’t seen before during our last visit in 2016, like the lions, the brightly colored flamingos, two young cougars, and the Sea Turtle Recovery Center. Even though we didn’t see the Giraffes we still enjoyed our winter visit and will be back again when it warms up.

Great zoo not too big but not small had a great amount of things to do. Fees the giraffes bird aviary carousel train ride. Free parking and also a nice restaurant

Was told by one of the zoo keepers that the male has not been out since the opening of the exhibit because being young and feisty (to be nice) so they had be ladies out We ent the other day on Tuesday and there he was, with his young scruffy mane growing in!! I've never seen a young one before and look forward to seeing and teaching and showing the kids how they grow up like they are doing and we all Chang as we grow no matter what kind of living thing we are!!
Don't forget the other animals in the safari section!! Nice addition to the zoo!!
Thanks!!

Came here for a birthday party. The place was nice and newer looking. The animals enclosures however made me sick, especially the 5'x5' sea turtle being held in a 6'x6' pool with barely any water. The pool wasn't even on display, you just watched the poor thing suffer on a screen. The rest of the zoo had small enclosures for lions and hyenas. Not nearly enough space for them, and no water in sight (it was 85 degrees when i was there). They had about 20 penguins in a pool that was made for maybe 2, and the water they were swimming in had a plumbing line running through it. The giraffes was my last stop. It's feeding time for the giraffes from 11am-2pm. These poor animals are stuffed with hand fed snacks and subjected to scorching sun with no shade. That was it for me. I took my kids and left. I'll be filing a formal complaint with PETA. Disgusting how the animals are treated here, and I hope they get shut down!!

This is a fun zoo with an impressively diverse amount of wildlife from all over the world. The walking paths are good, and you can get a considerable amount of exercise while taking in the sights. The train ride was quaint was as well. An excellent and fun family trip, well worth the cost of either admission or membership.

The zoo does a nice thing and provides a holidays light show for free. Just bring a donation of food or coats for entry. Parking is free and well organized. The light show is nice, but don't be expecting outrageous. You get what you pay for and it is FREE. A fun family night out and sure to bring out the holiday spirit in all. Stands and food trucks open with popcorn, hot chocolate and more. Gift shop open. Clean bathrooms if you need them.

Great little zoo!

We were there for opening so the lines weren't too long. Animals are obviously well cared for a seemed content, I also loved the cheetah's support dog.

Lots to see and do, some things still not open when I went but still kept us busy all morning.

Would absolutely recommend!

great zoo something for all ages love they have added some new exhibits
we get the annual membership its worth it

This is a review for Christmas experience at the Zoo

Wow… can’t believe I didn’t know about this despite living in NJ for 8 years!
Turtle Back Zoo turns into a complete Christmas paradise after 5 PM, and it’s absolutely magical.

I recently found out about this and, after seeing the lights and activities, I was genuinely impressed. During the holiday season, entry is free after 5 PM through sponsorship, which is a huge plus.

Timings are 5 PM – 9 PM. Parts of the zoo remain open, so you can still see animals and birds like bison, giraffes, toucans, and more, which makes it extra special for kids.

The entire park is beautifully lit with festive decorations and multiple Christmas trees. The area near the carousel looks amazing.

For Kids’ Activities - There’s no shortage of fun for children- Face painting, Meet & greet with Santa (on specific days/times), Carousel rides, Pony rides etc…

Food and beverages are well taken care of, like Starbucks or Zoo’s own food sections spread across the park Perfect for grabbing a warm drink while walking around.

They also have private igloos available: You can rent for 4 hours that can accommodates up to 10 guests, Includes hot chocolate and snacks

Its located in West Orange, Essex County

Parking: Two multi-level parking garages—parking is hassle-free and well organized.
Overall, it was an amazing 2–3 hour evening spent with friends. Festive, family-friendly, and surprisingly delightful.

Highly recommended—especially if you have kids!

it has been at least 30 yrs. since my last visit, but a perfect place to bring the great grand kids for a days outing....great selection of animals , great displays.....there was something that each one of them enjoyed, even a little train ride for me....lol....a great days family outing

My grandson who turned 3 years old celebrated his birthday at the park. It was absolutely amazing, and the children had a blast. The train ride and the petting zoo was awsome. It was the best birthday party and the park attendance were great.

Turtle back zoo is a great place for kids, big or small. It is conveniently located in Essex county, not too far away for other neighboring counties such as Morris. Also there is a big pond outside the zoo that you can walk or run.

Admission prices not bad. Parking garage great. Three kids 3 -12 had a great time. Our fault we went on a very hot day, not much shade unless you want to sit indoors and miss everything. Plus most of the animals were in hiding due to the heat. We had to pay for the carousel (?!), the man taking the payment was awesome, the young woman running the carousel started the ride before my husband could get the 3 year old on an animal, the ticket taker came in and said to her stop what are you doing? She shrugged him off, he made her stop the ride checked everyone and specifically asked my husband if they were ok. I think but not 100% positive that there’s a surcharge in the cafe if you use a credit card, I don’t remember seeing a notification as such. All prices ridiculous- $12+ for 4 waters which were not even cold.

Earlier this year, I asked my family to take me to this zoo for my birthday. I have always loved observing wildlife and have taken my kids to this zoo for 25 years. I have watched the changes over the years with great interest, however, with no little ones to bring, had not been in quite some time. The transformation of this once dismal attraction is nothing short of spectacular. From the landscaping to the addition of exotic animals to the parking and the reasonable rates, I can't say enough about this place. I was so impressed by my visit in March that I took a friend there to celebrate her birthday in August and it was even better than my first visit with the opening of the Giraffe Exhibit and the Butterfly House being open. . With or without kids, it is definitely worth the cost of admission..

Took my two year old grandson today to TBZ. We had a blast. We rode the train two times and the carousel also twice. The “new “ zoo is smartly designed. Go early because it gets very busy especially on weekends. Have fun, bring snacks and enjoy.

Fun zoo for all. You won't need to spend all day planning your visit. Small, very clean and just the right size to keep all interested. Plan on walking hills, if you want to see everything and don't forget the lake side train ride!

Great place for company party for employees and their family. Many animals to see and trails to walk, sufficient parking and great entertainment by night.

Lived in the area for almost 60 years and this is the first time here.What a hidden little gem tucked away in the South Mountain Recreation Complex.Admisdion only $15,a nice size spent about 3-4 leisurely paced hours.It's not San Diego or Philly or the Bronx zoo,but a nice quality place featuring many major attractions.Lions,leopards,wolves,giraffes,bears,kangaroos and many more.Food available was also fairly priced,picnic areas,many shady spots to sit.Definitly worth the visit.

We were completely impressed and entertained at the Zoo. Incredibly beautiful, amazing quantity and variety of animals and habitats, and impeccably clean and well maintained. Who knew right here in Essex County! Looking forward to visiting in December for the Holiday Light Show.

Went with my daughter, her husband and my 2 teen grandchildren when I was visiting them in PA. We decided to take in the Turtle Back Zoo. We had already been to the Philadelphia Zoo on another one of my visits from TX where I live now. (I'm really a NJ gal though)). It was a gorgeous day and we were able to see lots of the animals up close and personal. I think we went in June 2019 . To see the wolves in their habitat; almost like in a little forest, was so cool! (Yes, I'm a Nana, but I'm a cool Nana, lol!) And the black bears too! The Lion enclosure was great. It went up a hill somewhat. Two females were sunning below, and then THE lion decided to make a grand appearance at the top of the hill by their 'entrance arches'. It was magnificent. There was lots more. I've been to lots of zoos and I love them all. This was so memorable to me because it felt like we were closer to the animals more. It was a wonderful day.

What they've done to the zoo is amazing. It's always just been a cute little zoo, but now they've done so much to the place. They've aded Giraffes and Ostriches, and some time this year, we'll see Hyenas and Lions. That's kind of a big deal.
My son's favorites are the Sea Lions, when we were there on Saturday, (April 8th, 2017) they had a Sea Lion show going on. It was pretty cool.
They have wolves, bears, eagles, leopards, too many animals to list and the zoo is really clean. It's super busy on nice days, but if you have a season pass like we do, then you can go after school or whenever.
My son loves it there and we're really happy with all the improvements Essex County has made in the area.

I hadn't been to Turtle Back since my grown children were young, but I had heard of the renovations and enlargement of the zoo. It was really nice. And near by the zoo is a new recreation park with walking paths, a restaurant, mini golf and outdoor play space.

Free parking and entry into the evening event. Food (fast food variety) was available with plenty of tables indoors. Outside was a s’mores station. Christmas music played around fantastically lighted walkways. A train ride, indoor carousel, sting ray petting station, seal water show, and Christmas Trees light music show were some of the things our family with two school age children saw. A great time!

This zoo is not huge but not small. It has everything to offer and is extremely well organized. We had a wonderful time and will go back again when in New Jersey.

This is my favorite zoo in the area. They've got nearly every animal you could want to see and the zoo is laid out well. The exhibits allow you to get up close and personal with animals you'd never want to get up close and personal with in the wild - big cats, bears, and more.

If you're in North Jersey, getting here is super easy and it's very accessible. They've got a huge parking garage, and the lines through admission moved quickly. If you've got kids, this would be a great place to take them as they seem to be very kid friendly (like most zoos). I'm sure I'll be back soon!

I took my sister and kids for the day when they were in town from California. Since we love zoos and have visited some of the best in the country, I must admit I did not have such high expectations. I could not have been more wrong! The first thing you notice is how manageable the zoo is and how well they've curated each section.

The kids loved it specially because they had the opportunity to feed the birds, the giraffe --the BEST experience and there was something for everyone to enjoy. The admission costs is reasonable, but you do have to pay for every extra activity like feeding the animals. The cost is not much and at least it goes back to the zoo for the upkeep--so don't fret. For the price you can see a lot of animals, including penguins, bald eagles, lions, a leopard, and a red panda.

The only drawback is the lack of healthy eating options--you only have the usual, burgers, pizza and hot dogs.

This is GREAT zoo and we will return every time the kids are in town. You will have a wonderful time with the kids and family--I recommend it.

We took our grandkids here recently and they loved it. The train ride is cute for kids and they have a nice play area for kids. The zoo is walkable ( although there are hills). Great for kids and adults.

I have a mixed review about this Zoo. The admission is $15 for adults and $12 for children but then once you are inside everything else cost money, the butterfly Avery the bird Avery riding the pony feeding the goats are all additional. There are plenty of seating options when it is time for lunch however the prices for the food were way high and the quality of food is crap. It was a nice day and even though we arrived early the parking lot was completely full there is additional parking up the street which was great and there is even a small bus that will drive you down the street and bring you back to your car later on which was nice. One thing that did not sit well with me was the butterfly walkthrough. I noticed butterflies were on the ground and people were stepping on them pretty often and all of the green butterflies inside of a cage we're dead I feel like this walkthrough is probably not the greatest idea and maybe they should rethink it it's kind of cruel. The other exhibits seems nice and we're easy to see it's nice that we were able to see the animals being fed. Overall it was a nice day.

Great attraction! Many different species of animals to view. Great for a picnic! And even a ride on the train!

i love animals, and the zoo is a wonderful place for children but as an adult you notice MOST of the animals are unhappy. the giraffe's really stood out to me the most because they were in such a small area. There was 5 of them and they were pacing back and forth. they literally looked like they were going insane and i felt so terrible for them. (20yard narro spaces shared with ostrages, 6 or 7 other deer like animals and the 5 of them) there was no trees for them to pick the leaves from (not saying that they don't feed them) its just a giraffes hobby is to pick from tree's. also, the SEA LIONS, TOCO TOUCAN, EAGLE,& MONKEYS were in such small homes. I literally wanted to cry for them because there behavior was so strange and they would all pace and displayed such unhappy behavior. i will not be going to a zoo gain i dont promote these animals being kept in small little homes not being able to flap there wings more then twice due to the size of cage. i wish there was better space quality for these animals.

Nice zoo with a variety of wild animals. We went there with our 9 months old baby to give her an idea about wild animals. She enjoyed monkeys pranks and admired giraffes. Tigers and lions were taking rest at distant llocations.Penguins were interesting to watch.

Great zoo to take the family, they make it very convenient to take your family because you are allowed to bring your own food in and we even used our own fold up wagon to ride our two granddaughters in while touring the zoo. It was an enjoyable day, saw so many animals and would recommend anyone to go....young or old.

This place keeps expanding and adding more and more exhibits. It's great for exercise (walking to each exhibit) and my family members each have their favorites that they revisit. We really love this zoo!

My wife & I traveled to zoo with her 3 year old godson Thomas and his parents. Although the weather was overcast, cool & windy, and I wasn't properly dressed for it we enjoyed every minute of this hidden jewel. The cost to enter was only a surprising $53.00 for the five of us. The grounds was made up of winding paved paths, going up this hill and down that one, and around this-and-that bend; it was wonderful to walk. Some of its most notable exhibits are: Bald Eagles, Prairie Dogs, Bison, Maned Wolf, Giant Anteater, Jaguar, Cougars, Capybara, Kangaroo & Wallaby, Red Panda, Penguins, Condor, and Giant Tortoise. And then there's exhibits of all the other animals usually expected to be seen elsewhere, e.g. NY's Bronx Zoo and Houston's. But then after the "must" riding of the Carousel, Train, and a Pony, and feeding animals at Petting Zoo we had seen enough for the day. When we return someday we'll see the remainder of the zoo. It was a very enjoyable visit.

There was a point in time where one pondered the day this zoo would no more. Alas, the times have changed. This zoo is a great place to go. It seemingly has a new attraction every year.

Visited many times growing up.
Over the past few years they have updated and added attractions.
(2018 - Penguins getting a new home)
Wife loves the wolf enclosure.
This year we joined as members.
Year long pass, and includes Philly Zoo (Still trying to get there).
Be ready to do a bit of walking with hills.
Food is pricey, but reasonable for this sort of place.
My wife and I go every other month and see different sections, spending about 2 hours.

Fun family zoo. Always seems to be improving and adding animals but they aren't too far spread out, so the walking is manageable. Train and carousel too. Easy free parking.

We found the zoo to be larger than expected with a greater diversity of animals; however, all of the schools in the area must have taken field trips that day because the crowds were quite large. This made taking small children for a visit tricky and dangerous.

Some of the exhibits were inaccessible because of the large numbers of people. Lucky for us, we are members at a reciprocal zoo so we paid half price admission.

Not too huge and enough attractions. Toddlers will have a good time. Keep aside 3 hours. Birds aviary, petting sheep, train ride, and petting stingrays were all a hit.

My son has been asking to go back all winter, which goes to show the impact this zoo has left on him. The facilities are excellent and their efforts at keeping the zoo looking new is working. They're adding new exhibits and making it better constantly. I took my 2-month old baby and had no problems finding places to nurse my child. You could easily spend a few hours here. It's a nice alternative to the Bronx Zoo, especially for younger kids who can't walk as far and exhaust more easily. After walking around the zoo, I highly recommend going to McLoone's Boathouse, which is an easy walk. They have beautiful outdoor dining, good food, and a wonderful atmosphere. We can't wait to go back and soon they'll be adding lions!

Been coming here for the past few years on an annual basis. It seems that everytime we go, there is a new exhibit. All of the exhibits are so well designed too. The animals can be seen almost all the time and they are very up close to the viewing. Both my kids love it here! Cant wait to go back.
(wish the food at the snack bar was a little better)

It was great weather for October and I took kids to this place. It was decorated with pumpkins, a lot of nice statues and benches, great entertainment for kids, nice size, interesting animals, looking very healthy, trains to raid and good choices of restaurants.

We began our zoo adventure with the short train ride. A zoo keeper introduced us to the lioness and her one year old cub. My grand kids really liked the reptiles and monkeys and unique red panda. I wish we would have had more time to explore the delightful local zoo!

This treasure has only improved since I visited as a kid. Our grandkids really enjoyed seeing all the animals. The carousel and train were also really enjoyed

Just go! Plenty of parking, clean, fun, a train ride and a diverse amount of animals from all over the world. Have been many times and they've just recently upgraded.

I loved the open feeling of the exhibits and the cleanliness of the park too in addition I was surprised to see some of the animals on display

I took my daughter to the zoo on Good Friday and the place was packed. We arrived at 11:30 and the zoo opened at 10 but the main parking lot was full. Signs and directives leading to the overflow parking lot were confusing which caused frustration for a first time visit. Once we reached the overflow lot it was better directed regarding parking and walking to the main entrance. My daughter had a great time. She was able to see the prairie dogs, kangaroos, eagles, giraffes etc. unfortunately a few of the high profile animals ( bear, wolf and jaguar) were in hideout spots making it almost impossible to see.

Your permitted to bring outside food, and drinks as well as strollers or wagons which is great with little ones. Some areas made it hard to walk with these and a crowd but it's manageable. My daughter loved feeding the goats. Food pellets were only 50 cents. I appreciated the large basin located close by to wash up after.

The zoo offers a free train ride but we did not check it out.
My daughter is only 3 so I did not want to try and wait on the long line which I estimated would be 20-30 minutes wait, but next time we visit I will be sure to check it out.

I would recommend visiting the zoo

Nice little Zoo... Since our last visit seams like they added more animals to their large array of leaving creatures... Choo choo train is always the fun for youngsters (and it is free)... There are other attractions for extra fee, such aviary, and butterfly garden ($2 each)... petting zoo could be a bit larger but kids have fun touching furry goats ;-)

Visited as a kid but still got the same amount of enjoyment from visiting as an adult. I love seeing the roaming peacock and all the other animals (especially the big kitties).

This zoo has grown and changed so much! I recently discovered photos of my family here in the 1960's!! It is now top of the line and one of the gems of this area. Open year round, always getting new animals,most recently giraffes. We live 10 minutes away so,we go very often. We are members. The entire area is awesome in addition to the zoo there is a Ropes Adventure Course, Jungle themed mini golf, playground.and a lake with patches and paddle boats. A great way to.spend a day

well run zoo.In addition,they have a great zipline.If I had the time,I would visit once a week due to the array of animals and the way they are cared for.

Great little Zoo! This is not a huge Zoo, so do not expect to see 20 of each animal, but they do have a good variety. While Zoo could be done in a couple of hours without kids, or a few with kids. While the zoo is very kid focused, adults can enjoy as well. The train ride is cute, but just goes through the woods and does not visit any animals.

Every year the Turtle Back Zoo gets better and better. Essex county really put a good effort into fixing the zoo up. The new giraffe exhibit is amazing! Unfortunately their giant pig Arbuckle passed away but they still have a huge variety of animals, a new aquarium type room with touch tanks. There's a train that goes around the zoo, the line is usually very long because it's so popular. There's places to eat, an indoor carousel. And in the winter around Christmas the zoo puts on a spectacular light show. Love this place!

Although this is a smaller zoo, they have a nice variety of animals, including giraffes you can feed. Feeding the budgies is a lot of fun. Our favorite spot is the prarie dog exhibit. There is a carousel, play area, train (it’s free), lots of picnic areas, a cafeteria, restaurant, even a zipline! The zoo is well kept, clean, and pleasantly landscaped. We really enjoy a visit here whenever we are in New Jersey.

Take the kids, grandkid or just go yourself. Super environment between the zoo and the surrounding park, lake and paths in the south mountain reservation

Came here on a Monday afternoon, the parking is very easy and free. They give Military discount to enter so that's always nice to see. Very clean and the employees are always so pleasant at the exhibits ready to explain the animals and answer any questions. I wish the café had better food and healthier options besides pizza fries and burgers. Had to go to McLoones for lunch but would have loved to just eat there. Love the African exhibit so cool to see Lions and giraffes.

A great day trip for anyone in NJ. We've visited many times. The animal environments look totally natural and are curated for kids, with great vantage points regardless of your child's size. And the zoo has way more animals than you would expect (giraffe, tigers, hyena, etc). My daughter loves the monkeys. Remember to bring some quarters so your child can also feed the animals. And best time is when the zoo first opens before the noon heat and crowds arrive.

Expensive entry fee given that several of the larger exhibits were not available for viewing. Other animals were off-site as well, leading to a very disappointed child who wanted to see an owl, a porcupine, the sea lions. For an additional charge, small children can have a pony ride that is short and sweet. For an additional charge, you can feed the giraffes who are upclose and personal. Not the best experience and definitely not worth a return trip.

We very much enjoy visiting the Turtle Back Zoo in W. Orange! We got an annual pass and we stop by for a couple of hours as the weather and our schedules permit. The zoo has always been clean and the staff are friendly. As we were told by a volunteer at the zoo, the weather is a key factor in what animals we may see during each visit. I have always felt the animals are the zoo's priority and they appear to be well taken care of. The zoo is constantly expanding and improving. A new penguin area is set to open soon and they are working on a Flamingo area.

spend some delightful time with your young family members and see some great animals exhibits. This local zoo has grown into an exciting experience. They have lions, Bears, hyena's, giraffes, flamingos and so much more. They have a little train which they have had for decades, soon to be refurbished, but the kids love. They even have a carousel.....Great to spend a couple of hours.....don't forget the monkeys....

Turtle Back Zoo is an excellent choice to bring your kids or have a birthday party! It's clean, parking is easy and driving there is easy.

Visiting a friend in New Jersey, led us to this wonderful zoo. I thought the exhibits were very good and lots of room for the animals. There is lots of animals that you dont always see in a zoo. Although, there is so much to see, it is very manageable even if you cant walk alot. Plenty of places to sit and rest. The landscaping is breathtakingly beautiful. I would definitely return. Although, i live in New York...................I would certainly return and bring a friend to enjoy this wonderful zoo.

A walk through the Turtle Back Zoo is a delightful experience. Besides the wide assortment of animals that you will meet and the education that you will inevitably receive, it is an opportunity to share with your family a bonding experience. The sections of the zoo are well marked and organized. You can enjoy it alone, with friends, or with children who will give you a totally new perspective on wildlife.

We used to live in West Orange and this zoo was a great way to pass the time on the weekend when the kids are restless. Might not be the best option when it’s raining but the place has grown in the last couple of years and provide great value for the admission price.

20something year old couple that went for a fun afternoon date. Truly way better than we expected. Very nice establishment and laid out very well. Great array of animals and activities. Worth the value!

This is a really great zoo - it's not too big or overwhelming - but large enough to see a nice array of animals. The giraffes were mesmerizing. And we loved watching the prairie dogs. There are many areas to sit and rest and very few uphill walks. The park was very clean and organized (and surprisingly didn't have a lot of animal odors). Warning though to get there early on weekends as parking fills up quick and the zoo will be packed. We tried to go Sunday around noon but left after seeing the car lines from both directions. Alternatively we went on Memorial Day right after the rain stopped and it was perfect. No issues with parking and few other attendees allowed great viewing at every station. It was a little chilly but worth it to be able to enjoy the park the way we did and also get through at a leisurely pace in about 2 hours. We did not eat at the zoo but it looked like the restaurant was nice and the food smelled good!

Visited here with my family after a travel soccer game in nearby Vauxhall. My two children 11. and 7 years of age had a good load of fun. Because it was not summer they were bummed out about the Treetop adventure course but that was OK with me. They are expanding the zoo and adding new animal exhibits. Looks like this will eventually become the largest zoo in NJ. Restaurant was pretty decent though we cant say what the eat in upstairs is all about. Hope to come back in the future.

This zoo is great. I live not far and buy the yearly pass for 2 adults, children under 2 are free. I believe it was $79.00. When we have nothing planned I put him in the car and ride over to the zoo and spend a few hours. The train ride is great (free) and the merry go round is like $2.00 a ride not mention they just added giraffes. And when we are done if he is not to tired 😉 I take him around the corner to the super pirate park they added a few years ago. This is a go to for nice days.

To tell the truth up front, I'm not the biggest fan of zoos. I feel for the animals and wonder how well they are treated. However, Turtle Back is actually really nice. Yes, the enclosures could be bigger but the animals all looked really healthy and not stressed like they often do at zoos. There are a lot of exhibits and things to do for people of all ages. I didn't eat any of the food (brought in a picnic) but there are options for that too. I highlight was watching my niece feed the goats but there were lots of cool animals too.

Though it was hot, there were water-sprayers all over the park which really helped Overall, I'd say that this is well worth a visit or a few. As smaller zoos go, I was impressed!

We love the Turtle Back Zoo. We've been going for over 15 years and it is unbelievable the changes they have made over the years. We recently went and the kids had a great time watching the giraffes and petting the sting rays. Can't wait to see the flamingo exhibit which just opened. We've been season pass holders for years. The kids like to sometimes go in and just ride the train which takes you around the reserve's lake. There's also a ropes course, swan boats, putt putt and a great playground all withing the same complex (not in the zoo itself).

Turtle Back Zoo is a wonderful place to take young children. The attractions are near each other so the children don't get tired walking around. On hot days there are misting stations that the children love to run through. Lots of animals are very close to the pathways so the kids can see them. Kids also enjoy riding on trains. Tree top adventure is good for older children.

This is Bruce the zoo guy and I'm doing a review of The Turtle Back Zoo in Newark New Jersey. This is a nice Zoo located on a nice Hillside outside of Newark. There's some very nice enclosures for the animals here in quite a few animals to see. Though some of the main animals like hippos rhinos and elephants are not to be found at the zoo. Nice walkways and nice shade coverings. Most of the animals seem to be very happy and they do have some decent sized enclosures. The giraffes have a massively good-sized area to play in Rome and a nice house for shelter. One of the nicest I've seen. Name a nice gift shop in a few opportunities to get some food around the park. Is plenty of parking outside and parking structures. Very nice penguin exhibit as well. They do have a do marine animals hear some of which you can touch in the touching pool. I recommend this Zoo.

This is a great zoo for all ages. Both indoor and outdoor exhibits let's you enjoy animals in a variety of weather. Be prepared for uphill climb but plenty of places to stop and rest. We had the most fun in the birdhouse where birdseed in popsicle sticks entice colorful birds to come up close. The kids loved it..

Came back after 8 years and it’s even better !
Perfect size for children. Nice variety of animals.
We visited with misting rain on a October Tuesday and it was quiet and ALL the animals were out ; perfect viewing !
The art work around the zoo was classy too. Congratulations.
5 stars.

Great exhibits. Upgrades to the park are worthwhile. Guests are able to bring in their own food for picnic area so feel free to make a day of it. Plenty of exhibits to see and a great array of animals. Staff on stationed in the zoo to provide additional information if you miss the schedule of planned activities. The little one's love the train ride which is fun!

It's not the Bronx Zoo or San Diego Zoo but it has a lot going for it.
We went on a Sunday in October and the animals were very active. The lions, hyenas and giraffes were all walking around, the monkeys were swinging, the penguins were swimming, and you can touch stingrays as they swim in a shallow pool. We spent about 3 hours and the time flew by.

Parking is free.

We went with twin 9 year olds, a 7 year old and a 4 year old and they all loved every minute.

During covid, you need timed tickets and they sell out on weekends so plan ahead.
You must wear a mask even outside.
They take your temperature upon entry.

The place is very clean and family-friendly.

There is a playground but due to covid we did not allow the kids to go there, but other families did.

Not so cheap, $17 per adult, $14 per kid. It adds up quickly.

Great experience for the little ones. Enjoy free parking and entrance with a small donation to the Food Bank of NJ during the winter months. The zoo was decorated nicely with scattered stations for smores, hot chocolate and other treats. Santa was there too! Limited animals at this time of year though!

Great place close to home and kids learn more and more every time we go! It seems the more we go the more they notice something that we're not each time from prior visits and start to give you the tour around the zoo Which should be the case. Just wish more families took advantage of their back yard and to teach their kids more about what's right in front of them!!! Always a good time for you and kids and learning experience for all!

A very human scale zoo, great for young children. Good exhibits, just enough information to pique curiosity, especia)y compared to Liberty Science Center, which has much more detail. Enjoy watching the seals and turtles, while also learning about the predator side, like wolves. When you get tired of walking, wander over to the train ride, and get a ride around the reservoir, and learn how to appreciate your water supply.

Nice for a local zoo. Should have winter prices sinc so many animals are not on display because it was so cold

As a middle-aged man, I have to say I really enjoyed the zoo! Even in the middle of the summer when a lot of the animals are sleeping or resting, there was plenty to see and they have a great variety of animals. It is an expensive place and very much fun to walk around. We finished the day with the train ride and it was a lot of fun. Kids will really love it!

The zoo is much smaller than the Bronx zoo but is sufficient for those who want to visit a zoo in less than a day and not do too much walking. In addition, the free small train ride (included with the admission) is a big bonus. What was disappointing is that some of the attractions were in maintenance, the restaurant is small/crowded and also the water mists were not working (on a day that was almost 100 degrees with the heat index). They need to improve some of the facilities and services. I suggest you bring your own sufficient water and snacks.

We have been to Turtleback Zoo at least couple of hundred times over the years and it is always amazing experience. I love photography, so there is always great photo opps and many different species of beautiful animals.

If you plan on going to the Christmas display go the last hour they are open .. after all the kids in strollers have left. It will
Be less crowded and better parking options. If you go when it opens. Or an hour into the start park at the mini golf and walk. It’s an easy walk.
It’s fun and a great tradition to see the animals and lights. The dj was really good. On Sunday night.

I loved all the exhibits, our favorite were the giraffes. They love people and walk pretty close to you. It is a lot of walking, wish there was a little more shade for walking with babies. Other than that no complaints!

Love this zoo! My son loves the train, touch tank and carousel. And of course all the animals. We were last there for a birthday party and it was a great experience. The kids had a blast and the staff was super friendly. If you kid has a say you will be there for hours!

Be sure to go during the winter. So many of the animals are out and they are really active.
The food cafe isn’t open but the gift shop is. Pony rides and carousel are open on weekends. But no train.
It’s worth being a little cold for NO crowds!

Turtle Back Zoo is a local entity that is first class. It has undergone renovations since my first visit in the '80s. It is part of a recreation complex that includes a restaurant, zip lining, a train that circles the zoo, swan boats on the reservoir, and of course, the animals. It is a perfect location for a day out with the kids. One of the nice features of the zoo is the 1.7 mile walking path around the complex, with both sun and shade cover. Very popular with walkers and runners at all times of the day.

My family and I have been to turtle back zoo multiple times for the last five years. I truly have nothing but wonderful things to say. There is so much to see and do during your visit; a touch tank, indoor reptile room, pony rides, goat feedings, sea turtle recovery station, penguin exhibit, lions, giraffes, bear, wolves, bison, carousel, train ride, playground, during the summer is a bird exhibit butterfly exhibit. Plus so much more I am not including on this list.
The animals appear well nourished and cared for. The grounds are clean. Although the food is more of a basic quick service in a cafeteria, the menu options are sure to satisfy all family needs. Upstairs from the cafeteria is a bar and cafe.
You are also allowed to bring in your own lunch.
Side note for all new visitors, the grounds are hilly, so be prepared for a lot walking around.
Also, most activities are a separate cost. Mostly $2 per person.

I take my 2 yr old granddaughter here as often as possible, we have a season pass. She loves it all but feeding the giraffes is the best, they are so beautiful.

This zoo is not too big but its well maintained. There are lions and hyenas and penguins. Our daughter really enjoyed the bird feeding activity.

My family and I have visited here on many occasions. The last time was this winter for the Holiday Light Spectacular. They have just remodeled the entrance and are planning an opening in April of the new opening. It is very enjoyable for everyone. You can spend anywhere from a short time like we did during the winter or you could be there for a few hours during the summer. The Train Ride is fun Young kids enjoy the Petting Zoo. The Sea Turtle Rescue is very special. If you want to have your kids learn and be entertained, this is the place to take them.

This Zoo has come a very long way. As a little girl when my siblings and I used to go there was barely any animals. Today it's absolutely amazing. I had my daughter birthday there years ago when she was in grade school. It was one of the best parties she remembers! Now I take my grandkids there...

We came to see the zoo lights for Christmas and it was great. it is free in this time of year start from 5pm (the open the door at 4:30pm) and some of the animals are out. it was fun, my kids love the 2 wolfs that were going around and took a lot of pictures. The cafe is open for light dinner and hot drinks. We have nice 1.5 hours around. Be prepare for the cold weather as this is out side but worth the visit.

We had a lot of fun and my grandson age 4 in August loved it. Perfect size zoo for everybody young and old. Very clean, good food and very informative zoo keepers walking around too. Will go back again. Give it a try. Not hard to get to either.

Small zoo but worth to bring little kids to see animal and birds. To enjoy one day trip without having a lot of walking.

Nice little zoo with many North American animals. Features many animals not present in north European zoos e.g. Jaguar, snow leopard, Komodo dragon and sting rays you can ”pet”

The one restaurant is quite horrible with really low end junk food. So bring your own if you can :)

My 3+6 year old enjoyed the trip.

Turtle Back Zoo is one of my 2 year old grandson's favourite outings. His first love is the train ride - it's really good, just long enough and complete with a tunnel and whistle blowing. Be aware that the winter schedule for train operation is much more restricted than at other times of year. The zoo itself is compact, good for youngsters. The sea lion shows are a highlight for us and the adjacent touch pool full of rays is always fascinating. Next stop for us is always the goat feeding (not necessarily open in the winter months). You can also see monkeys, penguins, some Africa animals - not the full array you might find at a large zoo but plenty for an afternoon of enjoyment. Lots of parking. Recommended.

Some of my best childhood memories were made at turtleback zoo. And I love creating new ones here with my daughters!

I worked at this zoo in the 1970s, but hadn't been back since. Wow - has it changed! It is MUCH bigger, with lots of buildings and facilities for taking care of all kinds of animals. THe variety and quantity really surprised me. And now they're getting lions and giraffes as well, all in an Africa area. It all laid out for kids, with eating places throughout. I do recommend this place quite highly, especially if you haven't been here in a while. It's good for several hours of fun!

My grandsons have been trying to see a komodo dragon and this trip was the payoff. A really nice family day some awesome animal exhibits. Woth rhe price of admission which was $85 for 4 adults and 2 kids.

Turtle Back Zoo is new and improved... I remember this place as a child... Great Memories... And it has withstand the test of time....

Had a great time, the grandchildren loved every minute of it - will go back again. Only hard thing are all the hills and the smell is a little overwhelming in some area's

We had a great room for our event. Everyone was very helpful. Then the extra special treat we got to see the zoo at night with beautiful lights and decorations for the holiday season!! Terrific.

I’ve been to the Turtleback Zoo before with my first grade class. This time I was able to visit with my family. We had such a great time! We booked the first time slot of the day and I highly recommend that time slot. There weren’t many people there in the beginning and parking was super easy. Our spot was a few steps away from the entrance and it was free!! The zoo was very clean and we observed plenty of sanitizing. My favorite animals were the flamingos and monkeys. My son loved the lions and giraffes. Next time, we would enter the zoo and go right. We ended up there and that’s where the lines are located for the sting ray tank, train, giraffe feeding and penguin house. We waited for the train and penguin house. The lines moved quickly. I bet if we went there in the beginning there wouldn’t be any lines. This is a well maintained, Covid safe, reasonable (adult tickets were $15), easy, fun zoo. We will definitely go back again!

We have been at Turtle Back Zoo in the past, and it is truly a wonderfully simple place. However, after going to the zoo today, I have two MAJOR complaints that people need to be aware of before they arrive at the zoo:

1. If you want to go from the zoo to the Treetop Adventure course (with zipline), you need to actually exit the zoo, and you will not be allowed back in without purchasing zoo tickets again. Because tickets must be purchased online for specific time slots during the day ahead of time for the zoo (and strongly suggested for the Treetop Adventure), you should space them apart and plan ahead. We did not, as we were not aware that we could not come back into the zoo after taking a break and experiencing the Treetop Adventure course; therefore, we had to skip the Treetop Adventure (which we already paid for ahead of time) so we could see the rest of the zoo. Lost a good amount of money there, and we wish that was more clear to us when we purchased the tickets online.

2. BEES!! There are hundreds and hundreds of bees all throughout the park, and it is getting really out of control. Many of them surround trash cans (see picture), but there are tons of them simply around the whole zoo, and it was constantly a scary experience for everyone at the park. In fact, my 9 year-old daughter did get stung by one of the bees, which made the remainder of our stay at the zoo very unpleasant. Luckily, she is not allergic to new stings, but for people who are allergic, BEWARE! The zoo really needs to find a way to control this, as our family does not feel comfortable coming back to the zoo until something is done about this.

Other than these two unpleasant experiences, the zoo can be a fun place to visit. There were several animals not present, and overall it was a bit too crowded (the zoo could have controlled this a little better), but when it comes down to it, Turtle Back Zoo can be a very family-friendly place.

We were in America from the UK babysitting our granddaughters while their parents had a holiday in Hawaii and decided to take a trip to the zoo, what a wonderful surprise, so much better than uk zoos especially the cleanliness of the place, the glass on viewing areas was so lovely and clean (in the UK this would be filthy),the general state of tbe gardens was excellent, so pretty and well kept.we were amazed at the amount of toilets, brilliant with little ones (and grandmama in tow!!!).the animals all looked very well cared for and plenty of viewing spaces, our granddaughters were especially taken with the seals, penguins and gibbons and although the giraffe display was closed this did not in any way spoil our visit.the cafe was lovely and the lady who served us was so nice (Sunday 21st oct) although we did think the food was expensive.finished our day with the train ride, all in all a fantastic day out and would definately re-visit

We enjoyed the park very much and found it to be safe, accessible and friendly to our 10 special needs students. There were many young children on school trips and our older autistic visitors were treated very well by the knowledgeable docents. The lady at the gibbon exhibit was particularly good at adjusting her presentation. The clean "family" bathrooms near the gift shop were exactly what we needed to ensure safety. The hills were a good challenge, but may need to be considered for schools or family's with mobility concerns. We very much appreciated that there were frequent trash cans and places to sit. This smaller zoo is just what we needed! (And boy has it changed since my childhood!)

My wife, kids, and I drove from south Jersey to get a piece of the action. We were told by a family relative and we followed online reviews like here on TripAdvisor that this was the place to be. We saw no cheetah and its support dog, we saw a hyena in the same spot like from a picture someone else posted… yes the giraffe was cool for first timers but we paid $5 for two leafs of lettuce. Didn’t see the red panda. The prairie dogs were “meh”. The owl looked upset to be paired with a turkey vulture. The alpaca was humping a yoga ball and making some obscene sounds. The playground for kids —> “meh”. The cotton candy was $8. Cafe —-> “meh”. No beer or wine, that was closed. The stand with fruit tea beverages looked unsanitary and those were $7… we didn’t buy. The free parking was the best part. Bring your sneakers and plenty of water and watch out for the hills. There are no filtered water stations like other parks. The train ride was cute just like others have shared but doesn’t make me want to come back. Thank goodness we went when the weather was 85 because any hotter then this review would have been worse. If you are from south Jersey then save your miles, gas, MONEY, and time. All other reviews were right, it’s clean, nice lay out, but BORING. My 9 year old said it sucked.

Went last week to see the Christmas Light Show at Turtle Back Zoo. Although most of the animals are away for the winter, the kids there were happy. Nice to see families out and about enjoying themselves. People helping people taking pictures of family. This way no one is left out of the family pictures. Plan to go back in summer to visit the animals. Seems they are expanding again.

Visited this zoo today, Sunday 7/7. 2019. In the past we had membership to the NYC zoo's and aquarium. We love the bronx zoo but it's huge! This zoo was just enough for us and wasn't even that crowded considering it's a Sunday! I have a 3 year old, 5 and 8 year old. We went in at 11:25am and left at 4:15PM. It was a great day. I would have given it 5 stars however I didn't because I was upset that everything is a separate fee and they don't take credit cards at all exhibits. So bring cash! I also wish they would have just let you pay at the entrance an extra fee so you could just go to all of the "extra" things like the train, butterfly, giraffe feeding, and anything else. Instead of $15 entrance chanrge me $20. That would be my only complaint!

Very fun experience with lot of animals and birds in unique settings. My son definitely had his fill by the end of it, all the way from little prairie dogs to lion and penguins. It is located next to a nice lake and has a zipline too. Big enough to not feel crowded though we went on a busy weekend.

U name it Lions ,tigers ,elephants,bears. Peacocks walking around freely. Butterfly exhibit,petting zoo

We had never been here before, but let me say we will be coming back. First plus: free parking. Second Plus: Very clean. Those two things alone make us want to come back. Adult admission (13 and older) was $15 (does not accept AAA for a discount). Ages 2 - 13 and seniors are $12 and under 2 are free. There are additional attractions at the zoo that are not included in admission and you have to pay extra: to ride the carousel, pony rides. feeding at the touch tank, aviary feedings, and butterfly exhibit. Of these, we did only the carousel and that was $2. There is also a free train ride. Some exhibits are seasonal, so we did not get to see the aviary or butterfly exhibit. We truly enjoyed walking around this zoo and observing the animals. The walkways are paved and wide, wheelchair accessible. If you have little ones (or even bigger ones), there are many picture opportunities. We are definitely going back. If you have the opportunity, check it out.

A Must Visit!! - My Son loved it! The animals are so close and its easy to walk around the park. Parking is Free and it has great places to eat locally.

Turtle Back Zoo is one of those little secrets that should be shared. It is FANTASTIC for everyone, but mostly families with children under 10. Easy to meander through, plenty of animals, activities, and out door fun. Nestled in West Orange, New Jersey - a community oriented town with an expanding downtown, teriffic schools, loads of outdoor hiking trails and restaurants that will appease all. Turtle Back Zoo boasts a brand new Educational Center, easy outdoor and garage parking.

Built right next to the Turtle Back Zoo, is the TreeTop Adventure Course a world class aerial obstacle course.

Built on the other side is the Mini Golf Animal Sarfari. And majestic reservoir walking loop (2 miles around the 'lake').

Teriffic multi day activity!

If you are an adult who loves animals, you will like the zoo as much as the children. Even though its a small zoo there are a good amount of animals to see; even some which I did not think I would see in a small zoo such as the big cats. Would definitely return.

This is a smaller zoo but just the right size. All exhibits are really well done with a wide variety of animals to view. A real fun day for everyone and very little walking for the kids.

A great place to bring kids, friends, and family! A fun place to go on a summer day. I highly recommend this zoo!

Have heard about this for years but was under the impression it was a small zoo. If you think the same you are very much wrong! Large open enclosures for the animals. Feed the giraffes. Feed the birds in the bird enclosure. Large wide walking area keep it uncrowded feel. Nice map to plan out your travel. Outside the zoo is a lake and other attractions. Great to make a day out of it.

We spent a good four hours here. There's plenty of animals to see and enjoy. The place is very well kept up (except for the glass on many exhibits that need to be cleaned more to see through clearly) the grounds well maintained and 100% liter free. There's a place you can touch stingrays which our grown daughter enjoyed very much and you can feed the goats which were fun. The Giraffe's and Jaguar was my favorite. I was fascinated to learn that there are penguins in Africa and I was able to take some good pictures of most of the animals.
Oh, don't miss the Praire dogs. You'll have fun there getting "in the middle of them."

Little did I know this little zoo would be so exciting! It is relatively inexpensive and parking is free. The complex offers a great deal of attractions, zip lining, golfing, shopping and dining. The children were amazed at the animals and they especially liked the train ride. We got to most of the exhibits in the 4 hours we spent there. I haven't been to a zoo in about 15 years and that zoo was huge. What amazed me the most was the Condor in the tree as well as the huge python in exhibit. Some animals were hard to see. The kids were fascinating by the giraffes, turtles, peacocks and fish they recognized and want to return for another day.

I had recently went there for their Christmas light show. It's so cute because they have Christmas themed lights and figures for everyone to see around the zoo. Definitely will go again.

Turtle Back Zoo has been around for years, but it hasn't stood still. It is constantly upgrading the facility and adding animals. There is something here for everyone, and both kids and adults should enjoy themselves. My personal favorites were the giraffe compound (the giraffes come up close sometimes to check out the humans), the penguin pool (good underwater viewing), and the butterfly house (the little colorful critters land on you as you walk through). There is a train ride for the kiddies and food and drink (including adult beverages) available. Plenty of parking though the traffic entering can be a challenge.

Not a big zoo, best for families with young kids.It's built on the side of a hill so a good amount of walking. They have new zip line courses adult and kids also a straight zip line. Bring lunch

Turtle Back Zoo has made amazing upgrades in the last few years. What I love the best is its size-not too big-not too small, but just perfect. I have a family of 6 and live in town so the yearly pass is the way to go for us. I have teenagers, a tween and a 2 year old. All of them still enjoy the touch tank with sting rays/sharks as well as the train ride. The farm is my toddlers favorite, of course. I suggest going on the train first upon arrival because the line could get pretty long-especially on holidays and weekends. AND-parents, if you need a drink to get through the day, 😀-the cafe serves beer and wine April thru October. Cheers!

Easy to get to and parking. Nice little zoo that keeps expanding. Really fixing up the surrounding area as well over the years. Great halloween event for the kids.

I love what the county has done for the zoo and the whole area for it's citizens. The zoo went from a run down attraction to the center piece of one of the best public park and recreation areas. Mini golf , paddle boats and restaurants. This is a must visit .

I have been going to the Turtle Back Zoo for years. I hadn't been in a couple of years and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality additions to the zoo attractions. There's so much to see and do. The day went by too quickly, and we didn't get a chance to see everything! A worthwhile and fun visit!!

my 2nd time on a school field trip with the 2nd graders. its a small zoo but love how you can just roam and enjoy a nice walk. my only issue is that the train ride should have something to see while you ride on it. I took the train ride twice once in the summer and once during winter for the light show. its sure is boring to just ride it and not see something exciting.

The TBZ just keeps getting better. They have added more exhibits and the zoo is kept clean. We always enjoy our visits. We have annual memberships as well.

We ventured out to the Turtle Back Zoo for the opening weekend of the Holiday Lights when it was unseasonably warm (57 degrees) and extremely crowded! Despite the crowds, we were able to enjoy the Reptile House, Touch Me Tank, Sea Lion feeding (@6pm and 8pm), the lights, music, train ride (they had multiple trains running so the line was quick!) and lastly, Santa. Photos with Santa are $25 for a printed copy and emailed copy, or $20 just for the print and you are not obligated to buy. They even let you take pics with your cellphone, but the photographer's lighting is way superior to your iPhone and we bought! This is a nice event for the holidays and is FREE! They do collect non-perishable items for the food bank which I would highly recommend contributing to! They also have a carousel, not sure if it is free during holiday lights b/c we didn't get to it! (Kids were STARVING) OH and they do sell food, but we wanted to sit down for a family meal :) I would highly recommend wearing sneakers and dressing appropriately for the weather...the zoo does have some inclines which are not easily traversed in heeled boots. :) As far as the sea lion feeding, if you go around the back of the exhibit there is an ample viewing area.

What a wonderful place to spend part of a day! They have a lot to see in a relatively compressed area, which includes both indoor and outdoor exhibits. It was my second time to this zoo and I still haven’t been able to see the giraffes, which was disappointing, but that’s how it goes sometimes. Also, if they had any elephants, I could not find them. (How do you hide an elephant?) Also, if you are thirsty you must purchase a $3.00 bottle of water, as none of the public water fountains are functioning. Still, it’s a fun place to visit, and the parking is free. (Also, if you are a Veteran, you get $3.00 off the admission price of $15.00.)

I recommend coming here early, or during "off" hours to bypass the long lines. I came here with some friends, as the Zoo is my favorite, but we waited for like an hour or so in the line just to get in. It would be nice to put a cover over the line, so people aren't standing in the heat like that, or do something to better manage how long people are waiting to get into the zoo.

Admission: Budget-friendly
Parking: Easy - lots of parking!
Safety: Great. I've never felt uneasy coming here, and there are police nearby.

TBZ always has something fun going on, and for everyone to enjoy. They offer educational opportunities for all ages, activities for youth, and families, 21+ events, and more. There is also an adventure course/activity on their grounds, and Essex County puts out swan boats to paddle around the water (which is better quality than Branch Brook Park Lake).

You could spend a half-day here if you wanted to (or longer). You can go at your own pace enjoying the Zoo, stop into the cafe on-site for food/drinks, and go to the gift shop. When you're done, you can pop over to the adventure site which hosts paddle boats, a zip-line course, mini golf, and more.

TBZ has some of the best staff and volunteers/interns! The animals here are well cared for, which is vital. I get the impression that staff are empathetic towards the animals in a way that they put the animals first, over the people coming in to see them -- i.e. I saw someone reach over a fence to pet one of the goats, and a staff member respectfully ask they not do that, obviously for the safety of both; whereas other places I feel care less, or let you do things at your own risk.

Their membership program here is top-notch. Anyone who loves animals and appreciates their care and well-being, I encourage you to join as a member or become a donor! TBZ can't care for these animals alone, and need your support to help!

Clean, organized, great place to spend the day. Lots of interesting animals, exhibits, food you name it they have it.

Turtle Back Zoo is great for families with children of all ages. Enough animals to keep everybody entertained for hours. Great sting ray and shark touch tank! LOTS of hills - be prepared with a stroller if you have little ones!

Beautiful Quaint Zoo! Many improvements over the last 3 yrs... But I liked it 3 years ago Too! Thank you to Docent Coordinator Randy Laxer who showed me many wonderful points of the zoo!

Visited on a whim with my family and were not disappointed. This zoo is very well organized with a variety of different species of animals but still manages to be walkable for both kids and their families. The exhibits were spaced close together so you don't have to walk far to see the next animal. We went as a group of adults including some senior citizens but we were still able to complete the entire zoo in one hour. The train does not go around the zoo but was a wonderful experience. Highly recommend to all but especially to families with young children.

Holiday Lights Spectacular at Turtle Back Zoo is a wonderful evening for holiday family fun. Stroll around the zoo grounds while taking in the lights and holiday atmosphere. Sip hot Chocolate and listen to the music of the season and you may even find many of the animals still wandering about.

The next two weekends, ( 12/9 thru 12/11 and 12/16 thru 12/18) are Star Wars weekends, so come dressed up and mingle your favorite characters and take loads of pictures for lasting family memories.

Not all exhibits are open, but the Savannah Cafe and gift shops are open the train ride and Carousel is operational. Santa will be listening to all your children's wishes and Frosty, Rudolph and Myrtle the Turtle will be there to delight and enchant children of all ages.

The turtle back zoo is clearly a lovely little place to go to, ESPECIALLY with little ones. While its not too too large, it's way more than adequate for families and a terrific way to spend an entire days outting. While its true it does not have the real large animals which we have in the Bronx Zoo, it does have a huge variety of animals to make for a terricially wondrful learning experience for children. The past year or two, they have installed obstacle courses and a zip line. I actually would like to try those myself but i have only seen kids, teens and young adults on them.

Been to this park over the years...first, just the zoo and choo choo train. Then, improved parking. Later, carousel and water squirts for hot days. Now, zip-lining. This park continues to improve, ahead of the curve. Great job attracting new families!

Very good Zoo and had fun going to this Zoo. But sometimes need to climb to get to the animals be cautious about them.

This isn't the Bronx Zoo, but, it's so much easier to get there and so much less expensive. Good selection of animals but again, not the Bronx Zoo

That was our second visit to this place. This zoo is big but everything is within walking distance.  You can see varirty of different animals including new area with lions.It's apparent that all the animals are being loved and well taking care of. In the zoo for extra money $2 for each you can ride a pony, feed the birds, visit butterflies enclosure and  ride the carousel. If you hungry there are couple cafes to eat ( can't say nothing about the menus, because we didn't eat there). Also for young children there is a nice playground with a lot of benches  for parents to sit and relax  while kids are playing. Overall we recommend with place.

This zoo is a must see. It has a good variety of animals in a clean humane setting.
It is not a large zoo but it is still worth seeing. Nice for children and adults.

Not overwhelmingly large. Excellent exhibits and well laid out. Animals seem well cared for and staff are all engaged.

The Zoo is adorable and there's a large parking lot across from the facility. Kids had a great time.

We visited in December for the annual Christmas Light display. We had kids ranging from 7-10 with us. They all enjoyed it. It was a little chilly the night we went but there were buildings to warm up in, like the carousel, etc. The touch pool with rays was open and pretty popular with the kids. We had a nice time and there was no charge for entrance or parking.

Essex County has poured a lot of money into Turtle Back Zoo, and it's really paying off. The facilities have been improved immensely, and so has the display of animals, with more and more interesting species from as close as Essex County and as far as Indonesia. it is an extremely educational and entertaining facility, and I can't recommend it too highly.

I will start by saying I don’t frequent zoos often. I live over an hour from this zoo but would gladly drive anytime to get here. Zoo is clean and nice walking paths. Parking is free! Giraffe feeding time is awesome! Pay $3 and have a close up meeting with a giraffe. Other zoos it’s over $80! Granted it’s only a minute or two but you can stand nearby and watch others. The zoo is nicely laid out and very clean!

Zoo, is clean and well kept. Very nice and friendly employees. Great variety of animals. Well kept and fed well. Kids love it. I totally enjoyed the day!

Always a fun time with the family & kids. The put a lot of money into this zoo so it is interesting too.

Took our grand daughter to the zoo. She loved it. Much bigger than I thought. Easy parking and reasonable prices

This zoo has it all. From miniature golf, to a train ride and climbing through the trees, kids and adults alike just love it. Long waits on nice days. Check web site to
purchase tickets in advance. Well maintained. Clean rest rooms. Food available.
Bring hats, sunscreen and water bottles. Enjoy.

Love the zoo! My Kids enjoy the animals variety and the train ride. I would come again during the week when it's not soo hot.

Second time to Turtle Back Zoo, last time we were there was about 4 years ago and it has expanded. Loved the area with the lions as well as the Sea Lions and Turtle area.. plenty of parking and a clean zoo. The train ride is great for kids and pretty much anyone, there was an entertainer playing children's songs for the kids near the train. The Carousel is nice, food is well, ok nothing great, low quality and expensive. There is a park next to the Zoo which also looked great they have a restaurant and you can take a paddle boat on the water. It takes about 3-4 hours to look at everything in the zoo and not rush.

This is a fantastic, smaller zoo! It is the perfect spot for families. It has really expanded over the years with more exhibits and events. As long as the weather is decent, it is a perfect day out.

The best part of this zoo is that most of the animals are very active, not just sleeping all day.

We saw giraffes walking around, monkeys swinging, a cougar jumped down from a high rock then let out a roar.
The black bear walked back and forth right in front of the glass.
The penguins walked and swam.
We also got to pet stingrays.

We spent about 3 hours and covered pretty much the whole zoo.

There is food available for purchase and plenty of picnic tables if you bring your own.
Bathrooms were clean.

There is also a train ride that runs parallel to the reservoir next door. It takes about 10 minutes and it’s free (we went on twice).

Parking is free.

Nice zoo the only negative thing I can say was a few of the zoo features were closed for renovations the touch tank I was looking forward to but it was closed another thing the butterfly enclosure cost more money should've been included in zoo ticket the petting zoo wasn't really a petting zoo the goats were behind fences and there were signs saying not to touch them

Delightful, 1st class and perfect. I’ve been to many zoo’s and this one was so well taken care of, the exhibits were all up close and I loved that that the animals were very well taken care of. The layout of the grounds is perfect and during the warmer months when everything is more open I’m sure that this place is even greater. Well done.

This is a really great zoo. The exhibits are very detailed and nicely done. The zoo is a good size and had many fun extras to do. I wish they would sell online tickets! We figured if we arrived around 2pm, we would have plenty if time to see everything and lines/crowds would be smaller. WRONG. Parking was a disaster. We had to park practically in another zip code. It was free parking and the walk to the zoo is very pretty but far. The lines at 2pm for tickets was insane, Online ticket sales would have solved this problem. Prices were pretty low in my opinion. Many optional items inside ( aviary, pony rides, face painting) also reasonably priced. You do have to purchase these at the attraction and again wastes time. The aviary was great. They do allow wheelchairs and strollers in the aviary. The birds loved my daughter wheelchair and sat in the wheels which was a challenge so I would advise leaving strollers outside. Great little playground inside also. The kids had a great time. We ran out of time and didn't get to do all the "extras". I would definitely return but allow much more time!

The Holiday Lights Spectacular runs Fri, Sat and Sunday from Dec 8 -Jan 3, 2017 except on Dec 24th and 25th with hours between 5 pm - 9 pm. The good news is sheltered garage parking is still free. Admission is still $14 for adults, $11 for seniors and 2-12 year olds and under 2 years is free also bring non-perishable food or a new unwrapped toy or jacket and admission is free. There is a vast display of lights, Frosty, Rudolph and of course Santa at the gazebo accompanied by holiday music will delight the kids. The free train ride around the lake is a big attractions. The $2 carousel is also operational this time of year. They have a Dinosaur playground area if the kids need a time to unwind.The snack bar sells hot dogs, pizza, French fries, paninis, salads and hot chocolate. Restrooms by the front gate are clean and well maintained. The downside is that as the weather gets colder the all the animals are not out. The wolves, the barnyard touching area, the sting rays and shark touch tanks are still available and are a big attractions. What I always liked about the Turtle Back Zoo is that the viewing area is closer. The zoo is well organized and spacious enough to not get physically not get overwhelmed but diverse enough to satisfy your emotional and intellectual connection with the animals. It a great one day experience with animals.

Took my six year old grandson to Turtle Back Zoo, and had a fun afternoon enjoying the train ride, and the variety of animals. This zoo is very compact compared to others I have visited, but I found it advantageous, as my grandson tired out after a couple of hours, and was ready to go home. The zoo was maintained well and very reasonably priced, plus parking was free. Would definitely return for another fun visit.

We had a great time at turtle back zoo. It was very full bit there was place for everyone. The kids ask to go back all the time! Thanks for a superb experience!

This was my first visit to Turtle Back Zoo since my parents took me many decades ago. What a big difference! First off, it is great that they have free parking garages so you can park right near the zoo entrance. Admission for adults of $15 is reasonable. Spent a little over two hours taking in most of the sights. The free train ride is nice. You don't see much, but is is worth it if the line is not too long. The Touch Tank is a nice addition where you can touch manta rays. Some attractions cost an extra $2, but they are optional so don't do it if you object to the extra money: pony rides, carousel ride, butterfly house, food stick for the bird house. The cafe offers nice reasonable food options. A slice of pizza and a soda cost $5. The walking paths are easy to follow as you go from seeing the reptiles to the giraffes to the goats to the wolf to the kangaroos, etc. The zoo could use some more presentations and talks about the animals. A couple of exhibits are under construction so I look forward to returning when they are finished.

Hurry up and get to Turtle Back to have a spectacular evening with the whole family. The Xmas decorations are magnificent. They get better every year. Wonderful picture opportunities and a feel good night.

The zoo was cleannnnnn. A few of the animals were out in the vet clinic but we still saw a lot more animals, after you've walked around the entire zoo make sure to take a ride on the train.

This is a great venue to take your family. The animals are taken care of and all look healthy and happy in their respective cages.
Exciting, and a great experience for the children. You won't regret it.

Over the past 15 years, Turtle Back Zoo has been revamped into a world-class, AZA-accredited facility that offers just the right balance of amazing animal collection and manageable size that you can see it all in half a day. The educational staff is incredibly helpful. And the zoo has a free train that families can ride as often as they want through some of the land around the zoo. (You do not see animals from the train.) Plus, they are always in expansion mode so there are always reasons to return. You can pay for a day entrance fee or buy an annual membership that is extremely affordable. (That was perfect for me, since my son wanted to go several times per week when he was little...and we still go several times during the year.) One more thing: they offer a great Holiday Lights show during the winter, and it's FREE. Oh, and there are also zip lining and mini-golf next door when the weather allows. Turtle Back Zoo is really one of NJ's treasures!

This zoo has been here for ages, I went there in 1st grade for a class trip (45+ years ago!) and has been majorly updated, and new exhibits are being added every year. It includes interactive exhibits with butterflies, stingrays, and budgies (parakeets). It is a little hilly, be prepared, and bring a stroller if you have little ones. Good cafe on premises, and it had an ajoining mini golf, and lake with paddle boats

Been going to the TBZ for about 10 years and it just keeps getting better. Great for little ones. Get an annual pass. It's well worth it!

We are season pass holders. The zoo is small enough that little children can walk it and there are a lot of fun activities surrounding the zoo including but not limited to: A pirate playground with mushroom picnic tables, miniature golf, swan peddle boats, etc.

My Grandson, 2 years old never ran out of enthusiasm during the entire visit. Wonderful refreshing of the turtle back zoo.

This is an awesome zoo for children of all ages. It's a great size - big enough for a fun experience but not so big that the kids are whining by the end of the day. Our favorite exhibits are the lions, jaguars, and the shark & stingray petting tank. We usually take in lunch and are able to spend a few hours enjoying the exhibits. Would definitely recommend!

Took my kids when they were younger and remember them enjoying it so returned with the grandchildren. Unfortunately between the age of the children, the traffic, parking and the crowds we didn't spend as much time as we would have liked, so didn't get to see all it has to offer. We went when the kids had the week off from school. My opinion: just don't do it if you don't have to. The traffic just getting to one of their parking lots was ridiculous, just to find out they were all completely full, and the walk from the last parking lot with the kids would make it too much for them. Although it was so crowded, walking around the zoo didn't feel like it. It is spread out nicely that people weren't on top of each other, and we didn't even wait long for things like riding the carousel. On another note, they are a reciprocal zoo if you have a membership to another zoo, which saved us quite a bit. There were 3 children in our group, along with 7 adults and everyone enjoyed themselves on the family outing.

So many attractions to see while at the zoo. This place is clean even though some construction is taking place. Many paths to walk and even though about 50 bus loads of kids were here it didn’t see crowded. The African safari was one of our favorites along with the big cats. There are some extra fees for some of the attractions which is annoying. And there are age and height restrictions for the pony rides.

I have not been to Turtle Back Zoo since I was 10 years old. That was a long time ago. How many years you ask? Well, I won’t tell you exactly but, it rhymes with shmorty. It was a pleasant surprise to see the major changes and upgrades. For starters, they have a large parking garage with an elevator. Prices are reasonable, $15 for adults and $12 for kids. They have a few café’s for quick bites and several picnic areas if you want to bring your own lunch. Also, there were plenty of bathrooms all over the park. For a small zoo they have a large variety of animals. Enclosures are well designed to get a close look at the animals while keeping you safe.

They have several additional activities that we did. Some are free and some are a few dollars extra. The train ride and story time are free. My little nieces enjoyed The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear What Do You See. Fun! The train ride is about 10-15 minutes long and takes you through South Mountain Reservation and along the recreation complex past McLoone’s Boathouse. The petting zoo and bird aviary were fun and it was about $2 for food to feed the goats and birds. The birds land on the feeding stick so you can get an up close look. My 4 year old niece got a kick out of it and told me that no birds pooped on her. My nieces also enjoyed the carousel ride (4 times!) Adults ride free. Overall it was not crowded and we had a great day.

There was one con or downside…if you are allergic to or afraid of bees, this might not be the place for you. It was SWARMING with bees. They were literally everywhere, hovering, flying into our faces and landing in our hair. I could not believe how many there were. They were, without exaggeration, everywhere we went. We had to try to ignore them and/or swat them away. Otherwise it would have ruined our day.

Had not been to Turtle Back Zoo in over 15 years. What a improvement. Was great , clean and exciting. Recommend for children, families and couples.

Plenty of seats and bathrooms. Property well maintained and pleasantly surprised how well behaved the children were. It took us a few hours to walk through the entire facility. Giraffes and zoo hospital off limits. You can take your own food/beverages in. Animal signage adequate. Zoo butts up to lake for a 2 mile stroll. Paddleboats and playground available. Some attractions within zoo were extra cost.

A lot of the animals seemed pretty lonely and sad. There was one solitary penguin and the fox agitated and pacing in his little enclosure. Not all of the exhibits were so depressing, but why so many single animals?

Great variety of animals. Plenty of seating for taking a picnic lunch. New enclosures in progress for additional species. Old-fashioned train ride around the zoo and along the river.

A great size zoo to see in one day . Currently Asia is under construction. The petting area for stingrays and mini shark was fun. Many animals which make for great pictures. Had a good time took about 3 hours.

The Turtle Back Zoo received rave reviews so my adult daughter and myself decided to visit the attraction. Although we did have a map of the grounds it still would have nice if there were some workers around to answer our questions. Lots of walking on hilly grounds (and that's an understatement!!!!) made it impossible for us to get to the animals that we came to view. A lack of enough benches to sit on after maneuvering our way on the precarious walks was another negative aspect of the visit. The young families with children seemed to enjoy it but - ALL IN ALL MY ADVICE TO SENIORS WOULD BE DON'T GO!!!!

Taking us 1.5 hours to park and counting. My kids are ready to turn around and go home. The cops directing traffic are super mean.

I really love this zoo. So much so that I got an annual membership. It's small enough to enjoy with kids, but it is packed with interesting animals.

The parking is free- so it's a great value (especially the annual pass)

The kids love the train. It's pretty humble, but perfect for little peanuts.

The last time we were there, we got our faces painted (kids) and my daughter still talks about this today.

I can't recommend it enough.

Turtle Back Zoo is a good place to spend a day, but it needs improvement and customer service.

The zoo is beautiful, something unique in the middle of a town, but the over crowd does not allow too much space for enjoyment.

TIPS

* Buying tickets online does not make any difference. Visitors have to make a line to check in. The zoo needs to get scanner for fast entry

* Try to entry the using the main entrance, not the entrance for treetop.

*Use comfortable shoes. To many ups and daw while walking

* You can bring your own food

* be aware of the crowd

* There is no paper map to help you to walk around

* Some of the food carts around the zoo only take cash

I came here once over the summer and thought everything about it was great, from the animals to the food to the gift shop. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something fun to do on a weekend.

My now 4 year old granddaughter loves this Zoo when she comes to NJ for a visit. And we all love to take her there. Beautiful set up, nice animals , great little train ride.
Thank you West Orange!

Would not recommend visiting during the pandemic. We have been going here for many years but the experience isn’t the same now. We went on August 17th 2020. I was surprised at the crowd of people...apparently they aren’t limiting capacity anymore because it was the most crowded of my experiences in the past 12 years. Also zero social distancing in the train line. (Pic attached of part of the line) Waited 20 mins in a very tight line while trying to dodge bees. Which brings me to another complaint...the bees were INSANE! Like honestly...people were complaining and dodging them. Do not bring sugar or buy the Kona Ice unless u want to be attacked by bees. Also don’t walk by a garbage can....SWARMS of bees. ...There isn’t much to see during a pandemic besides sleeping animals. The bird sanctuary where u can normally feed the birds is closed. Also the butterfly tent is closed. So u will basically be walking around a lot and not seeing much. I joked with my kids that the most active ‘animal’ were the bees. Lol.

11 year daughter and I had a great time. Extra cost for the butterfly and bird sanctuaries but worth it. Extremely clean and exhibits are all well designed.

We paid full price and upon entering no one mentioned that all the animal exhibits were under construction. There weren't any signs either. Every indoor exhibit didn't have the animals out either. Might be a great zoo in the summer, but at this time of the year they seem to be preparing the lights and during the day its a real disappointment. We did see the snow leopard, but that was really the only memorable animal out and about.

We had a few hours to kill, and we both had visited the zoo as kids, many years ago. Due to the presence of some avian flu virus not of the bird exhibits were open. While the river otters exhibit was open, ,they were nowhere to be found.

In all ,we saw an alligator (sleeping in the shade), an aardvark, sleeping, and a red fox.. That was it. Other exhibits were closed ,the animals missing for one excuse or another.

Very disappointing.

Excellent, clean zoo. Great for a day walking around with kids. They are always adding new animals so it's fun to go every year

My kids are in college so I hadnt been to the zoo in years, had a 9 year old niece visiting from out of state with my mother (her grandmother) and was thrilled to be able to take in the updates made over the last few years. Everything was top-notch, the animals all looked happy and everything was very clean. You can see everything from tiny lizards & mammals to giraffes & lions. We loved interacting with the butterflies and birds too.

I was here many years ago, say 25. It was a dump then and I never came back with my kids nor grandsons. I had heard there were great improvements so we drove 1 1/2 hours to visit. It is just the right size for a 3 year old and enough for them to see. I was disappointed that due to a storm coming in the afternoon the lions, tigers, giraffes etc. were kept inside and not viewable. Alas, as it was in the 90's many of the other animals were inside or hiding in the shade. Again, could not see many of the animals but this was not the zoo's fault. We did speak with a couple of the animal keepers and they were very friendly as were all the staff we spoke to. The water spray spots were my granddaughter's delight. There was a patch of poison Ivy near the bison that I reported so I hope they get it out before another child grabed some as my granddaughter did. Bathrooms are yucky. With the huge amounts of school kids there I guess it is difficult to keep them presentable. Rest of area very clean. My last comment is to bring money. It may not cost much to get in the gate but the it's 50 cents for animal food, $1.00 for pony rides, bird house, butterfly house etc. And we didn't even get down to the jungle climb area. Restaurant was fine once the lunch crowd was gone. The train ride is a must do. We did not get to see any shows as there was nothing telling us time and place. Stop by the window viewing area for the monkey. The little one actually played with my granddaughter for 15 minutes! So, go! It is a nice place to visit. Arrive after noon if you are near by. School groups start moving out by then.

The light exhibit is quite lovely. You walk around the park to see the lighted characters. There was even a loose peacock walking around. nice for a not so cold evening. They do have a café where you can warm up with some hot coco. There was also bins for food and toy donations as well.

We thought we would see lots of animals but they were either sleeping far from view or not there at all. The usual animals you can see on a farm were plentiful but we wanted to see the more exotic ones. The zoo itself has gotten a facelift and is nicely laid out. Too bad the animals didn't cooperate!

This was on my list of things to do before I moved out of Jersey as it was right down the road from where I worked and I saw it everyday. It's a fairly small zoo, and that's to be expected for the area, but it was very clean and you could tell the animals were well taken care of. My friends' kids loved the zoo and they all have yearly passes. It's not going to wow you like the Bronx Zoo, but it's a good place for young kids to be introduced to animals and to learn about them.

TBZ is great. They have a wide assortment of animals almost all in open fields, not cages. The grounds are easy to walk with stroller. We had 2 three year olds. They loved it. Food at the cafe was adequate if not great. Bring your own if you want to and picnic.

Terrific place for everyone. Train rides. Climbing through the trees. Zip line. Miniature golf. Offer all types of nature programs.










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I took my family (wife and twin 2 year olds)here for my kids birthday. We totally had a blast! So much to see and do. My kids particularly enjoyed the butterfly house($2 extra per adult), carousel($2 extra per adult)and the lion observatory. Can't wait to go back! Food was also very good and reasonably priced.

Children and Seniors pay less, but you get access to all exhibits and animal habitats. This is a good day trip

I was out to this wonderful town and the Zoo caught my attention. Though it is a small Zoo, it does pack quite a punch with its great staff and cleanliness. The animals for the most part were of concern to me as they did not seem to active or maybe it was that we were out on the wrong season? I am not sure but I expected more interaction with the animals. The food court is pretty cool and the staff always seemed to be friendly and attentive. Overall it was a nice place to take the kids and if you are on a budget.

This small zoo just keeps getting better every year! You can walk the whole place in about 3 or 4 hours and have time to ride the train (free) and carousel (extra charge) for a break from walking mostly uphill. There is something for everyone here. My kids -- who are now 15 and 21 -- still love to go. We have been taking them here since my oldest was 3.

This zoo is such a great place for young kids. The giraffes, prairie dogs and train were a huge hit!!!

It is a great zoo and kids had a good time however they need to do something about the bee's. It makes for an uncomfortable and scary experience especially with babies. We skipped multiple exhibits due to having to wait in lines with bees constantly flying around. It seemed the only way to avoid bees was to constantly be moving which defeats the purpose of a zoo where you should be able to stand and watch the animals without worrying about the bees.

Very fun place to visit for anyone. Located in a very nice section of West Orange, NJ. Beautiful animals including a nice train ride, giraffes, sea animals and more.

Turtle Back Zoo at West Orange, NJ is a phenomenal venue. The last time we visited this zoo was back in the early 1990’s. Our next visit was on 8/22/17 and we were absolutely amazed – so much so that I went twice – once in the morning and once in the afternoon the following week. It was heartening to see how well the place and the animals were so very well maintained. We had the opportunity to view them in their naturalistic environments. It was a great learning experience. It had such a wonderful ambience that you could spend an entire day just absorbing all of the sights. It also had a great facility to enjoy a tasty lunch or snack break. HIGHLY RECOMMEND FOR ALL AGES TO ENJOY!!

We enjoyed this zoo very much. Spent about 4 hours and saw almost everything. Amur leopard, snow leopards, jaguar, bobcat, lion, gibbons, giraffe,otters, sea lions...Loved the aviary full of budgerigars, which you can feed:feed sticks are $2.
The animals looked well-cared for, nice exhibits, lovely grounds, decent restaurant.

Parking was a nightmare. Waited through 3 shuttle buses and finally gave up and walked from off-site parking to the main zoo entrance. The place was PACKED. So packed we were unable to even see some of the smaller exhibits. Not enough staff. We were routinely startled by the behaviors of unruly and under-supervised children, often yelling, banging on glass enclosures (wolves, sea lions, fish tanks) with parents too preoccupied with their cell phone calls to notice and no employees present to dissuade them. Gentle correction elicited vulgar responses ... too vulgar to be repeated here.

I remember the charming and quaint old TBZ -- and altho it certainly needed improvement, the "new and improved" TBZ has grown too large for its immediate environs. Next time I want a "real zoo experience," I'll head to the Bronx. They have the acreage, the staff and the parking.

In summary, never again.

So this was our first visit to the zoo (since I was a child about 30 years ago). Obviously we pretty much had the place to ourselves and we were limited with what was open but that didn't stop us from having a blast! So much so that I bought the membership. The kids and I couldn't stop talking about all the things we can't wait to do when it warms up. I have to say the membership is very reasonable compared to the other ones we have yearly (Dorney and Liberty Science Center).

Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange is easily accessible from most of Northern NJ and just an hour from Westchester County. We visited with four little ones ages 2-4. The zoo was designed with young children in mind offering a combination of viewing and hands-on opportunities to capture their attention. Although relatively small, there's so much for them to see and do that another visit is certainly in the cards.

So much to do at this charming little zoo. From not only seeing the animals but experiencing them in area such as feeding the birds in the aviary, petting sting-rays, visiting the petting zoo and riding ponies. They have late nights on Wednesdays and coming from 5-8:00 p.m. was perfect as most people had come early and were heading out. This gave us plenty of time and better interaction with each exhibit - the bears and wolves came right up to the glass and stayed there and were free to enjoy without the push of a crowd. A bonus - on Wednesday nights they have "Zoo-vies" where they show a free movie after the zoo closes. We went twice last week in three hour sets and were enchanted every time.

Visited zoo with my parents and child.It was good experience overall.Some of the areas were closed due to winter or construction. There was no stroller either. But it was a short walk, everyone thoroughly enjoyed animal exhibits especially sea lions and touch tank. Well spent 2-3 hrs.

A small zoo that can be fully covered in half a day but lots of animals to observe and learn about. Food is typical fare but not too much catering for vegetarians or vegans. Can get very busy when school is out.

Doable with 2 kids in stroller (ages 2,4). Uphill pushing/walking a lot. Lots of animals to see - seems like they're constantly exploring. Not nice that certain exhibits are not included with admission (butterfly). Nice that you can bring snacks/food in and there are places to sit and eat. Wish they had interactive things at each animal - would have kept the kids interested a little longer.

The surrounding areas are full with colorful winter leaves. With a clean, fresh winter beeze that you can smell in the air.

Very clean lots to see and extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff. Gonna have to go back as they are updating and adding new exhibits.

This zoo was a wonderful unexpected sutprise. The zoo is not huge but great. My daughter really enjoyed the train ride. Lovely restaurant and zip lining and paddle boats nearby.

Visited Turtle Back Zoo during the first weekend of October. Beautiful weather and the place was full of families and couples... But not to worry, this zoo is so well laid out and navigable, had so many animals, shows and activities to keep everyone happy and involved. Loved seeing the giraffes, huge tortoise, wolves, giant condor and sea lions. Also wonderful indoor aquarium with numerous displays. Everyone at the zoo was smiling and the kids were well behaved. Dunkin Donuts is right across the street and we brought in iced coffees without a problem. Beautiful zoo with a conscience, small town feel with big time animals!

On the smalller side of a zoo. But great for a couple hours to enjoy being outdoors and seeing some fun animals. Be prepared for a lot of up and down walking paths. Giraffes are a great addition. Bird feeding is a great way to interact with the birds.

Turtle Back Zoo has continued to steward the well being and sustainability of an increasing number of species. Lions, penguins, giraffes, sea lions, mountain lions, apes, bears, wolves, eagles, condors... you get the idea. Kids of all ages will enjoy visiting Turtle Back, whether feeding the giraffes or the stingrays, or watching the sea lions. My family and I have returned many times!

Zoo should have done a much better job letting customers know that a large number of exhibits were closed for the avian flu and other reasons. Not worth the price of admission.

Excellent small zoo, filled with a whole host of animals. Perfect for call ages, especially littles as it is easy to navigate.
Ample Parking.

The zoo was free after dark for Christmas lights event.
There is a lake by the zoo. In the summer, it has paddle boat for rent.

Decent size zoo with a variety of animals. Plenty of little exhibits to keep the little ones occupied all day. The high ropes course is also very fun.

Now that the weather is nice outside, what a great day for the zoo! Turtle Back Zoo is a great activity for the whole family. The property is full of cool exhibits and the walking layout is easy to follow. We spent 3 hours at the zoo and really enjoyed it. It's a small but mighty zoo and from the looks of it, the zoo is getting bigger every day.

If you're looking for a nice way to spend the day with family or friends, here's the perfect place.

Young or old, everyone likes the zoo. Plenty of seating around the zoo and there's always a bathroom in sight.

Enjoy!

Excellent zoo for the youngest ones. The atmosphere is just perfect, their Halloween time is great and keeps growing over time with new attractions. I am happy to live nearby.