Buttonwood Park Zoo Winter Animal Exhibits & Rainforest Pavilion

About this adventure

Founded in 1894, Buttonwood Park Zoo is the third-oldest zoo in North America and an AZA-accredited hidden treasure located just over the Rhode Island border in New Bedford. In winter, visitors experience intimate wildlife encounters without the summer crowds, observing cold-hardy species such as North American river otters, American black bears, cougars, bison, and playful red pandas navigating the snow. When families need to warm up, the indoor Rainforests, Rivers & Reefs pavilion provides a tropical haven filled with heated exhibits featuring cotton-top tamarins, colorful poison frogs, tropical fish, and rescued marine life. The zoo is completely flat and compact, making it effortless to explore with young children in tow. Family Experience & Accessibility: • Stroller Accessibility: Level, paved walkways connect all outdoor habitats, and wide automatic doors provide seamless stroller entry into the indoor Rainforest pavilion. • Nursing & Rest Spots: Heated seating in the Rainforest building and Zoo Cafe; family restrooms equipped with baby-changing counters located near the entrance and cafe. • Age Suitability: Perfect for all ages, particularly toddlers and early elementary-age children who appreciate the manageable, walkable scale of the zoo. • Sensory Tips: Manageable, calm zoo setting with gentle animal sounds outdoors and soothing ambient tropical sounds inside the warm rainforest building.