Rides & Attractions
2023 Zoo Season
All rides and attractions are weather permitting and are subject to change without notice.
Ride & Attraction Safety
Height, age, size, & safety requirements must be followed for the safety of our visitors and staff.
Please obey all posted signs for rides and attractions. All rides are at the discretion of the ride operator, and operators reserve the right to refuse rides for the purpose of health and safety of the riders, animals, and staff. Ride height requirements can be found on this page, and they are posted at each ride.
Skyfari Sky Ride
See the zoo from above on our Skyfari Sky Ride! You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the African Plains, Deer Forest, chimpanzees, alligator, and more!
| Child Height Minimum | |
|
Skyfari $7/person |
42 inches |
Skyfari Safety Rules
- Children must be at least 42″ tall to ride.
- Children must ride with a person 13 years of age or older.
- The Skyfari Sky Ride chair can seat: two adults , two adults with one small child (must be 42″ tall to ride), or two children with one adult.
- The Skyfari Sky Ride operator reserves the right to assign seating based on safety guidelines.
Woodland Express Train
This relaxing train ride is about 15 minutes long and will take you through our scenic North American exhibit and native wetlands. You can get a closer look at the elk and trumpeter swans, and you may even see some local wildlife such as herons, turtles, ducks, and more.
| Height Minimum | |
|
Woodland Express Train $7/person |
No height min. |
Train Safety Rules
- Children ages 12 and under must ride with an adult.
- Children must be seated in the center of the train car. Please only seat adults on the ends.
- DO NOT stand or exit train at anytime during the ride. This is a round-trip ride and the train will not stop until it returns to the station.
Soaring Eagle Zipline
Soar above the zoo with our zipline ride! Unlike traditional ziplines which feature a harness for a single person, the Soaring Eagle is seated and up to two people can ride at once. The entrance to this ride is located on the deck behind Galliford’s Restaurant & Tavern.
*The zipline is not included with combo admission or wristbands.
Minimum Child Height: 42 inches
Children between the heights of 42” and 47”, or under 12 years of age, must ride with an adult.
| One Ride | $12 |
Soaring Eagle Zipline Safety Rules
- Minimum Height: 42 in (Passengers between the heights of 42” and 47”, or under 12 years of age, must ride with an adult)
- Single Rider Weight Limit: 300 lbs
- Combined Weight Limit: 450lb
- Only one passenger per seat.
- All riders must be weighed for reasons of safety. Weights will not be displayed or announced. You must ride with the person you are weighed with. If you wish to swap riders, you must be re-weighed before riding.
- Food, beverages, cell phones, and any other loose items are not allowed on the ride and must be left in a designated area.
- This ride can reach a speed of 28 mph. This ride may be hazardous to those who: are pregnant, have heart conditions, have neck or serious back problems, are subject to motion sickness, have had recent surgery, have any impairment that would prevent seating or use of safety restraints, or have other health problems that may make them more vulnerable to injury.
Animal Rides
Pony and camel rides are not included with combo admission or ride wristbands. As with other rides and attractions, these rides are weather permitting.
Pony Rides$7/person |
Weight Limit: 50 lbs |
Camel Rides$8/person |
Weight Limit: 200 lbs per rider Total Weight Limit: 400 lbs |
Animal Attractions
Deer Forest
Southwick’s Zoo is home to a 35-acre Deer Forest where visitors can get close to and even feed our fallow deer. Follow the longer winding walkway through a beautiful native ecosystem complete with a pond featuring painted turtles, frogs, and tadpoles.
Deer feed is available to purchase from a feeding station at the forest’s entrance. Please remember that plastic bags are NOT allowed in the deer forest as they pose a choking hazard to the animals.
Deer Forest Rules & Guidelines
- Stay on the path at all times.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Please hold children under the age of 5 while feeding the deer.
- Treat the animals with respect. Remember, you are a visitor in their home. Do not scream at, yell at, chase, or crowd the deer.
- Do not litter, and DO NOT bring plastic bags into the Deer Forest.
- Do not touch their antlers.
- DO not feed the deer outside food or food purchased from the petting zoo. They are only to be fed deer food purchased at our zoo.
- Walk slowly. For your safety and the safety of the animals, DO NOT run.
- For groups and field trips, we require 1 chaperone for every 5 children to enter Deer Forest.
Petting Zoo
Visit our petting zoo to pet and feed our herd of pygmy goats! These small playful goats are favorites here and this attraction is not to be missed. In this area you can also see our Vietnamese pot-bellied pig (and sometimes piglets!) and alpacas. When in the petting zoo please follow the rules and treat our animals with respect. Goats may be overly playful, so always be careful when interacting with them.
Petting Zoo Rules & Guidelines
- Children MUST be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times in the petting zoo.
- For groups and field trips, we require 1 chaperone for every 5 children to enter the petting zoo.
- DO NOT pick up any of the goats.
- Please only feed goats the food available in the petting zoo. DO NOT feed them the deer forest grain or any outside food.
- Please do not try to feed the goats any non-food objects.
- If a goat does not want to be pet or fed, please do not chase or harass them.
Parakeet Aviary
Currently Closed
This walk-through aviary is a unique and interactive experience where visitors can be surrounded by cute and colorful parakeets and cockatiels. If you would like to feed a parakeet, seed sticks are available for $1 each.
Parakeet Landing Rules & Guidelines
- For groups and field trips, we require 1 chaperone for every 5 children to enter the Parakeet Landing.
- Stay on the path at all times.
- Do not step onto the rocks.
- No running
- Be very careful while inside the aviary. The birds fly freely and may land on the ground, so please show extra caution.
Additional Attractions
Rainforest Adventure Maze
Venture into our Rainforest Adventure Maze to challenge yourself and learn about conservation! This attraction provides a fun and exciting educational experience. You can either explore the maze at your own pace or challenge your friends and see who can find each checkpoint and complete it the fastest!
*Not included with combo admission or ride wristbands.
| Maze Admission Second run is $4/person Each additional run after the second is $3/person |
$5/person |
| Zipline/Maze Combo Includes 1 admission for the Rainforest Adventure Maze and 1 ride on the Zipline |
$15/person |
Rainforest Adventure Maze Safety Rules
- Be Safe: Don’t climb on the animal statues in the maze.
- Be Respectful: Don’t push other players or rough house.
- Play Fair: Don’t cheat by crawling under the panels.
- Have fun!