Brandywine Zoo

Small zoo but it makes for a fun hour or two! The special events are well planned and always a great time.

For a quick 15 minute visit you get what you pay for. It’s $ 7 per adult. They have a Tiger and it was cool seeing him play with a ball. Some animals not too social on this hot Labor Day. There is a little park across from this tiny zoo with a creek. This Zoo is perfect if you have babies or toddlers so they can walk around freely.

Just tried to go to the Zoo but there seems to be a running marathon going on. All roads leading to the Zoo are barricaded and we could not find how to get around; no detour signs.

Eh. So, I should have done my research on this zoo before we made the hour and a half trip to meet my family and see the zoo. Brandywine Zoo is in a beautiful location with a little park nearby that would be a great place to have lunch and play, but the zoo is lacking. I’d call it more of a pitiful «animal collection» than an actual zoo. It is very, very tiny, with tiny animal enclosures, even for the bigger animals like the condors and the tiger. All of the other animals are smaller, so their exhibits aren’t so bad — but my heart ached for that tiger.
We got through the zoo in about fifteen minutes, and that was with a two year old. It was nice that we could let him out of his stroller and not have to worry about him getting lost in the masses, but it definitely wasn’t worth our hour and a half drive.
I will say that the zoo staff was very friendly, the handlers were informative and laid back, and like I mentioned, it’d be a great place for a picnic.

Cute place and I could hear the tiger! But the damn place closes at 4 pm on a Saturday!?! What the hell?!! I would have loved to see the place! But no! Really needs better hours then they would get more business to get more animals!!! Really upset we got all the way here and no one was to be found!

Very small zoo and the monkey house is still closed. Nice and clean with a park and river nearby with tons of geese. Friendly staff and price was ok for what it is. This may be a good outing coupled with something else in the area.

Very nice put together little Zoo in beautiful surroundings. You can see the entire Zoo in half an hour due to its small size. Perfect for young children. Staff is very friendly and knows the animals well.

The brandywine zoo is a very nicely put together zoo in the middle of a park. It’s beautiful honestly.
Pros– goat petting area which was awesome
–close up animals
–cheap
–easy parking
–informational
Cons– tiger enclosure way too small
–other enclosures also way too small
–small enough of a zoo that you can go through it within 30 minutes and have seen all and done all.
If you’re looking to do something quick and fun go here but don’t expect an extravagant zoo where they are saving animals– just a regular zoo with animals on display and people walking around and pretending they know things about the animals there

I was hoping that the previous reviews were somewhat wrong and that I and my 2 yr old would get more out of the visit. We saw many of the animals but I was a little disappointed because the tiger was laying down when we came in and when we were leaving — so we never got to see him in action. The leopard paced back and forth way back by the back entrance of his cage. We never got to see him up close. Was excited that one of the river otters was active and even swam across for us which my son got a kick out of. The other otter remained by the door sleeping. The Andean Condor was pretty impressive — spreaded his wings when we came by (wings are huge). Pricing — I thought was a little pricey because of the size of the zoo and also being that we didnt get that much action from many of the animals. $ 7 for adults, $ 5 children 3 – 17 and free for kids under 3. We were there for no more than 45 minutes.

I came here Sunday (during Memorial Day weekend) The parking was free and it’s nestled right by a running river complete with fishermen, green pastures with picnic tables and park supplied grills all great except you have to carry your trash back home with you as there are no garbage bins anywhere. The park offers trash bags but that’s as far as it goes. This place would NOT be a good location for a party.
On to the Zoo…
It’s on the smaller side of any zoo I’ve ever been to (I think Central Park Zoo may be bigger) They have a tiger, a petting zoo, a bald eagle, otters, owl, and a sloth among some others. I thought it was a nice day trip but nothing too special. Keep your expectations limited as they don’t offer much but it’s priced fairly ($ 7 adults, $ 5 students/​kids)

Was really disappointed in this place, which is funny, because I went in with very low expectations to begin with. ¾ of the exhibits were closed, which I discovered only after paying. That totally ticked me off. It was totally unprofessional that there were no notifications on the website or when we were paying. When I addressed the issue to the staff, all I got were excuses, eye rolls and bad attitudes. On the flip side The few exhibits that were open were nice and the place was clean. Save your money and time and walk around the adjacent park.

Sorry to those people who work hard to keep the zoo open and the animals happy, but the place just isn’t right. It’s sad, dreary and empty. Now I do suppose it can be a nice place to take a small child. That is if it happens to be one of the days the animals are willing to show themselves. In the end my suggestion is to take the 30 minute trip up 95 to the Philadelphia Zoo.

This is a cute little zoo, and really great if you have small kids. It’s free if you are a member, and dirt cheap if you are not. So if there is a meltdown you can either get through it fast or leave and you didn’t waste your money! It is also free if you belong to any other zoos or aquariums. The exhibits are small but the zoo seems well cared for, and the tigers and otters are my favorite exhibits.

We had an absolutely wonderful time at the Brandywine Zoo last weekend. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because the Monkey House is not open, due to problems caused by a branch falling through its roof. My 15 month old son had a great time, he could easily walk around without us worrying he would get hurt or lost. This is a very manageable zoo for a toddler. We stayed for a little more than an hour, which was perfect and I did not feel bad since the ticket prices are incredibly reasonable. Kids under 3 are free and adults are 5 dollars. We also loved the goft shop!

I love the Brandywine Zoo… I make it a point to get down there a couple times a year, although it’s really not that far from my house so I should go more often. It’s small and cheap and I love the setting of it right next to the river. Love the little monkeys the most — they are just too cute!!!

Cute, small zoo located in downtown Wilmington. Its very inexpensive and a great place to take a toddler because they get to see the whole park without it being overwhelming.

I love this zoo because it’s close and cheap. Sure, it’s only about the length of three city blocks but whatever– great for toddlers.
This is perfect and you can pet goats.
The otter plays with two balls, the llama wears a purple jacket and the monkeys have their own house.

My family and I went to the zoo last month and were underwhelmed with what was there.
My went on a Sunday and the place was deserted of people, employees, and animals.
Most of the animals were hiding, sleeping, or couldn’t be found.
The zoo can be seen in under an hour if you walk slow. And the monkey house next to the zoo probably has one of the worst odors of heat and fecal matter that I’ve ever come across in general let alone in a zoo.
If your in the area or if you are a member or another zoo that reciprocates free admission than I guess it’s worth it.
Otherwise try the Philadelphia or Elmwood Park Zoo instead.

I have been visiting this zoo from the time I was a tiny tot until now. It is very small but still enjoyable for young children or anyone looking for something inexpensive to do.
Sadly, Sergei the tiger passed away a few years ago and Ashley the tiger was recently euthanized. I grew up seeing these tigers and even though she was 20 years old and in captivity it makes me sad to know she won’t be there anymore.
The little «please touch» goat pen and otters are my favorite sections. The otters are adorable when they come out to play and feed.
Remember to keep your receipt if you want to visit the monkey house. It smells awful… but what else could you expect in a monkey house?
This zoo is located along the scenic Brandywine River. So take your young children, visit the zoo, stroll the walkways of the Brandywine and have a picnic. It is absolutely gorgeous in the Fall/​Spring weather.

Wow no one’s reviewed this place yet? Really?
This was our default Fathers Day outing. Due to the inclement weather, we opted to try a museum we’d never been to, The Toy and Miniature Museum in Wilmington De. When was someone going to tell me that it no longer existed?! Apparently, it waas run out of a guys house and he couldnt keep it up anymore.
My GPS Chewie, was making up for past misdeeds and suggested a number of alternatives in the area. Since it wasnt actually raining, we decided to try the Brandywine Zoo. It was only a 10 minute drive from where we were.
The Brandywine Zoo, is located in Brandywine Park, a beautiful stretch just outside of downtown Wilmington along the Brandywine river (anyone sense a theme?). The Park itself is reason enough to come. What made it even more majestic is that the recent weather has made the river look like the Colorado Rapids. The sight, sounds and smell were uplifting.
I could have stayed here but the kids were promised caged wildlife. The Zoo is a short jaunt away from the river. Rain seemed imminent, but we were determined. It was $ 16 to get in, but since Mama Nature threatened to piss on us, we opted for the membership at $ 45. This way, it didnt matter if we had to retreat, we can come back as much as possible (as well as over 100 Zoos in the States).
This is a small zoo. Even smaller than our favorite, Elmwood park in Norristown (which was included in our membership). I dont mind small zoos. One of my problems with the Philly Zoo is theres almost too much to see in one visit. They had many stations open to learn from teenage volunteers (note to self: get kids involved in something like that) and to do crafts (they made me a tie!) Highlights were the monkeys (no great apes, just tamarins and marmosets, whom I love) toucans, Tigers, and Otters.
I also have to point out that the gift shop had reasonable prices. Many gift shops have been known to gouge. There was a little snack bar which we didnt partake of today, but seemed good for the future.
Even Mother Nature behaved and blew the clouds away giving us some sun. It worked out well because on what could have been a busy Fathers Day weekend, turned out to be not so crowded due to the weather. It was amazing how many people came out of the woodwork, when the sun poked his manliness through the clouds. Didnt bother us because we had already seen everything unmolested.
We will be back. And not just because we got the membership. Its a fun daytrip and a great diversion. Plus ive seen at least 3 animals poop there and ould like to add more to my poop journal.