Beardsley Zoo
Beardsley Zoo
4
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
472 reviews
Excellent
185
Very good
178
Average
71
Poor
20
Terrible
18
Phillip E
1 contribution
May 2021
We went 18 May 2021. Too many animals were solo. Too many could not be seen. Too many were simply not there ie. Bison. Too many exhibits were closed for no apparent reason.Beardsley Park is terrific, the Zoo not so much. We think this possibly the worst zoo in the U.S. we are well travelled and know of which we speak.
Written May 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello. We're sorry you didn't have a good visit. Our mission is conservation, education, research and great guest experiences--and it looks like we didn't provide you with the last one when you were here. We do prioritize animal welfare at the Zoo, and that means that many of our animals are given free choice whether to be inside or outside. In addition, the natural habitats do provide them with places where they may not be easily visible--for example, the wolves will sometimes nap near a shrub that may obscure a guest's view.
We were in the process of opening buildings that were closed during the pandemic like the Rainforest Building, the Carousel Building, the W.O.L.F. Cabin etc but those were not open at the time of your visit.
Would you be willing to send an email to us at info@beardsleyzoo.org? We'd like to be able to speak with you about your experience. Thank you!
Written June 14, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lauren M
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Family
I feel so terribly sad after visiting this zoo. I can’t stop thinking about it and picturing the poor animals. I felt like I wanted to cry seeing all of them just laying there not moving. They all looked extremely depressed. Every single one was laying there like they were sedated. I don’t know what is going on there but I wish these poor innocent animals would be rescued :( so horrible
Written August 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robin
Hartford, CT63 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
This zoo was a big disappointment. Everything was shabby and in need of a facelift. The habitats were lacking enrichment and adequate minimum space. Compared to other zoos in the area they seemed understaffed. Most animals had no food. The variety of animals was seriously lacking. Can’t believe in a wealthy state like CT this is the Zoo that represents us.
Written July 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Voyager26873
2 contributions
There were very few animals at the zoo. And at the time that we went (2pm) most of the animals were still asleep. There were also peacocks walking around loose in the cafe area which I didn't like. But that's just not my thing. Its a good place to go if your just looking for a short trip to do some walking around. Not much to look at though for a zoo. If you get bored you can always picnic at the park located on their property.
Written May 8, 2003
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jillian M
New Canaan, Connecticut, United States14 contributions
Apr 2015 • Family
I am usually a very positive person on TripAdvisor, but I must admit, I made a terrible mistake the other day. I brought 3 young children to the zoo on Wednesday, April 8, 2015. They ALL asked why the animals looked so sad. The animals cages were tiny and in some cases, totally overgrown. The larger animals paced back and forth - a true sign of an enclosure being too small and them slowly losing their minds in captivity. The birds (and gorgeous owls!) wouldn't even turn their backs to look at us. It was very, very depressing for me and the children. If you want to kill time and see nature, take your kids for a walk and spot deer or birds in their natural habitat. There are so many ways to look on the Internet now and see animals living in their natural habitats - like elephants in Africa, or tigers in Asia. Zoos are a thing of the past. I don't support them and can't believe I went to this zoo. I'm so upset with myself for subjecting my children to this cruelty. I spent numerous times trying to tell them that what I showed them was wrong and bad and that I showed them this zoo b/c I wanted them to know first hand that this was wrong to do. Just like elephants in the circus. Just like horses pulling carriages in Central Park. Just like orcas at Sea World. It's wrong, cruel, and a thing of the past. I will never support this zoo again and hope that it closes, if not for the sake of the animals, but for the integrity of the city of Bridgeport, CT. Maybe the city can turn it in to a nice park.
Written April 13, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen K
Richmond, TX89 contributions
I considered reporting this Zoo to the Animal rights people for the deplorable conditions I witnessed at this Zoo. The bird building stunk so bad you could not breathe. None of the cages were very pleasant to look at much less an animal to live in 24/7!!! This place should be shut down!
Written September 16, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GlobeTrotting22444
Durham, CT1 contribution
I recently brought my 1 and 2 year old for our first visit to The Bearsdsley Zoo and it was a wonderful experience. I had concerns considering the previous review re: lack of animals, sleeping times, etc. We visited at appx. the same time and there were plenty of animals for the children to see, and quite honestly, how can you control an animal's sleeping time? The staff was very helpful, polite and accommodating, especially in the carousel area. The peacocks do wander in a large picnic/stage area, however they do not bother the patrons for food. There is a variety of animals, however if you are looking to see extreme exotic animals, I suggest Disney's Animal Kingdom.....otherwise, Bridgeport is a bit closer!
Written July 7, 2003
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lei1988
Boston, MA3 contributions
May 2015 • Family
Took my young toddler to this zoo and while she loved the farm animals, it was so devastating to see the tigers and leopard pace back and forth over and over. They also look malnourished and miserable! The tigers were so thin. I wish this zoo had better practices in terms of maintaining the animal's health and wellness. It is obvious there are lots of problems here. We will not be back.
Written May 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dulceneia
2 contributions
Sep 2013
Felt the need to write a review after heard praises on the news about Beardsley. By far the worst zoo I have ever been to. Thank goodness my son is too young to be traumatized by the animal cruelty. During our trip last fall we discovered most of the employees hanging out chatting, smoking etc. Even at the much smaller Stgord Museum and Nature Center employed are ALWAYS busy caring for animals. Here we did not see anyone working. The first bird cages you see were filled with fly covered meat, all the displays were dry, dirty, not maintained at all. Can't be funding issue since expensive telescopes allow you to more clearly see the animals on distress. We felt completely ashamed to support such an environment. The tiger was pacing from boredom in its TINY cage so much that he was creating a trench of his path, the owl had no in closure from the sun and the goats were caged on CONCRETE! Just horrible! These are just a few of the issues. Not to mention a wet, dirty display of a house cat! Don't know how PETA missed this place. Someone has to either fix this place or shut it down! Never going there again.
Written February 8, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raytripreview
Fairfield, CT22 contributions
Aug 2011
I've found that there are two types of zoos; zoos where the animals are happy, energetic, love their enclosures and get lots of stimulation -- and then there are zoos where you can tell the animals are sad, lack life, pace around their unclosures uncomfortably, and don't get the proper enrichment for stimulation that they critically need.
The Beardsley Zoo falls into the latter group of zoos. The animals are sad, depressed, have lifeless eyes, sometimes barely move around their cramped cages (from the early 1900s?), and lack any sort of noticeable enrichment in their exhibits/enclosures. I have black and white photos of animals from this zoo from high school where the animals look miserable... Fast forward 6-7 years, and I still see the same miserable expressions on the faces of animals across the zoo.
There is a reason why it is so cheap to get in here. This place seriously needs to re-think where it wants to go with itself if it wants to survive. It seems like its been limping along pitifully for many years now. Tiger cage is the perfect example of why this place needs some MAJOR renovations. Paths weren't very clean, the layout of the park is odd, and the food that I was below quality fried food.
Little kids might not notice the sadness of this place and just be 'wowed' by the animals... But adults will feel that the air here is very depressing. Go ONLY if you are a parent of a young child who just wants to go for a couple hours. Price is cheap to make it perfect for that. However, I recommend everyone else go to a zoo that takes more pride in keeping its animals, (and by doing so their customers), happy.
The Beardsley Zoo falls into the latter group of zoos. The animals are sad, depressed, have lifeless eyes, sometimes barely move around their cramped cages (from the early 1900s?), and lack any sort of noticeable enrichment in their exhibits/enclosures. I have black and white photos of animals from this zoo from high school where the animals look miserable... Fast forward 6-7 years, and I still see the same miserable expressions on the faces of animals across the zoo.
There is a reason why it is so cheap to get in here. This place seriously needs to re-think where it wants to go with itself if it wants to survive. It seems like its been limping along pitifully for many years now. Tiger cage is the perfect example of why this place needs some MAJOR renovations. Paths weren't very clean, the layout of the park is odd, and the food that I was below quality fried food.
Little kids might not notice the sadness of this place and just be 'wowed' by the animals... But adults will feel that the air here is very depressing. Go ONLY if you are a parent of a young child who just wants to go for a couple hours. Price is cheap to make it perfect for that. However, I recommend everyone else go to a zoo that takes more pride in keeping its animals, (and by doing so their customers), happy.
Written February 3, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does Beardsley Zoo have motorized wheelchairs
KR3910
Bridgeport, CT4 contributions
It has wheelchairs but not motorized ones.
Is there a petting zoo?
John B
New Britain, CT81 contributions
No but there is a few animals that roam free. Like a peacock.
laineywong
Quincy, MA3 contributions
In August, I'm a mom traveling via car with my 11 year old son to the Beardsley Zoo and safety is one of my key concerns whereever we go so I have questions that relate to that. Does the parking lot get terribly filled so it is hard to find a parking space inside the zoo? If so, what time of the day do you suggest to go to avoid parking aggravations? Also, if I park my car outside of the zoo, on the street, will it be safe? I'm trying to understand the demographics of the location so i can decide what to do. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.
gordonsmc
Brooklyn, NY314 contributions
The area around the Zoo is low density, park-like residential area with rather low crime rates. As far as I could look up there is no establishments nearby that would be considered as contributing to delinquency (dive bars, etc). Vagrancy rate is also quite low. All and all I'll put this as area safe for family visit. On the anecdotal level - we haven't encountered any persons at the Zoo or nearby that would be of concern or nuisance. I felt that our children-ridden group was a lot safer there than say around Penn Station or Times Square. Parking situation is fluid, around 10 am there were plenty of spots, around lunch the lot was filling up. There was a guard directing incoming vehicles towards overflow parking as we were leaving around 1 pm. I would not worry about the car left in alternate lot or even on the street.
What is the cost of admission
CBrozo
Stamford, CT69 contributions
$15 for adults, $11 for seniors (62+)
Can i bring my own food into the zoo?
Virginia V
Monroe, CT307 contributions
Unless it's changed, yes you can pack a picnic lunch. They do have a reasonably priced café which offers breakfast and lunch/dinner. Typical fare of egg sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, fish sandwiches as well as fish and chips, chicken sandwiches. etc along with usual sodas
Regina M
Lancaster, VA
Do you have motorized wheelchairs or carts
Virginia V
Monroe, CT307 contributions
I believe they have just regular wheelchairs for a rental of around $6 for the day
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Claim your listingBeardsley Zoo - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Beardsley Zoo
- Beardsley Zoo is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Hotels near Beardsley Zoo:
- (0.44 mi) Sunnyside Inn
- (7.31 mi) Delamar Southport
- (4.88 mi) Homewood Suites by Hilton Stratford
- (5.62 mi) Hampton Inn Shelton
- (5.10 mi) Hyatt House Shelton
- Restaurants near Beardsley Zoo:
- (0.31 mi) Vinny's Pizza Family Restaurant
- (0.32 mi) Chaves Bakery & Deli
- (0.33 mi) Great China
- (0.34 mi) Dairy Queen (Treat)
- (0.52 mi) Massimo Pizzeria Ristorante
- Attractions near Beardsley Zoo:
- (2.60 mi) The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum
- (0.80 mi) Fifth State Distillery
- (6.36 mi) Escapology Escape Room Game - Trumbull
- (2.69 mi) Two Roads Brewing Company
- (5.54 mi) Silver Sands State Park
Beardsley Zoo Information
Excellent Reviews | 185 |
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Very Good Reviews | 178 |
Beardsley Zoo Photos | 288 |