TUESDAY
27
OCTOBER
Boston Zoos & Aquariums with Kids
Boston's animal outings split in two. Franklin Park Zoo, Stone Zoo and the Aquarium cost $40 to $140 for a family of four — and Franklin Park publishes no price until you pick a date. Drumlin Farm and the Blue Hills Trailside Museum charge $5 to $9 a head, and for under-sixes they are the better day.
Updated October 21, 2026 · refreshed weekly
- Franklin Park Zoo: One Franklin Park Road, Boston — free parking; Aug–Sep 9am–5pm, Oct–Mar 9am–4pm
- Admission: Dynamic “Plan-Ahead Pricing” by date and time; no fixed adult or child rate published
- Boston Lights: The zoo's after-dark lantern trail, 6–10:30pm, August 14 – November 8, 2026
- EBT / WIC: $45 family membership, two adults and four children, both zoos, through December 31, 2026
- Drumlin Farm: 208 South Great Road, Lincoln — $9 adult, $6 child 2–12. Tue–Sun 9am–5pm
- Blue Hills Trailside Museum: 1904 Canton Ave, Milton — $5 adult, $3 child 2–12. Wed–Sun 9am–4pm
Franklin Park Zoo: free parking, and a price you can't look up
Parking is free at Franklin Park Zoo and at Stone Zoo, which is unusual for a city attraction and worth real money on a family day. What you cannot do is price the trip before you start booking.
Franklin Park Zoo — BostonVisit official site →
The bigger of Zoo New England's two zoos, ten minutes from Dorchester and reachable on the 16 bus.
Dates
- August and September: daily 9am–5pm
- October through March 31: daily 9am–4pm
- April to July: 9am–5pm weekdays, 9am–6pm weekends
- Last ticket sold an hour before closing in every season
Tickets
Sold on “Plan-Ahead Pricing” that varies by date and time, with no standing adult or child rate on the site. The only fixed figures are group rates for ten or more: $21.95 adult and $14.95 child at Franklin Park, $19.95 and $13.95 at Stone Zoo, under-twos free. Treat those as a rough floor
Know before you go
- Parking is free here and at Stone Zoo
- Bring your own lunch, snacks or coolers — picnic areas are provided, but no straws and no alcohol
- Bring your own stroller or wagon, or rent one at $5 single and $7 double
- A 3:15pm arrival in October gets you nothing
Who it's for
Families who can book a date ahead and want a full zoo day
Skip if
You need to know the price before you commit
Boston Lights, and the Providence one it gets confused with
Franklin Park Zoo runs a lantern trail after dark from mid-August into November. The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular that dominates every New England Halloween list is a different event, fifty miles away in Providence.
Boston Lights — Franklin Park Zoo, BostonVisit official site →
The zoo's after-dark lantern trail, and the in-city answer to a New England autumn evening.
Dates
- August 14 – November 8, 2026
- 6–10:30pm
Tickets
A separate ticket from daytime admission, on the same dynamic pricing
Know before you go
- October daytime hours shrink to 9am–4pm at the same time, so a day visit and a Boston Lights evening are two trips rather than one long one
Who it's for
Families who want the lantern-trail evening without leaving the city
Skip if
Bedtime is before eight — the trail opens at six
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular — Providence, RI
The region's best carved-pumpkin trail, and an out-of-state evening about fifty miles from Boston.
Dates
- October 1 – November 1, 2026
- Nightly 6–10:30pm, last entry 10pm
Tickets
$20 adult and $16 child 2–12 Monday through Thursday, $23 and $19 Friday through Sunday, free for toddlers under one. All tickets are timed, online only, bought in advance, non-refundable and non-exchangeable
Know before you go
- Parking is free and first-come, with a $15 premium option
- Service dogs only — pets, emotional support and therapy animals are not allowed
Who it's for
Families who will plan a Rhode Island evening around it — it is worth the drive
Skip if
You wanted a night out in Boston
The farm tier, where the value is
Drumlin Farm and the Blue Hills Trailside Museum cost a third of a zoo ticket and work better for the under-sixes. Neither replaces the Aquarium if a child has decided they want penguins.
Drumlin Farm — LincolnVisit official site →
A genuine working Mass Audubon farm — pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and cows in the farmyard, with resident owls, hawks and foxes in the native wildlife exhibit.
Dates
- Tuesday–Sunday plus Monday holidays, 9am–5pm
- Lambs and kids in spring
Tickets
$9 adult, $6 child 2–12, $6 senior 65+, members free
Know before you go
- Trails run through field, forest and wetland
Who it's for
Under-sixes — an hour at a farmyard fence beats three hours of a zoo
Skip if
Your kid has their heart set on big animals
Blue Hills Trailside Museum — Milton
Indoor and outdoor live-animal exhibits of non-releasable native wildlife — screech owls, snowy owls, a red fox and river otters.
Dates
- Wednesday–Sunday 9am–4pm, with outdoor exhibits daily
Tickets
$5 adult, $3 child 2–12
Know before you go
- It doubles as the welcome center for the 7,000-acre Blue Hills Reservation, so a ticket and a free hike are one trip
Who it's for
Any age, and the cheapest animal outing near the city
Skip if
It is a Monday or Tuesday and you need the indoor exhibits
The cheapest way in, if you qualify
Zoo New England's discount page carries the best-value family offer in Boston, and it is a membership rather than a ticket.
- EBT and WIC cardholders: a $45 Family membership covers two adult cardholders and up to four children at both zoos, year-round, valid for Massachusetts residents through December 31, 2026
- One dynamically priced visit for a family of four generally costs more than $45, so the membership pays for itself on day one
- WIC memberships must be bought at the gate; EBT ones can be bought online with ID.me verification
- Up to $35 off a membership for active military, college and university students, and members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the AFT's Massachusetts chapter and the Boston Teachers' Union
- Massachusetts school groups, grades K-12, get in free Monday to Friday during the school year
- No Card to Culture and no library pass on that page — ask your own town library instead
Zoo & aquarium events in our catalog
Live from our catalog — 5 upcoming, refreshed weekly.
Learn about African penguin adaptations and conservation efforts at the African Penguin Coast exhibit, weather permitting.
Glowing immersive lantern displays illuminate Franklin Park Zoo after dark.
THURSDAY
29
OCTOBER
Photo Walk: Zoo Lights (Boston Zoo) — Guided walk photographing the zoo’s holiday light displays.
FRIDAY
30
OCTOBER
Barnyard Story Hour at Powisset Farm — morning animal interaction combined with a fun reading session.
SATURDAY
31
OCTOBER
Trick-or-treating at Powisset Farm kicks off Halloween, all ages.
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FAQ
How much does Franklin Park Zoo cost?
Zoo New England publishes no standing rate. It sells “Plan-Ahead Pricing” that varies by date and time, so the number appears once you pick a date in the booking flow. The only fixed figures are group rates for ten or more. Parking is free at both zoos.
Is the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular in Boston?
No. It is at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island, about fifty miles and a state line away. Boston's own after-dark equivalent is Boston Lights at Franklin Park Zoo.
What's the cheapest animal outing near Boston?
The Blue Hills Trailside Museum in Milton, at $5 an adult and $3 a child two to twelve, with live owls, a red fox and river otters, and the reservation out the back door. Drumlin Farm in Lincoln is next at $9 and $6.