Fodor's Expert Review Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village

Plan a full day to take in this regal 435-acre Victorian park where you can picnic, see diverse plant life at the indoor-outdoor Botanical Center, rent a swan-shape paddleboat, ride a Victorian-style carousel, and stargaze in a planetarium. The 40-acre zoo—one of the nation's oldest—has African elephants, Masai giraffes, zebras, red pandas, snow leopards, moon bears, gibbons, tree kangaroos, and harbor seals in natural settings. Howler monkeys, Chilean flamingos, giant river otters, a giant anteater, toucans, and more inhabit the Rainforest exhibit, opened in summer 2018. In October, more than 5,000 creatively carved pumpkins are illuminated for the well-attended Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, which can be viewed from a walking trail or zip line ride. In Carousel Village, a short walk from the zoo, kids love the classic horses and other creatures on the carousel, pony rides, and train excursions (all individually priced).