Your Complete Guide to the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY

Zoos are a favorite special outing for our kids. We’re lucky to have a fair number of zoos in New York, and several within driving distance of home.

(And the kids are even starting to get the hang of the fact that we’re there to visit animals rather than the gift shop.)

One place we’ve been happy to revisit is the Rochester zoo. The Seneca Park Zoo is a lovely, smaller zoo that feels very manageable and hosts some interesting species, including New York State’s only African elephants.

We also really enjoy the many kid-friendly features and the fact that most of the time you can get quite close to the animals without straining to see them. 

The Seneca Park zoo has been undergoing a lot of changes, with several more major facilities planned for the next few years (more about that below), so we’re definitely planning to go back regularly.

In the meantime, I’ve gathered a bunch of information about the zoo and tips for getting the most out of your visit. 

About the Seneca Park Zoo

The 20-acre Rochester NY zoo takes its name from its location in the larger, 297-acre Seneca Park. 

Seneca Park was designed by the “father of modern landscape architecture” Frederick Law Olmsted and opened in 1893. It provides several picnic shelters, playgrounds, views of the Genesee River, hiking trails, and a big pond with ducks, swans, herons, and other water fowl.

What started as a small display of some deer and birds in 1894 has grown over the years into the full-fledged zoo we know today.

For example, a main building (recently demolished) was erected in 1931; the Seneca Park Society — a nonprofit supporting the zoo with fundraising, educational programming etc — was chartered in 1957; the Genesee Trail and Discovery Center opened in 1993 as one of the first natural habitat exhibits at the zoo; and since 1997 sea lions and polar bears can be seen under water at Rocky Coasts.

The zoo is continuously improving habitats for the animals and facilities for visitors. Some of the most recent improvements are the 2018 Animals of the Savanna expansion and the Trailside Cafe, opened in 2022 with sustainable design features.

Future plans (by ca. 2024) include a Conservation Resource Center and Welcome Center for expanded educational programming and a Tropics Complex (by 2025) that will bring back primates, lemurs, and other species of Madagascar and Borneo — all being built in the spirit of conservation and sustainability.

Other Seneca Park Zoo fun facts:

• The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
• It is home to more than 20 Species Survival Plan species, such as snow leopard, plains zebra, and snowy owl.
• Jimmy the Chimp was a famous zoo resident who died in 1985 at the ripe age of 55 — at that time the oldest chimpanzee in captivity.
• In the 1970s, polar bears Penny and Nickels came to the zoo thanks to the small coins collected by area school children.

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Seneca Park Zoo animals

The Seneca Park Zoo features 80 animal species, including a variety of amphibians, birds, fish, invertebrates, reptiles, and mammals.

Among the mammals are many of the large species kids may be especially excited to see: elephants, lions, giraffes, tigers, white rhino…

It’s noteworthy that Seneca Park Zoo is the only zoo in New York State with African elephants.

Elephants Genny C and Lilac were born in 1977 and 1978 and were brought to the zoo from South Africa in 1979. The third female, Moki, was born in Zimbabwe in 1982 and came to Rochester in 2015. All of them understand and respond to more than 50 verbal commands!

You can see the elephants in action in this video:

The Masai giraffes are another favorite attraction, especially since two new arrivals in 2022. Baby Olmy is the first-ever Masai giraffe born at the zoo (in April), and another male calf was born in mid-July.

Besides the giraffes, over the past year, visitors have enjoyed quite a few baby animals: red panda cubs Lukas and Micah, snow leopard Kenji and two Canada lynx kittens.

During our visits we really liked being able to get quite close to the animals. Amazingly (and safely, through the glass) close to this lion, in fact. Check this out:

Just keep in mind that, like at any zoo, the animals have their own rhythms and needs, so they may not always be out or visible. You can always circle back later if there’s someone you really want to see. 

Visiting the Seneca Park Zoo

Planning your visit

The Seneca Park Zoo has a linear layout, .75 miles long. You can find a map on this page.

If you don’t feel up to 1.5 miles of walking (in total), you can take the ZooTram back. The tram runs from near the giraffe feeding platform in the Animals of the Savanna area through the lower Seneca Park back to the zoo entrance. Tickets are $2 for adults, $1 for kids 11 and under and for seniors 63+.

Should you be thinking of taking the tram, you may want to plan how you’ll catch everything you want to see on the way through, since you won’t be circling back.

Another thing to consider is what special programs (see below) you want to catch along the way.

Then again, the zoo isn’t huge, so you’ll always be walking under a mile to get back to any point (or your car, when you forgot your entire backpack with water, lunches, and all, ahem).

Find more info and tips below under “additional details for your visit.”

Programming

In the summer, multiple enrichment experiences and keeper chats take place every day, including: penguin, naked mole rat, polar bear, sea lion, and river otter experiences, red panda and elephant keeper chats, and more. I was told to “please note these are always subject to change or cancellation due to animal welfare/cooperation on the day of.”

One special program is the giraffe feedings from Memorial Day through Labor Day, several days a week. Tickets for cost $5 (on top of the entrance fee) and can be purchased at the Savanna Outpost. Note that the feedings can sell out and are subject to cancellation “based on weather and giraffe cooperation.”

If you want a close-up look at several species, you can book the $100 Savanna Safari Tour. Among others, you’ll see the white rhinos, zebras, and giraffes. Includes photo opportunities and a Keeper Q&A.

I felt we got a lot of value out of our zoo experience by chatting with naturalists, identifiable by their maroon t-shirts. They were available throughout the zoo and also giving presentations.

From Aubrey, for example, we learned more about the Species Survival Plan (SSP) and how California sea lions are threatened by overfishing. Now we know that sea lion Lily was rescued after being shot at in California and that “the girls” are on birth control because male Bob isn’t part of the breeding recommendations of the SSP.

She was also able to answer all kinds of random questions, such as how animals are transported between zoos. She said it’s usually in crates over land. With giraffes, in particular, it’s critical they be moved before they get too tall for overpasses!

From Cheyenne, who was staffing an activities table for kids, we learned that giraffes have purple tongues to prevent sun burn.

Visiting with kids

Seneca Park Zoo feels very kid friendly to me.

As mentioned, the size is manageable. The amount of walking didn’t overwhelm our 5 and 7-year-old, and they could get good views of the animals.

You can rent single or double strollers, so that makes visiting with kids of any age even easier.

There are fun features strewn throughout, such as play structures, photo boards you can poke your head through, and activity tables with friendly naturalists.

If you live nearby or plan to visit more than once in a year, definitely consider a membership. It can really pay off for larger families, because unlike many other places, this membership doesn’t place a cap on the number of kids included.

I also like zoo and museum memberships because then I don’t feel so pressured to take it all in at once. It can be really fun to just stop by the zoo for an hour once in a while.

Additional information for your visit

• Tickets: You can buy tickets online for faster entry. Seniors and youth receive discounts, children under 2 and members (see below) enter free. SNAP participants pay only $1. 
• Parking: Parking is free. Most of it isn’t in the shade.
• Accessibility: Wheelchairs, strollers (small fee), and sensory bags are available on loan. The zoo has quiet zones and is certified “Sensory Inclusive.” Service animals welcome. Find detailed information here.
• Food: You may bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks into the zoo, but no glass containers or grills. The zoo offers plenty of picnic tables and benches to take a break and eat. You can purchase food at the Trailside Cafe and Crater Canteen, and there are ice cream stands.
• Length of visit: I’d say plan to be at the Seneca Park Zoo for at least 2 to 3 hours. Of course that depends on whether you’ve been here before, the age of your kids, and how long you like to watch the various animals.
• Sun protection: The zoo offers a fair amount of shade, but still be prepped for the sun with sunblock and a hat. (You can also buy sunscreen in the shops.) Take air-conditioned refuge in the Trailside Cafe.

• Visiting Seneca Park Zoo in the winter: The zoo is open year-round, with slightly shorter hours and reduced ticket prices in the winter. While you will definitely be walking outside for part of your visit, there are several indoor facilities (ECO Center, Z.O.T. Zone, Education Center, Elephant Barn).
• Membership: As a member you get free entry year-round, plus 50% off at 150+ other zoos and aquariums, discounts at the gift shops, and a magazine subscription. Depending on the membership level, there are also other benefits such as discounts on classes, camps, and events.
• Programs: The Seneca Park Zoo offers a range of educational programs for all ages, including summer and day camps, classes, overnight stays (not during COVID), and more.
• Volunteering: You can volunteer at the zoo in a general capacity or help explain the animals to visitors as a Zoo Ambassador. There’s also a summer program especially for teens.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with the Seneca Park Zoo! What are your favorite features? Which animals do you always visit?

Photo credits: Penguins – Kristen Matteo, provided. Red Panda – Wayne Smith, provided.