Providence's zoo is situated in a beautiful 174-hectare (430-acre) Victorian park accessed from Elmwood Avenue on the south edge of the city. The Roger Williams Park also contains two other popular attractions, a museum of natural history and a planetarium, as well as offering a relaxing spot to picnic, feed the ducks, ride a pony or rent a paddleboat. The zoo is home to more than 900 animals from 156 different species, with display areas divided into different habitats, including Tropical America, the Plains of Africa and Australasia. Special features are a walk-through aviary and underwater viewing areas for polar bears and seals.

Address: 1000 Elmwood Avenue

Website: www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org

Telephone: (401) 941 4998

Transport: Bus 12 or 20 from Kennedy Plaza

Opening times: Open daily from 9am to 4pm

Admission: $14.95 (adults), $9.95 (children 3-12), $12.95 (seniors). In January and February, admission is half-price