Plumpton Park Zoo is in Rising Sun, Maryland, about ten minutes from I-95 and five minutes from Route 1. That puts a full day out within easy reach of Wilmington, Newark, Elkton and northern Harford County — close enough that you can still be home for dinner.
What there is to do
The zoo is home to more than 180 animals. About half of them came to us from owners who could no longer care for them, so the animals here have real histories rather than just a name on a sign.
The giraffe feeding station is the part most kids talk about afterward. It runs at 12:00 noon on weekdays and 11:00am and 1:00pm on weekends (11:00am and 1:00pm daily in summer), weather permitting — the giraffes decide how sociable they are feeling on any given morning. Feeding is $5, no booking needed (how giraffe feeding works). There is also miniature golf on the grounds, room to picnic, and enough walking to wear out a five-year-old without wearing out a grandparent.
Planning your visit
We are open seven days a week. For most of the year that is 10:00am to 5:00pm, with last admission at 4:00pm. From Memorial Day through Labor Day we open earlier and stay later, 9:00am to 6:00pm, with last admission at 5:00pm. We close only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Admission is $21.95 for teens and adults, $15.95 for children ages 2 to 12, and $18.95 for seniors 60 and over. Children under 2 are free. Parking is free. If you need to duck out partway through the day, have your hand stamped on the way out and come back the same day at no extra charge.
There is history here as well as animals. A 1734 gristmill stands on the grounds, listed on the National Register, beside the creek that once turned its wheel. Read the history of the zoo.
Seasonal events
Boo at the Zoo runs October 17, 2026; October 24, 2026; and October 31, 2026 — costumes, a hay ride, a maze, and trick-or-treating that is free with admission for ages 2 to 12. Zoo Lights lights up the grounds in December. Both draw a crowd, so it is worth checking the calendar before you make the drive.
Coming back through the year
Plumpton Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and the animals here are permanent residents rather than a rotating collection. Families who live nearby tend to visit in every season — the same animals behave differently in July than they do in a cold snap. If that sounds like your family, a membership is usually the cheaper way to do it.
Planning the rest of your day? See our guide to things to do in Cecil County, Maryland.