Plumpton Park Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit zoo at 1416 Telegraph Road in Rising Sun, Maryland — just over the state line from southern Chester County. From Oxford it is about ten minutes, from Kennett Square about half an hour, from Coatesville about forty minutes, and from West Chester or Downingtown about fifty.
Getting here from Chester County
Take US Route 1 south. At Nottingham, turn onto Route 272 south and follow it to the traffic light at Route 273 (Telegraph Road). Turn right onto Route 273. The zoo entrance is one mile ahead on your left.
From West Chester, Downingtown or Coatesville, the quickest way onto Route 1 is Route 52 or Route 82 south to Kennett Square, or Route 10 south to Oxford. There is no toll and no interstate on the whole trip.
Parking is free and the lot is at the gate. Full directions.
What you will see
More than 200 animals across around 60 species. Three giraffes, white lions, two different tiger subspecies, bears, primates, owls, tortoises, and a barnyard full of animals children can meet at eye level.
This is a small zoo and you stand close — close enough to watch a giraffe’s tongue work around a browse branch, rather than picking the animal out at a distance across a moat. It is the kind of place where a two-year-old and a grandparent can both see everything without anyone getting worn out.
About half the collection came from private owners who could no longer care for an animal, or from facilities that closed. See the animals.
Planning your visit
The zoo is open seven days a week, with hours that change between the summer and winter seasons. Nearly all of it is outdoors, so the animals are more active on a cool morning than on a hot afternoon — the first hour after opening is usually the best time to arrive.
The giraffe feeding station 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. It is the thing most children remember, so it is worth timing the drive around one of those feedings.
Questions from Chester County visitors
How far is Plumpton Park Zoo from Chester County?
About ten minutes from Oxford, thirty from Kennett Square, forty from Coatesville, and fifty from West Chester or Downingtown.
Do I need to take I-95?
No. US Route 1 to Route 272 brings you straight to the zoo without touching the interstate.
Is parking free?
Yes, for all visitors, and the lot is at the entrance.
Can we feed the giraffes?
Yes, at the feeding station, 12:00 noon on weekdays and 11:00am and 1:00pm on weekends (11:00am and 1:00pm daily in summer), weather permitting.
Do we need to buy tickets in advance?
You can buy in advance online or at the gate when you arrive. Either works.
Can we leave and come back the same day?
Yes. Have your hand stamped on the way out and you can re-enter the same day at no extra charge.
Make a day of it
The oldest thing here is not an animal. A water-powered corn and grist mill was built on North East Creek on this ground in 1734 by Jeremiah Brown Sr., a Quaker who had come down from Pennsylvania, and the Jeremiah Brown House and Mill Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The mill stands beside the admissions area at the front of the zoo and houses the gift shop. Read the history of Plumpton Park Zoo.
Coming from elsewhere in the region? See zoo near Philadelphia, zoo near Wilmington, Delaware, zoo near Newark, Delaware, zoo near Baltimore and zoo in Cecil County.