Plumpton Park Zoo is the nearest full-size family zoo to Newark, Delaware — about 17 miles west, on a road you already know. More than 180 animals live here on a quiet rural site in Rising Sun, Maryland: giraffes, white lions, tigers, bears, wolves, sloths, zebras and camels, in open enclosures you can walk right up to. Parking is free, the zoo is open seven days a week, and you can be at the front gate about twenty-five minutes after leaving Main Street.
Getting here from Newark
The drive is almost too simple to write down: take Route 273 west and stay on it.
Delaware Route 273 becomes Maryland Route 273 at the state line near Appleton, and Maryland 273 is Telegraph Road — the same road the zoo sits on. From central Newark it is roughly 17 miles and about 25 to 30 minutes, running out past Fair Hill and through Calvert before you reach Rising Sun. We are at 1416 Telegraph Road, Rising Sun, MD 21911.
No interstate, no tolls, no city traffic, and nowhere to get lost. If you have ever driven out to Fair Hill, you have already done most of the trip.
What you will see
- More than 180 animals across mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians
- Our giraffes, at the giraffe feeding station at 12:00 noon on weekdays and 11:00am and 1:00pm on weekends (11:00am and 1:00pm daily in summer), weather and giraffes permitting
- White lions — Plumpton Park is one of fewer than 20 zoos in the United States to have them
- Tigers, bears, wolves and sloths, plus zebras, camels, alpacas and a siamang gibbon
- About half of our animals were taken in from owners who could no longer care for them, and this is their permanent home
Planning your visit
- Hours: open seven days a week, 10:00am to 5:00pm with last admission at 4:00pm. From Memorial Day through Labor Day we open 9:00am to 6:00pm with last admission at 5:00pm. We close only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
- Admission: adults $21.95, children ages 2 to 12 $15.95, seniors $18.95, under 2 free.
- Parking: free, right at the entrance.
- Re-entry: get your hand stamped and you can come back the same day.
Questions from Delaware visitors
How far is Plumpton Park Zoo from Newark, Delaware?
About 17 miles, or roughly 25 to 30 minutes. The whole drive is on Route 273.
Do I need to get on I-95?
No. Route 273 runs west from Newark all the way to our front gate. If you are coming from elsewhere in New Castle County, I-95 south to Exit 100 also works — take Route 272 north, then Route 273 west.
Is parking free?
Yes, and it is right at the entrance.
Can we feed the animals?
Our 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. We avoid fixed feeding times for the rest of the collection so the animals do not build unnatural habits around a schedule.
Do we need to buy tickets in advance?
You can buy at the gate, but booking online before you set out is quicker on busy weekends.
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.
The site is a good deal older than the zoo. A water-powered gristmill built in 1734 still stands on the grounds and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Read the history of Plumpton Park Zoo.
Make a day of it
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area sits directly on your route, with miles of trails through northern Cecil County, so a morning walk pairs easily with an afternoon at the zoo. Rising Sun itself is a few minutes further west along Main Street, which is what Route 273 becomes as it passes through town.
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