The Traveling Wheelchair

 
425 Hawthorn Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
Phone: 508-991-4556
http://www.bpzoo.org/index.html
You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxqXugWbHU4 

I visit Buttonwoods Zoo just about every Saturday during the year with my dad and find it very wheelchair accessible and easy to get around this park. There are plenty of handicap parking spaces right up front in the parking lot. Every door in the zoo has automatic door switches so you will never need to rely on anyone for help opening a door.

The cost of Admission is: Adult $6, Senior $4.50, Child $3.00, Child under 3 Free. There is no discount for the disabled. Since my dad I go here quite often he bought us a Family Season Pass which he said was very reasonable in price and paid for itself after three visits.

The Zoo offers a wide range of programs that will help you understand more about all the animals. You can find out all about the programs on the website above. The sidewalks are very spacious and easy to maneuver my wheelchair along and the restrooms are very spacious with all ADA requirements; except the pipes under the accessible sink are not covered as is a new ADA requirement.

The food court is spacious with a serice window of accessible height; the tables inside are accessible and of a good height; the picnic tables outside the food court are not accessible. Yet there is a wheelchair accessible picnic table located in the park where you can sit to enjoy a picnic lunch or dinner; it is accessible because the table protrudes out at both ends so a person in a wheelchair can comfortably sit.

There are many animals to see at this Zoo for there are over 200 species and all the animals are very easy to see from my wheelchair.  My Favorite animals at the Buttonwood Zoo are Emily, the Elephant, the Black Bear, Oxens and Lynx. I also like seeing the Bald Eagle for he stands with such dignity. The Zoo staff are very friendly, courteous and knowledgeable. There are many hands-on fun things to do. My favorite is pretending to milk a cow!

I give Buttonwoods Zoo FIVE STARS for wheelchair accessibility. It’s a cool and fun place to visit for persons of all ages!

ADDITIONAL NOTE:  Posted August 17, 2008  

Buttonwoods Park Zoo has a brand new baby Oxen that is only 4 days old and was born at the Zoo on Thursday August 14, 2008. My dad and I went to the zoo yesterday and saw the cute baby Oxen. The mother Oxen is always close by the baby and it’s really nice to see. The Oxens are very easy to see from my wheelchair too! I pasted a picture of the baby Oxen and the mother Oxen here.