The Holtsville Wildlife & Ecology Center is a hidden gem in Brookhaven. It has different kinds of small animals to keep my little kids busy for an hour. The size of the zoo is relatively small, so the good thing is that they keep the animals very closed to each other. You do not need to have a long walk to get to see the next animal. I like the petting zoo area where my kids can touch and interact with the animals. They do not charge an admission fee, but need to pay meter parking ($4 per hour) if you are not the resident of Brookhaven. There is a playground and picnic area around the zoo, so it will great to take the kids out there for a few hours.

Nice small zoo to visit, animals look well-cared for. I actually like that you can see animals close enough. Highlight of the visit was black bear’s enclosure (wanted to check him out again since he was quite funny and friendly few years ago in my 1st visit). Donation is quite appreciated as this is not some typical zoo, but one caring for some disabled animals.

First: HAL! The Groundhog! Clean, lots of space for events, loads of parking. Easy to find using maps. Colorful "wood with hole" for photos.

This was orchestrated quite well. Plenty of parking and easy access to the main entrance. Check in process is best if you prepay for tickets. Don't waste time waiting in line to buy tickets in person. The display is tasteful and great variety with different rooms. Outdoor decorations were nice as you exit or take outdoor pictures. Money from pictures which is optional helps support the animals onsite.

We liked this place alot. Its free, and taken care of. They had a bunch of cool animals. They had horse, eagles, wolves,Buffalo, goats, mountain lion, and a bunch more. They have a donation box on the way in/out. Please give what you can because I want to keep this place open for all to enjoy. I'm sure the $ goes to feed and keep up the animals health

This place has a beautiful fitness trail and a bunch of wild animals to see for free. It's lovely.

I love this place! So many memories from when I was a kid. It was great to be able to share them with my little dog Boo Boo. Leo the Lynx and Boo Boo are best friends now.

Had an excellent time! My fiance and I visited for fun, and there was a lot of great wildlife! They also have lynx, wolf-dogs, goats, and a fox. I will definitely be coming back with friends and family :)

You only have to pay for parking which is $5 so cheap a small zoo good for young children you can even feed them entering the zoo is free but you can also donate really recomend bring your kids here or to just walk around the park and swim during the summer time free for brookhaven residents

It’s a small cute zoo great for young children , you can even feed them entering the zoo it’s free , you only pay for parking which is $5.00 but you can also donate. I would honestly recommend you bring your kids here for a walk around the park and there’s also pool open summer time it’s free for Brookhaven residents. It’s kept nice and clean.

Brought our young children there, they loved all the different animals. It was very clean for a zoo, staff were all friendly and welcoming. It's free to enter but you can leave a donation to help with the upkeep. They are clearly using the donations well, for a small zoo everything looked well maintained and the animals look well taken care of.

Nothing like I remember it as a kid.Of course when you're a kid everything seems more exciting but I took that into account and was still very sad to see. Many less animals, no more feeding the animals at the front (which was a huge exciting thing as a child) Unfortunately I am chalking it up to possible budget issues since it is run by the local municipality. It is a shame for the local children to be deprived of such a rich educational resource. However, it was a reasonably clean and well taken care of space. Definitely bring your kids there and chip in some donations at the door, I think they really need it.

Went to see Santa. Unfortunately it 🌧 but the volunteers and workers did a amazing job with everything... all donations and sales go to feed and supporting their animals.. Awsome place

Awesome park, great 1 mile track with solid workout equipment in a tent and along the route. The small zoo is also really cool and is a great place for kids. There's a sweet side park and public pool too. Too bad parking isn't free. Ice cream trucks are also idling in the area, polluting the air as they sell ice cream.

It's a decent zoo. Playground is nice. The zoo/park is free but there are donation boxes if you want to donate. Parking is $5/hour. Restrooms are available.

Best place to take the kids! Can't wait to be able to just go instead if having to reserve a day

One of our favorite places to take the kids, especially since it's free. The kids always love going and seeing the animals and it's never too crowded. There is also a playground and pool next door so there's plenty to do if you want to spend the day.

Highly recommend Safety Town for kids. The wildlife zoo was great for the kids as well as the playground and pool. There's a concession stand, too.

The Holtsville Ecology Center's Christmas lights display is a magical experience, especially for kids. With twinkling lights that bring the festive spirit to life, it's a winter wonderland that captivates the young and the young at heart. Admission is reasonably priced at $10 per adult, and kids under 3 enter free, making it a great family outing. The opportunity to meet Santa, though a bit steep at $30, offers a wholesome and memorable experience. This enchanting light display is a must-visit destination for those seeking to immerse themselves in the holiday spirit.

Really nice place. It's free for everyone. Specially they have so many Peacock.

Free compost soil for Brookhaven residents. Small paved walking trail. Cute zoo featuring animals that were kept as pets or require medical attention so they can't be released. Nice staff! It gets crowded late afternoons so plan accordingly.

Great place anytime a year to kill time with the kids! They have interactions with animals, indoor animal exabits park, pool and more. In the summer they have the ice-cream man as well. In the winter the offer the lights show. Attractions for adults include but is not limited to beautiful trails to walk, work out gear and more. I have been going here since I was a child, and it is a privilege to be able to take my kids here as an adult. I would recommend this place!

Has a small, friendly, easy-to-walk zoo. Good for young children. Farm animals mostly. The bigger path is a pleasant walk and there is a good sized picnic pavillion and functional restrooms, which are not the cleanest.

LOVE SEEING THE BEAR & BISON WALKING AROUND. I absolutely love that they continue to make improvements here with all the updates. I do not ever remember seeing info on the Bear. Is it a boy or a girl? How old? What is its story? Would love information on him or her. Stories definitely have to be updated, as well as the plexiglass to read the stories, it is hard to read on some of them. Some stories say there are 2 animals and there is one for many years. All in all an amazing place we have here for our town. DONATIONS GO A LONG WAY.

I think this place is the most memorable place for children they hosted a groundhog day event just in the past month. They also provide AMAZING tours for elementary children. Veyr educational and detailed tour. I rememeber coming here as a child however; the current staff and volunteers have really made this place a wonderful sight to remember. I would give this facility a 10/10.

I took my students to this center for a class field trip and they just loved it. The staff was wonderful and extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. A wonderful place to visit!

The fact that this place is free blows my mind, they could easily charge $25 per person and it would still be a bargain, so much fun, so many animals to look at, lots of things for the kids and kids at heart

One of the great values on Long Island! A wonderful facility for children under twelve. Great playground, friendly and helpful staff. There are restrooms that are clean and available. No Pets allowed. A very spacious and inviting play groud.

Great place to visit... the whole property is very well-maintained and the animals seem well cared for. Good for both kids and adults.

Animals looked hot and almost all except the birds were sleeping midday. There were signs that said no loud noises for the wolf and a few other cages but yet a woman ran a very loud power washer while we were there, cleaning a cage. Makes no sense. On the side with the playground and pool there were no changing tables. I had to change my 2 year old while on the wet and nasty floor. What makes it worse is that the staff right by the bathroom was clueless to what I was even asking for. And the kid park is dangerous for toddlers, the smaller set up still had openings on the second level where a child could fall. We have them closer to home in Hampton bays, east quoge and riverhead that don't have these problems. Maybe in the fall the animals may seem more active, we just came back from Florida and animal kingdom didn't have any issues in +110 degree heat with their animals acting alive. I can see they try which is why I have 2 stars but honestly if you have a toddler it's not worth the trip.

I came here every summer as a kid from 10 to 27 years then move to the south in 2003. Just came back to New York in March of 2023. And just started going back to this pool. I've gone 3 weeks now. We are coming here every Saturday and going to stay all day. This brings back old memories. Maddy/Madeline

Walking through the wildlife center was so fun because there are so many different animals to see. This was such a nice experience for my toddler. He loved seeing all of the animals and it was enough to keep him entertained for over an hour. The playground is beautiful and has so much to do for children of all ages. Definitely will be returning soon!

My son's favorite place to go and I love it too! Great for animals, playground, ice cream and picnics!

Great place to take kids to see the animals

Best place to go! In season, I believe they charge for parking(Residents Free), but it’s laid out superbly and my son n I have an awesome time, every time! There is also a nice walking/jogging trail/track that spans more than 2 miles I think and exercise equipment along the route so you’ll meet all kinds of ppl on your visit. This is one of my vintage “Do it!” Spots. Enjoy!

Oodles of pre-schoolers with parents or grandparents visiting the American Buffalo, Victoria the Bald Eagle, Bert & Ernie the pigs, goats, owls, Romeo & Julius the steers, peacocks & other fowl, foxes and more!

I’ve been coming to this park since the 90’s. There has been many improvements to the park that I am and many others are absolutely great full for. What was cool about the 1.2 mile circle was the few trails that were on the upper portion. My father always brought me and my sister their. Many memories. There used to be wooden stairs (by the recycling spot) leading to one trail/bird viewing spot. A few wooden stairs got damaged during a storm 8-10 years ago and they were never fixed. I know many people must miss that relaxing spot. I’ve met many people and had nice conversations. There’s other trails too but it would be nice to see those trails maintained. I’ve been in the buisness of property maintenance and it shouldn’t have a major impact on the budget.

$2 parking isn't bad, hoping the whole park opens back up soon.

Such a cool place to spend some time on a beautiful afternoon. The animals are awesome and just a great day to spend with kids.

Half the exhibit was closed, it took less than 30 minutes to walk through the whole thing! NO BEARS!!!!! Most of the animals were either “hiding” or were actually just plushies!! The only Arctic fox was a taxidermy one! Do not recommend WE COULDN’T SEE THE BEARS!!

Great park for young children

Nice leisure walking, but quite a few exhibits were not occupied or under construction...

I've loved this place since I was a kid, now I take my kid! Great place lots to do

great place to bring kids. lots of animals and a nearby playground and pool. Brookhaven residents get free admission. also a nice exercise/jog/bike path although the view is a bit boring.

This is a great place for little to young kids to learn about animals. There is such a variety of animals. Beautifully decorated. Part of the exhibit is not open do to construction of adding on. But their a path to walk with workout stations. And a play ground on the other side