The Zoo at Forest Park is a great place to get your animal fix in Western Massachusetts. Open year round (with varying hours and days of operation depending on the season), this Zoo makes animal lovers quite happy. It has more than 200 animals both exotic and domestic. It served as Dr. Seuss's inspiration for his beloved children's stories and remains a must see when in Massachusetts. Not just a Zoo, this place has a playground, where restless little ones can run about anytime during their visit. Add to that a train ride and the small footprint of the zoo and you have the perfect zoo to visit with younger children.