Enjoy A Zoo Visit: St Louis Zoo

One of my favorite vacation activities is to visit different zoos around the country. Most areas that you might be visiting will have a zoo within a comfortable driving distance and it is a good activity, particularly when traveling with young kids. Educational, fun and an ideal way to get outside and move around.

I have been to the St. Louis Zoo several times and have always enjoyed it. Located in the famous Forest Park of St. Louis and with 19,000 animals and 655 species, it is no wonder that there are 3 million visitors a year to this zoo. The best part about this zoo is that it is FREE to enter. You can visit 6 "zoo zones" and see animals from every continent, including one of the nicest penguin/puffin exhibits I have seen at any zoo. For an additional cost, there is a separate children's area, 4-D movie, railroad, carousel and sea lion show. We have a membership at another zoo, which has reciprocal benefits with the St. Louis Zoo. While the zoo itself is free, you can receive discounts on the paid attractions with reciprocal memberships.
Parking is a bit hefty if you want to park in the zoo parking lot, but if you arrive early, there is close parking that can be obtained for free.

A visit to this zoo is a definite must for a trip to St. Louis!  http://www.stlzoo.org/

Check Out A Zoo Overnight

How many people are aware that their closest zoo might actually offer zoo overnights for families? Well, I was not until last year. We had been members of our local zoo for many years and I had never noticed the zoo overnight advertised in the newsletter we receive quarterly.

I am so glad that I finally read and researched about our zoo overnight offerings. It was an awesome experience for my daughter and one that we will definitely repeat. From San Diego to Houston and Atlanta, most zoos now have some type of family overnight. We picked the manatee experience- what a way to wake up in the morning with a manatee pressing its nose up to the glass watching you sleep. It was extremely economical for what we received. A special night tour of the zoo, animal shows, breakfast in the morning and behind the scenes tours of some of the animal buildings.  This may not be the case at all zoos, but we were able to just sign up as a family and did not have to attend with a larger group in order to participate.

Check it out, what a wonderful memory for your kids and something they will always remember!! We are already planning our next overnight trip and looking forward to it!

Zoo Highlights: The Columbus Zoo

I love visiting zoos. Most zoos these days are very well laid out with natural surroundings and top notch care for the animals. An afternoon at the zoo can be such a wonderful learning experience for kids. I wanted to highlight some of the zoos I have enjoyed visiting, starting with The Columbus Zoo.

The Columbus Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the country boasting eight distinct sections, divided according to world regions. The zoo was under the direction of famed zookeeper, Jack Hanna for many years and he continues to serve as Director Emeritus. A few of my favorite exhibits are the arctic/polar bear enclave, manatee landing and the gorilla habitat. In addition to the animals, the Columbus Zoo also has its own waterpark, Zoombezi Bay, and a small amusement park, Jungle Jack's Landing. There are several themed rides inside the zoo itself, including a train ride, boat ride and carousel along with some large outdoor playspaces for the little ones.
Plan to spend a good part of your day exploring this zoo and remember to check for reciprocal membership with other zoos!
http://www.colszoo.org/