In 2018, we visited some zoos close to home as well as some others that were a bit further away. In addition to regularly visiting the Detroit Zoo which is a few miles from our home throughout the year, we also took road trips to see some other Michigan zoos in the cities of Lansing and Grand Rapids. Our zoological adventures in 2018 also included Animal Kingdom at Orlando, Florida's Walt Disney World, the Pittsburgh Zoo, along with the St. Louis Zoo too.
JOHN BALL ZOO
We had planned out a nice spring break visit over to the Lake Michigan side of the Great Lakes State to visit the JOHN BALL ZOO located in the city of Grand Rapids. The days leading up to our road trip had forecasts of the weather being sunny with temperatures in the 60s. Nope .. it was overcast with snow flurries and brisk temperatures the day we spent at the zoo. Doah!
Unfortunately, due to the cold weather most of the outdoor exhibits were closed for the day. Still we made the best of our visit and had fun anyways. There was a feisty otter that delighted my son engaging in races with him across the display area for nearly half an hour. Friendly penguins interacted with my daughter playing around with her through the glass of their viewing area. Those encounters along with a jumping competition to see if anyone in the family could jump as high as a snow leopard were highlights of the trip.
We are going to have to try and get back there for a visit again when the weather is warmer so we can see everything the zoo has to offer. I've always had a fondness for tigers being that they are the mascot of my favorite pro sports team. The John Ball Zoo is known for having a great tiger exhibit which unfortunately was closed while we were there.
ANIMAL KINGDOM
Our next animal encounter involved a visit to Disney World's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida while the kids were off school for summer break. We stayed at the Walt Disney World Resort Animal Kingdom Lodge while there which provided us with a unique opportunity to go outside once it was dark out and view giraffes through night goggles.
During the day, we took safari rides through the savanna that Disney recreated within its Animal Kingdom theme park. We got some impressive close up views of elephants and lions during these treks that recreate the African wilderness.
The kids also earned their Wilderness Explorer merit badges by participating in a variety of activities and scavenger hunt searches that provide teachable moments regarding animals and habitats. If you are going to be spending time at Animal Kingdom with children this really is a memorable activity to participate in. Kids will leave the park having learned a lot while having fun as they earn Wilderness Explorer merit badges.
PITTSBURGH ZOO
We also went on a summer trek to explore the Pittsburgh Zoo in Pennsylvania. A favorite part of our trip here was taking a stroll along an African savanna themed trail which provides impressive views of leopards, rhinos, elephants and zebras.
The Pittsburgh zoo also has a wonderful aquarium that has displays which showcase arctic, ocean and rainforest habitats. See colorful tropical fish, penguins, sharks, seahorses, stingrays and more. There is even a touch tank where you can feel creatures that live in coral reefs. PPG Aquarium at the Pittsburgh Zoo is a great spot to take a relaxing walk enjoying the scenery around you.
There is also a special place at the Pittsburgh Zoo called the "Kids Kingdom" that has a petting zoo, pint sized log ride, and docents provide animal encounters among other things in this space meant especially for young zoo visitors. As a parent with kids who have food allergies, I particularly appreciated the Bean Sprouts Café in this area which specializes in providing tasty meal options that are nut-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and soy-free, among other health conscious options.
POTTER PARK ZOO
We wrapped up the kids summer break with a road trip to Potter Park Zoo in Michigan's capital city of Lansing. While the zoo is relatively small in size only being about 20 acres it is home to hundreds of animals. For being a smaller sized zoo, it has some really large animals on display ranging from moose to rhino.
The zoo recently invested in constructing a moose habitat. We've never seen a live moose so made this trip specifically to visit this exhibit. I have to say the area they constructed looks wonderful, but we didn't see any moose during our visit. To be honest that really was a let down.
On the other hand, we had one of our closest encounters ever with lions and tigers during this visit to the zoo. You don't realize just how big these cats are until you get right up next to them. These up close experiences made our drive up to Lansing from Detroit well worth while.
If you are going to be in the Lansing, Michigan area, I recommend spending some time at the Potter Park Zoo.
ST. LOUIS ZOO
We took a fall family getaway to St. Louis, Missouri and of course had to swing by the zoo. I was wowed by the impressive Animals Always sculpture that greets visitors as they drive up to the zoo as well as by the fact that there is no admission fee to get in. Yes! it is FREE to visit the St. Louis Zoo.
Since we didn't pay to get in, the family spent money that would otherwise been spent on admission instead on all sorts of other things within the zoo including food, souvenirs, carousel and train ride tickets. The Sea Lion Show which is a ticketed event is a must see that is well worth paying to get into. The whole family really enjoyed this show and it was one of the best parts of our visit to the St. Louis Zoo!
The train rides are somewhat pricey but they do provide a full loop around the whole zoo that can cut down significantly on the amount of walking you need to do to get between the different exhibit areas. The trains themselves are really a sight to behold and are some of the most impressive locomotives we've seen giving rides at a zoo. Plus a ticket to ride the train is good for the whole day.
During our visit, we also got much better views of the zoo's elephants while circling the enclosure riding the train than we did while walking through the trails that meander around this habitat. Another thing to keep in mind when determining if you want to buy a ticket for a train ride.
My daughter loves giraffes and this was the first time we encountered a carousel that had one of these animals that could be ridden. It was a very merry time as she rode around on it while wearing some giraffe ears we picked up from her at the gift store. This along with seeing real life giraffes on display had my little girl in heaven during this trip to the St. Louis Zoo.
DETROIT ZOO
We visited the Detroit Zoo a number of times throughout the year as it is only a fifteen minute drive from our house. Of course, we always stop by to see the giraffes because that is where my daughter wants to rush over to whenever we get there. Heading over to view the lions is always at the top of the list for what my son wants to do while we are there.
The zoo recently opened state-of-the-art penguinarium that makes visitors feel as if they are taking part in an Antarctic expedition. We always take some time to walk through the Polk Penguin Conservation Center during our visits to the Detroit Zoo.
As you enter a giant glass panel gives a bright view of a recreation of the Antarctic landscape full of penguins. Often times penguins will come right up to the glass and interact with people. That is not all though!
There is a giant pool in the middle of the habitat. Make your way down a ramp that heads to the lower level of the pool. Surrounding you on the walls around the ramp is the projection of a 19th century schooner setting sailing to explore Antarctica.
It is an enjoyable simulation of what it would be like to walk along the schooner's deck during a historic voyage. The sound of wind and sea gulls fills the air. The motion of the screen makes it feel like the boat is being rocked by sea waves and mist being projected makes it seem as if the water from the ocean is washing up onto the deck. At times the boat will be traveling on a sunny day and in other instances it will be under a star covered night sky. Sometimes there will be a storm with rain and snow being dropped onto your from the ceiling above. This is always a really interesting and fun space to walk through.
There is a giant pool in the middle of the habitat. Make your way down a ramp that heads to the lower level of the pool. Surrounding you on the walls around the ramp is the projection of a 19th century schooner setting sailing to explore Antarctica.
It is an enjoyable simulation of what it would be like to walk along the schooner's deck during a historic voyage. The sound of wind and sea gulls fills the air. The motion of the screen makes it feel like the boat is being rocked by sea waves and mist being projected makes it seem as if the water from the ocean is washing up onto the deck. At times the boat will be traveling on a sunny day and in other instances it will be under a star covered night sky. Sometimes there will be a storm with rain and snow being dropped onto your from the ceiling above. This is always a really interesting and fun space to walk through.
Upon reaching the lower level, walk through glass tunnels that crisscross the bottom of the penguin's pool. It is a great sight to see penguins diving and swimming all around you! Sure to put a smile on anyone's face.
After your visit to Antarctica head over to the zoo's Arctic exhibit which features foxes, seals and polar bears. If you are lucky you may see a polar bear swimming beside you or walking over your head as this habitat has a tunnel system similar to the one in the penguinarium. It is always a thrill to have a close encounter with a polar bear!
A NEW YEAR FOR GOING TO THE ZOO
We had a lot of fun adventures traveling to zoos during 2018. Looking forward to more exciting expeditions with my family as we embark on new zoo travels throughout 2019. Stay tuned to see where ageekdaddy.com and travelingdad.com take us next.
Is there a favorite zoo your family loves to visit or one you really want to go to but haven't visited yet? Share your own stories about zoo travel with us!
I haven't been to the Detroit Zoo in ages but I really want to visit the penguin exhibit at some point. Animal Kingdom is awesome - I went to WDW last January. Have you ever been to the Toledo Zoo? I am tentatively going to Toledo in March.
ReplyDeleteWe actually prefer the Toledo Zoo much more than the Detroit Zoo but because of the drive normally visit once per year versus going a few time per year to the one just down the street. Here is a Traveling Dad write up on a visit to the Toledo Zoo: https://travelingdad.com/a-hike-along-the-tembo-trail/
DeleteYou really seem to love zoos. They are all different and it is great that we have these zoos in those many cities. I will look for them if I travel to those cities.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness you guys are going to love zoos. I have been to the John Ball Park zoo and in the past I was underwhelmed but I have heard they have the major improvements on it. I will have to check it out again when I go back there.
ReplyDeleteIt is not a zoo we would go out of our way to visit again but we still had a decent time there despite it being a miserable day weather wise when we went
DeleteI LOVE the safari ride at DisneyWorld - it's been great every time, even though my visits have been decades apart! And as close(ish) as we are to Potter Park Zoo, I don't think I've evere been. The kids may have been on field trips?? I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you and the kids had so much fun visiting all these zoos. One of our favorites zoos to visit is the Smithsonian National Zoo.
ReplyDeleteSo many fun family adventures! I would love to visit some of these zoos with my family. My kiddos would love this.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a fun looking zoo. Our zoo doesn't have cool rides like that. Glad you all had a fab time.
ReplyDeleteAny zoo that has a Penguinarium has got to be a blast! Definitely looks like it's worth visiting in person. Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteI’ve been to all but two of these - St Louis and Pittsburg. Definitely Animal Kingdom is my favorite. It’s been about 10 years since I’ve been there. Sounds like a great year of zoo fun!
ReplyDeleteYou saw a lot of cool places this year! The kids must have learned so much from all the zoos you visited. I haven't been to any of these, but they would be neat to explore.
ReplyDeleteWe really love going to zoos too. And aquariums!! We went to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago in the fall and were blown away. And we LOVED Animal kingdom too!
ReplyDeleteWe went to Shedd a few years ago and had a great time too! Haven't had a chance to visit Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo yet though
DeleteLooks like you all had a great time visiting all those zoos! I used to take my son to different zoos all the time when he was little. I miss that!
ReplyDeleteLooks so fun and exciting! I trip to a zoo is one of my favorites!
ReplyDeleteWe love visiting zoos when we are in different cities. The St. Louis Zoo is one of our favorites.
ReplyDeleteA penguinarium?! Oh my gosh, that zoo is so awesome just because of that. I absolutely adore penguins!
ReplyDeleteI love the zoo. I’d love to do something like this and I know my kiddos would too! So fun! - Jeanine
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun adventure, visiting all those zoos! If you ever get the chance to travel to Maine, you all would enjoy the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray and DEW Haven in Mt. Vernon. We have been to both. There's also York's Wild Kingdom in York Beach.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't been to Maine yet thanks for the suggestions. Hoping to have the chance to visit the pine tree state sooner or later
Delete