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What is your favorite Zoo?

Steve

Steve

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Zoos aren't just for kids. I love going to the zoo. I recently bought a book called "America's Best Zoos". My family laughs at me sometimes because I like to visit the local zoo while on vacation.

My favorite zoo is the Santa Barbara Zoo in Santa Barbara, California. It has a gorgeous setting overlooking East Beach and the Pacific Ocean on one side...and the Montecito Country Club on the other. For a small zoo, it has a great collection of animals including elephants, giraffes (including a famous one with a crooked neck), and lots more. Other zoos that I'm quite fond of include Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City and the Phoenix Zoo. What are your favorites?

Steve
 
We love zoos, too! I haven't been there in years, but yes, the San Diego Zoo is the best ever. We live 20 minutes from the Bronx Zoo, and I love it, too, but they don't have animal shows like they have in San Diego (or used to have, anyway).

My least favorite zoo is the National Zoo in Washington. I don't know how they managed to design it so you're always walking uphill, but that's how it is, and for quite a small space, it seems like a million miles between animals. The pandas are great, but it's hard to see them most of the time, and they look so hot and uncomfortable you feel bad for them.

I like smaller zoos, too, including Paws n Claws in the Poconos and our local Van Saun Zoo in Paramus, NJ. It has a train for the little kids.
 
San Diego Zoo.
 
Hands down!

The san diego zoo is my absolute favorite and i hear the wild animal park is great but i have yet to go.

Just make sure to Never, Ever go to the Las Vegas zoo! We are in Vegas for a wedding and wanted to take our 2 yr. old somewhere fun. Put it this way, there were more pigeons there then all the other animals combined.

Had to add... Santa Barbra zoo is nice too - haven't been in a few years but i liked it
 
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As soon as I saw this topic, I knew what I'd write...
We love the Santa Barbara Zoo too! Beautiful setting and not TOO big.
"It's just right" :)
 
Just got to visit San Diego Zoo this year, but my favorite, which I am surprised no one has mentioned yet, is the Philadelphia Zoo. Hands down, it's the best I've ever visited!
 
San Diego Zoo, and the Washington DC Zoo...
 
wackymother said:
We live 20 minutes from the Bronx Zoo, and I love it, too, but they don't have animal shows like they have in San Diego (or used to have, anyway).
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Zoo's aren't supposed to have animal shows- They are supposed to show animals as close to how thay appear in the wild. Animal shows are for the circus, Hollywood or the Kennel clubs

don
 
I love Washington DC zoo. We have a fairly small local zoo nearby - Salisbury MD that is wonderful considering its size also free- which is nice()

I used to enjoy the Bronx zoo when I was young. Paws and Claws in Pa is great, Louisville zoo was wonderful 20 years ago :) but I havent been back since.
 
wackymother said:
My least favorite zoo is the National Zoo in Washington. I don't know how they managed to design it so you're always walking uphill, but that's how it is, and for quite a small space, it seems like a million miles between animals. The pandas are great, but it's hard to see them most of the time, and they look so hot and uncomfortable you feel bad for them.
Click to expand...

My opinion EXACTLY!


Charles
 
Well maybe I am biased about the Washington DC Zoo as I go there often over the Baltimore Zoo. I guess I am just used to the walking...
 
ondeadlin said:
The Toledo Zoo was recently named one of the top 10 in America. An underrated gem of a zoo.
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Was just there last night for the Lights Before Xmas display. They are continually upgrading the facility. This summer the new children's section will open, along with a few other things.

Plus we've been lucky to have had a baby elephant(I think he's about 6 or 7 now) born at the zoo. Plus 3 polar bear cubs, who just had their birthday.



*Disclosure, I am a Toledo Zoo member.

The Art Museum in Toledo is also pretty amazing for the size of Toledo.
 
For those who have visited many zoos across the country, which are the best "natural setting" zoos in your opinion? For example, we love the San Diego Wild Animal Park, but we don't like the San Diego Zoo because, among other things, we hated the depressing concrete and small elephant enclosure. We have a love/hate relationship with zoos. We love seeing the animals, but we hate the caged settings and lack of space for most animals. We would prefer to see fewer animals than more in the same sized zoo if it means those animals would, on average, have larger spaces.

Another favorite is the Disney's Animal Kingdom, particularly the Kilimonjaro Safari area -- not the ride itself but the setting. But I can do without the rides and other amusements; if only AK just had more large displays for the mammals.

I've heard good things about the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, but we have not had a chance to visit yet.
 
I love the Bronx Zoo and it helps that we live close enough to visit often. I will now put the Philadelphia zoo on my list for the spring since that will make a nice weekend trip. I enjoyed the DC zoo but maybe because I loved seeing the pandas and thought the monkey area was really cool. This summer we will visit the San Diego zoo (hooray!) when we head out to Newport Coast. I know what you mean about the love hate relationship! But a well managed zoo does so much good towards species research, conservation, etc.
 
DonM said:
Zoo's aren't supposed to have animal shows- They are supposed to show animals as close to how thay appear in the wild. Animal shows are for the circus, Hollywood or the Kennel clubs

don
Click to expand...

The animals don't do tricks, Don. The zoo staff talks about the animal and how it lives and what it does. For many zoos, education is part of their mission.
 
Amy said:
For those who have visited many zoos across the country, which are the best "natural setting" zoos in your opinion?
Click to expand...

The Bronx Zoo has to be the best for that. In fact they've eliminated almost all the "cages"--as far as I can remember, all the animals have their own large areas. Certainly all the large animals do.
 
San Diego has the most wonderful zoo. Natural enclosures, beautiful plants, happy, an educational environment. Go early in the morning and start and start at the back of the zoo and work your way forward toward the main entrance. You'll see more active animals without the crowds.

I worked there for years before having kids. It is a magical place.
 
wackymother said:
The animals don't do tricks, Don. The zoo staff talks about the animal and how it lives and what it does. For many zoos, education is part of their mission.
Click to expand...

I've never been to the San Diego zoo, but I have been to Busch Gardens, and their animal shows have the animals do tricks- mostly birds and of course dolphins and whales.

Your subsequent description of what occurs at the San Diego Zoo (i.e The zoo staff talks about the animal and how it lives and what it does) to me is educational and really shouldn't be characterized as an animal show.
 
wackymother said:
The Bronx Zoo has to be the best for that. In fact they've eliminated almost all the "cages"--as far as I can remember, all the animals have their own large areas. Certainly all the large animals do.
Click to expand...

This is true....and I love the Bronx Zoo....which is now actually called the Wildlife Conservation Society.

I own a window cleaning company, and the Zoo is one of our contracts....we actually clean the glass that is set up for you to view the animals in their natural habitats and we see first hand the education that goes on there 5 days a week with schools coming everyday of the week. It's a fantasic place to visit and an excellent education experience.
 
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