It's safe to say we had quite an eventful evening last Saturday, and after those events I was no longer feeling up to our plans for Sunday. I had planned to head into DC and visit the museum of Natural History, then see some monuments and maybe stop by the zoo if we had time. Sunday morning when we woke up, I began hunting for a plan B. I wanted to do something more before we headed back home. Earlier in the week, we had purchased 3 volumes of the Entertainment Coupon book. One for Central PA, South Jersey and another for Maryland/DC. We had not yet received those books in the mail by the time we departed for our trip, but I was able to download a mobile app to my phone that allowed us to take advantage of mobile coupons based on your subscriptions. I found a deal for The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Buy one adult, get one kid admission free, Perfect! My mind was made, we packed up our things, Javon took one last swim in the hotel pool and then we headed towards home with a planned pitstop in Baltimore along the way!
Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for this zoo. We are used to the DC zoo, which is not only free but really awesome. We never have had any trouble viewing animals at the DC zoo. They are always out roaming, and they are indeed quite spectacular. It was also fathers day. I pretty much figured it would be jam-packed with families enjoying an outing with all the kids and dad. Lastly, I had not been to this zoo since I was 6 or 7 and all I remembered were polar bears, and slides. With low expectations, we pulled into the zoo' s main parking lot about 2 hours after it had opened for the day and surprisingly, was able to snag a decent parking spot. So close you could see the admission gate from the car. The GPS from DC did have us trekking through some not so nice neighborhoods so be warned if that is not your cup of tea, I'm not sure how it would bring you in coming from Central PA.
We approached the ticket window, mobile coupon in hand, ready to start our day. No line to get in to the zoo, so that was the first good omen of the day! I presented my phone to the cashier, who looked back at me confused saying he had never had someone use a mobile coupon before and he did not think they accepted them. I didn't put up much of a fight, but he still called his boss to double check. The mobile coupon was approved in the end! YAY for coupons! At the ticket window listed in pricing, was a train ride for 4$ a person, and a carousel for 3$, or you had the option to purchase a ride all day wristband for 7$ per person. A very nice option, that I have never seen offered at any other zoo. We purchased Javon a wristband and we were off. Upon entering, there is a gift shop to the right, a prairie dog exhibit straight ahead and then a path to the left that lead up over a small hill. There is a small playground along the small path that we were thankfully able to avoid, but I noticed other parents were not so lucky as they hunch over their strollers scrolling through their smart phones, annoyed and ready to move on. Once you went over the hill, you are given an option. Walk or ride. There is a large gap leading into where are the exhibits are compared to the entrance and the zoo provides a FREE shuttle to all guests. You can also opt to walk and there was a roped off path along side the road. I would guess the distance is anywhere in-between half a mile to a mile. Just a warning, the walk is downhill to get there and uphill back, so if your up to the walk, maybe walk there and ride back!
(Image source: marylandzoo.org )
When we arrived at the tram station, we got off and headed towards the closest section which was the Maryland Wilderness. This area is similar to Zoo America at Hershey Park with animals you will only find locally. The first stop, which I think was the bog area, was roped off and under construction. A sign stated something about storms destroying the area but that they were rebuilding. We continued on and found the otter display. It was a neat little habitat with multiple viewing areas. You could view the otters from above ground, or travel under the water into a small clear tunnel for a different perspective! The next area was a big cave that you travel through, with snakes and bat exhibits built into the walls. Another neat display! It was dark inside the cave, so it may be scary for some children. I guided Javon through as he clung to my leg until he became more comfortable towards the end. Then we moved onto the giant tree, one of the things I remembered from my trip as a kid. Inside the tree are snake displays and once you are done looking at those, the kids can climb up a spiral staircase inside the tree and slide down!
Next came the Barnyard area, an interactive zone for kids that included a petting zoo and of course another slide, this one disguised as a silo to fit into the farm theme! After Javon hit the slide more then a few times we entered the petting area that featured goats that you could either pet or brush, no feeding though! Javon got a kick out of brushing the lazy goats as they laid around soaking up the warm summer sun. From there we headed into the section that held the carousel and train ride as well as a few places to grab a bite to eat. We did not eat there, but my mom scoped out the pricing of the food and said they were affordable considering it being inside of an attraction. If I remember correctly she said it was around 6.50$ for a chicken finger and French fry meal. Javon took a spin around the carousel next. What I found amusing about this was that even though the carousel had plenty of neat animals to pick from, (lions, penguins, gorillas etc.) all of the 7-10 kids on the ride had picked the traditional horses to ride upon.
From there we headed into the African Journey section of the zoo. In this section we saw maybe 50% of the animals listed. The rest we could not spot anywhere. I loved the gorilla habitat. They have both a large indoor and outdoor area for the animals and on this day they all were outside, lounging around and swinging from trees and the fences. Next we headed to the giraffe area, which was hands down my favorite! I mean c'mon who doesn't live giraffe's! They are one the of the most beautiful creatures to roam this planet in my opinion. One part of the giraffe exhibit featured 3-4 of the animals just hanging out, eating leaves off of trees and taking naps. As, you walked farther along the path you cane to a platform where for 2$ you could actually feed a giraffe! Once it was your turn to step up and hold your branch out, the experience lasted maybe 30 seconds at the most, but it was still worth it being that up close to that big of an animal! I think it made the trip for all of us.
Overall, it is a good zoo, that in time could rank among the greats. We didn't see some of the main drawls, including the baby lion cubs which was a disappointment. We also missed the polar bears and penguins but that was our fault for not paying enough attention to the maps. During our visit, many attractions were under construction, including a new penguin exhibit. We did enjoy our visit. Despite the holiday the park was not very crowded. It seemed everyone was spaced out and doing their own thing. The layout could be confusing if you do not have a map, but If you follow on provided you should not have any problems. I say if your in the area. Visit! If not, I would suggest waiting till the current construction is complete and plan a trip! I'm sure your little one's will enjoy all the fun this zoo has to offer just like mine did!
Admission to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is 17.50 for adults and 12.50 for ages 2-11
For more information visit www.marylandzoo.org
Thank you all for reading! Be sure to keep an eye out for my Day Out with Thomas review coming tomorrow!
Happy Travels!
Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for this zoo. We are used to the DC zoo, which is not only free but really awesome. We never have had any trouble viewing animals at the DC zoo. They are always out roaming, and they are indeed quite spectacular. It was also fathers day. I pretty much figured it would be jam-packed with families enjoying an outing with all the kids and dad. Lastly, I had not been to this zoo since I was 6 or 7 and all I remembered were polar bears, and slides. With low expectations, we pulled into the zoo' s main parking lot about 2 hours after it had opened for the day and surprisingly, was able to snag a decent parking spot. So close you could see the admission gate from the car. The GPS from DC did have us trekking through some not so nice neighborhoods so be warned if that is not your cup of tea, I'm not sure how it would bring you in coming from Central PA.
We approached the ticket window, mobile coupon in hand, ready to start our day. No line to get in to the zoo, so that was the first good omen of the day! I presented my phone to the cashier, who looked back at me confused saying he had never had someone use a mobile coupon before and he did not think they accepted them. I didn't put up much of a fight, but he still called his boss to double check. The mobile coupon was approved in the end! YAY for coupons! At the ticket window listed in pricing, was a train ride for 4$ a person, and a carousel for 3$, or you had the option to purchase a ride all day wristband for 7$ per person. A very nice option, that I have never seen offered at any other zoo. We purchased Javon a wristband and we were off. Upon entering, there is a gift shop to the right, a prairie dog exhibit straight ahead and then a path to the left that lead up over a small hill. There is a small playground along the small path that we were thankfully able to avoid, but I noticed other parents were not so lucky as they hunch over their strollers scrolling through their smart phones, annoyed and ready to move on. Once you went over the hill, you are given an option. Walk or ride. There is a large gap leading into where are the exhibits are compared to the entrance and the zoo provides a FREE shuttle to all guests. You can also opt to walk and there was a roped off path along side the road. I would guess the distance is anywhere in-between half a mile to a mile. Just a warning, the walk is downhill to get there and uphill back, so if your up to the walk, maybe walk there and ride back!
When we arrived at the tram station, we got off and headed towards the closest section which was the Maryland Wilderness. This area is similar to Zoo America at Hershey Park with animals you will only find locally. The first stop, which I think was the bog area, was roped off and under construction. A sign stated something about storms destroying the area but that they were rebuilding. We continued on and found the otter display. It was a neat little habitat with multiple viewing areas. You could view the otters from above ground, or travel under the water into a small clear tunnel for a different perspective! The next area was a big cave that you travel through, with snakes and bat exhibits built into the walls. Another neat display! It was dark inside the cave, so it may be scary for some children. I guided Javon through as he clung to my leg until he became more comfortable towards the end. Then we moved onto the giant tree, one of the things I remembered from my trip as a kid. Inside the tree are snake displays and once you are done looking at those, the kids can climb up a spiral staircase inside the tree and slide down!
Next came the Barnyard area, an interactive zone for kids that included a petting zoo and of course another slide, this one disguised as a silo to fit into the farm theme! After Javon hit the slide more then a few times we entered the petting area that featured goats that you could either pet or brush, no feeding though! Javon got a kick out of brushing the lazy goats as they laid around soaking up the warm summer sun. From there we headed into the section that held the carousel and train ride as well as a few places to grab a bite to eat. We did not eat there, but my mom scoped out the pricing of the food and said they were affordable considering it being inside of an attraction. If I remember correctly she said it was around 6.50$ for a chicken finger and French fry meal. Javon took a spin around the carousel next. What I found amusing about this was that even though the carousel had plenty of neat animals to pick from, (lions, penguins, gorillas etc.) all of the 7-10 kids on the ride had picked the traditional horses to ride upon.
From there we headed into the African Journey section of the zoo. In this section we saw maybe 50% of the animals listed. The rest we could not spot anywhere. I loved the gorilla habitat. They have both a large indoor and outdoor area for the animals and on this day they all were outside, lounging around and swinging from trees and the fences. Next we headed to the giraffe area, which was hands down my favorite! I mean c'mon who doesn't live giraffe's! They are one the of the most beautiful creatures to roam this planet in my opinion. One part of the giraffe exhibit featured 3-4 of the animals just hanging out, eating leaves off of trees and taking naps. As, you walked farther along the path you cane to a platform where for 2$ you could actually feed a giraffe! Once it was your turn to step up and hold your branch out, the experience lasted maybe 30 seconds at the most, but it was still worth it being that up close to that big of an animal! I think it made the trip for all of us.
Overall, it is a good zoo, that in time could rank among the greats. We didn't see some of the main drawls, including the baby lion cubs which was a disappointment. We also missed the polar bears and penguins but that was our fault for not paying enough attention to the maps. During our visit, many attractions were under construction, including a new penguin exhibit. We did enjoy our visit. Despite the holiday the park was not very crowded. It seemed everyone was spaced out and doing their own thing. The layout could be confusing if you do not have a map, but If you follow on provided you should not have any problems. I say if your in the area. Visit! If not, I would suggest waiting till the current construction is complete and plan a trip! I'm sure your little one's will enjoy all the fun this zoo has to offer just like mine did!
Admission to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is 17.50 for adults and 12.50 for ages 2-11
For more information visit www.marylandzoo.org
Thank you all for reading! Be sure to keep an eye out for my Day Out with Thomas review coming tomorrow!
Happy Travels!
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