Around Town: A to Zoo!

I have to say it had  been awhile since my last visit to the LA Zoo.  Often, we would go in the heat of summer and a quite a few of the animals would be hiding out of sight escaping the heat, and my boys would be disappointed that they would miss out on seeing favorite animals.  That being said, the main attraction seemed to be who can make it to the top of the hill to play at the playground first!- with a tired, hot Mommy trailing behind!

We decided to enjoy the Martin Luther King holiday by taking spontaneous outing to the zoo with friends since the kids were out of school.  However, as we reached the parking lot it seemed like every family had the same idea even though it was overcast and even rather chilly.  As I scrambled to find parking I thought to myself that this may have been a bad idea.  Once we parked and were inside I was relieved to find that though it was  a crowded, there was plenty of breathing room.  I found that I enjoyed the excited banter of children and watching families holding hands happy to have this time together.   The best part of this particular visit was that almost all the animals were out and about enjoying the cool weather. My boys were more that ecstatic and can’t wait to go back.

Highlights:

Elephant at LA Zoo

Elephants of Asia The new Elephants of Asia habitat was just amazing.  We were mesmerized by the majestic gentle giants feasting on grass and carrots.

Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel-  Each zoo animal is handmade and hand painted. It was just magical.

Sumatran Tiger Family- We were lucky to see the new five-month old Sumatran tigers and their mama.  She was letting us know not to get too close to her babies.  I don’t ever think I ever heard a tiger roar in person before- it did the job, I kept my distance!

Downsides

Expensive-Bring lots o’ cash or bring your own snacks.  Between Churros, almonds, ice cream etc…. I probably spent $60.00 in snacks alone -Am I at Disneyland?

The Playground-When it’s crowded, it’s really hard to keep track of your kids.  Dress them in bright colors!