Awesome Zoo!
Written: Aug 07 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tons to see
Cons: Lots of Walking
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| fannie3's Full Review: Henry Doorly Zoo |
We have been to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska 6 or 7 times and have never been let down. They are always adding something new for us to see! Our most recent visit was just one week ago today. Not the best time of year to go I might add. It was horribly hot and the animals weren't very active. I've found that the best time to go is on a crisp fall day, where the air is light and cool.
This trip was made by 3 adults and 5 children! It is very nice because you can rent a stroller or a wagon for the children to sit in! They are nice and clean too. They even have adult strollers that are free for the day.
We started out by going to the Lied Jungle. This is an amazing building that walks you through all the jungles of the world. Showcasing animals in their "natural" habitat. When you walk in you immediately know you are in a jungle. The air is very thick and humid. It's very convincing with the lush vegetation and sounds from the animals. They have vines hanging down, a rope bridge and caves to walk through. There are two levels to walk through. They have these little monkeys that just run around loose in there. One came so close to me that I could have reached out and petted him! When we got to the floor the kids asked for a cookie. So we gave them each 2 (vanilla wafers). I guess the monkeys smelled them because pretty soon they surrounded us. One jumped into my son's lap and another hang upside down from a vine hoping to snatch a cookie! We ended up running from them. *Hint... don't eat anything while in the jungle! *
Our next stop was the Aquarium. It's always a treat to go in there. You start off by seeing the outdoor Penguin display. Then you go inside the building and see a wonderful array of sea life. Everything from penguins to sea horses! They have the longest underwater tunnel in North America. It's truly amazing. They have places where you can sit and watch the sharks and other fish for as long as you want.
Then we headed into the Pavilion. The Pavilion is an excellent learning center. This time they had 2 Koalas on display. There are even stations with microscopes to look through. I think it would be a great place to take a science or biology class to.
They added a Garden to the zoo within the past couple of years. It's a very special place, especially for the disabled. Even if you can't see the garden, you can smell it. And let me tell you, it smells awesome! Each part of the display has a little stand that explains the type of flower. Not only in English, but in Braille too.
There are also your typical Lions, Tigers, Monkeys, Gorillas and Bears. But what I think separates this zoo from others is how the animals are displayed. You are more up close and personal with them. For instance, with the polar bears. The only thing that separates you from the bears is a piece of glass! The will swim underwater and come up and push off the glass right in front of you and backstroke across! At first my kids were afraid, but after they realized that the animals couldn’t get to them they loved it! I’ll have to admit... so did I! Something else that characterizes this zoo is the landscaping. Every inch of the zoo is beautifully landscaped.
After you get done walking the zoo, you need to go back and take a train ride. It takes you throughout the zoo and they tell you the past history and why some parts are the way they are. It is very interesting, plus it refreshes your memory of all the wonderful things you have seen throughout the day!
My suggestion to you would be to take a cooler with your snacks. There are picnic areas all over with fat little squirrels awaiting the slightest little crumb! The zoo can be very expensive if you buy all of your food and drinks there.
The newest addition to the zoo is going to be called the Desert Dome, appearing in 2001. They had construction going on for it while we were there. I can’t wait to go back and see it!
I would recommend this zoo to absolutely every one. There’s something to delight people of all ages. See you at the zoo!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
fannie3
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Location: Iowa
Reviews written: 31
Trusted by: 62 members
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