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As you walk into the zoo, you go into a dark room where you will see nocturnal animals active in the dark. Some of those animals are red pandas and bats, but after you leave that area, it feels like you are walking into a jungle. There are many plants and small water ponds as well as a bridge next to a small waterfall, which is a great spot for pictures.  As you get to the exhibits; you’re given some information on the animals in the enclosures. The information near the enclosures tells you where the animals originated from and their sizes. Some of these animals include snakes, birds, and lizards, but there is so much more. The birds roam free as you walk around the area, and you see and hear a loud waterfall, ducks quacking, and gold finches chirping.

 As you leave the room, you make your way toward the aquatics area where you can see freshwater fish, crocodiles, saltwater fish, and jellyfish. After you leave those areas is when the real adventure starts. You see all the outdoor animals. You get to go into a section where wallabies are roaming free. You’ll also see some larger birds, and some swans and ducks that are swimming in a small pond.

Next to this area, you will have the option to go on a short train ride that goes around the park. The train ride is highly recommended at the zoo. It costs only $2.50, and during the ride, you’re able to see most, if not all the animals, while you get a more detailed description about them. You learn information such as where the animals are from, how many different animals the zoo has, and what makes the animals unique.

After the train ride, you can go to a place called the Kid’s Kingdom. The Kid’s Kingdom is fun for not only kids, but also for adults. In the Kid’s Kingdom, you will see a petting zoo where you are given permission to feed and pet the donkeys, Llamas, and goats in the enclosures while also being able to drop your food pellets into a small koi pond. There is also a playground for the kids to enjoy themselves.

Right around the corner, you can enjoy a ride on a camel and you can also get a picture of your ride for $5. One of the most exciting features of the zoo is in this area, that is the sea lion show. These shows are at a particular time of day during park hours. You get to see the sea lion do unique tricks that you normally would not expect. The sea lions jump into the air for food, give high fives, and even can laugh.

One of my favorite things about the zoo was going into the African safari. As soon as I there, I had the option to pay to feed a giraffe. People were lined up to feed the giraffes, but when you finally see them, you get to see how big they are, and how their long tongue reaches to the food in your hands.

As you make your way around the African safari, you get to see antelope, zebras, and rhinos. After you leave the African safari, you’re almost finished at the zoo, but there is one last stop. There is a carousel that costs $2 for members and $2.50 for non-members. After riding the carousel, you can go visit the gift shop before you leave. There are many different stuffed animals, key chains, blow up animals and books in the gift store.

If you decide to visit the zoo be sure to know the new visiting policies. Some of these new polices are first, everyone over the age of two that visits is required to wear a mask, social distancing is required, and the zoo is only open at 50% capacity. 

The zoo is a relatively cheap experience as the costs of attendance are low. The price of admission is free for children ages one and under. The cost for children ages two-twelve is $8, adults are $14, and senior citizens are $11.

Overall, I highly recommend going to the Blank Park Zoo. It is a fun adventure for all ages, but especially for elementary kids as they learn about and see different kinds of animals while experiencing things one could only imagine.