Last weekend we took a mini road trip to Milwaukee to celebrate 125 years with the Milwaukee County Zoo. What a fun time! It’s definitely one of favorite zoos around. Here are the highlights from our visit.
Highlights:
- Celebrate 125 years with the Zoo. Fun things are in store like fun photo opps in front of huge cake, giveaways, an updated zoomobile tour, and more!
- Take a peek and see what’s underneath. The Zoo’s summer exhibit Body Worlds: Animal Inside Out takes a fascinating look inside animals that we all know and love. The kids were intrigued from the very beginning, and had a great time trying to guess what animal or specimen they were looking at — even my 2-year-old! I highly recommend this and it is well worth the price of admission. ($10 adults $8 kids.)
- Elephants. The ladies Ruth and Brittany are such amazing creatures, and seeing one up close is always a treat. On our visit, one of the elephants was using her trunk to gather drink then throwing it on herself. The Zoo is in the process of building a new home for the two elephants that should be awesome!
- Zoo staff ready to answer questions. At certain exhibits, we saw zoo staff readily available to answer questions or give you a little bit of information about the animals you were looking at.
- Safari train ride. If the kids get tired –and they will– rest their little feet8- by riding on the safari train. The ride is about 8-10 minutes long and is just right. While the train mostly goes through woods and hardly animals, were seen, it was still an enjoyable ride. ($3 for adults, $2 for kids under 12).
- Hop aboard the Zoomobile Tram. The 25-minute tram is the perfect excuse to rest your weary feet and learn a little bit more about the zoo. Tip: Grab popcorn or a snack and have the kids munch while you’re driven around. It was the best way to keep the kids still.
- Feed a giraffe. One of our favorite experiences ever has been feeding a giraffe. The kids absolutely loved this. We headed to the raised giraffe deck and the trainers are on hand to guide you, while you feed lettuce and crackers. (Twice a day at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. $5 per feeding)
- Food truck! There is no shortage of food at the zoo, but whenever we have a chance to try food from a food truck we go for it!
We Wish:
- …we could try the other rides next time. They offer so much to do like a sky safari, a carousel, ropes course, pony rides, and zip line.
- ..we had time to see a seal and sea lion show or a milking demonstration.
Tips:
- Plan to spend the whole day here!
- Start out with a ride on the zoo tram to acquaint yourself with the zoo. Or save it for the end of the day to rest your weary feet. We decided to go on later in the day to see some animals that we didn’t get to.
- Plan out where you want to go. Most outdoor animals are located to the left of the entrance. Animals in indoor exhibits are mostly located to the right of the entrance.
- Giraffe feeding times are 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and participants must purchase tickets ahead of time.
- Ice cream! Grab some ice cream while you’re there. The ice cream is made at the zoo with the milk from the cows in the farm exhibit.The Kohl’s Wild Theatre is a fun, free show for families. 15-minute shows, 4 times a day.
- Free admission. Mark your calendars for these free dates: October 7, November 4, December 2. (Parking fees apply)
Bottom Line:
What a fun zoo! We absolutely love the Milwaukee County Zoo and hope to return when the new elephant exhibit is complete. Definitely make the trek here. Or better yet, stay in Milwaukee and enjoy the rest of the family-friendly attractions. (I’ll have a post detailing all the family-friendly things to do.)
Nitty Gritty:
Website:http://www.milwaukeezoo.org/
Location: 10001 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226
Hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hours vary during the season; check website.
Cost: Through October 31, 2017: Adult: $14.25, Child (age 3 to 12): $11.25, Child (2 and under): Free, Senior Citizen (age 60 and over): $13.25
Parking: $12
Stroller-friendly? We always recommend bringing a stroller or wagon to the zoo, and this was no exception. Plenty of room for strollers to navigate, though some indoor exhibits (Body Worlds: Animal Inside Out) have stroller parking.
Food: Tons of food to purchase here, but you can also bring your own food and drinks to save money.
Crowded: We visited on a Saturday in the summer and was busy, but not crowded. We still had plenty of space to move about.
We haven’t made it to Milwaukee yet but this zoo looks like it would be a total winner with my boys! I love that cute train 🙂