A Zoo fit for "The King"
Written: Dec 30 '03 (Updated Dec 31 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: All of the exhibits are fairly close.
Cons: Extra charges mount up on the inside.
The Bottom Line: This zoo is one of the best I've visited. Go and enjoy!
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| Mom2TyZick's Full Review: Memphis Zoo |
This review has been updated and reposted from its original form written nearly three years ago.
The Memphis Zoo is one of the best destinations for children of all ages. Memphis is a big city, but it is surrounded by many rural cities in Arkansas and Mississippi and is a hub for many families. Upon graduation from college, my husband and I moved to Osceola, Arkansas, about 45 miles outside of downtown Memphis. Being a town of less than 10,000 residents, there was not much to do in the way of cultural experiences. After my son, Ty, was born, we visited the Zoo often. It is an excellent family park.
Location
The Memphis Zoo is located in an older neighborhood in Memphis. This does limit its space, but makes the zoo seem very quaint. When compared to the Asheboro Zoo, which is vast and sprawling, I have to say I prefer the Memphis Zoo. If you are with children, which 90% of zoo visitors are, it is preferable to have animal exhibits closer together. You are able to see more and the children are less likely to get tired from the walking! Even if you do need a break, there are several benches interspersed throughout the park to give your tootsies a rest.
Exhibits
Here is a brief synopsis of what you can expect to see at this zoo:
Cat Country
See any kind of felines here. Our favorites were the leopards, tigers, lions, meerkats and white tigers. All presented in a nice habitat with lots of shade between exhibits.
Primate Canyon
This was our favorite exhibit. The monkeys are playful and put on a cute show and the gorilla even came up to the glass and showed us his behind! When the gorilla does get close to the glass, it's hard to get up close to see since the space is rather limited.
Dragon's Lair
This area features 3 new Komodo Dragons.
Animals of the Night
This exhibit was my son's favorite. You can get very close to the animals and the line moves in an orderly fashion, so everyone gets a turn to take a good look. Inside they have such nocturnal animals as naked mole rats and bats.
Tropical Bird House
Be careful! This one has two free flight rooms where birds swoop around overhead! Some may even take "target practice" on you! This is a charming exhibit, but we did see some smaller children who were afraid of the flying birds. My son loved it!
Aquarium
If you must skip an exhibit, let this one be it. It is rather disappointing with its limited variety of fish and small building that gets too crowded. Inside it has fresh and saltwater fish.
Heptarium
Snakes give me the creeps, but my son (and husband) was fascinated by this exhibit. It features a nice variety of reptiles and amphibians, such as darts, pythons, tortoises and frogs.
Butterfly, Birds and Bugs
We never went inside of this one because it costs $1.00 extra and none of us was that interested in it. They boast 40 different species in all stages of development. I am of the opinion that it should be included in the admission price and I did not see that many visitors inside on my numerous trips to the zoo.
Birthday Parties
You can have your child's birthday party here for $200 for 10 children and 10 adults. Here's what you get: Zoo admission for all, party coordinator for 2 hours, a visit to Once Upon a Farm, kiddie rides, train ride, cake, ice cream and partyware. Seems reasonable if you happen to have $200 lying around!
Other Amenities
Strollers
You may rent strollers that are shaped like cars for your little one. My son loved this more than any zoo exhibit! They rent for about $4, but we liked bringing our own better. Ours was collapsible (so it fit on the trolley) and the stroller handle was high enough so we didn't have to stoop to push it. If you are shorter than 5'8 then the rental stroller would be fine for you.
Trolley
For another dollar you can ride the trolley to the different parts of the zoo. It's a nice way to relax and see many animals in the comfort of a nice seat. We loved this amenity best of all! The ticket is good for all day, too, so you can get on and off at will.
Zoo Food & Playground
The food here is not the greatest, and it's expensive. I've seen people lugging picnics in those Rubbermaid wagons (along with the kids, so this eliminated the stroller) and it looked like a pretty good idea. For us, it's easier to bite the bullet (and those greasy hamburgers) and let Ty play in the neat little playground while we ate outside at the shaded tables. If you don't get full enough, there are snacks such as snowcones and Ice Cream Balls (my favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip) along the way.
Zoo Shop
This is a great one, not like the other cheesy souvenir shops I've been in. They have good quality and educational toys for the kids and heavy T-shirts that you would actually buy. Again, you'll pay for that niceness!
Extras
Adopt an Animal
It costs a considerable amount of money to keep an animal fed and healthy at a zoo. Help the zoo by becoming a "parent" to one of your favorite animals. There are differing levels of adoption, each coming with such benefits as free guest passes, a sticker for your car and regonition for being such. The higher levels (read more expensive) even come with a "Meet the Zookeeper" session.
Hours, Admission and other information:
Hours
March - October 9-6pm
November - February 9-5pm
*The Memphis Zoo is closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.
Admission
$10 (ages 12)
$9 seniors (ages 60)
$6 children (ages 2-11)
Children under age two admitted free
Parking
*$3 per vehicle / Memphis Zoo Members park FREE
Wheelchair Rental
$6 per wheelchair
$18 per electric wheelchair
Stroller Rental
Single $7
Double $10
This is a great family zoo. If you are near the Memphis area, you should stop by and give it a try. Who knows, you may even see Elvis there!
Recommended:
Yes
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Mom2TyZick
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