A friend of ours told me last fall that she was trying to get in a visit to the zoo before the weather turned cold. It seems that this southern zoo puts the animals into winter housing during the cooler months of the year. I had to laugh. I’ve seen elephants and giraffes walking around in the snow at both the Denver and Colorado Springs zoos. Our family has speculated on what these African animals must think of the snow and freezing temperatures. They seem to do fine though. The Colorado Springs zoo even has a record number of giraffe births at their zoo.
We go to the zoo year round. In some ways, it’s even better in the winter. We don’t of course go on the very coldest days. But we don’t let a little cold stop us either. We enjoy the fact that there aren’t big crowds in the winter. Fewer people makes it easier to navigate through the exhibits, even if you are pushing a stroller. Sometimes in the summer it’s hard to find a picnic spot. Not so in the winter, we have our pick of good spots. Plus some zoos even have off season prices during the winter!
There are also less gift shops open in the winter. For me that’s a plus. My children take way too long to decide on how to spend their money. I’m glad they are careful shoppers, but I feel like we should spend our time looking at animals instead of toys.
Sometimes not only the gift shops are closed, but most of the snack bars and even the bathrooms. Knowing where the open bathrooms are located is always a good idea. The people manning the front gate should be able to tell you. We always pack snacks and a picnic. A thermos of hot chocolate or hot apple cider is always appreciated by the kids. Sometimes I even pack a small thermos of coffee for myself.
Coats, hats, and gloves help everyone stay comfortable. And don’t forget that camera. It’s fun to have pictures of giraffe footprints in the snow.
Also See:
Taking Great Animal Pictures at the Zoo