There are so many attractions in Philadelphia that a tourist can enjoy, but if you are an animal lover, you must head to Philadelphia Zoo. There are more than 1300 animals housed here, and more than a million visitors come here every year to enjoy their day amidst flora and fauna here. This was the first zoo in the USA and has now evolved to incorporate the most modern and scientific preservation techniques as well. The specialty of this zoo is that you get a lot of chances for interaction with the animals here. The zoo is open 360 days a year and is closed only on these five days – Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. If you are a member, you can enjoy unlimited free entries to the zoo. From March to October, the zoo remains open for an extra hour, while the winter timings are from 9.30 am to 4 pm only.
Variety of Inmates at Zoo
You can see mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and even endangered species of animals here. But for specific animals, they have certain slots earmarked so that you can take your time and observe those specific animals at leisure. African lions, giant tortoise, goat training, gorillas, cheetahs, bears are some of the animals which have specific hours allocated. For horses, you can easily head to Harrah’s horse racing, where you can watch the fine steeds run through their paces.
Visitor Amenities
If the huge expanse of the zoo is too overwhelming and you can’t decide where to begin and what to see, you should opt for the guided group tours or the behind-the-scenes tours as well. There are several other amenities for families who visit the zoo. For example, you can rent strollers for kids and wheelchairs for the elderly. There are several restrooms for families, so you don’t need to get worried for your children. If you want to shop for memorabilia or just buy snacks for your fidgety kids, you can go to one of the several retail outlets inside the zoo. Your children can also enjoy the face painting and choose the animal they want to have their faces painted like. There are some ATMs and rest areas across the campus, and you also have bike racks to park your cycles on.
Food and Beverages
All the walking around does make you hungry, and to cater to your taste buds, there are some eateries inside the zoo. Places like the Watering Hole, Tiger Terrace, Eagles Roost, Impala Café, All-Natural Hot Dogs and 34th Street Market will offer you the chance to sample the different fare, while your sweet tooth and parched throat is taken care of by the numerous confectionary and lemonade outlets as well, which also serve ice cream.
Special Events
As we begin 2018, there are some exciting events lined up by the zoo, like Valentine’s Date Night Drop-Off on 10th February, Easter Bunny Brunch on 31st March and 1st April, Run Wild for the Zoo on 29th April, just to name a few.