The Columbus Zoo has been one of our family's favorite traditions for as long as my kids can remember. We have been zoo members since 1996 and have never missed a year often visiting several times a year. Being zoo members was especially nice when the kids were little. It was my go to place on an outing. Where else can you entertain a two year old and a four year old on the cheap? Being zoo members, we never worried about spending the day. Zoo member ship gives you unlimited visits for the year, free parking, 10% discount on merchandise purchased at the zoo, and also free or at least reduced admission to other participating zoos across the country. If the best we got out of the kids that day was a ride and the merry go round and a nap on the car ride home, well that was okay. We'd be back. We have attended summer, fall, winter, and spring.
Summer time and fall are my favorite times to attend. When I traveled all t
he time, my favorite treat was to find that rare half day and sneak off to the zoo with the kids. Having been avid zoo goers, we have learned that if we get to the zoo when it first opens the animals in the North America section are actually awake and active. We have also taken part in the many special events that the zoo offers year round. We've attended in costume for Boo at the Zoo (In fact, one year we had the date wrong and my poor daughter was completely mortified by being the only one in costume), seen the Wildlights displays at Christmas (Bring hot chocolate. It's cold at night especially now!) and I don't know how many other special trips for Zoo events over the year. The zoo has also been a great place to take out of town guests when they were looking to spend time with the kids.
The fact that the zoo keeps expanding with new exhibits and attractions has made it easy to keep coming back. I remember when we first attended the zoo and the only place to eat on the grounds was the Wendy's back by the African animals. Now there is the food court with a much larger variety of kid friendly cuisine. In fact, since we have been members, the zoo has added the following exhibits;
- 1999 - The Manatee Coast
- 2000 - African Forest
- 2003 - Islands of Southeast Asia
- 2004 - Voyage to Australia
- 2006 - Asia Quest
- 2007 - Fluffy the world's largest Python (sadly, Fluffy is no longer with us. Her daughter, however, is)
- 2008 - Zoombezi Bay, Jungle Jacks Landing, and Colo's Cove
- 2010 - Polar Frontier
That's a pretty impressive track record and something for our community to be awfully proud of.
The zoo has become such a tradition for us that if we continue to enjoy. Our kids still continue to like to visit with us. At ages 14 and 16, I consider this to be an amazing gift that I will not question and I always encourage my clients with young children to become zoo members in hopes that they will enjoy the experience as much as we have. You can't get a bigger compliment than a referral now can you?
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