A must see destination in Arizona, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum!

I recently found my favorite museum that I've ever visited & I wish I lived closer so I could buy a yearly membership to it because I would visit all the time. My family & I wanted to go on a small vacation for the holidays instead of doing a bunch of gifts so I planned a mini vacation to a city in our state that had several attractions we'd never been to before, one of those spots is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. It is so much more than just a museum it is a 98-acre zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, natural history museum & art gallery. It is located at 2021 N Kinney Rd Tucson, AZ 85743.

It is a popular tourist type spot so I highly recommend getting there early to get a parking spot closer to the entrance, or if you don't mind a short hike there are parking lots a bit further back. We arrived shortly after they opened & the parking lot was already pretty full with a decent line at the ticket window. The line moved quickly & the staff were all very friendly, the place is big enough that even with the number of people visiting you didn't feel crowded or overwhelmed which is nice. It also helps in spots like this when everyone takes their turn to look at exhibits, etc. without cutting in front of others so that made everything run smoothly. The website states it takes about 2-3 hours to see everything & it is quite true, depending on how much time you spend at each stop you might be there for even longer. A large majority of the museum is outdoors so if you aren't a fan of the heat the best time to visit is in the winter/spring months to avoid the Arizona summer heat. We visited on a beautiful slightly cloudy winter morning & the weather was perfect for visiting. 

The aquarium didn't open for another ten minutes after we arrived so our first stop was to the reptile house where we were able to see a large assortment of snakes, scorpions, frog/toads and more. We even had a chance to see one of the staff members feeding the toads which is always neat. My favorite enclosure in the reptile house were the walking sticks (or stick bugs), I haven't seen one out in the wild since I was a kid & I love how they look so getting to see a bunch of them up close was fantastic. After exiting we went straight for the aquarium & got lucky because the only other person in it was a staff member doing a bit of maintenance on one of the tanks so we had the whole place to ourselves. There was an assortment of fish both native to Arizona & non-native species such as seahorses to watch swim. No matter what aquarium I visit, I always enjoy spending a few minutes in front of the seahorses, it is so cute to watch them float around & grab onto the seaweed/plants with their tails. 

Shortly after we left the aquarium it was about time for the birds of prey show they host almost daily, but we decided to use that time to check out a few of the other exhibits since could see that 90% of the visitors there that day were headed to the show. We walked around the cactus botanical garden a little bit & I snapped some photos of the wild birds along with the cactus on display. They have multiple gardens around the museum, you can grab a map before heading into the museum that will show you where everything is & label it so you know where you are. Next I wanted to visit the hummingbird aviary, you actually get to go inside & be in an indoor garden with the hummingbirds flying right next to your head. I've been in bird aviaries before, none of which have had hummingbirds and I love them so I was overly excited. We spent quite a bit of time inside of it watching the hummingbirds, relaxing on the benches talking a little & of course I was snapping photos the whole time. 

Right next to the hummingbird aviary is an art galley, the art work was gorgeous & most of it featured native wildlife or scenery and everything is available for purchase. There was also a small section with trinkets like postcards, 3D printed items & more. The restaurant they had there smelled amazing, so if you get hungry while there stop in for a bite to eat or visit their café for a snack + coffee. They have an underground animal area where you actually head underground to check out a few small enclosures to see critters that you don't typically get to see. Then we explored a bit more of the gardens & went to the bird aviary that has bigger birds such as cardinals, quail & more which of course I loved and we spent time at some of the benches just watching the different birds. 

In total you will go on a hike that is about two miles long, while viewing wildlife habitats set up along the way with animals such as javelina, bobcats, bears, wolves and more. They also have another underground section that takes you into a cave area & a mine where they have minerals on display. Just writing about the Sonora desert museum makes me want to go back again! There was so much to do & so much to see, it was quite the adventure. If we lived closer I would get a membership as mentioned, because it would be a great place to go for a mini hike for exercise while getting to see some neat stuff. They had some other great things to do, but if I talk about it anymore this post is going to be gigantic so if you are ever in the area you need to check this place out & enjoy it for yourself, you won't regret it. Admission is $29.95 per adult & $19.95 for kids - If you live in AZ & are a bit short on cash but still want to visit this museum they are part of the Culture Pass program through the Arizona public library system, you can visit your local libraries website to see which location has a culture pass for this zoo - the library allows you to "check out" 2 passes per family per month through their program (1 pass at a time) for free & each pass gets you two free admissions into where ever the pass is for. 

If you are looking for more adventures in Tucson type in "Things to do in Tucson" or "Things to do in Arizona" in the search bar of my blog, I have several more fantastic animal attractions and more in Tucson to share with you & when all done within a few days it makes for a action packed vacation. 

Which part of this museum do you think you would be most interested in? What would you want to see first? 

**This is not a sponsored post, my family & I decided to visit the museum while we were in the area and paid to visit the museum. I enjoy sharing some of the fun places we've been & things we've seen with my readers so they can enjoy it too if they get a chance.**

Chasin' Unicorns ritual subscription box Review + Giveaway!

 

Taking some time out to practice some self care is very beneficial to your mental health, everyone should take some time out during the week whether it is just a few minutes a day or a few hours during the week to do something that makes them feel good. During the week I like to take a little time for myself to either play a video game, relax with a face mask on, or take a hot bath while listening to music. Lately I've been focusing on trying to better my skin care routine to improve a bit of uneven skin tone and a few dry patches. I recently learned about a wonderful brand called Chasin' Unicorns who not only has their own line of fantastic products, but they also sell a self-care subscription box. 

Their subscription boxes are $55 if you do a one time purchase, or you can lower the cost slightly by subscribing for longer than one month. In each box you'll get a chance to receive an assortment of Chasin' Unicorns products & products from other brands. You could receive skin care products, candles, hair care, tea and more, there will be 5-7 products in each box. I was recently gifted one of their subscription boxes to check out & write a review on. They included a sweet hand written note & I love the custom tissue paper they have for their boxes. The unicorn headband shown in the photo above, did not come with the box, it is mine & I thought it would look cute for the photo. 

The boxes are $55 each, so are the boxes worth it? Based just on the box I received I would say yes, I really enjoyed the assortment of products included. All of them will be helpful for bringing back some moisture to my skin during the chilly weather we've been having. The box I received has a retail value of $136. What did I get in my box? Let's dig into what I found inside of my ritual box, first up is Super Glow Dew by Pure AM Beauty - This is a lightweight oil to help reduce fine lines and help create glowing skin. A hydrating hyaluronic acid from Truly which helps reduce redness. and may also help reduce fine lines/wrinkles. 

Next up I found a PH balance calming toner which is also from Pure AM Beauty, this bottle is big & since you only need a little at a time, the bottle should last quite some time. It can help soothe, smooth and calm your skin. The serene clean soap by Moonlit skin care smells so good, I can't wait to use it once I am done with the current soap I use. This soap is a mixture between chamomile and eucalyptus which are both quite soothing, eucalyptus can also be good to use when your sinuses are stuffy. (at least I know it helps me). I also like the unique triangular shape of the soap, it should make it easier to hold onto when in the shower. 

Last but not least were two products from Ecolips, which can at the perfect time as my lips have been pretty dry & a little sore recently. One of the products is a organic lip scrub in a vanilla bean scent/flavor that will help rub away dry skin. The other is a intensive overnight blackberry lip mask which will help bring moisture & smoothness back into your lips. The jars did get a little jumbled in shipping, the lids were very loose, however the contents are still in place & do not seem to be harmed. If you are someone who is new to starting their skin-care routine a box like this could be a huge boost to get you started on your journey. 

Over all I am very pleased with what I received & think this is a subscription I would enjoy getting other boxes from as well as it doesn't seem like they really repeat products like others tend to do. If you want to purchase some of the Chasin' Unicorn products, but don't want to sign up for a subscription box then you can do so by viewing their boutique. 

Prize Alert:

One lucky winner is going to receive a $50 gift card to the Chasin' Unicorns website.

This is open US Residents only! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! 

This giveaway ends on 02/11/23

Giveaway entry question: Leave me a blog comment letting me know a product from the Chasin' Unicorns product line you'd like to try OR tell me a product you'd love to receive in a subscription box. 

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Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Chasin' Unicorns for the review & giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Sweet Chaos Popcorn will satisfy your sweet tooth!

Popcorn can make a great snack or a dessert depending on what you put on it, sometimes it is a mess to make flavored popcorn on your own so buying a premade bag makes getting your favorite flavors very simple. A popcorn brand called Sweet Chaos who sells a wide range of popcorn flavors from savory to sweet so everyone should be able to find something they like. I was recently sent a few of their popcorn flavors to try out with my family & we have really been enjoying the popcorn so far. 

The flavors we received to review were - White Chedder, Sea Salt, Kettle Corn, Black & White, Peanut Butter Cup and a fun collab they did with cold stone creamery which is a Cake Batter flavored popcorn. We haven't opened all of them yet, mainly because I know we won't eat this much popcorn at once and I don't want any of it to go stale. The first two flavors we opened up were white cheddar and also the cake batter. My kids mentioned right away that the cake batter popcorn (shown above) kind of tastes like lucky charms cereal, and I somewhat agree with that. It was sweet, but not overly sweet; it is perfect for when you want a small dessert since it isn't heavy on your stomach. The white cheddar was also flavorful & well balanced, surprisingly it went well side by side with the cake batter if you were eating both flavors one after the other. 

When the cake batter popcorn was finished, we opened up the peanut butter cup next. It felt like it had slightly more chocolate drizzle than peanut butter, but it was a really good combination & was delicious. I have purchased their black & white popcorn before which we loved so I was happy to see that included as well, it is a mixture of white chocolate & milk chocolate drizzle. Both of these options are a good dessert option, if you are like us and just have a little bit of it at a time then a bag should last you a little while. I like that the popcorn isn't overly greasy or sticky, so your hands won't feel gross when eating this. Popcorn can also make a great addition to a slightly healthier snack tray such as the one I put together above that also includes strawberries and rice cakes. If you aren't sure where to find Sweet Choas popcorn, it can be purchased online, or their website has a "where to find" page that allows you to search for stores in your area that carry it. I checked it out for my area & it looks like we have two different big box stores that sell Sweet Chaos & every once in a blue moon I've seen it at the dollar tree as well, so I know where to stop by when I am craving more. 

Which of the flavors mentioned in this post would you like to try? What is your favorite topping to add to popcorn?

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Sweet Chaos Popcorn for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Tidal Blades Banner Festival; Board Game Review!

 

Lucky Duck Games has yet again provided us with another instant favorite for our board games shelf. This family friendly game was recently introduced to their game catalogue & it is perfect for 2-5 players ages 8+, the game is called Tidal Blades Banner Festival & can be purchased for $40 on the Lucky Duck website. The rules of the game are easy to follow, with all new games your first game might be slightly rocky as the group learns the flow of the game but after things will go pretty quickly. Setting up the game takes less than five minutes even if only one person puts everything together, bagging everything up to put away goes by just as quickly. So this game is perfect for when you just want a quick & fun game to play together as a family or player verses player. 

Every player will get to select which character race they'd like to play as & collect the pieces that match the race they selected. I personally love to play the pink cards as the character is a cute salamander/lizard woman. The game takes place out on the sea, so your moving piece is a little jet ski! My son realized right away that your finger can fit on the seat just right so you can really "ride" it around the board if you want. This is a strategy game; you'll want to make sure you are paying attention not only to your cards but how the pieces are moving around the board. The game board is split into four different sections that each have their own order of how card colors work & how you place your cards will affect what you'll be able to do each round. For the quality of game pieces, length spent playing this game and the number of playable pieces you get I think the price point of this is spot on. 

We have all started to figure out which is the best way to achieve what we'd like to do as closely as possible, however fate may play its hand preventing you from doing the move you wanted. The game is played in three main rounds of game play & each of the three rounds has eight turns you'll play to earn points in. Once all three rounds (24 turns) are completed the player with the most points after the final point collection is the winner. I like the game pieces you use in this, most of them are made from a thick wood which means the pieces are less likely to acquire dings, nicks, bends, etc. from use over time and the money pieces are made from a thicker cardboard. We also really like the little fruit game pieces; they are made from a squishy plastic. 

We have all really been enjoying playing this game it will also be fun to see how it works out when we do a player vs player game, all of our games so far have been with four players. Our game play is pretty close to what the box says which is thirty minutes per game, some of our games can last a little longer if we are also talking or the kids aren't completely paying attention to when they need to put down cards. I can't think of anything we would want to change about this game, everything fits together perfectly to create a smooth user-friendly experience.

Lucky Duck sells a wide range of games that are action packed & range from games for small children to adventure quest style games for those who love a game where you choose the adventure and get to play with detailed figures. If you want to see some of their other awesome games, check out their website by clicking the link either at the start or end of this post or you can type "Lucky Duck" into my blogs search bar to see the other games we've received from them. I also have a link on the right-hand side of my blog "Board Game Reviews" that will show you not only my Lucky Duck reviews, but many other games as well.

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Lucky Duck Games for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

December/January Creepy Crate!

The Creepy Crate this time around was packed with so much & the book was so big the box almost didn't want to open. Creepy Crate is a true crime & horror themed bi-monthly subscription. Each crate typically has five or six physical items alongside one digital gift, you can purchase a single box for $39.99 or subscribe for 3 to 6 boxes at a time to receive a bit of a discount on the boxes.

One of the things I like about this subscription box is being able to learn about new books, old cold cases & horror movies I didn't know about. This time around I know three references out of the six products! This crate includes a "Witches & their hunters" 2023 calendar which features a number of real life witches and with hunters from various points in time. A Black Phillip mug, which is something I think my brother will really like so I will be gifting it to him. A keychain featuring the murder castle of H.H Holmes. 

Also included was a Jack the ripper tee shirt, a copy of a book called "The Red Widow" & a digital version of the book "The Murder of Dr. Chapman". When it comes to the shirts included in these crates, they are soft & comfortable but I wish some of the shirts were black instead of white as I never wear white clothing. I took a look through the calendar & they have a little bit of information of each person that is featured for that month, It is always so crazy learning more about when there were real witch hunts. Creepy Crate is a True Crime and Horror themed subscription box that sends out shipments bi-monthly. Ever crate has a guaranteed hard or soft cover box in it along with an Ebook plus 4-5 physical products that can range from clothing to houseware. Many of the products included in the crates are Creepy Crate Exclusive items meaning you can't purchase them anywhere else. A single box can be purchased for $39.99 which you can order one at a time or prepay for your subscription through out the year, at the moment they are offering a free box with an annual subscription so you get seven crates for the price of six. 

Non-Horror Fans! I know not everyone is a fan of horror movies or true crime, so if you'd still like to comment on this post but aren't into spooky things, tell me what your favorite non-spooky movie is!

Disclaimer- Creepy Crate provided a box for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase. 

Giveaway - Win a face mask bundle!

 

Earlier this month on the January Beauty & The Book post, I mentioned I bought a ton of holiday themed face masks so I would be hosting a mid-month giveaway with them so here it is! This giveaway will who have two winners who will each win a mini face mask bundle that includes four fun holiday themed face masks, a eva-nyc product sample, a carmex lip balm and a journal that comes with a sheet of stickers. 

Winter can be pretty harsh on the skin & lips so this prize pack will help you combat that a little! Plus it is nice to relax and do a little self-pampering at least once a week. Each prize pack is worth about $18. The face masks are a mixture of sheet masks & cream/mud masks.

The two bundles are slightly different from each other as they don't have the exact same face masks or journal. I personally love keeping a journal handy as I enjoy making lists of things I need to do or posts that need to be completed & I know many others do the same along with keeping an actual day to day journal so I thought it would be a fun addition to the face masks. 

This is open World Wide! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! This giveaway is hosted by ME.

This giveaway ends on 02/03/2023

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment answering at least one of these questions.

Did you set any New Years Resolutions for yourself?

Do you prefer sheet masks or cream/mud masks? 

What is something you are looking forward to over the next month?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can complete as many entries as you want, there are several one-time activities and daily activities that can earn you more entries into the giveaway. Be sure to keep an eye on my site & social media pages for more giveaways headed your way. This giveaway was paid for myself. 

Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium in Tucson!

 

We recently took a mini vacation down to Tucson to check out some of the local attractions they have to offer, one of the places we decided to stop was the Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium. We always have a great time when we visit the Arizona Science Center so we were looking forward to visiting a new science center together to see what they had in store for us. It is located at 1601 E University Blvd Tucson, AZ 85721. This science center is part of the University of Arizona so it is on the same grounds as the school buildings & does not have any designated parking so you will have to get lucky and score on of the free street parking spots or parking in a close parking garage. They have maps on their website that shows where parking is available near the center. The building for the science center is smaller than our local science center but you can hardly tell as there are so many fun things packed into the two floors of the center that you'll be entertained the entire time you were there. Along with the science center they have a Planetarium that runs shows through out the day, we had a few other places we wanted to visit during our trip so we skipped the planetarium show until next time we visit.

The first floor of the science center features a large exhibit on sharks with life sized recreations of how big their tail fins are, interactive quizzes, digital boards where you can build your own shark, real taxidermy shark eggs, bones and more. There is also a large area featuring the Wild World of Bugs where they have more interactive spots, plenty of educational information, some dead bugs on display along with some live bugs you are able to hold upon request. My son & husband were able to hold one of the beetles they have available to touch, it was so cute and seemed pretty used to being held. Last but not least the first floor also has a section dedicated to the solar system with some pretty neat information & a wall that has a bunch of cans with various weights in them to show you how much they would weigh on the different planets. 

After you've looked at everything on the first floor you can head downstairs to visit another level of hands on activities and exhibits. The bottom floor has tons of fossils & minerals plus tons of fun puzzles you are able to sit down and complete, some you are able to work on by yourself & some were meant for two people so you can have fun together. Some of the puzzles were a challenge so you might find it best to work together as a team to complete them & if you need any help a staff member is always in the area to lend a hand or ask questions. 

We enjoyed taking our time looking at everything this science center has to offer, in total we spent a little over an hour and a half at the center doing puzzles, reading the educational materials, and looking at cool things. On your way out you can pop by the gift shop if you want to pick up a souvenir. The Flandrau Science Center is $12 per adult & $8 per child ages 3-15, the Planetarium is a separate cost however they have a discount if you buy the two combined & if you are an EBT/SNAP card holder you can show your card along with your ID to receive your tickets for just $3 each. If you are looking for more adventures in Tucson type in "Things to do in Tucson" or "Things to do in Arizona" (You can also click the link) in the search bar of my blog, I have several more fantastic animal attractions and more in Tucson to share with you & when all done within a few days it makes for a action packed vacation. 

**This is not a sponsored post, my family & I decided to visit the zoo while we were in the area and paid to visit the zoo. I enjoy sharing some of the fun places we've been & things we've seen with my readers so they can enjoy it too if they get a chance.**

Family Friendly Events coming to Arizona!

It is the start of a new year which means a bunch of the early events will be back soon! Here is a list of some of the events coming to Arizona within the next few months that you & your family may want to check out. You can visit each events website directly by clicking on the name of the event.

Monster Jam - 

March 31st- April 2nd in Tucson,AZ
April 15th in Glendale,AZ

Tickets start at $25 at either location, Pit Passes are available. Even if you aren't a huge Monster Truck fan, this show is a lot of fun to be at. Seeing these massive trucks race around a track, jump into the air & sometimes even crash will get your adrenaline going. You can check out my review from the last time they were here, by clicking on this link.

Harlem Globetrotters - 

March 3rd in Prescott Valley
March 4th in Phoenix
March 5th in Glendale

Ticket prices in Prescott start at $40, Phoenix & Glendale start at $20. Honestly, I have never been a big sports fan but I absolutely loved their show the last time they were here & we were able to see them. The show is very energetic, they get the crowd involved in the show and it is fun for the whole family. You can check out more from the last time they were here by clicking this link.

Arizona Renaissance Festival - 

Open all weekends February 4th until April 2nd in Gold Canyon. 

Tickets are $33 per adult & $21 per child. This event is fun for the whole family, come as yourself or come in costume either way there is a ton for you to do. You can catch one of a few dozen shows, visit the petting zoo, take a photo with a unicorn, watch the Knights, grab some food or visit some of the many shops they have to offer. I've visited several times as a child & as an adult and love it every time, you can check out my review from last years event by clicking this link. 

Super Motocross -

April 8th in Glendale 

Tickets start at $15 for the 12pm show & $20 for the 6:30pm show. I haven't been to this event since I was a kid, but it was always a fun high-paced environment for those to be in who love dirt bikes/motorcycles and seeing them race and perform stunts. 

AEW (All Elite Wrestling) Dynamite/Rampage - 

February 22nd in Phoenix 

Tickets start at $29. This is the first time AEW will be in Arizona so it is an exciting opportunity for fans of AEW to see their favorite wrestlers live and in person. 

WWE Monday Night Raw -

March 27th in Phoenix 

Tickets start at $20. Another great event for wrestling fans to see the show live & in person. 

33rd Annual Phoenix Chinese Culture & Cuisine Festival -

January 21-22nd in Phoenix

This event is free to the public, there will be live entertainment, a children's area & more. There will also be food for purchase along with vendors to check out.

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There are also a ton of musical acts coming back to AZ, plus a lot of your local favorites such as the Phoenix Zoo have their yearly events coming back. FEBRUARY 22, 2

Reid Park Zoo in Tucson!

 As a family we always enjoy visiting new zoos or animal sanctuaries together so when we were in Tucson I knew I wanted to take the family to Reid Park Zoo. I had never been to this zoo before nor has my family so we were all pretty excited to visit. The park is a bit smaller than the zoos we have in Phoenix, it sits on 24 acres which also means it is cheaper to get into than other zoos, it is only $10.50 per adult & $6.50 for children ages 2-14, plus at the bottom of the post I will share two ways you can save even more on admission to this zoo. The zoo is located at 3400 Zoo Court Tucson,AZ 85716. The day we had planned to visit the zoo during our vacation it was a cloudy & rainy day, however we still had a blast at the zoo and it also meant less people were there due to the rain so we didn't feel crowded or rushed to see anything & were able to take our time at each enclosure and watch the animals play in the rain.

 The zoo was easy to self-navigate & there were plenty of animals to see, each one had their own large enclosure set up specifically for them. We thought that most of the animals might not be out due to the rain, however there were quite a few animals out playing in the rain & enjoying the weather so that was fun to see. I also loved the two different areas where you could go inside with a variety of birds, I love birds and enjoy photographing them so I could have stayed in those bird cages all day.

One of the things that was unexpected & made us laugh quite a bit was when we stopped by the bathrooms near the elephant's enclosure. My husband had needed to use the bathroom, so we stopped, my kids and I were waiting outside when I noticed a giant elephant butt sticking out of the wall near the bathrooms. I was joking around with my kids & asked my daughter if she wanted a photo next to the giant elephant butt, she laughed & said sure then went to smack the butt for the photo. When she smacked the elephant butt it made a loud startled elephant noise as if you had snuck up on a real elephant. It was unexpected especially as there were no signs we could see saying it was interactive so we had a good laugh, it is a great surprise for anyone who can't help but give the bum a pat. 

An animal or two were hiding during our visit so we didn't get to see them but we were able to see 97% of the other animals which was fantastic. Two of the spots we spent some extra time at aside from the bird aviary was at the Gibbon Monkey & the Otter both of whom were being quite vocal and seemed to be enjoying the rain. We visited shortly after Christmas so they still had some fun photo opps up around the zoo that we took advantage of while we were there. They also had two different opportunities during the day to feed a giraffe, it does cost extra but it is only $3 per person & is a neat experience if it is something you've never done before. When you get hungry they do have a small cafe that offers food along with a gift shop if you want a souvenir. If you want a souvenir but want to save some money at the same time they had a penny press in front of the gift shop, it cost $0.50 to press a penny with your choice of design that will say "Reid Park Zoo" and have an animal on it. We personally love getting pressed pennies & have a small collection of them from various places we've visited in the past. 

We really enjoyed visiting Reid Park Zoo & will visit again in the future when we are in town. We thought it was a fantastic zoo that was clean and lovely to visit. Earlier in the post I had mentioned that I would share two ways you can save money on your visit if you are going through a hard time or are trying to save a little money during vacation. The zoo participates in the Culture Pass program through the Arizona public library system, you can visit your local libraries website to see which location has a culture pass for this zoo - the library allows you to "check out" 2 passes per family per month through their program (1 pass at a time) for free & each pass gets you two free admissions into where ever the pass is for. Reid Park zoo also gives a discount price to anyone who is part of the SNAP or WIC programs, you will need to show proof along with your ID at the gate to receive $4 off per ticket. If you live in Tucson or close to it & want to visit Reid park zoo multiple times through out the year you can buy a membership for yourself or a family membership which gets you in for free every time you visit. If you ever happen to find yourself in the Tucson area, I highly recommend stopping by to visit this wonderful zoo. If you are looking for more adventures in Tucson type in "Things to do in Tucson" or "Things to do in Arizona" in the search bar of my blog, I have several more fantastic animal attractions and more in Tucson to share with you & when all done within a few days it makes for a action packed vacation. 

If you want to see more animals from this zoo along with other adorable animals I've seen on my adventures, feel free to visit & follow my Nature Photography Instagram account where I post photos & videos.

Do you think you would enjoy this zoo? What is your favorite animal? 

**This is not a sponsored post, my family & I decided to visit the zoo while we were in the area and paid to visit the zoo. I enjoy sharing some of the fun places we've been & things we've seen with my readers so they can enjoy it too if they get a chance.**

The Young Scientist Club - Top Secret Spy Science Review

 

Craft kits & hands on activities have always been a big hit in our house which is why we love the Horizon Group USA brand & all of the lines they offer. They have a wide variety of kits for boys & girls of all ages to enjoy, some adults may even enjoy the kits as well to learn a new craft. We recently received a top secret spy science kit from their Young Scientist Club line to check out for a review & It was packed full of fun spy themed activities to complete. 

This kit includes ten different secret missions to complete in order to figure out the answer to the mystery you are presented with at the start of the kit. Missions include code breaking, analyzing fingerprints, making a print of a key onto clay, using vinegar to test chemical levels & more. All of which are easy for kids to complete on their own depending on their age. This kit is so much cooler than some of the spy kits I remember wanting as a kid. This kit can be purchased on amazon for $24.99, you can also find their products at stores such as Walmart, Target & Michaels. 

My son had a lot of fun completing this kit, there were only one or two times when he asked questions just to verify his findings such as when he did the PH test with the vinegar as one or two of the results looked very similar to two of the numbers not just one. They included plenty of extra strips for testing just in case you needed them & even if you don't need them for this craft it would be fun to test out other fluids in the kitchen such as orange juice to see what their levels are as well. 

At the end of your spy adventure you get to break open a treasure chest to find some gem stones you are able to keep & collect. This along with all of their other kits make fabulous gifts or anytime kits to spend some one on one time with your kids. If you want to find reviews on some of their other kits feel free to type in "Horizon Group USA" into the search bar of my blog and it will bring up all of the reviews.

Disclaimer- Horizon Group USA provided the product above for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.