Los Angeles Zoo Trip!

 

I've always loved animals since I was small, so it is always exciting getting the chance to visit a new zoo, farm or animal sanctuary & it is something my family loves doing as well. We recently went on vacation to California to visit Universal and on the way back home we decided to stop & check out the Los Angeles Zoo before leaving Los Angeles. When we first arrived, there was a small market popping up in the parking lot of the zoo, there were vendors selling food along with some things like stuffed animals and hats. It was neat to see as our zoos do not do that, it is also a good way to get some of the tourists to stop and buy things.

We arrived just before they opened & it was crazy to see just how many people were already in line to get into the zoo. Thankfully it didn't take long to purchase tickets & get into the gates, once you are in the actual zoo there is plenty of space, so it doesn't feel overly crowded. The only spot that was slightly backed up with traffic was the reptile house just because it is indoors & there is only so much space. I feel like the current layout of the zoo had a lot of back tracking to get around from one section to another plus there was a bit of construction going on that added to it, so be prepared for a lot of walking when you visit. If you want a cheap souvenir that is also functional, I highly suggest stopping by one of their concessions stands & buying a refillable souvenir cup. We paid $8.99 for a cup that came with cheap refills, if I remember correctly the refills were a dollar or two and the cup itself is a nice thick plastic that comes with a lid and reusable straw. 

The animal enclosures themselves we enjoyed viewing, some of the enclosures were massive such as the gorilla area which had four different areas to view the gorillas from. They had a few animals on display that we do not have at our local zoo, so that was exciting. I have never seen an echidna so close before, it was adorable watching their little waddling bodies moving around the enclosure alongside some adorable wallabies. I love their small bird aviary, the waterfall they built in it was lovely to watch and hear. 

I think they did a fantastic job at constructing the enclosures to where the animals have plenty of shelter & areas, they can feel more secluded while still remaining visible to the public. I especially liked how they did the gorilla & chimpanzee enclosures. The L.A Zoo isn't nearly as big as the public zoo we have here, but it was still nice to visit with my family. If you are in the area, it makes a great short stop if you are looking for extra activities to do. We visited the day after Thanksgiving, so we were able to see some of the cool animal sculptures they had up for their nighttime zoolights.

Want a freebie for yourself or your kids? On your way into the zoo look for a small stand that has small blue booklets. After grabbing one you will look for several stands throughout the park that have clues of which circles to scratch off in the booklet you picked up. Once the book is finished & you are ready to leave stop by one either the blue umbrella next to customer service or the giftshop on the left-hand side (as you are looking at the zoo entrance). An employee will verify that your booklet is complete & give you a freebie, we received a cute pair of mini binoculars & yes, they actually work. This is a great way to keep small kids entertained & engaged while exploring the zoo.

If you are planning a trip to southern California & are looking for other activities to do feel free to type in "Things to do in California" in the search bar of my blog so you can find some other great activities in California. This was not a sponsored review, we paid to get into the zoo ourselves. I enjoy being able to share spots like this with my readers who may not be able to visit in person but are still interested in learning more about these spots, or for anyone planning vacations in the area. 

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