Calgary Zoo

The Calgary Zoo is a great place to visit.  My kids love it, but I have seen so many different types of people there. Older couples, parents, grandparents, teens, kids, babies as well as handicapped people.

The Zoo is open year round, and is only closed two days a year – Christmas day and New Years Eve.  There are so many animals to look at, but they also strive to educate.  Most (if not all) enclosures have plaques outside with the animals information.  Over the years the homes of the animals have been enhanced so that their surroundings mimic their natural habitat.

There are many different areas of the zoo.  There are the hippos and giraffes (and a new baby!) in the African Savannah; gorillas in the Transalta the Rainforest; Eruasia has tigers and camels. There is also the prehistoric park, Creatures of the Night/Australia, Canadian Wilds, Elephant crossing, and South America.

Dorothy Harvie Gardens has a wonderful display of flowers, and in one of the buildings (I believe it is the newly renovated Conservatory) is a wonderful butterfly garden. 

		Butterfly gardens VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

In the summer months there are many vendors open selling snacks, lunches and beverages.  In the winter and colder months the Kitamba Cafe is open, which offers snacks, lunches and drinks as well (it is also open all summer too).

There are two different areas with playgrounds, one is a large fenced area that has three different climbing structures with stated age ranges on them.  The other playground is by the tigers, and it is just for kids under five.  This is part of the Co-op kids zone.  There is also a kids train and a carousel, each of which you need to buy tokens for.

You can buy seasons tickets for the Calgary Zoo.  We have bought them for the past two years, and I think they are fabulous!  We pack a lunch and head to the zoo and spend the day.

For more information and to buy passes you can visit http://www.calgaryzoo.org/