Monday, June 25, 2012

Things I Love about St.Louis: The Saint Louis Zoo

(This is the fourth in the Things I Love about Saint Louis Series. If you want to know more, go here.)


Living in Saint Louis my whole life, sometimes I forget how lucky we really are having this awesome Zoo.  Not every city has a zoo and  not every zoo is free to get into. I know there are alot of other zoos around the country but I'm a little bias. The Saint Louis Zoo is just all around great.

I went to the zoo every year as a kid, not alot  but at least once a year. Ever since J and I had kids, we've been going to the Zoo ALOT.  Say... a few times a month alot. We started going to often that we decided very quickly to become members.  The Zoo is open year round and we have been there at all times except when it's 30 degrees or under or it has snowed which I'm kinda bummed about because I've heard it's pretty.


Hmm..... which kind do I want?
As a member( there are different levels), we get the free parking and so  many go- anywhere passes which get you on the train, the carousel, the children's zoo, and  the sea lion show. If they melt down after 30 minutes, I don't feel bad leaving because it was paid for along time ago. And  J's work donation-matches so we can  up our membership level, score! If you are from STL, look into if your work matches too. It's so worth it.

Price....mostly FREE...
If you are not a member or just visiting, you can go through the whole zoo for free. Yep, free ( if you can avoid the food and gift shop. I know, easier said than done)  If you get there the first hour of the day,  you can go into the children's zoo, carousel,and sting rays for free. FREE.  If you have a bigger family, that's a heck of a deal. You can also park for free along the streets  in Forest Park, which will be is it's own post of awesome-ness. As my friend Katrina over at Keys To the Magic Travel says about WDW....a very affordable option for souvenirs are the pressed pennies that you can find all around the Zoo. K loves them and for 51 cents. I can't beat it. 


If you get here after the first hour, they do have a Safari Pass. For $10 per person, this gets you one admission to the Children's Zoo, Zooline Railroad, Conservation Carousel, Movie and 4-D Motion Simulator and Stingrays at Caribbean. It maybe worth it, it may not be depending on what you want to see and do.

S  loves the squeezy applesauce.

Food
We usually bring some snacks for the girls when we go like squeezey applesauce, crackers, grapes, and  drinks.  The Zoo is cool with you bringing a cooler and  all the food/drink  you need with you.  How great is that? But if you don't want to worry about it, the food is great here.  It's the typical tourist prices. They have everything from BBQ to Ice Cream to Beer. There are 10 places to get food all around the Zoo. They have this deal for a Souvenir cup for $8 but then refills are only a $1. If you can share one of those, you're set. And if you come back, you can bring it back and reuse it again all season.

Attire
I always dress for comfort and a little sweating, especially in the summer here in St.Louis ( hot and really humid) Lugging two kids in a double stroller for 2-3 hours doesn't make for cute. I see plenty of cutely dressed people but I want comfort. It is a bigger place so I would recommend tennis shoes but again I  see people in all kinds of shoes.

Our Route
Our usual Zoo trip goes something like this....( and keep in mind this is a 4 and 2 year I'm taking )

We try to get there as early as we can to avoid the crowds and  the heat in the summer. We go through the south gates by Highway 40 and make our way to the right where we climb up the hill towards the big cats and large hooved animals.  There are many cool buildings with other animals that you can look at along the way but right now my kids have no interest in them and there are so many other animals to see that it doesn't matter. There are two baby lions that were out this morning and they are so cute you will want to take them home.


Mountain Bongo

Then we make our way back down the hill to the apes/monkeys,birds...


  around to the carousel.....

 
 ....bears, Living World ( not much for my two right now but tons of cool stuff),Children's zoo, Insectarium


and then on the River's Edge to see the hippos and Elephants, who are the girls favorite. There are folks all around the Zoo who are explaining the animals and will answer any questions that you can think of or will find out who can answer your questions if they can't. We finish up the day with a ride on the Zoo train which right now is the highlight of the trip, which is why it's left until the end.



New Baby Kenzie and her mom, Rani

Grandma Ellie, Mama Rani and  Baby Kenize- Three elephant generations. What a family.

My little photog K capturing the hippos

Being the ages they are, there is a bunch we don't do  but when they are older things will totally change I'm sure. I so recommend this place to anyone visiting from out of town with or without kids. It's one of my top 5 places to go here. I  have been in no way paid or compensated for this post at all. I just love this place and am so blessed that it is in the city where I live. Please come and enjoy it if you are ever in town.


Monday
What is the Gunny Sack -Making the world Cuter -Debbie Doo -DIY How Off
DIY Shop - Lines Across My Face -I should be mopping the Floor
Great Fun 4 Kids

Tuesday

How to Nest For Less - Tip Junkie - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia -The Kurtz Corner
Sugar Bee - Romance On A Dime - Chronic Christian Crafter - Funky Polka Dot Giraffe
The Winthrop Chronicles


Wednesday
 Thrifty Home - Someday Crafts - Sew Much Ado
 Junk in Their Trunk  - Southern Lovely


Thursday

My rePurposed Life - Beyond the Picket Fence - Somewhat Simple - Live Laugh Rowe
Loving this Crazy Life -Scrappy Crafty Happy - Fireflies and Jellybeans - The Shabby Cottage
Quality Cheap Home  - The Taylor House
House of Hepworths

Friday

Naptime CraftersStay At Home Nation
Young and CraftyMy Turn(ForUs)
Delicate Construction
Serenity Now
Family Ever After 

Here Comes the Sun

Saturday



Six Sister's Stuff
Be Different Act Normal


Sunday
Nifty Thrifty Things


Other Fun Blogs

25 comments:

  1. oh, i miss the zoo!!!!!!! great blog.

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  2. Hi there! :)

    Visiting from the newbie party and your post caught my eye because my son moved to St Louis not too long ago!

    Great article, pics and ADORABLE kids! I especially like the nose-crinkling picture :)

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    1. Thanks, Debra. That's all her with the nose. She's a little attitude. I I hope you get to come see the zoo when you come and visit him.

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  3. We'er going to go there soon!!! I love the STL Zoo and can't wait to go back. I uesd to go at least once a year and have taken my students there twice. It's wonderful. I can't wait to see Baby Kenzie!

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    1. Cool! I hope she's out when you are there. She's been out alot since she's gotten older. Are you heading up soon?

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  4. Hi I am following you from the Blog Walk and really like the pictures you posted of the animals and your daughter having fun. Being from Trinidad we do not have a zoo that properly facilitates all the animals. They are usually seen in tiny cages, so I seldom take my kids there. However I am going to Miami this summer and plan to take my son to a Safari 'Lion County' and the Miami Zoo.
    Hope you can follow back.
    Jillian
    http://puzzlemecomplete.blogspot.com/

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    1. Jillian, I'm glad to follow back. I hope you all enjoy yourselves in Miami. I haven't been to that zoo but most are really great up here.

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  5. Thanks so much for linking up to my pressed penny post!!

    We have family that lives south of St. Louis - in Perryville. And more family even further south near the Wycliff Mounds (but I think those are in Kentucky) - and even with all that family there, we've never been to the zoo! We've done the arch and the Johnson's Shut-ins (but that was a long time ago). I remember when I was there in high school and we went to the floating McDonald's :-) - but that's not there anymore either (perhaps a good thing!).

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    1. Oh! The floating McDonalds! I forgot all about that. I think the last I went was in high school too. It was pretty neat to eat MCDs and look and see the arch though. And we stopped in Perryville on our way to Florida to get gas so I know where that is now.

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  6. Hi Emily,

    I've never been to the St. Louis, or it's zoo, but I've had several friends that have lived in the area and RAVED about it. So apparently, it IS a great zoo. And I'm embarassed to say, I love the zoo. I think that's why I'm so happy to take my kiddos whenever they want.

    I followed you over from the How to Nest for Less linky party. I would love if you stopped by my blog.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Laura

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    1. You don't need to be embarrassed! Having kids is just another great reason to go. I'm a follower and I love the fishy party, My girls are crazy over goldfish cracker so they would love that.

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  7. In Sydney we have Ztaronga Zoo, which I think I love just as much as you love your zoo. Next time I'm in St Louis...! x

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    1. Absolutely... good to know. Going to Australia/New Zealand is on my list of things i have to do some day.

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  8. Awwww how awesome!
    and FREE??? Man, now you're making me wish we lived closer to St louis...!

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    1. Ok... I'll switch with you for a while. You fly up here and I'll fly down there. :)

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  9. What a neat post, Emily. That is AMAZING that it is free to get in. We have a zoo here in Nashville (where I live)...but, it has been several years since I've been. With little ones, it would be a great activity though. (Not recently with the 100+ weather, though!) Thanks for sharing and linking up with us @ Toot Your Horn Tuesday :)

    Erin

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    1. I've always wanted to go to Nashville. If they have Blissdom next year, I hope to go. Did you go last year? Maybe I'll see you there.

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  10. Looks like you had a lot of fun!! It's been so long since I've been to a zoo. That is so awesome that your zoo is free!!!

    I'm so glad you shared this at Romance on a dime. (Someday I'm going to make it to St. Louis.)

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    1. You should come to STL! There so much for you and Matt to do.

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  11. You are such a great momma:) You make me wish I could run and pick up both sets of grandkids and run to the nearest zoo. Thank you for sharing at Freedom Fridays.

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    1. Awww.thanks. (blush) You should go get them. Trust me, the parents wouldn't mind some time alone.

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  12. We were outside the gate of the St Louis Zoo over spring break, but they were having some big special day inside and it was packed! We've heard great things about this zoo. We'll get back there someday! Fun pics!! Thanks for sharing. We appreciate you linking up to our "Strut Your Stuff Saturday! It was great having you and we hope you'll be back next week!! -The Sisters

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    1. Ohh! Bummer. That is such a shame. I hope you do come back. That really doesn't happen too much.

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  13. The zoo looks great! My husband loves the zoo, hopefully we'll be able to check it out some time. Thank you for sharing with us on Saturday Show and Tell. I hope you'll join us again this week!
    -Mackenzie
    http://www.cheeriosandlattes.com

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