America’s Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for FANS and FAMILIES
“Animals are hot! Animal Planet rules TV ratings. The Lion King reigns on Broadway. March of the Penguins was boffo. Polar bear cub Knut is an international celebrity. Zoos are educational, cheaper than amusement parks, fun for the whole family, and attract more visitors than spectator sports. America’s Best Zoos is a comprehensive guide to a true family entertainment bargain. Arranged geographically for touring convenience, it gives detailed descriptions of top zoos across the country.” – Amazon.com
America’s Best Zoos Reviews
Kimberly from She Scribes says…
It’s a travel guide for families and people who love zoos (like me!). I honestly found A LOT of great information about a zoo local to us called the Bronx Zoo that I never knew about. This book really gives you detailed and “behind the scenes” information about about 100 zoos across the country. The book divides them up into geographic locations so you can easily find the “best of the best” zoos in your part of the country. I also love that they give you information on other zoos that deserve an honorable mention.
While reading through the book on zoos in my area (I’m in NY) I learned about other fabulous sounding zoos in nearby states, only a couple of hour driving distance, that I never knew about. It really gave me some “food for thought”. Perhaps we’ll make it a point to make one of these zoos a “day trip” during the early or late summer. Many zoos have affordable pricing and in the case of the Bronx Zoo they even have a FREE day (you just have to pay for parking which is about $8).
I found many zoos in other parts of the country that I find very interesting too. If we are every lucky enough to travel to another state there are a few zoos I read about that I would love to visit. The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in South Carolina sounds awesome! And the Bear Mountain at the Denver Zoo sounds exciting too. Read Kimberly’s full review HERE!
Gina from The Clan McLeod says…
America’s Best Zoos includes 60 of the greatest zoos across the country. The book is laid out by geographical region making it super easy to read about all of the zoos closest to our home, or in areas we plan to travel. There is at least one zoo per state and it even includes other zoos for each region besides those featured. The information about each zoo includes all of the basics such as name, address, phone numbers, hours, and cost of admission. But the listings also include other extremely helpful info such as Directions, Don’t Miss, Author’s Tips, Edutainment, Featured Exhibits, Other Exhibits, For The Kids, and In Progress.
I, being a homeschooler, love the Don’t Miss information and the Edutainment which tells about behind-the-scenes tours, special classes and presentations, and special public feedings times. I also really appreciated the In Progress section that tells what kind of construction is going on so I can decide if we should pass up that particular zoo up until it’s completed, or go ahead and visit if the exhibit doesn’t peak our interest.
I liked that the guide includes tips such as what to pack, when to go, souvenirs, animal viewing and wildlife photography tips. The one thing I would have changed about the guide are the photos of the animals and exhibits. They are great photos but all are in black and white. I love full color pictures in books such as these, though, I do understand why they went with black and white since it cuts printing costs. Read Gina’s full review HERE!
America’s Best Zoos: A Travel Guide for FANS and FAMILIES is available online at The Intrepid Traveler for only $15.95.
The Intrepid Traveler also offers other great titles to enhance your next vacation. Visiting the Orlando area? Check out great titles such as Sea World, Discovery Cove & Aquatica: Orlando’s Salute to the Sea, The Other Orlando: What To Do When You’ve Done Disney, and Universal Orlando 2009. Going to for a Disney vacation? The Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation 2009 will be a huge help in a very large resort! This guide makes it easier to spend time enjoying the parks rather than stressing over what you’re going to do once there. Other great Disney guides are also available! Or, choose a different destination with Take Your RV To Europe, Here Be Yaks, or The Family Sabbaticle Handbook.
