Thursday, July 30

Detroit Zoo: Dinosaur Exhibit

We've been members of the Detroit Zoo as long as I can remember. Probably since our first summer here in Michigan. It's not the most amazing zoo in the world, but it's a good zoo for sure where you can spend a day with the family for not much money.

The best parts of the zoo are the butterfly house, the prairie dog exhibit and the arctic circle exhibit. The food isn't too bad, although it's expensive. The penguin house is nice, but it stinks. The playground is great too...more than you'd expect for a zoo really. And wear quick drying clothes (or bring a change) if you plan to play at the "spitting frogs" outside Amphibiville.

Right now, the special exhibit is the Dinosaur Exhibit. I wasn't planning on taking the kids on our last trip to the zoo, but Payton begged and I caved. The cost was an additional $3 or $4 a person. I was a bit miffed that I had to pay for my 2 year old, who was scared 90% of the time, but whatever. Rules are rules, right?

The walk was less than a mile and all the dinosaurs are sound and motion robotic machines. Some were more believable than others, but Payton really liked them all. They give you a brochure as you go through so you can identify the dinosaurs. That was his favorite part. At the end was a sand pit where they could dig for "fossils" and then, of course, the exit is through the gift shop. Good thing I'd already buckled them in the wagon!

This is the first time I've paid to see any of the "extras" at the zoo, although it seems they have them once a year or more. I just might do it more often now.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes Payton HAD to have a brochure when we went to the Atlanta Aquarium also LOL, I think he likes to fig out which way to go and know whats coming up. And as for the gift shop yes you do practically have to strap any kid down to get thru there. You noticed at the Animal Safari we had to walk thru it to get to the other stuff, Kind of like in Vegas where you had to walk thru casino just to get to rooms ,and bath rooms LOL Love Mom K

Gene said...

I think mom was thinking of some place other than Atlanta, maybe Disney? Dad

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

At last I meet a fellow blogger from Windsor or Detriot. Thanks. I was in Windsor in 1975-77. Sometimes, my friends and I would drive across the Ambassador bridge or take the bus through the tunnel to Detroit. I wonder how much Detroit has changed.

Yes, the zoo is a great place for a young mum with young kids. Enjoy your time with them. My youngest son just turned 13, and he said he had been to a Scientific exhibition so many times that he won't want to go again.