Florida Guide > Days Out
Vacation trip to Lowry Zoo, Tampa, Florida
As a change from the normal tourist agenda we decided to have a day away from Orlando and the normal attractions and visit the Tampa Bay zoo – named Lowry Park Zoo which is located on 56 acres of lush natural habitats and was voted number one family friendly zoo by Parents Magazine.
The Lowry zoo upholds very high standards with landscaped animal habitats and more than 2, 000 animals housed in one of eight very different habitat areas, which are named:
SAFARI AFRICA: with elephants, zebras, giraffes, antelope, cheetahs, hippopotamus, meerkats, white tigers at Asian Gardens and lots more. In the giraffe area you can climb up onto high platform and feed the giraffes a snack. You can buy the snacks at the platform, our family loved doing this, it was amazing to see their long tongues stick out as they accept the food.
FREE FLIGHT AVIARIES: this habitat is set as a sub tropical rain forest, here you can view toucans, herons, various macaws, and other exotic and endangered birds.
FLORIDA BOARDWALK: this habitat is a showcase for animals native to Florida including stingrays, American alligators, American crocodiles, black bears, bald eagles, panther, otters and many more.
The zoo entrance fee includes shows and talks such as the Spirit of Adventure, with birds of prey flying around and zoo keepers passing on their knowledge of the birds, there are also Manatee encounters and others. In the Wallaroo Station, a four-and-a-half acre Australian themed children’s area, the children can get hands on time with the animals, they can touch or brush a goat’s fur, feed the parakeets and walk down a path where kangaroos and wallabies hop in front of them. If that’s not enough, you can ride on a llama or, in another part of the zoo, a camel.
There are also good rides for the children, including the Safari sky ride, we loved that one! gator falls plume ride, flying bananas, camel rides and others. These rides are an additional cost to the entrance fee.
Admission fees are $23. 95 for an adult ticket, children are $18. 95 and under 2's are free; opening hours are 9:30 am to 5 pm 7 days a week. If it’s your birthday, you can get FREE entry, but you must show proof.
There are also a selection of restaurants and cafes for drinks and eats, plus shady spots ideal for picnics.
This is definitely a place worth checking out for a great family away day.
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