Looking for an alternative to theme or amusement parks? Need something to do when visiting family? Rest assured you can look no further than your own backyard to find something new in most cases. What’s the solution? How about a zoo, aquarium or botanical garden. Any of these options is a great alternative to an expensive amusement park trip, and at any one, there will be countless new things to see and learn.
A zoo, or zoological garden or park is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures and displayed to the public. The animals may also be bred within the park. The term zoo refers to the biological discipline zoology.
The focus of zoos has shifted over the years to making conservation a central focus. Many zoos also have conservation programs and dedicate profits and donations to conserving natural wildlife areas.
Within the past three decades, many zoos have begun keeping animals in enclosures that replicate their natural habitat, an effort though to benefit both the animal, and help the visitors learn more about how the animal lives in the wild. These natural habitats may also include special buildings for nocturnal animals and special climate conditions for animals that live in the most extreme environments such as penguins and polar bears. Special large enclosures have also been developed for birds, insects, reptiles, fish and other aquatic life forms. Reptile exhibits are quite popular with visitors, especially those that feature alligator wrestling and shows displaying different snakes.
For younger children, there are also petting zoos, which usually features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are passive enough for children to touch and feed them, with food provided by the zoo.
Another alternative to a zoo is an aquarium. Aquariums specialize in wildlife habitats for aquatic animals and feature large aquariums, some so large that visitors can walk through them and view fresh and salt water animals in a recreated natural environment. Aquariums can be found in most large cities and the entrance fee for most is very reasonable. Some even offer tours that may give you a behind the scenes look, and some may even a feature of feeding the animals or even swimming with them.
If you are looking for an animal-free way to spend your day, a local botanical garden may be a great choice for you. These parks, sometimes made of natural reserve land, display a wide variety of plants categorized and documented for scientific purposes. These gardens employ botanists and horticulturalists who maintain the gardens. Taking a tour at a botanical garden is a great way to learn about the natural plant life of that area, as well as a great way to spend a relaxing day. Not all botanical gardens are open to the public, but most are and only charge a nominal fee, which usually goes completely to fund the research and preservation of the land.
Many botanical gardens also have special events, such as movies on the lawn, or special holiday displays. Other gardens may also have special exhibits depending on what plants are in bloom during that time of year.
Zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens are all great family friendly outings, and are available in larger cities. These activities typically charge a moderate to nominal fee that often goes completely to conservation or maintenance of the park. The next time you are looking for something for your family, or even an activity just for you, check out one of these alternatives.