They ought to make it official – nobody can visit Atlanta without going to the zoo! The Atlanta Zoo is a big pull for people with families, but even if you haven’t got kids tugging at your sleeves to go to the zoo, you should make a point of doing so if you are in the area. The Fulton County Zoo is located mere minutes from downtown in Grant Park and since they are only closed for two days of the year – Thanksgiving and Christmas – you should have no trouble finding it and fitting in a trip within your existing schedule!
The zoo is open on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on weekends from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and tickets will cost you depending on your age or on the size of your group: $17.99 for adults (over 12), $12.99 for children three to nine years old, $13.99 for college students, senior citizens and military personnel, and children under two years old get in for free. If you come with a large group, you can also get a group discount.
There are more than 200 animals who live in the zoo, so you will want to take your time and visit them all. If you come with children, chances are that they will all want to see their favorite animals and you will be busy for hours seeing all of them. Whether you want to hang out with orangutans, lemurs, the African elephants, Thompson’s gazelles, giant pandas, kangaroos, meerkats, warthogs, zebras, bog turtles, komodo dragons, vultures, flamingos, frogs or snakes, you will find what you are looking for here. What’s more, you’ll be able to watch them walk around, talk to each other and run around in their own zoo environments!
The Atlanta Zoo is not only here for our amusement (but we are certainly glad that this is a part of their job), but also to conduct research and launch conservation projects. Currently the zoo is undertaking three separate research projects relating to their animals: several studies are being conducted by zoo staff to understand more about the giant pandas, the primates and various reptiles and amphibians. The zoo also promotes several conservation schemes. Dedicated not only to the preservation of existing zoo animals and their species, but to the conservation and preservation of the environment itself. The zoo staff urges all of its visitors to recycle, to think twice about doing things that pollute the earth and the atmosphere, and to always think about how their actions affect not only themselves, but other kinds of animals all over the world.
Not only is this a fun trip for the family or with friends, but it gets you outdoors and educates you in ways that otherwise might be overlooked. The zoo is not only a great plan for entertainment’s sake, but for the knowledge and awareness that comes from the dedicated zoo staff.