In an enclosed and slightly air-conditioned building is a Tropical trail which, ventures into the world of the lush rainforest, and a Minnesota trail which, displays animal and exhibits that display the animals that make Minnesota there home. Both exhibits are in the same building, one is off to the right and the other is off to the left. Both are filled with animals of all kinds and plenty to read and learn about.

Tropical Trail

The tropical trail consists of lush rainforest with green foliage and beautiful orchids, which line the windy path that takes you through and gives you a feel of the rainforest. In here you will find animals like lemurs, inquisitive gibbons and agile tree kangaroos. You will also see flamingos, several different types of ducks and birds wandering about and a huge salt-water tank filled with fish, coral and sharks. I really enjoyed the Tropical trail it felt very relaxing.

Minnesota Trail

The Minnesota trail is filled with several animals that live in the state of Minnesota. Some of the animals you will see here are pumas, wolverines and otters. The Minnesota trail also had animals like beavers, bats, porcupines and the popular walleye. Walleye is the most common fish found in Minnesota. This trail is much shorter than the tropical trail and for someone like me who is not a huge fan of reptiles and snakes, it was a lot shorter. I was not a big fan of the Minnesota trail but it was neat to see and learn a little about what is commonly see in Minnesota

The Minnesota zoo is full of entertainment and children friendly activities. At the same location as the zoo is a huge big screen IMAX Theater. The Imax is not in the zoo but outside the zoo and is open to all. The zoo also had a few play grounds and play areas for kids. This was great to see.

IMAX

The IMAX is a 3-D movie theater that has huge screens. This IMAX Theater is located at the zoo but is not really part of the zoo. You have to pay for is separately but any one can go. They do have some combination packages that include the IMAX and the zoo. The IMAX shows a variety of movies and they are for all ages. The prices for traditional IMAX films: $9 adult, $7 children (3-12) & seniors (65+), and for special engagement Hollywood IMAX DMR films: $14 adult, $12 children (3-12) & seniors (65+). You can find out more about this particular IMAX Theater at http://www.imax.com/minnesota/

Playgrounds

There are at least 4 play areas through out the zoo. Two of them are playgrounds with swing, slides, and forts for the kids. I found this to be a great break for our little boy since the rest of the time he was in the stroller being pusher around. When we got to the play grounds are little boy was able to go play with other kids and give us a chance to rest our legs and feet. The playgrounds had lots of kids, but never too many for the kids to have a good time.

The other two areas that kids could play on were kind of education and a neat idea to show kids how some of the animals live. The first was an underground tunnel area by the Meer cats. This game the kids somewhere to play for a minute or two and then also see how the meer cats live and move around and where they make there homes. The other area that was like this was in a sand pit there was a huge ant farm that the kids could run through and crawl out.

If you have kids you understand the need for a break for both you and the kids. This was a great zoo that accommodated those things. I really enjoyed having a place for my son to run and take a break from riding.

We thoroughly enjoyed spending the day at the zoo. There are lots of indoor animals that are native to Minnesota and many that are not. The gibbons were so fun to watch that we went back before we left. I recommend going on a nice day, as there are many outdoor animals as well. Be sure to pick up a map - but don't be fooled by how long the outdoor trail looks, as the walk is actually fairly short. Try to go early in the day, as the zoo is only open to 4pm or 6pm (depending on the day of the week and time of the year).

If you search travel sites, you can find coupons to save some money. The zoo is located a short drive south of the Mall of America and is not hard to find if you have a map.

The Minnesota Zoo is easily the largest zoo in… well, in Minnesota. Consisting of five themed areas, the zoo is about 20 minutes south of Minneapolis.

General Info: The zoo is open 363 days a year, closing only on Christmas and Thanksgiving. Summer hours are 9am to 6pm, and off-season hours are 9am to 4pm. Parking is $5/car. The Minnesota Zoo has an attached IMAX theater, and tickets are discounted with zoo admission.

The zoo has a monorail and several spots to eat. The food court offers many options, and the Zoo Café has coffee and snacks. There is a well-stocked gift shop, with items ranging from T-shirts to stuffed animals to glassware.

The Exhibits: The zoo is sectioned off into five areas: the Northern Trail, the Family Farm, the Tropics Trail, Discovery Bay, and the Minnesota Trail. They are along a nice semicircular walking path, so there is no need to double back – unless you want to see the animals again!

Northern Trail - This area highlights animals native to cold, but not Minnesota. Here you’ll find tigers, caribou, and moose. Surprisingly, the moose are rather friendly, and you can often find them grazing near the fence.

Family Farm - This part of the zoo is probably the coolest for kids. The Minnesota Zoo staff has created a typical farm, complete with a big red barn and grain elevator. This is where you can get close to many farm animals, sheep, goats, and cows included. Parents don’t have to worry, though, as there are hand-washing stations around.

Tropics Trail - This is where the fun animals begin. The Tropics Trail hosts the unusual animals, like lemurs, kangaroos, and different monkey species. This area is all indoors, making it a hotspot in winter. The space itself is cool, a winding stone trail through trees and rocks.

Discovery Bay - Here is where you will find the sea life at the zoo. There are dolphins, sharks, stingrays, and many other fish inside. The zoo has created an open shark tank that allows you to reach in and touch them – very cool for kids! Discovery Bay is where the dolphin show is hosted, and it runs at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm every day.

Minnesota Trail - This is the most boring exhibit of the five, at least for local visitors. Native animals found at the zoo include wolverines, otters, rabbits, and flying squirrels. The nice part of the Minnesota Trail is that the animals are active regardless of the weather.

After you are finished with all of the exhibits, stop back in the visitor center. There is a small interactive section for children inside. Here they can hold rabbits and snakes and learn many interesting animal facts. The zoo also hosts special events in the visitor center throughout the year. Visit the Minnesota Zoo website for events and comprehensive information.