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Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

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MonnieR
MonnieR
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
4
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Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

  • February 8, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by MonnieR from Niles, Ohio
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

If there ever was a time in my life that I didn’t love zoos, I don’t remember it. Growing up not far from Cincinnati meant summer visits to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden; later, my husband and I stopped at the Toledo Zoo. When our two kids still made their home with us in northeastern Ohio, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo got most of our attention—especially once the RainForest was added.

These days, though, our favorite is the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, Ohio.

Since we have friends who live in this town just north of the state capital, we can get there fairly often; most recently, it was to see the awesome Christmas season evening lights program. The zoo, which celebrated its 50th year in 2006, was transformed into a wonderland of color; I doubt there was a single bush or tree that wasn’t aglow with brilliant lights—echoed in the eyes of youngsters (and in most cases, their parents’ as well).

The bulk of the credit for the zoo’s tremendous growth and popularity arguably goes to one-time director Jack Hanna, who now serves as director emeritus and continues to share his animal expertise as a "regular" on major TV shows.

Periodically, Hanna returns "home"; this year, he and some animal friends will be at the zoo for "Jack Hanna’s Fall Fest" Sept 15-16 and 22-23.

The zoo is artfully laid out in several themed areas titled the African Forest, Asia Quest, Australia, Islands of Southeast Asia, North America, Reptiles, Pachyderms, Shores, and Animal Enrichment. The plants and other décor reflect the theme, as does the wildlife. In Australia, for instance, you’ll find kangaroos and koalas as well as birds and insects indigenous to the continent. On our fall visit, we watched a young joey cavort on the open ground inches from our feet—supervised, of course, by one of the zoo caretakers.

Admission for those 12 to 59 is $10 and parking is $3, so you should have a few bucks left for a bite to eat or a cool drink at one of the pavilions or outdoor stands (benches for sitting down to relax and catch your breath are plentiful and free). For a speedier trip through the grounds, just hop aboard the train that snakes its way past all the exhibits.

Personally, I love to watch the antics of orangutans, so I’m likely to head for the Islands of Southeast Asia section. I’m a veteran walker, but there’s a boat ride that passes by otters, gibbons (who frolic in their personal Jungle Gym), orangutans, Komodo dragons, and other Indonesian sights.

Prefer to see your birdies and eagles in a different setting? Drop the rest of the family off at the zoo and head for the nearby Safari Golf Club at the 18-hole Columbus Zoo on Riverside Drive. Adults can play nine holes for $15, and zoo members get 20% off on golf shop merchandise.

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