Kelly Seeks

When people ask me where we are from; my voice gets super high because I get super excited to tell them. I love to explain to them the reasons they need to put St. Louis on their bucket list. The main thing I brag about is the zoo.

St. Louis Zoo- according to USAToday Best 10 list of 2017; we be da bomb. Ranked #1 for the best zoo. And it’s no monies! That’s right, the number one zoo in 2017 is free to explore. I will warn you that parking is not free; however, if you get there before it opens you could possibly grab some street parking and it will be.

We splurged this summer’s visit (which was easy since entry is free) and grabbed the “adventure pass”. For $12 a person. We were able to get entry to almost all paid activities inside the zoo including the 4D experience, petting the sting rays, train ride and more. So it was totes worth it because the sting ray and 4D experience were amaze-balls!

Food inside is moderately priced. But pack a trunk lunch or haul around your own sack lunch and sit at the millions of benches around and eat inside the zoo.

The zoo landscape is extremely hilly. However, like I just mentioned, there are benches about every five feet to camp out on for a break. However, if you need assistance, there are ridey carts to rent. They also have misting machines around the zoo too. Because guess what?! Being in the Midwest does not exclude us from triple digit heat during the summer. So remember to bring sunscreen and maybe a hat to keep you from baking.

I suggest doing the reptile house towards the hotter part of the day if you go during warmer weather. Why? AC! So then note it will also be crowed at the time too. My husband and I both took field trips there as kids and 20 years later there is no difference. Be prepared to deal with other children who aren’t your own.

For us “older” folks, I’ve got to mention a little about the history. I encourage you to dig a little deeper into the history of the zoo. It’s simply amazing. I tell you this so when you look around you’ll notice the features in certain exhibits and why the bird cage is so important.

Lastly, you need to figure in time. We were there for 4 hours and still did not see everything. So when I say it’s a big zoo- it’s a BIG freakin zoo! It’s a great day to break out those sneakers that you’ve shoved to the side all summer for a pair of sandals.

So there you have it. A locals guide to visiting the most awesomest zoo there is (in my opinion).