What started in the early 1900s as a makeshift dumping ground for unwanted pets, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has since evolved into nearly 20 acres of beautiful landscaping, modern animal care and interactive wildlife preservation awareness efforts. Every member of the family will find something they love at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
Parking and public transportation at Fresno Chaffee Zoo
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is located in Roeding Regional Park so there is a $5 per car fee charged by the city of Fresno to enter. Once inside there is ample paved parking available. If you prefer public transportation, catching the bus is a great option. The Fresno Area Express Route 33 runs 7 days a week and has a stop at the front entrance to the zoo.
Best and worst time to go to Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Although open year round, the hours vary by season so it's always a good idea to call ahead. There are various seasonal special events offered too, from Zoo Summer Camp to Ice Cream Zoofari, making the experience exciting and new to visitors each time they come. A favorite among locals is the Zoo Lights event offered in the winter. Although it has a separate admission fee, Zoo Lights offers visitors a chance to enjoy the nocturnal habits of the animals after dark, when the grounds have been transformed into a winter wonderland between exhibits. Lit by the twinkling glow of thousands of holiday lights, Christmas trees and holiday displays, guests are treated to cookies and hot coco as well as a visit from Santa Claus himself.
Admission to Fresno Chaffee Zoo
The admission fees (like the prices of just about everything at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo) are very reasonable. Adult tickets are only $7 and children ages 2-11 are $3.50 (under 2 are free). Discounts are offered for seniors, as well as special group rates. Be sure to bring extra funds for snacks, souvenirs and some of the fun interactive animal experiences too.
Must see/do at Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Aside from the traditional zoo activities like scheduled zookeeper animal feedings and a petting zoo (be sure to say hi to Buttercup, the calf) Fresno Chaffee Zoo also gives visitors unique opportunities to interact with some of the animals. You can hand-feed and take pictures with the giraffes at their feeding station, pet a stingray in Stingray Bay and come face-to-face with a Sea Lion in Sea Lion Cove. Some activities are free but the ones that have an additional charge are very affordably priced (usually around $2), making Fresno Chaffee Zoo a great destination for families.
Other places to visit near Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Back in the 1920's a Sicilian immigrant by the name of Baldassare Forestiere took it upon himself to excavate the property of his Fresno home to replicate the ancient underground catacombs he had admired as a boy. When he passed away in 1946, he left what is now the Forestiere Underground Gardens: 10 acres of subterranean rooms, courtyards and passageways with their own unique micro-climates and filled with incredible architectural details and fruit-bearing plants. The site has been deemed a California State Landmark, a Fresno City and County Historical Site, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was deemed one of "10 of the world's coolest underground wonders" by CNN and is featured in Life Magazine's book Seeing is Believing: Amazing People and Places From Around The World. It's definitely worth the detour if you're in the Fresno area.
Insider tip for visitors to Fresno Chaffee Zoo
If visiting during the month of October, get the kids into costume and swing into Fresno Chaffee Zoo for Zoo Boo. A favorite event among local families and travelers alike, Zoo Boo offers children a safe and fun environment to show off their Halloween costumes (there's even a contest!), get in a little extra trick-or-treating and still enjoy the educational opportunities offered by an outing to the zoo. Kids get to meet some of their favorite film and cartoon characters, take part in fun activities, and enjoy carnival games, live music and delicious food.
Author's bio: Ann Milligan is a wife, mom, author, artist and California native. She can often be found painting the local wildflowers, dancing with her kids, and nom-nom-noming.
The Zoomars Petting Zoo is located in the Los Ramos Street Historic District. The appearance of the ranch farm with its gathering of farm animals adds to the history and charm of the town's oldest street. It is a popular destination for local kids to host birthday parties. Carolyn, the owner, has arranged several different options and prices for the parties on the web page. There are pony and horse rides as well as the gathering of sheep, birds, chickens, roosters, goats and donkeys for the kids to pet. There are even llamas from Peru and colorful tropical parrots from Brazil. A small train ride that encircles the property is available for children wishing to keep a safe distance from the animals. Zoomars is adjacent to the Los Ramos Park and Ito Nursery.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park is a zoo with a hands-on and up-close approach located in Goddard, Kansas, which is a city located directly to the west of Wichita. The zoo houses over 300 animals, including some of the most rare and endangered species in the state, in an intimate and family centered setting. Tanganyika is known for the interactivity of its exhibits and as such is an ideal day trip for families and nature enthusiasts. The zoo is also popular with school groups due to the knowledge of the Tanganyika staff and its four meeting rooms are perfect for conferences and events.
Best and worst time to go to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
The best time to visit Tanganyika is during the morning between the beginning of May and Labor Day weekend. During this stretch the park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the combination of intense Kansas sun and animal activity makes the morning the best time to visit. This will also lessen the chance that you will bump into large school groups. Tanganyika is closed from the second weekend of November until spring break week in March. It also runs limited weekend hours in April, September and October, so if you are visiting during these months it is best to check ahead.
Must see/do at Tanganyika Wildlife Park
- Lemur Island: This exhibit is the most unique feature of Tanganyika as visitors are able to come face to face with Ring-tailed Lemurs. Assisted by a zoo guide, guests sit on one of the rocks in the lemur habitat and are given food to hold as the lemurs crawl onto your lap and take the snack for themselves. Tanganyika is one of the only places in North America where this experience is available.
- Feeding Kangaroos: Tanganyika takes the concept of the petting zoo to the next level with an open area where you can walk among, pet and feed kangaroos.
- Baby animals: One of the first areas you encounter when entering the park is a baby animal nursery. Here you can look through the windows into the various cages and see anything from baby snow leopards to baby honey badgers as they are cared for at the zoo.
Admission to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
Admission is free for children two and under and adults 90 and over. Admission for others is between $15 and $18, with discounts for seniors and children under 12. Tanganyika also offered a military discount of 15% for service members. The gate is also the best time to buy passes to feed and interact with the animals at a discount as opposed to buying food in each area.
Parking and Public Transportation to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
The zoo is located just of off of Highway 54/US 400 to the west of Wichita. Public transportation to this area is limited, so people are encouraged to drive to the zoo where free parking is offered on its expansive parking lot. From Wichita just take Kellogg/US 400 west toward Goddard and Tanganyika is signposted from before the city limit.
Food at Tanganyika
The zoo allows guests to bring their own food so save money by packing a lunch and eating at one of the many picnic spots provided. The only rules for food brought into the park is that there must be no alcohol and no glass. The zoo also has a concession stand which sells deli sandwiches, hot dogs and other concession style food. Pepsi products and Gatorade are also available for purchase.
Insider tip for visitors to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
Visit on a "Wild Wednesday" during June and July. The park will be open until dusk with free child admission with a paid adult and live music from some of the best local bands being played from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Author's bio: Michael Wright has lived in Wichita for 10 years and is a frequent visitor to the Old Town district. He writes for a living and loves to instill a passion for traveling into others.
The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is a 12-acre park and petting zoo designed to depict scenes from a family farm at the end of the 19th century. Visitors can see vegetable and flower gardens and nearly 200 farm animals and fowl, plus prairie dogs, longhorn steer, bobcats, bison and birds of prey. There are also several mini-playgrounds throughout the park.
Parking and Public Transportation to Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
The farmstead is located just south of the Overland Park Soccer Complex. Enter the complex and travel south past the last soccer field to the Farmstead parking lot. Or, take Switzer south from 135th and turn west past those soccer fields to the entrance to the parking lot. Parking is free.
Admission to Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
Admission is free Monday through Thursday. Cost is $2 per person Friday through Sunday and holidays. Children younger than age 2 are free. Additional costs for pony rides, horse-drawn wagon rides, fishing, and a bottle of milk to feed baby goats are about $5 or less each. A combo pack for fishing, mining, a bottle of milk for the baby goats, pony and wagon rides is available around $12 at the entrance to the park. No pets.
Best and worst times to go to Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
Visit on weekdays for free admission. This is an outdoor venue, so check for good weather. Weekends during youth soccer season may make parking challenging. Cow milking demonstrations are held at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Dairy Barn. The schoolhouse and Native American encampment are usually closed for history tours Monday through Thursday mornings.
Must see/do at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
Look for the bison in the east end of the park. Sift for "gold" in a mining trough under the windmill just west of the country schoolhouse. (Purchase a bag of sand and genuine gemstones at the site.) Feed and pet the goats and other animals throughout the park. Get a handful of animal feed from small red vending machines throughout the park for 25 cents. (Bring quarters.)
Food at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
No outside food is allowed inside the park, however visitors can picnic in the Community Park at 13700 Switzer Rd., north of the east parking lot. Inside the farmstead, food and snacks are available at the east entrance, Alex & Emily's Ice Cream Parlor, the Dairy Barn and General Store. Lunch specials, including drink, are under $6, sandwiches under $4, snacks, drinks and desserts in the $2 range.
Other places to visit near Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art is nearby at 111th and Quivira Rd.
Insiders tip for visitors to Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
Check for recorded weather delays or cancellations at (913) 895-5020, Option 3.
Author's bio: Mary-Lane Kamberg is a professional writer and native Kansas Citian. She often took her own children to the farmstead and now takes her grandchildren there.
