To kick of the 2014 Adventure Tuesday season we decided to go big-
the National Zoo in Washington, D.C..
...and I'm going to roar! |
The Drive: The drive itself was not too bad. It took just over 2 hours, but was a straight shot south and the GPS (its name is Jack) took us exactly to the zoo's entrance. We parked in parking lot A, which was right by the entrance/ exit on Cleveland Avenue NW.
Arrival: We arrived at 10:30 am and had no trouble finding a spot. A minor hiccup was driving past an open spot and then having to back up and angle my MommyMobile (big red van) into one of those crooked spots. I managed to do that without sideswiping any other vehicles or small pedestrians.
Panda-monium |
The Adventure: The zoo was fantastic! We had intentionally decided to go early in the season and I believe that, and the dark looming clouds, helped to thin out the crowds.
Baby Bao Bao |
First stop: Zebras, they are my favorites. The zebras were up front and munching on some hay. Next: Pandas. As we walked around the outdoor panda exhibit we were extremely disappointed that none were visible. HOWEVER, when we went into the Panda Building, there they were in all their furry cuteness. This was how a lot of the day went: walk around empty enclosure, go inside building. This really was not a bad deal, as most of the buildings were well air conditioned.
rain delay |
rain delay |
After 15 min, we decided that we could brave the rain drops, which had slowed considerably, but not entirely. I decided to reach into my bag of tricks and pulled out 3 ponchos (and some animal crackers- since the children were now STARVING). Kim had not packed ponchos, after a few feet in the rain, she stopped at a kiosk and purchased the readily available ponchos, thus effectively causing the rain to stop virtually instantly and the sun to come blazing out. THANKS KIM!
Chomping away |
Pull T, Pull! |
The rest of the adventure went as zoo trips do: Lots of "ooohs" and "ahhhs" and several "I'm hungry". By 3:30 pm were had seen all of the animals (except maybe the tigers???) and were back at the car; damp, sunburnt, hungry but happy.
A very successful first Adventure Tuesday 2014!
Tips/ Tricks: Print a map or take a picture with your phone, camera.... The zoo charges $3 for a map. There is also an interactive GPS enabled app, that is $2. We managed to navigate without either. There are large maps all around the park.
Parking- if we were to go again, I would try to park in Lot D- the farthest one from where we entered. The zoo is on a bit of a hill and the trek up hill to get back (as we were looking at more exhibits) to the car was a bit tedious. I would rather have started going up hill and ended with a downhill jaunt.
Food- packing our own was smart. Food prices at the zoo were okay, but it is still cheaper to pack our own.
Restrooms- are plentiful and clean. If you are not near one, there are signs pointing you to the nearest one and letting you know how long it will take to get there.
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