Reinventing The Denver Zoo
By Jonathan Berohn
When you think of Denver, I’m sure the first that pops into your mind is not “zoo.” Before I moved to Colorado, the Denver Zoo wasn’t even on my radar. Even after I moved out here, the Zoo still wasn’t much of a draw. Parking was horrible, the exhibits were old, and the variety was uninspiring. Of course, having come from the Washington, D.C. area and the national Zoo, I had pretty high zoo standards (as it were), but the Denver Zoo just didn’t cut it as a destination of choice compared to the innumerable outdoor activities the area has to offer.
Parking and Admission
Someone at the Denver Zoo must have figured this out, too, though, because all of a sudden the Denver Zoo is a top-notch attraction. The first improvement that catches the eye (and improves the mood—nothing like driving a car full of kids around a full parking lot for 20 minutes) is the new parking garage. All of a sudden it’s easy to find a spot. It’s still a bit tricky if you go on summer weekend afternoons, but that’s pretty much the case anywhere in the area. Better still—parking is free.
There is a downside to the free parking, though. You get hit with that when you come to the ticket booth: $11 for adults and $7 for kids 3-11. Once again the old days of the free National Zoo look pretty good. Still, though, compared to the prices of amusement parks, movies, and sporting events you still get a pretty good bargain. You can also buy discount tickets in advance at TicketsWest, which saves you a buck a piece.
Attractions
New parking is all well and good, but once you get inside, you start to see the real improvements. In addition to old standards like the big cats and elephants, the Denver Zoo has two of the more impressive integrated exhibits I’ve seen in a long time: the Primate Panorama and Tropical Discovery.
The Primate Panorama is 7 acres of primates and apes cavorting in large indoor homes and even larger outdoor yards. You can see gorillas and orangutans romping in the grass and trees rather than languishing dejectedly in a sterile cage. Tropical Discovery, on the other end of the zoo, showcases animals, reptiles, and fish from, yes, tropical areas of the world. From alligators to anacondas, this exhibit offers as many interesting creatures as many more expensive aquariums and specialty mini-zoos.
Winding Down
If you—or more commonly, your kids—get tired of taking in all the animals, the Denver Zoo has recently added an old-fashioned carousel. Tickets, of course, are extra—but at only $1 a ride it makes a great finishing touch to your trip. One note of caution: construction is continuing at the zoo, so be prepared for some extra walking to see some of the exhibits. You best bet is to scope out the things you want to see on the map and plan your day accordingly.
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